Archived - Departmental Plan 2018–19: Supplementary Information Tables: page 2

Table of contents

The Department of Finance Canada is responsible for delivering on the government’s commitment, outlined in the Fall Economic Statement 2016, “to submit all future budgets to more rigorous analysis by completing and publishing a gender-based analysis of budgetary measures.”

The Department commits to integrating, where appropriate and data exists, gender-based analysis plus (GBA+)^* into the development of policy, program and legislative options and related considerations in its advice to the Minister of Finance.

The Department delivers on this commitment by:

• conducting GBA+ when developing proposals on policy under the Minister of Finance’s responsibility
• reviewing and providing advice on GBA+ conducted by other departments for proposals brought forward for Cabinet consideration, and funding decisions

GBA+ and gender budgeting work in tandem. GBA+ sets out potential impacts of individual proposed measures on diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people and, where applicable, informs the development of mitigation measures. This information supports both the policy development and the decision-making processes. Taking this one step further, the Budget Plan is then assessed from a gender perspective to inform priority setting.

Framework

The Department has put in place all elements of a robust GBA+ implementation framework as prescribed by Status of Women Canada:

• a formal departmental policy statement
• a GBA+ Responsibility Centre
• an intra-departmental GBA+ Advisory Committee
• a GBA+ Champion
• a departmental GBA+ action plan
• discussion of GBA+ at senior management committees
• a departmental GBA+ Steering Committee
• resources dedicated to the development, delivery and promotion of GBA+ training for employees
• tools and resources to assist employees in applying GBA+ to their work

Governance

The departmental GBA+ Champion, a position held by an Assistant Deputy Minister, is responsible for leading, supporting and monitoring the integration of GBA+ into the day-to-day operations of the Department. The GBA+ Champion also serves as a liaison with the broader Government of Canada GBA+ network.

The GBA+ Champion is supported by an intra-departmental GBA+ Advisory Committee, established in summer 2017.

GBA+ action plan

The Department’s GBA+ action plan outlines the GBA+ implementation framework and sets out the main activities to be undertaken to ensure that GBA+ is integrated into departmental decision-making processes.

The plan covers the following areas:

1. Integration of GBA+: the Department requires that a GBA+ be conducted on all policy options developed for the Minister’s consideration and that the GBA+ performed by other federal departments submitted for funding consideration be reviewed by the analyst. A mandatory GBA+ template or checklist must be completed, and summary conclusions reported in a dedicated section of the briefing note to the Minister. Starting with Budget 2018, federal departments and agencies must complete a GBA+ Summary Table outlining the main conclusions of the analysis.
2. Monitoring and reporting: the Department systematically tracks the extent to which GBA+ has been conducted and integrated into the advice to the Minister, the uptake of training, and the key issues that analysts face when integrating GBA+ into their work. Internal monitoring and tracking tools are:
   • Excel spreadsheets (for example, for the integration of GBA+ into each proposal, as well as training completion rates)
   • regular updates to senior management and continuous discussion of issues at the GBA+ Advisory Committee
   • surveys and questionnaires of analysts’ experiences with GBA+ training activities and processes during the Fall Economic Statement and budget processes to assess the quality and relevance of training as well as the challenges and needs, to inform the development of the next year’s GBA+ action plan
   • reporting on the Department’s implementation of GBA+ through the Annual GBA+ Implementation Survey conducted by Status of Women Canada
3. Institutional processes: the Department provides detailed instructions on GBA+ processes, requirements and records management to each branch through its internal network of GBA+ advisors and budget coordinators, as well as through an annual GBA+ boot camp before the Fall Economic Statement and budget cycle.
4. Training: the Department has an established GBA+ learning plan that consists of:
   • the Status of Women Canada’s online Introduction to GBA+ course, mandatory since 2016–17 for all departmental analysts and executives involved in policy development or the challenge function
   • in-house courses and learning activities (for example, Advanced GBA+ course and Budget GBA+ Boot Camp)
   • other GBA+ learning opportunities (for example, events offered by the Canada School of Public Service and information sessions for other federal departments and agencies)
   • on-the-job coaching on GBA+ for analysts through feedback from the GBA+ Advisory Committee on individual proposals
5. Tools and data: the Department annually updates internal GBA+ templates and the GBA+ guidance document to provide analysts with robust and efficient tools. Using its review of lessons learned and best practices, the Department also develops new tools as needed.
6. Engagement and outreach: the Department actively engages with Status of Women Canada and other central agencies to strengthen the quality of GBA+ conducted across federal departments and agencies. It also participates in quarterly interdepartmental GBA+ network meetings to share information, guidance and best practices.
7. Communications: the Department communicates on the implementation of GBA+ to parliamentary committees, international organizations, and stakeholders, in particular, on the GBA+ of budget measures in the annual federal budget. The Department also communicates key GBA+ information internally through the departmental intranet, the GBA+ Advisory Committee, the InfoBulletin, and infoscreen announcements.

Accountability mechanisms

The publication of a GBA+ of budget measures in the annual budget is the core accountability mechanism to Canadians for the Department.

This analysis is supported by internal accountability mechanisms, including regular reporting to senior management on the uptake of mandatory training, the status of GBA+ work, and the implementation of the GBA+ Action Plan.

The Department also reports on its implementation of GBA+ through testimonies to, and responses to reports of, parliamentary committees, and the Annual GBA+ Implementation Survey conducted by Status of Women Canada.

A total of 6 full-time equivalents (FTEs) work on the implementation of GBA+ and gender budgeting; all are members of the GBA+ Advisory Committee:

• 1 Senior Director works full time on GBA+ implementation in the Department (1.0 FTE)
• 2 senior analysts work half time on gender budgeting and the Gender Equality Framework (total of 1.0 FTE)
• 6 junior and senior analysts work half time as GBA+ Branch advisors for the Economic Development and Corporate Finance, Economic and Fiscal Policy, International Trade and Finance, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy, Financial Sector Policy and Tax Policy branches (total of 3.0 FTEs)
• 1 junior analyst works full time and 2 students work one-quarter time (from the Assistant Deputy Minister’s Office, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch) to support the work of the GBA+ Advisory Committee (total of 1.0 FTE)

A total of 12 employees work full time or part time on GBA+ implementation and gender budgeting and equality.

In 2018–19, the Department of Finance Canada will continue to:

• strengthen all 7 elements of its Action Plan to improve the quality and scope of GBA+
• strengthen its advice to the Minister of Finance
• support robust gender budgeting

Key initiatives include:

• Integration of GBA+ into the decision-making process: in 2018–19, building on the Gender Statement in Budget 2017, the Department will continue to refine and strengthen GBA+ and gender budgeting practices. The Department will:
  • move further toward gender budgeting by building on existing GBA+ of individual budget measures and the GBA+ assessment of the budget plan and by integrating gender equality outcomes as part of the budget priority-setting and decision-making processes, via the establishment of a new Gender Equality Framework.
    
    The framework, developed through extensive collaboration between the Department of Finance Canada, Status of Women Canada, and Global Affairs Canada, and in consultation with other departments, is a whole-of-government tool that sets out gender equality goals and indicators to inform the development of policy, programs and legislation that will promote improved gender equality outcomes. The framework will also measure progress on gender equality in Canada. The Department will continue to work with Status of Women Canada and other departments in 2018–19 to refine the set of indicators.
  • consider potential adjustments or new GBA+ and gender budgeting practices, building on lessons learned from Budget 2017 and the GBA+ review of Canada by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), expected in summer 2018. The OECD review will provide analysis and recommendations tailored to the Canadian context and inform further steps to reinforce the federal government’s GBA+ implementation and gender budgeting practices.
  • further develop in-house GBA+ capacity, to strengthen the work of the GBA+ Advisory Committee and provide enhanced advisory services to analysts.
    
    At least 0.5 FTE will lead the work on the Gender Equality Framework in 2018–19 to monitor progress and to inform the orientation of Budget 2019. At least 0.5 FTE will continue to work on gender budgeting, including the response to the OECD review.
    
    The Department’s approach to GBA+ and gender budgeting, including the Gender Equality Framework, will have a positive effect on Canadians by addressing the gender equality goals contained in the framework, and by providing a clearer picture of the impacts of budget measures on different groups of Canadians.
• Monitoring and reporting: in 2018–19, the Department will review its existing tools and practices and will implement streamlined and more efficient internal monitoring tools to:
  • expedite reporting on progress to senior management
  • support improved input from other federal departments and agencies for the budget process
  At least 0.5 FTE will work on refreshing the monitoring and reporting tools.
• Tools and data: The Department will assess its GBA+ needs after the release of Budget 2018 and will update existing tools and develop new ones to support robust GBA+ capacity. These may include:
  • updated templates and guidance document
  • GBA+ case studies and examples
  • a guide on GBA+ requirements and process for Memoranda to Cabinet and Treasury Board Submissions
  • GBA+ frequently asked questions and fact sheets
  • updated GBA+ instructions for budget coordinators and GBA+ advisors and analysts
  • a database of key data sources
  At least 2 FTEs will participate in the development of these tools and the tracking of performance indicators.
• Training: the Department will conduct a survey of training needs to inform the development of learning opportunities tailored to the work of analysts. It will also continue to work with Status of Women Canada and the Canada School of Public Service on the development of a GBA+ curriculum.
  
  Approximately 1.5 FTEs will be devoted to training. Performance measures are:
  • All analysts have completed the mandatory Status of Women Canada’s online Introduction to GBA+ course (tracked in an Excel spreadsheet quarterly)
  • A GBA+ Budget Boot Camp and a GBA+ advanced course or workshop is offered in early September
  • A set of departmental events and training is organized for GBA+ Awareness Week
  • GBA+ training outside the Department is promoted

^* GBA+ is an analytical process used to help identify the potential impacts of policies, Programs and services on diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people. The “plus” acknowledges that GBA goes beyond sex and gender differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ considers many other identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.