2022–2023 Departmental Results Report – Supplementary information tables – Gender-based analysis plus

Section 1: Institutional GBA plus capacity

Governance

PrairiesCan has a gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) Champion, GBA+ Committee, GBA+ responsibility centre, and GBA+ subject matter focal points, who keep up-to-date on GBA+ developments. The department has internal guidance laying out how GBA+ is integrated and considered in decision-making for all initiatives.

Capacity

In 2022-23, PrairiesCan supported inclusive economic growth throughout the prairies region, including focusing on creating economic opportunities for members of underrepresented groups.

PrairiesCan advances inclusive economic development in the prairies region through its programs and services. PrairiesCan’s programs support underrepresented groups either directly or indirectly. The department also offers tailored programs that specifically target certain underrepresented groups. Programs include:

• Women’s Enterprise Initiative (WEI);
• Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP);
• Economic Development Initiative (EDI);
• Francophone Economic Development Organizations (FEDOs);
• Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program (EDP); and
• Indigenous Business Development Services (IBDS).

Moreover, PrairiesCan’s programs support businesses majority-owned or majority-led by underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous peoples, women, youth, 2SLGBTQI+, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada and members of official language minority communities. Programming aims to increase participation of underrepresented groups in the economy by supporting businesses directly or through not-for-profit organizations by providing funding, business services, training and access to resources.

As part of its departmental inclusivity priority, PrairiesCan continued to support Indigenous-led projects through core and time-limited programming. It also prioritized employee development. Throughout 2022-23, PrairiesCan held a series of Indigenous-focused training for staff including Indigenous Relations workshops, Indigenous Awareness training, and Land Acknowledgement training. Similarly, PrairiesCan continued to recognize the importance of a GBA+ knowledge as a foundation for all staff. The department recommends the Canada School of Public Service GBA+ training for all employees, supervisors and executives.

Another way in which the department supports inclusive economic growth is through its research and analysis function. In 2022-23, PrairiesCan commissioned The Centre for Innovation Studies (THECIS) to launch the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) studies across the Prairies to better understand the unique challenges and barriers faced by women and youth entrepreneurs. The latest set of women and youth reports have been completed and virtual launches occurred in late 2022. Unique to this period, PrairiesCan also invested in regional impact reports on entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which were also released and launched late last year. PrairiesCan will continue to collaborate with THECIS to ensure it has access to accurate and timely data and research.

Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program

Core responsibility: Economic development in the Prairies

Program name: Business Growth, Business Services, Community Initiatives, Innovation

Program goals: These programs promote growth and diversification in the economy of the Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) by enhancing innovation, improving business competitiveness, promoting the adoption of clean technologies and inclusive growth. The department aims to increase participation of underrepresented groups in the economy by supporting businesses directly or through not-for-profit organizations by providing funding, business services, training and access to resources. PrairiesCan is continually improving its GBA+ practices to ensure that diversity and inclusion considerations are consistently used in decision-making.

Target population: Specific region (the Prairies region – Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) or sectors of the economy

Distribution of benefits

Distribution	Group
By gender	Broadly gender-balanced (third group)
By income level	No significant distributional impacts (third group)
By age group	No significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors (second group)
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

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Statistics	Observed results	Data source	Comment
Percentage of SMEs that are majority-owned by women in the Prairies	13.6%	Statistics Canada	Observed results are based on the latest available data from 2020 Statistics Canada survey on financing and growth of SMEs. The survey is conducted every three years.
Percentage of SMEs that are majority-owned by Indigenous people in the Prairies	1.8%	Statistics Canada	Observed results are based on the latest available data from 2020 Statistics Canada survey on financing and growth of SMEs. The survey is conducted every three years.
Percentage of SMEs that are majority-owned by youth in the Prairies	16.7%	Statistics Canada	Observed results are based on the latest available data from 2020 Statistics Canada survey on financing and growth of SMEs. The survey is conducted every three years.
Percentage of SMEs that are majority-owned by visible minorities in the Prairies	6.6%	Statistics Canada	Observed results are based on the latest available data from 2020 Statistics Canada survey on financing and growth of SMEs. The survey is conducted every three years.
Percentage of SMEs that are majority-owned by persons with disabilities in the Prairies	0.7%	Statistics Canada	Observed results are based on the latest available data from 2020 Statistics Canada survey on financing and growth of SMEs. The survey is conducted every three years.
Number of jobs created for women	1,200	PrairiesCan’s internal systems	Observed results are self-reported (on a voluntary basis) to PrairiesCan by its clients
Number of jobs created for youth	913	PrairiesCan’s internal systems	Observed results are self-reported (on a voluntary basis) to PrairiesCan by its clients
Number of jobs created for Indigenous people	446	PrairiesCan’s internal systems	Observed results are self-reported (on a voluntary basis) to PrairiesCan by its clients

Other key program impacts

In 2022-23, PrairiesCan revised its Departmental Results Framework (DRF), and its accompanying performance indicators. This work considered the inclusion of GBA plus-related indicators and resulted in PrairiesCan establishing two performance indicators directly related to GBA plus objectives. Implementation of the new DRF will commence in 2023-24.

GBA plus data collection plan

In 2022-23, PrairiesCan continued to collect GBA plus related data from its applicants and sought opportunities to improve its collection plan. PrairiesCan’s current data collection exercise gathers diversity and inclusion parameters from applicants as they are provided an opportunity to voluntarily self-identify as a member of certain underrepresented group(s). From this data, PrairiesCan has the ability to identify potential access issues, make evidence-based decisions, and improve its analytical tools in support of departmental programs and services.