2023-2024 Departmental Plan: Gender-based analysis plus

From: Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

Institutional GBA Plus Capacity

Assessment Program

Under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), the intersection of sex and gender with other identity factors must be considered in the impact assessment of designated projects. To meet this requirement, the Agency integrates Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) throughout the assessment process. This analysis applies to the information and studies gathered during the Impact Statement phase by proponents and reflected in the Agency’s impact assessment reports provided to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Cabinet, as applicable. Impact assessment reports support the Minister or Cabinet’s decisions on whether designated projects are in the public interest.

In the conduct of an assessment, the Agency may also provide information sessions on GBA Plus to specific parties, including Indigenous groups and proponents. Information on project-level impact assessments, including GBA Plus information, is publicly available on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (the Registry). Additionally, to incorporate GBA Plus considerations into project assessments, the Agency has funded research and developed guidance and tools that are publicly available on the Agency’s website.

For projects assessed under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012), the Agency is required to conduct GBA Plus analyses on proposals submitted to Cabinet as part of the Memorandum to Cabinet development process. As such, the Agency carries out a GBA Plus analysis on all projects that require a Governor-in-Council decision on whether the significant adverse environmental effects of the designated projects are justified under the projects’ circumstances.

Agency’s Administration

To support its staff on GBA Plus, the Agency has developed and delivered internal training on GBA Plus and required that all employees complete the introductory training by Women and Gender Equality Canada.

In addition, as part of its approach to meaningful public participation, the Agency is committed to ensuring its public participation opportunities are inclusive and responsive to the needs of diverse communities. To achieve this, the Agency is developing a set of best practices to ensure that GBA Plus is integrated into the planning and delivery of its engagement activities.

The Vice-President of Operations is responsible for GBA Plus implementation across project-level impact assessments under the IAA. The Vice-President of Strategic Policy and Programs is responsible for GBA Plus implementation for strategic policy and Cabinet-related work, as well as monitoring, follow-up, and enforcement. The Vice-President of Indigenous Relations is responsible for GBA Plus implementation in the policy development related to, and in consultation and engagement with, Indigenous Peoples, on impact assessments and capacity-building and participant funding administration.

The Agency has 0.5 FTEs as a GBA Plus lead within the Operational Policy Division. The Agency does not have a GBA Plus Responsibility Centre. However, across the Agency, some staff with GBA Plus expertise are integrating this analysis into their work.

Highlights of GBA Plus Results Reporting Capacity by Program

Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring	For each program in the department’s Program Inventory, answer the following questions: Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? [Yes / No] Yes If no, please describe what actions are being taken to enable future monitoring or reporting of the program’s impacts by gender and diversity. If yes, please describe (as relevant) any notable future initiatives to expand the program’s capacity to report on impacts by gender and diversity and timelines.
For projects assessed under CEAA 2012 that require a Governor-in-Council decision on whether the significant adverse environmental effects are justified under the projects’ circumstances, the Agency will conduct GBA Plus analyses and include the results in the Memorandum to Cabinet. For projects assessed under the IAA, through the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, the Agency requires proponents to incorporate GBA Plus into their Impact Statement, including a description of related proposed mitigation and follow-up programs. The Agency prepares an Impact Assessment Report that considers GBA Plus information provided by the Proponent and reviewed by expert federal departments, Indigenous groups, the public, and other jurisdictions. If the project is expected to result in adverse effects within federal jurisdiction related to the GBA Plus analysis, the Agency could propose conditions, including mitigation measures and, where appropriate, a follow-up program, with which the proponent must comply. Once the decision statement is issued under IAA, the Agency will track and report on the implementation of follow-up programs, which will include verifying the accuracy of assessments and determining the effectiveness of mitigation measures.
Indigenous Relations and Engagement	For each program in the department’s Program Inventory, answer the following questions: Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)? [Yes / No] No If no, please describe what actions are being taken to enable future monitoring or reporting of the program’s impacts by gender and diversity. If yes, please describe (as relevant) any notable future initiatives to expand the program’s capacity to report on impacts by gender and diversity and timelines.
The Agency will consider and include GBA Plus in its development of policy related to Indigenous Peoples and impact assessment, including engagement on these policies, and when providing capacity-building funding to diverse groups, including Indigenous women. Data gathering to monitor and report on these programs will include: requesting feedback from Indigenous groups affected by policies; implementing Agency policies based on feedback from Indigenous groups; seeking feedback from participants in engagement processes; and tracking the distribution of funding allocations. The Agency will compile GBA Plus data, submitted to the Registry by proponents, expert departments, Indigenous communities, and the public throughout the impact assessment process. The findings and conclusions on GBA Plus considerations will be provided in draft and final assessment reports under the IAA and posted on the Registry. Additionally, when decisions under the IAA require data related to GBA Plus as a condition or through a follow-up program, this information will also be made available. Proponent reports, public comments, and other documents relevant to the impact assessment of a designated project can be viewed in the Registry. These documents include GBA Plus and supporting data, which can vary in depth depending on the scope of the project and available data. At a minimum, data will include information on predicted sex-disaggregated health, social, and economic effects of designated projects, and supporting intersectional data on the relation of effects by other identity factors (such as age).

Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring

For each program in the department’s Program Inventory, answer the following questions:

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)?
[Yes / No]
Yes
If no, please describe what actions are being taken to enable future monitoring or reporting of the program’s impacts by gender and diversity.
If yes, please describe (as relevant) any notable future initiatives to expand the program’s capacity to report on impacts by gender and diversity and timelines.

For projects assessed under CEAA 2012 that require a Governor-in-Council decision on whether the significant adverse environmental effects are justified under the projects’ circumstances, the Agency will conduct GBA Plus analyses and include the results in the Memorandum to Cabinet.

For projects assessed under the IAA, through the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, the Agency requires proponents to incorporate GBA Plus into their Impact Statement, including a description of related proposed mitigation and follow-up programs. The Agency prepares an Impact Assessment Report that considers GBA Plus information provided by the Proponent and reviewed by expert federal departments, Indigenous groups, the public, and other jurisdictions. If the project is expected to result in adverse effects within federal jurisdiction related to the GBA Plus analysis, the Agency could propose conditions, including mitigation measures and, where appropriate, a follow-up program, with which the proponent must comply. Once the decision statement is issued under IAA, the Agency will track and report on the implementation of follow-up programs, which will include verifying the accuracy of assessments and determining the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Indigenous Relations and Engagement

For each program in the department’s Program Inventory, answer the following questions:

Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)?
[Yes / No]
No
If no, please describe what actions are being taken to enable future monitoring or reporting of the program’s impacts by gender and diversity.
If yes, please describe (as relevant) any notable future initiatives to expand the program’s capacity to report on impacts by gender and diversity and timelines.

The Agency will consider and include GBA Plus in its development of policy related to Indigenous Peoples and impact assessment, including engagement on these policies, and when providing capacity-building funding to diverse groups, including Indigenous women. Data gathering to monitor and report on these programs will include:

requesting feedback from Indigenous groups affected by policies;
implementing Agency policies based on feedback from Indigenous groups;
seeking feedback from participants in engagement processes; and
tracking the distribution of funding allocations.

The Agency will compile GBA Plus data, submitted to the Registry by proponents, expert departments, Indigenous communities, and the public throughout the impact assessment process. The findings and conclusions on GBA Plus considerations will be provided in draft and final assessment reports under the IAA and posted on the Registry. Additionally, when decisions under the IAA require data related to GBA Plus as a condition or through a follow-up program, this information will also be made available. Proponent reports, public comments, and other documents relevant to the impact assessment of a designated project can be viewed in the Registry. These documents include GBA Plus and supporting data, which can vary in depth depending on the scope of the project and available data. At a minimum, data will include information on predicted sex-disaggregated health, social, and economic effects of designated projects, and supporting intersectional data on the relation of effects by other identity factors (such as age).

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Date modified:: 2023-07-14

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