Gender-based analysis plus

General information: Institutional Gender-based Analysis Plus 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 2022–23, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) 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 during the Impact Statement phase by proponents and is reflected in the impact assessment reports prepared by the Agency or review panel to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change or Governor-in-Council.

Capacity

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

• the Vice-President of Operations is responsible for implementing GBA Plus across project-level impact assessments under the IAA, and incorporating it into ongoing performance measurement of their programs;
• the 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 ongoing performance measurement of their programs;
• the 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 and capacity-building and funding administration, as well as incorporating it into ongoing performance measurement of their programs; and
• the Vice President of Corporate Services is responsible for promoting GBA Plus in internal services, and ensuring all Agency sectors are incorporating it into the ongoing performance measurement of their programs.

Highlights of GBA Plus results reporting by program

Assessment Administration, Conduct and Monitoring

For projects assessed under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (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 that is reviewed by expert federal departments, Indigenous groups, the public, and other jurisdictions.

If the project undergoing an impact assessment is expected to result in adverse federal effects within the legislative authority of Parliament related to the GBA Plus, 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.

As part of ongoing performance measurement, the Agency is implementing data collection methods that will include the collection of GBA Plus information. This will enable the Agency to assess the impacts of this Program from a GBA Plus lens and make improvements if required to ensure there are no adverse effects to diverse groups.

Indigenous Relations and Engagement

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

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 (e.g., age).

As part of ongoing performance measurement, the Agency is implementing data collection methods that will include the collection of GBA Plus information. This will enable the Agency to assess the impacts of this Program from a GBA Plus lens and make improvements if required to ensure there are no adverse effects to diverse groups.