Public Services and Procurement Canada
Core responsibilities: Planned results and resources, and key risks—2022 to 2023 Departmental Plan

This section contains information on the department’s planned results and resources for each of its core responsibilities. It also contains information on key risks related to achieving those results.

Purchase of goods and services

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) purchases goods and services on behalf of the Government of Canada.

Planning highlights: Purchase of goods and services

As the central purchaser for the Government of Canada, PSPC will manage the procurement of goods and services valued at approximately $22 billion on behalf of federal departments and agencies. This will include goods or services required to support the Government of Canada’s continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including tests, personal protective equipment, medical supplies, therapeutics and vaccines. With respect to vaccine procurement, PSPC will work with vaccine suppliers to ensure all Canadians, both adults and children, have access to booster shots and second-generation vaccines as needed.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will advance the implementation of procurement modernization initiatives to reflect modern best practices and ensure best value through procurement. The phased implementation of the Vendor Performance Management Regime will continue, with data analysis from initial piloting and consultation with industry stakeholders, in preparation for a second wave of piloting. This approach will better position the Government of Canada to do business with vendors who perform well and provide value to Canadians, thereby strengthening the stewardship and integrity of federal procurement.

In 2022 to 2023, defence and marine procurement will remain a priority for the department. Key procurement activities are planned in support of Canada's defence policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged, and the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Most significantly, through an open and competitive procurement process, the department will award a contract for the replacement of Canada’s CF-18 fighter jet fleet. PSPC will continue to advance key initiatives, such as the delivery of the third Arctic and offshore patrol ship, while also continuing the process to add a third Canadian shipyard to the NSS. The department also expects to award contracts in support of numerous other defence and marine projects and programs, including the strategic transport tanker capability project, the remotely piloted aircraft system project, the Future Aircrew Training Program, the logistics vehicle modernization project, and the multi-purpose vessel project.

The department will also continue work on the risk-based defence procurement approach, which enables the government to more quickly execute low risk and low- to medium-complexity contracts and contractual arrangements for defence procurements. The approach, which was initially piloted from November 2018 to April 2020, was subsequently extended for an additional 5-year period after promising early results. The objectives of the approach, which is being carried out by PSPC in partnership with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Department of National Defence, are to enable the Treasury Board to focus its approval on higher-risk contracts, and, where possible, to streamline defence procurements undertaken by PSPC. PSPC is working in collaboration with the Department of National Defence on an evaluation framework scheduled for completion in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, in preparation for an evaluation of the risk-based approach to defence procurement planned to begin in fiscal year 2023 to 2024.

As a key component of its procurement modernization agenda, PSPC will advance the implementation of the electronic procurement solution (EPS), a world-class, accessible procurement solution to deliver better results for Canadians and make it easier for Canadian companies to do business with the government. The department will continue to adapt its transformation strategy and implementation plan to ensure that it remains responsive to its evolving needs. As the adoption of the EPS proceeds on an incremental basis, the department will continue to work closely with key stakeholders to ensure that users have the tools and support needed to adopt the new system.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC’s CanadaBuys website will become the Government of Canada’s official electronic tendering service, as well as the single point of access for federal, provincial and territorial government tenders, along with tenders for municipalities, academic institutions, schools, and hospitals.

PSPC will also establish a centre of expertise in procurement data analytics to strengthen the department’s capacity for evidence-based procurement program design and reporting, as well as its capacity to undertake research to measure the effectiveness of new and existing procurement initiatives.

The department will make progress on the implementation of the contract modernization initiative, which aims to ensure consistency and reduced complexity of government contracts based on feedback from the supplier community, in order to make procurement less burdensome for suppliers. During 2022 to 2023, PSPC will pilot this new contractual model on a higher volume of procurements and implement best practices.

Increasing the participation of Indigenous businesses in federal procurement is an integral part of the government’s reconciliation agenda and generating economic opportunities for Indigenous peoples. This includes, in part, a target that at least 5% of the value of federal contracts be awarded to businesses managed and led by Indigenous peoples. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC along with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Indigenous Services Canada, will continue working in close collaboration with Indigenous partners and other federal departments to develop a policy and reporting frame to support the implementation of this target across government.

PSPC’s regional offices across Canada are key contributors to departmental efforts to increase the participation of Indigenous suppliers in federal procurement. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC’s Modern Treaty Support Team, based in the department’s Western Region, will support the implementation of the Directive on Government Contracts, including real property leases, in the Nunavut Settlement Area by assisting in the development and roll-out of national clauses and templates. The Western and Pacific Region procurement teams will also work closely with Indigenous partners on northern remediation projects to enhance procurement strategies and Indigenous participation plans to increase opportunities for local Indigenous businesses. In addition, PSPC’s Procurement Assistance Canada is working with the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (Cando) to increase the understanding of procurement within the Indigenous business community by co-developing new tools and supports for economic development officers and community leaders, using an Indigenous perspective.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will focus on initiatives aimed at increasing bidder diversity. The department will implement a program on social procurement in support of the department’s Policy on Social Procurement. The program will assist procurement officers to integrate socio-economic criteria into procurement processes and to carry out procurement processes designed to achieve social procurement outcomes. The Program on Social Procurement will build upon the Policy on Social Procurement, which was developed and implemented by PSPC in 2021 to increase the participation of under-represented suppliers in federal procurement. In addition, PSPC will develop a Black business procurement program to increase the participation of Black entrepreneurs in federal supply chains. PSPC will leverage existing stakeholder networks and create new ones to engage with participants who are traditionally under-represented in federal procurement to learn more about their businesses and their needs. This knowledge will be used to further scale up targeted and effective social procurement programs and initiatives within the department. In 2022 to 2023, Procurement Assistance Canada’s National Capital Region office will also hold large-scale virtual events focused on priority socio-economic groups, bringing together small business support programs in the areas of procurement, financing, innovation, exports, mentoring and more. PSPC’s regional offices will also focus on supporting bidder diversity, including the Ontario Region which is planning to host several themed innovation information forums targeting support for under-represented groups.

In 2022 to 2023, the department will maintain its efforts towards addressing the risk of forced labour and human trafficking in federal procurement supply chains. As part of its commitments under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, PSPC will develop requirements for suppliers of high-risk goods to address potential areas of concern in their supply chain.

The department will work towards greater integration of accessibility considerations in federal procurement. To support this goal, PSPC will develop learning materials for procurement specialists, establish a federal community of practice to scale up accessible procurement across the Government of Canada and launch a series of learning activities, including an accessible procurement boot camp, for the federal procurement community.

With respect to green procurement, in 2022 to 2023, PSPC will assess options for expanding the use of standard language on sustainable packaging and on the durability of goods with respect to recycled content requirements. PSPC will also assess how its shared procurement instruments can be further leveraged to accelerate the deployment of clean technologies, in collaboration with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s clean growth hub and other partners. In addition, the department will support the adoption of zero-emission vehicles across government fleets by increasing the availability of these vehicles on its standing offers. The department will also advance its low carbon procurement project, which aims to develop science-based methods and tools to measure greenhouse gas emissions associated with goods and services that PSPC buys. As this 3 year project nears completion, PSPC will:

• test and review proposed methods with stakeholders and industries
• develop tools for how to consider greenhouse gas emissions and environmental benefits in the procurement process
• work to integrate tools and calculations into procurements via the electronic procurement solution

Finally, by advancing the Government of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, PSPC and partner departments will generate significant economic benefits across the country. The various programs of work under the strategy create or maintain jobs in the Canadian economy and also engage with small and medium Canadian enterprises by awarding contracts for NSS-related projects where applicable.

Gender-based analysis plus

The department applies the gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) process within the context of procurement policy and tools development. Over the course of the fiscal year, PSPC will integrate GBA+ more broadly in its procurement-related processes, most notably through the implementation of a program on social procurement. Procurement modernization and inclusivity initiatives will target improved opportunities for under-represented groups to participate in the federal government supply chain, and the removal of barriers to participation, in particular for persons with disabilities. These activities will be of particular importance given the context of the COVID-19 economic recovery.

Within the context of the electronic procurement solution initiative, GBA+ analysis completed during the planning stage identified an opportunity to improve decisions by considering their potential impacts on fairness and inclusion. Additionally, a positive impact is anticipated in the area of accessibility with enhanced technology making procurement processes clearer, more accessible and less burdensome.

United Nations’ 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the United Nations sustainable development goals

PSPC planned activities under its purchase of goods and services core responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nations (UN) 2030 agenda and the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The various initiatives and programs, such as procurement modernization, inclusive procurement strategies, the Accessible Procurement Resource Centre and the integration of sustainable plastic and alternatives contribute towards:

• achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls (SDG 5, target 5.5)
• promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all (SDG 8, target 8.3 and target 8.7)
• ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12, target 12.7)
• taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13, target 13.2)

Further information on SDGs is available on the United Nations website.

Key risks

Defence and marine procurement

There is a risk that the inherent complexities of defence and marine procurement, in addition to impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, will present challenges in achieving the timely delivery of Strong, Secure, Engaged and National Shipbuilding Strategy objectives. To mitigate this risk, PSPC is making ongoing enhancements to:

• defence and marine procurement
• leveraging interdepartmental governance committees
• hiring and training additional specialized procurement staff
• continuing to collaborate closely with partners and stakeholders, including those in the defence and marine industries by utilizing innovative tools and technologies to work virtually where appropriate
• continuing the implementation of the sustainment initiative principles

Procurement modernization

The department is undertaking a number of transformative initiatives to make procurement processes easier and more accessible for suppliers and buyers. The procurement modernization initiatives aim to reflect modern best practices, lessons learned and value for money. These initiatives include the implementation of the electronic procurement solution, a vendor performance management regime, and the contract modernization initiative. There is a risk that PSPC may not be able to achieve the modernization of its suite of procurement processes and tools in a timely manner, and to the desired extent. To mitigate this risk, the department will:

• pilot new approaches in areas where they will have the greatest impact
• identify opportunities for lessons learned before broader implementation
• support the procurement workforce in adapting to new processes and tools

Change management

Significant and ongoing change is underway to make procurement processes easier and more accessible for suppliers and buyers, and to generate positive socio-economic and environmental sustainability outcomes. Given the rate and scale of change, there is a risk that the department’s procurement workforce may be challenged in adapting to new processes, considerations and tools as PSPC undertakes such a transformative agenda all at once. This could have an adverse effect on benefits realization from these transformative initiatives, on the costs associated with these initiatives, as well as on the timely delivery of procurement services to government departments. To mitigate this risk, PSPC will ensure that robust and consultative change management strategies are implemented. In addition, the department will ensure the use of sound implementation plans with clearly articulated milestones and deliverables.

Table 1: Purchase of goods and services: Planned results, result indicators, targets and target dates for 2022 to 2023, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available

2022 to 2023 departmental result	2022 to 2023 departmental result indicator	2018 to 2019 actual result	2019 to 2020 actual result	2020 to 2021 actual result	2022 to 2023 target	Date to achieve target
Federal organizations have the products and services they need, when they need them, at the best value.	Percentage of overall client satisfaction with PSPC procurement services.	84%	Not available (N/A) table 1 note 1	90%	At least 80%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of original contracts of level 1 (basic) complexity awarded within established timeframes.	80.8%	78%	78%	At least 85%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of original contracts of level 2 (standard) complexity awarded within established timeframes.	71.1%	75%	81%	At least 80%	March 31, 2023
	Cost of procurement services per $100 of contract value.	$1.65	$1.42	$1.50	At most $1.75	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of competitive procurement processes versus sole source.	81%	80%	76%	At least 80%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of complex competitive procurement processes for which at least 2 qualified bids were received (level 3 to 5).table 1 note 2	N/A	N/A	N/A	At least 62%table 1 note 3	March 31, 2023
Government purchasing is easy to access, fair and transparent for suppliers.	Percentage of suppliers that rate the procurement process as easy to access.	72%	84%	87%	At least 80%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of suppliers that rate the procurement process as fair and transparent.	56%	82%	85%	At least 80%	March 31, 2023
Government purchasing supports Canada’s economic, environmental, and social policy goals.	Percentage of contract value awarded to small and medium businesses.	49%	52%	47%	At least 40%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of PSPC contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements that include “green” goods and services.	40%	43%	42.6%	At least 45%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of participation in procurement processes by Indigenous suppliers.table 1 note 4	N/A	N/A	N/A	11%table 1 note 5	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of participation in procurement processes by suppliers who are women.table 1 note 6	N/A	N/A	N/A	15%table 1 note 7	March 31, 2023
Table 1 Notes Table 1 Note 1 Early in 2019 to 2020, software used in the administration of PSPC’s post-contract assessment, which is the data source for this indicator, was replaced resulting in technical issues which prevented use of the survey Return to table 1 note 1 referrer Table 1 Note 2 This is a new indicator as of 2022 to 2023. It replaces a similar indicator, however it now focuses on qualified bids in particular, rather than all bids received. Return to table 1 note 2 referrer Table 1 Note 3 This target has been established in accordance with the following baseline data: 2019 to 2020: 64.2%, 2020 to 2021: 60.5%. Return to table 1 note 3 referrer Table 1 Note 4 This is a new indicator as of 2022 to 2023. It replaces a similar indicator, and measures a direct percentage of participation rather than a percentage increase over the previous year. Return to table 1 note 4 referrer Table 1 Note 5 This target has been established in accordance with the following baseline data: 2019 to 2020: 11%, 2020 to 2021: 11%. Return to table 1 note 5 referrer Table 1 Note 6 This is a new indicator as of 2022 to 2023. It replaces a similar indicator, and measures a direct percentage of participation rather than a percentage increase over the previous year. Return to table 1 note 6 referrer Table 1 Note 7 This target has been established in accordance with the following baseline data: 2019 to 2020: 16%, 2020 to 2021: 14%. Return to table 1 note 7 referrer

Additional information on Public Services and Procurement Canada’s departmental results indicators is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 2: Purchase of goods and services: 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates versus planned spending (3 fiscal years from 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2025) (in dollars)

2022 to 2023 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending	2024 to 2025 planned spending
186,574,422	186,574,422	162,440,510	154,510,774

The decrease in net planned spending is mainly due to reduced funding requirements given the current stage of the cloud-based electronic procurement solution implementation within PSPC, an initiative from Budget 2018 to make purchasing simpler and easier to access.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 3: Purchase of goods and services: Planned full-time equivalents (3 fiscal years from 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2025)

2022 to 2023 planned full-time equivalents	2023 to 2024 planned full-time equivalents	2024 to 2025 planned full-time equivalents
2,192.68	2,169.01	2,162.38

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Payments and accounting

PSPC collects revenues and issues payments, maintains the financial accounts of Canada, issues government-wide financial reports, and administers payroll and pension services for the Government of Canada.

Planning highlights: Payments and accounting

PSPC’s responsibilities for payments directly impact Canadian individuals and businesses on a daily basis, and provide the backbone of financial security to millions of Canadians in receipt of pay, pension, and government social benefits payments.

In supporting the Minister as the Receiver General for Canada, PSPC will manage the operations of the federal treasury in 2022 to 2023. The department managed cash flows of $3.5 trillion in 2020 to 2021, through the issuance and settlement of more than 440 million payments on behalf of the federal government (of which the majority are for social benefits payments, including COVID-19 related support), and the collection of revenues for all government departments and agencies. The Receiver General also maintains the government’s central treasury systems, provides monthly government-wide financial statements, and presents the financial position of Canada and audited financial statements annually. For 23 consecutive years, the figures presented in the consolidated annual financial statements have been deemed reliable and received an unmodified audit opinion from the Auditor General of Canada. The Receiver General is a world leader for best practices in government accounting.

In the coming year, PSPC will continue to provide critical payment and revenue collection services, including issuing payments related to COVID-19 support to Canadians and the acquisition of vaccines, personal protective equipment and other purchases critical to the government’s response to the pandemic. PSPC will make progress on the implementation of the Receiver General renewal and modernization agenda to ultimately provide a better and value-added user experience to parliamentarians, government departments and agencies, financial institutions and Canadian citizens overall. By investing in projects to move treasury functions away from reliance on legacy information technology systems and to modernize service offerings to its clients and Canadians, PSPC will improve payments and revenue collection efficiency. The department will adopt payment industry innovations, offer Canadians a choice of payment options, revitalize the treasury systems and processes, consolidate treasury databases to improve data quality and improve fraud prevention and detection.

As one of Canada’s largest pension administrator, PSPC provides services to more than 935,000 active and retired members of 8 different federal public sector pension plans:

• Public Service
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
• Canadian Armed Forces (Regular and Reservists)
• Members of Parliament
• Diplomatic Corps
• Federally Appointed Judges
• Lieutenant Governors

The department benchmarks against other leading pension administrators in Canada and across the world. The pension program also ensures Public Service Pension Plan contributions are accurately remitted to the Public Service Pension Investment Board within prescribed timelines.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will deploy efforts to update pension web tools and software to improve the user experience and align with industry proven best practices, identify and replace outdated hardware to ensure no impacts to client service, and improve pay-pension interfaces. PSPC has developed new plain language retirement packages to increase member education and understanding of their pension and related benefits. For 21 consecutive years, the Pension Program has received an unmodified audit opinion from the Office of the Auditor General on the Public Service Pension Plan financial statements.

PSPC is one of Canada’s largest payroll administrators, managing compensation for more than 370,000 government pay accounts while also delivering pay processing services to approximately 220,000 Government of Canada employees and 22,000 members of the RCMP every year. Its ongoing top priority is to ensure that public servants are paid accurately and on time. To this end, the department continues its efforts to reduce the backlog of unprocessed pay transactions that accumulated following the introduction of the Phoenix pay system and the centralization of pay services in Miramichi in 2016. As of December 22, 2021, the backlog of financial transactions beyond the normal workload had been reduced by 262,000 cases from the January 2018 peak of 384,000.

PSPC will make progress on the implementation of its multi-phased Backlog Reduction Strategy. To date, over 115,000 backlog cases have been closed. PSPC anticipates that the next phase of the strategy, which will address a significant portion of the remaining, more complex cases in the backlog, will be 95% completed by December 2022. These efforts will be supported by a robust training strategy to expand the knowledge base and skill sets of compensation advisors and by a standardization and streamlining of pay processing methods.

In 2022 to 2023, the department will also further stabilize the HR-to-Pay systems by implementing transformative technology enhancements. The innovation garage, which uses an agile, iterative and collaborative approach to address pay problems, will be leveraged to address key operational challenges such as the ongoing alignment of data between Phoenix and the Government of Canada pension system.

PSPC will also work on the in-depth analysis of what the operating context will look like for pay administration as pay is stabilized. Several tools and resources, including queue forecasting and modelling, and strategic dashboards, have been developed to support this analysis.

The Receiver General is a world leader for best practices in government accounting. PSPC provides monthly government-wide financial statements, and presents the financial position of Canada and audited financial statements annually. The Receiver General strives to achieve the highest performance standards to maintain the public trust and confidence, and its employees also provide expert advice, guidance and support to departments and agencies on accounting and reporting matters.

PSPC is committed to advancing the government’s objective to increase transparency, maintain data integrity, and foster innovation, to ensure meeting the evolving needs of clients, including government departments, key stakeholders, and most importantly, Canadians.

Through its 2022 to 2023 modernization agenda, PSPC will explore innovative opportunities and possible partnerships to ensure government-wide financial reports remain a modern, trusted and accessible source of financial data in Canada.

Gender-based analysis plus

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will review compensation related questions based on demographic data in the Public Service Employees Survey and gender-based analysis plus data, from the pay system and other sources, to better understand if and how employees of different gender, race, disability or Indigeneity identities may be disproportionally affected by pay issues.

Experimentation

PSPC will experiment further with innovative initiatives and processes such as robotic process automation, which uses robots to process manual and repetitive transactions in the Phoenix pay system, and innovative problem-solving techniques such as artificial intelligence, to help resolve outstanding pay issues and improve quality of pay transactions. To date, the implementation of these robots has allowed compensation advisors at the Public Service Pay Centre to focus on complex cases rather than routine elements of transactions, to address more transactions in the backlog and to work towards stabilization of pay for employees.

Key risks

Pay stabilization

Given the complexity of existing pay rules, systems and processes, there is a risk that the ongoing stabilization of pay administration for the Government of Canada will be slowed down by internal systems or human capacity issues, or by external challenges such as large-scale changes to labour management policies. This risk may impact the timeliness and accuracy of employees’ pay, the integrity of pension data, and the ability for the department to continue resolving existing pay errors. To mitigate this risk, PSPC has already taken a number of concrete steps. PSPC is continuing to work with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS), departments and agencies to develop and implement new timeliness and accuracy standards for human resources transactions, and completed the government-wide roll-out of MyGCPay’s most recent added functionality, the simplified pay stub, in May 2021. To further minimize risk, the department is developing strategies and methodologies to more effectively review and close cases in the queue, and will ensure proper testing and oversight are applied to any forthcoming pay system software upgrades. As it relates to pension integrity-related risks, PSPC collaborates with TBS and Shared Services Canada to ensure pension data requirements are incorporated in the development of future HR-to-Pay system solutions.

Table 4: Payments and accounting: Planned results, result indicators, targets and target dates for 2022 to 2023, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available

2022 to 2023 departmental result	2022 to 2023 departmental result indicator	2018 to 2019 actual result	2019 to 2020 actual result	2020 to 2021 actual result	2022 to 2023 target	Date to achieve target
Canadians, businesses and organizations receive payments on time and revenues are collected for government services in an efficient manner.	Percentage of payments issued within established timeframestable 4 note 1.	99.99%	99.99%	99.99%	At least 99%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of money paid to Government of Canada that is reconciled within 2 business days.	100%	100%	100%	At least 95%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of payments made instead of property taxes to taxing authorities within established timeframes.	99%	99.5%	97.2%	At least 95%	March 31, 2023
Members of federal pension plans receive timely and accurate pension payments, benefits and support services to which they are entitled.	Percentage of pension payments processed that are accurate and on time.	98%	99%	99%	At least 95%	March 31, 2023
In collaboration with government departments, employees receive timely and accurate pay and benefits.	Number of employees facing potential pay inaccuracies at the Pay Centre.table 4 note 2	N/A	N/A	N/A	At most 3,000 employees	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of cases submitted to the Pay Centre on time.table 4 note 3	N/A	N/A	70%	At least 65%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of cases, promptly submitted to the Pay Centre, that have been processed on time.	N/A	N/A	89%	At least 80%	March 31, 2023
Canadians have timely access to reliable information on Canada’s finances.	The Public Accounts of Canada are posted on the department’s website within 24 hours of tabling in the House of Commons.	100%	100%	100%	100%	March 31, 2023
	Information presented in the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Government of Canada is accurate.	100%	100%	100%	At least 99%	March 31, 2023
Table 4 Notes Table 4 Note 1 Established timelines can vary based on contract terms and conditions and applicable legislation. Return to table 4 note 1 referrer Table 4 Note 2 This is a new indicator as of 2022 to 2023. This new indicator will allow measuring, monitoring and reporting transparently on the number of employees facing potential pay issues due to outstanding transactions at the Pay Centre. The indicator will inform employees, parliamentarians and Canadians of the progress towards pay stabilization. Return to table 4 note 2 referrer Table 4 Note 3 Accountability for pay accuracy and timeliness is shared across the Government of Canada. Two main factors have an impact on this result: the timeliness and accuracy of human resources (HR) transactions submitted by departments and agencies, and the processing of cases in the backlog. Transactions that are submitted on time can be processed more quickly and cause fewer pay issues. Inaccurate or late HR data generates more transactions in the queue and increases risks for errors in pay. Return to table 4 note 3 referrer

Additional information on Public Services and Procurement Canada’s departmental results indicators is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 5: Payments and accounting: 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates versus planned spending (3 fiscal years from 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2025) (in dollars)

2022 to 2023 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending	2024 to 2025 planned spending
537,083,995	537,083,995	227,755,074	203,368,771

The decrease in net planned spending is mainly due to the end of incremental funding received in order to stabilize the pay operations and decrease the backlog of pay issues. Funding will be adjusted should future approvals be received.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Program Inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 6: Payments and accounting: Planned full-time equivalents (3 fiscal years from 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2025)

2022 to 2023 planned full-time equivalents	2023 to 2024 planned full-time equivalents	2024 to 2025 planned full-time equivalents
4,791.55	2,415.91	2,412.95

Full time equivalents (FTEs) for the Federal Pay Administration program for fiscal years 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 are to be determined based on future funding approval.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Program Inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Property and infrastructure

PSPC provides federal employees and parliamentarians with workspace; builds, maintains and manages federal properties and other public works such as bridges and dams; and provides associated services to federal organizations.

Planning highlights: Property and infrastructure

COVID-19: Future of work and government operations post-pandemic

As the pandemic resets major work trends, PSPC will continue to assess the impacts on its office portfolio and adapt to the needs of its clients. The most obvious impact of COVID-19 on the labour force is the increase in remote work, which is expected to continue once the pandemic is over. This will have significant impacts on PSPC’s office portfolio of both Crown-owned and leased assets as the need for modern and flexible office spaces will increase while the overall demand for more traditional office spaces will reduce as the public service adopts a hybrid work environment.

In response, PSPC has developed an Office Long Term Plan (OLTP), which aims to transform the current office portfolio into one that is fit-for-purpose, modern, green, and cost-effective over a 25-year planning horizon. The office environment is expected to evolve into an environment mostly based on unassigned workstations that will promote collaboration, inclusion, diversity, well-being, and innovation. Over the next 5 to 10 years, PSPC plans to accelerate the Government of Canada workplace modernization agenda (GCworkplace and GCcoworking) to support the increase of the overall utilization rate of federal workplaces, while lowering the office portfolio’s carbon footprint.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will continue to engage with client departments and central agencies to understand evolving and anticipated office accommodation requirements. The department will identify and plan for a smarter network of accessible spaces across the portfolio. Working in collaboration with Shared Services Canada and central agencies, PSPC will seek opportunities to leverage new technologies and innovation in order to deliver better services that support new ways of working for a digitally enabled, responsible, inclusive, and high-performing public service.

Advance transformative projects, accelerate modernization and rehabilitate heritage buildings

While taking into consideration the impact of the post-pandemic environment on the future of work, PSPC will advance a number of transformative projects that are central to its OLTP and government-wide objectives. Within the National Capital Area, PSPC will focus on the completion of the shared workplace project at 599 Tremblay Road, and major recapitalizations of Les Terrasses de la Chaudière and Place du Portage III. Within the Pacific Region, PSPC will rehabilitate and redevelop the Sinclair Centre in downtown Vancouver to consolidate federal departments into a modern, accessible and cost-effective hub. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will aim to engage the architecture and engineering advisor, advance the project design and continue to engage with stakeholders. The Ontario Region will make progress on the development and delivery of the Allen Lands Development project to foster increased collaboration and deliver economies of scale through the colocation of security service organizations and the consolidation of multiple leased locations into a new facility. Within the Québec Region, the New Montréal Justice Complex construction and fit-up project will be the first project to be launched under the National Accommodation Strategy for Federal Courts and Tribunals while a new National Verification and Collections Centre in Shawinigan will provide revitalized office accommodation. Finally, within the Atlantic Region, PSPC is advancing the St. John’s Tax Centre accommodation project to address increased space requirements, and the Moncton Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre project that will provide facilities to enable world class multidisciplinary research and science programs. These major projects will contribute to greening objectives by way of greener buildings, office footprint reductions, and energy-efficient spaces.

PSPC will also explore possible investments to modernize its existing office portfolio, including through a new and innovative initiative which aims at improving existing federal workplaces through the provision of furniture and information technology solutions supporting the GCworkplace vision and the activity-based workplace concept where individual employees are not assigned with a particular workstation. This approach addresses the requirements of the workplace post-pandemic in a shorter timeframe and at a lower cost. Furthermore, this approach will allow client departments to access modernized spaces and support “return to workplace” initiatives.

The restoration and renewal of heritage buildings to support sustainability and the health and safety of Canadians remain an ongoing priority for the department. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will advance the rehabilitation of heritage buildings, including the Lester B. Pearson Building and the West Memorial Building, which will also incorporate sustainable and accessibility elements while preserving the historical value of the building.

Protect the integrity, value and usefulness of engineering assets

PSPC retains and operates a specialized portfolio of 17 engineering assets located across Canada. These assets include bridges, dams, highways, marine infrastructure and the National Capital Region (NCR) district energy system. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will work on implementing its strategy for engineering assets with a long-term objective to ensure that these are maintained in fair to good condition to provide safe and continued use by Canadians. PSPC will also implement the Energy Services Acquisition Program’s deeper greening initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and offer benefits of low-carbon energy services to more buildings in the NCR. To support ship repair activities for federal and non-federal vessels, the department will also study the viability of expanding the capacity at the Esquimalt Graving Dock.

Improve interprovincial crossings in the National Capital Area

As part of a broader effort to improve interprovincial transportation in the National Capital Region, PSPC will support ongoing efforts to maintain bridges and advance the assessments and planning associated with a sixth crossing. The construction and repair work for the Chaudière Crossing started in spring 2021 and is expected to be completed in spring 2022. The Alexandra Bridge, a major infrastructure asset over 100 years old, has now reached the end of its life cycle and is in need of a replacement. The design process continues to evolve, and the design options are projected to be communicated to the public by the end of 2022. PSPC and the National Capital Commission will finalize the Indigenous engagement and public engagement strategies related to this project, as per the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada’s regulatory requirements and guidelines.

Long Term Vision and Plan for the parliamentary precinct

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will advance the parliamentary precinct’s Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP), a multi-decade plan for the restoration and modernization of the buildings and grounds on and around Parliament Hill. The LTVP addresses health and safety risks in the deteriorated 19th century parliament buildings and provides a strategy to modernize these, as well as other buildings in the precinct, to meet the needs of a 21st century parliament and to restore Canada’s built heritage for future generations of Canadians. As part of modernization efforts, the LTVP also aims at making the Parliamentary Precinct a model for sustainability and accessibility.

PSPC will work on the rehabilitation of the Centre Block, the largest and most complex heritage rehabilitation project in Canadian history, which has been at the core of the LTVP. This work will include the creation of a new Parliament Welcome Centre which will enhance security, provide an improved visitor experience, and connect the west, centre and east blocks into an integrated parliamentary complex. Moving forward, the project will focus on excavation works for the Parliament Welcome Centre, interior demolition, the abatement of designated substances as well as the launch of the exterior masonry program. In addition, PSPC will make progress on the design development for centre block for which 90% of the schematic design has already been completed.

PSPC will also work to complete the LTVP update with the objective of transforming the parliamentary precinct into a consolidated campus where considerations such as security, sustainability, accessibility, information technology, and the movement of people, vehicles and goods are fully integrated. This update will guide decision-making about future growth, development, rehabilitation, and infrastructure with the underlying objective of creating a more integrated campus that will meet the needs of a modern parliament.

The transformation of the precinct will begin with the redevelopment of the block bound by Metcalfe, Sparks, O’Connor and Wellington streets (referred to as block 2). PSPC launched a design competition for block 2, which will allow to select the best design team to undertake this nationally significant architectural project. The independent jury selected 6 out of 12 prequalified teams to move onto the next phase of this design competition. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will advance the competition and will be inviting the competitors to present their advanced design concepts to the jury, who will vote to determine the first, second, and third place winners.

PSPC will also support Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, along with First Nations, Inuit, Métis Nation leaderships, the Algonquin Nation, and local stakeholders, to develop the vision for a national space for Indigenous peoples at 100 Wellington street.

Laboratories Canada Strategy

Federal science and research is critical to solving increasingly complex national issues and plays a key role in the lives of Canadians. Laboratories Canada is a 25-year strategy which will strengthen Government of Canada science by creating modern and collaborative platforms with science partners for the benefit of Canada and Canadians. PSPC will build new science facilities that will support universal accessibility and environmental sustainability, while also ensuring federal scientists have access to modern scientific equipment, enabling them to better collaborate with partners and achieve science excellence.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will advance Laboratories Canada projects, such as the construction of the Sidney Centre for Plant Health in British Columbia, for which the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is the lead and whose development will inform future science infrastructure projects.

PSPC will complete the construction of the Laboratories Canada TerraCanada Hamilton project that will support, among others, collaborative deployment of materials acceleration platforms, a new approach to clean energy materials discovery and development. PSPC will also carry on the construction works already underway on the TerraCanada Mississauga project, which is anticipated to be completed in late 2023. This project will help create a unique new set of science platforms and a national research network serving industry sectors such as clean energy, transportation and manufacturing. These will be the first 2 completed projects in the Laboratories Canada Strategy. PSPC will also advance the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) in Moncton which will support the protection and sustainable use of Atlantic freshwater and coastal ecosystems. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will progress on the design development of this project and launch early works on site to prepare for phase 1 of ASEC’s full construction.

Prompt payment initiative

Although the Federal Prompt Payment for Construction Work Act has received royal assent, there remains a significant amount of work to be completed before the prompt payment regime is in effect. This regime will provide benefits for contractors and subcontractors who do business with the federal government by improving payment timeliness while also facilitating the orderly and timely building of federal construction projects.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will work towards completing regulations to support the act. This will include the establishment of an adjudicator authority, the amendment of the standard federal government construction contract to ensure alignment with the new legislation and regulations, and the tabling of a Governor in Council order to bring the Federal Prompt Payment for Construction Work Act into force.

Advance sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation and greening government initiatives for Public Services and Procurement Canada real property and infrastructure assets

PSPC will take actions to combat climate change and its impacts on operations, including in regularly applying climate change mitigation and adaptation considerations into business processes. PSPC will also work on finalizing its national climate adaptation methodology to manage climate adaptation needs uniformly across the country in real property management, project delivery and asset operations in the future.

With a 57.6% greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction in fiscal year 2020 to 2021, the department is well on its way to achieve the 90% reduction target set for 2050 in the current Greening Government Strategy. In support of this target, PSPC will make progress on the implementation of its clean electricity initiative and Energy Services Acquisition Program’s Deeper Greening project, which will involve replacing natural gas with carbon neutral energy sources. PSPC will also monitor the implementation of its Net-Zero Carbon Neutral Portfolio Plan, which is contributing to the broader government’s greening agenda, by implementing smart building technologies, tracking disposal of assets and monitoring projects for GHG reduction.

The Greening Government Strategy will continue to inform the department’s real property plans. In addition, other priorities such as environmental sustainability, management of contaminated sites and accessibility have been captured in PSPC’s Office Long Term Plan to enable and facilitate an integrated approach to investment planning and life cycle management of real property assets.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will continue to work with partners on the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) led federal lands initiative (FLI), which makes surplus federal real property available for affordable housing. The FLI was launched in July 2018 with a target of 4,000 new or renovated housing units. In 2021, PSPC contributed 13 properties to the FLI to be assessed by CMHC for suitability for affordable housing, for a total of 88 since the launch of the program in 2018. Over the next 10 years, up to $200 million will be used to subsidize the transfer of federal lands to housing providers to encourage the development of sustainable, accessible, mixed-income, mixed-use developments and communities.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will leverage the parliamentary precinct and Laboratories Canada LTVPs to enhance sustainability and climate resiliency, and advance the deep greening commitment for federal real property and infrastructure assets with the goal of reducing the government’s carbon footprint. PSPC has identified sustainability as one of the strategic objectives of the LTVP update, which will establish a framework to improve the precinct’s environmental performance in regard to energy, climate change adaptation and resilience, water management and conservation, waste management, transportation, and ecosystems. PSPC will plan and manage the Energy Services Acquisition Program which will improve energy efficiency in PSPC’s real property portfolio by modernizing the district energy plants and converting the building heating systems from steam to low temperature hot water. In addition, the phase 1 projects of the Laboratories Canada Strategy will demonstrate leadership in low carbon, resilient, and green operations. PSPC will continue designing new facilities to meet the Government of Canada’s Greening Government Strategy by building net-zero carbon targets into all phase 1 projects.

Improve accessibility of federal buildings

PSPC is focused on ensuring barrier-free access to federal buildings and workspaces. As the Government of Canada’s real property expert, the department leads government efforts towards enhancing accessibility in its built environment. PSPC will continue leading the accessible government built environment initiative that will identify existing gaps and accessibility improvements required to ensure facilities are in compliance with existing and applicable accessibility requirements, and to exceed them where possible.

PSPC is committed to making the parliamentary precinct a model for accessibility excellence. In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will advance the implementation of the Universal Accessibility Action Plan while incorporating functional, operational, security and heritage considerations. The Laboratories Canada Strategy will also include universal accessibility in the development of its projects. The strategy provides a significant opportunity to create workspaces and infrastructure that ensure universal accessibility and inclusion by accounting for these factors in the early design and planning stages and by piloting new approaches for design and implementation, such as the inclusion of local community representatives, as a pathfinder for standards development in building design.

Gender-based analysis plus

PSPC will integrate social procurement objectives into each new strategic sourcing real property initiative. This will ensure a coordinated approach to developing and implementing flexible service delivery solutions that employ modern comptrollership, encourage greater competition, and foster participation from under-represented groups, such as women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and others.

United Nations’ 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the United Nations sustainable development goals

PSPC planned activities under its property and infrastructure core responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nations (UN) 2030 agenda and the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The various initiatives and programs, such as GCworkplace, smart buildings, the plan to achieve a carbon neutral portfolio, the rehabilitation of major assets, the management of federal contaminated sites and the transfer of federal lands to housing providers contribute to the following goals:

• ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (SDG 7, target 7.2)
• build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation (SDG 9, targets 9.1 and 9.4)
• ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12, targets 12.5 and 12.7)
• take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13)
• protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss (SDG 15)

Further information on SDGs is available on the United Nations website.

Experimentation

Evolution of Work Pathfinder project

The PSPC Evolution of Work Pathfinder project supports new, modern, and flexible ways of working. It is part of PSPC’s planning to eventually provide employees with the ability to work from the location that best meets their professional and personal circumstances, while taking into account operational requirements. PSPC is piloting a new way of working that will support employees during and after the pandemic. Employees can sign up to work from designated shared office spaces, or continue to work from home. Employees who choose to work in the designated shared office spaces will have the opportunity to experience a new way of working in the activity-based workplace environment, share their experience and help the department to improve the future use of the workplace.

CD Howe innovation pilot project

The CD Howe innovation pilot project is testing the use of emerging Canadian technologies within the Canadian public sector environment and to evaluate their positive impact on employees’ wellness and their contribution to greening operations. The projects implemented in this pilot will enhance health and improve accessibility by using touchless technologies, including to monitor washroom capacity, eliminate the use of single-use plastics, reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, and promote renewable energy production and usage. These projects will create a framework for deploying innovative solutions within the federal real property portfolio. They will also help assess and review commercially available emerging Canadian technologies and solutions in these areas to inform the department strategy in deploying innovative solutions within PSPC’s real property portfolio.

As part of the Laboratories Canada Strategy, PSPC is implementing an Experimentation and Innovation Fund (EIF). The fund was created in concert with federal partners as a mechanism to promote innovation and experimentation, and foster enhanced collaboration among federal departments and agencies in the science community. To date, 15 pilot projects are underway, wherein 14 federal departments and agencies are working collaboratively to test novel concepts and approaches, address barriers to collaboration, and document best practices and lessons learned that advance federal science management and science excellence. The EIF was conceived in partnership with federal partners as a mechanism to launch a series of pilot projects that would outline opportunities, develop best practices, and address barriers inherent to long-standing and traditional processes of the Government of Canada.

Key risks

Property asset integrity and safety

There is a risk that climate change, natural disasters, infrastructure deterioration over time, and human-related events will negatively affect the safety, integrity, and operations of PSPC’s real property and infrastructure assets. PSPC, in partnership with other federal organizations, has already taken steps to mitigate this risk, for example by implementing greening government initiatives to lessen environmental impact, and putting in place business continuity planning and emergency management programs. The department will also undertake extensive infrastructure renewal activities, including projects like the Alexandra Bridge replacement. In addition, PSPC will design all rehabilitation and new construction projects to be net zero-carbon ready, integrate climate resilience in its design and building operations, strengthen national functional direction to incorporate scientific data and become more predictive in threat assessments and emergency planning.

Workplaces of the future

As the landlord for the Government of Canada, there is a risk of lost opportunities for PSPC to accelerate the scope and pace of public service workplace modernization (such as the implementation of GCworkplace, shared departmental spaces and GCcoworking). This is driven by factors such as project slow down due to delays and work stoppages, lack of materials, cost increases, workforce capacity issues, uncertainty around clients’ future accommodation needs, and challenges within the current financial framework. To mitigate this risk, PSPC will engage with unions, employees, partners and tenants to develop a government-wide approach. This will provide modern, flexible workspaces that meet the needs and aspirations of the Government of Canada workforce in the future.

Accessibility of federal buildings

There is a risk that PSPC’s real property holdings may not be fully accessible given the wide variety of abilities that must be considered, as well as the likelihood that some measures required to implement the existing and applicable accessibility standards may be deemed unfeasible in some real property assets. To mitigate this risk, PSPC continues leading the implementation of the accessible government built environment initiative, in order to review the built environment and identify enhancements that would allow its real property assets to not only meet but to exceed the existing and applicable accessibility standards. The department will also consult with persons with disabilities and other subject matter experts, to identify areas where accessibility and inclusivity could be improved within PSPC’s built environment, engineering assets, buildings and grounds including the parliamentary precinct.

Delivery of large-scale and complex initiatives

There is a risk that project complexities, partner dependencies, supply delays and escalating costs of material will affect the effective and efficient delivery of major PSPC initiatives, including the rehabilitation of the parliamentary precinct and federal science facilities. In response, PSPC is utilizing built-in risk management processes with a strong focus on schedules and budgets; designing contracts with built-in flexibility; developing and implementing client onboarding strategies; and working with industry partners including the Public Health Agency of Canada to ensure the safe and continuous operation of worksites.

Predictable capital funding

There is a risk that the implementation of PSPC’s predictable capital funding model will disrupt the delivery of the department’s infrastructure programs, and will impact the timely and strategic fund allocation needed to ensure a healthy asset portfolio. This capital funding model provides PSPC with secured funding over a 20-year period, to be used to acquire and maintain capital assets such as buildings, bridges and federal labs, and to further enhance long-term planning. This risk is influenced by factors such as limited experience with this new funding model, and a need for more closely aligned departmental resource planning processes. PSPC has established a dedicated project office to manage the transition to the new funding model and support the mitigation of its associated risks.

Table 7: Property and Infrastructure: Planned results, result indicators, targets and target dates for 2022 to 2023, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available

Departmental result	Departmental result indicator	2018 to 2019 actual result	2019 to 2020 actual result	2020 to 2021 actual result	Target	Date to achieve target
Federal real property and associated services meet the needs of federal government clients, partners and/or parliamentarians and ensure best value for Canadians.	Percentage of Crown-owned buildings that are in fair or better condition.	53%	62%table 7 note 1	58%table 7 note 2	At least 53%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of Crown-owned heritage buildings that are in fair or better condition.	N/A	47%table 7 note 3	48%table 7 note 4	At least 53%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of PSPC-managed office space that is modernized each year to meet the current Government of Canada workplace fit-up standards known as the GCworkplace approach.	2.1%	4.5%	3.32%table 7 note 5	At least 4%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of real property projects that are delivered within scope, on time and on budget.	98%	95%	95%	At least 95%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of time that PSPC’s real property facilities are fully operational.	99.78%	99.38%	99.62%	At least 99%	March 31, 2023
	Operating expenses per square metre of Crown-owned office space.	$142.41 per square metre	$132.66 per square metre	$135.35 per square metre	At most $173.18 per square metre	March 31, 2023
Federal infrastructure spending supports Canada’s social, economic, and environmental priorities.	Percentage of PSPC Crown-owned and lease purchase assets assessed against the 2018 Canadian Standards Association standard for accessibility (CSA B651-2018)	N/A	N/A	17%table 7 note 6	At least 75%	March 31, 2023
	Total compliance score of PSPC owned and lease purchase buildings assessed against the 2018 Canadian Standards Association standard for accessibility (CSA B651-2018) table 7 note 7	N/A	N/A	N/A	At least 80%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in PSPC Crown-owned building portfolio, excluding housing. table 7 note 8	54.3%	58.1%	57.6%	At least 40%	March 31, 2025table 7 note 9
Table 7 Notes Table 7 Note 1 The 2019 to 2020 result was not available in time for publication in the 2019 to 2020 Departmental Results Report. The result is significantly better than the targeted 53% due to a system cleanup initiative as well as some major recapitalizing work done for certain assets in PSPC’s portfolio (National Capital Area (NCA) and Toronto area). Return to table 7 note 1 referrer Table 7 Note 2 The decrease in percentage can partially be attributed to the inclusion of an ‘unknown’ status which is attributed to assets that are under renovation and/or major construction. In prior years, these assets would be considered ‘good’ due to the fact that they showed $0 in deferred requirements/maintenance. The ‘good’ status was a misrepresentation of the true condition, hence ‘unknown’ was introduced. Return to table 7 note 2 referrer Table 7 Note 3 The 2019 to 2020 result was not available in time for publication in the 2019 to 2020 Departmental Results Report. The result is below the target due to improvements in the methodology for more accurate and representative assessment of the condition of heritage assets. Return to table 7 note 3 referrer Table 7 Note 4 The result can partially be attributed to the inclusion of an ‘unknown’ status which is attributed to assets that are under renovation and/or major construction. In prior years, these assets would be considered ‘good’ due to the fact that they showed $0 in deferred requirements/maintenance. The ‘good’ status was a misrepresentation of the true condition, hence ‘unknown’ was introduced. Return to table 7 note 4 referrer Table 7 Note 5 Due to the increased costs of materials and construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fit-up Modernization Program could not reach its target. Return to table 7 note 5 referrer Table 7 Note 6 In PSPC Crown-owned and lease-purchased portfolio, a total of 64 technical accessibility assessments against the CSA B651-2018 standard were conducted in 2020 to 2021. This represents 17% of the target to complete technical accessibility assessments of its 371 Crown-owned and lease-purchased buildings by 2024. Return to table 7 note 6 referrer Table 7 Note 7 This is a new indicator as of 2021 to 2022. Return to table 7 note 7 referrer Table 7 Note 8 In supporting the overarching goals established as part of the Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, PSPC has already achieved a 58.1% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, surpassing the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy target of 40% by 2030. This represents the sum of energy efficiency/GHG initiatives in PSPC’s Crown-owned portfolio, decarbonisation of electricity grids across the country and procurement of renewable energy certificates. Return to table 7 note 8 referrer Table 7 Note 9 The target for this indicator is 40% by 2025 and 90% by 2050. Return to table 7 note 9 referrer

Additional information on Public Services and Procurement Canada’s departmental results indicators is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 8: Property and Infrastructure: 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates versus planned spending (3 fiscal years from 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2025) (in dollars)

2022 to 2023 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending	2024 to 2025 planned spending
3,438,255,690	3,438,255,690	2,786,161,531	2,796,036,376

The decrease in net planned spending reflects the department’s current funding approval to deliver on the modernization of its major infrastructure projects. Funding will be realigned should future approvals be received.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 9: Property and Infrastructure: Planned full-time equivalents (3 fiscal years from 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2025)

2022 to 2023 planned full-time equivalents	2023 to 2024 planned full-time equivalents	2024 to 2025 planned full-time equivalents
4,841.19	4,826.31	4,843.62

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Government-wide support

PSPC provides administrative services and tools to federal organizations that help them deliver programs and services to Canadians.

Planning highlights

In order to best support the government in serving Canadians in their official language of choice, PSPC will further advance the modernization of its tools to provide faster, high quality and cost-effective linguistic services. It will work on the implementation of its secure linguistic services request management platform, GClingua, and further experiment with artificial intelligence solutions to support all of its business lines. Through the Translation Bureau, the department is building a robust data strategy, which will provide the foundations for artificial intelligence tools and assist with evidence-based decision-making for future investments. With a sustained increase in virtual meetings, the Translation Bureau will collaborate with other government departments and agencies in 2022 to 2023 to increase access to remote interpretation for official, Indigenous and foreign languages and video remote interpretation for sign languages while ensuring the health and safety of interpreters. As a leader within the federal government in the area of sign language interpretation and accessible communications, PSPC is committed to supporting the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act. As such, it will provide sign language interpretation in American sign language (ASL) and langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) at high-visibility events. Moreover, the Translation Bureau will explore additional services to ensure access to information to Canadians who are deaf, deafblind and deafened, and whose primary language of communication is ASL or LSQ.

In 2022 to 2023, the department will enhance integrity of federal procurement and real property transactions by assessing and reviewing emerging operational and market trends to ensure continued effectiveness of the Integrity Regime and by strengthening procedures to enhance due diligence of suppliers to federal government.

To support the government’s effort against money laundering, PSPC will commit 1 full-time equivalent to the Financial Crime Coordination Centre within Public Safety and work on the establishment of a team of dedicated forensic accountants in support of the anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime, its partners and law enforcement across the country.

The department will further strengthen its efforts by providing client-focused delivery approach to safeguarding sensitive and strategic government information and assets by improving processes in the Contract Security Program and Controlled Goods Program based on risk-based decision-making. PSPC will develop and implement an enhanced security questionnaire to address procurement-based national security threats.

In addition, PSPC is working closely with Public Safety to develop a tool for the procurement community to increase the awareness of all the potential security threats that can be associated with an acquisition.

Finally, PSPC will implement an engagement strategy for business dispute management services in support of open and transparent government. It will increase the overall visibility and promotion of alternative dispute resolution services to assist in the timely resolution of contract disputes. The department will also provide high-quality alternative dispute resolution processes to avoid costly delays in contract management and prevent the need for formal recourse, such as litigation.

PSPC provides digitization and data capture services, manages successful government information services to support the delivery of media monitoring and analysis, contracts public opinion research and advertising, manages publication.gc.ca, and publishes the Government of Canada’s official newspaper, the Canada Gazette. The department also offers specialized services, such as the Canadian General Standards Board, GCSurplus and seized property management on behalf of the Government of Canada.

Under the new Treasury Board Policy on Service and Digital, PSPC is responsible for providing common government-wide solutions and services related to electronic document records management systems, case and workflow tracking solutions, and collaboration platforms. Whenever possible, PSPC will deliver these services to other government departments in a consolidated and standardized manner leading the solutions to the cloud environment and on a cost‑recovery basis.

In 2022 to 2023, PSPC will partner with Library and Archives Canada (LAC) to develop ways to archive digital objects in the Government of Canada electronic document records systems (GCdocs). GCdocs will provide a simple and seamless user experience through M365 integration with GCdocs, cloud-based services and single sign-on. Other upgrades and improvements will also contribute to improve operations. As well, PSPC will expand the case and workflow tracking solutions (GCcase), including tailored client solutions, cloud adoption and platform modernization, by onboarding more clients to the cloud. Work will also be done on the preparation of environments for other cloud initiatives.

Experimentation

In order to enhance its capacity to deliver timely, cost effective and quality services, PSPC will research and experiment with artificial intelligence and other emerging language technologies to support the work of translators and interpreters, allowing them to focus their expertise on quality, and determine its applicability and future feasibility for integration into the translation workflow. This research includes the review of artificial intelligence applications for translation, remote interpretation and terminology.

Key risks

Program and service delivery

There is a risk that limited access to skilled resources will disrupt the delivery of the department’s mandate in support of government-wide solutions related to Information Management and Information Technology. These solutions would enable the department to deliver cutting-edge technology, modernize tools and optimize digitally-enabled environments, such as the cloud, to both PSPC and client departments.

The department will continue to foster timely, open and transparent discussions with its client departments regarding the risks associated to skillset gaps. The use of alternate options, such as leveraging mechanisms like micro-missions and/or re-assignment of existing skillsets, internal assignments and use of contracted resources, could also serve as risk mitigation strategies.

Protection of information

There is a risk that personal, business and other sensitive information will be compromised or inappropriately disclosed, including by means of cybersecurity breach such as ransomware. To ensure that information is appropriately protected, PSPC conducts reviews of applications using a risk-based approach followed by appropriate safeguard implementation, utilizes Shared Services Canada’s Government of Canada Secret Infrastructure to safely handle and transfer secret information. To further mitigate risk, the department will implement and report on safeguards detailed in the 3-year Departmental Security Plan, review elements of contractor program requirements, and implement a cybersecurity action plan to increase the reliability of and trust in data used for operations and decision-making.

Given the potential for additional digital security vulnerabilities in a work environment where Government of Canada employees mostly work from home, PSPC is taking further steps to secure information it manages. These steps include prioritizing the storage of data in Canada and implementing additional cybersecurity measures as outlined in the multi-year cyber security action plan.

Fraud and other wrongdoing

There is a risk that PSPC, as a steward of public resources, will be impacted by fraud, collusion and other forms of wrongdoing. As part of ongoing efforts to protect operations from such threats, the department has completed a comprehensive departmental fraud risk assessment process. Through the application of a multifaceted fraud risk management framework, each of PSPC’s business lines is enhancing policies, procedures and internal controls that contribute to mitigating the risk of fraud according to unique areas of responsibility. PSPC will further mitigate departmental fraud risk by leveraging the recently established Anti-Fraud Hub, which will oversee and coordinate further implementation of the framework to ensure collaboration around, and integration of, fraud risk mitigation activities across all business lines.

Table 10: Government-wide support: Planned results, result indicators, targets and target dates for 2022 to 2023, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available

Departmental result	Departmental result indicator	2018 to 2019 actual result	2019 to 2020 actual result	2020 to 2021 actual result	Target	Date to achieve target
Federal organizations have access to high quality linguistic services and tools.	Percentage of linguistic services that comply with established quality standards.	87.3%table 10 note 1	N/Atable 10 note 2	84.1%table 10 note 3	At least 85%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of overall client satisfaction with the Translation Bureau’s language tools and services.	85.6%	87.8%table 10 note 4	89.8%table 10 note 5	At least 90%	March 31, 2023
The government does business with ethical suppliers and ensures that sensitive information is handled appropriately.	Percentage of business integrity verification requests answered within the 4-hour client service standard.	99%	99%	99%	At least 90%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of security screenings processed within 7 business days for contractors and sub-contractors requiring access to protected information.	97%	98%	84%table 10 note 6	At least 85%	March 31, 2023
Federal organizations have the support services and tools they need to deliver their programs to Canadians.	Percentage of clients who are satisfied or very satisfied with PSPC tools and/or services.table 10 note 7	N/Atable 10 note 8	N/Atable 10 note 9	76%table 10 note 10	At least 87%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of PSPC service standards met.	74%	73%	65%table 10 note 11	At least 87%	March 31, 2023
Table 10 Notes Table 10 Note 1 In previous years, this indicator was separated into 3 indicators, representing the Translation Bureau’s 3 linguistic services: translation, interpretation and terminology. As of 2020 to 2021, these indicators are merged into 1. The actual result for 2018 to 2019 shown in the table is calculated based on the average percentage of the results for translation and terminology (not including interpretation data, as it is still in development). Return to table 10 note 1 referrer Table 10 Note 2 In previous years, this indicator was separated into 3 indicators, representing the Translation Bureau’s 3 linguistic services: translation, interpretation and terminology. As of 2020 to 2021, these indicators are merged into 1. It was not possible to provide a result for 2019 to 2020 as only the result for the “terminology” component was available. Return to table 10 note 2 referrer Table 10 Note 3 2020 to 2021 was the first year that the Translation Bureau had the actual results for all 3 of its business lines (translation, interpretation and terminology). The slight variance between the indicator’s target and actual results is due to the sudden and significant increase of demand for parliamentary interpretation services as a result of COVID-19. Additionally, due to the timeline of the internal reporting cycle, results for this indicator will be reported in arrears of 1 year. It is important to note that although the actual result for this indicator is slightly below its target, the Translation Bureau exceeded the respective targets for its translation and terminology. Return to table 10 note 3 referrer Table 10 Note 4 Due to COVID-19, the second half of the annual evaluation for 2019 to 2020 was cancelled. Consequently, only mid-year results are available for the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year. Return to table 10 note 4 referrer Table 10 Note 5 This indicator takes into consideration the percentage of overall satisfaction of customers and the satisfaction with the various language tools available to them. Return to table 10 note 5 referrer Table 10 Note 6 The Contract Security Program slightly missed the target of 85% due to challenges presented during the first 2 months of the fiscal year when the pandemic started. Program performance was negatively impacted by virtual private network (VPN) limitations and the demand to allocate all available resources toward managing urgent requests related to the government’s COVID-19 response. The Program has since restored its service levels and brought the 2020 to 2021 results back toward the target. Return to table 10 note 6 referrer Table 10 Note 7 This indicator and its methodology were revised during the 2022 to 2023 Departmental Results Framework amendment process. Return to table 10 note 7 referrer Table 10 Note 8 In 2018 to 2019, PSPC changed its client measurement practices and a result was not available. Return to table 10 note 8 referrer Table 10 Note 9 Client measurement practices were changed in 2018 to 2019. Data for that year was then unavailable, making it impossible to provide a result in the 2018 to 2019 Departmental Results Report (DRR) as well as in the 2019 to 2020 DRR. Return to table 10 note 9 referrer Table 10 Note 10 Client feedback identified opportunities for improvement concerning timeliness, availability of online information and the need for simplified processes. In response, an engagement plan has been developed and is currently being delivered across PSPC. Return to table 10 note 10 referrer Table 10 Note 11 Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on service delivery and the high volume of demand on services, there were more services compared to last year that did not meet their service standards targets. Return to table 10 note 11 referrer

Additional information on Public Services and Procurement Canada’s departmental results indicators is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 11: Government-wide support: 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates versus planned spending (3 fiscal years 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2025) (in dollars)

2022 to 2023 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending	2024 to 2025 planned spending
164,921,320	164,921,320	133,797,777	126,926,295

The decrease in net planned spending is mainly due to the end of incremental funding for parliamentary services as well as savings generated from technologies such as the neural machine translation, streamlined processes and reduced investments given current stages of projects, combined with the completion of development costs for the industrial security systems transformation project, a unified secured online public-facing portal to support the Contract Security and the Controlled Goods programs.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 12: Planned human resources for government-wide support

2022 to 2023 planned full-time equivalents	2023 to 2024 planned full-time equivalents	2024 to 2025 planned full-time equivalents
2,652.93	2,645.92	2,639.39

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Procurement Ombudsman

The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (OPO) operates at arm’s-length from federal organizations. It is legislated to review the procurement practices of federal organizations, review complaints from Canadian suppliers, and provide dispute resolution services.

Planning highlights

In 2022 to 2023, OPO will exchange information and raise awareness of procurement issues by engaging Canadian suppliers and federal organizations to learn about procurement-related challenges and opportunities, and to inform them about OPO services. OPO will track and report on trends and developments in federal procurement.

As per OPO’s motto “we are here to help”, the office will offer no-fee dispute resolution services to suppliers and federal organizations when disputes arise during the performance of a contract. OPO’s certified mediators seek to resolve procurement-related issues and disputes as quickly and informally as possible by re-establishing lines of communication between suppliers and federal officials. When issues cannot be resolved informally, OPO offers mediation services to help the parties to a federal contract reach a settlement.

In 2022 to 2023, OPO will address procurement-related issues by reviewing certain supplier complaints with respect to the award of federal contracts for goods below $30,300 and services below $121,200. It will also review supplier complaints regarding the administration of federal contracts regardless of dollar value, and the procurement practices of federal organizations to assess their fairness, openness and transparency. The reviews will be published and will help to identify both pitfalls to avoid as well as good practices for improvement.

Gender-based analysis plus

In 2022 to 2023, OPO will continue to apply a diversity and inclusion lens to all its business with third parties, including government departments, suppliers, and the general public. It will use the information collected from 83 federal government departments and agencies on diversity initiatives during an information-gathering exercise on social procurement practices and the office’s understanding of the landscape, to support suppliers who might benefit from departmental procurement initiatives. Over the course of the fiscal year, it will also participate actively in the Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee of the Canadian Federation of Ombuds offices, which is a forum for federal ombuds organizations across Canada to share information regarding programs, initiatives, and best practices that will foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace.

Key risks

In order to mitigate possible risks to its mandate, OPO will recruit and train a skilled and multidisciplinary workforce able to deliver high quality services and products. It will also remain abreast of current trends, developments and initiatives in federal procurement to maximize the quality and value of OPO’s recommendations and outputs.

OPO will collaborate extensively with federal procurement stakeholders to ensure it takes into consideration the impacts of its actions and remains focused on the needs of those it serves.

Table 13: Procurement Ombudsman: Planned results, result indicators, targets and target dates for 2022 to 2023, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available

Departmental result	Departmental result indicator	2018 to 2019 Actual result	2019 to 2020 Actual result	2020 to 2021 Actual result	Target	Date to achieve target
Raise awareness of procurement issues and exchange of information.	Number of awareness-building activities per year with Canadian suppliers, primarily small and medium-sized businesses, federal officials and other stakeholders.	79	87table 13 note 1	51table 13 note 2	At least 48table 13 note 3	March 31, 2023
	Number of provinces/territories where outreach activities are held.	8	9	13	At least 6	March 31, 2023
	Year-over-year percentage of new visits to OPO’s website.table 13 note 4	N/A	N/A	N/A	At least 5%	March 31, 2023
	Year-over-year percentage of new followers and impressions to OPO’s digital media accounts.table 13 note 5	N/A	N/A	N/A	At least 10%	March 31, 2023
Procurement-related issues are addressed through alternative dispute resolution.	Percentage of alternative dispute resolution processes that result in settlement agreements agreed to by both parties.	N/Atable 13 note 6	100%	100%	At least 90%	March 31, 2023
Procurement-related issues are addressed through the review of complaints and the review of federal organization’s procurement practices.	Percentage of supplier complaint reviews completed within 120 working days as per legislative requirements.	100%	100%	100%	100%	March 31, 2023
	Percentage of recommendations made by the Ombudsman acted upon by federal organizations.	100%	100%	100%	100%	March 31, 2023
Table 13 Notes Table 13 Note 1 As a direct result of OPO’s efforts to raise awareness of procurement issues and exchange of information on a nation-wide scale, OPO revamped its outreach strategy to maximise the number of educational events held per year with small and medium-sized businesses and federal officials across Canada. For this reason, yearly results exceeded the set target exponentially. Return to table 13 note 1 referrer Table 13 Note 2 Despite the challenging circumstances of the past year due to COVID-19 restrictions, OPO continued its efforts to raise awareness of procurement issues and exchange of information on a nation-wide scale. Transitioning to an online platform enabled OPO to maximise the number of educational events held per year with small and medium-sized businesses and federal officials across Canada and consequently exceeded the set target considerably. Accordingly, OPO revised its target for 2021 to 2022. Return to table 13 note 2 referrer Table 13 Note 3 An increase in the target is due to a clearer understanding of hosting online awareness-building activities. Return to table 13 note 3 referrer Table 13 Note 4 This is a new indicator as of 2021 to 2022. Return to table 13 note 4 referrer Table 13 Note 5 This is a new indicator as of 2022 to 2023. Return to table 13 note 5 referrer Table 13 Note 6 In 2018 to 2019, OPO received 4 requests for formal alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services. Two of the requests met the requirements set out in the regulations, and ADR processes were launched. One of the ADR requests was resolved between the supplier and federal organization prior to the start of a formal process and the other continued into 2019 to 2020. OPO also provided ADR services on 2 cases started the previous year. Return to table 13 note 6 referrer

Additional information on Public Services and Procurement Canada’s departmental results indicators is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 14: Procurement Ombudsman: 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates versus planned spending (3 fiscal years from 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2025) (in dollars)

2022 to 2023 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending	2024 to 2025 planned spending
4,198,354	4,198,354	4,198,364	4,198,364

There is no significant variance in the net planned spending.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.

Table 15: Procurement Ombudsman: Planned full-time equivalents (3 fiscal years from 2022 to 2023, to 2024 to 2024)

2022 to 2023 planned full-time equivalents	2023 to 2024 planned full-time equivalents	2024 to 2025 planned full-time equivalents
29.41	29.41	29.41

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available on Government of Canada InfoBase.