Impact Assessment Agency of Canada's 2023–24 Departmental results report: Gender-based analysis plus

Section 1: institutional GBA Plus governance and capacity

Governance:

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, in 2023–24, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) integrated Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) throughout assessment processes, which supports the understanding of how different groups within a community may be affected by a project. This analysis is applied to information and studies gathered by proponents during the Impact Statement phase and is reflected in impact assessment reports prepared by IAAC or review panels for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change or Governor in Council.

Capacity:

IAAC’s President is responsible for providing leadership and dedicating sufficient resources to ensure GBA Plus is incorporated throughout initiatives and processes, including for monitoring and reporting purposes. Vice-Presidents are responsible for implementing GBA Plus into their respective areas of responsibility, including the ongoing monitoring of their programs. In particular:

• Vice-President of Operations is responsible for implementing GBA Plus across project-level impact assessments under the IAA, and incorporating it into the ongoing performance monitoring of their program results;
• Vice-President of Strategic Policy and Programs is responsible for implementing GBA Plus for strategic policy, Cabinet-related work, monitoring, follow-up, and enforcement, as well as incorporating it into the ongoing performance monitoring of their program results;
• Vice-President of Indigenous Relations is responsible for implementing GBA Plus in the development of policy and administration of programs related to, and in consultation with, Indigenous Peoples on impact assessments, capacity-building, and funding administration, as well as incorporating it into the ongoing performance monitoring of their program results; and
• Vice-President of Corporate Services is responsible for promoting GBA Plus in internal services, and ensuring all IAAC sectors are incorporating it into the ongoing performance monitoring of their program results.

Human resources (full-time equivalents) dedicated to GBA Plus

The number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) dedicated to working on GBA Plus for IAAC in 2023–‍24 was 0.50. The 0.50 FTE plays a role in the implementation of GBA Plus, including acting as the GBA Plus Focal Point as defined in IAAC’s Gender-Based Analysis Plus Corporate Policy, as well as leading on the development of social and health policy. While employees across IAAC apply GBA Plus in program activities and assessments, they are not considered as “dedicated FTEs working on GBA Plus.”

Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program

Core responsibility: Impact Assessment

Program name: Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring

Program goals: The goal of this program is to conduct high quality assessments of designated projects, and monitor and verify compliance with mitigation measures, thereby preventing or reducing adverse effects while supporting economic growth. In addition to contributing to protecting the environment, this program aims to contribute to the social and economic well-being, and to preserve the health, of Canadians. For projects assessed under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012), IAAC considers GBA Plus and includes the results in the Memoranda to Cabinet that inform decision-making. For projects under the IAA, through the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, IAAC requires proponents to incorporate GBA Plus into their Impact Statement, including a description of related proposed mitigation and follow-up programs. This program ensures that GBA Plus is considered throughout assessment processes (including project, regional, and strategic assessments) and, where necessary, proposes targeted strategies to mitigate or eliminate the potential negative impacts of a project while identifying ways to broaden the benefits to more sub-populations within a community. IAAC compiles GBA Plus data that proponents, other departments, and the public submit to the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry throughout assessment processes, along with that provided by Indigenous Peoples as part of the Indigenous Relations and Engagement Program.

Target population: All Canadians, Indigenous Peoples

Specific demographic group outcomes: Canadian public, Indigenous Peoples, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, visible minorities, women, and other equity-deserving groups potentially affected by a designated project and assessment-related policies.

Key Program impacts on gender and diversity:

By following IAAC’s Gender-Based Analysis Plus in Impact Assessment guide and Tool – Assessing the Quality of a GBA Plus in the Impact Statement, the Agency and project proponents have been incorporating GBA Plus into key documents under their respective responsibilities throughout the impact assessment process. As a result, decisions made throughout the assessment process, including at the decision-making phase, are based on information that includes the consideration of impacts on diverse groups.

To ensure Indigenous Knowledge was included in project assessments, IAAC incorporated expert advice and comments from the Keepers of the Circle, an urban Indigenous Hub operated by the Temiskaming Native Women’s Support Group, and Indigenous communities on the safety of Indigenous women. IAAC also collaborated with Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) Canada, the expert federal authority on GBA Plus, to incorporate their expert advice into its analysis and feedback to proponents.

• In addition, IAAC advanced the inclusion of GBA Plus in assessment processes by conducting a stakeholder identification analysis and including underrepresented groups in its promotion of engagement/consultation activities; and
• Surveying current Review Panel roster members to better understand the equity, diversity, and inclusion characteristics of these members and analyze who and how people become Review Panel roster members to help us remove barriers from the appointment process in the coming years.

Core responsibility: Impact Assessment

Program name: Indigenous Relations and Engagement

Program goals: This program aims to advance the Crown’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples by advancing meaningful engagement and consultation of Indigenous Peoples in federal assessments. Through this program, IAAC requests input from diverse groups within Indigenous groups (e.g., Indigenous women), implements policies based on this input, and provides financial support to facilitate the ability and capacity of Indigenous Peoples to participate in project assessments. As a result, assessment processes include diverse Indigenous voices, interests, and perspectives, support Indigenous stewardship and jurisdiction, and advance reconciliation. IAAC compiles GBA Plus data that Indigenous Peoples submit to the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry throughout assessment processes, along with that provided by proponents, other departments, and the public as part of the Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring Program.

Target population: Indigenous Peoples

Specific demographic group outcomes: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, Indigenous women, in particular from communities potentially affected by a designated project and assessment-related policies.

Key Program impacts on gender and diversity:

IAAC continued to work with Indigenous communities in the post-decision phase of the Impact Assessment Process to build relationships and enhance engagement with potentially impacted communities, including modern treaty nations.

GBA Plus data collection plan:

As IAAC continues to implement its Performance Information Profiles and 2023–24 to 2027–‍28 Horizontal Results Framework, in 2023–24, GBA Plus data started to be systematically collected as part of ongoing performance measurement and monitoring.

Scales

Gender scale

• First group: predominantly men (80% or more men)
• Second group: 60% to 79% men
• Third group: broadly gender-balanced
• Fourth group: 60% to 79% women
• Fifth group: predominantly women (80% or more women)

Income-level scale

• First group: strongly benefits low-income individuals (strongly progressive)
• Second group: somewhat benefits low-income individuals (somewhat progressive)
• Third group: no significant distributional impacts
• Fourth group: somewhat benefits high-income individuals (somewhat regressive)
• Fifth group: strongly benefits high-income individuals (strongly regressive)

Age-group scale

• First group: primarily benefits youth, children or future generations
• Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors
• Third group: primarily benefits seniors or the baby boom generation