Privy Council Office’s 2025–26 Departmental Plan
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© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada (2025)
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Plan ministériel 2025-2026
CP1-13E-PDF
ISSN 2371-7289
From the Prime Minister
The Right Honourable
Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada
I am pleased to present the Privy Council Office’s 2025-26 Departmental Plan. Canadians have honoured me with a mandate to bring about big changes quickly, and as a government we must work relentlessly to fulfill that trust. This plan outlines how the Privy Council Office will work over the coming year to support the new government’s priorities to deliver the change Canadians want and deserve.
The challenges ahead are not small. We must meet them with both a disciplined focus on core priorities and new approaches to governing.
Our core priorities have been outlined in the mandate letter issued to members of Canada’s new Ministry:
- Establishing a new economic and security relationship with the United States and strengthening our collaboration with reliable trading partners and allies around the world.
- Building one Canadian economy by removing barriers to interprovincial trade and identifying and expediting nation-building projects that will connect and transform our country.
- Bringing down costs for Canadians and helping them to get ahead.
- Making housing more affordable by unleashing the power of public-private cooperation, catalysing a modern housing industry, and creating new careers in the skilled trades.
- Protecting Canadian sovereignty and keeping Canadians safe by strengthening the Canadian Armed Forces, securing our borders, and reinforcing law enforcement.
- Attracting the best talent in the world to help build our economy, while returning our overall immigration rates to sustainable levels.
- Spending less on government operations so that Canadians can invest more in the people and businesses that will build the strongest economy in the G7.
To deliver this change, we will govern constructively and collaboratively, working across parties in parliament in the interest of Canadians. Canada’s new government will be a strong and reliable partner to provinces, territories, and Indigenous Peoples. We will reinforce bridges across labour, business, and civil society.
To all public servants: thank you for your dedication and professionalism. A stronger Canada depends on an efficient and effective public service that is focused on these missions to deliver for Canadians.
Together, let’s build a stronger, more prosperous, and more united Canada.
Together, let’s build big, build bold, and build now. Together, let’s build Canada Strong.
The Right Honourable Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada
Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
Core responsibility and internal services
Core responsibility: Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet
In this section
Description
To deliver analysis, advice and support to the Prime Minister and ministers of the portfolio including non-partisan advice and information from across the public service resulting from consultations and collaboration with international and domestic sources inside and outside government.
To act as secretariat to the Cabinet and its committees including managing the Cabinet's decision-making system, coordinating departmental policy proposals to Cabinet, scheduling and providing support services for meetings of Cabinet and Cabinet committees, advancing the Government's agenda across federal departments and agencies, and providing administrative services to the Prime Minister's Office, portfolio ministers, and Commissions of Inquiry.
To lead and renew the public service in order to advise the Government in implementing its agenda, foster healthy workplaces that promote diversity and inclusion, and deliver services and results to Canadians.
Plans to achieve results
PCO is committed to helping the Government achieve its priorities through the delivery of expert analysis and advice, and by providing operational support to Cabinet and Cabinet committees. In collaboration with other departments and agencies, PCO will continue to advance the Government’s public service agenda and support the Clerk of the Privy Council in his role as head of the public service of Canada. PCO will also support the Prime Minister in determining how to organize and structure the Government of Canada to meet its goals and objectives in 2025–26.
To that end, PCO intends to:
Provide non-partisan advice to the Prime Minister, portfolio ministers, Cabinet, and Cabinet committees on matters of national and international importance
- Provide advice and support to the Prime Minister and Cabinet in defining a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the United States, rooted in mutual respect and founded on common interests to deliver transformational benefits for our two sovereign nations.
- Provide advice and support to the Prime Minister, the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Cabinet, and Cabinet committees on matters related to intergovernmental relations to enhance partnerships with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, and indigenous partners and communities, to advance the Government of Canada’s priorities, including identifying and catalysing major projects of national significance under the rubric of “one project, one review” in a timely fashion.
- Work with other federal departments and agencies to advance economic and social policies that foster healthy and safe communities, skills and workforce development, innovation, access to housing, sustainable jobs, health, employment, public safety, greater and inclusive labour market participation, managed migration and growth of the middle class.
- Provide evidence-based advice to the Prime Minister, the portfolio ministers and Cabinet to make housing affordable through targeted tax measures and by unleashing the power of public-private cooperation to build homes faster, at lower costs, and with smaller environmental footprints, while being accessible and socially inclusive for Canadians, including students, seniors, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable communities, to help address chronic homelessness in Canada.
- Collaborate with other federal departments and agencies to develop and provide strategic foreign, national security, and defence policy advice, and with security partners to provide intelligence advice and support to the Prime Minister on threats to Canada’s national security; and provide relevant intelligence assessments to advance Canada’s interests at home and abroad.
- Provide advice and support to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on economic and fiscal matters to inform budgetary-related decisions and promote long-term economic growth, with a focus on supporting the Government’s agenda through negotiating international trade agreements, supporting supply chain resilience, taking global leadership in responsible artificial intelligence, fighting climate change and protecting the environment.
- Support and advance Government priorities that move forward on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, including supporting departments on legislation, agreements and policies on rights recognition and increased self-determination.
- Support the Prime Minister and portfolio ministers and Cabinet with timely analysis and advice on creating a more affordable Canada by advancing the Government’s suite of affordability measures, including reducing middle-class taxes, providing dental care, Pharmacare, and $10-a-day Childcare, all of which reduce the cost of living for Canadians.
- Provide advice and support to the Prime Minister, the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Cabinet, and Cabinet committees on matters related to internal trade by collaborating with provinces and territories to reduce barriers to trade within Canada and create one Canadian economy out of 13.
- Continue to implement policies and whole-of-government approaches through engagement with federal departments, other central agencies, and provinces and territories to strengthen and modernize Canada’s border security, including stopping the flow of fentanyl and its precursors at our borders, and our immigration system, including for asylum seekers.
- Support the Prime Minister and Cabinet in its commitment to build a stronger Canadian Armed Forces to protect Canadians, defend our sovereignty, and support our allies.
- Continue to deliver advice and analysis to the Prime Minister to advance Canada’s international engagements, including with respect to peace and security, international trade and development, as well as the advancement of core values such as democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
- Provide advice and support to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on strengthening and protecting Canada’s democratic institutions.
- Support the Government in its commitment to balance its operating budget by cutting waste, capping the public service, ending duplication, and deploying technology to boost productivity and create better jobs and higher incomes for Canadians.
- Provide advice and support to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons on legislative initiatives that advance government priorities and the day-to-day management of the House of Commons.
Support the smooth functioning of the Cabinet decision-making process to help implement the Government’s agenda
- Provide timely, comprehensive, expert analysis and advice in support of the full spectrum of policy, budget, machinery of government, and legislative priorities of the Prime Minister, Cabinet, and Cabinet committees, and continue to ensure that proposals and advice presented to Cabinet ministers consider the populations directly impacted and a variety of perspectives. This includes considerations such as gender-based analysis plus, equity, diversity and inclusion, intersectionality, an anti-racism lens and quality of life analysis, intergovernmental considerations, and those related to client-centric implementation.
- Deliver an effective and efficient Cabinet business system by supporting the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, and fellow public servants before, during, and after Cabinet and Cabinet committee meetings. This includes coordinating the planning of Cabinet priorities through the management of the Cabinet forward agenda and operating the Government’s official submission and distribution centre for Cabinet material.
- Provide secretariat support to the Cabinet in its Governor-in-Council role and support the Prime Minister and the Clerk of the Privy Council on activities relating to the use and management of Orders in Council, regulations, and other statutory instruments.
- Provide timely data-driven and results-based insights, analysis, and advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on the implementation and delivery of the Government’s agenda and core services and deliver advice and support around the efficient and effective organization of government.
Ensure Canada is safe and secure, and promoting a fair, transparent and democratic Government
- Continue to ensure the effective coordination of the national security and intelligence community, and provide analysis, assessment and advice, with a whole-of-government perspective, to the Prime Minister and National Security Council on strategic national security issues and initiatives.
- Coordinate, develop, and implement government-wide measures to safeguard Canada’s democracy and electoral system, including measures designed to combat dis- and misinformation, prevent foreign interference that undermines Canada’s democratic institutions, and enhance Canada’s security posture to around the general election so that capable Canadians feel able to run for elected office.
- Continue to support the Government in its commitment to an open, transparent, and merit-based process for Governor-in-Council appointments that reflect Canada’s diversity.
- Continue to ensure the security of Cabinet and government operations through proper controls, including working as a lead security agency to strengthen security across government.
Support public service leadership and renewal
- Continue to advance the vision of a world-class public service equipped to serve Canada and Canadians now and into the future.
- Improve results for Canadians by supporting departments and agencies to foster innovation and effectively implement outcomes-based policy and program approaches (e.g., challenge prizes, behavioural science), in key priority areas such as trust in government and society, public safety, health and climate change.
- Work with federal departments, central agencies, and functional and horizontal communities to advance renewal efforts that promote healthy, productive and innovative workplaces for an efficient, skilled, high-performing and accountable public service. This includes, advancing the Clerk’s Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service, the Clerk’s renewal conversation on values and ethics, leveraging data and technologies such as artificial intelligence, and supporting efforts focused on improving productivity and efficiency (e.g., recruiting of skills, talent development and management, enterprise-wide modernization initiatives).
Quality of life impacts
Good governance – Confidence in institutions
Through its core responsibility of serving the Prime Minister and Cabinet, PCO provides non-partisan advice and strategic guidance to the Prime Minister and Cabinet and supports the Government’s policy development and decision-making process. PCO also fosters an effective, diverse, inclusive and innovative public service by embracing transparency and ensuring decision-making processes across the whole-of-government promote accountability and stand up to the highest level of public scrutiny.
It does this by promoting the Quality of Life domain of ‘Good governance,’ more specifically, the indicators of ‘Confidence in institutions’ and ‘Representation in senior leadership,’ to ensure the department promotes fairness and safety and fosters a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion in senior leadership positions.
Prosperity – Economic prosperity
PCO also contributes to the Quality of Life domain of ‘Prosperity,’ specifically the indicator of ‘Economic prosperity.’ For example, PCO provides analysis and advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on economic issues such as affordability, housing, and foreign direct investments that present a risk to national security.
Environment – Ecological integrity and environmental stewardship
In supporting the Government’s climate change mitigation and adaptation agenda, PCO also contributes to the advancement of the Quality of Life domain of ‘Environment,’ specifically the indicators of ‘Ecological integrity and environmental stewardship,’ as they relate to the Government’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as improving air quality.
Society – Positive perceptions of diversity
PCO contributes to advancing the Quality of Life domain of ‘Society,’ and specifically the ‘Positive perceptions of diversity’ indicators. Recognizing the strength derived from a workforce that represents Canada’s diversity, PCO demonstrates leadership by actively promoting inclusive policies and practices by advising the Prime Minister and Cabinet on issues related to equity, intersectionality, and reconciliation, as well as by ensuring that decision-making processes are enriched by a range of perspectives that represent Canada’s diverse regions and peoples.
Indicators, results and targets
This section presents details of the department’s indicators, providing the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, and the targets and target dates approved in 2025–26 for the core responsibility Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The data is presented by category of departmental result.
Tables 1 through 4 provide a summary of the actual results for each indicator associated with the core responsibility of Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet, as well as the estimates for achieving these targets.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey Cabinet committee chairs whether they feel well-supported for meetings and whether they believe that their Committee’s time was effectively allocated to Government priorities and time sensitive business |
|
2024-25 results will contribute to establishing a target for this indicator. | March 2027 |
| * This indicator was introduced in 2023-24 therefore there are no results available for previous years. | |||
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Cabinet Ministers that indicate that MCs include satisfactory GBA Plus analysis |
|
Feedback is received from over 50% of Ministers and 80% overall satisfaction with services from respondents | March 2026 |
| Percentage of Cabinet Ministers satisfied with service and advice from the Privy Council Office |
|
Feedback is received from over 50% of Ministers and 80% overall satisfaction with services from respondents | March 2026 |
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orders in Council are made available to the public without delay in accordance with the Statutory Instruments Act |
|
|
March 2026 |
| Percentage of official Cabinet material submitted by departments to the Privy Council Office, respecting the Guidance for the Drafting of the Memoranda to Cabinet |
|
80% | March 2026 |
| * This indicator was introduced in 2023-24 therefore there are no results available for previous years. | |||
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of public service employees who describe their workplace as being psychologically healthy |
|
Increase | March 2026 |
| Percentage of public service employees who feel that their department or agency implements activities or practices that support diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism |
|
Increase | March 2026 |
Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for PCO’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Planned resources to achieve results
Table 5 provides a summary of the planned spending (dollars) and full-time equivalents (FTEs) required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned |
|---|---|
| Spending | $176,170,981 |
| Full-time equivalents | 760 |
Complete financial and human resources information for PCO’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Related government priorities
Gender-based analysis plus
PCO is working to further embed and strengthen Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) in the challenge function. This work will drive the qualitative assessment and monitoring of gender and diversity considerations in policy proposals, using an intersectional lens.
This monitoring will be used to brief PCO senior management so that they can intervene with departments to strengthen GBA Plus assessments in their policy proposals where appropriate, and inform learning products to strengthen PCO’s role to review policy proposals, including GBA Plus components.
In addition, through the GBA Plus Focal Point, PCO will continue to engage Women and Gender Equality Canada, the Department of Finance Canada, and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat on strengthening the implementation and refinement of GBA Plus as it applies to Cabinet documents.
Innovation
Innovation within PCO will continue to play a prominent role in 2025–26, with a continued focus on supporting the Government’s broader responses and improving outcomes across several priority areas. These include:
- The Artificial Intelligence Secretariat: The Secretariat will help to coordinate federal efforts and advance Canada’s global role and capabilities in responsible, trusted, and inclusive AI. With a focus on the critical inputs and outputs of AI, including skills, infrastructure, and multilateral cooperation, the Secretariat drives adoption within and beyond the civil service by identifying and supporting signature initiatives that champion Canadian strength in areas that leverage our comparative strengths, including our people, data, and capabilities.
- Impact Canada Challenges: Ongoing implementation of signature Impact Canada Challenge program streams, projects, and initiatives with partner departments to generate solutions in the areas of Agricultural Methane Reduction, Housing Supply, Indigenous Clean Energy Transition, Oil Spill Response, Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Lunar Water Purification and marine spatial planning. In 2025-26, new or expanded Challenges and outcomes-based funding approaches with federal partners include supporting:
- workplace equity, harassment and violence prevention with Employment and Social Development Canada
- agricultural producer mental health with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Behavioural Science Programs of Applied Research: With other federal partners and levels of government, continued application of Impact Canada’s applied behavioural science model will continue to inform higher impact policy development, program interventions, and government communications in key areas including health and well-being, climate resiliency, and energy efficiency. As well, the behavioural science program of research will be expanded to address additional government priorities, including community safety, traveller modernization, tobacco control and youth cannabis use.
- Data and Measurement Integration: Impact Canada will continue to support impact analysis through collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Statistics Canada by focusing on novel measurement approaches, linked data environments, and open data.
- Impact Canada Fellowship Program: Continued leveraging of the Impact Canada Fellowship program to attract high caliber external talent to fill internal skills gaps and increase departmental ability to deliver innovative programming, including applying behavioural sciences and outcomes-based funding approaches to policies, programs, decision-making, and leading on Challenges to solve big problems.
Program inventory
PCO’s core responsibility Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet is supported by the following programs:
- International Affairs and National Security
- Intergovernmental Affairs
- Social and Economic Policy
- Results, Delivery, Impact and Innovation
- Legislative and Parliamentary Governance
- Planning and Operations of Cabinet
- Senior Personnel and Public Service Renewal
- Commissions of Inquiry
Additional information related to the program inventory for the core responsibility Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Internal services
In this section
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
This section presents details on how the department plans to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.
Through its ongoing modernizing efforts, the departmental Internal Services functions will provide efficient and timely services in support of PCO’s priorities.
In 2025–26, PCO will continue to:
- provide effective stewardship of financial, human and information resources;
- work with Government partners, including the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the Canada School of Public Service and the Knowledge Circle for Indigenous Inclusion to support horizontal initiatives, and the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal public service;
- provide support for secure communication technologies for senior officials across government;
- implement process and technology improvements to enable timely processes of requests under the Access to Information Act;
- implement annual commitments related to PCO’s Accessibility Plan; and
- promote inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism (IDEA) in the workforce, including using data analytics and disaggregated data tools to identify trends, gaps, opportunities, and increase the representation of employment equity groups.
Responding to the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion at PCO
To ensure meaningful and sustained progress on the Clerk’s Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion at PCO, the Clerk of the Privy Council Office appointed a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) for the Department and established the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-racism (IDEA) Secretariat in September 2023.
PCO will develop further guidance to executives and managers on consequential accountability and continue to monitor disaggregated employment equity data and representation to inform decision-making and ensure the Department maintains a diverse workforce that is reflective of the Canadian population. To that end:
- The latest employment equity data as of March 2025 shows an overall increase in representation among all four Employment Equity groups with increases since 2020 for Indigenous Peoples (2.7% to 3.3%), Racialized People (16.5% to 24.8%), Women (53.9% to 58.2%) and Persons with Disabilities (3.2% to 8.9%). All four employment equity groups also met workforce availability (WFA) as of March 2025 at the departmental level. Disaggregated data showed the representation of Black employees increased from 3.4% (29 employees) in March 2020 to 6.2% (68 employees) in March 2025.
- Areas with larger representation gaps, particularly the EX-feeder and EC groups for Persons with Disabilities, Racialized People, and Indigenous Peoples, require continued focus.
- However, representation in the EX-classification improved for all four Employment Equity groups from March 2020 to March 2025, with the most significant improvement for Racialized People, rising from 9.3% to 30.6% (34 executives).
As part of its commitment to honest reflection and accountability, PCO will continue to publicly report on progress through its annual response to the self-assessment on the forward direction of the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service.
Table 6: Indicator, target and result for diversity and inclusion
The measure of this indicator will be extended to Executives and employees at the EX minus-1 and EX minus-2 level in the racialized people subgroups, including Black and other racialized groups, once the workforce availability for those groups has been published. Table 6 provides information to help measure the progress on achieving a workforce at PCO that is representative of the Canadian population.
| Expected Result | Indicator | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCO’s workforce is representative of the Canadian population | Percentage of employment equity groups representation (Visible Minorities, Indigenous Peoples, Women and Persons with Disabilities) in the Executive (EX) and EX-feeder (EX minus-1 and EX minus-2) groups at PCO | At or above the most recent workforce availability, or improved from previous year (if not at workforce availability) | March 2026 |
Planned resources to achieve results
Table 7: Planned resources to achieve results for internal services this year
| Resource | Planned |
|---|---|
| Spending | 102,030,532 |
| Full-time equivalents | 576 |
Complete financial and human resources information for PCO’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Government of Canada departments are to meet a target of awarding at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses each year.
For fiscal year 2025–26, PCO will continue to support the Government of Canada’s commitment to minimum Indigenous Procurement of 5%, setting its own target at 7%. PCO intends to meet this target by using a combination of voluntary set-asides and regular contracting with businesses registered on the Indigenous Business Directory and Inuit Firm Registry. Table 7 presents the current, actual results with forecasted and planned results for the total percentage of contracts the department awarded to Indigenous businesses.
Table 8: Percentage of contracts planned and awarded to Indigenous businesses
| 5% Reporting Field | 2023–24 Actual Result | 2024–25 Forecasted Result | 2025–26 Planned Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total percentage of contracts with Indigenous businesses | 9.8% | 7% | 7% |
Planned spending and human resources
This section provides an overview of PCO’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2025–26 with actual spending from previous years.
Spending
This section presents an overview of the department's planned expenditures from 2022–23 to 2027–28.
Budgetary performance summary
Table 9: Three-year spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
| Core responsibility and internal services | 2022–23 Actual Expenditures | 2023–24 Actual Expenditures | 2024–25 Forecasted Spending* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet | 127,600,916 | 121,482,862 | 146,139,905 |
| Subtotal | 127,600,916 | 121,482,862 | 146,139,905 |
| Internal services | 115,336,240 | 122,489,267 | 109,189,119 |
| Total | 242,937,156 | 243,972,129 | 255,329,024 |
| *2024–25 Forecast as of September 30, 2024 | |||
Analysis of past three years of spending
Core responsibility
PCO’s actual spending under its core responsibility decreased by $6.1 million (5%) from 2022–23 to 2023–24 mainly due to the completion of the Joint Public Inquiry into the Nova Scotia April 2020 Tragedy and the Public Order Emergency Commission. This decrease was partially offset by the creation of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, additional resources to enhance departmental capacity and strengthen internal trade, and compensation adjustments related to employee pay rate increases.
The forecasted spending increased by $24.7 million (20%) from 2023–24 to 2024–25. This forecasted increase is mainly attributable to higher spending on the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions and a 2024–25 program change in which certain programs unique to PCO's core mandate - that were previously reported under internal services - are now being reported under core responsibility to better reflect the nature of these programs.
Internal services
PCO’s actual spending on internal services increased by $7.2 million (6%) from 2022–23 to 2023–24, primarily because of compensation adjustments related to employee pay rate increases and the work of the Independent Special Rapporteur.
The forecasted spending decreased by $13.3 million (11%) from 2023–24 to 2024–25. This was due to programs previously reported under internal services that are now being reported under core responsibility (see above paragraph), the completion of the work of the Independent Special Rapporteur, and retroactive payments in 2023–24 related to employee pay rate increases. More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.
Table 10: Planned three-year spending on core responsibility and internal services (dollars)
| Core responsibility and internal services | 2025–26 Planned Spending | 2026–27 Planned Spending | 2027–28 Planned Spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet | 176,170,981 | 120,125,533 | 114,620,155 |
| Subtotal | 176,170,981 | 120,125,533 | 114,620,155 |
| Internal services | 102,030,532 | 100,389,291 | 98,972,975 |
| Total | 278,201,513 | 220,514,824 | 213,593,130 |
Analysis of the next three years of spending
Core responsibility
Expenditures for the core responsibility are expected to decrease by $56.0 million (32%) in 2026–27 as compared to 2025–26. This reduction is primarily due to the conclusion of funding for candidate security services during the next federal electoral process, as well as election or post-election related costs. It is also attributable to the full implementation of the spending cuts announced in Budget 2023 that are expected to be fully phased-in by 2026–27, and the conclusion of funding of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions.
From 2026–27 to 2027–28, spending is expected to decrease by $5.5 million (5%), primarily due to the end of the Federal Action Plan to Strengthen Internal Trade, the support to the Clean Growth Office, and enhanced departmental capacity for urgent priorities.
Internal services
Internal services spending is projected to decrease by $1.6 million (2%) in 2026–27 compared to 2025–26, primarily due to the spending reductions announced in Budget 2023. In 2027–28, spending is expected to further decrease by $1.4 million (1%) as compared to 2025-26, due to a reduction in internal support services related to the sunsetting initiatives mentioned above. More detailed financial information on planned spending is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.
Table 11: Budgetary gross and net planned spending summary (dollars)
| Core responsibility and internal services | 2025–26 Gross planned spending (dollars) | 2025–26 Planned revenues netted against spending (dollars) | 2025–26 Planned net spending (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet | 176,930,477 | (759,496) | 176,170,981 |
| Subtotal | 176,930,477 | (759,496) | 176,170,981 |
| Internal services | 109,218,402 | (7,187,870) | 102,030,532 |
| Total | 286,148,879 | (7,947,366) | 278,201,513 |
| Complete financial for PCO’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase. | |||
Analysis of budgetary gross and net planned spending summary
Revenues reported include those referred to in paragraph 29.1(2)(a) of the Financial Administration Act. This includes revenues received to offset expenditures incurred in the fiscal year from the provision of intelligence analysis training and the provision of internal support services such as financial management, human resources, information technology services, and Secure Communications for National Leadership initiative.
Information on the alignment of PCO’s spending with Government of Canada’s spending and activities is available on GC InfoBase.
Funding
This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.
Graph 1 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2022–23 to 2027–28.
Text version
| Fiscal year | Total | Voted | Statutory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | 242,937,156 | 221,231,924 | 21,705,232 |
| 2023–24 | 243,972,129 | 219,369,215 | 24,602,914 |
| 2024–25 | 255,329,024 | 230,929,245 | 24,399,779 |
| 2025–26 | 278,201,513 | 253,455,248 | 24,746,265 |
| 2026–27 | 220,514,824 | 196,461,196 | 24,053,628 |
| 2027–28 | 213,593,130 | 190,299,667 | 23,293,463 |
Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period
Fiscal years 2022–23 and 2023–24 show actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts, while 2024–25 presents forecasted spending as of September 30, 2024. Fiscal years 2025–26 to 2027–28 present planned spending.
Spending increased by $1.0 million (0.4%) in 2023–24. This rise is due to compensation adjustments for employee pay rate increases, the creation of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, expenses related to the Independent Special Rapporteur, as well as additional resources to enhance departmental capacity and strengthen internal trade. This increase was mostly offset by reduced spending following the completion of the Joint Public Inquiry into the Nova Scotia April 2020 Tragedy and to the Public Order Emergency Commission.
Forecasted spending in 2024–25 (as of September 30, 2024) was higher than 2023–24 by $11.4 million (5%), mainly due to increased spending on the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions and investments in information technology systems, security, and hardware. The increase was partially offset by lower spending in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24, due to the completion of work related to the Independent Special Rapporteur in 2023–24, spending reductions announced in Budget 2023, and employee retroactive payments in 2023–24 related to pay rate increases.
Planned spending in 2025-26 is higher than 2024-25 forecasted spending by $22.9 million (9%), due to the provision of candidate security services during the federal electoral process, as well as election or post-election related costs. This is partially offset by expected lower spending in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25, due to the completion of the core mandate of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in 2024–25, reduced investments in information technology, and incremental spending reductions announced in Budget 2023.
Spending is expected to decrease by $57.7 million (21%) in 2026-27, which can be attributed to the conclusion of funding for candidate security services during the federal electoral process as well as election or post-election related costs, the full implementation of the spending reductions announced in Budget 2023, and sunsetting funding for close-out costs related to the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions after 2025-26.
In 2027-28, spending is expected to further decrease by $6.9 million (3%) primarily due to the conclusion of funding for the Federal Action Plan to Strengthen Internal Trade, support the Clean Growth Office, and enhance departmental capacity for urgent priorities.
For further information on PCO’s departmental appropriations, consult the 2025–26 Main Estimates.
Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of PCO’s operations for 2024–25 to 2025–26.
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 for 2025–26, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, is available on PCO’s website.
Table 12: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ended March 31, 2026 (dollars)
| Financial information | 2024–25 Forecast results | 2025–26 Planned results | Difference (forecasted results minus planned) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 299,452,434 | 319,009,153 | 19,556,719 |
| Total revenues | 7,730,684 | 7,924,161 | 193,477 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 291,721,750 | 311,084,992 | 19,363,242 |
Analysis of forecasted and planned results
The planned 2025-26 results net cost of operations before government funding and transfers is forecasted to be higher by $19,363,242 compared to the forecasted 2024-25 results. This increase is primarily attributable to the provision of candidate security services during the federal electoral process. This is partially offset by expected decreases in spending stemming from the completion of the core mandate of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in 2024–25, reduced investments in information technology, and incremental spending reductions announced in Budget 2023.
Human resources
This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2022–23 to 2027–28.
Table 13: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
| Core responsibility and internal services | 2022–23 Actual full-time equivalents | 2023–24 Actual full-time equivalents | 2024–25 Forecasted full-time equivalents* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet | 673 | 682 | 780 |
| Subtotal | 673 | 682 | 780 |
| Internal services | 662 | 664 | 578 |
| Total | 1,335 | 1,346 | 1,358 |
| *2024–25 Forecast as of September 30, 2024. | |||
Analysis of human resources over the last three years
Core responsibility
Starting in 2024–25, certain programs unique to PCO’s core mandate that were previously reported under internal services are now being reported under core responsibility to better reflect the nature of these programs. This explains the primary reason for the increased growth of 107 FTEs in core responsibility from 2022–23 to 2024–25. In addition, increases relate to the establishment of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, support for the National Security Council, the establishment of the Clean Growth Office, and enhanced departmental capacity to deal with urgent priorities, strengthen internal trade, and deliver on work related to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion.
This is partially offset by a decrease in FTEs for the Commissions of Inquiry due to the closure of operations for the Public Inquiry into the February 2022 Public Order Emergency on March 31, 2023, and the Joint Public Inquiry into the Nova Scotia April 2020 Tragedy on May 15, 2023.
Internal services
The decrease of 84 FTEs in internal services from 2022–23 to 2024–25 is due to the programs previously reported under internal services now being reported under core responsibility (see above paragraph). Excluding the program change above, internal services FTEs have remained stable from 2022–23 to 2024–25.
Table 14: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
| Core responsibility and Internal Services | 2025–26 Planned full-time equivalents | 2026–27 Planned full-time equivalents | 2027–28 Planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet | 760 | 730 | 704 |
| Subtotal | 760 | 730 | 704 |
| Internal services | 576 | 576 | 576 |
| Total | 1,336 | 1,306 | 1,280 |
Analysis of human resources for the next three years
Core responsibility
The overall decrease of 56 in planned FTEs from 2025-26 to 2027-28 for core responsibility is due to the sunsetting of funding for candidate security services during the Canadian federal electoral process as well as election or post-election related costs, enhancing departmental capacity to deal with urgent priorities, strengthening internal trade, supporting the Clean Growth Office, and delivering on work related to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion, along with spending reductions announced in the Budget 2023. Additionally, in 2025-26, there is planned reduction in FTEs for the completion of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions.
Internal services
Planned FTEs for internal services are expected to remain stable from 2025–26 to 2027–28.
Corporate information
Departmental profile
Appropriate ministers:
- The Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
- The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade
- The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy
- The Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Institutional head:
John Hannaford, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet
Ministerial portfolio:
Privy Council Office
Enabling instrument(s):
Order in Council P.C. 1940-1121
Year of incorporation / commencement:
1867
Departmental contact information
Mailing address:
Privy Council Office
85 Sparks Street
Room 1000
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3
Telephone:
613-957-5153 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET)
Email:
Websites:
- Privy Council Office – Website
- Clerk of the Privy Council - Website
- Clerk of the Privy Council – X (Twitter) Account
- X (Twitter) post to @PrivyCouncilCA
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information table is available on PCO’s website:
Information on PCO’s departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on PCO’s website.
Federal tax expenditures
PCO’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures. The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.
This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.
Definitions
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 report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3 year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.
- departmental result (résultat ministériel)
- A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. 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 quantitative measure of 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 accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
- fulltime equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
- A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the fulltime equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.
- gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
Is 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 (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
Using GBA Plus involves taking a gender- and diversity-sensitive approach to our work. Considering all intersecting identity factors as part of GBA Plus, not only sex and gender, is a Government of Canada commitment.
- government priorities (priorités gouvernementales)
- For the purpose of the 2025-26 Departmental Plan, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the November 23, 2021, Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fight 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 where two or more federal departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
- Indigenous business (enterprise autochtones)
- For the purpose of the Directive on the Management of Procurement Appendix E: Mandatory Procedures for Contracts Awarded to Indigenous Businesses and the Government of Canada’s commitment that a mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses, an organization that meets the definition and Arequirements as defined by the Indigenous Business Directory.
- 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.
- performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
- A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an department, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
- 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 to the expected result.
- planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in 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 the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
- program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
- Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.
- result (résultat)
- A consequence attributed, in part, to an department, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single department, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the department’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.