Gender-based analysis plus
Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus governance and capacity
Governance:
Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) was established in April of 2021 to unify and integrate all the associated culture change activities across the Defence Team. CPCC acts as the center of expertise and functional authority for aligning Defence culture to ensure professional conduct meets the standards expected of the forces. CPCC employs a full time Gender Advisor and houses the Directorate of Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis (DGEIA). DGEIA provides strategic direction on how GBA Plus should be integrated across the Defence Team, and the CPCC Gender Advisor implements that direction within CPCC.
In 2022-23, the DGEIA began the work of establishing a GBA Plus Enterprise Approach in order to create a shift in philosophy, away from a view of GBA Plus as a bolt-on exercise, to one where its value is intrinsically understood and applied consistently in all Defence Team policies, programs and operations. The Enterprise Approach is an enabler of culture change, and it will provide department-level strategic objectives to work towards the true institutionalization of GBA Plus through focusing on five lines of effort: resourcing; capacity building; enabling leaders; governance and accountability; and monitoring and evaluation.
The GBA Plus Enterprise Approach was developed through consultations with Defence-wide expert staff from each L1 (DND/CAF Organizations) both in the thematic areas of the Lines of Effort listed above and through ongoing consultations with institutional Gender Advisors and Gender Focal Points. These engagements confirmed DGEIA’s observations that governance and accountability for the conduct, use and measurement of GBA Plus outcomes on Defence Team initiatives remains a significant gap in institutional capacity. The GBA Plus Enterprise Approach is explicit in articulating the shared responsibility leaders at all levels of DND/CAF have to ensure intersectional analysis, via the application of GBA Plus, is conducted across daily decision-making and its findings used to inform options development, policies, programs, operations and all other Defence Team initiatives.
To directly address the governance challenges, the GBA Plus Enterprise Approach commits CPCC to working with all relevant L1s to better integrate an assessment and quality control of GBA Plus at all critical governance junctures, particularly at the L0 (Senior Management Level) and L0.5 governance tables. The GBA Plus Enterprise Approach will also include strategic guidance to L1s to establish key governance functions for an Intersectional Advisor which will have direct responsibilities to advise their command suite on issues, challenges, and risks associated with not adequately reflecting or implementing intersectional findings throughout each L1’s functional areas of work. The intention of the GBA Plus Enterprise Approach is to ensure each L1 has capacity to conduct and challenge their own GBA Plus within their functional areas, while CPCC maintains functional authority and guidance at the enterprise level to create horizontal synergies and momentum across all L1s. This employment model is structured to ensure these important functions are established down to the smallest units and teams to ensure ongoing awareness building and truly institutionalize GBA Plus as a shared responsibility, intimately aligned with operational effectiveness, operational readiness, and culture evolution.
In preparation for the launch of the GBA Plus Enterprise Approach, the CPCC Gender Advisor has drafted a CPCC policy on the implementation of GBA Plus to be used internally. In addition to preparing for the direction in the Enterprise Approach, CPCC developed Terms of Reference for the CPCC Gender Advisor position and produced guidance on the application of GBA Plus to all external review recommendations. CPCC leadership also continues to ensure that all programs, policies and initiatives that will affect the Department have applied GBA Plus.
To enhance governance, the Chief of Military Personnel’s Gender Advisor continues to participate at governance committees such as the CHARGE! Working Group Committee and the Military Personnel Strategy and Policy Committee, which oversee policy development and endorsement. The CHARGE! committee, which supports the Military Personnel Strategy and Policy Committee and helps ensure compliance within policy development via stakeholder collaboration and training opportunities, now requires that GBA Plus be documented and accompany all policy drafts seeking endorsement.
Throughout 2022-23, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) continued efforts initiated in the previous Fiscal Year (FY) to improve GBA Plus governance. The RCAF continued to build capacity for the conduct of GBA Plus by further developing the network of Gender Focal Points within the RCAF. Wing and Divisional Professional Conduct and Culture Officers were hired and onboarded in FY 2022-23. These positions hold the role of Gender Focal Point for their respective wings. Governance of these positions is by way of bi-monthly “touchpoint” sessions in which the Conduct and Culture Officers were briefed on strategic level initiatives, and best practices and lessons learned were shared to ensure a unified and synchronized RCAF approach. Despite the establishment of these positions to oversee RCAF cultural reform, RCAF was challenged to identify and offer adequate GBA Plus training to these positions – the training is not adequately available to the degree required for the effective use of GBA Plus within the scope of Royal Canadian Air Force business. Some minor success was achieved by offering a day-long “advanced” course to Directorate of Air Requirements personnel in July 2022. This course was provided by Directorate Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis staff and trained those responsible for RCAF projects. This effort better enabled future RCAF project work to include more comprehensive intersectional perspectives when developing and submitting project proposals.
The RCAF also continued planning efforts in 2022-23 for the future expansion of the Gender Focal Point network through the future establishment of Gender Focal Point secondary duties at key nodes at the wing and squadron level, as communicated through the development of the RCAF Professional Conduct and Culture Implementation Plan. While still in draft stage at the end of FY 2022-23, the RCAF Culture Evolution Implementation Plan focuses on the integration of GBA Plus across the RCAF and calls for the development of an RCAF GBA Plus Implementation Plan. Part of this culture evolution plan also calls for the establishment of a full-time Gender Advisor within RCAF to oversee a network of institutionally focussed and operationally focussed Gender Focal Points. These new Focal Points will be specialized according to five identified domains within the RCAF that require focussed effort and specialized support for the completion of GBA Plus: Business Planning and Resource Management; Staff Function (policy, plans, doctrine, procedure, workplace culture); Projects and Procurement; Training and Education; and Operations. RCAF continued conversations with L0 functional authority to press the importance of establishing specialty streams for the conduct of GBA Plus, emphasizing that currently available generic GBA Plus training is insufficient to adequately coach RCAF members on how to integrate GBA Plus within institutional business processes.
Additionally, RCAF conducted a zero-baseline review of its budget. The RCAF’s revised budget earmarked 1.6 million dollars annually for the next three years for conduct and culture programming, which will be utilized in part to support access to enhanced GBA Plus training and advocacy within RCAF. Though RCAF’s Departmental Plan identified the potential to hire members to serve as GBA Plus analysts in order to better assist the integration of GBA Plus efforts within key programs, to date that has not yet been accomplished owing to lack of granularity on departmental plans for a GBA Plus Enterprise Approach, and due to internal capacity issues to adequately organize this work. RCAF L1 lead for GBA Plus continued to be a part-time, secondary duty in FY 2022-23, negatively impacting Royal Canadian Air Forces ability to focus efforts in this domain.
In support of advancing accountability for implementing GBA Plus within the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the Commander has included a reporting requirement for governance, policies, and programs to include a GBA Plus summary within his Direction and Guidance for FY 2023-24. Minimal progress was made during FY 2022-23 on the specific implementation of this accountability but is progressing in FY 2023-24 to meet Direction and Guidance reporting requirements. At time of reporting, the main barrier to progress was the lack of capacity to implement by project / program / policy owners and limited capacity for the GBA Plus Analyst Team to support.
To further GBA Plus governance in the Defence Team, the Canadian Army (CA) continued in 2022-23 to leverage many of its internal capacities to deliver GBA Plus informed outcomes and improve governance. To promote inclusion and diversity, the CA continued to remove gender pronouns and gender identifiers where appropriate, referring instead to individuals by title, and collective groups as members, soldiers, leaders, etc. The CA encouraged usage of the inclusive writing guide issued by the Government of Canada in its correspondence. The GBA Plus is conducted on Canadian Army’s projects, directives, policies, and orders to identify and mitigate any negative outcomes for disadvantaged groups.
In this FY, Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM) initiated and developed its Culture Evolution Management Board with the intent to align, coordinate and manage culture evolution initiatives. Monthly Defence Intelligence Advisory Committee will continue in support of all GBA Plus, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Progress was also made towards previous initiatives as CFINTCOM implemented the Gender Focal Point role and filled the Gender Advisor Role. The CFINTCOM Culture Evolution Strategy was initiated to align with CPCC’s Culture Evolution Strategy.
In 2022-23, an Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel) ADM (Mat) Working Group on GBA Plus was established and will produce guidance to both strengthen GBA Plus governance and improve knowledge and awareness of GBA Plus across the group. A draft instruction and template for GBA Plus assessments in support of minor and major projects was also completed in 2022-23. The draft instruction creates a tracking structure for completed GBA Plus assessments to advance record keeping and to assist with reviews and follow-up of the efficacy of the GBA Plus aspects of projects. The feasibility of expanding the repository to include Equipment Support will be explored in FY 2023-24.
Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) Subject Matter Experts reviewed current Canadian Armed Forces human resource databases and created tools to retrieve meaningful data more easily and effectively. CJOC is developing its own database to make improved operational decisions and identify trends.
Building on previous years, Chief Information Officer (CIO) Group continued to advance GBA Plus through the CIO Group Business Planning Cycle 2022-23, the results of which were consulted and integrated into the CIO Group Business Plan for 2023-24. In 2022-23, the organization contracted in GBA Plus expertise to advise on GBA Plus integration efforts across business lines. A thorough review and analysis of previously developed GBA Plus integration strategies and approaches was completed in 2022-23. In parallel, the organization developed a plan for an environmental scan targeted at understanding what relevant data, aggregated and disaggregated, is available and what gaps in data may exist. The recommendations issued from these activities are intended to form the basis of the multi-year GBA Plus Integration Plan to further embed GBA Plus within program areas as well as create a supplementary GBA Plus Data Collection Plan for the CIO Group. Finally, to continually increase knowledge of GBA Plus the group encouraged staff to complete the “Introduction to GBA Plus” training. In 2022-23, 34% of civilian staff and 62% of military staff completed the training for a cumulative average of 47% completion across the Group.
The Scientific Integrity Policy, Conduct and Culture (SIPCC) team at Defence Research Development of Canada (DRDC) was established at the end of May 2021. The SIPCC team is the Functional Authority for culture change at DRDC. The team holds five lines of effort, including one on GBA Plus.
The SIPCC is responsible for the following items pertaining to GBA Plus governance and capacity at DRDC:
- providing oversight, direction and promotion of GBA Plus across DRDC with specific focus on supporting GBA Plus governance and management;
- ensuring monitoring and reporting on the application of GBA Plus and compliance with government direction on GBA Plus;
- increasing awareness and capacity of GBA Plus at DRDC; and
- developing and providing GBA Plus functional guidance to the DRDC organization.
The DRDC Champion for Diversity and Inclusion and the DRDC Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee, provide support to GBA Plus as it falls within the DRDC Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Action Plan. The DRDC EEDI Action Plan ensures that GBA Plus is integrated into DRDC decision-making processes, with an intent to include accountability and monitoring mechanisms. Due to resource constraints and in anticipation of the Defence Team’s GBA Plus Enterprise Approach, limited progress was made in FY 2022-23 in the area of GBA Plus of the EEDI Action Plan. Further progress was made to embed oversight of the GBA Plus integration throughout DRDC within DRDC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Action items pertaining specifically to building GBA Plus capacity in the organization were included in the 2022-23 FY Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) Action Plan, which built upon the organization’s commitment to proactively identify and address obstacles, barriers, and biases that limit equitable access and opportunities within our organization, and focuses on bridging Employment Equity gaps and addressing Diversity and Inclusion issues by implementing actions that enhance representation and inclusive practices.
Capacity:
Capacity to apply GBA Plus throughout the Defence Team has always been a challenge. Understanding the resources it takes, how to best utilize and integrate data, and the early and iterative nature of conducting a quality GBA Plus are elements that remain a challenge. The GBA Plus Enterprise Approach was built with a key line of effort and associated strategic objectives regarding capacity building and the prioritization of resources to support the decentralization of GBA Plus capacity, framed as a critical capability of the Defence Team. To address these challenges, DGEIA developed a modularized GBA Plus curriculum tailored to the Defence context. This curriculum package includes tools, resources, and an extensive reading package to support a broad base of Defence Team personnel to expand and refine their knowledge of GBA Plus in Defence. DGEIA ran an in-person beta test of this new curriculum in March 2023 at National Defence Headquarters. For this beta test, DGEIA convened Gender Advisors and Gender Focal Points (GFPs), as well as Canadian Defence Academy in order to collect and integrate feedback into the final course offering, with the course’s official launch and delivery planned to take place during FY 2023-24. DGEIA was also able to run an additional beta test of an online version of the course in March 2023.
The in-person session was also leveraged to gather further intel on the other critical target audiences that would benefit from tailored GBA Plus training. This included mid-level managers and mid-level ranking officers; junior ranking personnel through the development of tangible tools and awareness building activities; and executive level training. DGEIA will work on the development and beta testing of these components in FY 2023-24.
In 2022-23, CPCC’s Gender Advisor ran a series of professional development sessions on GBA Plus and delivered personalized training to CPCC teams upon request.
Assistant Deputy Minister (Data, Innovation, Analytics) (ADM (DIA)) continues to support Chief, Professional Conduct Culture personnel (CPCC) on data governance and access issues during the development of the public-facing Culture Change Dashboard. ADM (DIA) is prioritizing the governance of conduct-related data, specifically as it pertains to harassment, under the Human Resources data domain in order to assist the Complaints Process Transformation. This includes support to CPCC’s data requirements, process mapping, assigning data governance roles and assisting in the establishment of conduct-related data standards in the near term.
In 2022-23, capacity to implement GBA Plus grew within the RCN with the staffing of six part-time GBA Plus Analyst positions. Within 2022-23, these individuals participated in training (both self-paced and pilot Defence Team courses) and shadowed experienced GBA Plus Analysts on the implementation of GBA Plus in RCN policies, projects, and programs. Lessons-learned and resource sharing mechanisms have been implemented within the Navy. Capacity to consistently implement GBA Plus at all levels within the Navy is still lacking but will be increased during FY 2023-24 with the roll out of the Institutionalization of GBA Plus in Defence Course.
Also in this FY, the Professional Culture and Conduct section was established within the CA Headquarters. This was accomplished through the strategic reallocation of resources, combining several existing sub-sections and capabilities to function as the center of gravity for culture and conduct progress within the CA A GBA Plus advisor has been hired and is in the process of being trained to assist all CA organizations with their own GBA Plus responsibilities and initiatives.
To build GBA Plus capacity in FY 2022-23, the Chief of Military Personnel Gender Advisor, along with the Chief Professional Conduct and Culture Gender Advisor, and Canadian Defence Academy Gender Advisor conducted GBA Plus professional development sessions for Gender Focal Points on the topic of data collection and analysis, and meaningful consultation. Chief of Military Personnel Gender Advisor continued to provide GBA Plus training for the Chief of Military Personnel policy toolbox course.
Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) supported the advancement of GBA Plus capacity within the department through key actions in 2022-23:
- A full-time Gender Advisor (GENAD) was employed to ensure robust governance of GBA Plus implementation. In 2022-23, the training requirements of the Gender Focal Point (GFP) network members was examined with qualitative and quantitative measures across all levels of the organization to better align with priorities.
- To mitigate educational gaps from both the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) training curriculums, such as insufficient educational content related specifically to special operations environment and context, a central repository was created and made accessible to everyone within the organization. This repository includes final reports, remits and records of discussions, research findings from primary and secondary sources, consultative outcomes and results, lessons learned and trip reports as well as supplemental material augmenting the current intersectional educational curriculum and key point of contacts from across the organization. The Gender Advisor’s engagement with key educational stakeholders in this field has been high, demonstrating CANSOFCOM’s intersectional expertise through contributions to the Canadian Defence Academy, the NATO Centre of Excellence on Gender in Military Operations at the Swedish Nordic Centre on Gender in Military Operations and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
- In 2022-23, the launch of a series of webinars articulated around real-life examples of GBA Plus applications in various operational contexts was another key initiative supporting the Directorate Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis in integrating gender perspectives across all organizational levels of the Defence Team.
- The formal integration of civilians from CANSOFCOM into the GFP network expanded the analytical capability and knowledge, especially in the domains of procurement and policy analysis. Also, a formal intersectional mentorship program led by the Gender Advisor was initiated concurrently, resulting in a three-fold increase in Nordic Centre on Gender in Military Operations graduates from the organization as compared to the previous year. The mentorship program also enabled each one of the GFP members to benefit from individual guidance and instruction on how to improve their own capacity.
- Lastly, specialized information technology modules were developed and have been continuously updated for optimal support to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda across all functional domains.
Collaboration with the Directorate Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis continued to lead to integration of gender perspectives into Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) operations, governance, and processes. CJOC Headquarters staff have increased their awareness and understanding of gender perspectives and are increasingly informed on the various intersectionality perspectives of topics, including girl and boy soldiers and human trafficking with the goal of incorporating additional GBA Plus into all international operations. This has resulted in CJOC personnel considering gender perspectives from the beginning of the operational planning process. In addition, the CJOC Gender Advisor Working Group has expanded to include additional representatives from an increasing number of deployed operations such as Operation REASSURANCE. This operation is currently the CAF’s largest overseas mission, through which it contributes to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe and is part of the biggest reinforcement of Alliance collective defence in a generation.
Due to resource constraints, the Defence Research Development of Canada (DRDC) GBA Plus Analyst position was not staffed during FY 2022-23. Rather these responsibilities fell under the purview of the DRDC Diversity and Inclusion Advisor, however to a limited extent. During FY 2022-23, the DRDC Diversity and Inclusion Advisor was the main point of contact for GBA Plus within DRDC and was responsible for disseminating updates from Women and Gender Equality Canada pertaining to GBA Plus to DRDC’s network of GBA Plus Focal Points, who are volunteers that serve as points of contact for GBA Plus advice and guidance within DRDC.
The Ombudsman Office has advanced the implementation of GBA Plus governance within the office by growing the GBA Plus Committee from five members in 2018 to fifteen members in 2023, to include members from all units within the office. At the same time, the office has also increased the diversity of members on the Committee. These two factors ensure that the perspective of each unit and of many diverse groups are included in the GBA Plus within the office. In addition to growing this Committee, the Ombudsman Office has increased resources by hiring a university student to assist with GBA Plus matters in the office. Another initiative that has been implemented is to collect employment data on a voluntary basis from constituents for the purpose of disaggregated analytics.
Section 2: Gender and Diversity Impacts, by Program
Core Responsibility 1: Operations
Program Name: 1.1 Operations in Canada
Program Goals:
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Second Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics: Not available
Other Key Program impacts:
Gender and diversity wereintegrated into individual Operations and Planning and GBA Plus annexes were produced for all domestic operations. Special consideration was given to those operations impacting Canada’s First Nations and Indigenous Peoples.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
This program currently does not have a data collection plan for domestic operations as the majority operations are results of Requests for Assistance on short notice. Therefore, data is collected afterwards, and the method is determined specifically for each different operation. Locations and exact requirements changed from one operation to the next preventing the development of meaningful indicators and data collection plans. Although the Canadian Armed Forces are prohibited from collecting data on Canadians, CJOC received feedback from deployed members on their experiences and their perceived effect on the population. Data collection for sustained domestic operations (Op PALACI, Op LIMPID, Op NEVUS, Op NANOOK, Op LENTUS and Op BOXTOP) would have little value as CAF members have limited interaction with Canadians during these operations and analysis of the data would only have limited influence.
CJOC is developing its own database to identify meaningful indicators to increase operational effectiveness. This data will assist in establishing priorities for assistance.
Program Name: 1.2 Operations in North America
Program Goals:
Target Population: All North Americans
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Second Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Although CJOC does conduct exercises with NORAD and USNORTHCOM, CJOC does not conduct Operations in North America other than those domestic operations listed in Program 1.1.
Program Name: 1.3 International Operations
Program Goals:
Target Population: Host country population
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Second Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics: Not available
Other Key Program impacts:
- CJOC incorporated lessons learned from its Operations in Poland supporting the arrival of refuges from Ukraine into all Operations, especially with respect to reporting of possible organized crime, human trafficking, child soldiers, and assistance of people dealing with trauma. Operations in Poland resulted in CJOC commencing to collect data on the number of human security reports and results. These lessons learned have also been introduced as requirements for training before deployment. CJOC reviewed its orders to assess the impact on the new diversity dress regulations on Operations. Canadian Armed Forces personnel partnered with the Ghana Armed forces in the development of gender perspectives in operations courses.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
- CJOC Lessons-Learned process received qualitative data and the data collection plans will be amended to increase the amount of quantitative data collected. In 2022, CJOC Gender Advisor commenced providing input into the request for information in End of Tour Reports and End of Tour Briefs.
- CJOC Gender Advisor, Operational Analysis Section, and J5 Plans section began identifying meaningful data that can be analyzed for impact of the program by gender and diversity. This analysis will be used to develop improved operational effects. This analysis will be of benefit to CJOC as there is a challenge to find women for international operations, such as Op ELSIE. These international operations may become more significant in the near future as it is expected that the UN will ask for additional Canadian support in expanding the locations of Peace Support training.
Program Name: 1.4 Global Engagement
Program Goals: The Director General International Security Policy program on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) aspires to promote Canada’s principles across all international defence programs and engagements, in alignment with Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy. The WPS team advocates for gender considerations to be included in policies (e.g. Memoranda to Cabinet), bilateral and multilateral meetings, and in engagement with multilateral for a (e.g. UN, NATO, etc.). It is important to note that this program does not fill the role of a gender advisor but is more focused on application to international security policy, including advocacy for partner nations to support or evolve their own gender policies and doctrine.
Target Population: In general, this program benefits all Canadians and international partners, with a lean toward benefitting Canadian Armed Forces women in international operations, as well as women from other partner nations.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Fourth or Third Group (depending on the initiative) |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: In general, there is no disproportionate negative impact, and the program hopes that the positive impact for women in Peace Operations will also benefit other demographics (e.g. overall safer camps, better work atmosphere, etc.), but since the program have really just gotten some momentum, there has not been enough time yet to evaluate the overall impacts.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
The Strategy will be assessed over the next fiscal year. As part of the commitment to promote Canadian values on gender issues, Director General International Security Policy has implemented a new portfolio specific to Women, Peace, and Security in international security engagement. This portfolio will work to align Defence Team international policy-level programs and engagements with broader government policy on Women, Peace, and Security, while participating in bilateral and multi-national fora to represent these goals to international partners.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The GBA Plus Data Collection Plan will continue to develop as the full Strategy is finalized. As we approach greater clarity in 2023-24, we will define both the metrics and the data collection plan that will support the Strategy’s implementation.
Program Name: 1.5 Cyber Operations
Program Goals:
Target Population: Canadians, Government of Canada partners and allies
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Statistics are currently unavailable.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
GBA Plus integration within the Chief Information Officer Group remains in its infancy and data has yet to be collected at this time. To move forward on data collection and ensure that in the future we are able to assess the program through an intersectional lens, an environmental scan of data collection methods and approaches has been developed and will be implemented in FY 2023-24. The results of that scan will determine next steps in data collection and data disaggregation, which will inform the multi-year GBA Plus integration plan alongside the analyses conducted on previously developed GBA Plus strategies and approaches.
Program Name: 1.6 Command, Control and Sustainment of Operations
Program Goals:
Target Population: All Canadian Armed Forces personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
Operation BOXTOP is the CJOC operation for the sustainment of Canadian Forces Station Alert. Special consideration is given to the impact of flying operations on Canada’s northern communities and Indigenous peoples in the planning and conducting of Operation BOXTOP to ensure that flights had minimal impact on northern communities and the day-to day lives of residents.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Program Name: 1.7 Special Operations
Program Goals: Special Operations Forces are small, highly skilled, adaptable, multi-purpose forces held at very high readiness levels to respond to situations that pose an imminent threat to national interests. The GBA Plus goal of this Program is the optimization of intersectional effects through the integration of a GBA Plus approach to policy making and special operations planning.
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: CANSOFCOM’s continuous efforts towards inclusion and diversity across many demographic groups including but not limited to women, men, visible minority community members, Indigenous people, the elderly, individuals of particular socio-demographic status will have many benefits both operationally and institutionally.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group composition of the Gender Focal Point Network | 30% of group members were women, a six-fold increase in comparison to previous year | Program Data and Record of Discussions | None |
Other Key Program impacts:
- In 2022-23, the Defence Team was able to monitor various identity factors of personnel, including but not limited to sex and gender, for all deployed operations through existing applications and systems. This increased the capacity to adapt operational training requirements in real-time in support of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. For example, the endorsement of gender-responsive procurement practices enabled actionable steps to assess and evaluate the diversity of our current supplier base.
- CANSOFCOM continued to provide gender-based analysis tools to its personnel through the Gender Focal Point network. The Gender Advisor has been actively involved in both the developmental and interoperability aspect of the Military Gender Analysis Tool (MGAT), as a participant to the international working group led by the Sweden Nordic Centre for Gender in Military (NCGM). This tool aims to increase the understanding of the Engagement Space by integrating the gender perspective in measurable fashion into the strategic military planning and execution across all staff functions.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
- In 2022-2023, CANSOFCOM developed a module that provides gender disaggregated data for all CAF deployed operations. The data set enabled the increased capacity to monitor operational training and integrate GBA Plus as well as the WPS agenda into current and planned operations.
Core Responsibility 2: Ready Forces
Program Name: 2.1 Strategic Command and Control
Program Goals:
Target Population: Defence Team members and local populations where military operations are conducted.
Distribution of Benefits
Since the target audience includes Defence Team personnel and the area of operations is varied, it is not feasible nor useful to define the distribution of benefits.
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
GBA Plus has been conducted for the planning and conduct of all Canadian Armed Forces operations. GBA Plus findings are considered in all estimates and Strategic Operation Planning Groups and have been taken into account for all Chief of Defence Staff/ Deputy Minister Directives and Chief of Defence Staff Task Orders.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan: The Strategic Joint Staff (SJS) is responsible for the planning of operations and advises to the Chief of Defence Staff and the Deputy Minister on the development of Defence Team-wide directives and orders related to this program. The impact of this program is monitored and assessed by those commands and groups within the Defence Team charged with the program’s delivery. A system of after-action reports and lessons observed serves to inform similar planning processes for future operations and activities within this program. SJS does not maintain a data collection plan.
Program Name: 2.2 Ready Naval Forces
Program Goals: GBA Plus is implemented to better enable effective and combat-ready forces through the removal of barriers to inclusion and employment while at sea and alongside for all Defence Team members.
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: The minimal representation of members from Designated Groups in the senior levels (uniformed and civilian) indicates that past and current processes include systemic barriers to progression for all Designated Groups. The implementation of GBA Plus in identifying and removing intersectional barriers to employment throughout a person’s career, in all environments where an individual can be employed, is helping to enable a diverse representation across all levels of the Defence Team.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of women, visible minority and Indigenous (both military and civilian) employed at sea or alongside within the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) are tracked quarterly by occupation and rank, or classification. | The fluctuation in all Designated Groups for FY 2022-23 is negligible. RCN (uniformed):
RCN (civilian):
|
Self Identification | - |
Other Key Program impacts: Not available
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In support of improving data collection, the Royal Canadian Navy will commence tracking of GBA Plus implementation at the L1 level on all new and updated RCN L1 policies, programs, and projects within the first quarter of FY 2023-24.
Program Name: 2.3 Ready Land Forces
Program Goals: The Ready Land Forces program generates, sustains and renews combat effective, multi-purpose land forces and capabilities that are ready for operations. The program is deliberately organized to ensure that soldiers are trained and adequately equipped, which allows the Canadian Army to be scalable, agile, responsive and interoperable both domestically with civil authorities and other Government Departments, and internationally with allies and partners.
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: The Canadian Army is dedicated to diversifying its force and implementing inclusive and equitable policies. As such, a number of the Canadian Army’s programs are aimed to encourage Indigenous and other designated group members’ recruitment, retention, and career progression.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of women in the Army managed occupations for officers (Infantry, Armored, Artillery, Engineers, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and Signals) and 22 Army trades for Non-commissioned members in Regular Force and Army Reserve | 4,872 Which is 13.4% |
Guardian | Previous year was 5,034 Which is 13.2% |
| Number of women in senior leadership ranks in the Regular Force and Army Reserve for Army managed occupations for officers (Infantry, Armored, Artillery, Engineers, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and Signals) and 22 Army trades for Non-commissioned members | 882 which is 18% women are in leadership rank | Guardian | Previous year was 919 which is 18% women were in leadership rank |
| Proportion of women from the Regular Force and Army Reserve deployed on international missions from the Canadian Army during 2022-23 | 8.0% | Canadian Forces Task Plans and Operations | Previous year was 9.5% |
| Proportion of Reserve Force women employment during full-time summer employment in 2022-23 | 15% | Various sources | Previous year was 15% |
| The Hateful Conduct Awareness Interim Course | 36 000 persons | Defense Learning Network/various sources |
Other Key Program impacts:
The CA continued in 2022-23 to train its instructors to improve their emotional intelligence, their understanding of the effects of power imbalances, and differences in lived realities by attending the Canadian Army’s Instructor Development Program. This initiative aimed to ensure that every Canadian feels welcomed and valued as they serve within the CA, whether they have just been recruited or have served for many years.
The CA talent management process continued throughout 2022-23 to incorporate GBA Plus findings ensuring a bias-free environment during selection. The talent management process was designed to generate pools of talent for the selection of personnel for key, senior and command appointments in the Canadian Army and the Canadian Armed Forces. The bias-free selection process is guided by succession planning directives and materials promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. As a result, the selection boards now have a female General Officer from the Royal Canadian Air Force to provide input during the selection boards.
The CA personnel enabled peacekeeping units in United Nations missions to better understand the human dimension of their operating environments through engagement with a more diverse range of community members. In 2022-23, the Canadian Army’s Peace Support and Training Center (PSTC) was involved in the force generation of a task force which led United Nations Engagement Platoon training development, delivered a proof-of-concept course in Rwanda and provided training delivery support to Operation PRESENCE in Entebbe, Uganda. The task force, like the United Nations Engagement Platoon itself, was generated with gender parity in mind. It had five women out of eight candidates. This is an example of the PSTC’s overall efforts to integrate GBA Plus and gender perspectives in the content of many of their courses, such as Civil-Military Cooperation, Psychological Operations and Information Operations. These courses, as well as the United Nations Military Observer’s Course, which is also delivered by the PSTC to Canadian Armed Forces and international military members who are deploying on United Nations missions, also include gender and vulnerable sector-related issues in their scenarios during practical portions of the training.
The CA continued its deliberate efforts to recruit from Designated Groups Members. The CA Primary Reserve recruiting teams organized attraction events that are accessible to Indigenous personnel. As an example, a career fair was held at Maskwacis First Nation Reservation. The recruiting teams connected with a diverse community of Canadians through schools and job fairs. They have also established relationships with immigration centers to inform the immigrant community of opportunities within the CA.
The CA leadership continued to build relationships with Indigenous communities in 2022-23. This included the hiring of Indigenous advisors to ensure that the CA is respectful and appreciative of Indigenous customs. The CA members visited local Indigenous communities during training exercises, engaged in Indigenous customs such as smudging ceremonies and Pow Wows, and organized friendly hockey games with Indigenous members and soldiers. It also recognized and promoted awareness of Indigenous culture by organizing events such as a reconciliation and awareness 5 kilometer walk, Indigenous arts performance and cuisine tasting, among other activities.
In 2022, the CA ran its annual summer Indigenous program to expose Indigenous members to the military and support those who desire to join afterwards. This is part of the Canadian Army’s effort to recruit Indigenous peoples. The GBA Plus analysis conducted on those programs has provided useful insights such as offering Indigenous students the accommodation of having test questions read aloud or having additional time for tests.
CA members have been encouraged throughout 2022-23 to advise leaders on challenges and solutions by providing their views or sharing the voices of others through the establishment and/or reinforcement of advisory groups. The CA also encouraged listening activities such as town halls and other means to hear concerns and achievements of its team members. Many units held group discussions to learn about concerns with a goal of finding solution to those concerns. Specific examples include the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineer Corps Culture Change Advisory Organization and the 5 Canadian Division Inclusive Action Committee.
Unit command teams have been provided a more uniform understanding of professional conduct and culture in the CA through course content provided at the Formation Command Team Course and Unit Command Team Course which offer a venue for the discussion of these themes.
The CA continued throughout FY 2022-23 to support community events such as Pride parades, raising Pride flags, and conferences such as Gender and Islam Cultural Engagement. Members participated in anti-racism working groups, women in leadership working groups and discussion groups on inclusive behaviors. In 2022, the CA was the lead for the national No. 2 Construction Battalion Apology and continued to work diligently to reduce and eliminate systematic racism and promote diversity, inclusion and equity.
GBA Plus training was conducted by all new Canadian Army members throughout FY 2022-23.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan: The CA continued to refine GBA Plus performance measurement as experience and best practices contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the topic. If certain indicators are found to have significant value over time, efforts will be taken to formalize them. In the meantime, it is likely that the indicators provided in the Key Program Impacts table above will form the basis of data collection in 2023-24.
Program Name: 2.4 Ready Air and Space Forces
Program Goals: The Ready Air and Space Forces program generates, sustains and renews combat effective, multi-purpose aerospace forces and capabilities that are ready for operations. The program is deliberately organized to ensure that members of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) are trained and adequately equipped, which allows the RCAF to be scalable, agile, responsive and interoperable both domestically with civil authorities and other Government Departments, and internationally with allies and partners.
Target Population: RCAF Personnel
Distribution of Benefits:
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
RCAF is comprised of 16,586 personnel with the following demographics:
- Gender: 18% women, 82 % men
- Component: 78% Regular Force personnel, 12% Reserve Force Personnel, 9% Civilian Personnel
- Language: 79% identify English as their First Official Language, 21% identify French as their First Official Language.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
Other Key Program impacts:
In FY 2022-23, the RCAF conducted significant work to assess how to organize the work necessary to better integrate GBA Plus into our systems and processes. The RCAF Culture Evolution Implementation Plan was developed with a focus area dedicated to efforts on removing systematic barriers within RCAF. Within FY 2022-23, the RCAF began revising succession management systems for officers and non-commissioned members, to ensure a more equitable promotion selection process. RCAF also participated in pilot courses for advanced GBA Plus training.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The RCAF is not currently collecting sufficient data to enable it to adequately monitor and/or report on program impacts by gender and diversity. The RCAF is still in early maturity stages vis-à-vis its full adoption of GBA Plus and while there are several active initiatives underway, monitoring and reporting have posed a challenge. In FY 2022-23, the RCAF continued to focus on improvement, including the identification of work required to fully integration GBA Plus across RCAF, and collaboration with Directorate Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis and Directorate General Military Personnel Research and Analysis to better understand options for improved data collection and monitoring GBA Plus integration.
Program Name: 2.5 Ready Special Operations Forces
Program Goals: The application of GBA Plus provides intersectional benefits to assist the highly skilled individuals who constitute the Special Operations Task Forces in carrying out precise tactical operations domestically and internationally.
Target Population: All CANSOFCOM members
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
CANSOFCOM’s continuous efforts towards inclusion and diversity across many demographic groups including but not limited to women, men, visible minority community members, Indigenous people, the elderly, individuals of particular socio-demographic status will have many benefits both operationally and institutionally.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| All (100%) of CANSOFCOM units had personnel trained in either Gender Analysis and/or Gender Mainstreaming | Both civilian and military personnel have received training from recognized training centres in this field of expertise either domestically or internationally The number of personnel trained in this field had increased by more than 3 fold in comparison to the previous reporting period |
Monitor Mass | Significant time and efforts have been deployed internally to enforce the delivery of the appropriate level of training to selected appointees across all organizational levels. |
Other Key Program impacts:
- CANSOFCOM continued to leverage GBA Plus findings in 2022-23 to enhance recruitment initiatives, develop communication products and have gender representation at recruiting events. To commemorate International Women’s Day in 2023, CANSOFCOM held a Canadian Armed Forces-wide recruiting event led by a panel of female personnel which facilitated exchanges specific to the women’s employed in various roles within the organization.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
- Continued efforts are ongoing to develop ways to closely monitor GBA Plus outcomes for equipment and personnel through existing applications and software. For example, the utilization of existing applications such as the Canadian Forces Taskings, Plans and Operations (CFTPO) and its reporting modules have been utilized as a cross-referencing tool.
- CANSOFCOM continued to apply GBA Plus to all procurement and contracting activities and supplementing them with survey data to enable adjustments for a wider range of distinct human body types. Challenges, such as the high-production costs associated with equipment for all human body types, remain on the industrial and manufacturing end, limiting the progress for the period. All end users have been actively engaged in the provision of feedback for data collection and continuous improvement.
Program Name: 2.6 Ready Cyber and Joint Communication Information Systems Forces
Program Goals:
Target Population: Canadians, Government of Canada partners and allies
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Statistics are currently unavailable.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
GBA Plus integration within the Chief Information Officer Group remains in its infancy and data has yet to be collected at this time. To move forward on data collection and ensure that in the future we are able to assess the program through an intersectional lens, an environmental scan of data collection methods and approaches has been developed and will be implemented in FY 2023-24. The results of that scan will determine next steps in data collection and data disaggregation, which will inform the multi-year GBA Plus integration plan alongside the analyses conducted on previously developed GBA Plus strategies and approaches.
Program Name: 2.7 Ready Intelligence Forces
Program Goals: Work within the CFINTCOM Defence Intelligence Officer Recruitment Program (GC InfoBase - Infographic for Ready Intelligence Forces will continue towards encouraging applications from visible minorities and women, as well as from diverse educational and experiential backgrounds.
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits:
There is insufficient information to adequately assess the indirect impacts.
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | - |
| By income level | - |
| By age group | - |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: The Defence Intelligence Officer Recruitment Program received 803 applicants with 268 self-identified as visible minorities. (32.8% visible minority applicants in the Program
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
CFINTCOM implemented hiring process review initiatives for the Defence Intelligence Officer Recruitment Program to increase the diversity of candidates. Historically, Intelligence and Security has focused recruiting targets towards educational backgrounds in history, security and political science. The intake testing has similarly focused questions on such educational or experiential backgrounds. To attract a diverse audience, recruiting was implemented to deliberately to encourage minorities and a broad spectrum of educational and experiential backgrounds. Intake testing was also changed to broadly assess research skills rather than specific security understanding. This process opened the aperture to those who may have not previously applied. When GBA Plus was applied, entry requirements were such that any degree field could apply and feel that they had an equal opportunity, rather than the previous situation in which a more narrow degree field/experience created barriers. Following these changes to intake, a more open system encourages a broader applicant base.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan: Not available
Program Name: 2.8 Ready Joint and Combined Forces
Program Goals:
Target Population: All Canadian Armed Forces personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
CJOC is responsible for the establishment of readiness standards for military operations and employment of forces. The force generation of Canadian Armed Forces personnel is the responsibility of other commands or groups. A system of lessons learned observations and after-action reports continues to serve as the means to review the readiness standards as needed.
Program Name: 2.9 Ready Health, Military Police and Support Forces
Program Goals: To continue to support members in the areas of health and wellness, gender and diversity perspectives have been applied to improving data collection and monitoring, thus enabling leadership to make effective decisions for Chaplain and health services that continue to support all members in being operation ready.
Target Population: All Canadian Armed Forces members
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Although men make up a significant representation of the military, this program continues to make improvements to their systems and standards in order to mitigate barriers faced by underrepresented groups such as women, 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minority community members.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaplain recruitment |
|
|
In accordance with the Chaplain General's directives, the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service has focused its recruitment and attraction efforts on women, spiritual leaders from growing but minority religious traditions, and those from spiritual communities not recognized as religious, but spiritual. Emphasis in 2022-23 has also been placed on recruiting French-speaking chaplains, whose numbers have declined significantly in recent years, and on ensuring that Royal Canadian Chaplain Service can respond to linguistic diversity. |
| Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) number of Regular Force personnel by sex | Male: 1,374 Female: 1,313 |
MCS Personnel Dashboard (data retrieved on 24 April 2023) | Within Canadian Forces Health Services, the number of women is almost equal to men. |
Other Key Program impacts:
Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS): The Defence Team Total Health and Wellness Strategy, and incorporated programs such as the Women’s Health Framework, was introduced in 2022. As increased funding and resources are provided to support these program initiatives, Canadian Forces Health Services organizations and care teams have been augmented, which enables a reallocation of clinical workloads and a reduction in workplace related stress. Further, the Women’s Health and Diversity programming is expected to significantly impact these services as the gender ratio is almost at parity for Regular Force members that have access to healthcare benefits, as detailed under program 3.3 Total Health Care.
Chaplain General: The New Entry Standards were introduced in April 2022, the goal of which was to remove systemic barriers that had been based on the premise that for a large proportion of faith traditions, ordination was only for men. Through new universal criteria to the entry standards, the chaplaincy will reflect the spiritual and religious diversity of the Canadian population.
Supplementary Information Sources:
Lai, I. 2021. Chaplain (00349) Annual Military Occupation Review. Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis.
MCS Personnel Dashboard – CFHS Reg F Data (Accessible only on the National Defence network.)
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Chaplain General: In FY 2022-23, with technical and programming support from Director General Military Personnel Support Services (DGMPSS), the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service was able to create its own data collection tool, the Chaplain Information Management System. The data reflects the activities performed by chaplains at all levels of command (tactical, operational, and strategic). This statistical tool can provide insight into the issues encountered when chaplains receive a request for support from a military member or a civilian employee. The process is also underway. It is also possible to program the CIMS to collect and collate data regarding diversity and the impact of actions taken by chaplains and their respective services. An analyst was hired in 2022-23 to analyze and interpret the data. The goal is to inform, advise and recommend to each level of command regarding various issues identified by the troops and to allow COs to take quick action to correct some of these situations.
Canadian Forces Health Services: Data Collection and analysis tools as program measures related to gender and diversity considerations have been examined for program management but continue to be in the early stages of development.
Program Name: 2.10 Equipment Support
Program Goals: The Equipment Support program ensures the weapons systems, defence support systems and associated equipment required by the Canadian Armed Forces to meet the training and readiness requirements are made available. The Defence Team continued to use GBA Plus to support the diagnosis of potential deficiencies in equipment and to improve the design of equipment and services procured for Canadian Armed Forces members. Conducting GBA Plus in 2022-23 helped the Defence Team procure equipment and services that take users’ diverse needs into account.
Target Population: All members of the Defence Team
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Direct benefits: The primary beneficiaries are members of the Defence Team who operate and/or sustain the critical fleets of equipment. Caucasian men are the predominant demographic group of the combined National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces population. Additionally, individuals between the age of 18-60 will benefit directly.
Indirect benefits: The following demographic groups will benefit indirectly: Men (60%-79%), individuals between 18-60 years of age, students and workers, urban populations, lower-educated individuals, highly educated individuals, lower income, middle income and individuals in the Defence industry.
Barriers to participation or access: Negative impacts/barriers to access are not expected to affect any groups.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
In Fiscal Year 2022-23, the Defence Team:
- Continued to accommodate the needs of the diverse Canadian Armed Forces population through Canadian Forces General Messages (CANFORGENs) that are in place to reimburse members who purchase maternity/nursing shirts, women underwear, and field urination devices. These CANFORGENs are under review to ensure more inclusivity in both language and coverage.
- The Naval Combat Maternity Uniform continued to be under development with consideration on the best way to ensure that these uniforms are available to members who require them.
- Research was conducted on the difference between female and male footwear needs. Further studies need to be done on how to best address the issues raised. A policy is in place to provide members with combat boots that will fit their needs and preferences.
- Progress continued to be made by the Soldier Operational Clothing and Equipment Modernization (SOCEM) initiative. Existing clothing and personal equipment are designed primarily for the male form. Female members are expected to specifically benefit as the SOCEM initiative will address existing deficiencies in design that disproportionally impact females to better consider the female body shape and meet their operational needs. User trials will include sufficient female participants to ensure selection decisions are influenced by the needs of both male and female users.
- In 2022-23, the SOCEM team created a SOCEM Women’s Advisory Group and regularly consults with and seeks guidance from the Defence Women’s Advisory Group and other Advisory Groups with regards to GBA Plus solutions.
- Inclusive garment cuts (available in Straight, Contour, and Maternity cuts) and additional sizes were implemented to ensure that base layers and combat uniform are available in the right fit and sizes for all Canadian Armed Forces members. Base layers are going into large scale production in FY 2023-24 and will start rolling out to members in 2024.
- A phased effort is being implemented to introduce improvements to Personal Protective Equipment for women in the Canadian Armed Forces such as ensuring women are correctly sized for and given the appropriate size of the in-service Fragmentation Protective Vests as well as assessing different sized plate options, and a variety of female specific body armour systems for adoption by the Canadian Armed Forces. This includes a systematic review of known literature and emerging research to better understand and quantify the issues faced by serving women and to help inform the drafting of a Statement of Capability Deficiency in support of this issue.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In 2022-23, the department reviewed processes to improve data collection and follow-on review of the impact of GBA Plus-based decision making to equipment acquisition and materiel management and support activities. Ongoing review will support decision making for requirements and/or evaluation criteria of future Requests for Proposals to ensure equipment meets the needs of diverse members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Program Name: 2.11 The Employer Support Programmes
Program Goals: The Employer Support program aim is to enhance the availability of members of the Reserve for military duties by obtaining the support and cooperation of employers and educators in Canada. GBA Plus has been deliberately considered and there are no gender or other barriers to access to Employer Support services.
Target Population: There are two target populations: primarily, members of the Defence Team – reservists as well as Department of National Defence employees who are also reservists, and then civilian employers who employ reservists. Employers of reservists are external to the Canadian Armed Forces and the impact on gender and diversity is not measured. Therefore, the distribution of benefits is defined and limited to members of the Reserve.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | - |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: This program targets internal members of the Defence Team and not a specific demographic group, hence there are no specific demographic group outcomes for this program.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender Representation | Gender breakdown –target reservist population: 17.4 % women / 82.6 % men |
|
The population of women who could potentially benefit from the program in the Primary Reserve was approximately 5,050. |
Other Key Program impacts:
The Employer Support program aim to enhance the availability of members of the Reserve for military duties by obtaining the support and cooperation of employers and educators in Canada. Reservist members are encouraged to use the tools and resources provided by this program and their chain of command to try and resolve any conflicts that may arise between their civilian careers/studies and their military training and service. When conflict cannot be resolved, reservists can request support from the Employer Support Network.
Reserve Employer Assistance Program: The unit Employer Support representatives and Employer Support liaison officers deliver this program by communicating with employers or educators to demonstrate the validity and necessity of the request for time off; by providing information on the Compensation for Employers of Reservists Program and on military leave policies and labour laws surrounding time off for military duty; and by providing in-person support such as mediation. In 2022-23, of the 39 requests for assistance, 30 (77%) were from men and 9 (23%) were from women reservists.
Compensation for Employers of Reservists Program: This program provides financial support to civilian employers and self-employed reservists to help offset operational costs that their businesses may incur when a reservist employee is deployed away from work on a named international or domestic operation for a minimum of 30 days. In 2022-23, of the 8 approved applications, 6 were associated with men and 2 were associated with women reservist employees.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Currently, there is no self-identification of gender and intersectionality required to complete in order to apply or request support for this program. Data on gender is disaggregated internally during the verification process. There is no plan to update this method, as it meets current direction and requirements to execute the program’s mandate and provides the necessary data for reporting in this manner. However, work is underway to develop meaningful performance indicators to quantify success of this program. Notably, the Canadian Armed Forces Exit Survey will include a series of questions to measure voluntary releases attributable to unresolved conflicts with civilian employers and educators. The survey already collects gender and diversity disaggregated data through demographical/identity questions, which will help to assess the impact on those target groups.
Core Responsibility 3: Defence Team
Program Name: 3.1 Recruitment
Program Goals: To continue to support the targeted recruitment of women to increase their representation in the Canadian Armed Forces and to modernize recruitment efforts via the newly established Recruitment Modernization Implementation Team. This program utilizes gender and diversity data to track recruitment and development strategies, with the aim of increasing recruitment overall, and the recruitment of women and diverse members, specifically.
Target Population: All Canadians (between 16-57 years of age), specifically women.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Fourth Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: While the number of men recruited into the military is greater than women (85.47% vs 14.53% for 2022-23), recruitment is greatly focused on increasing the number of women, visible minorities, and Indigenous persons. As such, these three groups are more likely to be the beneficiaries of the efforts stemming from this program. Current statistics are shown in the table below.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Number of members recruited by declared gender, for the Regular Force | 570 women were enrolled in 2022-23, making up 14.53% of total recruitments that year, compared with 3,353 men recruits, or 85.47%. | Canadian Forces Recruiting Information Management System (CFRIMS) | The 570 women enrolments in 2022-23 was a decrease from the previous year due primarily to a significant shortfall of overall applications in the first half of the fiscal year. |
| Number of Regular Force members recruited as recognized visible minorities | 774 visible minorities were enrolled in 2022-23, or 19.78% of total recruitment. Women made up 17.31% of the visible minority recruitment. | CFRIMS | - |
| Number of Regular Force Indigenous recruits enrolled | 159 Indigenous persons were recruited in 2022-23, or 4.06% of total recruitment. Women made up 13.84% of all Indigenous recruitment. | CFRIMS | - |
| Number of Regular Force members recruited by First Official Language (OL) | 3,088 Anglophones and 835 Francophones were recruited in 2022-23, or 78.71% and 21.29%, respectively. | CFRIMS | - |
| Average age of Regular Force recruits enrolled | The average age of women recruits to the Regular Force was 26 years and for men, it was 25 years in FY 2022-23. | CFRIMS | For women, the median recruit age was 24, the minimum was 17, and the maximum was 54 years. In contrast but similarly, for men, the median recruit age was 22, the minimum was 17, and the maximum was 58 years. |
| Most popular Regular Force occupation choices for women enrollees | The following accounted for 24.74% of women enrolments in 2022-23:
|
CFRIMS | - |
Other Key Program impacts:
The recruitment and retention of underrepresented demographic groups was conducted in accordance with Canada’s Employment Equity Act (1995), Strong, Secure, Engaged: Canada’s Defence Policy (2017), and in alignment with Canada’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2017-2022). Synchronized efforts focussing on Employment Equity goals for women continued through strategic-level advertising campaigns, reflected at the operational level on the “Women in the CAF” page on the Forces.gc.ca website and at the tactical level through virtual information sessions for women recruits.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Canadian Forces Recruiting Group utilizes a self-identification form as the standardized data collection method for gender and diversity as part of the Canadian Armed Forces enrolment process. There are no notable actions presently underway to update this method, as it meets current direction and requirements. The Canadian Forces Recruiting Group initiated in 2022-23 a statement of work for the contracting of a GBA Plus assessment on the recruiting process. The recruitment process is to include the attraction of applicants, processing applicants, selection, and the enrolment of applicants.
Program Name: 3.2 Individual Training and Professional Military Education
Program Goals: GBA Plus and gender perspectives continue to be applied across the Canadian Armed Forces professional development system to improve training and education, inform the development of qualification standards, and monitor and improve student well-being.
Target Population: Defence Team Personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Given the goals and the work done within this program to promote equity and diversity, as well as improve the student experience, the groups most impacted by this program are Canadian Armed Forces Students, women, men, 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous Peoples, and visible minority communities. Statistics for the individual learning institutions are broken down by gender, below. While disaggregated data for underrepresented members is not available, the program initiatives and impacts as described below related to the development and improvement of curriculums and standards represent a benefit for underrepresented members.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disaggregated data on student population at Royal Military College (RMC) Saint-Jean |
|
Registrar School registration |
Data August 2022 at school year start |
| Disaggregated data on student population at Royal Military College (RMC) Kingston |
|
Registrar School registration |
Data 17 May 2023 (day before convocation) |
| Disaggregated data on student population at Osside Institute | Intermediate Leadership Programme (ILP) / Programme de leadership intermédiaire (PLI): 1578 total 85.49% Male 14.51% Female Advanced Leadership Programme (ALP) / Programme de leadership avancé (PLA): 540 total 83.52% Male 16.48% Female Senior Leadership Programme (SLP) / Programme de leadership supérieur (PLS): 156 total 83.33% Male 16,67% Female Senior Appointment Programme (SAP) / Programme de nominations supérieures (PNS): 33 total 94,94% Male 6.06% Female |
Distance Learning registration form | January 1st – December. 31st 2022 2307 total learners |
| Disaggregated data on student population at Canadian Forces College | Joint Command and Staff Program (JCSP): Canadian contingent: Other Government Departments: International: National Security Programme (NSP): Canadian contingent: Other Government Departments: International: |
Monitor Mass and CFC tenant nominal roll |
Other Key Program impacts:
Throughout FY 2022-23, the Canadian Defence Academy (CDA) worked to further the institutionalization of gender and intersectional perspectives through its full-time Gender Advisor, who is part of the senior advisory team to Commander CDA and reports directly to Commander CDA, as well as its Gender Focal Points Network, which aims to further the institutionalization of GBA Plus as part of business planning, programs and policies, and the development and validation of Canadian Armed Forces-common professional development training and education. A series of efforts took place in 2022-23, including two GBA Plus professional development webinars, to strengthen the capacity of Gender Focal Points to integrate GBA Plus and intersectional perspectives into CAF professional development, governance and functions in CDA Headquarters and the formation.
Led by the CDA Gender Advisor, CDA hired a contractor in 2022-23 to conduct a GBA Plus of the Canadian Military Colleges’ Physical Performance Test to identify the implications of the application of the test on Canadian Military College’s diverse student population. The analysis will identify potential barriers that Naval/Officer Cadets face in completing the Physical Performance Test using GBA Plus, as well as the broader socio-cultural implications, and provide recommendations on how these barriers may be addressed to improve results and ensure an equitable measure of success.
CDA co-led a workshop in November 2022 focused on gender perspectives and Women, Peace and Security in professional military education for members of the Partnership for Peace Consortium. The event included representatives from different areas of the Defence Team as well as Canadian Armed Forces military education institutions: Royal Military College, Osside Institute, Canadian Forces College and the Dallaire Centre of Excellence for Peace and Security. The event is part of a series that will continue to take place over the next three years.
CDA continued the process to update Canadian Armed Forces Common Leadership Qualification Standards. Qualification standard updates are informed by broad engagement with advisors and specialists across the Defence Team to incorporate a more diverse landscape of leader requirements, taking into account GBA Plus, the Canadian Armed Forces competency framework, the renewed CAF Ethos: Trusted to Serve, Character-based Leadership Model, emotional intelligence testing/assessment support and digital transformation requirements.
Four of the major educational institutions in the Canadian Armed Forces: Canadian Forces College; Royal Military College Kingston; Royal Military College Saint-Jean; and the Chief Warrant Officer Robert Osside Profession of Arms Institute, are continuing the process to ensure that educational materials, imagery, practices, and professional development material reflect diversity.
Canadian Forces Colleges developed in 2022-23 a culture change roadmap and is implementing a two-year program to integrate GBA Plus and equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigeneity initiatives across all programs, and has increased diversity across the Canadian Forces College guest lecture program. Canadian Forces College has initiated a series of Professional Development sessions for curriculum development officers, directing staff, academic faculty, senior mentors and information resource centre staff across its programs on GBA Plus and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity.
A Learning Resource Guide was compiled in 2022-23 to help center and support Indigenous learning and reconciliation within the context of professional military education. The Guide offers publications and tools accessible through the Canadian Armed Forces Virtual Library. The Guide was developed in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action focusing on integrating Indigenous knowledges and pedagogies into post-secondary institutions and education and the provision of “education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015: 7), by the Dallaire Centre of Excellence for Peace and Security, CDA Gender Advisor and Gender Focal Point Network, Indigenous Advisor and Indigenous Technical Network, and the Canadian Forces College Information Resource Centre.
Supplementary Information Sources:
Towards Truth and Reconciliation: a Learning Resource Guide
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
A Student Experience and Well-Being Survey has been developed in direct response to the Independent External Comprehensive Review (IECR; Arbour Report), Recommendation 29. The survey is an expansion from the Royal Military College (Kingston) Exit Survey to sample all years, and both Canadian Military Colleges. The intent is to administer it in the Spring of 2023 to students from both Canadian Military Colleges. The survey is being used to better understand the lived experiences across diverse student populations.
Canadian Forces College continues to conduct entry and exit surveys of students from its programmes to assess and evaluate student learning and experience through a GBA Plus lens. These surveys provide evidence-based analyses used by the Canadian Forces College to optimize its programming and learning environment.
Program Name: 3.3 Total Health Care
Program Goals: To support Canadian Armed Forces member health and service access, this program continues to develop and improve on the areas of women and diverse members health needs, applying GBA Plus to better enable data collection and analysis of services, programs, and initiatives overall.
Target Population: All Canadian Armed Forces members
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: While men continue to represent the majority population in the Canadian Armed Forces, the intent of the program lends itself to providing benefits to the following groups as well: women, 2SLGBTQI+, persons with disabilities or health issues, visible minority communities, and Indigenous Peoples.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
The Women’s Health Framework was introduced in 2022, within the context of the Defence Team Total Health and Wellness Strategy. There was increased public servant and third-party contractor hiring for obstetrics, gynecology, and family physician positions specializing in women’s health and healthcare research. The positions are expected to be integral components of wellness and healthcare activities that will drive sustained and long-term healthcare optimization for women and under-represented groups and contribute to a Canadian Armed Forces culture in which every member is fully and safely enabled in their chosen career.
Data and research gathered by these clinical positions will continue to drive how healthcare is delivered in the Canadian Armed Forces, acknowledging that research has historically been androcentric, and male centered in the perceptions of these issues.
Supplementary Information Sources:
Defence Team Total Health and Wellness Strategy.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
With the establishment of the Women and Diversity Core Team, further GBA Plus data collection and analysis will be optimized. This data, in conjunction with proposed investment in an enhanced Electronic Health Record Platform, will help inform health program planning for marginalized groups. Current estimated timeline for Electronic Health Record Platform, is that it will be at full operational capability by 2030, which remains contingent on adequate funding, staffing, and resourcing for the project. At present, Canadian Armed Forces information systems lack health analytic capabilities but are utilized to provide limited data and to inform program planning and policy development.
The positions of Director Women and Diversity Health and Gender Focal Points within Canadian Forces Health Services continue to develop a data collection plan, which remains contingent on adequate funding, staffing, and resourcing through the Women and Diversity Health Program. Further, the Directorate of Health Services Quality and Performance contributed results from their review of Transgender Care. Their analysis of the appropriate use of sex and gender information in the electronic health records supports efforts to ensure gender and diversity variables are incorporated into research and health surveillance, thus enabling Canadian Forces Health Services Leadership decisions for improving healthcare for all members.
Program Name: 3.3 Total Health Care
Program Goals: To support Defence Team members, this program continues to develop and improve services and support that contribute to a psychologically safe work environment. Although this program benefits all Defence Team members, GBA Plus considerations ensure equitable solutions and focus on historically marginalized groups including women, racialized communities, indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+ and persons with disabilities.
Target Population: All Defence Team personnel, specifically equity seeking groups.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: While men continue to represent the majority population in the Defence Team, the intent of the program lends itself to providing benefits to the following groups as well: women, 2SLGBTQI+, persons with disabilities or health issues, racialized communities, and Indigenous peoples.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
The Defence Team anti-racism work is part of an overall Call to Action for the Government to address systemic barriers and historical harms, by evolving the practices, policies, and very ways of thinking that have harmed not only racialized members but the institution as a whole. An implementation framework is being developed to address recommendations under the MND Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination and National Apology Action Committee related to systemic racism and discrimination.
Created in 2020, the Restorative Engagement Program provides opportunities for individuals and groups who have experienced harm to engage directly with each other (affected party and respondent/institutional representative) in a safe way, enabling accountability and meaningful conversation to repair harm and rebuild relationships. The Restorative Engagement Program not only responds to restorative needs, but provides restorative advice on policy and programs, supports overarching restorative capacity building, and raises awareness of systemic issues and trends on all types of harm. Additionally, the Program promotes healing and assists workplaces in promoting and maintaining healthy workplace environments.
Restorative services focuses on the future, versus blame and punishment, so that individuals can be restored into their communities within their organizations contributing to retention and maintenance of trust in the organization. As the process is voluntary and is not used as a performative measure, Defence Team members come in good faith to develop their skills and build capacity for understanding, supporting cultural evolution.
Budget 2022 attributed $7.2M over five years for expanding restorative services, with $1.5M ongoing funding to provide increased support and new avenues to address and repair harm, restore individual relationships (where possible), strengthen teams, rebuild trust, and promote long-lasting institutional change. The response to restorative services has been incredibly positive and capacity is quickly building.
Since the Program’s inception in 2020, over 215 cases have been completed. The plan is to double capacity to deliver restorative approaches by next fall. The current focus is onboarding and hiring restorative services practitioners. The Program is creating tools and dashboards to respond to Defence Team needs to develop skills to build and maintain relationships that will contribute to a cultural evolution and a more restorative Defence Team.
The Program will be able to report next year on various type of data such as the number of participants and session that promote a safer workplace.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The CPCC Analytics Support Centre supports GBA Plus initiatives through analytics to identify and assess systemic inequalities, as well as identifying diverse groups of women, men, and gender, provided through sexual misconduct incidents reported in the Canadian Armed Forces. The Centre analyzes data from the Sexual Misconduct Incident Tracking System (SMITS) and identifies emergent trends through detailed sexual misconduct reporting dashboards. The dashboards enable CPCC leadership to make evidence-based decisions when developing professional conduct and Culture Evolution Strategy initiatives that promote a more diverse and inclusive culture across the Defence Team.
The Centre’s dashboards also facilitate an enduring CPCC reporting capability to Defence Team senior leadership. The dashboards allow CPCC to present vital SMITS statistics, the potential impacts of sexual misconduct trends to the department, and targeted recommendations to address sexual misconduct in relation to multiple intersecting GBA Plus factors that impact diverse groups. The continued and deliberate development of the CPCC Analytics Support Centre capability will help ensure that all Defence Team members are not adversely impacted by policies, programs, or systems that are being developed and implemented in support of promoting a safe and inclusive workplace.
Program Name: 3.4 Defence Team Management
Program Goals: The overall program goals are to ensure that the Defence team reflects the values and diversity of Canadian society and that the health and well-being of the Defence team is well supported. To that end, the Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC) is focused on providing support services to those directly or indirectly affected by sexual misconduct. Through the dedicated role of the Centre’s GBA Plus Advisor, GBA Plus was integrated into Centre activities to ensure the consideration of the diverse needs of Defence team personnel in policy, program, and initiative development.
Target Population: Defence Team personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: The SMSRC provides support services to those directly or indirectly affected by sexual misconduct. While the distribution of program benefits is assumed to be gender-balanced, with no significant income distributional impacts or inter-generational impacts, it is acknowledged that some traditionally underserved population groups may face barriers to accessing support services. Further, at this time, support services are not available for those under the age of 16 years.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Not available
Other Key Program impacts:
In FY 2022-23, the SMSRC contributed to the advancement of GBA Plus within the organization through several key actions, including employing a full-time GBA Plus Advisor (EC-06) responsible for leading on the application of Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) for all SMSRC programs and initiatives. The GBA Plus Advisor provides tools, information, guidance, and resources on GBA Plus to promote greater awareness, capacity, and improved integration of GBA Plus across SMSRC decision-making processes, programs, and initiatives.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The SMSRC provides support services to currently serving and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), to Department of National Defence (DND) public service employees, and to staff of the non-public funds who are affected by sexual misconduct. To that end, in FY 2022-23, the SMSRC collected data to enable it to monitor and report on program impacts by gender and diversity, notably:
- SMSRC initiatives were informed by analysis and advice from internal and external experts, including the External Advisory Council, a group of experts who work with diverse population groups such as survivors and perpetrators of sexual misconduct;
- Demographic data is collected from participants, on a voluntary basis, in the Restorative Engagement Program from class members and defence representatives who choose to participate in the program to support ongoing program improvements and increase awareness around access and inclusion services; and
- Data is also collected from recipient organizations of the grants and contribution programs in order to support the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence as well as to inform program outcomes.
The SMSRC is currently improving its capacity to collect disaggregated data on current and future SMSRC initiatives. The SMSRC is currently improving its capacity to collect disaggregated data on current and future SMSRC initiatives, including the development and monitoring of performance measurement frameworks for SMSRC programs and services. The third iteration of the Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces (SSMCAF) was launched by Statistics Canada in October 2022, with results to become available in FY 2023-24. As with the survey in 2016 and 2018, the SSMCAF 2022 includes demographic data that will be used to further inform the development of SMSRC initiatives, along with findings from other disaggregated data collection efforts, such as engagement processes and program development efforts.
Program Name: 3.4 Defence Team Management
Program Goals: Focused on the development of Defence Team policies and strategies to manage the diverse needs of members, GBA Plus has been integrated into the policy development framework, while training on GBA Plus continues to be provided to policy analysts.
Target Population: Defence Team Personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: While demographic group outcomes are not monitored in the form of data for this program, this program benefits all members of the Defence team, inclusive of gender groups (women, men, and gender-diverse).
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of executive briefs that included GBA Plus considerations | 28 | Directorate Military Personnel Policy Integration (DMPPI) internal collection | - |
| Number of policy analysts who completed the Policy Toolbox Course that included GBA Plus training | 120 | DMPPI internal collection | - |
Other Key Program impacts:
In 2022-23, Director Military Personnel Policy Integration has further integrated GBA Plus into its resources and supportive frameworks, including the Policy Playbook and CF Mil Pers Instruction CMP Policy Framework. Director Military Personnel Policy Integration continues to offer the policy toolbox course to help analysts understand, incorporate, and apply GBA Plus to their work, as well as executive briefs to managers. A documented GBA Plus is now a requirement for all policy drafts seeking CHARGE! Committee endorsement.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Director General Military Personnel Strat and Director Military Personnel Policy Integration continue to leverage data from Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis to support the policy development process. Currently, there are no plans to develop or improve other data collection and analysis tools to assess impact of a program on gender and diversity.
Program Name: 3.4 Defence Team Management
Program Goals: The Defence Team Personnel Management program is directed toward the Department National Defense/Canadian Armed Forces leadership for decision-making purposes and the stewardship of the military personnel management system. Focused on the development of Defence Team policies and strategies to manage the diverse needs of members, GBA Plus has been integrated into the policy development framework, in order to increase representation amongst equity seeking groups and encourage a workplace free of discrimination and sexual misconduct.
Target Population: Defence Team Personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: This program benefits all members of the Defence team, inclusive of gender groups (women, men, and gender-diverse).
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Human Rights Based Complaints Prohibited Grounds):
|
Director External Review (DER) Case Tracking | These statistics are compiled and reported on by DER to Director General Conflict Solutions and Services (DGCSS) on a monthly basis |
Other Key Program impacts:
Director External Review (DER) ensures that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is seen as a credible and ethical organization using proven policies to ensure personnel are treated fairly, without discrimination, and act expeditiously when any type of misconduct is discovered. DER further provides expertise and support to the CAF in order to resolve complaints originating from legal processes. Finally, DER strives to ensure that people who have reported grievances or human rights complaints feel listened to and valued by the CAF.
In 2022, as part of Canada’s commitment to the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) released its Elsie Initiative Barrier Assessment Report in August 2022. The Report identified barriers and opportunities in order to improve CAF women’s meaningful participation in UN peace support operations. The CAF has implemented initiatives designed to recruit and retain women such as the expansion of parental leave, the creation of the Integrated Women’s Mentorship Network and Women in Force program, the modernization of dress instructions, and the introduction of an improved suite of operational clothing and equipment designed for diverse body types. Canada’s Elsie Initiative Barrier Assessment Report highlighted the Canadian Armed Forces’ progress on meeting United Nations (UN) targets for CAF women deployed to UN Peace support operations. In 2022, 20.2% of the CAF’s Regular Force officers were women deployed which met UN targets. So far in 2023, women in the CAF have also deployed at a similar rate as men to UN Peace support operations - 2.3% of women serving, 2.7% of men serving.
Supplementary Information Sources:
DER Monthly Report to DGCSS for April 2023 – Available by contacting the Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) organization at gbaplusadvising-conseilacsplus@forces.gc.ca
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Program Name: 3.5 Military Transition
Program Goals: Military Transition Program supports the needs of members and their families as they transition out of the military and into civilian life. GBA Plus is conducted on all new transition policies and programs; the application of gender perspectives and intersectional analysis supports continued service improvements to members undergoing transition, ensuring the needs of diverse and underrepresented members are also being met.
Target Population: Canadian Armed Forces members
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Third Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: As men represent the majority of the CAF population, they are the group benefitting most from the Program. However, the Program benefits all CAF personnel inclusive of gender (men, women, gender-diverse), members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community, Black or other racialized/visible minority communities, persons with disabilities or health issues, and Indigenous peoples. Further, it places an intersectional lens on its services, such as accounting for demographic group factors related specifically to rank, occupation, and years of service.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
The Military Transition Program sought to support force generation and retention efforts by ensuring members explore all retention options, prior to initiating the release process. Transition requires thoughtful and thorough preparation and often social, emotional, and psychological adjustments as a person and as a family. Therefore, the personalized transition consultation and planning process provides members an opportunity to discuss gender and identity-based experiences that have impacted their careers and their decision to transition to civilian life, including if they have experienced any sexual misconduct and gender-based violence, harassment, discrimination in their military careers but also discuss their experience with the grievance process. The opportunity to share such experiences during the transition process in turn provided a possible avenue for members to seek support or redress, if that was their choice, as well as presented opportunities to inform institutional change in the Canadian Armed Forces through lessons learned.
To support system-wide adoption of GBA Plus, the Directive and Administrative Procedure 2.2.09, Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group /Director General Military Transition - GBA Plus Framework, was promulgated in October 2022. By outlining how the CAF Transition Group will incorporate GBA Plus, this Directive and Administrative Procedure aims to ensure all Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group policies, programs, services, projects, and activities will be equitable for all transitioning CAF members, with particular emphasis on injured or ill members, families, and veterans. Further, this Directive and Administrative Procedure seeks to ensure that sufficient disaggregated data is being collected within the Transition Group in order to support a complete GBA Plus. This includes improving the approach for identifying specific data needs, as well as the methods and means through which we collect data.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In FY 2022-23, all new policies and initiatives within the Military Transition Program were subject to a GBA Plus, with the support of Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group’s Gender Focal Point and Gender Advisor. Performance evaluation through a gender and diversity lens is being prioritized for all policies, programs and services, and is being implemented on an ongoing basis, to the greatest extent possible in line with departmental capabilities vis-à-vis the collection of required data.
In the past year, the Military Transition Program continued to work with Defence Scientists to optimize the Transition Support and Wellbeing Survey, which tracks members’ experiences and feedback from their engagement with the program. The study allows members to self-identify for gender and other identify factors, which facilitates improved disaggregation of data for program officials.
The CAF Transition Group also made progress in developing data collection and reporting capabilities related to the new Military-to-Civilian service model, which continued to be rolled-out in FY 2022-23. At maturity, this reporting capability will provide insights on how CAF members of different genders and other intersecting identity groups are engaging with Transition services – such as transition plan development, family supports, health-related services, career planning, and transition training products – so that the needs of all transitioning CAF members can be better understood and more effectively supported.
Program Name: 3.6 Military Member and Family Support
Program Goals: As the program provides a wide range of resources related to wellness and family services, GBA Plus continues to be applied into research studies and programs in order to support the development of tools and resources to meet the needs of diverse members and their families.
Target Population: Defence Team personnel and families
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Given the nature of this program, the specific demographic groups most impacted by the program are women, men, and youth, as these groups can include spouses or partners of the military members, parents of military members, the military members themselves, as well as their dependents. Some statistics on service use are found below.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military Family Resource Centre | - | Penelope Client Relationship Management (CRM) | Mental Health and Psychosocial Services and Second Language Services supported those who identify as women more than those who identify as men. Relocation and Posting Support and the Veteran Family Program supported those who identify as men more than those who identify as women. |
| Virtual Military Family Resource Centre | 4,000 contacts in FY 2022-23 by those who identify as women | Virtual MFRC Data | This number is approximately 50% of total contacts. Comparatively, eight years ago, women represented 80% of contacts, demonstrating that we are receiving contacts from a more representative population now. |
| Virtual Military Family Resource Centre | 203 contacts in FY 2022-23 by Parents of Military Members | Virtual MFRC Data | - |
| Virtual Military Family Resource Centre | 114 contacts in FY 2022-23 related to intimate partner violence | Virtual MFRC Data | - |
| Veteran Family Telemedicine Service (VFTS) | Sex at birth
|
Application information | Veterans who have medically released within the last year and have registered for the VFTS. |
| Transition Centres | Overall transition services supported men at double the rate of women. The initial offer of service was 78% for men. | Penelope Client Relationship Management (CRM) | - |
| Crisis Text Support to military youth | Youth between the ages of 10-25 reach out to KHP for mental health and crisis support | Kids Help Phone (KHP) | - |
| Support Our Troops Camps | Just under 400 children and youth between the ages of 3-18 | Camp Applications | Child of a Canadian Armed Forces member serving away from their families Bereaved child of a deceased Canadian Armed Forces member Child of a serving ill or injured member of the Canadian Armed Forces Special needs child and/or one sibling per special needs child of a serving CAF member |
Other Key Program impacts:
Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services sought to serve a balanced distribution of clients across gender, income, and age groups. Two initiatives towards the Women and Gender Diverse Physical Wellness and Fitness Program have advanced in the past year: the Canadian Armed Forces Pre-Basic Military Training program was released, and initial development begun for the national Pre-Natal and Post-Partum Program. In addition, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services strives to display the diversity of the CAF community in all marketing and promotional materials. The GBA Plus Working Group is active and continues to develop tools and resources so that Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services staff can implement GBA Plus activities into their roles.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services enterprise data strategy remains a priority and work is ongoing. However, some initial steps have been taken, such as the stand up of an enterprise level Data Governance Council and other working groups to better govern data, discuss and document data related risks and opportunities, and develop a better understanding of data landscape.
Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services ensures that research methodologies incorporate GBA Plus in data collection. For example, in FY 2022-23, gender identity was included in the family violence and family breakdown research study and related online survey. With the guidance of the GBA Plus Working group, distinctions were made related to data on gender vs sex, and on the need to include other demographics in future developments.
Program Name: 3.7 Military History and Heritage
Program Goals: Through disaggregated data tracking and consultation with the diverse groups, this program continues to provide oversight and guidance on appearance, badges, honours, and recognition.
Target Population: Canadian public, the Defence Team
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: As the scope of this program extends to all CAF Personnel, this includes impacts for women, men, Indigenous members, Black community members, visible minority members, and 2SLGBTQI+ community members. Though men are the majority recipients of the Order of Military Merit (see statistics below), this reflects their significant representation in the CAF Forces population. Data for underrepresented members for merit appointments is not tracked.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Representation of women in the 2022 Order of Military Merit (ORMM) list | 33 women out of 108 appointments = 30.6% | Directorate of Honours and Recognitions (DH&R) internal statistics | - |
Other Key Program impacts:
The program aimed to ensure that the selection process for Order of Military Merit is free from discrimination. Efforts related to the Order of Military Merit have been longstanding and remain ongoing for the Directorate of Honours and Recognitions. In 2022-23, more diverse nominations have been received for the Meritorious Service Decorations.
On 6 September 2022, the new Canadian Armed Forces Dress policy on appearance (not updated since the early 1970s) came into effect. The new dress policy is a significant change as military appearance is no longer delineated according to gender and provides options for members to appear as they identify (including less restrictions for hair, makeup, and jewelry in situations whereby there is no impact to safety and military operations). To support this change, Director History and Heritage executed many in-person and virtual presentations to discuss the new instructions during the months of July and August 2022. The purpose of these presentations was to provide information, answer questions and to receive feedback from Canadian Armed Forces personnel. Of note is a common misperception that changes to the dress policy were made for the purpose of recruitment. In fact, the changes were made because previous policy was deemed discriminatory – whereby the updates, first and foremost, aim to foster inclusivity. Director History and Heritage engages in ongoing communication with all Defence Advisory Groups to adjust the new policy and Dress Manual as a whole, should it be required.
As part of the Canadian Armed Forces badge creation and approval process, Director History and Heritage now reviews proposed designs and assesses them through a GBA Plus lens. Integration of GBA Plus within this process for Director History and Heritage is new and only recently implemented.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The Directorate of Honours and Recognitions does not engage in data collection and analysis itself for all honours and as such, there are no plans for developing or improving data collection and analysis tools for a program measure to assess the impact of the program on gender and diversity in the future. At the end of each year, the Directorate requests and receives a report with disaggregated demographic data on CAF members to inform Order of Military Merit targets for the following year. The Directorate keeps statistics on gender for the Order of Military Merit Appointments to ensure the targets set by the Advisory Council are met. The Directorate cannot collect data on other diversity groups, as they are not recorded in the CAF Human Resources System of record.
There is no specific data collection plan in place for the GBA Plus done on badges and other insignia. However, each time an analysis is conducted, it is documented and recorded on the file for future reference.
Program Name: 3.8 Military Law Services/Military Justice Superintendence
Program Goals: As a key component of military justice modernization, the Justice Administration and Information Management System will contribute to the evolution of the military justice system, with specific emphasis on victim-centric approaches. A recent GBA Plus determined that this would have disproportionately beneficial effects on female, non-binary, and other gender minority members of the Defence Team.
Target Population: The Governor General, the Minister of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Beneficial effects on female, non-binary, and other gender minority members of the Defence Team.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Not available
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG) has no data available to report. In 2022-23, the OJAG did not put in place a mandatory requirement to identify the relevance of GBA Plus. The request for a Gender Advisor position was declined through the Defence Team Establishment Plan (DTEP). The OJAG continued to develop the Justice Administration and Information Management System (JAIMS) and did receive Treasury Board approval for additional funds for 2023-2026 to complete the project, which is being developed with a GBA Plus lens. This system was to be fully implemented in 2023-24; however, due to several delays related to the scope of the changes to the military justice system stemming from the implementation of Bill C-77, and software system challenges, full implementation across the CAF is now scheduled for 2026. As a key component of military justice modernization, JAIMS will contribute to the evolution of the military justice system, with specific emphasis on victim-centric approaches. A recent GBA Plus determined that this would have disproportionately beneficial effects on female, non-binary, and other gender minority members of the Defence Team.
In 2023-24, the OJAG is planning to conduct stakeholder surveys to determine how the implementation of Bill C-77 has affected participant perception of the Military Justice System. This information will be used in the development of Canadian Armed Forces-wide and military justice-specific policy updates directed to improve the experience of Military Justice System participants.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
Program Name: 3.9 Ombudsman
Program Goals: The Office of the Defence Team Ombudsman collects and analyzes trends in complaints. The analysis is used to determine whether specific complaints may have a gender or other demographic specific connexion. We may identify whether a specific policy inadvertently disadvantages a specific group of constituents. This information is then used in a variety of ways including within our systemic investigations and development of education products. We also apply a GBA Plus analysis including an accessibility lens to all our products and services to increase the inclusiveness of our service delivery model.
Target Population: The target population is:
- Current and former members of the:
- Canadian Armed Forces (Regular Force, Primary Reserve, Canadian Rangers, Cadet Organization Administration and Training Service, and Supplementary Reserve) or the;
- Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers;
- Current and former employees of the Department of National Defence and Staff of the Non-Public Funds;
- A person applying to become a Canadian Armed Forces member;
- A member of the immediate family of any of the above-mentioned categories; and
- Individuals on exchange or secondment with the Canadian Armed Forces.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Information not available at this time.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Not available
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
For 2022-23, the Office of the Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces has continued to use improved data collection methods to assess impacts on gender and diversity. As in 2021-22, constituents who submit a complaint with the organization are offered an opportunity to take a voluntary survey to provide us with GBA Plus and diversity-related information. At this point in time, the data collected is not yet sufficient for assessment. In addition, for 2022-23, the Ombudsman Office implemented additional data collection by obtaining information from the five Defence Advisory Groups in the course of a systemic investigation, in order to gain insight into the experiences of GBA Plus and diversity groups.
Program Name: 3.10 Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers (Youth Program)
Program Goals: The Department, through its Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Group strives to create a healthy and inclusive environment for all Canadian youth, ensuring their physical, psychological, and emotional safety. The Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers Programs provide structured and stimulating activities that foster community responsibility, personal well-being, and environmental awareness. National Defence is dedicated to expanding these programs to offer more Canadian youth the chance to benefit from these valuable development opportunities and contribute to community strengthening nationwide.
Target Population: Youth in Canada not less than twelve years of age who have not attained the age of nineteen years.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | - |
| By age group | First Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: This Program targets Canadian Youth, therefore the Program’s outcome (Youth in Canada are provided with experience and opportunities that enable a successful transition to adulthood) is specific to this demographic group.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender Representation | Gender Breakdown – Target Youth Population: 48.5% female / 52.5% male. Gender Breakdown of Current Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers Population: 32.5% female / 67.5% male |
|
|
| Gender Identity | 2.87% of Cadets identify as a gender other than sex at birth | Entry and Exit Surveys | Of those who identified sex at birth was female; 2.1% identify as Male while 2.6% identify as Other Of those who identified sex at birth was male; 0.5% identify as female and 0.6% identify as Other |
| Indigenous | 6.16% of cadets self-identified as being of indigenous decent | Entry and Exit Surveys | |
| Visible Minority | 19.36% of cadets self-identified as being part of a Visible Minority | Entry and Exit Surveys | |
| Person with Disability | 5.78% of cadets self-identify as being a person with disability | Entry and Exit Surveys |
Other Key Program impacts:
Considering the size and scope of the Defence Team’s Youth Program, Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers established in May 2022 a full-time National Professional Conduct and Culture Advisor position focused on the development and health of a positive culture within the organization. Within the position’s mandate sits the requirement to establish metrics for cultural health to include equity, diversity, and inclusion. In addition, two Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Groups will be stood up in early 2023 consisting of members at all levels and will mirror the Defense Advisory Groups established within the institution. The Groups will provide advice and information to ensure Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers is an inclusive organization that authentically leverages and celebrates diversity while maintaining a positive culture and will provide recommendations for positive change.
Concurrently, CJCR will work with the Canadian Army to institute a similar self-identification approach for the Junior Canadian Rangers Program.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
National Defence published a scientific report in 2021, Former Cadet Survey Development and Comparisons to the Canadian Population: An evaluation of the Cadet Program's effectiveness in attaining its mandated aim and intended participant outcomes.
Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers developed a voluntary self-identification process for Cadet Program participants in 2021-22 that builds upon its existing data collection and analysis tools to improve its capacity to measure and assess the impacts of the program on gender and diversity.
This insight, combined with readily available Statistics Canada census data, allows for evidence-based decision-making to ensure Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers programs remain relevant for and more representative of the target youth population in Canada in terms of diversity and inclusion.
Implementation timelines, which have been met thus far, included:
- Spring 2022 – Launch of a self-identification survey for registered cadets that includes topics such as gender identity, Indigenous identity, marginalized or racialized groups’ identity and disability.
- Summer 2022 – Analysis of initial survey results to establish to what extent Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers are being reached in terms of these additional dimensions of diversity.
- Spring 2023 – Inclusion of the self-identification statistics collected in the existing Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Population Placemat and corresponding Statistical Report on the Royal Canadian Sea, Army and Air Cadets
- Fall 2023 – Launch of an entrance and exit survey, including the existing self-identification components, for the Cadet Program to better understand what motivates youth to join and pushes them to leave the program.
Core Responsibility 4: Future Force Design
Program Name: 4.1 Joint Force Development
Program Goals: The Joint Force Development Program synchronizes and integrates all force development activities across the Canadian Armed Forces in order to develop the capabilities required to produce strategically relevant, operationally responsive, and decisive military forces. Due to the qualitative nature of the lines of effort and services offered by Chief Force Development (CFD), the Defence Team Establishment Plan is one of the few programed activities that had an ongoing consult with the Directorate of Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis to conduct a formalized GBA Plus to support this critical L1 decision-making product. This effort endorsed a more suitable gender and diverse personnel distribution for critical DND/CAF structure and capability development requirements.
Target Population: Defence Team Senior Leadership
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | - |
| By age group | - |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: This program targets internal members of the Defence Team and not a specific demographic group, hence there are no specific demographic group outcomes for this program.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Not available
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Nothing to report for 2022-23. Although Chief Force Development (CFD) incorporates GBA Plus in the decision-making products generated for Commands and Group Principal Organizations, Chief Force Development currently has limited capability to collect sufficient data to enable the complete monitoring and/or reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity.
Program Name: 4.2 Naval Force Development
Program Goals: The Royal Canadian Navy conducts, applies, and monitors GBA Plus findings and conclusions to decision-making for shipbuilding and other maritime equipment acquisitions and materiel support activities, such as the Canadian Surface Combatant.
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Not available
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of women, visible minority and Indigenous (both military and civilian) employed at sea or alongside within the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) are tracked quarterly by occupation and rank, or classification which enables a comparison of who will be using which equipment. | RCN (uniformed): RCN (civilian): |
Self Identification | - |
Other Key Program impacts: Not available
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In support of improving data collection, the RCN will commence tracking of GBA Plus implementation at the Level 1 on all new and updated RCN L1 policies, programs, and projects within the first quarter of FY 2023-24. Current and future projects will be held accountable to include the tracking of feedback from users within the GBA Plus monitoring and implementation phase using feedback loop processes already in place, such as Statements of Capability Deficiencies.
Program Name: 4.3 Land Force Development
Program Goals: The Land Force Development program develops and manages the execution of activities that introduce new or modified capabilities in order to achieve desired effects during Defence operations, activities or services.
Target Population: Defence Team members within the Canadian Army, Defence Team members who use materiel procured by the Canadian Army for use in the Canadian Armed Forced.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: The Canadian Army (CA) is dedicated to diversifying its force and producing inclusive and equitable capabilities when it comes to the land force development. Land force development covers wide range of capabilities but one example where specific demographic group outcome is pursued is Soldier Operational Clothing and Equipment Modernization where clothing is procured to fit different types of bodies that also allows for cultural adaptions.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
Members with cultural beards and/or non-average face sizes continued to be considered in FY 2022-23 in the CA work on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear equipment projects. Two multi-year projects underway are for a powered air-purifying respirator that will accommodate these personnel and the second project will also be for a respirator that addresses the same needs but does not have the powered air-purifying feature. The project team in FY 2022-23 worked on determining the procurement concept, enabling definition and implementation activities.
Soldier Operational Clothing and Equipment Modernization (SOCEM) initiative:
- Clothing and equipment fit, comfort and usability issues are being addressed through this initiative. Planning has continued throughout FY 2022-23 in order to address GBA Plus-informed observations, and those observation have been incorporated during FY 2022-23 into plans for trials which will be occurring in FY 2023-24.
- The Canadian Combat Uniform Ensemble, otherwise known as the operational clothing aspect of the Soldier Operational Clothing and Equipment Modernization initiative, continued throughout FY2022-23 to examine uniforms that are more suitable for the female form. Based on GBA Plus and planning which has been ongoing throughout FY 2022-23, GBA Plus considerations are included throughout the planning cycle.
Ongoing modernization efforts throughout FY 2022-23 incorporate GBA Plus findings to identify and eliminate barriers to inclusivity. GBA Plus efforts in Ready Land Forces are generating findings that are being considered as part of Land Force Development planning, especially for the CA’s Force 2025 modernization initiative. Identification of these findings will ensure that long-term plans for the future of the CA are inclusive of the varied perspectives and needs of a diverse CA.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan: The Canadian Army continues to refine GBA Plus performance measurement as experience and best practices contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the topic. If certain indicators are found to have significant value over time, efforts will be taken to formalize them.
Program Name: 4.4 Air and Space Force Development
Program Goals: The Air and Space Force Development program develops and manages the execution of activities that introduce new or modified capabilities in order to achieve desired effects during Defence operations, activities or services.
Target Population: Royal Canadian Air Force Personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
RCAF is comprised of 16,586 personnel with the following demographics:
- Gender: 18% women, 82 % men
- Component: 78% Regular Force personnel, 12% Reserve Force Personnel, 9% Civilian Personnel
- Language: 79% identify English as their First Official Language, 21% identify French as their First Official Language.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
In 2022-23, RCAF integrated GBA Plus into every Defence project under RCAF area of responsibility, as required by Treasury Board. To support this effort, personnel within the RCAF’s Directorate of Air Requirements underwent advanced GBA Plus training to enable better GBA Plus considerations integrated within procurement efforts.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is not currently collecting sufficient data to enable it to adequately monitor and/or report on program impacts by gender and diversity. The RCAF is still in early maturity stages vis-à-vis its full adoption of GBA Plus and while there are several active initiatives underway, monitoring and reporting have posed a challenge. In FY 2022-23, the RCAF continued to focus on improvement, including the identification of work required to fully integration GBA Plus across RCAF, and collaboration with Directorate Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis and Directorate General Military Personnel Research and Analysis to better understand options for improved data collection and methods to better monitor GBA Plus integration.
Program Name: 4.5 Special Operations Force Development
Program Goals: The integration of GBA Plus within the procurement process provides an enhanced intersectional understanding which contributes to the assessment of future Special Operations requirements.
Target Population: All CANSOFCOM Members
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: CANSOFCOM’s continuous efforts towards inclusion and diversity across many demographic groups including but not limited to women, men, visible minority community members, Indigenous people, the elderly, individuals of particular socio-demographic status will have many benefits both operationally and institutionally.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| More than 95% of internal projects have received a GBA Plus analysis input | The systematic integration of GBA Plus requirement and response form directly into the procurement software and/or related applications has driven consistency with this approach. | DRMIS | A quality-based review of GBA Plus findings is required by personnel with expertise in the field and is carried to ascertain quality assessments on a periodic basis. |
Other Key Program impacts:
- In 2022-23, CANSOFCOM monitored the development of a module that is intended to track future capability development (related to equipment), with supporting research. This work has involved the review of historical data with an intersectional lens, to identify lessons learned that can help inform the development of future capabilities. The continued development of this module will require close monitoring and periodic adjustments.
- CANSOFCOM delivered small and medium sized ballistic plates and explored options of alternative shapes of ballistic plates to better fit the female body among other anthropomorphic types. A wider variety of equipment sizes and cuts have been introduced into our new procurement, similar to the Chemical Protective Combat uniform procurement.
- Continued monitoring of weapons systems adaptable to a wider variety of handgrips, weight carrying and functionalities.
- Continued the evaluation of ballistic helmets enabling adjustable anthropomorphic fit and function.
- Continued assessment of combat uniform and gear’s adjustability to meet both men and women’s health needs under various operating conditions and environment.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
- CANSOFCOM developed a module to track all future capability (equipment) development, research and findings embedded in existing administrative processes and systems. This progressively enabled the monitoring of all Force Development GBA Plus activities and the building of historical data from which base line and lessons learned can be leveraged.
Program Name: 4.6 Cyber and Joint Communication Information Systems Force Development
Program Goals:
Target Population: Canadians, Government of Canada partners and allies
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Statistics are currently unavailable.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
GBA Plus integration within the Chief Information Officer Group remains in its infancy and data has yet to be collected at this time. To move forward on data collection and ensure that in the future we are able to assess the program through an intersectional lens, an environmental scan of data collection methods and approaches has been developed and will be implemented in FY 2023-24. The results of that scan will determine next steps in data collection and data disaggregation, which will inform the multi-year GBA Plus integration plan alongside the analyses conducted on previously developed GBA Plus strategies and approaches.
Program Name: 4.7 Intelligence Force Development
Program Goals: To integrate GBA Plus as part of intelligence analysis at the strategic level.
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
There is insufficient information to adequately assess the indirect impacts.
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | - |
| By income level | - |
| By age group | - |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Not available
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics: Not available
Other Key Program impacts:
A GBA Plus module for intelligence analysis was incorporated into the Strategic Intelligence Analyst Qualification’s Strategic Writing Course, enabling GBA Plus as part of intelligence analysis to be taught at the strategic level. This module was taught to 16 students via 3 courses in 2022-23. GBA Plus tools were taught and integrated into strategic intelligence by analysts following the training. Of note, a GBA Plus tool was also completed, and direct support was provided to analysts on specific, high-profile files to better integrate GBA Plus considerations in their analysis.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan: Not available
Program Name: 4.8 Science, Technology and Innovation
Program Goals: The Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) is the Defence Team’s primary access to external innovation program, which aims to leverage the capabilities of the Canadian innovation community in order to address critical challenges to Canada’s defence and security posture. IDEaS continues to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion by utilizing GBA Plus point-rated criterion in its application and evaluation processes, as well as launching several challenges that employ a GBA Plus lens, such as in the area of mental health impacts and the representation of women in the CAF. The program also tracks innovator profiles to monitor and report on IDEaS participation by various diversity groups.
Target Population: There are main groups impacted by the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program: DND/CAF Stakeholders, Canadian innovators, and the Canadian population as a whole. In addition, ongoing outreach and engagement activities strive to continue to improve the breadth and depth of awareness of the program amongst the Canadian population as a whole, as well as within specific GBA Plus groups such as Indigenous entrepreneurs.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: The impacts of IDEaS are generally considered to be equal regardless of gender, income and age group. However, the program continues to employ targeted efforts to improve the awareness of and participation in IDEaS amongst Indigenous entrepreneurs in northern and remote communities.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Not available
Other Key Program impacts:
The IDEaS program continues to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in its day-to-day activities, decisions and partnerships choices. Specifically, the IDEaS application and evaluation process for proposals continues to include Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) requirements within its point-rated criterion (PRC-5).
- Application Form (Competitive Projects): Companies are asked to select the statement that best reflects how GBAPlus and its factors have been considered and incorporated within their proposed solution. They are also asked to substantiate their choice by including specifics on what GBAPlus analysis has been conducted; the associated results; or what analysis is planned to demonstrate future GBAPlus considerations.
- Evaluation Form (Competitive Projects): Evaluators are required to rate this answer on a scale of 0-5 points, ranging from “No GBAPlus analysis was undertaken and there is no plan do so” (0 points) to “GBAPlus considerations have been identified and incorporated into the proposed solution” (5 points).
Supplementary Information Sources:
Department of National Defence Departmental Results Reporting (DRR): These results are also included in the DRR each year (2020-21 version).
-IDEaS formal Program Evaluation: Associate Deputy Minister Review Services - ADM (RS)) recently completed a five-year formal review of the IDEaS program. The final report will be posted on the departmental website.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The IDEaS program continues to collect data to monitor and report program impacts by various diversity groups. For instance, the application form includes an optional request for companies to include information on % ownership based on various identity factors, such as:
- % of Female Ownership
- % of Youth Ownership
- % of Persons with Disabilities Ownership
- % of Indigenous People Ownership
- % of Visible Minorities Ownership
Core Responsibility 5: Procurement of Capabilities
Program Name: 5.1 Maritime Equipment Acquisition
Program Goals: The Maritime Equipment Acquisition program acquires through the definition and implementation of approved capital equipment projects, new or modernized equipment required by the Canadian Armed Forces in response to evolving Defence requirements. The Defence Team continued to use GBA Plus to support the identification of potential deficiencies and to improve the design of equipment and services procured for Canadian Armed Forces members.
Target Population: All members of the Defence Team delivering the projects, members of the Royal Canadian Navy, and Defence Team partners.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Direct benefits: The primary beneficiaries are members of the Defence Team who operate and/or sustain the critical fleets of equipment. Caucasian men are the predominant demographic group of the combined National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces population. Additionally, individuals between the age of 18-60 will benefit directly.
Indirect benefits: The following demographic groups will benefit indirectly: Men (60%-79%), individuals between 18-60 years of age, students and workers, urban populations, lower-educated individuals, highly-educated individuals, lower income, middle income and individuals in the Defence industry.
Barriers to participation or access: Negative impacts/barriers to access are not expected to affect any groups.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
Using GBA Plus in 2022-23 helped the Defence Team procure equipment and services that take users’ diverse needs into account and improve the efficiency of the process. For example:
- Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) exited the next design phase, namely Preliminary Design Review, in December 2022. GBA Plus informed the decision-making process throughout the design phase, ensuring equality and the accommodation of gender, cultural and religious minorities. Some specific examples of GBA Plus considerations being addressed in the ship design include:
- Berths, wash places, washrooms, medical facilities, and off-duty areas are being designed to accommodate all genders and promote privacy;
- Insertion of an Automated Ammunition Handling System into the design. The Canadian Surface Combatant required a design change that replaced the main gun system in the ship design. The change resulted in a requirement to store and transfer ammunition weighing approximately 70 pounds per round. Applying a GBA Plus lens, it was acknowledged that it would be very difficult for sailors of varied stature and strength to handle such ammunition. A solution was consequently sought to insert an Automated Ammunition Handling System into the design, ensuring safe handling of the ammunition rounds by all Royal Canadian Navy members.
- Flexible spaces are being included to allow for religious and spiritual accommodation; and,
- Integrated Wi-Fi is being designed to facilitate crew communications with families back home.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In 2022-23, the department reviewed processes to improve data collection and follow-on review of the impact of GBA Plus-based decision making to equipment acquisition and materiel management and support activities. Ongoing review will support decision making for requirements and/or evaluation criteria of future Requests for Proposals to ensure equipment meets the needs of diverse members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Program Name: 5.2 Land Equipment Acquisition
Program Goals: The Land Equipment Acquisition program acquires through the definition and implementation of approved capital equipment projects, new or modernized equipment required by the Canadian Armed Forces in response to evolving Defence requirements. The Defence Team continued to use GBA Plus to support the identification of potential deficiencies and to improve the design of equipment and services procured for CAF members.
Target Population: All members of members of the Defence Team delivering the projects, members of the Canadian Army, and Defence team partners.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Direct benefits: The primary beneficiaries are members of the Defence Team who operate and/or sustain the critical fleets of equipment. Caucasian men are the predominant demographic group of the combined National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces population. Additionally, individuals between the age of 18-60 will benefit directly.
Indirect benefits: The following demographic groups will benefit indirectly: Men (60%-79%), individuals between 18-60 years of age, students and workers, urban populations, lower-educated individuals, highly educated individuals, lower income, middle income and individuals in the Defence industry.
Barriers to participation or access: Negative impacts/barriers to access are not expected to affect any groups.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
In FY 2022-23, the use of GBA Plus helped the Defence Team procure equipment and services that take users’ diverse needs into account and improve the efficiency of the process. For example:
- New capabilities such as the Portable Anti-Armor Missile Project, Air Defence and the Counter Uncrewed Aircraft Systems integrated GBA Plus requirements in accordance with Government Canada requirements.
- The Logistics Vehicle Modernization project closed its Request for Proposals process in May 2022. As part of this process, the winning bidder will be required to produce, when under contract, a GBA Plus Compliance Plan which details how GBA Plus measures will be incorporated in the contract deliverables (such as the overall design of the equipment and training material and facilities) to accommodate anthropometric, gender and religious diversity.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In 2022-23, the department reviewed processes to improve data collection and follow-on review of the impact of GBA Plus-based decision making to equipment acquisition and materiel management and support activities. Ongoing review will support decision making for requirements and/or evaluation criteria of future Requests for Proposals to ensure equipment meets the needs of diverse members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Program Name: 5.3 Aerospace Equipment Acquisition
Program Goals: The Aerospace Equipment Acquisition program acquires through the definition and implementation of approved capital equipment projects, new or modernized equipment required by the CAF in response to evolving Defence requirements. The Defence Team continued to use GBA Plus to support the identification of potential deficiencies and to improve the design of equipment and services procured for CAF members.
Target Population: All members of the Defence Team delivering the projects, members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and Defence team partners.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Direct benefits: The primary beneficiaries are members of the Defence Team Forces who operate and/or sustain the critical fleets of equipment. Caucasian men are the predominant demographic group of the combined National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces population. Additionally, individuals between the age of 18-60 will benefit directly.
Indirect benefits: The following demographic groups will benefit indirectly: Men (60%-79%), individuals between 18-60 years of age, students and workers, urban populations, lower-educated individuals, highly educated individuals, lower income, middle income and individuals in the Defence industry.
Barriers to participation or access: Negative impacts/barriers to access are not expected to affect any groups.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
In FY 2022-23, the Defence Team advanced GBA Plus capacity, and improved GBA Plus integration within this program. For example:
- The Future Fighter Capability Project started to address potential differential impacts based on gender and other identity factors identified during the competitive procurement process, particularly as relates to infrastructure requirements and use:
- Defined requirements for the construction of multi-faith rooms, gender-inclusive facilities, Fighter Squadron Facility locker rooms, and lactation rooms;
- Consulted with the Defence Aboriginal Advisory Group on requirements related to Indigenous Smudging Ceremonies, for inclusion in infrastructure design requirements in Bagotville, Quebec and Cold Lake, Alberta; and
- Completed a Gender Inclusive Survey amongst key stakeholders in the fighter aircraft community to support infrastructure development.
- The Remotely Piloted Aircraft System project continued to implement GBA Plus initiatives:
- The project includes GBA Plus as a key consideration in infrastructure design. Its facilities will include Gender-inclusive washrooms and barrier free facilities, cultural rooms to accommodate members of diverse backgrounds and faiths, and lactation rooms.
- GBA Plus will also be considered in the development of the in-service support and maintenance for the equipment/weapon platform and operation of the platform where possible.
- The GBA Plus Summary Report is being prepared, as required for future Treasury Board submissions.
- The Contractor must develop a Contractor Gender and Diversity Plan detailing Policies, Activities, and Supplier Selection to promote Gender Diversity and Inclusion. The Contractor must provide statistics of designated groups in senior management and working level.
- The Contractor must develop a GBA Plus Compliance Plan to detail how the contractor will incorporate GBA Plus requirements in the training solution and in the design of the project Human-Machine Interface.
- The Strategic Tanker Transport Capability project has incorporated GBA Plus considerations into the Statement of Work and Requirements Specification for the project aircraft. Further engagement with GBA Plus advisors will be initiated as the Request for Proposals for In-Service Support of the project fleet is developed.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In 2022-23, the department reviewed processes to improve data collection and follow-on review of the impact of GBA Plus-based decision making to equipment acquisition and materiel management and support activities. Ongoing review will support decision making for requirements and/or evaluation criteria of future Requests for Proposals to ensure equipment meets the needs of diverse members of the CAF.
Program Name: 5.4 Defence Information Technology Systems Acquisition, Design and Delivery
Program Goals:
Target Population: All Defence Team personnel in support of the Department’s mission
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Statistics are currently unavailable.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
GBA Plus integration within the Chief Information Officer Group remains in its infancy and data has yet to be collected at this time. To move forward on data collection and ensure that in the future we are able to assess the program through an intersectional lens, an environmental scan of data collection methods and approaches has been developed and will be implemented in FY 2023-24. The results of that scan will determine next steps in data collection and data disaggregation, which will inform the multi-year GBA Plus integration plan alongside the analyses conducted on previously developed GBA Plus strategies and approaches.
Program Name: 5.5 Defence Material Management
Program Goals: The Defence Materiel Management program ensures that materiel is effectively and efficiently managed across the supply chain to support CAF training, readiness and employment in accordance with Government of Canada priorities, policies and regulations. The Defence Team continued to use GBA Plus to support the identification of potential deficiencies and to improve the design of equipment and services procured for CAF members.
Target Population: All members of the Defence Team
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Direct benefits: The primary beneficiaries are members of the Defence Team who operate and/or sustain the critical fleets of equipment. Caucasian men are the predominant demographic group of the combined National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces population. Additionally, individuals between the age of 18-60 will benefit directly.
Indirect benefits: The following demographic groups will benefit indirectly: Men (60%-79%), individuals between 18-60 years of age, students and workers, urban populations, lower-educated individuals, highly educated individuals, lower income, middle income and individuals in the Defence industry.
Barriers to participation or access: Negative impacts/barriers to access are not expected to affect any groups.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
The departmental policy on procurement requires that GBA Plus factors be included as a consideration in all procurement strategies.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
In 2022-23, the department reviewed processes to improve data collection and follow-on review of the impact of GBA Plus-based decision making to equipment acquisition and materiel management and support activities. Ongoing review will support decision making for requirements and/or evaluation criteria of future Requests for Proposals to ensure equipment meets the needs of diverse members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Core Responsibility 6: Sustainable Bases, Information Technology Systems and Infrastructure of Capabilities
Program Name: 6.1 Defence Infrastructure Program Management
Program Goals: The Defence Infrastructure Program Management program manages, coordinates and oversees the Department’s Real Property portfolio in a holistic manner that supports the Department of National Defense/Canadian Armed Forces strategies and priorities. This program also includes divestment activities.
Target Population: Primarily Defence Team members. Externalities and population segments indirectly impacted are not known.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
The Defence Team applies GBA Plus to inform the development and management of modern, operational, and sustainable bases and infrastructure, and to respond to the needs of a diverse Defence Team. Universal accessibility and inclusive design will continue to be used in all DND's workplace modernization efforts. These efforts directly support broader Government of Canada objectives and ensure a more modern and effective workplace for everyone.
In addition to helping modernize and consolidate the DND/CAF accommodation portfolio, adopting space standards (e.g., GC Workplace) will help create office environments that support a hybrid workforce which will better support diverse work styles, meet accessibility requirements, support flexible work strategies, and incorporate modern technology. This will create various touch points across the physical workplace to best accommodate the workforce throughout a given day’s different type of activities. This will also impact employees working from different physical locations both on and off Defence establishments, including working from home, when feasible.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan: This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor or report program impacts by gender and diversity. The reporting is done at the individual operational infrastructure requirement or project level. While GBA Plus is conducted in development plans, there is an insufficient level of detailed, segregated data captured at the program management level to support data-driven decision making and reporting of a comprehensive GBA Plus.
In FY 2023-24 ADM (IE) will identify and prioritize a data and analytics use case in order to identify the requirements and ensure that GBA Plus data collection is effectively and consistently integrated within IE’s activities.
Program Name: 6.2 Defence Infrastructure Construction, Recapitalization and Investment
Program Goals: The Defence Infrastructure Construction, Recapitalization and Investment program allows Defence to expand, enhance and renew its existing real property portfolio through purchases, long-term capital leases, new asset construction, and/or major renovations and life extension construction services.
Target Population: Primarily Defence Team members. Externalities and population segments indirectly impacted are not known.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
Programs Officials conduct GBA Plus in this program to ensure relevant factors are considered during the planning and execution of the program. This includes, but is not limited to GBA Plus on facilities, including toilet rooms, change rooms, and showers, to ensure they are designed and built as non-binary (gender neutral or gender inclusive), and ensuring persons of all gender expressions are comfortable in their work environment.
For example, GBA Plus considerations were implemented in the Halifax Drill Shed, which was one of the first gender inclusive and gender neutral buildings. Construction began on this facility in 2017, shortly after the Canadian Human Rights Amendment was passed by Parliament, which recognized gender expression and gender identity as areas we cannot discriminate against.
Construction of the gender neutral and gender inclusive facilities was completed in Summer 2020. This piece of infrastructure is primarily a training facility, housing a simulated ship to conduct training and mock exercises. It contains showers, washrooms, change rooms, and offices for the Navy.
Supplementary Information Sources:
Technical Bulletin 20-04 - Governing policies regarding new and renovated washrooms to be constructed. (Accessible only on the National Defence network.)
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Nothing to report for 2022-23. This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor or report program impacts by gender and diversity. While GBA Plus is conducted in development plans, there is an insufficient level of detailed, segregated data captured at the program management level to support data-driven decision making and reporting of a comprehensive GBA Plus. The program plans to continue obtaining meaningful data once building occupancy resumes.
In FY 2023-24 ADM (IE) will identify and prioritize a data & analytics use case in order to identify the requirements and ensure that GBA Plus data collection is effectively and consistently integrated within IE’s activities.
Program Name: 6.3 Defence Infrastructure Maintenance, Support and Operations
Program Goals: The Defence Infrastructure Maintenance, Support and Operations program operates and maintains the realty portfolio by implementing maintenance, repair and infrastructure support activities on bases and wings.
Target Population: Primarily Defence Team members. The development of lactation rooms primarily impacts the female employees and members. The development of place for observance of cultural and spiritual practices primarily impacts Muslim, Christian, and Indigenous employees and members. Externalities and population segments indirectly impacted are unknown.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
ADM (IE) has implemented many projects as well as several initiatives that will make life easier for all those who work on or visit its facilities. It has set up a special access program facility in the National Capital Region (NCR). Following the publication of a Canadian Forces General Message (CANFORGEN), it participated in the development of lactation rooms, a designated space with a comfortable chair with arms, near an electrical outlet, a mini fridge to store milk and a locking door for privacy.
It has integrated GBA Plus in program planning and in decision-making processes. It is also looking to enhance safety along walking routes, multi-use pathways and parking lots by incorporating GBA Plus findings and other inclusive practices. Additional environments, such as Carling Campus in the NCR, have space and place for the observance of cultural and spiritual practices. A GBA Plus section was included in the project approval template for Minor New Construction (MNC), and a new initiative is in place to track the number of gender-neutral washrooms across DND/CAF facilities.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan: ADM (IE) has implemented many projects as well as several initiatives that will make life easier for all those who work on or visit its facilities. It has set up a special access program facility in the National Capital Region (NCR). Following the publication of a Canadian Forces General Message (CANFORGEN), it participated in the development of lactation rooms, designated spaces with a comfortable chair with arms, near an electrical outlet, a mini fridge to store milk and a locking door for privacy.
It has integrated GBA Plus in program planning and in decision-making processes. It is also looking to enhance safety along walking routes, multi-use pathways and parking lots by incorporating GBA Plus findings and other inclusive practices. More and more places, such as Carling Campus in the NCR, have space and place for observance of cultural and spiritual practices. We included a specific GBA Plus section in the project approval template for Minor New Construction (MNC), and a new initiative is in place to track the number of gender-neutral washrooms across DND/CAF facilities.
Program Name: 6.4 Defence Residential Housing Program
Program Goals: The Defence Residential Housing program manages housing assets and provides accommodation services on behalf of the Department of National Defence, in support of the Canadian Armed Forces requirements and Canadian Armed Forces members’ needs.
Target Population: DND/CAF member and their household members/families.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
While the Canadian Armed Forces is composed predominantly of men, military families and dependents are representative of the Canadian population and as such figure into most of the characteristics identified in Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA) investment plans. Rental Crown housing is available to all members of the Canadian Armed Forces and is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Housing entitlement is determined solely based on household composition – this means that the size of the house allocated (number of bedrooms) is dependent on the number of people who will be living in it so that the family is not over or under-housed.
A portion of the housing portfolio is barrier-free and compliant with Department of National Defence Construction Engineering and Technical Orders (CETO) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards, but not all locations have barrier-free housing available. CFHA makes efforts to accommodate special needs and accessibility requirements (e.g., installing a wheelchair ramp) where possible when barrier-free housing is not available. These solutions are implemented based on individual needs and circumstances.
| Location | Barrier Free Accessible (CSA and CETO compliant) | Adapted (partially accessible) |
|---|---|---|
| Bagotville | - | 1 |
| Comox | - | 1 |
| Edmonton | 1 | 2 |
| Esquimalt | 1 | - |
| Gagetown | 1 | 3 |
| Halifax | 1 | - |
| Petawawa | 1 | 7 |
| Shilo | 1 | - |
| Trenton | - | 3 |
| Valcartier | 1 | - |
| Wainwright | 2 | - |
| Winnipeg | 1 | - |
| TOTAL | 10 | 17 |
With the demographics of the Canadian population changing, and with the recruiting efforts to be more inclusive and diverse, the housing program needs to ensure that the needs of our current members and future members are being met. CFHA will consider an increase in the amount of multi-generational living and greater access to Barrier Free Accommodations, as well as safe, secure, and accessible community design.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Nothing new to report for 2022-23. The program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity as there is no collection of data on age, income level, and gender (or other GBA Plus areas of interest) for the occupants of DND and CAF housing.
In FY 2023-24 ADM (IE) will identify and prioritize a data and analytics use case in order to identify the requirements and ensure that GBA Plus data collection is effectively and consistently integrated within IE’s activities.
Program Name: 6.5 Defence Information Systems, Services and Programme Management
Program Goals:
Target Population: All Defence Team personnel in support of the Department’s mission
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Statistics are currently unavailable.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
GBA Plus integration within the Chief Information Officer Group remains in its infancy and data has yet to be collected at this time. To move forward on data collection and ensure that in the future we are able to assess the program through an intersectional lens, an environmental scan of data collection methods and approaches has been developed and will be implemented in FY 2023-24. The results of that scan will determine next steps in data collection and data disaggregation, which will inform the multi-year GBA Plus integration plan alongside the analyses conducted on previously developed GBA Plus strategies and approaches.
Program Name: 6.6 Environmental Sustainability and Protection
Program Goals: The Environmental Sustainability and Protection program covers activities to establish sound and responsible strategic direction to the Defence Team regarding sustainable activities including energy and environmental considerations, the assessment and clean-up of contaminated sites, and activities that support the government’s environmental and low-carbon agenda.
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Fourth Group |
| By income level | First Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) is a national program that addresses federally contaminated sites from coast to coast to coast. Indigenous people are disproportionately impacted by contaminated sites. FCSAP renewal will benefit Indigenous peoples through increased local participation and engagement in prioritizing and addressing contamination affecting their communities. As contaminated sites are present across the country, both in urban centres and rural areas, FCSAP has the potential to affect a variety of different demographic groups. Youth and future generations most greatly benefit from remediation; especially those who live near sites with long term environmental monitoring in place, as they will have assurance that their food and drinking water sources will remain protected.
- Key impacts of FCSAP renewal and the remediation of contaminated sites include the following:
- Decrease in associated human health risks;
- Improvement in community wellbeing;
- Increase in economic opportunities in terms of employment and business growth; and
- Supports the development of innovative technology.
- It should be noted that relying on importing large numbers of predominantly male workers for the cleanup of contaminated sites in small rural communities can have associated issues including increased crime rates and fragmenting community cohesion.
Supplementary Information Sources:
For the renewal of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan program, a GBA Plus was conducted, supported by the comprehensive review of available evidence. The analysis includes Statistics Canada and other data, as well as academic and scientific research.
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
No changes to report for 2022-23. In FY 2023-24 ADM (IE) will identify and prioritize a data and analytics use case to identify the requirements and ensure that GBA Plus data collection is effectively and consistently integrated within IE’s activities.
Program Name: 6.7 Indigenous Affairs
Program Goals: The Indigenous Affairs program seeks to promote the alignment of enables National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) activities, operations, policies and programs with government-wide reconciliation commitments and obligations with respect to Indigenous Peoples.
Target Population: Primarily DND employees, CAF members and Indigenous Peoples of Canada
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Second Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed ResultsFootnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| % of proposal assessments for Treaty implications | 2020-21 Result: 100% | Departmental Results Framework (DRF) | All Memoranda to Cabinets submitted to Cabinet in FY 2020-21 included an attestation for an Assessment on Modern Treaty Implications (AMTI). |
Other Key Program impacts:
The Indigenous Affairs program predominantly impacts Indigenous peoples in Canada. Over the course of the 2022-23 fiscal year:
- The program continued implementation of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and DND/CAF’s participation in the associated Action Plan development and the Interim Report on the adoption of UNDRIP. Benefits include greater employment diversity through an Indigenous recruitment and retention plan, improved Indigenous historical and cultural understanding within DND/CAF through the adoption of a stronger Indigenous learning framework and promotion of Indigenous business capacity using a suite of Indigenous procurement policy instruments.
- The program continued to advise Bases and Wings on issues related to their duty to consult Indigenous peoples. As a result, Indigenous communities were consulted on planned DND/CAF activities, given the opportunity to identify any impacts to the community and to work with the Base or Wing to mitigate any negative impact or to amplify any positive outcomes.
- The program reviewed the majority of MCs put forward to identify any potential conflicts with Modern treaty obligations to Indigenous communities and potential negative impacts on GBA Plus members of these communities.
- The program developed a proposal for a funding mechanism to support Indigenous engagement and consultation activities that was announced in Budget 2022. The funding mechanism will allow Indigenous communities to receive funding to fully participate in consultation activities with funding support from DND. A secondary benefit of the program will be the increase in community capacity to participate in future consultation activities.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Nothing to report for 2022-23. In FY 2023-24, ADM (IE) will identify and prioritize a data and analytics use case to identify the requirements and ensure that GBA Plus data collection is effectively and consistently integrated within IE’s activities.
Program Name: 6.8 Naval Bases
Program Goals: The Royal Canadian Navy continues to progress GBA Plus on all current infrastructure to identify and remove barriers to inclusion for members of the entire Defence Team.
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: Not available
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Key Program Impacts Statistics:
| Statistics | Observed Results Footnote * | Data Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is monitoring the percentage of civilians and uniformed members of Designated Groups by rank, occupation, and/or classification who are employed within Naval Bases. |
RCN (uniformed):
RCN (civilian):
|
Self Identification | - |
Other Key Program impacts: Not available
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Monitoring will be conducted through maintaining an open dialogue with local Defence Advisory Groups to identify cases of barriers and accessibility concerns with tracking of initiatives through the Royal Canadian Navy Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council minutes, Defence Advisory Group quarterly meetings with Commanders and the Royal Canadian Navy Diversity and Inclusion workflow.
Program Name: 6.9 Land Bases
Program Goals: The Land Bases program provides and hosts a variety of support services to its assigned dependencies which, depending on the specific base, includes Army, Navy, and Air Force Regular and Reserve formations and units.
Target Population: Defence Team members within the Canadian Army, Defence Team members who receive support from Canadian Army land bases.
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: The Canadian Army is dedicated to diversifying its force and implementing inclusive and equitable policies/directives when it comes to the land bases. As such, whenever any work or policy is being done on the land bases GBA Plus is conducted to ensure that work supports inclusivity and equity.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
The CA continued to work in 2022-23 with stakeholders to identify program considerations and project requirements derived from GBA Plus considerations. The CA is in process of implementing appropriate lactation spaces on their bases to ensure compliance with Canadian Forces General Message (CANFORGEN) 116/21. This will allow nursing and pumping members to continue to do so and make Army spaces more inclusive and accommodating.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan: The Canadian Army continues to refine GBA Plus related performance measurement as experience and best practices contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the topic. If certain indicators are found to have significant value over time, efforts will be made to formalize them.
Program Name: 6.10 Air and Space Wings
Program Goals: The Air and Space Wings program provides and hosts a variety of support services to its assigned dependencies which, depending on the specific base, includes Army, Navy, and Air Force Regular and Reserve formations and units.
Target Population: Royal Canadian Air Force Personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | Third Group |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
RCAF is comprised of 16,586 personnel with the following demographics:
- Gender: 18% women, 82 % men
- Component: 78% Regular Force personnel, 12% Reserve Force Personnel, 9% Civilian Personnel
- Language: 79% identify English as their First Official Language, 21% identify French as their First Official Language.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity:
Other Key Program impacts:
RCAF reinforced efforts to establish lactation areas within all RCAF bases.
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is not currently collecting sufficient data to enable it to adequately monitor and/or report on program impacts by gender and diversity. The RCAF is still in early maturity stages vis-à-vis its full adoption of GBA Plus and while there are several active initiatives underway, monitoring and reporting have posed a challenge. In FY 2022-23, the RCAF continued to focus on improvement, including the identification of work required to fully integration GBA Plus across RCAF, and collaboration with Directorate Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis and Directorate General Military Personnel Research and Analysis to better understand options for improved data collection and monitoring GBA Plus integration.
Program Name: 6.11 Joint, Common and International Bases
Program Goals: The Joint, Common and International Bases program provides a variety of support services to its assigned dependencies which, depending on the specific base, includes Navy, Army and Air Force Regular and Reserve formations and units. Although DND/CAF is not currently in a position to provide results from a GBA Plus perspective for this program, it is committed to work toward the implementation of data collection plan which will enable the monitoring and reporting of Program results related to gender diversity.
Target Population: Defence Team personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | - |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes: This program targets internal members of the Defence Team and not a specific demographic group, hence there are no specific demographic group outcomes for this program.
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Not available
Supplementary information sources: N/A
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
The program includes bases both in Canada and abroad and requires a consolidated effort to develop a comprehensive and all-encompassing GBA Plus collection plan. Discussions have been undertaken to develop this consolidated collection plan, to be completed by fiscal year 2024-25.
Program Name: 6.12 Military Police Institutional Operations
Program Goals: The Military Police Institutional Operations program exists primarily to assist the Canadian Armed Forces in enforcing discipline and maintaining security. Due to delays in implementing a directed initiative of collecting, anonymizing and analyzing intersectional data, the Department is not in a position to provide specific GBA Plus related outcomes for this Program. This said, it is committed to doing so in the coming years with the implementation of its data collection plan scheduled for FY 1023-24.
Target Population: Canadian Armed Forces personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | First Group |
| By income level | - |
| By age group | Second Group |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Not available
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
On 3 September 2021, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM) issued an order that included specific direction regarding the collection, anonymizing and analysis of intersectional data with the aim of determining whether there is a correlation between outcomes and various intersectionality factors. Although it was hoped that this initiative would be implemented before the end of 2021, the records management system was past the end of the support contract. As a result of pending upgrades, this change is now scheduled to be implemented before the end of 2023-24 FY. Specific changes under this initiative will include:
- The expanding of Gender identity which will include a “gender diverse” option in addition to male/female options. This is consistent with the StatCan reporting requirements under the UCR Survey.
- The enhancements/modernization of descriptors for ethnicity which are currently pending from StatCan for reasons of legal compliance and of adoption of best practices which are being developed by StatCan professionals in consultation with experts and the community. Canadian Forces Military Personnel Group is awaiting further direction from StatCan to implement this change.
Ultimately the GBA Plus Collection Plan for this program will be coordinated with Statistic Canada and the largest policing community of practice and is expected to take three to five years before it is fully implemented. Discussions with StatCan remain ongoing and we anticipate future direction which will improve data collection by adopting a standardized methodology across the policing community.
Program Name: 6.13 Safety
Program Goals: The Department's Safety program’s purpose is to enhance the health, safety and well-being of the Defence Team. Although DND/CAF is not currently in a position to provide results from GBA Plus perspective, it is committed to work toward the implementation of data collection plan which will enable the monitoring and reporting of safety incidents by gender.
Target Population: Defence Team personnel
Distribution of Benefits
| - | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Second Group |
| By income level | - |
| By age group | - |
Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:
Key Program impacts on Gender and diversity: Not available
GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:
Nothing to report for 2022-23. Director of General Safety’s current data collection plan does not support the monitoring and reporting of safety incidents by gender; however, the Director of General Safety will work towards this with the intention of implementing these elements within the next three fiscal years.
Definitions
Target Population: See Finance Canada definition of Target Group in the User Instructions for the GBA Plus Departmental Summary).
Gender Scale:
- First group: Predominantly men (e.g. 80 per cent or more men)
- Second group: 60 per cent - 79 per cent men
- Third group: Broadly gender-balanced
- Forth group: 60 per cent - 79 per cent women
- Fifth group: Predominantly women (e.g. 80 per cent or more women)
Income Level Scale:
- First group: Strongly benefits low income individuals (Strongly progressive)
- Second group: Somewhat benefits low income individuals (Somewhat progressive)
- Third group: No significant distributional impacts
- Forth group: Somewhat benefits high income individuals (Somewhat regressive)
- Fifth group: Strongly benefits high income individuals (Strongly regressive)
Age Group Scale:
- First group: Primarily benefits youth, children and/or future generations
- Second group: No significant inter-generational impacts or impacts generation between youth and seniors
- Third group: Primarily benefits seniors or the baby boom generation
Page details
- Date modified: