Law Commission of Canada’s 2024-25 Departmental plan
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From the Institutional head
In 2023, the Law Commission of Canada (the Commission) rejoined independent law reform agencies throughout this country and beyond in underscoring the value of research and reflection on law’s roles in shaping human communities and supporting our complex identities, connections and interactions. Non-partisan in nature and distinct from advocacy groups, the Commission offers leadership and guidance of responsible and responsive evolution of law in the lives of people across Canada.
Shauna Van Praagh, President
Established by Parliament in the spring of 1997 by the Law Commission of Canada Act, the Commission is mandated to consider the changing needs of Canadian society through the study, review, and innovative development of Canada’s law and legal systems. Responsive and accountable to all Canadians, the Commission designs its program with support from its Advisory Council and in consultation with the Minister of Justice.
Over nine years – 1997 to 2006 – and under three presidents – Roderick Macdonald, Nathalie Des Rosiers and Yves Le Bouthillier – the Commission prioritized public participation in law reform, provided support for collective and cross-disciplinary research projects, forged partnerships within and beyond academic networks, and committed its resources to extensive consultation and dissemination. Following the withdrawal of government funding in 2006, the work of the Commission – described in its final report entitled "For a Living Law: The Future of Law Reform in Canada"- began a 17-year hiatus. Heeding repeated calls from many sources, including the Canadian Bar Association, Parliament voted in late 2021 to renew financial support and rebuild the agency.
At this exciting, auspicious and promising moment of renewal and reimagination, today’s Commission - under the leadership of newly appointed president Shauna Van Praagh – embraces the opportunity to demonstrate its value and significance in nourishing a strong, diverse and democratic society. Inspired by people who work for fairness, equality, freedom and justice in every corner of this country and in all ways, the Commission looks forward to embarking on paths and projects marked by listening and learning, creativity and constructive engagement.
Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
Core responsibilities and internal services:
Law Review
Description
Study and review the law of Canada and its effects to provide independent advice on improvements and reform to ensure a just legal system that meets the changing needs of Canadian society.
Quality of life impacts
This core responsibility contributes to the "Good Governance" domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada, and more specifically, "Confidence in institutions" through all the activities mentioned in the core responsibility description.
Results and targets
The following tables show, for each departmental result related to Law Review, the indicators, the results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2024–25.
Table 1: Indicators, results and targets for departmental result
To provide the people of Canada with independent leadership on contemporary issues in law and meaningful contributions to law reform projects.
| Indicator | 2020–2021 result | 2021–2022 result | 2022–2023 result | Target | Date to achieve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of a range of products developed to improve responsiveness, efficiency and accessibility of law and legal systems in Canada. | TBD | TBD |
Table 2: Indicators, results and targets for departmental result
The people of Canada have access to an open, independent forum about law and its operation throughout Canadian society.
| Indicator | 2020–2021 result | 2021–2022 result | 2022–2023 result | Target | Date to achieve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of outreach activities with individuals, communities, and organisations responsible for or interested in law-related research, education, practice, and policy. | TBD | TBD |
The financial, human resources and performance information for the Law Commission of Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Plans to achieve results
The 2024-25 fiscal year will be the first complete year for the Commission. Through its newly developed and approved departmental results framework which outlines the results and indicators, the Commission will use the upcoming year to determine baseline targets for each of its results. The Commission has already begun its work and consultations in setting its research agenda and related outreach program. This work will continue in the upcoming fiscal year and beyond.
Key risks
Key risks identified by the Commission include the costs, within a climate of overall spending constraint, associated with significant outreach activities. This risk could be mitigated by increasing virtual outreach when possible and appropriate and in determining appropriate baseline of travel which meets both the objectives of the Commission and government commitment to accountability and constraint.
Snapshot of planned resources in 2024–25
- Planned spending: $2,645,894
- Planned full-time resources: 13
Related government priorities
Gender-based analysis plus
A GBA Plus lens will be applied to staffing strategies and processes to ensure that employees of the Commission have the relevant abilities, competencies, knowledge, and skills that are necessary to support this initiative. Staffing strategies and processes will also consider employment equity gaps and efforts will be made to increase the likelihood of attracting Indigenous employees given the diversity of experience and background required. In addition, equity, diversity and inclusion will guide the Commission’s substantive work and processes.
United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The Commission will aspire to achieve the most ambitious sustainable development goals in its operations, stewardship of resources, governance practices and outreach to communities. This includes contributing to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16, to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all, and build accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
More information on the Law Commission of Canada’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
Program inventory
Law Review is supported by the following programs:
- Law Review
Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the Law Commission of Canada’s program inventory is available on GC Infobase.
Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year
Fiscal year 2024-25 will be the first year for the Commission to follow its new departmental results framework.
Internal services
Description
Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:
- management and oversight services
- communications services
- legal services
- human resources management services
- financial management services
- information management services
- information technology services
- real property management services
- materiel management services
- acquisition management services
Plans to achieve results
As a micro-organization, some of the internal services for the Commission will be supplemented through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Justice. This service delivery arrangement preserves the independence of the Commission. Through its internal services, the Commission remains committed to fulfilling its corporate responsibilities as stipulated by legislation for an independent federal organization.
Snapshot of planned resources in 2024-25
- Planned spending: $1,229,701
- Planned full-time resources: 5
Related government priorities
Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
| 5% reporting field | 2022-23 actual result | 2023-24 forecasted result | 2024-25 planned result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total percentage of contracts with Indigenous businesses | n/a | n/a | 5% |
The 2024-25 fiscal year will be the first complete year for the Commission. As a result, the Commission will be working on determining the best path in incorporating this important procurement commitment into its operations. Given that the Commission functions as a micro-organization, there is expected to be a low volume of contracts. This planned result will be achieved through the collaborative planning and selection process as part of the MOU with the Department of Justice.
Planned spending and human resources
This section provides an overview of the Law Commission of Canada’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2024–25 with actual spending from previous years.
Spending
Table 3: Actual spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services ($ dollars)
The following table shows information on spending for each of the Law Commission of Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Amounts for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2021–2022 actual expenditures | 2022–2023 actual expenditures | 2023–2024 forecast spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law Review | 0 | 0 | 1,196,230 |
| Subtotal | 0 | 0 | 1,196,230 |
| Internal services | 0 | 0 | 834,408 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 2,030,638 |
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Explanation of table 3
For fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23, the Commission did not incur any direct expenditures. Reviving the Law Commission of Canada was part of the Minister of Justice’s mandate letter and the Department of Justice incurred start-up expenditures in support of the revival of the Commission. This was the case up until June 2023 when the Commission became fully operational. The President of the Commission was appointed in June 2023 at which time financial delegation was received. Fiscal year 2023-24 thus functions as a partial year, explaining why expenditures are forecasted to be lower than will be the case going forward.
Table 4: Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
The following table shows information on spending for each of the Law Commission of Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the upcoming three fiscal years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2024-25 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) | 2025-26 planned spending | 2026-27 planned spending | 2026-27 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Review | 2,645,894 | 2,645,894 | 2,645,894 | 2,435,907 |
| Subtotal | 2,645,894 | 2,645,894 | 2,645,894 | 2,435,907 |
| Internal services | 1,229,701 | 1,229,701 | 1,229,701 | 1,229,701 |
| Total | 3,875,595 | 3,875,595 | 3,875,595 | 3,665,608 |
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Explanation of table 4
The estimated planned spending for both the core responsibility and internal services is expected to be relatively steady over the next three fiscal years. There is a minor reduction expected in operating amounts under the core responsibility for fiscal year 2026-27 as it is anticipated the Commission staff will be in their permanent office location during that time with estimated spending reaching a "steady state" ongoing level.
Funding
Figure 1: Departmental spending 2021–22 to 2026–27
The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.
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Explanation of figure 1
For fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23, the Commission did not incur any direct expenditures. The president of the Commission was appointed in June 2023 at which time financial delegation was received. As a result, fiscal year 2023-24 functions as a partial year, hence why expenditures are lower that year. Finally, fiscal year 2026-27 represents a "steady state" for the Commission after initial start-up expenditures will have been incurred.
Estimates by vote
Information on the Law Commission of Canada’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2024–25 Main Estimates.
Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the Law Commission of Canada’s operations for 2023–24 to 2024–25.
The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.
A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, are available at the Law Commission of Canada.
Table 5: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2025 (dollars)
| Financial information | 2023–24 forecast results | 2024–25 planned results | Difference (2024–25 planned results minus 2023–24 forecast results) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 2,248,957 | 4,122,342 | 1,873,385 |
| Total revenues | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 2,248,957 | 4,122,342 | 1,873,385 |
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Explanation of table 5
Fiscal year 2023-24 functions as a partial year, hence why expenditures are forecasted lower that year. Activities are expected to ramp up to expected planned levels in fiscal year 2024-25.
Human resources
Table 6: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
The following table shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for the Law Commission of Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2021–22 actual FTEs | 2022–23 actual FTEs | 2023–24 forecasted FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law Review | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Subtotal | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Internal services | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 7 |
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Explanation of table 6
The Commission officially commenced its operations after the President was appointed in June 2023. Before this time, expenditures were incurred by the Department of Justice.
Table 7: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for each of the Law Commission of Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for 2024–25 and future years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2024–25 planned fulltime equivalents | 2025–26 planned fulltime equivalents | 2026–27 planned fulltime equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law Review | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Subtotal | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Internal services | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Total | 18 | 18 | 18 |
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Explanation of table 7
The planned full-time equivalents are expected to be steady over the next three fiscal years and there are no significant variances anticipated.
Corporate information
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Organizational profile
Appropriate minister(s): The Honourable Arif Virani
Institutional head: Shauna Van Praagh
Ministerial portfolio: Justice
Enabling instrument(s): Law Commission of Canada Act
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1997
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Organizational contact information
Mailing address:
PO Box 56068
Ottawa RPO Minto Place
Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 7Z1Email: info@lcc-cdc.gc.ca
Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/law-commission-canada.html
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information tables are available on the Law Commission of Canada’s website:
Information on the Law Commission of Canada’s departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on the Law Commission of Canada’s website.
Federal tax expenditures
The Law Commission of Canada’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.
Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.
This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.
Definitions
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List of terms
appropriation (crédit)
Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A document that sets out a department’s priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
departmental result (résultat ministériel)
A change that a department seeks to influence. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.
departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.
Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report on a department’s actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its Departmental Plan for that year. Departmental Results Reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.
full time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. Full time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus ACS Plus)
An analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography, language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2024–25 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2021 Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fighter harder for safer communities; standing up for diversity and inclusion; moving faster on the path to reconciliation and fighting for a secure, just, and equitable world.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
Indigenous business
As defined on the Indigenous Services Canada website in accordance with the Government of Canada’s commitment that a mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses annually.
non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement)
What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.
A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
program (programme)
Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within a department and that focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
An inventory of a department’s programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department’s core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.
result (résultat)
An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead, they are within the area of the organization’s influence.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.
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