Employment and Social Development Canada’s 2024 to 2025 Departmental plan at a glance
A departmental plan describes a department's priorities, plans and associated costs for the upcoming 3 fiscal years.
[Read the full departmental plan]
Key priorities
We are focused on making life more affordable for Canadians, growing a resilient and green economy, and making Canada more inclusive. We are also focused on service delivery excellence as we continue to meet the needs of Canadians in both official languages.
Our agenda for this year will include:
- Making child care more affordable by reducing fees for regulated child care to an average of $10-a-day and creating 250,000 new regulated child care spaces by March 2026
- Ensuring Indigenous children have access to a culturally appropriate Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care system that meets the needs of Indigenous families wherever they live by collaborating with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation governments and organizations
- Fighting anti-Black racism and improving social and economic outcomes for Black communities in Canada by supporting initiatives that help organizations with these aims
- Supporting the development of green jobs which will contribute to Canada's path to a net-zero emissions and climate resilient future. This will be done by launching a new sustainable jobs training funding stream that will fund projects led by unions to provide green skills training for trades workers
- Supporting the recruitment, retention, and success of women apprentices in 39 eligible Red Seals trades through our Women in the Skilled Trades Initiative
- Assisting Canadian employers facing labour shortages through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, allowing temporary hiring when Canadians and permanent residents are not available
- Introducing a new 15-week shareable Employment Insurance adoption benefit as announced in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement. The benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home through adoption or surrogacy
- Continuing to provide dispute resolution and dispute prevention assistance to unions and employers under the jurisdiction of the Canada Labour Code
- Continuing to meet with representatives from provinces and territories to discuss issues of mutual interest including occupational health and safety as well as labour standards such as sick leave
- Continuing to address employee misclassification in the federally regulated road transportation sector by actively engaging with industry, conducting education sessions and undertaking enforcement actions under the Canada Labour Code
- Continuing to explore ways to amend the Canada Labour Code to improve job protections for federally regulated gig workers by strengthening prohibitions against employee misclassification.
- Introducing regulations to support the Pay Equity Commissioner’s ability to address non-compliance with the Pay Equity Act and Pay Equity Regulations. These regulations are expected to be in place in 2024
- Working to advance the Disability Inclusion Action Plan to reduce poverty and support the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities. This will include the development of the Canada Disability Benefit to provide direct monthly payments to eligible individuals
- Placing Canadians at the core of how we design and delivery services, with emphasis on delivering services where and when Canadians need them. We will do this while making continuous improvements to service delivery
To achieve our goals, we will improve the technology used to deliver services, so Canadians can access our benefits and programs in an easy and secure manner. Furthermore, the Canadian Digital Service will continue to develop products to improve the user experience so Canadians can have reliable access to our services for life events, regardless of where they live.
Refocusing Government Spending
In Budget 2023, the government committed to reducing spending by $14.1 billion over the next 5 years, starting in 2023 to 2024, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.
As part of meeting this commitment, Employment and Social Development Canada is planning the following spending reductions.
- 2024 to 2025: $40,464,000
- grants and contribution programs: $24,339,000
- travel and professional services: $7,938,000
- operating expenses: $8,187,000
- 2025 to 2026: $69,950,000
- grants and contribution programs: $44,893,000
- travel and professional services: $7,938,000
- operating expenses: $17,119,000
- 2026 to 2027 and after: $118,523,000
- grants and contribution programs: $81,240,000
- travel and professional services: $7,938,000
- operating expenses: $29,345,000
We will reduce spending in the following areas:
- Grants and Contribution Programs - We will reduce spending within our grants and contributions programs in a way that minimizes direct impacts to clients and maintains capacity building and core community supports.
- Travel and Professional Services - We will reduce consulting, professional services and travel spending through a percentage-based reduction across all program areas and the department. The department will continue to use virtual meeting technology instead of travel where possible.
- Operating Expenses - We will reduce operating expenses through a mix of targeted and percentage-based reductions. The department will find savings internally through several activities, including making processes more digital.
The figures in this departmental plan reflect these reductions.
Highlights
A Departmental Results Framework consists of an organization's core responsibilities, the results it plans to achieve, and the performance indicators that measure progress toward these results.
Social Development
Departmental results:
- 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 persons with disabilities, the engagement of seniors and support for children and families
- Barriers to accessibility for persons with disabilities are removed
- Affordability of early learning and child care is increased
- Clients receive high quality, timely and efficient services that meet their needs
Gross planned spending: $7,930,989,184
Net planned spending: $7,930,989,184
Planned human resources: 529
We will continue to work with provinces and territories to increase access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care. This will help to reduce fees for regulated child care towards an average of $10-a-day and to create 250,000 new regulated child care spaces by March 2026.
We will help to reduce poverty and support the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities by working to advance the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), which will provide direct financial support to eligible persons with disabilities and form a key part of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
We will also pursue the development of a National School Food Policy by continuing to engage with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners, and stakeholders. This effort will create an environment for ongoing collaboration to increase the number of children who have access to nutritious food in school.
The Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative will continue to play a key role in the department’s efforts to increase social inclusion, reduce systemic barriers, and strengthen social cohesion within Canada by advancing targeted measures for Black communities. This includes addressing emerging priorities as identified by Black community stakeholders and strengthening the foundational capacity of Black-led and Black-serving community organizations in Canada.
More information about Social Development Social Development can be found in the full departmental plan.
Pensions and Benefits
Departmental results:
- Seniors have income support for retirement
- Persons with disabilities and their families have financial support
- Clients receive high quality, timely and efficient services that meet their needs
Gross planned spending: $148,006,897,563
Net planned spending: $82,359,460,288
Planned human resources: 7,522
January 2025 will mark the end of the Canada Pension Plan Enhancement's 7-year phase-in. At this time, the range of earnings protected by the Plan will increase to 14% above the original limit, which in combination with the earlier increases to the earnings replacement will, over time, increase the maximum retirement pension by more than 50%. We will also transition the Old Age Security program to the new Benefits Delivery Modernization platform to improve the experience of everyone who uses the platform to deliver or receive benefits, including over 7 million seniors.
In addition, we will use innovative approaches to improve the Canada Pension Plan - Disability program for Canadians with severe and prolonged disabilities. Specifically, we will launch a pilot project to test improved employment supports for Canada Pension Plan Disability clients who want to return to work while continuing to receive the benefit.
More information about Pensions and Benefits Pensions and Benefits can be found in the full departmental plan.
Learning, Skills Development and Employment
Departmental results:
- Canadians access education, training and life-long learning supports to gain the skills and work experience they need
- Canadians participate in an inclusive and efficient labour market
- Canadians receive financial support during employment transitions such as job loss, illness, or maternity/parental leave
- Students, including those from low- and middle-income families, are provided with federally funded supports to help them participate in post-secondary education (PSE)
- Student borrowers are able to repay their federal student debt
- Clients receive high quality, timely and efficient services that meet their needs
Gross planned spending: $33,754,261,064
Net planned spending: $7,230,578,580
Planned human resources: 15,054
In the 2024 to 2025 academic year, we aim to provide financial assistance to 700,000 post-secondary students through non-repayable Canada Student Grants and interest-free Canada Student Loans as part of the Canada Student Financial Assistance program.
We will launch a Sustainable Jobs Training Fund through our Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program to help workers upgrade or gain new skills for jobs in the low-carbon economy.
We will also launch a new sustainable jobs training funding stream under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy's Union Training and Innovation program. This stream will fund projects to help unions and their partners provide green skills training for trades workers.
We will invest in skills training and employment supports for Canadians with approximately $3 billion provided annually to provinces and territories through the bilateral Labour Market Development Agreements and the Workforce Development Agreements. This support helps Canadians by providing them with Employment Insurance funded skills training and employment assistance, so they can gain the skills that employers need.
We will continue providing support to employers facing critical labour shortages through measures under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Moreover, through the development of a new foreign labour program for agriculture and fish processing, we will help employers fill short-term labour gaps and meet their business needs more quickly.
We will continue delivery of a new temporary one-year measure that will provide up to 4 additional weeks of Employment Insurance regular benefits to eligible seasonal workers in 13 economic regions.
More information about Learning, Skills Development and Employment Learning, Skills Development and Employment can be found in the full departmental plan.
Working Conditions and Workplace Relations
Departmental results:
- Workplaces are safe and healthy
- Work conditions are fair and inclusive
- Labour relations are cooperative
- Clients receive high quality, timely and efficient services that meet their needs
Gross planned spending: $198,483,987
Net planned spending: $197,583,987
Planned human resources: 856
We will meet with representatives from the provinces and territories to develop an action plan to make sick leave available to workers across the country. In addition, legislation will be introduced to amend the Canada Labour Code to create 3 days of paid leave to support employees in the federally regulated private sector who experience a pregnancy loss.
We will also advance changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations that will improve outcomes for workers and address changes in the society. These include addressing thermal stress and recognizing all-gender toilets.
We will also take stronger action against employers in the road transportation industry who are misclassifying employees, depriving these workers access to important rights and entitlements that they would normally be entitled to.
More information about Working Conditions and Workplace Relations Working Conditions and Workplace Relations can be found in the full departmental plan.
Information Delivery and Services for Other Departments
Departmental results:
- Clients receive high quality, timely and accurate government information and services that meet their needs
- Canadians can obtain a passport within Canada in a timely manner
Gross planned spending: $599,204,881
Net planned spending: $599,204,881
Planned human resources: 4,932
We will expand bilingual services to Service Canada Centres, so more clients can receive service in the official language of their choice. We are doing this as part of the Official Languages Regulations Re-Application Exercise, which requires government institutions to review their Official Language obligations every 10 years.
As part of the department’s commitment to more effectively reach individuals facing linguistic barriers, through our telephone general enquiries program, we will test a non-official and Indigenous languages interpretation service.
We will also use our Community Outreach and Liaison Services to reach clients who face barriers to accessing benefits and services with Service Canada online, by telephone, or at an in person point of service. Through this initiative we will collaborate with service delivery partners to implement alternative service delivery methods, like working with community organizations to identify clients needing additional support and referring them directly to a Service Canada representative.
In the fall of 2024, we will complete the deployment of the Passport Program Modernization Initiative which includes a new automated intake tool, to help us address surges in passport applications.
In addition, we will help Health Canada with the delivery of the Canadian Dental Care Plan by validating eligibility of Canadians against the program criteria, providing information to Canadians on the plan and supporting them in the application process.
More information about Information Delivery and Services for Other Departments Information Delivery and Services for Other Departments can be found in the full departmental plan.
Page details
- Date modified: