Planned results: What we want to achieve this year and beyond

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

Official title: Employment and Social Development Canada, 2018–19 Departmental Plan

Errata

Subsequent to the tabling in Parliament and online publication of ESDC’s 2018–19 Departmental Plan, it was determined that the document of record contained some errors. Corrections have been made to both the PDF and HTML versions of the document posted online to ensure complete and transparent information. Corrections include:

Section: Core Responsibility 3. Learning, Skills Development and Employment

  • Asterisks were removed from the ‘Expanding Labour Market Development Agreements’ table.
  • In the ‘Planned results’ table, Actual Results for 2016-17, under departmental results indicators “Number of Canadians receiving training and/or employment supports” should be 136,237 instead of 137,172.

On this page

Core responsibilities

1. Social development

Description

Increase inclusion and opportunities for participation of Canadians in their communities.

Planning highlights

ESDC seeks to strengthen the middle class and support those who work hard to join it by implementing strategies to achieve the following results:

  1. reduce and prevent homelessness and poverty in Canada
  2. provide funding to not-for-profit organizations working to achieve positive solutions to Canada’s biggest social challenges
  3. remove barriers to accessibility for persons with disabilities
  4. ensure Canadian families have increased access to child care; and
  5. provide high-quality, timely and efficient services to clients
Reduce and prevent homelessness and poverty in Canada

ESDC will continue investing in communities and programs that reduce poverty and help the most vulnerable access safe, stable and secure housing. In 2018–19, through the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, ESDC will continue to work with communities to deliver investments and address local homelessness.

Building on Budget 2016, which invested $111.8 million over two fiscal years, the National Housing Strategy announced an investment of $2.2 billion to expand and extend programing to support communities in preventing and reducing homelessness beyond 2018–19.

The redesigned federal homeless program is expected to launch on April 1, 2019. It will be informed by recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Homelessness as well as engagement with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners and will continue to help communities meet the needs of local homeless populations, including women fleeing violence.

Increased access to affordable housing means that fewer Canadians are at risk of becoming homeless. Through the National Housing Strategy, ESDC is working with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to re-engage in affordable housing by bringing together the public, private and non-profit sectors. A review of escalating home prices in high-priced housing markets is being conducted to identify a means to keep home ownership within reach for more people.Endnote i A gender-based plus (GBA+) analysis shows that households that spend 30 percent or more of total household income on housing expenses are defined as having a "housing affordability" problem. Research finds that one in four Canadian households (more than 3 million) fall into this category.

An important part of ESDC’s mandate is to reduce poverty in Canada. ESDC is working to develop a Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy that will build on and align with strategies implemented by provinces, territories and municipalities, set targets for poverty reduction, measure progress and report publicly on results. The Strategy is expected to be released in 2018. ESDC has engaged broadly with Canadians, including vulnerable groups and those who experienced poverty. The Strategy will reflect on what we heard from Canadians, and will be grounded in Indigenous reconciliation, in line with the Government’s commitment to advance a renewed relationship that is based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership.

National consultations were held in 2017–18 that engaged those experiencing poverty as well as stakeholders. Consultations revealed that there is a need to assist those experiencing poverty to meet their basic needs, address the struggles and barriers they face in trying to exit poverty, and help them be resilient in the face of unexpected shocks such as job loss or family breakdown. The report, What We Heard About Poverty So Far, is a summary of the feedback gathered and was released on February 20, 2018.

Provide funding to not-for-profit organizations working to achieve positive solutions to Canada’s biggest social challenges

Through the Social Development Partnerships Program, ESDC aims to increase the social inclusion and participation of Canadians in society by providing grants and contributions to not-for-profit organizations, communities and other groups. The goal is to improve the life outcomes for people with disabilities, children and families, seniors and other vulnerable populations.

Additional funding of $5 million in both 2018–19 and 2019–20 will be available through the Social Development Partnerships Program-Children and Families Component to support projects related to innovation in the service delivery of Early Learning and Child Care. This will provide not-for-profit organizations, provincial/territorial entities and Indigenous organizations across Canada with funding to tackle barriers faced by children, families and other vulnerable populations, and is part of the $7.5 billion investment over 11 years in Early Learning and Child Care announced in Budgets 2016 and 2017.

Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy

Recognizing that new and innovative approaches are needed to tackle persistent and complex social issues, ESDC was mandated to develop a federal Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy. To better assist community organizations to achieve positive solutions to Canada’s biggest social challenges, the Strategy will aim to support greater growth and sustainability of social and other service-providing organizations, and improve the effectiveness of social interventions.

In June 2017, the Government launched the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co Creation Steering Group, composed of stakeholders and ESDC officials, to consult widely among industry, the social sector, community leaders and researchers and provide advice on the Strategy. In 2018–19, ESDC will continue to support the Steering Group as it completes its extensive consultation and engagement activities and submits its recommendations for consideration by Ministers.

Remove barriers to accessibility for persons with disabilities

People with disabilities often experience barriers to their full participation and inclusion in activities of everyday living. The Government of Canada is working to introduce new accessibility legislation to help reduce these barriers to inclusion in areas within federal jurisdiction and create a more accessible Canada.

Through the Enabling Accessibility Fund, ESDC provides funding to eligible capital projects that increase access for people with disabilities to community spaces and workplaces across Canada, which in turn creates opportunities to participate in community activities, services and programs, or access employment opportunities.

To ensure organizations have the means to undertake and complete projects that can quickly improve accessibility in communities and workplaces, Budget 2017 announced an enhancement of $77 million over 10 years, beginning in 2018–19, to expand the activities of the Enabling Accessibility Fund. In 2018–19, ESDC will fund a greater number of projects to make community spaces and workplaces more accessible and funding will be available for small and mid-sized projects. In addition, the new Youth Innovation Component will increase accessibility in community spaces and workplaces through youth-driven projects.

In addition, ESDC will develop a multi-year accessibility plan to improve the accessibility of client services by reducing barriers for people with disabilities. To implement this plan, ESDC will engage Canadians to ensure improvements meet their needs, as we move towards more inclusive services.

Increase access to early learning and child care

To help children get the best start in life and better support Canadian families, Budget 2016 and Budget 2017 committed to investing $7.5 billion over 11 years to support and create more high-quality, affordable child care across the country.

On June 12, 2017, the Government of Canada announced a historic agreement with provincial and territorial governments on a Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework. The Framework will be seeking to increase the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and inclusivity of early learning and child care, in particular for families that need child care the most. A separate Indigenous Framework on Early Learning and Child Care is being co-developed with Indigenous partners to reflect the unique cultures and needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and families.

The implementation of the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework will support increased parental participation in work, education or training, particularly by mothers. Over the next three years, investments in early learning and child care could support up to 40,000 new affordable child care spaces, with thousands of parents, particularly mothers, who are more likely to enter the labour force once child care is made more affordable. Research indicatesEndnote ii that where affordable quality child care is available, women are more likely to work, stay employed and hold better jobs, all of which contribute to narrowing the gender wage gap. For example, the introduction of a low-fee child care system in Quebec in the mid-nineties encouraged up to 70,000 mothers to join the workforce, resulting in an increase of 3.8 percent in women’s employment.

ESDC continues to work with each province and territory to enter into bilateral agreements for early learning and child care programs. Governments will report annually on progress made in relation to the Multilateral Framework and bilateral agreements.

ESDC will also support innovative practices in early learning and child care and will improve data to track progress and better understand child care in Canada.

Provide high-quality, timely and efficient services to clients

As the service delivery landscape shifts with rapid advancements in technology, Canadians increasingly expect easy-to-access, simple and secure services. In line with its Service Strategy and Service Transformation Plan, ESDC will enhance accessibility and will standardize guidance, training and business expertise so that delivery across programs and regions is more consistent and timely. More specifically, ESDC will continue to enhance services and streamline processes for grants and contributions for its Social development programs, including the standard agreement and forms related to financial and reporting requirements, and will improve online services to facilitate access for clients.

Planned results

Departmental results Departmental result indicators Target Date to achieve target Actual results
2014–15 2015–16 2016–17
Homelessness in Canada is reduced and prevented Reduction in the estimated number of shelter users who are episodically or chronically homeless 20% reduction from 2013 baseline of 1,988 by 2018–19 March 31, 2019 Decrease of 6.1% from baseline
(1,866 shelter users
Decrease of 0.3% from baseline
(1,983 shelter users)
Increase of 6.7% from baseline
(2,121Table note a shelter users)
Not-for-profit organizations, communities and other groups have an enhanced capacity to address a range of social issues such as the social inclusion of people with disabilities, the engagement of seniors and support for children and families For every dollar invested through the Social Development Partnerships Program, amount leveraged/invested by non-federal partnersTable note b $0.30 to $1.00 March 31, 2019 Not available Not available Not available
Community spaces and workplaces are more accessible Number of community spaces and workplaces that are more accessible due to Enabling Accessibility Fund funding 637
Table note aTarget considers new funding envelope of $20.65M. Target = 533 small projects +100 youth-driven projects and 4 mid-sized projects
March 2019 438 459 575
Access to early learning and child care is increased Number of children in regulated child care spaces and/or early learning programs 2017–18 Baseline year Not available Not available Not available Not available
Number of children receiving subsidies or other financial supports 2017–18 Baseline year Not available Not available Not available Not available
Clients receive high-quality, timely and efficient services that meet their needs (Social development) Service standard target for Social development program priority service, as defined by the Government of Canada’s Policy on Service, was met 1 out of 1Endnote iii March 2019 Not availableTable note c Not availableTable note c Not availableTable note c

Financial resources

Financial resources (dollars)Table note a
Details Main estimates Planned spending
2018–19 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
Planned gross spending 718,598,615 718,598,615 536,141,594 121,167,835
Planned spending in specified purpose accounts 0 0 0 0
Planned revenues netted against expenditures 0 0 0 0
Planned net spending 718,598,615 718,598,615 536,141,594 121,167,835

Human resources

Human resources (planned full-time equivalents)

  • 2018–19: 386
  • 2019–20: 252
  • 2020–21: 241

Note:

  • The decrease in full-time equivalents from 2018–19 to 2019–20 reflects that the renewal of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy must be finalized in 2018–19.

Financial, human resources and performance information for ESDC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.Endnote iv

2. Pensions and benefits

Description

Assist Canadians in maintaining income for retirement, and provide financial benefits to survivors, people with disabilities and their families.

Planning highlights

In 2018–19 ESDC seeks to achieve the following departmental results:

  1. provide income support to seniors for retirement
  2. ensure those with disabilities and their families have savings for their long-term financial security; and
  3. provide high-quality, timely and efficient services to clients
Provide income support to seniors for retirement

Programs such as Old Age Security, the Canada Pension Plan and the Guaranteed Income Supplement provide financial benefits to Canadians, helping them maintain income during retirement. The Department makes over 60 million payments annually and plans on delivering $101 billion in Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan benefits in 2018–19.

Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement

As indicated in the Minister’s mandate letter, and reiterated in Budget 2016, the Government is committed to ensuring that Old Age Security benefits keep pace with the costs of living. The Department continues to work closely with Statistics Canada to analyze how seniors’ cost of living differs from the general cost of living of Canadians.

The other commitments related to the Old Age Security program were completed in 2016. The planned increase in the age of eligibility for Old Age security benefits (including the Guaranteed Income Supplement) from age 65 to 67 was cancelled, which means that vulnerable Canadians will no longer have to wait two additional years to receive benefits. In addition, the Guaranteed Income Supplement was increased by up to $947 per year for the lowest-income seniors. Close to 900,000 vulnerable seniors now receive higher benefits, two-thirds of whom are senior women.

Canada Pension Plan

On January 1, 2019, the enhancement of the Canada Pension Plan will begin its seven-year phase-in. The Canada Pension Plan enhancement will increase the retirement, disability and survivor benefits of Canadians who work and contribute to the Plan in 2019 or later.

Each year of contributing to the enhanced Canada Pension Plan will allow workers to accrue additional benefits. Enhanced benefits will accumulate gradually as individuals pay into the enhanced Canada Pension Plan. Fully enhanced benefits will generally become available after about 40 years of making contributions. The fully enhanced Canada Pension Plan will increase the maximum retirement pension by more than 50 percent.

Building on this achievement, in December 2017, federal and provincial Finance Ministers reached a unanimous agreement in principle to take the following actions, beginning in 2019:

  • Increase retirement benefits under the Canada Pension Plan enhancement both for parents who take time off work to care for young children, and for persons with severe and prolonged disabilities. For the purposes of calculating the retirement pension, parents and persons with disabilities will be credited with an amount linked to their previous earnings for periods spent out of the workforce, or periods with low earnings
  • Raise survivor pensions for individuals under age 45 who lose their spouse by providing a full survivor’s pension instead of the current reduced pension that is linked to the age of the widow or widower
  • Provide a top-up disability benefit to retirement pension recipients under the age of 65 who are disabled and meet eligibility requirements
  • Increase the death benefit to its maximum value of $2,500 for all eligible contributors
Ensure those with disabilities and their families have savings for their long-term financial security

The Canada Disability Savings Program, comprised of the Registered Disability Savings Plan, the Canada Disability Savings Grant and the Canada Disability Savings Bond, enables people with disabilities to achieve long-term financial security by helping them and their families save for the future. Many people with disabilities live below or near the poverty line. The income from this savings program provides these Canadians with a higher standard of living and helps enhance social and economic inclusion. In 2018–19, ESDC will continue to increase program awareness, understanding and take-up through targeted mail-outs, teleconferences and exhibitions at conferences and events across Canada.

Provide high-quality, timely and efficient services to clients

ESDC continues to strengthen the delivery of Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan to address pressures associated with an aging population and demands related to international social security agreements. To ensure Canadians receive their pensions and benefits in a timely and accurate manner, ESDC is modernizing these services through the Service Transformation Plan and Service Improvement Strategies.

In 2018–19, the Department will continue to implement a series of Canada Pension Plan improvements to better respond to the needs of Canadians, including those with severe and prolonged disabilities. This includes:

  • continuing to streamline and simplify the Canada Pension Plan application processes, including the process for the disability program
  • improving decision-making processes and supports, including implementing a new system for monitoring the consistency and quality of decisions
  • continuing a phased implementation of a quality assurance framework for Canada Pension Plan disability benefits; and
  • increasing the number of online services for Canada Pension Plan beneficiaries

In 2018–19, ESDC will continue to modernize the delivery of the Old Age Security program by improving services to eligible Canadian seniors, including low-income individuals. Changes will include:

  • implementing a number of business process improvements that are focused on the client experience, including the national implementation of an integrated Old Age Security / Guaranteed Income Supplement application for those clients who are not automatically enrolled for these benefits; and
  • increasing the number of online services available to seniors

Automatic enrolment, implemented in three phases from 2014 to 2017, will allow many new seniors to receive the Old Age Security pension automatically without the need to apply. The third phase of automatic enrolment came into force in November 2017 through legislative and regulatory amendments, allowing automatic enrolment to be expanded to the Guaranteed Income Supplement. As a result of these implementations, more than half of all new pensioners are automatically enrolled for the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement without having to apply. In addition, they will be automatically reviewed every year, based on tax-filing information, to determine if they are entitled to the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Planned results

Departmental results Departmental result indicators Target Date to achieve target Actual results
2014–15 2015–16 2016–17
Seniors have income support for retirement Percentage of seniors receiving the Old Age Security (OAS) pension in relation to the total number of eligible seniors OAS pensions paid to all eligible seniors in 98% of cases March 31, 2018Table note a (2012)
98.1%
(2013)
98.0%
(2014)
97.7%
Percentage of seniors receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) in relation to the total number of eligible seniors GIS benefits paid to all eligible seniors in 90% of cases March 31, 2018Table note a (2012)
88.5%
(2013)
89.1%
(2014)
87.5%
Percentage of Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributors aged 70+ receiving retirement benefits CPP retirement benefits paid to eligible beneficiaries after age 70 in 99% of cases March 31, 2018Table note a (2013)
99%
(2014)
99%
(2015)
99%
Percentage of seniors living in low income No target as it is a contextual indicator Not applicable (2013)
3.7%
(2014)
3.9%
(2015)
4.4%
People with disabilities and their families have financial support Percentage of Canada Pension Plan contributors who have contributory eligibility for Canada Pension Plan disability benefits and therefore have access to financial support in the event of a severe and prolonged disability 68% of Canada Pension Plan contributors meet the contributory eligibility requirements for the Canada Pension Plan disability benefit March 31, 2018 (2013)
67%
(2014)
66%
(2015)
66%
Percentage of Canadians eligible for the Disability Tax Credit who have a Registered Disability Savings Plan to encourage private savings 33% for 2018–19 December 31, 2018 22.1% 24.3% 29%
Percentage of Canadians with disabilities eligible for a Registered Disability Savings Program that have received a grant and/or a bond to assist them and their families to save for their long-term financial securityTable note b 84% for 2018 (by calendar year) December 31, 2018 83% 83.5% 86%
Clients receive high-quality, timely and efficient services that meet their needs (Pensions and Benefits) Number of service standard targets for Pensions and Benefits program priority services, as defined by the Government of Canada’s Policy on Service, that are being met 10 out of 10Endnote v March 31, 2019 Not available Not available 7 out of 10
Percentage of Canada Pension Plan retirement benefits paid within the first month of entitlement 90% March 31, 2019 91.1% 94.8% 97.2%
Percentage of decisions on applications for a Canada Pension Plan disability benefit within 120 calendar daysTable note c 80% March 31, 2019 80.8% 86.1% 83.6%
Percentage of Old Age Security basic benefits paid within the first month of entitlement 90% March 31, 2019 88.0% 88.4% 86.8%

Financial resourcesTable note a

Details Main estimates Planned spending
2018–19 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
Planned gross spending 54,813,963,588 101,826,497,339 107,603,951,388 113,841,526,167
Planned spending in specified purpose accounts 0 47,012,533,751 49,744,624,404 52,573,504,069
Planned revenues netted against expenditures 240,864,504 240,864,504 182,343,016 170,016,933
Planned net spending 54,573,099,084 54,573,099,084 57,676,983,968 61,098,005,165

Human resources

Human resources (planned full-time equivalents)

  • 2018–19: 5,019
  • 2019–20: 3,875
  • 2020–21: 3,506

Note:

  • The Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan Service Improvement Strategies will be fully implemented by 2019–20. In addition to improving service to Canadians, the Service Improvement Strategies will modernize the delivery of the two programs. This will reduce the need for the temporary resources that had been required to address the growing workload due to the aging population

Financial, human resources and performance information for ESDC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.Endnote vi

3. Learning, skills development and employment

Description

Help Canadians access post-secondary education and get the skills and training they need to participate in a changing labour market, as well as provide support to those who are temporarily unemployed.

Planning highlights

In 2018–19, ESDC remains committed to growing the middle class so that more Canadians can reach their full potential and seek to achieve the following results:

  1. help Canadians access education, training and life-long learning supports to gain the skills and work experience they need
  2. increase Canadians’ participation in an inclusive and efficient labour market
  3. help Canadians receive financial support during employment transitions such as job loss, illness or maternity/parental leave
  4. help more students from low- and middle-income families access and afford post-secondary education; and
  5. provide clients with high-quality, timely and efficient services
Help Canadians’ access education, training and lifelong learning supports to gain skills and work experience
Canadians access the skills and supports needed to succeed in the rapidly changing labour market

In 2018–19, ESDC will invest in a range of initiatives to enhance access to in-demand skills for graduates and workers at different stages of their working lives through training and workplace experience to support innovation and growth. This includes the following:

Creating new work placements for students

Up to 10,000 new work placements will be created over the next four years through Student Work Integrated Learning for post-secondary students in partnership with employers and post-secondary institutions.

  • Increased wage subsidies will be available to employers who offer a work placement to students in under-represented groups, including women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Indigenous students, persons with disabilities, newcomers and first-year students. A GBA+ analysis shows that while 59 percent of women aged 25-34 have a university degree, they represent only 39 percent of degree holders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fieldsEndnote vii
  • In addition, following the Budget 2018 announcement, ESDC will support the Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy through the development of work integrated learning placements in the cyber-security sector
Supporting apprenticeship training and access to skilled trades
  • Canadians are one of the most educated groups in the world and are working hard to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy by embracing education and learning as a lifelong commitment. As outlined in Budget 2018:
    • The Women in Construction Fund will help women enter and succeed in the trades, through supports such as mentoring, coaching and tailored supports that help women progress through their training and find and retain jobs in the trades
    • ESDC will pilot an Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women to encourage women to pursue careers in Red Seal trades with low female representation. Under the new Grant, women would receive $3,000 for completing each of the first two years of training, in combination with the Apprenticeship Completion Grant valued at $2,000, resulting in a combined $8,000 in support
    • The new Pre-Apprenticeship Program will support all Canadians, including those from under-represented groups, to explore the trades, gain work experience, make informed career choices, and develop the skills needed to find and keep employment in the skilled trades
  • A new Union Training and Innovation Program will be implemented to help strengthen union-based apprenticeship training, innovation and enhanced partnerships. The program will support innovative approaches to address challenges to participation and success in the trades, particularly for women and Indigenous people
  • ESDC will work with Infrastructure Canada to leverage federal infrastructure investments in provinces and territories to promote apprenticeship. Additionally, the Department will continue to work with Public Services and Procurement Canada to promote apprenticeship on federally owned infrastructure projects
Facilitating access to lifelong learning and adult upskilling

To ensure that adults, including those with families, can adapt to a changing job market and economy, as per Budget 2018, ESDC will continue its efforts to support upskilling and create a culture of lifelong learning in 2018–19. Through the Skills Boost Initiative, adult learners who are looking to return to post-secondary education to upgrade their skills will have enhanced measures related to Employment Insurance flexibilities and enhanced student financial assistance. This includes:

  • Expanding eligibility for adults returning to school by introducing a three-year pilot project to test new approaches to make it easier for adult learners to qualify for Canada Student Grants and Loans. Beginning in the 2018–19 school year, borrowers who have been out of high school for at least 10 years, and who qualify for the Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Studies, will be eligible for top-up funding of $200 per month ($1,600 for an eight month school year). The top-up will be provided in addition to other Canada Student Grants the student may be eligible to receive. The pilot program will also enable borrowers whose financial circumstances have changed significantly from the previous year to have their application reassessed for grant eligibility based on their current year’s income instead of the previous year’s income. This change will expand access to federal grants for approximately 43,000 students each year
  • Expanding eligibility for students with families by increasing the eligibility thresholds for Canada Student Grants for full- and part-time students with dependent children. This will be achieved by aligning the income eligibility thresholds for these grants with the national, progressive eligibility thresholds for full-time Canada Student Grants. This change will begin in the 2018–19 school year and is expected to expand eligibility to an additional 13,000 students each year
  • Expanding eligibility for Canada Student Grants and Loans for Part-Time Students. In the 2018–19 school year, existing income thresholds, which presently vary by province and territory, will be replaced with a higher single national threshold. In addition, the eligibility threshold for part-time Canada Student Loans will be increased so that more part-time students can qualify. These changes are expected to make an additional 10,000 part-time students eligible for Canada Student Grants and Loans each year
  • Promoting the use of and expanding existing flexibilities under the Employment Insurance program to help unemployed Canadians keep Employment Insurance benefits as they pursue training. This includes making better use of provisions that make it possible for claimants to take a course or training program while receiving Employment Insurance benefits when they continue to meet program requirements (e.g. searching and being available for work). In addition, effective fall 2018, eligible claimants who lose their jobs after several years in the workforce will have more opportunities to continue receiving their EI benefits while taking a full-time course or training program on their own initiative through training referrals by Service Canada. This measure complements existing resources and supports that are available through provinces, territories and Indigenous organizations and is expected to benefit approximately 7,000 adult learners per year
Supporting worker flexibility and adaptability

In 2018–19, ESDC will continue its transition to the next generation of labour market transfer agreements with provinces and territories. Agreements are being transformed to ensure training and employment supports are available for the unemployed and employed workers who need to upskill for the new economy. This includes:

  • Expanded eligibility for programs and services under the Labour Market Development Agreements. This will allow more Canadians, including under-represented groups, with access to Employment Insurance-funded skills training and employment supports to help them find and keep good jobs. In 2016, 48.0 percent of all workers aged 15 to 64 were women, yet women represented 70.4 percent of permanent part-time workers, 54.2 percent of contract workers, and 62.3 percent of casual workers. The new definition of insured participant under the Labour Market Development Agreements, which will come into force in April 2018, will allow more women to access employment benefits, as more unemployed part-time workers will be eligible
    Expanding Labour Market Development Agreements
    Details Current Labour Market Development Agreements Expanded Labour Market Development Agreements
    Employment Benefits (e.g. skills development, wage subsidies) Individuals currently receiving or having received EI benefits in the past five years Expanded to include unemployed individuals who have made minimum Employment Insurance premium contributions in at least 5 of the last 10 years
    Employment Assistance Services under Support Measures (e.g. employment counselling, job search assistance) Unemployed Canadians Expanded to include employed Canadians
    Employer-Sponsored Training under Support Measures (Labour Market Partnerships) Assistance to employers to support approved training activities for employees facing a loss of employment Expanded to include assistance to employers to support approved training activities for employees in order to maintain their employment. This may include employees impacted by technological or structural changes in the economy
  • Introduction of new Workforce Development Agreements to provide similar skills training and employment supports for all Canadians, including unemployed and under-employed individuals not eligible for Employment Insurance training. The new Workforce Development Agreements will consolidate the Canada Job Fund Agreements, the Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities and the former Targeted Initiative for Older Workers, making transfers to provinces and territories simpler. This means provinces and territories will have the flexibility to better respond to their local labour market needs. The Labour Market Development Agreements and Workforce Development Agreements support the efforts of provinces, territories and employers to equip workers with training and skills, while reducing barriers to access to potential employment opportunities and promoting better outcomes for workers
  • Furthermore, as announced in Budget 2018, ESDC will work with key provinces on solutions to assist workers in seasonal industries that experience a gap in income before the start of the next season
Investing in skills for the future

To deliver on mandate commitments, ESDC will work with provinces and territories, the private sector, educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations to launch Future Skills to support skills development and measurement in Canada. Future Skills will bring together expertise and leverage experience from partners across the country. It will include an independent council to advise on emerging skills needs and workforce trends, and a research lab focused on developing, testing and rigorously measuring new approaches to skills assessment and development.

More information on Employment Insurance skills investment programs can be found on GC InfoBase.Endnote viii

Increase Canadians’ participation in an inclusive labour market

In 2018–19, ESDC will implement a range of initiatives to increase the labour market participation of youth, Indigenous people and under-represented groups to help all Canadians succeed, strengthen the middle class and support employers in accessing the talent they need to compete in the innovation economy.

Improving labour market outcomes for Indigenous people

As announced in Budget 2018, ESDC will co-develop the implementation of the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Program (successor program to the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy) with Indigenous partners. This successor program will include four distinct streams that will be tailored to meet the specific needs of First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban/unaffiliated Indigenous people to develop and upgrade their skills and improve their employability and participation in the labour force. In addition, services supported by the Program, such as child care, will ensure that Indigenous women have equal access to skills development and training, and are able to contribute more fully to the economic success of their communities.

As a complement to the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy, the Skills and Partnership Fund promotes economic development in Indigenous communities across the country. Through strategic partnerships, the fund provides Indigenous people with the training they need to gain meaningful employment and meet the demands of the Canadian labour market. The fund supports the participation of Indigenous people in benefitting from existing and emerging economic development opportunities across Canada, with a particular focus on opportunities for women and youth.

Increasing opportunities for youth
  • To improve labour market outcomes for youth, as announced in Budget 2018, ESDC will engage with partners and stakeholders to continue laying the groundwork for a renewed Youth Employment Strategy with the goal of being responsive to the evolving needs of young Canadians
  • Through Canada Summer Jobs, ESDC will continue to serve Canadians by creating new green jobs and jobs in the heritage sector, as well as nearly doubling the number of job opportunities for students relative to those provided in 2015
  • ESDC will also implement the design phase of the Canada Service Corps launched by the Prime Minister on January 16, 2018. ESDC will support a public testing phase that will prototype and evaluate various components of the initiative. The testing phase will include extensive involvement and feedback from youth to allow them to influence and shape the design of a national signature program that is “for youth, by youth” to be fully implemented in 2019. Through this initiative, ESDC will help young Canadians serve their communities across Canada, while gaining valuable work and life experience
Create an efficient labour market

In order to ensure a strong and responsive labour market to drive growth, ESDC is implementing measures to better address skills mismatches, help workers get the information they need to find good-quality jobs and help employers fill jobs.

This includes continued work to improve the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The program allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals to fill temporary labour and skill shortages when qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents are not available. In 2018– 19, ESDC will:

  • Work with sectors that are frequent users of the program to put in place Canadian workforce development strategies with employers and stakeholders
  • Review the Primary Agriculture Stream, which includes a labour market study to assess the impact of potential changes to the stream and a study to explore options for a national standard for employer-provided housing to protect foreign workers
  • Pilot the Global Talent Stream to help Canadian firms remain competitive on a global scale through access to highly skilled talent from around the world. This stream allows firms in Canada to fill a need for in-demand and highly skilled positions that are on the Global Talent Occupations List, while also allowing innovative Canadian companies to address their needs for unique and specialized global talent to help grow their businesses
  • As announced in Budget 2018, build on initial pilots and implement unannounced inspections and introduce a Migrant Worker Support Network pilot to better strengthen the protection of temporary foreign workers

In 2018–19, ESDC will also continue improving Labour Market Information for Canadians in collaboration with provinces and territories through the Forum of Labour Market Ministers and the new Labour Market Information Council launched in 2017. The goal is to address the need for local labour market information and to develop a collaborative platform to share labour market information with Canadians to support their training and career decisions. ESDC will continue to provide easy access to Employment Insurance applicants and promote the use of Job Bank as an effective and timely job search support.

As per the Budget 2018 announcement, the Department will support an Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Linkage Platform housed at Statistics Canada to improve the quality of career information and program results accessible to all Canadians.

Canadians receive financial support during employment transitions such as job loss, illness or maternity leave
Improving the Employment Insurance program to meet the needs of Canada's labour market

As introduced by Budget 2018, the Department will advance enhancements to the Employment Insurance program to ensure that it remains aligned with the changing labour markets. In particular, ESDC will work to develop a new Employment Insurance Parental Sharing Benefit to support gender equality and provide flexibility for earlier returns to work. The new measure will provide additional Employment Insurance parental benefits when both parents agree to share parental leave: up to five weeks if using the standard parental leave or up to eight weeks if using the extended parental leave. This incentive is expected to be available starting June 2019.

As per Budget 2018, ESDC will also implement a permanent successor strategy to the Working While on Claim pilot project that expires on August 11, 2018. The Employment Insurance Act’s Working While on Claim provision is an important program feature that encourages claimants to work by allowing them to continue receiving a portion of their Employment Insurance benefits along with all of their earnings. The Working While on Claim provisions will also be extended to claimants of Employment Insurance sickness and maternity benefits to enable greater flexibility for Canadians to keep more of their Employment Insurance benefits when they need it the most.

Help more students from low- and middle-income families access and participate in post-secondary education
Education savings incentives

The Government recognizes the importance of helping Canadians save for their children’s post-secondary education. To support this objective, ESDC administers two education savings incentives linked to Registered Education Savings Plans: the Canada Education Savings Grant, which is available to all eligible children regardless of family income; and the Canada Learning Bond, which is available to children from low-income families. Studies confirm that having education savings increases the likelihood of attending post-secondary education. In 2018–19, ESDC will continue to help Canadians access and save for post-secondary education by increasing the take-up of the education savings incentives. More specifically, ESDC will fund a series of innovative projects that will further increase awareness and take-up of the Canada Learning Bond for vulnerable populations through innovative approaches.

ESDC is also collaborating with Service Ontario so that parents of Ontario newborns can make an online referral request to a financial institution to learn about opening a Registered Education Savings Plan and to subsequently request the Canada Learning Bond and the Canada Education Savings Grant. ESDC will closely monitor the impact of this new online referral service and, if successful, will explore similar initiatives with other jurisdictions.

ESDC will continue to monitor the impact of several initiatives, including the amendments made to the Canada Education Savings Act. The amendments, which came into effect January 1, 2018, will allow the cohabiting spouse or common-law partner of a primary caregiver to request the Canada Learning Bond and the additional amount of the Canada Education Savings Grant on behalf of an eligible child. The amendments seek to ensure that more children who are eligible for the education savings incentives receive the support they need to pursue post-secondary education.

Student financial assistance

As education costs continue to rise, education savings may not be sufficient. Student financial assistance is designed to make post-secondary education affordable to more students, particularly those from low- and middle-income families. In 2018–19, ESDC will continue its efforts to make post-secondary education more affordable by expanding eligibility for Indigenous students by amending the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act to allow students registered under the Indian Act but without Canadian citizenship to access the Canada Student Loans Program. These changes will be made in time for the 2018–19 school year.

Vulnerable youth

In 2018–19, ESDC will continue to renew investments in the Pathways to Education Canada Program, which aims to increase the high school graduation rates of youth who are at risk of dropping out of high school. In fact, in communities where Pathways is offered, graduation rates have improved by 85 percent. The organization continues to provide ongoing support to its approximate 5,500 registered participants, and will continue to expand programming to reach more at-risk youth, including more Indigenous participants, in an effort to help more at-risk youth graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education and transition to the labour market.

Provide high-quality, timely and efficient services to clients

ESDC, through the Service Transformation Plan, is modernizing its services so that Canadians have improved access to high-quality services that will help them enhance their education, skills and training levels and create connections between employers and job seekers. In 2018–19 these improvements will include:

  • Working with key stakeholders to co-develop ways to streamline reporting obligations under the Employment Insurance program and reduce the administrative burden for employers
  • Completing the Canada Student Loans Program's transition to a new Service Provider contract to enhance the delivery of Canada Student Loans, including establishing an e-enabled service delivery model. The first phase of the new platform will be launched in spring 2018. New full-time student loan borrowers will be able to verify their identity online and sign their loan documents electronically. Efforts in 2018–19 will also focus on enabling clients to access and manage their student loans entirely online, receive real-time updates and communicate with service representatives in the channel of their choice through a self-serve, end-to-end online process
  • Working with stakeholders on a collaborative platform to share labour market information and collaborating with provinces and territories to support the Labour Market Information Council
  • Working with external partners, consumers and end users to supply relevant and up-to-date National Occupational Classification content
  • Updating the Career Handbook, which includes helpful information on abilities and personality traits required for occupations, to support students in making career choices
Experimental approaches to policy and research

ESDC is undertaking a range of initiatives that are in line with the Governments of Canada’s commitment to improve programs and services through experimentation. The Department has developed experimental approaches to policy and research in many areas. ESDC’s Innovation Lab uses a Behavioural Insight approach to draw on experimental methods, such as randomized control trials, to improve services provided to Canadians. The Lab conducts a number of Behavioural Insight experiments which span most of the Department’s client groups, such as families and children, youth, seniors, persons with disabilities and job seekers. In addition, current departmental research initiatives include:

  • Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISE) Research Program – WISE is a type of social enterprise that focuses on improving employment prospects for those who are further from the labour market through a wider range of work-based opportunities. The Department is undertaking a five-year longitudinal study composed of six main projects to measure the impact that WISE has on labour market outcomes for vulnerable populations, specifically people with disabilities, youth, recent immigrants, homeless individuals and individuals at risk of homelessness and Indigenous people. Of the funded projects, one is using a quasi-experimental design
  • Examination of Social Innovation in 2016 Skills Link – Stream II based on Administrative Data – Administrative data in the Common System for Grants and Contributions is currently collected for operational purposes (program administration). ESDC is exploring innovative ways to use this data more effectively to provide policy and program insights into these programs. Using qualitative research methods to analyze administrative data has many benefits including: providing near real-time data about the charitable, not-for-profit and social enterprise sectors; offering practical guidelines that can inform business models, projects and activities; and aid in developing impact indicators, measurement approaches and data management in Grants and Contributions programs
  • Unconscious BiasEndnote ix – This project will develop a conceptual framework to guide the Department in identifying areas and processes where unconscious (or implicit) bias could exist and have an impact. The framework will then be tested against ESDC’s Skills Link program, a component of the federal government’s Youth Employment Strategy, to determine whether it is a useful tool in identifying unconscious bias within programs
  • An initiative is underway to provide more equitable access to Grants and Contributions funding. By strengthening relationships with organizations that are led by and serve vulnerable populations to address their barriers to accessing Grants and Contributions programs, we will help build capacity and support community organizations that serve the most vulnerable in Canadian society
  • Through a number of pilot projects, the Chief Data Office at ESDC is developing advanced analytical capacity in the Department. Using analytical techniques in Artificial Intelligence such as machine learning, sentiment analysis and natural language processing enables the Department to take more proactive decisions, automate a number of manual processes, leverage unstructured data assets and prepare ESDC for future technologies
  • As part of the Service Transformation agenda, ESDC is currently testing its first mobile app, the Job Bank mobile application. This represents a new service delivery channel for ESDC to interact with clients, especially youth, in a manner they expect and to adapt to their evolving needs. Job Bank’s job search service was identified as being well positioned to be the Department’s first mobile app as it has a diverse and substantial mobile user base. The Job Bank mobile app, which enhances client experience using mobile device-specific features, was developed using an iterative process and will continue to be improved upon through testing and client feedback. As a pathfinder for ESDC, it will contribute to a better understanding of client needs and provide insight to inform the longer-term mobile app strategy under the Service Transformation Plan

Planned results

Departmental results Departmental result indicators Target Date to achieve target Actual results
2014–15 2015–16 2016–17
Canadians access education, training and life-long learning supports to gain the skills and work experience they need Number of Canadians receiving training and/or employment supports

Federally delivered programs
150,562Footnote 1

Provincial and territorial (P/T) delivered programs
set their own annual targets

March 31, 2019

Federally delivered programs
102,464Footnote 2

P/T delivered programs
674,081Footnote 2

Federally delivered programs
104,901Footnote 2

P/T delivered programs
717,896Footnote 2

Federally delivered programs
136,237Footnote 2

P/T delivered programs
Not availableFootnote 2

Employment or returns to school following training/supports

Federally delivered programs
95,088Footnote 3

Provincial and territorial (P/T) delivered programs
set their own annual targets

March 31, 2019

Federally delivered programs
67,693Footnote 4

P/T delivered programs
173,593Footnote 4

Federally delivered programs
64,313Footnote 4

P/T delivered programs
178,556Footnote 4

Federally delivered programs
97,127Footnote 4

P/T delivered programs
Not availableFootnote 4

Percentage of Canadians aged 18 to 24 that are enrolled in university or college 43.5% December 31, 2018 41.7% 42.1% 42.4%
Percentage change in Canadians aged 25 to 64 enrolled in university or college 0.5% decrease to 0.5% increase December 31, 2018 0.4% decrease 0.9% decrease 1.7% decrease
Canadians participate in an inclusive and efficient labour market Employment rate for Canadians 61.2%Table note a March 31, 2019 61.4% 61.3% 61.2%
Employment rate for Indigenous peoples off reserve 56.7%Table note a March 31, 2019 56.8% 54.8% 56.7%
Employment rate for Indigenous people on reserve Not available (forthcoming early 2018) March 31, 2019 Not available Not available Not available
Employment rate for recent immigrants 58.2%Table note a March 31, 2019 56.5% 58.4% 58.2%
Employment rate for persons with disabilities 49.0%Table note a for persons with disabilities age 25 to 64 (2012) March 31, 2019 Not available Not available Not available
Employment rate for youth 55.6%Table note a March 31, 2019 55.7% 55.6% 55.6%
Employment rate for women 57.5%Table note a March 31, 2019 57.6% 57.3% 57.5%
Employment rate for older Canadians 35.5%Table note a March 31, 2019 35.0% 35.2% 35.5%
Employment rate for lone parents 71.1%Table note a
(2016)
March 31, 2019 Not available Not available Not available
Unemployment-to-job vacancies (ratio) 3.5%Table note a March 31, 2019 Not available 3.4% 3.5%
More students from low- and middle-income families access and participate in post-secondary
education
Proportion of low and middle-income Canadian young adults participating in post-secondary education 52.5% December 31, 2018
Table note aThere is a three-year lag in availability of data
(2012)
51.0%
(2013)
51.6%
(2014)
52.1%
Number of beneficiaries with a Registered Education Savings Plan withdrawal that have ever received an additional Canada Education Savings Grant which assists low- and middle-income families to save for their child’s education No target – baseline year December 31, 2018 61,586 73,034 86,478
Percentage of full-time students (aged 15-29) who used federal student financial assistance to help finance their participation in post-secondary education As a need-based program, no target is set Not applicable 49% 50% 48%
Canadians receive financial support during employment transitions such as job loss, illness or maternity/parental leave Percentage of eligible unemployed workers supported by Employment Insurance 83.7% March 31, 2019 2014: 83.1% 2015: 82.8% Not available
Table note aData will be available in 2018
Percentage of Employment Insurance claimants finding employment before the end of their benefit entitlement 73-75% March 31, 2019 65.3% 68.7% Not available
Table note aData will be available in 2018
Clients receive high-quality, timely and efficient services that meet their needs (Learning, Skills Development and Employment) Number of service standard targets for Learning, Skills Development and Employment program priority services, as defined by the Government of Canada’s Policy on Service, that are being met 23 out of 23Endnote x March 31, 2019 Not available Not available Not available
Percentage of Employment Insurance benefit payments or non-benefit notifications issued within 28 days of filing Minimum of 80% March 31, 2019 72.3% 83.8% 83.2%
Percentage of Social Insurance Numbers applied for through the Newborn Registration Service issued within 10 business days 90% March 31, 2019
(baseline year)
Not available Not available 100%

Financial resources

Financial resources (dollars)Table note a
Details Main estimates Planned spending
2018–19 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
Planned gross spending 5,952,716,925 26,895,560,973 27,482,886,346 27,747,144,106
Planned spending in specified purpose accounts 0 20,942,844,048 21,514,771,477 22,285,484,697
Planned revenues netted against expenditures 804,409,119 804,409,119 791,020,599 791,115,745
Planned net spending 5,148,307,806 5,148,307,806 5,177,094,270 4,670,543,664

Human resources

Human resources (planned full-time equivalents)

  • 2018–19: 8,955
  • 2019–20: 8,687
  • 2020–21: 8,649

Note:

  • The decrease in full-time equivalents is mainly due to the sun-setting of resources for Employment Insurance initiatives announced in Budgets 2016 and 2017, the Youth Employment Strategy and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Financial, human resources and performance information for ESDC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.Endnote xi

4. Working conditions and workplace relations

Description

Promotes safe, healthy, fair and inclusive working conditions and cooperative workplace relations.

Planning highlights

ESDC aims to achieve the following results under this core responsibility:

  1. keep workplaces safe and healthy
  2. ensure working conditions are fair and inclusive
  3. promote cooperative labour relations; and
  4. provide high-quality, timely and efficient services to clients

In 2018–19, ESDC, through the Labour Program, will continue to develop and implement initiatives to ensure Canadians work in safe, healthy, fair and inclusive workplaces and that workplace relations are cooperative. The program will continue to promote good-quality jobs in the federal jurisdiction, with a particular focus on vulnerable workers.

Keep workplaces safe and healthy

To support improved labour standards and occupational health and safety, in 2018–19 the Labour Program will continue to enhance labour and safety standards in federally regulated workplaces by implementing new compliance and enforcement measures, including an Administrative Monetary Penalty system to better protect vulnerable workers against those who violate the Canada Labour Code.

Addressing harassment and sexual violence in the workplace

The Labour Program will continue supporting the passage of Bill C-65 that includes the necessary legislative amendments to the Canada Labour Code to protect federally regulated employees, including those working on Parliament Hill, from incidents of harassment and violence in the workplace through enhanced prevention, response and support measures. Updates to Part XX of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations will bring the new regime laid out under Bill C-65 into force. As part of its efforts, and with support from Budget 2018, the Labour Program will launch an awareness campaign to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes and will begin the development of educational materials and training tools. In addition, an outreach hub will be established to help employees better understand their options and support employers in putting in place policies and processes. This is expected to have a greater benefit for women in federally regulated workplaces, including those in senior management roles. A GBA+ analysis suggests that women are more than three times as likely as men to have experienced sexual harassment at work. There is also evidence that women in senior management roles experience higher levels of bullying from supervisors, colleagues and subordinates as compared to their male peers.

It is anticipated that these initiatives will also benefit several demographic groups with elevated risks for violent victimization, including the LGBTQ2 community, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities (especially those with mental or learning disabilities) and workers living in Canadian territories.

Enhancing safety standards

In 2018–19, the Labour Program will implement changes to safety standards regarding grain and flour dust and regarding safety materials, equipment, devices and clothing.

Budget 2018 also includes amendments to the Canada Labour Code to provide five days of paid leave to workers in the federally regulated jurisdiction who are victims of family violence or the parent of a child who is the victim of family violence. The Labour Program will implement this initiative to build on the job-protected leave for survivors of violence noted above.

Ensure fair and inclusive work conditions
Modernize federal labour standards

The Labour Program will continue its work to update Part III of the Canada Labour Code to ensure that it provides a robust and modern set of federal labour standards that reflects the changing nature of work and sets the stage for good-quality jobs in the federally regulated private sector.

Budget 2018 proposes legislative amendments to increase the maximum payment under the Wage Earner Protection Program from four to seven weeks of earnings to help workers during challenging times. Changes will also be made to make eligibility for the Program more equitable for workers who are owed wages, vacation, severance or termination pay when their employer files for bankruptcy or enters receivership.

Enhancing flexibility in the workplace

In 2018–19, the Labour Program will continue to implement amendments to the Canada Labour Code that received Royal Assent in December 2017 through the Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2, that will help employees in the federally regulated private sector balance the demands they face at work and outside of work. The changes to the Code:

  • give employees the right to request flexible work arrangements from their employers
  • create new unpaid leaves for family responsibilities
  • ensure the right to participate in traditional Indigenous practices
  • ensure employees can seek care if they are victims of family violence; and
  • enhance bereavement leave for employees

In 2018–19, the regulations needed to implement these changes will be developed and education and outreach activities will be conducted to ensure that employees, employers and others are aware of the new provisions and their related roles and responsibilities.

The changes to the Code are expected to help approximately 904,000 employees in the federally regulated private sector, or 6 percent of the Canadian labour force. They will also positively impact employees by providing them with more flexibility to achieve work-life balance. Research shows that work-life imbalance more negatively and differentially impacts vulnerable groups including female, immigrant and visible minority, Indigenous, older and disabled workers. A GBA+ analysis reveals that female employees, who comprise approximately 39 percent of the workforce, would particularly benefit. Studies show that women are more likely to provide family care and at least four times more likely to be victims of spousal violence than men. The new leave for victims of domestic violence will help employees financially, while allowing them to maintain their employment and help them stay in the workforce.

Limiting unpaid internships

The Labour Program will develop regulations required to implement the 2017–18 amendments to the Canada Labour Code that eliminate unpaid internships in the federally regulated private sector that are not part of a formal educational program. The amendment also ensures that unpaid interns receive appropriate federal labour standards such as maximum hours of work, weekly days of rest and general holidays.

The Labour Program will also carry out education and outreach activities with employers, students, interns, secondary and post-secondary institutions and others to promote awareness about the new limits on unpaid internships.

The recent changes to the Code will ensure that interns are treated fairly and are protected from exploitation in the federally regulated private sector.

Develop a modern fair wages policy

In 2018–19, the Department will continue to collaborate with Public Services and Procurement Canada, with support from the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada, on the development of a modern fair wages policy.

Support closing the gender wage gap through pay equity and improved wage transparency

The Labour Program will continue to collaborate with the Treasury Board Secretariat and Status of Women Canada to develop a proactive pay equity regime, as outlined in Budget 2018, for federally regulated workplaces and introduce the applicable legislation enabling this regime no later than 2018.

The proposed new legislation is anticipated to have positive impacts on working-age women (as well as men) employed in female-predominant occupations in federal jurisdiction workplaces, including women at the lower end of the wage spectrum and women from marginalized groups such as immigrant women and Indigenous women. Statistics Canada and GBA+ data shows that female-dominated occupations tend to be compensated at lower wage rates than male-dominated occupations—even when they involve the same level of skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions.

In 2018–19, the Labour Program will work on the Budget 2018 initiative to host a symposium on women and the workplace in spring 2019. Recognizing that barriers to women’s labour market participation can be complex, the symposium will bring together leaders in the private and public sectors to discuss and share best practices.

In addition, the Labour Program will work towards making the necessary amendments to the Employment Equity Regulations to make pay gaps in federally regulated workplaces more transparent.

Improve workplace conditions by fostering respect for international labour standards

The Labour Program will continue to negotiate international labour standards that reflect Canadian values and interests, and lead Canada’s involvement in multilateral forums such as the International Labour Organization and the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour. The Program will also promote fundamental labour rights internationally through the negotiation and implementation of labour provisions of free trade agreements and other frameworks, and provide technical and capacity building assistance to partner countries.

Promote cooperative labour relations

To support positive workplace relations, the Labour Program will increase proactive activities with unions and employers to facilitate collective bargaining. For example, it will offer joint training workshops and help manage productive discussions between the bargaining parties.

Provide high-quality, timely and efficient services to clients

The Labour Program will further improve its service delivery by leveraging technology and by using tools that focus on the evolving needs of Canadian workers and employers. In 2018–19, the Labour Program will work with workers’ compensation boards, the Treasury Board Secretariat and employers to modernize the delivery of compensation benefits for federal employees injured in the course of their work. In addition, the Labour Program will proactively engage with unions and employers to provide healthy labour relations and effective conciliation and mediation services.

Planned results

Departmental results Departmental result indicators Target Date to achieve target Actual results
2014–15 2015–16 2016–17
Workplaces are safe and healthy Number of health and safety violations identified under the Canada Labour Code (Part II) per 1,000 federally regulated employees Average number of violations per 1,000 federally regulated employees
Target: 9Table note a
March 2021 6.8 6.3 7.6
Work conditions are fair and inclusive Percentage of Legislated Employment Equity Program employers whose representation equals or surpasses Canadian labour market availability for 2+ designated groups or who demonstrated progress towards representation since the previous reporting period 65% September 1, 2018 (annual) Not availableTable note b Not availableTable note b 63%
Number of labour standard violations identified under the Canada Labour Code (Part III) per 1,000 federally regulated employees Average over three years per 1,000 federally regulated employees
Target: 5Table note b
March 2018 3.8 3.6 3.7
Percentage of activities or instruments undertaken to strengthen respect for international labour standards that met expected outcomes 90% March 2019 Not availableTable note d Not availableTable note d Not availableTable note d
Labour relations are cooperative Percentage of labour disputes settled under the Canada Labour Code (Part I) without work stoppages where parties were assisted by Labour Program officers 95% March 31, 2019 95% 94% 97%
Clients receive high-quality, timely and efficient services that meet their needs (Working Conditions and Workplace Relations) Number of service standard targets for Working Conditions and Workplace Relations program priority services, as defined by the Government of Canada’s Policy on Service, that are being met 4 out of 4Endnote xii March 31, 2019 Not availableTable note e Not availableTable note e Not availableTable note e
Percentage of occupational health and safety cases each fiscal year that are finalized within 120 days (excluding prosecutions, appeals and technical surveys) 70% March 2021 Not availableTable note e Not availableTable note e Not availableTable note e
Percentage of unjust dismissal complaints that are finalized within 180 days 75% Ongoing 75.48% 76.27% 68.60%
Percentage of conciliators assigned under the Canada Labour Code within 15 calendar days of receiving requests that are compliant with Canada Industrial Relations Regulations 96% March 31, 2019 100% 100% 100%
Percentage of initial Wage Earner Protection Program payments and non-payment notifications issued within 35 calendar daysTable note d 80% April 2018 Not available Not available 98.9%

Financial resources

Financial resources (dollars)Table note a
Details Main estimates Planned spending
2018–19 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
Planned gross spending 292,192,487 292,192,487 290,064,404 289,603,465
Planned spending in specified purpose accounts 0 0 0 0
Planned revenues netted against expenditures 125,235,000 125,235,000 125,235,000 125,235,000
Planned net spending 166,957,487 166,957,487 164,829,404 164,368,465

Human resources

Human resources (planned full-time equivalents)

  • 2018–19: 673
  • 2019–20: 656
  • 2020–21: 654

Financial, human resources and performance information for ESDC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.Endnote xiii

5. Information delivery and services for other departments

Description

Provide information to the public on the programs of the Government of Canada and the Department, and provide services on behalf of other government departments.

Planning highlights

ESDC supports Government of Canada programs by providing Canadians with the tools to access services, while supporting migration to preferred service channels. Canadians are able to obtain information on Government of Canada programs and services, beyond those managed by ESDC, through channels such as 1 800 O-Canada and its other general enquiries telephone services, through the Internet via Canada.ca and through a network of in-person points of service.

The Department aims to achieve the following results under this core responsibility:

  1. provide clients with high-quality, timely and accurate government information and services that meet their needs; and
  2. increase Canadians’ access to an error-free passport within Canada in a timely manner
Provide high-quality, timely and accurate government information and services

In 2018–19, ESDC will improve online access and quality of Government of Canada programs and services by:

  • providing ongoing operational support to departments that have migrated their content and websites to Canada.ca
  • ensuring that the 1 800 O-Canada telephone general enquiries program continues to strive for accessibility and accuracy of information and keeps delivering high-quality services to millions of Canadians on various customized information services
  • improving access to in-person service by innovating delivery through outreach and technology; and
  • helping Indigenous people access the full range of federal social benefits by conducting outreach activities in Indigenous communities and piloting outreach in urban settings
  • strengthening the partnership with the Government of the Northwest Territories, by providing more in-person services to individuals in three communities in the Northwest Territories; and
  • conducting a Client Experience Measurement Survey to provide performance data and broad diagnostic insights with a view to improve programs and services delivered to Canadians
Highlighting work in the regions to improve quality, timeliness and accuracy of ESDC services
  • The Western Canada and Territories Region will implement the Remote Services Expansion and Remote Strategy that provides outreach services for Government of Canada services to remote and vulnerable northern communities
  • In 2018–19, the Quebec Region will expand its video chat service, which allows interested citizens to receive immediate assistance from a Citizen Services Officer that is located in another Service Canada Centre through the use of a webcam, telephone and communication software. The video chat service is now a national project that is currently expanding in other regions
  • The Ontario Region’s Toronto North York Service Canada Centre Flagship will support incorporation of inclusivity-by-design principles into in-person service delivery for both Service Canada and Passport Services
  • The Atlantic Region will develop and implement a mobile outreach plan for newcomers to Canada to more effectively meet their needs
Canadians obtain error-free passports

In 2018–19, ESDC will continue working with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on modernizing the Passport Program to increase access to services and to strengthen integrity and security of the program to improve efficiency.

Planned results

Departmental results Departmental result indicators Target Date to achieve target Actual results
2014–15 2015–16 2016–17
Clients receive high-quality, timely and accurate government information and services that meet their needs 1 800 O-Canada information completeness, relevancy and accuracy assessment 85% March 31, 2019 91.9% 90.7% 92.4%
Percentage of clients served in person who received assistance within 25 minutes 80% March 31, 2019 83.5% 83.8% 80.6%
Percentage of program services that meet their service standard targets 80%Endnote xiv March 31, 2019 100% 80% 100%
Canadians can obtain an error-free passport within Canada in a timely manner Percentage of service standards met for the processing of passport requests by Canadians living in Canada 90% March 31, 2019 99.7% 99.8% 99.6%

Financial resourcesTable note a

Details Main estimates Planned spending
2018–19 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
Planned gross spending 250,235,842 250,235,842 55,932,238 55,591,874
Planned spending in specified purpose accounts 0 0 0 0
Planned revenues netted against expenditures 179,860,543 179,860,543 6,902,210 6,565,343
Planned net spending 70,375,299 70,375,299 49,030,028 49,026,531

Human resources

Human resources (planned full-time equivalents)

  • 2018–19: 2,738
  • 2019–20: 338
  • 2020–21: 338

Note:

  • Full-time equivalents for passport services were approved for 2018–19. The Department will seek authorities from Treasury Board for the delivery of passport services for 2019–20 and future years.

Financial, human resources and performance information for ESDC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.Endnote xv

Internal services

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services.

Planning highlights

Information technology and information management

ESDC is developing and implementing a modern IT infrastructure that enables digital services; enables effective, efficient and timely availability of information; and ensures a secure technology environment. This will be delivered through initiatives to update and modernize the desktop computing environment, upgrade older server operating systems through the Application Portfolio Management initiative, as well as through establishing an Enterprise Architecture program to deliver on IT-enabled business transformation; and by supporting ESDC in delivering on Benefits Delivery Modernization of the Service Transformation Plan commitments to be delivered in the longer-term.

The Department will produce an Information Management Strategy and Roadmap, which over the next three to five years will transform the way ESDC manages its information at all levels of the organization by bringing three distinct yet related changes to ESDC: changes in thinking and culture (for example, “Open by DesignEndnote xvi”), changes in information handling and changes in technology (GCdocs).

The Data Strategy

ESDC is collaborating department-wide to implement its first Data Strategy. The Strategy will put in place the infrastructure, tools, skills and processes needed to leverage data and analytics across the policy and service continuum. Secure access and use of quality data will provide value by strengthening ESDC’s safeguards that protect the personal information entrusted to us by Canadians while improving the quality of the data used as evidence in decision making and policy development, and modernizing how data is used to provide better service delivery to Canadians in social programs such as Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits. Specifically, ESDC will continue:

  • improving data access by working with Statistics Canada and academic research networks to implement an ESDC-Statistics Canada Data Sharing Roadmap that will support socio-economic research
  • sharing data openly with the public through Open Government and Open Data initiatives that encourage the use of data to improve policy, program and service delivery design through more innovative and demand-driven data sharing approaches such as hackathons and co-development activities; and
  • implementing successful data governance (e.g. rules, roles and responsibilities) and analytics (e.g. machine learning, Artificial Intelligence) projects and pursuing new ones that demonstrate good citizen and departmental value
Open and transparent government

ESDC is collaborating on the government-wide priority of revitalizing the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act reform. In 2016, the Government of Canada announced its intent to revitalize the Access to Information Act in a two-phased approach; first through targeted legislative changes to improve the Access to Information Act, followed by a full review of the Act by no later than 2018, and every five years thereafter. ESDC’s efforts in 2018–19 will focus on implementation readiness to ensure compliance with the Access to Information Act amendments. ESDC will also participate in the full review of the Act. The Department will also support open and transparent government by continuing to explore Open Information/Open Government opportunities and initiatives.

In 2018–19, ESDC will continue to participate in the Department of Justice’s activities in support of Privacy Act reform.

Departmental management excellence and accountability

ESDC will continue to improve and refine the Department’s integrated planning process (including research planning), examine how to make better use of the departmental strategic framework, and streamline the planning and performance processes. In addition, ESDC will strengthen current investment/project management tools and procedures to ensure the integrity of the portfolio and provide value-for-money of services the Department provides Canadians.

Human resource management: Improving our workforce

In 2018–19, ESDC will continue its implementation of the 2015–2020 Workforce Strategy and 2018–19 Action Plan. In year four of implementation, ESDC will focus on:

  • supporting ESDC’s transformation agenda
  • implementing the 2015–2020 Corporate Learning Strategy
  • leadership development initiatives
  • critical actions from the Mental Health Framework
  • harassment and discrimination awareness and prevention; and
  • recruitment and staffing with a focus on Indigenous workforce strategies

Safe working environment for employees

ESDC is committed to integrity and security. The implementation of a new 2018–21 (three year) Departmental Security Plan will enhance and strengthen its security culture and program to provide a safe and secure work environment for its employees and for Canadians who access its services. The Departmental Security Plan also effectively ensures that sensitive information and valuable assets entrusted to us by Canadians are protected and safeguarded.

Financial resources

Financial resources (dollars)Table note a
Details Main estimates Planned spending
2018–19 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
Planned gross spending 824,994,686 824,994,686 796,672,871 792,405,618
Planned spending in specified purpose accounts 0 0 0 0
Planned revenues netted against expenditures 576,863,193 576,863,193 548,830,095 546,815,342
Planned net spending 248,131,493 248,131,493 247,842,776 245,590,276

Human resources

Human resources (planned full-time equivalents)

  • 2018–19: 4,416
  • 2019–20: 4,268
  • 2020–21: 4,238

Financial, human resources and performance information for ESDC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.Endnote xvii

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