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Employment Equity in the Public Service of Canada for Fiscal Year 2019 to 2020

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Employment Equity in the Public Service of Canada for Fiscal Year 2019 to 2020
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Message from the President of the Treasury Board

I am pleased to present the 28th annual report to Parliament on employment equity in the public service of Canada for fiscal year 2019–20.

Since the end of the fiscal year covered in this report, conversations about anti-racism have brought to light the importance of the Government’s ongoing efforts to create a diverse and inclusive public service. While the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified many of these challenges, it also offers tremendous opportunities to rebuild a fairer, more resilient society.

The public service has long made diversity and inclusion a core value. But despite steady progress over the past decade, work remains to be done. In 2019–20, for example, of the four employment equity groups – women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities – persons with disabilities continued to be the only group for which the public service is not meeting workforce availability, especially under the new and expanded definition of disabilities. The previous six-year decline in representation of this group has now halted, and we are optimistic that our commitment to hire 5,000 (net) employees with disabilities by 2025, and provide new tools to support their hiring and retention, will lead to increases both in the representation of, and opportunities for, persons with disabilities in the public service.

Building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive public service improves service and outcomes for Canadians. This requires a government-wide effort to create and foster a culture that values inclusiveness – one that sees our differences as our strength and provides all our employees with a deep sense of belonging. To achieve this goal, we will continue to generate and share data that give a more accurate picture of representation gaps, and to invest in the career pathways of our senior leaders. Our “Mentorship Plus” program will also improve the representativeness of our senior ranks. Using this data and learning from these initiatives, the public service can serve as a model for other organizations seeking the same goals.

In addition, we will support the review of the Employment Equity Act to ensure appropriate benchmarks for diversity and to address systemic barriers in the underlying framework. We will also foster a climate of open dialogue by engaging and educating public servants, and key community stakeholders will be invited to define and contribute to the change.

These are just a few of the ways Canada’s government is working to create a more diverse, inclusive, accessible, and representative workforce, and many new initiatives have been launched since the period covered in this report. For more information on this important work, please visit the Government of Canada’s Diversity and inclusion areas of focus for the public service.

You are all invited to read this report to see how we are building a better public service to serve all Canadians.

Original signed by

Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P.
President of the Treasury Board of Canada

Employment equity in the public service

In this section

A workplace characterized by respect, dignity and fairness is at the core of one of the fundamental values of the public service of Canada: respect for people. Inherent in this value are the notions of diversity and inclusion to ensure that:

  • the public service reflects the makeup of the population it serves
  • the work environment is one where employees have a sense of belonging and where difference is embraced as a source of strength

The Employment Equity Act is one of the key pieces of the legislative foundation that ensures equity and fairness in the public service.

The act requires that the employer measure numerical progress toward representation and continuously improve the workplace experience regarding employment equity. This report provides:

  • details on the public service’s performance in creating a representative workforce
  • examples of ongoing activities and strategies intended to help identify, prevent and, remove barriers to the full participation of members of designated employment equity groups in all aspects of the workplace and employee life cycle

The Employment Equity Act designates four employment equity groups: women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities. In the core public administration (CPA), targeted efforts to ensure that the public service meets or exceeds workforce availability of the designated groups, that is, their representation in “those segments of the Canadian workforce that are identifiable by qualification, eligibility or geography and from which the employer may reasonably be expected to draw employees.”Footnote 1

Employment equity representation in 2019–20

The 2019–20 fiscal year saw increases in both the size of the CPA (by 10,852 employees) and the number of employees who are members of all four employment equity groups. Employee self-identification data as measured against the available workforce shows that the CPA is generally representative of the population it serves, except for persons with disabilities. Representation of Indigenous peoples has remained stable, and representation of women and members of visible minorities, which already met workforce availability, continued to increase. Hiring and promotion rates for women and members of visible minorities also showed positive signs, suggesting that the number of members of these two groups will continue to meet or exceed workforce availability (see the infographic and narrative below).

There are areas for improvement. Persons with disabilities, whose representation is already below workforce availability, are not being hired or promoted at a rate that counters the separation rate (the rate at which they leave the public service). Similarly, Indigenous peoples, although currently represented at a rate that meets workforce availability, have hiring and promotion rates that suggest that this situation requires continued effort. Targeted measures for persons with disabilities and Indigenous peoples are needed to address these trends.

The leadership of the public sector is not as representative or diverse as the public service population at large. Although executives, women and members of visible minorities currently meet or exceed workforce availability benchmarks, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities do not. At the two most senior levels, which comprise assistant deputy ministers or equivalents, gaps remain in all four groups. Additionally, the hiring and promotion for members of all four groups are below what is needed to sustain representation rates or address under-representation at the executive level. Although the separation for all groups decreased since the previous year, the continued higher separation of female executives and members of visible minorities executives indicate that their current positive representation rates will not be sustained unless hiring and promotion increase significantly.

Infographic 1: Employment equity in the core public administration 2019 to 2020
Infographic 1:
Infographic 1 - Text version

Note: Figures in square brackets represent the change since 2018–19.

Employment equity population: 142,639

3 of the 4 employment equity designated groups are above workforce availability: women, Indigenous peoples and members of visible minorities.

Core public administration representation

  • 55.0% are women, which is higher than their workforce availability of 52.7%, and has an increase of 0.2 percentage points from last year’s report
  • 5.1% have identified themselves as Indigenous, which is higher than their workforce availability of 4.0% and is at the same representation rate from last year’s report
  • 5.2% have identified themselves as a person with a disability, which is lower than their workforce availability of 9.0% and is at the same representation rate from last year’s report
  • 17.8% have identified themselves as a member of visible minorities, which is higher than their workforce availability of 15.3% and has an increase of 1.1 percentage points from last year’s report

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations

Human resources action Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Hirings 58.3% [+1.8] 4.0% [-0.1] 3.9% [+0.2] 21.3% [+2.0]
Promotions 61.1% [+0.7] 4.9% [+0.1] 4.2% [-0.1] 19.9% [+1.2]
Separations 57.2% [-0.1] 5.3% [+0.2] 7.1% [+0.5] 10.5% [+0.7]

In these figures for degree of representation, a note of “caution” is indicated for hirings and promotions for Indigenous peoples. A note of “needs attention” is indicated for the following:

  • separations for Indigenous peoples
  • hirings, separations and promotions for persons with disabilities

2 of the 4 employment equity designated groups are above workforce availability in the executive ranks.

Core public administration representation in the executive ranks

  • 51.1% are women, which is higher than their workforce availability of 48.0%, and has an increase of 0.9 percentage points from last year’s report
  • 4.1% have identified themselves as Indigenous, which is lower than their workforce availability of 5.1%, and is at the same representation rate from last year’s report
  • 4.7% have identified themselves as a person with a disability, which is lower than their workforce availability of 5.3% and has an increase of 0.1 percentage points from last year’s report
  • 11.5% have identified themselves as a member of visible minorities, which is higher than their workforce availability of 10.6% and has an increase of 0.4 percentage points from last year’s report

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations in the executive ranks

Human resources action Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Hirings 44.9% [-0.4] Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
Promotions 53.6% [-1.3] 3.9% [-1.1] 3.5% [-0.7] 13.0% [-0.6]
Separations 45.3% [-0.6] 4.7% [+2.0] 6.1% [-0.6] 6.5% [-0.4]

In these figures for degree of representation, a note of “caution” is indicated for separations for Indigenous peoples. A note of “needs attention” is indicated for the following:

  • hirings for women
  • hirings and promotions for Indigenous peoples
  • hirings, promotions and separation for persons with disabilities
  • hirings for members of visible minorities

The population of the public service overall is 214,120, an increase of 10,852 from last year.

Following are subtotals by province, territory and other categories:

  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 3,493 [+178]
  • Prince Edward Island: 2,046 [+143]
  • Nova Scotia: 8,874 [+287]
  • New Brunswick: 8,574 [+402]
  • Quebec (without the National Capital Region): 22,129 [+805]
  • National Capital Region: 98,496 [+5,718]
  • Ontario (without the National Capital Region): 25,781 [+1,329]
  • Manitoba: 6,966 [+279]
  • Saskatchewan: 4,793 [+139]
  • Alberta: 10,573 [+ 438]
  • British Columbia: 17,640 [+709]
  • Yukon: 326 [+21]
  • Northwest Territories: 411 [+1]
  • Nunavut: 252 [+16]
  • outside Canada: 1,439 [+64]
  • not available: 2,327 [+323]

Salary distribution

Salary range Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities Core public administration population
Under $50,000 6.0% [-0.7] 5.3% [-0.6] 5.6% [-0.6] 4.7% [-0.9] 4.8%
$50,000 to $74,999 49.2% [-1.0] 47.2% [-1.0] 47.2% [-0.1] 46.3% [+0.1] 43.3%
$75,000 to $99,999 27.7% [-0.5] 33.8% [-0.3] 29.2% [-0.6] 29.7% [-1.2] 31.4%
$100,000 and over 17.1% [+2.2] 13.8% [+1.8] 18.0% [+1.3] 19.3% [+2.0] 20.5%

Representation in the largest 5 occupational groups

Occupational group Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
PA: Program and Administrative Services 72.8% [-0.4] 6.3% [-0.2] 6.2% [-0.1] 18.6% [+1.2]
EC: Economics and Social Science Services 58.2% [+0.2] 3.6% [+0.2] 5.3% [+0.3] 23.1% [+1.2]
IT: Information Technology 23.0% [-0.4] 3.1% [0.0] 5.9% [+0.1] 22.9% [+1.4]
TC: Technical Services 31.6% [+0.2] 4.9% [-0.1] 4.1% [-0.2] 11.2% [+0.4]
SV: Operational Services 20.6% [+0.3] 5.2% [+0.1] 4.5% [-0.2] 5.0% [+0.3]

The source of representation data is the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Employment Equity Data Bank, which is populated with self-identification information provided by employees.

To learn more

Diversity and inclusion statistics

Toward a more diverse and inclusive public service

A more diverse and inclusive public service requires sustained action by many actors, including central agencies and arm’s-length organizations that set policy parameters and targeted initiatives, deputy heads, human resources professionals, individual managers, and all public servants. The 2019–20 fiscal year saw several key initiatives that set the foundation for the future of people management in the public service:

  • The people management policy framework was reviewed and updated, incorporating many changes from the application of a diversity and inclusion lens. The new Policy on People Management and its related directives came into force on April 1, 2020.
  • The Directive on Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion now frames the Government of Canada’s intention to move beyond current requirements for employment equity, emphasizing an increased focus on diversity and inclusion in its workforce and workplaces, and includes the requirement for deputy heads of federal organizations to designate a senior official or officials to be responsible for the directive’s requirements.
  • The Directive on the Duty to Accommodate now encourages a shift in organizational culture from accommodation being only for persons with disabilities to one that includes accommodation for all employees. The directive has a new requirement for managers to address the work-related needs of employees without resorting to a formal request for accommodation that requires burdensome proof from the employee.
  • The Joint Employment Equity Committee is an ongoing advisory committee through which employment equity, diversity and inclusion policy, programs and initiatives are discussed among employees’ representatives of bargaining agents, departments, the Public Service Commission of Canada, and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer. The committee’s activities in 2019–20 included the following:
    • discussions about harassment and violence prevention
    • discussions about recruitment and staffing
    • presentations from partners such as the Office of Public Service Accessibility; the Public Service Commission of Canada; the Centre for Wellness, Inclusion and Diversity; and the Privy Council Office (“Beyond2020” exercise)

To learn more

Women

The representation rate for women steadily increased, including for executives, and continues to exceed estimated workforce availability (see the infographic and narrative below).

Overall, 2019–20 saw increases in women’s hiring and promotion and only a slight decrease in the separation. Although the separations remain proportionally higher for women than for the general population, higher-than-average hiring and promotion balances this out in terms of sustaining their representation. However, among executives, although women currently exceed workforce availability, hiring and promotion decreased. If this trend continues, representation rates for women executives may fall below workforce availability in the future. The public service is working to improve its promotion, recruitment, and leadership development in order to increase the representation of employment equity designated groups in senior leadership.

The concentration and representation of women across occupational groups continue to be inconsistent:

  • The concentration of women continues to be very high in some occupational groups, such as:
    • Health Services
    • Human Resources Management
    • Translation
    • Program and Administrative Services
    • Police Operations Support
  • The representation of women in Information Technology has fallen. The representation of women has risen slightly in other low-representation occupational groups, but the sustainability of these gains is precarious in some occupational groups, such as:
    • Ships’ Officers
    • Operational Services
    • Architecture, Engineering and Land Survey
    • Correctional Services

Women in the public service whose average age is one year younger (43) than the average age of the public service overall (44) continue to experience an imbalance in salary distribution. Women were over-represented in the lower salary distribution. Overall, nearly twice as many women as men earned under $50,000, and women were also over-represented compared to men in the salary bracket of less than $74,999. This over-representation is a concern consistent with:

  • the concentration of women in lower-paid jobs across occupations
  • hiring and promotion rates to sustain representation at the executive level

Once the Pay Equity Act comes into force, the Treasury Board and other federal employers will be required to review the compensation of female-predominant job classes and ensure that they receive equal pay for work of equal value.

Infographic 2: Women working in the core public administration 2019 to 2020
Infographic 2:
Infographic 2 - Text version

Note: Figures in square brackets represent the change since 2018–19.

55.0% of employees in the core public administration are women, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from last year’s report and higher than their workforce availability of 52.7%.

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations

Human resources action Women
Hirings 58.3% [+1.8]
Promotions 61.1% [+0.7]
Separations 57.2% [-0.1]

51.1% of executive positions are occupied by women, an increase of 0.9 percentage points from last year’s report and higher than their workforce availability of 48.0%.

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations in the executive ranks

Human resources action Women
Hirings 44.9% [-0.4]
Promotions 53.6% [-1.3]
Separations 45.3% [-0.6]

In these figures for degree of representation, a note of “needs attention” is indicated for hirings.

Cross-sectional analysis for women

  • 5.7% have identified themselves as Indigenous, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from last year
  • 5.0% have identified themselves as a person with a disability, which is the same as last year
  • 18.1% have identified themselves as a member of visible minorities, an increase of 1.1 percentage points from last year

The population of women in the public service population is 117,760, an increase of 6,428 from last year.

Following are subtotals by province, territory and other categories:

  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,669 [+104]
  • Prince Edward Island: 1,295 [+80]
  • Nova Scotia: 4,130 [+184]
  • New Brunswick: 5,011 [+251]
  • Quebec (without the National Capital Region): 11,657 [+542]
  • National Capital Region: 55,317 [+3,270]
  • Ontario (without the National Capital Region): 14,403 [+869]
  • Manitoba: 4,011 [+192]
  • Saskatchewan: 2,911 [+106]
  • Alberta: 5,982 [+298]
  • British Columbia: 8,747 [+323]
  • Yukon: 204 [+12]
  • Northwest Territories: 253 [+2]
  • Nunavut: 156 [+11]
  • outside Canada: 729 [+52]
  • not available: 1,285 [+132]

Salary distribution

Salary range Women Men
Under $50,000 68.5% [0.0] 31.5%
$50,000 to $74,999 62.6% [-0.3] 37.4%
$75,000 to $99,999 48.4% [+1.0] 51.6%
$100,000 and over 45.9% [+1.3] 54.1%

Occupational groups with highest proportion of women (100 and more employees)

  • HM: Human Resources Management: 80.3% [+0.5]
  • SH: Health Services: 80.0% [+0.8]
  • TR: Translation: 75.8% [+0.5]
  • PA: Program and Administrative Services: 72.8% [-0.4]
  • PO: Police Operations Support: 71.8% [+1.5]

Occupational groups with lowest proportion of women (100 and more employees)

  • CX: Correctional Services: 28.4% [+0.2]
  • NR: Architecture, Engineering and Land Survey: 24.4% [+0.9]
  • IT: Information Technology: 23.0% [-0.4]
  • SV: Operational Services: 20.6% [+0.3]
  • SO: Ships’ Officers: 11.6% [+0.3]

The source of the representation data is the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Employment Equity Data Bank, which is populated with self-identification information provided by employees.

To learn more

Diversity and inclusion statistics

Initiatives to support women

The new Pay Equity Act, which received royal assent in 2018, will require public service employers to:

  • proactively review compensation systems to ensure that they provide equal pay for work of equal value
  • develop a pay equity plan within three years of the act coming into force

In 2019–20, the enabling regulations required to bring the act into force were developed and published in the Canada Gazette, Part I. In addition, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat continued with implementation readiness activities for pay equity in the public service.

To learn more

Indigenous peoples

The representation rate of Indigenous peoples in the CPA is above estimated workforce availability. However, this rate may not be sustainable because hiring has decreased slightly, and separation remains high (see the infographic and narrative below).

Indigenous peoples have not yet achieved representation levels at parity with workforce availability in the Executive group, which has lower hiring and promotion for Indigenous peoples than for non-Indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples are leaving the public service at a rate that is higher than their peers. Indigenous peoples are on average one year older (45) than the average age of the public service overall (44).

In 2019–20, the representation of Indigenous peoples did not improve significantly in the occupational groups that have the lowest numbers compared to the previous year.

  • The concentration of Indigenous peoples continues to be highest in the following occupation groups:
    • Education and Library Science
    • Correctional Services
    • Health Services
    • Program and Administrative Services
    • Operational Services
  • The under-representation of Indigenous peoples in the following occupational groups indicates that further efforts may be needed to meet or exceed estimated workforce availability:
    • Border Services
    • Economics and Social Science Services
    • Information Technology
    • Financial Management
    • Applied Science and Patent Examination

Although the number of Indigenous peoples earning more than $100,000 increased by 1.8 percentage points in 2019–20, it is still lower than the average, and there continues to be a higher concentration of Indigenous employees in the three lowest salary distributions.

Infographic 3: Indigenous peoples working in the core public administration 2019 to 2020
Infographic 3:
Infographic 3 - Text version

Note: Figures in square brackets represent a change since 2018–19.

5.1% of employees in the core public administration have identified themselves as Indigenous, which is the same as last year and higher than their workforce availability of 4.0%

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations

Human resources action Indigenous peoples
Hirings 4.0% [-0.1]
Promotions 4.9% [+0.1]
Separations 5.3% [+0.2]

In these figures for degree of representation, a note of “caution” is indicated for hirings and promotions and a note of “needs attention” is indicated for separations.

4.1% of executive positions are occupied by Indigenous employees, which is the same as last year’s report and lower than their workforce availability of 5.1%.

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations in the executive ranks:

Human resources action Indigenous peoples
Hirings Footnote *
Promotions 3.9% [-1.1]
Separations 4.7% [+2.0]

In these figures for degree of representation, a note of “caution” is indicated for separations, and a note of “needs attention” is indicated for hirings and promotions.

Cross-sectional analysis for Indigenous peoples

  • 61.6% are women, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from last year
  • 6.9% have identified themselves as a person with a disability, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from last year
  • 8.4% have identified themselves as a member of visible minorities, an increase of 0.7 percentage points from last year

The population of Indigenous peoples in the public service population is 10,888, an increase of 453 from last year.

Following are subtotals by province, territory and other categories:

  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 245 [+18]
  • Prince Edward Island: 50 [+6]
  • Nova Scotia: 502 [+27]
  • New Brunswick: 304 [+6]
  • Quebec (without the National Capital Region): 551 [+31]
  • National Capital Region: 3,893 [+194]
  • Ontario (without the National Capital Region): 1,235 [+36]
  • Manitoba: 990 [+22]
  • Saskatchewan: 854 [+30]
  • Alberta: 834 [+12]
  • British Columbia: 1,053 [+47]
  • Yukon: 51 [-1]
  • Northwest Territories: 69 [0]
  • Nunavut: 113 [+8]
  • outside Canada: 49 [+4]
  • not available: 95 [+13]

Salary distribution

Salary Indigenous employees Core public administration population
Under $50,000 5.3% [-0.6] 4.8%
$50,000 to $74,999 47.2% [-1.0] 43.3%
$75,000 to $99,999 33.8% [-0.3] 31.4%
$100,000 and over 13.8% [+1.8] 20.5%

Subgroup distribution for Indigenous peoples

  • Métis: 2.1% [-0.1]
  • North American / First Nation: 2.1% [0.0]
  • other: 0.8% [0.0]
  • Inuit: 0.1% [0.0]

Occupational groups with highest proportion of Indigenous employees (100 and more employees)

  • EB: Education and Library Science: 11.9% [-0.3]
  • CX: Correctional Services: 11.4% [0.0]
  • SH: Health Services: 6.5% [-0.3]
  • PA: Programs and Administrative Services: 6.3% [-0.2]
  • SV: Operational Services: 5.2% [+0.1]

Occupational groups with lowest proportion of Indigenous employees (100 and more employees)

  • FB: Border Services: 3.8% [0.0]
  • EC: Economics and Social Sciences Services: 3.6% [+0.2]
  • IT: Information Technology: 3.1% [0.0]
  • FI: Financial Management: 3.0% [-0.1]
  • SP: Applied Science and Patent Examination: 1.8% [0.0]

The source of the representation data is the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Employment Equity Data Bank, which is populated with self-identification information provided by employees.

To learn more

Diversity and inclusion statistics

Initiatives to support Indigenous peoples

  • The GCpedia site Building Bridges Through Learning was launched by the Canada School of Public Service as a one-stop inventory of Indigenous-related learning, training and activities, providing employees with awareness and knowledge of Indigenous cultures, history and contemporary realities.
  • Two pathway portals were launched:
    • The Public Service Commission of Canada worked with Indigenous employee networks to co-develop the Indigenous Career Pathway, which provides expertise and support for Indigenous recruitment. It includes:
      • the Inventory of Indigenous Applicants (accessible only on the Government of Canada network), which comprises students who have experience in the federal public service and are available for rehiring or appointment opportunities
      • the Indigenous Recruitment Toolbox (accessible only on the Government of Canada network), which provides resources and advice on Indigenous staffing
    • The Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer and Indigenous employee networks co-developed the Career Pathways for Indigenous Employees website to provide tools and resources to support Indigenous employees as they navigate their career in the federal public service.
  • The Indigenous Student Employment Opportunity initiative, which provides onboarding, training, mentorship, networking activities and support services to Indigenous students and their hiring managers, is now open to applications year-round. To further support their inclusion and progress in the public service, students are also offered one-on-one mentorship sessions with Indigenous executives.
  • Pilimmaksaivik, the whole-of government Inuit employment plan (which covers 2017–19 to 2022–23), oversaw the addition of 45 new Inuit employees in the federal government in Nunavut, for a total of 172, an increase from 123 in January 2017. In 2019, Pilimmaksaivik focused on implementing a pre-employment training plan to remove barriers for the 10,120 Nunavut Inuit who are interested in working for the Government of Canada but who may face challenges in doing so. This plan included the following:
    • the Inuit Learning and Development Plan, which had nine participants in its third cohort (including four in its new science stream)
    • Sivuliqtiurnimut Ilinniarniq, a multi-phased leadership training initiative, which had 12 Nunavut Inuit employees participating in the second cohort

To learn more

Persons with disabilities

In 2019–20, both the number and proportion of persons with disabilities in the workforce stabilized after a six-year decline (see the infographic and narrative below).

Persons with disabilities are under-represented both overall and in executive positions compared to workforce availability. Their hiring and promotion is lower than employees in general, with promotions decreasing compared to previous years. The difficulties in bridging the gaps are exacerbated by the fact that separations exceed new hires across the public service, and there are a limited number of executive-ready candidates. On average, people with disabilities are four years older (48) than the average age of the public service overall (44).

In 2019–20, the representation of persons with disabilities did not improve significantly with regard to the occupational groups’ dispersion. Persons with disabilities continue to not meet workforce availability in any occupational group.

Although the number of persons with disabilities earning more than $100,000 increased by 1.3 percentage points in 2019–20, it is still lower than the average, and there continues to be a higher concentration of people with disabilities in the three lowest salary distributions.

Infographic 4: Persons with disabilities working in the core public administration 2019 to 2020
Infographic 4:
Infographic 4 - Text version

Note: Figures in square brackets represent a change since 2018–19.

5.2% of employees in the core public administration have identified themselves as a person with a disability, which is lower than their workforce availability of 9.0%.

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations:

Human resources action Persons with disabilities
Hirings 3.9% [+0.2]
Promotions 4.2% [-0.1]
Separations 7.1% [+0.5]

In these figures for degree of representation, a note of “needs attention” is indicated for hirings, separations and promotions.

4.7% of executive positions are occupied by persons with disabilities, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from last year’s report, which is lower than their workforce availability of 5.3%.

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations in the executive ranks

Human resources action Persons with disabilities
Hirings Footnote *
Promotions 3.5% [-0.7]
Separations 6.1% [-0.6]

In these figures for degree of representation, a note of “needs attention” is indicated for hirings, separations and promotions.

Cross-sectional analysis for persons with disabilities

  • 53.4% are women, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from last year
  • 6.8% have identified themselves as Indigenous, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from last year
  • 10.8% have identified themselves as a member of visible minorities group, an increase of 0.9 percentage points from last year

The population of persons with disabilities in the public service population is 11,087, an increase of 465 from last year.

The following are subtotals by province, territory and other categories:

  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 174 [+11]
  • Prince Edward Island: 124 [+9]
  • Nova Scotia: 621 [+12]
  • New Brunswick: 395 [+7]
  • Quebec (without the National Capital Region): 744 [+29]
  • National Capital Region: 5,250 [+298]
  • Ontario (without the National Capital Region): 1,482 [+45]
  • Manitoba: 398 [+20]
  • Saskatchewan: 240 [-4]
  • Alberta: 612 [+6]
  • British Columbia: 828 [+4]
  • Yukon: 22 [-1]
  • Northwest Territories: 21 [-4]
  • Nunavut: 10 [+2]
  • outside Canada: 40 [-1]
  • not available: 126 [+32]

Salary distribution

Salary Persons with disabilities Core public administration population
Under $50,000 5.6% [-0.6] 4.8%
$50,000 to $74,999 47.2% [-0.1] 43.3%
$75,000 to $99,999 29.2% [-0.6] 31.4%
$100,000 and over 18.0% [+1.3] 20.5%

Subgroup distribution for persons with disabilities

  • Other disability: 3.1% [+0.1]
  • Mobility: 0.8% [0.0]
  • Deaf or hard of hearing: 0.7% [0.0]
  • Coordination or dexterity: 0.4% [0.0]
  • Blind or visual impairment: 0.4% [0.0]
  • Speech impairment: 0.1% [0.0]

Occupational groups with highest proportion of persons with disabilities (100 and more employees)

  • HM: Human Resources Management: 6.9% [-0.2]
  • PA: Program and Administrative Services: 6.2% [-0.1]
  • IT: Information Technology: 5.9% [+0.1]
  • LP: Law Practitioner: 5.8% [-0.5]
  • EC: Economics and Social Science Services: 5.3% [+0.3]

Occupational groups with lowest proportion of persons with disabilities (100 and more employees)

  • CX: Correctional Services: 3.8% [+0.2]
  • FB: Border Services: 3.4% [+0.1]
  • FI: Financial Management: 3.4% [-0.1]
  • SP: Applied Science and Patent Examination: 3.1% [+0.1]
  • NR: Architecture, Engineering and Land Survey: 3.1% [-0.2]

The source of the representation data is the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Employment Equity Data Bank, which is populated with self-identification information provided by employees.

To learn more

Diversity and inclusion statistics

Initiatives to support people with disabilities

  • The Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada, released in May 2019, has five goals, two of them directly related to increasing the number of persons with disabilities working in the public service and improving their experiences of employment throughout their careers:
    • removing barriers to accessibility
    • inclusion in the public service
  • A Centralized Enabling Workplace Fund launched a five-year $10-million fund (2019–24) to support departments and agencies in developing new tools and guidance, improve existing processes, and experiment with innovative solutions that equip employees to contribute to reaching their full potential.
  • A comprehensive benchmarking study, comprising two government-wide online surveys, was launched to document feedback from federal employees with disabilities and managers on challenges and opportunities to improve the federal workplace accommodation process.
  • A new Government of Canada Workplace Accessibility Passport is being piloted by several early-adopter departments as a tool that will follow employees as they change jobs within the CPA. The passport will help streamline conversations with their managers about the tools and supports they need to succeed in their jobs.
  • An Accessibility Hub was created by the Office of Public Service Accessibility as a source of guidance, tools, tips and best practices on accessibility for departments and agencies.
  • The Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities was launched by the Public Service Commission of Canada. The first cohort of 20 interns was hired in eight departments and agencies.
  • The Employment Opportunity for Students with Disabilities, operated by the Public Service Commission of Canada, is now open to applications year-round. This initiative offers tools such as an onboarding process, training, mentorship, networking activities, and support services to students with disabilities and their hiring managers, including a self-directed mentoring program for students that provides them with access to skilled public servant mentors.
  • The High School Students with Intellectual Disabilities Integration Project, a pilot partnership with school boards for high school students with intellectual disabilities, had 14 successful placements in 2019–20. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Public Service Commission of Canada continue to gather data with a view to formalizing the pilot as an ongoing student employment program.

To learn more

Members of visible minorities

Members of visible minorities have seen improvements in representation from 2018–19 to 2019–20, including among all subgroups, with Black employees seeing the largest increase (see the infographic and narrative below).

There is a slight increase in the number of executives who are members of a visible minority, which means that representation in both the general population and the Executive group exceed workforce availability. The hiring and promotion of members of visible minorities also increased. The average age of members of visible minorities is two years younger (42) than the average age of the public service overall (44).

In 2019–20, members of visible minorities continue to be concentrated in certain occupational groups.

  • The number of members of visible minorities exceeds workforce availability in the following occupational groups:
    • Financial Management
    • Architecture, Engineering and Land Survey
    • Economics and Social Science Services
    • Information Technology
    • Applied Science and Patent Examination
  • Continued effort is required to:
    • sustain an increase in occupational groups that have the lowest representation of members of visible minorities, including executives, and Operational Services, Technical Services and Correctional Services
    • reverse the loss from the Electronics occupational group
Infographic 5: Members of visible minorities working in the core public administration 2019 to 2020
Infographic 5:
Infographic 5 - Text version

Note: Figures in square brackets represent a change since 2018–19.

17.8% of employees in the core public administration have identified themselves as a member of visible minorities, an increase of 1.1 percentage points from last year’s report and higher than their workforce availability of 15.3%.

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations

Human resources action Members of visible minorities
Hirings 21.3% [+2.0]
Promotions 19.9% [+1.2]
Separations 10.5% [+0.7]

11.5% of executive positions are occupied by members of visible minorities, an increase of 0.4 percentage points and higher than their workforce availability of 10.6%.

Degree of representation for hirings, promotions and separations in the executive ranks

Human resources action Members of visible minorities
Hirings Footnote *
Promotions 13.0% [-0.6]
Separations 6.5% [-0.4]

In these figures for degree of representation, a note of “needs attention” is indicated for hirings.

Cross-sectional analysis for members of visible minorities

  • 55.9% are women, an increase of 0.4 percentage points from last year
  • 2.4% have identified themselves as Indigenous, the same as last year
  • 3.1% have identified themselves as a person with a disability, the same as last year

The population of members of visible minorities in the public service population is 38,145, an increase of 4,141 from last year.

The following are subtotals by province, territory and other categories:

  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 81 [+3]
  • Prince Edward Island: 73 [+10]
  • Nova Scotia: 566 [+28]
  • New Brunswick: 300 [+21]
  • Quebec (without the National Capital Region): 2,975 [+327]
  • National Capital Region: 19,724 [+2301]
  • Ontario (without the National Capital Region): 6,092 [+663]
  • Manitoba: 917 [+97]
  • Saskatchewan: 420 [+24]
  • Alberta: 1,877 [+167]
  • British Columbia: 4,286: [+338]
  • Yukon: 28 [+10]
  • Northwest Territories: 36 [+0]
  • Nunavut: 29 [+4]
  • outside Canada: 298 [+24]
  • not available: 443 [+124]

Salary distribution

Salary Members of visible minorities Core public administration population
Under $50,000 4.7% [-0.9] 4.8%
$50,000 to $74,999 46.3% [+0.1] 43.3%
$75,000 to $99,999 29.7% [-1.2] 31.4%
$100,000 and over 19.3% [+2.0] 20.5%

Subgroup distribution for members of visible minorities

  • Black: 3.5% [+0.3]
  • Chinese: 3.0% [0.0]
  • South Asian/East Indian: 3.0% [+0.1]
  • Other visible minority: 2.3% [0.0]
  • Non-white West Asian, North African or Arab: 2.0% [+0.2]
  • Person of mixed origin: 1.4% [+0.1]
  • Southeast Asian: 0.8% [+0.1]
  • Non-white Latin American: 0.7% [0.0]
  • Filipino: 0.7% [+0.1]
  • Korean: 0.2% [0.0]
  • Japanese: 0.1% [0.0]

Occupational groups with highest proportion of members of visible minorities (100 and more employees)

  • FI: Financial Group: 32.2% [+1.7]
  • NR: Architecture, Engineering and Land Survey: 23.5% [+1.4]
  • EC: Economics and Social Sciences Services: 23.1% [+1.2]
  • IT: Information Technology: 22.9% [+1.4]
  • SP: Applied Science and Patent Examination: 22.4% [+0.5]

Occupational groups with lowest proportion of members of visible minorities (100 and more employees)

  • EX: Executive: 11.6% [+0.4]
  • CX: Correctional Services: 11.4% [+0.6]
  • TC: Technical Services: 11.2% [+0.4]
  • EL: Electronics: 10.3% [-0.2]
  • SV: Operational Services: 5.0% [+0.3]

The source of the representation data is the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Employment Equity Data Bank, which is populated with self-identification information provided by employees.

To learn more

Diversity and inclusion statistics

Initiatives to support members of visible minorities

  • In July 2020, the Canadian Human Rights Commission announced that it had launched an audit to specifically examine the representation of racialized people in senior-level positions across the federal public service. This audit is intended to:
    • identify where employment equity gaps and barriers exist for racialized employees
    • raise awareness and provide an opportunity to share best practices in hiring, retention and promotion
  • In October 2019, Canadian Heritage in collaboration with the Visible Minorities Champions and Chairs Committee held a design jam to introduce new ways of exploring issues of racism, discrimination, harassment and systemic barriers. The session explored areas such as:
    • the term “visible minorities” and whether this term remains the most effective language to support and promote employment equity
    • prototypes for concrete solutions to issues such as self-identification, career progression barriers, and ways to better assist members of visible minorities to qualify for and obtain positions at all levels of the public service
    • analysis and use of disaggregated data to better inform policies and programs pertaining to members of visible minorities within the public service

2019 Public Service Employee Survey

In this section

The Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) has historically included four demographic questions allowing respondents to self-identify as members of the four designated employment equity groups. The 2019 PSES included 112 questions on themes such as mental health, compensation, leadership, use of official languages, harassment and discrimination. The 2019 PSES section of the Open government portal has more in-depth information.

Women

Women generally had more positive results than men, except in some areas, such as ethical workplace, harassment, and some aspects of work-related stress.

Indigenous peoples

Results for Indigenous employees were much less positive than for non-Indigenous employees. Of note, Indigenous employees were less positive about organizational support for inclusion.

Persons with disabilities

Results for persons with disabilities were less positive overall. Notably, the rates of indicating harassment and discrimination among persons with disabilities were both 17% higher than for the rest of the public service.

Members of visible minorities

Members of visible minorities had similar results for most aspects of the survey when compared with members of non-visible minorities. More positive results were observed concerning senior management and mental health, but results were less positive for inclusion and empowerment.

Feedback used to measure employee perceptions

We value the feedback that public servants provide us through the PSES and other community-specific surveys, and we use it to measure the impact on employees’ perceptions of the policies and programs that organizations implement to support a safe, healthy and inclusive workplace.

The way forward: adopting an inclusive mindset

The public service is intensifying its commitments to build a work culture that values inclusiveness and diversity, recognizing the influence that this culture will have on public servants and diverse people in Canada for whom it provides services. Achieving levels of representation that reflect workforce availability, where we have done so, is an important step, but it is not enough. The day-to-day experience of individuals feeling a sense of belonging and being valued is paramount. Achieving true inclusion will involve promoting cultural competenceFootnote 2 and fostering an attitudinal shift that welcomes diverse perspectives and recognizes the talent and contribution of diverse employees.

To sustain any progress, we will need to match our efforts in achieving diversity with efforts to foster inclusion in the workplace. A workplace that is not inclusive will ultimately fail to sustain diversity, maintain employment equity, and retain its workforce. Such a workplace cannot be an environment where individuals can thrive, regardless of their background. Only recently has the profound impact of understanding and appreciating the lived experience of individuals gained widespread recognition. Expanding opportunities for sharing lived experiences in safe, positive, and supportive settings will be vital to the development of an inclusive workplace culture.

To be truly inclusive, a workplace must have targeted programs and initiatives, meaningful participation, active listening, and engagement on charting paths forward. Specific, community-based approaches will be necessary to ensure that meaningful change can be achieved and that such change resonates with our equity-seeking employees.

The 2020–21 employment equity annual report will provide an update on significant new initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace that have been launched since spring 2020. These include efforts to:

  • generate and report data that give a more accurate picture of representation gaps, which can be used to align strategies for improvement
  • increase the diversity of senior leaders
  • ensure appropriate benchmarks to assess progress
  • support the review of the Employment Equity Act
  • examine the Public Service Employment Act to address bias and barriers in staffing
  • pursue further education and awareness initiatives in support of inclusion

About this report

The Employment Equity Act came into force in 1986 with the goal of achieving equality in the workplace. It seeks to correct the conditions of disadvantage experienced by four designated groups by giving effect to the principles that employment equity requires special measures and the accommodation of differences. The four employment equity groups are:

  • women
  • Indigenous peoples
  • persons with disabilities
  • members of visible minorities

In 1996, Canada’s federal public service became subject to the act and the Employment Equity Regulations.

Each fiscal year, the President of the Treasury Board must table a report in Parliament on the state of employment equity of the four designated groups within the core public administration,Footnote 3 as well as similar reports produced by separate agencies with 100 or more employees.Footnote 4

About the data

The data in this report focuses on employees to whom the regulations apply, which make up 92.6% of the active population of the core public administration:

  • indeterminate employees
  • employees on a term of three months or more
  • seasonal employees

The data in this report is based on a mandatory self-identification form (paper or electronic) provided to all new employees. Employees may voluntarily self-identify as belonging to one or more of the designated groups.

Appendix: statistical tables of employment equity data specific to compliance requirements of section 21 of the Employment Equity Act

Table 1: distribution of public service of Canada employees by designated group according to department or agency

The following table includes information (as of March 31, 2020) regarding indeterminates, terms of three months or more, and seasonal employees of organizations captured under the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV (core public administration).

Department or agency All employees Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Overall WFA 52.7% 4.0% 9.0% 15.3%
Number Number % Number % Number % Number %
Employment and Social Development Canada 25,553 17,283 67.6 1,125 4.4 1,561 6.1 6,210 24.3
National DefenceFootnote 1 24,943 10,197 40.9 865 3.5 1,388 5.6 2,530 10.1
Correctional Service Canada 17,253 8,530 49.4 1,800 10.4 1,067 6.2 1,986 11.5
Public Services and Procurement Canada 15,940 9,512 59.7 523 3.3 798 5.0 2,712 17.0
Canada Border Services Agency 13,666 6,411 46.9 485 3.5 508 3.7 2,455 18.0
Fisheries and Oceans CanadaFootnote 2 11,909 4,852 40.7 569 4.8 489 4.1 867 7.3
Health CanadaFootnote 3 10,553 7,115 67.4 902 8.5 519 4.9 2,581 24.5
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Civilian Staff) 7,740 5,769 74.5 457 5.9 311 4.0 1,147 14.8
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 7,452 4,790 64.3 226 3.0 338 4.5 2,413 32.4
Environment and Climate Change Canada 6,849 3,471 50.7 196 2.9 341 5.0 1,251 18.3
Shared Services Canada 6,686 2,198 32.9 234 3.5 400 6.0 1,304 19.5
Global Affairs Canada 6,180 3,453 55.9 396 6.4 240 3.9 1,543 25.0
Transport Canada 5,443 2,413 44.3 211 3.9 241 4.4 979 18.0
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 5,160 2,580 50.0 144 2.8 228 4.4 1,159 22.5
Statistics Canada 5,071 2,527 49.8 127 2.5 291 5.7 1,235 24.4
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs CanadaFootnote 3 4,879 3,151 64.6 1,214 24.9 245 5.0 816 16.7
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 4,810 2,503 52.0 162 3.4 223 4.6 847 17.6
Department of Justice Canada 4,670 3,198 68.5 181 3.9 279 6.0 954 20.4
Natural Resources Canada 4,188 1,970 47.0 113 2.7 192 4.6 688 16.4
Veterans Affairs Canada 3,136 2,278 72.6 132 4.2 223 7.1 280 8.9
Public Health Agency of Canada 2,142 1,474 68.8 71 3.3 119 5.6 496 23.2
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat 2,085 1,256 60.2 51 2.4 129 6.2 418 20.0
Canadian Heritage 1,709 1,163 68.1 79 4.6 88 5.1 270 15.8
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 1,402 888 63.3 43 3.1 64 4.6 488 34.8
Public Safety Canada 1,157 688 59.5 53 4.6 74 6.4 198 17.1
Public Prosecution Service of Canada 987 652 66.1 55 5.6 54 5.5 149 15.1
Library and Archives Canada 963 597 62.0 44 4.6 46 4.8 82 8.5
Privy Council Office 910 496 54.5 37 4.1 37 4.1 172 18.9
Public Service Commission of Canada 863 556 64.4 34 3.9 73 8.5 195 22.6
Department of Finance Canada 792 369 46.6 19 2.4 36 4.5 147 18.6
Courts Administration Service 719 472 65.6 20 2.8 40 5.6 169 23.5
Elections Canada 713 365 51.2 17 2.4 46 6.5 143 20.1
Canada School of Public Service 607 398 65.6 29 4.8 36 5.9 112 18.5
Canadian Space Agency 606 274 45.2 9 1.5 36 5.9 106 17.5
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency 566 362 64.0 16 2.8 27 4.8 28 4.9
Infrastructure Canada 539 337 62.5 15 2.8 23 4.3 108 20.0
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission 493 265 53.8 24 4.9 23 4.7 86 17.4
Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada 438 282 64.4 11 2.5 24 5.5 65 14.8
Parole Board of Canada 425 339 79.8 21 4.9 22 5.2 61 14.4
Canadian Grain Commission 418 200 47.8 23 5.5 16 3.8 106 25.4
lmpact Assessment Agency of CanadaFootnote 4 389 261 67.1 23 5.9 14 3.6 53 13.6
Western Economic Diversification Canada 319 177 55.5 28 8.8 10 3.1 75 23.5
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions 303 168 55.4 Footnote * Footnote * 10 3.3 53 17.5
Offices of the information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada 263 161 61.2 14 5.3 11 4.2 32 12.2
Canadian Transportation Agency 260 143 55.0 Footnote * Footnote * 14 5.4 50 19.2
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario 237 152 64.1 9 3.8 21 8.9 70 29.5
Women and Gender Equality Canada 226 192 85.0 9 4.0 13 5.8 52 23.0
Transportation Safety Board of Canada 211 75 35.5 Footnote * Footnote * 10 4.7 26 12.3
Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada 205 124 60.5 10 4.9 14 6.8 23 11.2
Canadian Human Rights Commission 204 144 70.6 8 3.9 32 15.7 42 20.6
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages 147 94 63.9 6 4.1 Footnote * Footnote * 14 9.5
Office of the Governor General's Secretary 139 85 61.2 Footnote * Footnote * 9 6.5 22 15.8
Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency 94 62 66.0 21 22.3 Footnote * Footnote * 16 17.0
Patented Medicine Prices Review Board Canada 75 37 49.3 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 11 14.7
Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP 68 39 57.4 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 14 20.6
Canadian Dairy Commission 64 36 56.3 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 11 17.2
Veterans Review and Appeal Board 62 43 69.4 Footnote * Footnote * 6 9.7 0 0.0
Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada 55 36 65.5 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
Military Grievances External Review Committee 36 21 58.3 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 6 16.7
International Joint Commission 28 14 50.0 0 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada 26 14 53.8 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada 23 9 39.1 0 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * 0 0.0
Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada 20 13 65.0 0 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat 19 10 52.6 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
Copyright Board Canada 14 7 50.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Footnote * Footnote *
Secretariat of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians 9 Footnote * Footnote * 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
RCMP External Review Committee 9 Footnote * Footnote * 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Total

214,120

117,760

55.0

10,888

5.1

11,087

5.2

38,145

17.8

Table 2: distribution of public service of Canada employees by designated group and region of work

The following table includes information (as of March 31, 2020) regarding indeterminates, terms of three months or more, and seasonal employees of organizations captured under the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV (core public administration).

Region of work All employees Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Number Number % Number % Number % Number %
Newfoundland and Labrador 3,493 1,669 47.8 245 7.0 174 5.0 81 2.3
Prince Edward Island 2,046 1,295 63.3 50 2.4 124 6.1 73 3.6
Nova Scotia 8,874 4,130 46.5 502 5.7 621 7.0 566 6.4
New Brunswick 8,574 5,011 58.4 304 3.5 395 4.6 300 3.5
Quebec (without the NCR)Footnote 1 22,129 11,657 52.7 551 2.5 744 3.4 2,975 13.4
NCR (Quebec)Footnote 1 29,205 16,752 57.4 1,473 5.0 1,537 5.3 5,429 18.6
NCR (Ontario)Footnote 1 69,291 38,565 55.7 2,420 3.5 3,713 5.4 14,295 20.6
NCRFootnote 1 98,496 55,317 56.2 3,893 4.0 5,250 5.3 19,724 20.0
Ontario (without the NCR)Footnote 1 25,781 14,403 55.9 1,235 4.8 1,482 5.7 6,092 23.6
Manitoba 6,966 4,011 57.6 990 14.2 398 5.7 917 13.2
Saskatchewan 4,793 2,911 60.7 854 17.8 240 5.0 420 8.8
Alberta 10,573 5,982 56.6 834 7.9 612 5.8 1,877 17.8
British Columbia 17,640 8,747 49.6 1,053 6.0 828 4.7 4,286 24.3
Yukon 326 204 62.6 51 15.6 22 6.7 28 8.6
Northwest Territories 411 253 61.6 69 16.8 21 5.1 36 8.8
Nunavut 252 156 61.9 113 44.8 10 4.0 29 11.5
Outside Canada 1,439 729 50.7 49 3.4 40 2.8 298 20.7
Not availableFootnote 2 2,327 1,285 55.2 95 4.1 126 5.4 443 19.0
Total

214,120

117,760

55.0

10,888

5.1

11,087

5.2

38,145

17.8

Table 3.1: distribution of public service of Canada employees by designated group and occupational groups in force

The following table includes information (as of March 31, 2020) regarding indeterminates, terms of three months or more, and seasonal employees of organizations captured under the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV (core public administration).

Occupational group All employees Women Men Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Number Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
AI: Air Traffic Control 10 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
AO: Aircraft Operations 382 40 10.5 342 89.5 11 2.9 Footnote * Footnote * 10 2.6
AU: Auditing 152 76 50.0 76 50.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 42 27.6
AV: Commerce and Purchasing 6,200 3,229 52.1 2,968 47.9 251 4.0 329 5.3 1,118 18.0
CX: Correctional Services 7,092 2,014 28.4 5,075 71.6 808 11.4 268 3.8 809 11.4
EB: Education and Library Science 1,085 743 68.5 342 31.5 129 11.9 45 4.1 144 13.3
EC: Economics and Social Science Services 18,134 10,562 58.2 7,567 41.7 661 3.6 953 5.3 4,195 23.1
EL: Electronics 1,082 71 6.6 1,009 93.3 34 3.1 45 4.2 111 10.3
EX: Executive 5,895 2,970 50.4 2,925 49.6 244 4.1 278 4.7 681 11.6
FB: Border Services 9,673 3,932 40.6 5,741 59.4 372 3.8 330 3.4 1,509 15.6
FI: Financial Management 5,286 3,010 56.9 2,272 43.0 161 3.0 178 3.4 1,703 32.2
FS: Foreign Service 1,866 1,021 54.7 845 45.3 76 4.1 67 3.6 388 20.8
HM: Human Resources Management 4,379 3,518 80.3 861 19.7 213 4.9 303 6.9 781 17.8
IT: Information Technology 16,195 3,732 23.0 12,456 76.9 505 3.1 954 5.9 3,701 22.9
LC: Law Management 317 202 63.7 115 36.3 10 3.2 13 4.1 33 10.4
LP: Law Practitioner 3,026 1,767 58.4 1,253 41.4 125 4.1 177 5.8 525 17.3
NR: Architecture, Engineering and Land Survey 3,999 975 24.4 3,023 75.6 73 1.8 122 3.1 940 23.5
PA: Program and Administrative Services 89,149 64,881 72.8 24,210 27.2 5,626 6.3 5,541 6.2 16,576 18.6
PM-MCO: Negotiation, Mediation and Conciliation Officer 41 20 48.8 21 51.2 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
PO: Police Operations Support 415 298 71.8 115 27.7 15 3.6 Footnote * Footnote * 47 11.3
PR: Non-Supervisory Printing Services 4 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 0 0.0 0 0.0
RE: Research 2,699 899 33.3 1,800 66.7 33 1.2 64 2.4 572 21.2
RO: Radio Operations 282 98 34.8 184 65.2 20 7.1 15 5.3 Footnote * Footnote *
SH: Health Services 3,316 2,653 80.0 659 19.9 217 6.5 130 3.9 401 12.1
SO: Ships’ Officers 1,246 144 11.6 1,102 88.4 21 1.7 23 1.8 41 3.3
SP: Applied Science and Patent Examination 8,772 4,648 53.0 4,124 47.0 159 1.8 268 3.1 1,964 22.4
SR(C): Ship Repair Chargehands and Production Supervisors (East) 56 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
SR(E): Ship Repair (East) 599 35 5.8 564 94.2 23 3.8 26 4.3 18 3.0
SR(W): Ship Repair (West) 698 32 4.6 665 95.3 22 3.2 18 2.6 24 3.4
SV: Operational Services 10,403 2,141 20.6 8,251 79.3 540 5.2 465 4.5 525 5.0
TC: Technical Services 10,604 3,349 31.6 7,253 68.4 524 4.9 435 4.1 1,184 11.2
TR: Translation 842 638 75.8 204 24.2 7 0.8 21 2.5 56 6.7
UT: University Teaching 207 50 24.2 154 74.4 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 37 17.9
Unknown 14 7 50.0 7 50.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Footnote * 14.3
Total

214,120

117,760

55.0

96,248

45.0

10,888

5.1

11,087

5.2

38,145

17.8

Table 3.2: distribution of public service of Canada employees by designated group and (outdated) occupational category

The following table includes information (as of March 31, 2020) regarding indeterminates, terms of three months or more, and seasonal employees of organizations captured under the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV (core public administration).

Occupational category (outdated) All employees Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Number Number % Number % Number % Number %
ExecutivesFootnote 1 6,212 3,172 51.1 254 4.1 291 4.7 714 11.5
EX (Executive) 5,895 2,970 50.4 244 4.1 278 4.7 681 11.6
LC (Law Management) 317 202 63.7 10 3.2 13 4.1 33 10.4
Scientific and Professional 41,355 22,342 54.0 1,378 3.3 1,765 4.3 8,816 21.3
Administrative and Foreign Service 105,165 65,623 62.4 5,639 5.4 6,071 5.8 20,716 19.7
Technical 13,640 3,733 27.4 631 4.6 523 3.8 1,354 9.9
Administrative Support 18,794 14,427 76.8 1,201 6.4 1,323 7.0 3,610 19.2
Operational 28,940 8,456 29.2 1,785 6.2 1,114 3.8 2,933 10.1
Undetermined 14 7 50.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Footnote * Footnote *
Total

214,120

117,760

55.0

10,888

5.1

11,087

5.2

38,145

17.8

Table 4: distribution of public service of Canada employees by designated group and salary range

The following table includes information (as of March 31, 2020) regarding indeterminates, terms of three months or more, and seasonal employees of organizations captured under the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV (core public administration).

Salary range ($) All employees Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Number % of all employees Number % of salary range % of EEFootnote † group Number % of salary range % of EEFootnote † group Number % of salary range % of EEFootnote † group Number % of salary range % of EEFootnote † group
Under 5,000 61 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0
5,000 to 9,999 175 0.1 52 29.7 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
10,000 to 14,999 66 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
15,000 to 19,999 201 0.1 118 58.7 0.1 10 5.0 0.1 12 6.0 0.1 43 21.4 0.1
20,000 to 24,999 214 0.1 149 69.6 0.1 9 4.2 0.1 8 3.7 0.1 40 18.7 0.1
25,000 to 34,999 651 0.3 527 81.0 0.4 44 6.8 0.4 40 6.1 0.4 102 15.7 0.3
35,000 to 49,999 8,948 4.2 6,162 68.9 5.2 507 5.7 4.7 545 6.1 4.9 1,593 17.8 4.2
50,000 to 74,999 92,653 43.3 57,986 62.6 49.2 5,137 5.5 47.2 5,234 5.6 47.2 17,670 19.1 46.3
75,000 to 99,999 67,327 31.4 32,610 48.4 27.7 3,675 5.5 33.8 3,235 4.8 29.2 11,322 16.8 29.7
100,000 to 149,999 40,265 18.8 18,338 45.5 15.6 1,384 3.4 12.7 1,816 4.5 16.4 6,920 17.2 18.1
150,000 to 199,999 3,240 1.5 1,615 49.8 1.4 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 170 5.2 1.5 406 12.5 1.1
200,000 to 249,999 314 0.1 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 15 4.8 0.1 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
250,000 and over 5 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
Total

214,120

100.0

117,760

55.0

100.0

10,888

5.1

100.0

11,087

5.2

100.0

38,145

17.8

100.0

Table 5: hirings into, promotions within and separations from the public service of Canada by designated group

The following table includes information (as of March 31, 2020) regarding indeterminates, terms of three months or more, and seasonal employees of organizations captured under the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV (core public administration).

Action type All employees Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Number Number % Number % Number % Number %
Hirings 24,901 14,505 58.3 988 4.0 977 3.9 5,302 21.3
Promotions 27,211 16,628 61.1 1,332 4.9 1,133 4.2 5,405 19.9
Separations 13,043 7,459 57.2 697 5.3 931 7.1 1,371 10.5

Notes

The source of the representation data is the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Employment Equity Data Bank, which is populated with self-identification information provided by employees.

The sum of designated groups does not equal the total (“all employees”) because employees may have voluntarily chosen to self-identify in more than one designated group, and men are included in the total.

“Hirings” refers to employees who were added to the public service of Canada payroll between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020.

Data on promotions are obtained from the Public Service Commission of Canada and include information from departments and agencies that fall under both the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV, and the Public Service Employment Act.

“Separations” refers to employees who left the public service of Canada payroll between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020.

Percentages are that designated group’s share of all actions of the given type.

Table 6: distribution of public service of Canada employees by designated group and age range

The following table includes information (as of March 31, 2020) regarding indeterminates, terms of three months or more, and seasonal employees of organizations captured under the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV (core public administration).

Age range All employees Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Number % of all employees Number % of age range % of EEFootnote † group Number % of age range % of EEFootnote † group Number % of age range % of EEFootnote † group Number % of age range % of EEFootnote † group
Under 20 116 0.1 50 43.1 0.0 6 5.2 0.1 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
20 to 24 5,920 2.8 3,537 59.7 3.0 267 4.5 2.5 177 3.0 1.6 1,370 23.1 3.6
25 to 29 18,657 8.7 11,143 59.7 9.5 755 4.0 6.9 633 3.4 5.7 4,538 24.3 11.9
30 to 34 22,030 10.3 12,258 55.6 10.4 1,032 4.7 9.5 736 3.3 6.6 4,663 21.2 12.2
35 to 39 29,342 13.7 16,536 56.4 14.0 1,372 4.7 12.6 1,073 3.7 9.7 5,603 19.1 14.7
40 to 44 33,762 15.8 19,312 57.2 16.4 1,699 5.0 15.6 1,501 4.4 13.5 6,357 18.8 16.7
45 to 49 32,181 15.0 18,007 56.0 15.3 1,856 5.8 17.0 1,708 5.3 15.4 5,427 16.9 14.2
50 to 54 30,284 14.1 16,461 54.4 14.0 1,822 6.0 16.7 1,906 6.3 17.2 4,529 15.0 11.9
55 to 59 25,519 11.9 12,872 50.4 10.9 1,346 5.3 12.4 1,937 7.6 17.5 3,260 12.8 8.5
60 to 64 11,836 5.5 5,634 47.6 4.8 556 4.7 5.1 1,015 8.6 9.2 1,677 14.2 4.4
65 to 69 3,516 1.6 1,555 44.2 1.3 145 4.1 1.3 317 9.0 2.9 533 15.2 1.4
70+ 955 0.4 393 41.2 0.3 32 3.4 0.3 80 8.4 0.7 186 19.5 0.5
Unknown Footnote * 0.0 Footnote * 100.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote * Footnote *
Total

214,120

100.0

117,760

55.0

100.0

10,888

5.1

100.0

11,087

5.2

100.0

38,145

17.8

100.0

Table 7: representation in the public service of Canada by designated group and fiscal year

The following table includes information (as of March 31, 2020) regarding indeterminates, terms of three months or more, and seasonal employees of organizations captured under the Financial Administration Act, Schedules I and IV (core public administration).

Public service representation All employees Women Indigenous peoples Persons with disabilities Members of visible minorities
Number Number % Number % Number % Number %
As at March 31, 2020 214,120 117,760 55.0 10,888 5.1 11,087 5.2 38,145 17.8
As at March 31, 2019 203,268 111,332 54.8 10,435 5.1 10,622 5.2 34,004 16.7
As at March 31, 2018 192,467 105,465 54.8 9,876 5.1 10,181 5.3 30,273 15.7
As at March 31, 2017 185,484 101,136 54.5 9,726 5.2 10,259 5.5 28,058 15.1
As at March 31, 2016 181,674 98,846 54.4 9,358 5.2 10,092 5.6 26,336 14.5
As at March 31, 2015 180,681 98,051 54.3 9,232 5.1 10,204 5.6 24,849 13.8
As at March 31, 2014 181,356 98,078 54.1 9,239 5.1 10,390 5.7 23,919 13.2
As at March 31, 2013 188,342 102,124 54.2 9,491 5.0 10,871 5.8 23,812 12.6
As at March 31, 2012 198,793 108,620 54.6 9,785 4.9 11,418 5.7 23,978 12.1
As at March 31, 2011 202,631 111,051 54.8 9,486 4.7 11,388 5.6 22,998 11.3
As at March 31, 2010 202,386 110,867 54.8 9,307 4.6 11,620 5.7 21,567 10.7
As at March 31, 2009 195,667 107,089 54.7 8,892 4.5 11,468 5.9 19,264 9.8
As at March 31, 2008 186,754 101,589 54.4 8,190 4.4 11,001 5.9 17,207 9.2
As at March 31, 2007 179,540 96,816 53.9 7,610 4.2 10,192 5.7 15,787 8.8
As at March 31, 2006 176,630 95,013 53.8 7,381 4.2 10,169 5.8 15,112 8.6
As at March 31, 2005 165,856 88,702 53.5 6,886 4.2 9,626 5.8 13,498 8.1
As at March 31, 2004 165,976 88,175 53.1 6,723 4.1 9,452 5.7 13,001 7.8
As at March 31, 2003 163,314 86,162 52.8 6,426 3.9 9,155 5.6 12,058 7.4
As at March 31, 2002 157,510 82,663 52.5 5,980 3.8 8,331 5.3 10,772 6.8
As at March 31, 2001 149,339 77,785 52.1 5,316 3.6 7,621 5.1 9,143 6.1
As at March 31, 2000Footnote *
(Revenue Canada excluded)		 141,253 72,549 51.4 4,639 3.3 6,687 4.7 7,764 5.5
As at March 31, 1999
(Revenue Canada included)		 178,340 91,856 51.5 5,124 2.9 8,137 4.6 10,557 5.9
As at March 31, 1998 179,831 90,801 50.5 4,770 2.7 6,943 3.9 9,260 5.1
Workforce availability
2016 Census and 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability n/a n/a 52.7 n/a 4.0 n/a 9.0 n/a 15.3
2011 National Household Survey and 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability n/a n/a 52.5 n/a 3.4 n/a 4.4 n/a 13.0
2006 Census and Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) n/a n/a 52.3 n/a 3.0 n/a 4.0 n/a 12.4
2001 Census and PALS n/a n/a 52.2 n/a 2.5 n/a 3.6 n/a 10.4
1996 Census and 1991 Health and Activity Limitation Survey (HALS) n/a n/a 48.7 n/a 1.7 n/a 4.8 n/a 8.7
1991 Census and HALS n/a n/a 47.3 n/a 2.6 n/a 4.8 n/a 9.0

Footnotes

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the President of the Treasury Board, 2021
ISSN: 1926-2485

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