Gender-based analysis plus – 2020-2021

Introduction

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) is an analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

The federal government has been committed to using GBA+ in the development of policies, programs and legislation since 1995. It provides federal officials with the means to continually improve their work and attain better results for Canadians by being more responsive to specific needs and circumstances.

In response to recommendations from the 2015 report of the Auditor General of Canada, the government renewed its commitment to GBA+ and mandated the Minister for the Status of Women1 to work with the President of the Treasury Board to ensure that GBA+ is incorporated into Departmental Results Frameworks, Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, and performance reporting.

In 2018, Parliament passed the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act. Under this act, the President of the Treasury Board must report annually on the impact of expenditures program on gender and diversity.

Applicability

All departments must complete the GBA+ supplementary information table. Even if GBA+ is deemed not relevant to a department’s activities and responsibilities, the department must complete the table and explain how GBA+ is not relevant.

General information

Governance structures

n. a.
As a small organization, the NFB is integrating GBA+ into its very governance structure, with its Strategic Planning and Government Relations department assuming responsibility for the GBA+ process. Three FTEs have been assigned (on a part-time basis) to the task of implementing GBA+ in 2018–2019 and throughout the following years. These employees will integrate GBA+ into the NFB’s decision-making processes in addition to fulfilling an advisory role and overseeing monitoring and accountability.

Human resources

Ditto

Planned initiatives

As Canada’s public film producer and distributor, the NFB helps foster harmony in Canadian society. The NFB aims to give a voice to communities that are systematically under-represented in the media landscape, both in front of and behind the camera, such as women filmmakers, Indigenous peoples, official-language minority communities (OLMCs), ethnocultural communities, sexual minorities (LGBTQ2), people living with a disability, etc. Its programming bears witness to Canadian diversity and contributes to the country’s social cohesion.

Every activity linked to the NFB’s mandate (audiovisual programming and production, and accessibility and audience engagement) is subject to a GBA+ and follow-up. In 2016, the NFB added further measures to specifically support gender parity, diversity and inclusion. GBA+ is an integral part of these measures.

  • Gender parity
    In 2016, the NFB committed to ensuring that by 2019, 50% of its productions will be directed by women and 50% of its production budgets will be allocated to women directors. The organization has since broadened its commitment, targeting parity in key creative positions in its documentary, interactive and animation productions by 2020.
  • Indigenous Action Plan 2017–2020
    In June 2017, the NFB published a three-year plan to redefine relations with Indigenous peoples. The plan sets out a series of commitments that respond to the work and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee as well as to Indigenous creators’ longstanding concerns about systemic inequities in the existing Canadian production landscape. These commitments include immediately allocating 15% of production spending to Indigenous-directed projects. 

Reporting capacity and data

n. a.
Limited reporting capacity and data
Performance monitoring is integrated into the NFB’s Departmental Results Framework (DRF) and performance-measurement strategy for initiatives supporting parity, diversity and inclusion. Audiovisual Programming and Production is the core responsibility and program that keeps enough demographic information to report on departmental results, performance indicators and targets relevant for GBA+. However, data gathering remains a challenge, and individual information is not sufficient to undertake in-depth GBA+ analysis.

Page details

Date modified: