Gender-based analysis plus
Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus governance and capacity Governance
Governance
The Gender-Based Analysis (GBA) Plus Centre of Expertise at the Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC) provides input on policies, programs and services to achieve a representative public service. It also ensures the integration of GBA Plus in decision-making processes by ensuring that all Treasury Board submissions and funding proposals assess the potential impacts of policies and programs on diverse Canadian populations.
In 2024-25, the PSC embedded GBA Plus across key organizational initiatives impacting PSC employees as well as in our program and service delivery, applying an intersectional lens that considers gender-based and other diversity characteristics. As part of the implementation of amendments to our enabling legislation, the Public Service Employment Act, we made significant strides in accommodation services for second language evaluations, and we also collaborated with federal departments and agencies to provide them with the necessary tools and guidance.
The PSC Diversity and Inclusion Champion engaged with the interdepartmental GBA Plus champion network led by Women and Gender Equity Canada and created opportunities to share insights on GBA Plus within the PSC. The GBA Plus Centre of Expertise participated in interdepartmental discussions led by Women and Gender Equity Canada for GBA Plus focal points and shared best practices and tools and guidance to enhance work in GBA Plus within the PSC.
Capacity
We actively administered the Employment Opportunity for Students with Disabilities and the Indigenous Student Employment Opportunity, offering mentorship, onboarding and career-focused programming to participants and their managers. Through these programs, we integrated GBA Plus considerations, enhancing support tailored to diverse and intersectional participant needs.
The Diversity and Inclusion Centre of Expertise and the Indigenous Centre of Expertise supported inclusive recruitment by delivering internal learning sessions to staffing advisors, engaging through outreach events and updating recruitment toolkits for hiring Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities. These updated toolkits were aligned with the Inclusive Recruitment Toolkit to form a cohesive suite of guidance materials.
To reduce and address biases and barriers in our assessment services, we implemented a candidate feedback survey in the Candidate Assessment Tool system to collect data on barriers experienced during assessments. We developed a database to analyze assessment results and feedback by employment equity groups and subgroups. We reviewed the Test of Judgement to ensure fairness and reduce potential adverse impact on intersectional groups. Based on candidate feedback, we introduced an action plan to improve assessment accommodation measures for the oral language test.
We improved assessment accommodation services by updating the Candidate Assessment Tool system and enhancing the “Basics of Assessment Accommodation” workshop to better reflect the principles of the social model of disability. We contributed to the work of the Task Force for Black Public Servants by analyzing feedback from Black participants, identifying lessons learned and best practices to improve assessment, career coaching and counselling services and better meet the needs of Black public servants.
In addition to the interactive tools for exploring public service staffing data offered on the PSC data visualization hub, we published several reports and datasets on the Open Government Portal, including regular updates to employment equity group representation and datasets related to job advertisements and Federal Student Work Experience Program referrals. We also published the results of the 2023 Staffing and Non-Partisanship Survey, which included new questions on equity-seeking groups and experiences of bias in staffing. Results were broken down by 2SLGBTQIA+ identity, religion, family status, marital status, gender (men, women, and other genders) and all 4 employment equity groups, enhancing transparency and informing evidence-based decision-making across the public service.
Human resources (full-time equivalents) dedicated to GBA Plus
In 2024-25, the PSC had 1.75 full-time equivalents dedicated to GBA Plus.
Section 2: gender and diversity impacts, by program
Core Responsibility: Public Service Hiring and Non-partisanship
Program name: Recruitment and Assessment Services
Program goals: The strategic recruitment priorities of the Government of Canada and the renewal of the public service are achieved. There are reduced barriers for Canadians to have access to public service jobs and qualified individuals are hired to deliver results for Canadians.
Target population: Federal departments and agencies; public servants; the general public.
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third group: broadly gender-balanced |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors |
Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored
Groups that may benefit directly or indirectly: All Canadians and members of equity-seeking groups.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity
Our continued efforts have contributed to further advancing gender and diversity-related goals. Evidence and details are provided in the following key program impact statistics, outlining how our results have progressed throughout the fiscal year.
Key program impact statistics
Statistic |
Observed results* |
Data Source |
Comment (Maximum 25 words per statistic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of interns hired through the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities | In 2024-25, 40 interns were active through the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities, across 23 federal departments and agencies, representing 19 groups and levels, in partnership with their managers. 70% of these interns were retained in indeterminate positions or had their terms extended following their 2-year internship. Based on the results of the end-of-internship questionnaire issued in the 2024-25 fiscal year, 88% of hiring managers reported the program left them feeling equipped to hire and integrate persons with disabilities, underscoring the program’s impact on inclusive hiring. |
Internal PSC data | The program secured 5 years of additional funding through the 2024-25 federal budget, ensuring its continued success. |
| Percentage of accommodation requests processed within service standards | 99.6% (compared to a target of least 90.0%) | Internal PSC data | The effective establishment of accommodation measures supports the timely assessment of candidates during the appointment process, enabling the Government of Canada to foster inclusion and diversity. |
| Accommodation requests for second language tests, including tests for reading comprehension, written expression and oral proficiency | In total, 2 929 accommodation requests were processed for language tests administered by the PSC and 32 for those administered by departments. | Internal PSC data | The effective establishment of accommodation measures reduces barriers to access these tests, enabling the Government of Canada to foster inclusion and diversity. |
| Request for accommodation for second language tests for reading comprehension and written expression | Following the implementation of unsupervised tests on the accessible Candidate Assessment Tool platform in 2022, accommodation requests for reading comprehension and written expression tests declined from 10% in 2022-23 to 2% in 2024-25. | Internal PSC data | The effective establishment of an accessible digital platform for second language tests reduces the overall need for accommodation measures, enabling the Government of Canada to foster inclusion and diversity. |
*2024-25 or most recent
Other key program impacts
As per the metrics above, the PSC’s continued efforts have contributed to reducing barriers to access to jobs and assessment services, such as second language evaluations.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The data collection plan for the PSC is managed within the Oversight and Monitoring program. The data collection plan is reported under this program.
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.
Core responsibility: Public Service Hiring and Non-partisanship
Program name: Oversight and Monitoring
Program goals: Effective organizational oversight of staffing, data and information are accessible to Canadians and there is an efficient approach to oversight.
Target population: Federal departments and agencies; public servants; the general public.
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third group: broadly gender-balanced |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors. |
Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored
Our research and oversight work study the impact on all Canadians, with particular attention to impact on members of equity-seeking groups. The Oversight and Investigations program published results from the 2023 Staffing and Non-Partisanship Survey, which introduced new questions addressing experiences of bias and barriers within the staffing system. The results were disaggregated by 2SLGBTQIA+ identity, religion, family status, marital status, gender (men, women and other genders) and all 4 employment equity groups, including members of visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities.
Research projects also generated findings for all employment equity groups. These results are publicly available on the Open Government Portal, ensuring accessibility for all Canadians.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity
GBA Plus data collection plan
In 2024-25, the Oversight and Investigations program undertook several initiatives to strengthen the integration of GBA Plus in its data collection and reporting.
- Survey Data:
The Oversight and Investigations program published 2 reports related to the 2023 Staffing and Non-Partisanship Survey: a report on results for the federal public service in June 2024, followed by a thematic report on the results for employment equity groups and equity-seeking groups in September 2024. The 2023 survey included new questions related to biases and barriers in staffing and collected data broken down by: - 2SLGBTQIA+ identity
- religion
- family status and marital status
- gender (men, women, other genders)
- employment equity groups (visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities)
- GBA Plus Research and Analysis:
The Oversight and Investigations program published several research projects applying a GBA Plus lens, including: - Diversity and Inclusion Compass: An interactive data visualization tool available for federal departments and agencies that tracks representation and mobility of employment equity groups by organization, classification group, and time interval (1-5 years).
- Citizenship of Applicants and External Appointments Analysis (2022-2023): Examines application and appointment trends among Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and non-citizens, including employment equity representation of applicants and hires.
- Employment Equity Separation Trends: Reports on departures from indeterminate and term positions of three months or more, disaggregated by employment equity group.
- Non-Advertised Appointments by Employment Equity Group (2013-14 to 2022-23): Tracks trends and representation in non-advertised versus advertised appointments across time and compared to workforce availability benchmarks.
- Employment Equity Promotion Rate Study - Five-Year Update: Assesses promotion rates of equity group members relative to their counterparts in the public service.
- Representation in Acting Appointments: Evaluates whether the four designated employment equity groups are proportionately represented in acting appointments across occupational categories.
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.
Core responsibility: Public Service Hiring and Non-partisanship
Program name: Policy Direction and Support
Program goals: Confidence in the staffing system and a diverse public service. The Government of Canada retains skilled employees through efficient public service hiring, and the public service is seen to be non-partisan.
Target population: Federal departments and agencies; public servants; the general public.
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution | Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | Third group: broadly gender-balanced |
| By income level | Third group: no significant distributional impacts |
| By age group | Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors. |
Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored
Groups that may benefit directly or indirectly: All Canadians and members of equity-seeking groups.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity
Within the Priority Entitlements Program, data on the 4 employment equity groups was maintained and made accessible in the priority information management system to support inclusive decision-making. In addition, action plans for employment equity and veterans were developed to improve the promotion and visibility of entitlement holders, with some activities already underway.
We contributed to policy modernization efforts focused on removing systemic barriers and promoting equitable participation by supporting regulatory updates and expanding equity data collection initiatives, with key activities planned or underway.
Other key program impacts
Several performance indicators in the PSC’s Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports focus on measuring progress in the representation and hiring of members of employment equity-groups.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The data collection plan for the PSC is managed within the Oversight and Monitoring program. The data collection plan is reported under this program.
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.