Departmental Evaluation Plan, fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031
On this page
- Deputy head departmental evaluation plan confirmation note
- Executive summary
- Introduction
- Accomplishments in fiscal year 2025 to 2026
- Evaluation coverage in fiscal year 2025 to 2026
- Evaluation operating environment
- Evaluation capacity and resources
- Going forward
- Planned evaluation coverage from fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031
- Evaluations with multi-phased timelines
- Programs excluded from evaluation coverage from fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031
Alternate formats
Departmental Evaluation Plan, fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031 [PDF - 697 KB]
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List of tables
- Table 1. Deputy Head approved evaluation reports for fiscal year 2025 to 2026
- Table 2. Full-Time Equivalent (FTEs)
- Table 3. Planned evaluation coverage from fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031
- Table 4. Evaluations with multi-phased timelines
- Table 5. Programs excluded from evaluation coverage from fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031
List of figures
List of acronyms
- AI
- Artificial Intelligence
- CDOB
- Chief Data Officer Branch
- ESDC
- Employment and Social Development Canada
- FAA
- Financial Administration Act
- FTE
- Full-Time Equivalent
- GBA
- Gender-Based Analysis
- IRCC
- Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada
- PMEC
- Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee
- PRP
- Premium Reduction Program
- TBS
- Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Deputy Head Departmental Evaluation Plan confirmation note
I approve the Departmental Evaluation Plan of Employment and Social Development Canada for 2026 to 2031. I submit it to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) as required by the Policy on Results.
I confirm that this 5-year rolling Departmental Evaluation Plan:
- plans for evaluation of all ongoing programs of grants and contributions with 5-year average actual expenditures of $5 million or greater per year at least once every 5 years, in fulfillment of the requirements of subsection 42.1 of the Financial Administration Act (FAA)
- meets the requirements of the Mandatory Procedures for Evaluation
- supports the requirements of the expenditure management system including, as applicable, Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board Submissions, and resource alignment reviews.
I will ensure that this Plan is updated annually. I will provide information about its implementation to the TBS, as required.
Paul Thompson
Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development
Executive summary
As per the TBS Policy on Results, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) must develop and publish an annual 5-year departmental evaluation plan. Informed by an annual consultative planning exercise and building on last year's accomplishments, this Plan targets the evaluation coverage of ESDC's program spending for fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031, with a focus on departmental needs, risks, and priorities.
In fiscal year 2025 to 2026, ESDC evaluations continued to play an important role in the results agenda by examining the relevance and performance of departmental programs, policies, and services. Evaluation findings, targeted analyses, and technical advice were provided within compressed timelines to support program design, renewal, and funding deliberations. The Department also continued to develop innovative approaches, including those that support the Government of Canada's commitments to Gender-based Analysis (GBA) Plus, official languages, reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and the assessment of programs' effectiveness.
Key accomplishments in fiscal year 2025 to 2026
Several key achievements were realized over the course of the fiscal year 2025 to 2026:
- completed 10 evaluation and 36 technical reports to support programs
- completed 1 Supplemental Study to inform the 2024 to 2025 Employment Insurance Monitoring and Assessment Report
- initiated 8 program evaluations
- collaborated with the Head of Performance Measurement on the development of ESDC's 2026 to 2029 Departmental Results Framework
- reviewed and provided timely input on Treasury Board Submissions and Memoranda to Cabinet
- supported, in collaboration with the Head of Performance Measurement, the Department's response to the 2025 Comprehensive Expenditure Review
Going forward
The Department tentatively plans to complete 7 evaluations in fiscal year 2026 to 2027. This Plan demonstrates that the Department will meet coverage requirements mandated by the TBS, the Policy on Results, and the FAA.
Introduction
Purpose of the Plan
This rolling 5-year Plan, required under the TBS Policy on Results, describes all planned evaluations to be undertaken by ESDC from April 2026 to March 2031. In addition to addressing the requirements of the Policy on Results, the Plan is designed to assist the Deputy Head by ensuring the availability of factual, neutral, and timely information on the ongoing relevance and performance of the Department's programs and services. The information obtained through evaluations supports evidence-based decision-making and helps inform Canadians of departmental results. The Plan also helps ensure transparency in the decision-making process for the evaluation function, highlighting priorities and coverage decisions.
The Plan is informed by an annual planning exercise that identifies the timing of individual evaluations based on the requirements of the Policy on Results, departmental needs, risks, and priorities. The development and implementation of the Departmental Evaluation Plan include:
- reviewing various sources of information to identify all mandatory evaluations and assess coverage of the programs
- consulting with program officials, key internal committees, and TBS
- assessing risk when determining the timing and order of future evaluations, prioritizing mandatory evaluations and evaluations that are most likely to inform major policy and program decisions
- validating prioritization and securing final approval from the Deputy Head
- allowing flexibilities for a changing departmental environment
Departmental context
The mandate of ESDC is to build a stronger and more inclusive Canada, to support Canadians in helping them live productive and rewarding lives and improving Canadians' quality of life. To that end, the Department delivers a range of over 50 programs and services that support Canadians throughout their lives and across the country. Programs include transfer payments to provinces and territories and to third-party organizations via grants and contributions, transfer payments to individuals via statutory programs, and the administration and enforcement of workplace legislation as well as service delivery.
The Department's portfolio includes: (1) ESDC, (2) the Labour Program, and (3) Service Canada:
- ESDC delivers a range of programs and services that assist Canadians throughout their life. For instance, it provides seniors with basic income security, supports unemployed workers while helping them return to employment, assists parents who are raising young children, helps students to finance their post-secondary education, and helps youth overcome barriers to employment. The Department also assists persons with disabilities and their families
- the Labour Program's mandate is to promote safe, healthy, cooperative, and productive workplaces that benefit all Canadians, because everyone is entitled to fair treatment on the job. Through legislation, programs and services, the Labour Program fosters good working conditions, constructive labour-management relations, and workplaces free from discrimination
- Service Canada serves as the point of access for some of the Government's largest and most well-known programs and services. This includes Employment Insurance, Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, Canada Disability Benefit, Canadian Dental Care Plan, Social Insurance Number, and Passport Program
ESDC expenditures on programs and services totalled $194.5 billion in fiscal year 2024 to 2025. Of that amount, $186.4 billion (95.8%) directly benefits Canadians through statutory and voted transfer payment.Footnote 1 These include Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan, the Old Age Security, and other transfer payments in support of students, apprentices, and persons with disabilities. The Department also delivered various measures to support early learning and child care, youth, and helped Canadians gain the foundational skills needed to succeed in today's economy.
Evaluation Directorate mandate
The Evaluation Directorate is mandated to evaluate the relevance and performance of departmental programs, policies, initiatives, and services. The Directorate influences policy and program design and service delivery through rigorous analysis and evidence presented in evaluation reports, as well as via technical reports, syntheses, and supplemental studies. In this context, the Directorate works with program officials and senior management on the evaluation process through an inclusive approach to governance.
The ESDC Head of Evaluation is responsible for leading the evaluation function within the Department. Pursuant to the Policy on Results, the ESDC Head of Evaluation has direct and unimpeded access to the ESDC Deputy Head, when required, for the performance of his/her responsibilities.
In accordance with the Policy on Results, the departmental Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee (PMEC) is chaired by the Deputy Head and is comprised of senior-level ESDC officials. The Committee approves the Departmental Evaluation Plan; reviews evaluation reports, including management responses; approves Evaluation Plans; and discusses follow-up on management action plans.
The Evaluation Directorate supports program officials at all stages of the program and policy lifecycle:
- at the initial stage, officials use evaluations to help inform the development of new programs and policies, including their delivery and approach to service, and to support the elaboration of data collection strategy
- during implementation, officials use evaluation findings and recommendations to guide adjustments or program renewal
- as a program or policy matures or winds down, officials can use evaluations to inform lessons learned for future programs or policies
Lastly, the Directorate reports on the implementation of management response action plans. Continuous monitoring and reporting enable improvement throughout the program and policy cycle.
Working horizontally within government
ESDC collaborates on joint evaluations with other departments and agencies on government priorities, horizontal initiatives, and where departmental responsibilities, results or program outcomes are shared or related.Footnote 2 ESDC also frequently engages with Statistics Canada to explore opportunities for data linkages and impact analysis. The Department supported TBS and engaged horizontally with federal evaluation communities through interdepartmental working groups and contributed to the advancement of priorities related to the Policy on Results.
Accomplishments in fiscal year 2025 to 2026
From April 2025 to March 2026, the ESDC PMEC reviewed and approved various evaluation products, including evaluation reports and evaluation plans. Evaluation products and services addressed information needs, responded to key priorities in the Department and contributed to the improvement of programs and services.
Supporting evidence-based decisions
Evaluation products and services influenced and supported evidence-based decision-making. These include:
- 10 evaluation reports that cover diverse program and policy areas
- 21 recommendations contributing to improvements of the evaluated programs and 63 actions that seek to address these recommendations
- 36 technical reports covering 10 different programs to support program officials
- 1 supplemental study to inform the 2024 to 2025 Employment Insurance Monitoring and Assessment Report
- 8 program evaluations formally initiated
- the review of Treasury Board Submissions and Memoranda to Cabinet to inform policies and programs
- consultative input to the development of ESDC's 2026 to 2029 Departmental Results Framework approved by TBS and implemented on April 1st, 2026
- innovative approaches and state-of-the-art techniques (for example, machine learning) in impact evaluation and cost-benefit analysis methodologies to address policy-relevant questions
- advisory input to inform data collection strategies, strengthen Policy Analysis, Research and Evaluation activities, and support the implementation of the government's policy agenda (for example, tariff‑response measures)
- peer reviews for select evaluation results and evaluation methodologies
- evergreen interactive dashboards to provide up-to-date business intelligence on status of program evaluations
Disseminating results
In fiscal year 2025 to 2026, the Department continued to disseminate evaluation findings and engage with partners inside and outside of the federal government. These activities included sharing evaluation-related knowledge through publications, presentations, and engagement activities, through several workshops and conferences, including the Canadian Economics Association Conference, the Canadian Evaluation Society Conference, and the congress of la Société Canadienne de science économique. In March 2026, the Department participated in a workshop hosted by the C.D. Howe Institute, where it presented ESDC's established cost-benefit approach to its training programs as part of broader discussions on value-for-money for government spending. ESDC also launched a new webpage format for publicly posting evaluation reports, featuring a user-friendly search bar, advanced filtering options by program name, and additional contextual information.
Evaluation coverage in fiscal year 2025 to 2026
The Department uses a consultative process to inform decisions on priorities, evidentiary needs, and timing of future evaluations. This approach prioritizes mandatory evaluations and evaluations that are most likely to inform major policy and program decisions.
In fiscal year 2025 to 2026, 10 planned evaluations were completed (see Table 1), consistent with the FAA as well as the Policy on Results.Footnote 3 ESDC met the public release timeliness standards set by the TBS.
In collaboration with program officials, 8 evaluation plans were developed in fiscal year 2025 to 2026. Evaluation plans outline scope, methodology, and timing of evaluation projects of a program or service. PMEC is responsible for reviewing and approving the evaluation plans.
| Evaluation reports | Completion date |
|---|---|
| Evaluation of the Canada Disability Savings Program | June 2025 |
| Evaluation of the Foreign Credential Recognition Program | July 2025 |
| Evaluation of the Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program | July 2025 |
| Evaluation of the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities | December 2025 |
| Evaluation of the New Horizons for Seniors Program | February 2026 |
| Evaluation of the Early Learning and Child Care Innovation Program | March 2026 |
| Evaluation of the Labour Standards Program | March 2026 |
| Evaluation of the Occupational Health and S afety Program | March 2026 |
| Evaluation of Employment Insurance Fishing Benefits | March 2026 |
| Evaluation of the Workplace Equity Program | March 2026 |
Evaluation products continued to support the Commissioners for Employers and Workers at the Canada Employment Insurance Commission by examining labour market issues and supporting the work of the Monitoring Report and Advisory Committee.
Consultations
The annual consultation process for this Plan was conducted from October to November 2025 to identify key evaluation priorities, evidentiary needs, and timing of future evaluations. Consultation participants included program officials and stakeholders with specialized expertise (for example, the Head of Performance Measurement, departmental research divisions, the Chief Data Officer Branch (CDOB), and Internal Audit Services). The consultations re-emphasized the need to:
- carefully review the timing and scope of planned evaluations with program renewal cycles, policy priorities, and review requirements to optimize their relevance, utility and value
- ensure the complementarity of oversight activities (for example, audits) to avoid duplication and enhance coherence
- take into consideration the capacity of programs and reduce the requirements associated with the evaluation process
- leverage linkages between evaluation and research activities to inform evaluation projects, particularly in service delivery
Using information obtained through the consultations, the Evaluation Directorate determined the priorities, evidentiary needs, and the timing of future evaluations. As part of ESDC's consultation process to inform the Plan, feedback is solicited from the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Privy Council Office, and the Department of Finance. Central agency feedback was discussed during the consultation sessions.
Once mandatory evaluations have been scheduled, the Department considers additional discretionary evaluations using an analysis of risk, needs and priorities as well as internal capacity to carry out evaluation activities. Through this analysis, evaluators consider the perspectives of key partners and stakeholders as well as internal risks. The Department considers key departmental risks, including the Departmental Risk Profile. In situations where audit and evaluation schedules overlap for the same program, the Evaluation Directorate collaborates with Internal Audit Services to ensure the complementarity of internal audit/evaluation activities. This provides a means of efficiently examining performance and outcomes.
Comprehensive expenditure review
As part of the Department's response to the 2025 Comprehensive Expenditure Review, ESDC's Head of Performance Measurement and Head of Evaluation supported resource allocation discussions by reviewing the strength and relevance of evidence in departmental proposals, drawing from evaluation findings, lessons learned and performance measurement data.
Evaluation operating environment
The Plan includes an overview of the environment in which the Evaluation Directorate is operating. This includes the quality and availability of program data and the impact of the operating context.
Gender-Based Analysis Plus
GBA Plus is an analytical process that assesses the potential impacts of policies, programs, services, and other initiatives on diverse groups of people, considering gender and other intersecting identifying factors such as age, education, language, and disability. The Department strives to include GBA Plus considerations when it designs, develops, implements, and evaluates programs and services. ESDC will continue to look for opportunities for data integrationFootnote 4 and use of innovative quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods to measure the impact of programs on specific groups in support of the Department's implementation of GBA Plus.
Official Languages
The modernization of the Official Languages Act supports Canada's linguistic duality and helps enhance the vitality of official language minority communities. By taking positive measures to enhance the vitality of these communities and support their development, institutions will ensure the advancement of equality of the status and use of English and French in Canada. This includes considering the specific needs of both official language minority communities at all stages of program development as well as creation of a new accountability and reporting framework.
ESDC evaluation will support the Department's efforts to inform and monitor the implementation of the Official Language Act via its transfer payment programs. Where applicable, ESDC will incorporate an official languages lens into evaluations to better inform the impacts of programs, projects, and initiatives on these communities.
Quality of Life Framework
The Quality of Life Framework aims to unify several new analytical lenses (for example, GBA Plus, Official Languages, Reconciliation, Sustainability) and measure Canada's progress through both material and non-material factors (for example, health, social connections, and nature). By focusing on 5 key domains - Prosperity, Health, Good Governance, Society, and Environment - the Framework provides a holistic perspective on well-being in Canada. The Framework provides evidence to support government decisions, helps ensure that policy and programs enhance the lives of people in Canada, and offers holistic evidence base with a structured framework for analyzing complex policy problems to provide more comprehensive, consistent, and coherent policy advice while making trade-offs more explicit. As part of its review of the 2026 to 2029 Departmental Results Framework, the department incorporated specific Quality of Life Framework indicators for its reporting on departmental results. As applicable, these indicators will help contextualize program evaluations.
The role of data in evidence‑based evaluation
Evaluations rely on performance measurement information and other quantitative and qualitative data that are reliable and suitable for evaluation purposes to determine the impact of programs and services, and whether they deliver value for money.
ESDC's Head of Evaluation works in collaboration with the departmental Head of Performance Measurement, program officials, and the CDOB in the development of performance measurement and data collection plans for ESDC's portfolio of programs. This collaboration improves the use of ESDC's data assets analytics and infrastructure to support policy analysis, research, and evaluation, including the application of the GBA Plus, official languages and Quality of Life Framework lenses.
For active labour market programs, Canada is a leader within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in conducting impact evaluations using administrative data. Building on this success, ESDC intends to continue to advance the development of internal data platforms and collaborate with Statistics Canada to pursue additional data integration opportunities in support of more refined analysis of program reach and performance. In addition, ESDC continues to explore, test, and integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning tools, and advanced impact analysisFootnote 5 into its standard evaluation practices. These efforts are carried out in accordance with ESDC's commitment to the responsible stewardship of Canadian citizens' information, upholding stringent processes to ensure its protection.
Evaluation capacity and resources
To support the evaluation function in fiscal year 2026 to 2027, the Department allocated the equivalent of about 63 full-time equivalents (FTEs) at a salary cost of $7.12 million. The FTE figure is considered an upper bound, with gradual decreases anticipated as workforce adjustments are implemented to support departmental fiscal objectives. These figures are limited to the Evaluation Directorate and do not account for resources allocated by other branches within the Department that contribute to the conduct of evaluations. To address short-term capacity demands, the Department relies on flexible staffing approaches, including students, casual employees, and external experts, within available resources. To support evaluation capacity and effectiveness, the Department is leveraging secure data infrastructure, and digital tools, while continuing to examine the potential role of AI more broadly. These tools enable more efficient analysis of large volumes of information and strengthen the triangulation of multiple lines of evidence used to inform and report on program performance, with scope for further advancement.
Looking beyond 2026 to 2027, the Department will fulfill its evaluation requirements, including those established under the FAA while ensuring alignment with departmental fiscal objectives. This will be achieved through a calibrated evaluation approach that allows for adjustments to evaluation scope and periodicity, as appropriate, while maintaining coverage of key program and services.
Descriptive text for Figure 1
| Fiscal year | Salaries | Operations and maintenance | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 to 2017 | 4.68 | 0.90 | 5.58 |
| 2017 to 2018 | 5.69 | 1.01 | 6.70 |
| 2018 to 2019 | 5.26 | 0.79 | 6.05 |
| 2019 to 2020 | 6.62 | 1.18 | 7.80 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 6.53 | 1.32 | 7.85 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 6.60 | 1.19 | 7.79 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 6.29 | 0.74 | 7.03 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 6.43 | 0.59 | 7.02 |
| 2024 to 2025 | 6.77 | 0.59 | 7.36 |
| 2025 to 2026 | 7.37 | 0.43 | 7.81 |
| 2026 to 2027* | 7.12 | 0.51 | 7.63 |
| Fiscal year | 2017 to 2018 | 2018 to 2019 | 2019 to 2020 | 2020 to 2021 | 2021 to 2022 | 2022 to 2023 | 2023 to 2024 | 2024 to 2025 | 2025 to 2026 | 2026 to 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTEs | 59 | 58 | 71 | 69 | 69 | 66 | 57 | 59 | 65 | 63 |
- Figures in fiscal year 2026 to 2027 are estimates | FTEs do not include students.
Going forward
The Department tentatively plans to complete 7 evaluations in fiscal year 2026 to 2027. In the years ahead, evaluations will continue to:
- rely on a collaborative approach with program and service delivery officials to provide timely evidence to inform decisions
- apply state-of-art econometric techniques and improve the use of artificial intelligence capabilities to increase the efficiency of analyzing large, complex datasets to generate evidence-based insights
- support program officials and the Head of Performance Measurement towards improving data collection strategies, performance measurement information and providing advice to internal stakeholders.
- engage with Indigenous governments, organizations, and communities to co-develop culturally appropriate evaluation approaches of Indigenous programs in support of reconciliation
- engage experts to stay informed and adopt best practices from other jurisdictions, departments, and disciplines
- collaborate with evaluation practitioners to strengthen the evaluation function across government
- work with Statistics Canada, the CDOB and program areas to identify opportunities for data integration and use of innovative methods to inform the impact of programs
- engage with official language minority communities to inform the department's role in the implementation of the Official Language Act through its transfer payment programs
The following section provides a coverage table that lists all planned evaluations for the next 5 years. The table demonstrates that the Department will meet coverage requirements mandated by the TBS, the Policy on Results, and the FAA. This is in addition to completing discretionary evaluations designated as a priority by the Department. Given the scale and unique objectives of Employment Insurance benefits, the Employment Insurance program is subject to more than 1 evaluation from fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031.Footnote 6 Over this period, planned evaluation coverage may be subject to change.
Lastly, recent investments identified in Budget 2025 and the Spring Economic Update 2026, and their implications for ESDC's suite of programs and evaluation requirements, will be reflected in next year's evaluation plan, informed in part by departmental consultations.
Planned evaluation coverage from fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031
| # | Planned fiscal year of completion | Planned evaluation name | Last program evaluation | Reason for evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026 to 2027 (second quarter) | Evaluation of the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training ProgramFootnote 7 | February 2020 | FAA requirement |
| 2 | 2026 to 2027 (second quarter) | Evaluation of the Migrant Worker Support Program (initiative under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program) | June 2021 | FAA requirement |
| 3 | 2026 to 2027 (third quarter) | Evaluation of Student Work Placement Program | January 2022 | FAA requirement |
| 4 | 2026 to 2027 (third quarter) | Evaluation of the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy - General Trades and Apprenticeship Supports | February 2023 | FAA requirement |
| 5 | 2026 to 2027 (fourth quarter) | Evaluation of Employment Insurance Caregiving Benefits | April 2019 | Departmental needs/risks |
| 6 | 2026 to 2027 (fourth quarter) | Evaluation of the Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority CommunitiesFootnote 8 | March 2022 | FAA requirement |
| 7 | 2026 to 2027 (fourth quarter) | Evaluation of the Wage Earner Protection Program | March 2022 | Departmental needs/risks |
| 8 | 2027 to 2028 | Evaluation of the Social Finance Fund | First planned evaluation | FAA requirement |
| 9 | 2027 to 2028 | Evaluation of the Enabling Accessibility Fund | December 2022 | FAA requirement |
| 10 | 2027 to 2028 | Evaluation of the Skills for Success Program | October 2022 | FAA requirement |
| 11 | 2027 to 2028 | Evaluation of the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program | March 2023 | FAA requirement |
| 12 | 2027 to 2028 | Evaluation of the Early Learning and Child Care Program: Official Languages Initiatives | March 2026Footnote 9 | Departmental needs/risks |
| 13 | 2027 to 2028 | Evaluation of the Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits and Premium Reduction Program (PRP) | June 2020 (EI Sickness Benefits) and December 2009 (PRP) | Departmental needs/risks |
| 14 | 2027 to 2028 | Evaluation of the International Labour Affairs Program | April 2018 | FAA requirement |
| 15 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of the National School Food Program | First planned evaluation | FAA requirement |
| 16 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of the Old Age Security Program, including the Guaranteed Income Supplement | December 2020 | Departmental needs/risks |
| 17 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service | June 2021 | Departmental needs/risks |
| 18 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of the Federal Workers' Compensation Service | July 2018 | Departmental needs/risks |
| 19 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of Employment Insurance Extended Parental Benefits | November 2022 | Departmental needs/risks |
| 20 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of the Support for Student Learning Program and the Canada Service Corps | April 2024 | FAA requirement |
| 21 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of the Future Skills Program | June 2023 | FAA requirement |
| 22 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of the Social Development Partnerships Program | February 2024 | FAA requirement |
| 23 | 2028 to 2029 | Evaluation of the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program: Student Grants and Loans | February 2024 | Departmental needs/risks |
| 24 | 2029 to 2030 | Horizontal Evaluation of the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Transformation InitiativeFootnote 10 | July 2024 | FAA requirement |
| 25 | 2029 to 2030 | Evaluation of the Service Delivery Partnerships Program | First planned evaluation | Departmental needs/risks |
Evaluations with multi-phased timelines
The planned completion and Deputy Head approval of interim studies and final reports for the following 2 evaluations will span multiple years from 2027 to 2028 until 2030 to 2031. While the evaluation of the Labour Market Development Agreements will not include the impact of tariff-response funding, they will be considered when interpreting results. The data to evaluate these impacts will not be available until 2030.
| Planned fiscal year of completion | Planned evaluation name | Last program evaluation | Reason for evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 to 2028 until 2030 to 2031 | Evaluation of the Workforce Development Agreements | March 2022 | Commitment in Treasury Board submission |
| 2027 to 2028 until 2030 to 2031 | Evaluation of the Labour Market Development Agreements (fourth cycle) | November 2022 | Commitment in Treasury Board submission |
Programs excluded from evaluation coverage from fiscal years 2026 to 2027 until 2030 to 2031
For some programs in ESDC's program inventory, no planned evaluations are currently scheduled and their inclusion in future evaluation plans will be considered during annual consultations. The main reasons for programs not having a planned evaluation include:
- Ongoing programs of grants and contributions that do not have a 5-year average actual expenditure of $5 million or greater per year
- Temporary programs with a duration of less than 5 years
- Programs with no grants and contributions component (including program services) for which the Policy on Results provides more flexibility on the frequency of evaluation
- Specific exemptions stemming from TBS policies
Service Canada delivers the Passport Program domestically on behalf of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). IRCC retains accountability for program evaluation. As a result, the Passport Program is excluded from ESDC's evaluation coverage, with ESDC supporting IRCC on evaluation activities as needed.
| # | Program | Under $5 million 5-year average expenditures | Temporary program | Grants and contributions component | Special exception | Last evaluation date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accessible Canada Initiative | Yes | No | Yes | No | Not yet evaluated |
| 2 | Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime | Yes | No | Yes | No | December 2017 |
| 3 | Strategic Engagement and Research Program | Yes | No | Yes | No | Not yet evaluated |
| 4 | Community Workforce Development ProgramFootnote 11 | No | Yes | Yes | No | Not yet evaluated |
| 5 | Canada Pension Plan | No | No | No | No | March 2023 |
| 6 | Job Bank | Yes | No | Yes | No | March 2021 |
| 7 | Citizen Service Network | No | No | No | No | October 2019 |
| 8 | Canadian Digital Service | No | No | No | No | October 2019 |
| 9 | Government of Canada Internet Presence | No | No | No | No | October 2019 |
| 10 | Government of Canada Telephone General Enquiries Services | No | No | No | No | October 2019 |
| 11 | Black-led Philanthropic Endowment FundFootnote 12 | No | No | Yes | Yes | Not yet evaluated |
| 12 | Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship (Red Seal Program) | No | No | No | No | Not yet evaluated |
| 13 | Canada Disability Savings Program | No | No | No | No | June 2025 |
| 14 | Canada Disability Benefit | No | No | No | No | Not yet evaluated |
| 15 | Labour Standards Program | No | No | No | No | March 2026 |
| 16 | Occupational Health and Safety ProgramFootnote 13 | Yes | No | Yes | No | March 2026 |
| 17 | Personal Support Worker Retirement Savings Innovation ProgramFootnote 14 | No | Yes | Yes | No | Not yet evaluated |
| 18 | Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program | Yes | No | Yes | No | July 2025 |
| 19 | Workplace Equity ProgramFootnote 15 | Yes | No | No | No | March 2026 |