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2024 to 2025 Departmental Plan: Gender-based analysis plus

General information: Institutional
gender-based analysis plus capacity

Governance

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has a gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) champion, and a responsibility centre situated within its strategic policy unit to provide oversight, direction and promotion of GBA Plus across the department.

In addition, PSPC’s GBA Plus community of practice supports the consistent, rigorous and robust implementation of GBA Plus across the department's programs and services. The community of practice includes representatives from all of the department's branches and regions. Representatives from the GBA Plus community of practice share information, exchange best practices and meet to discuss issues related to the implementation of GBA Plus at PSPC.

Capacity

Together, the PSPC GBA Plus responsibility centre and community of practice:

Highlights of gender‑based analysis plus results reporting by program

In this section

Core responsibility: Purchase of goods and services

The gender-based analysis plus information related to the program under this core responsibility is detailed below.

Procurement program

This program collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The program applies GBA Plus within the context of procurement policy and tools development. PSPC will continue the delivery of training on how to apply a GBA Plus approach to procurement using a step-by-step methodology.

In 2024 to 2025, procurement modernization and inclusivity initiatives will continue to target improved opportunities for under-represented groups to participate in the federal government supply chain, and the removal of barriers to participation, including for persons with disabilities. As an example, the initiative to enhance procurement opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and businesses within PSPC-led procurements is being developed in collaboration with the Black business community.

Data on all suppliers will continue to be collected under the Procurement Program through a questionnaire embedded within the Electronic Procurement Solution (EPS), in order to better assess gender and diversity in procurement activities. Information gathered through EPS will continue to capture socio-economic data from businesses that belong to one or more equity deserving groups to self-identify as:

In addition, PSPC is also continuing to focus on engagement and outreach with under-represented communities in order to raise awareness of procurement opportunities as well as supports available through federal programs and services. Through fiscal year 2024 to 2025, PSPC will continue to develop and implement initiatives to increase participation and inclusion of Indigenous businesses in federal procurement, including guidance on the use of the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses, Indigenous participation plans, and updating methods of supply to increase inclusion of Indigenous businesses.

Core responsibility: Payments and accounting

The gender-based analysis plus information related to the programs under this core responsibility is detailed below.

Cape Breton Operations: Human resources legacy benefits

Cape Breton Operations (CBO) collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

CBO maintains a database of all recipients of its Human Resources (HR) Legacy Program. The program is the result of collective agreements, and the recipients are predominantly lower income senior males located in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

CBO plans to continue efforts to diversify its supply chain. The goal is to increase the number of equity-deserving groups (Indigenous, women, Black and racialized Canadians, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+) that could provide services to CBO. PSPC Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC) office in the Atlantic region will conduct an assessment to determine if PSPC’s Atlantic regional office can engage diverse companies in contracting opportunities to provide services to CBO, starting with Indigenous businesses. The data collected as part of this pilot project will support efforts to increase representation in Government of Canada contracting practices and help address systemic inequalities, not just related to gender, but to a variety of identity factors including race, ethnicity and disability.

PSPC Atlantic Region has created a new Indigenous coordinator position that is responsible for reviewing and revamping the procurement tools in the region to expand on Indigenous participation. CBO is working closely with this coordinator to ensure procurement processes are aligned with these new tools and procedures.

Federal pay administration

The program collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and report on the program impacts. The program currently collects data from the Phoenix pay system, including employees’:

This allows the program to analyze the pay cases queue and the backlog based on these demographic factors. This demographic data is also used to analyze escalated cases and access to services for employees. 

The program tracks Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) questions relating to pay issues and reports on them. While participation in the PSES is voluntary and self-reported, the additional demographic data it collects (such as race, gender, sexuality, and disability) gives the program further information on how groups are affected by the Pay Administration Program. It should be noted that this PSES data cannot be correlated with case data.

Federal pension administration

This program collects sufficient data to monitor and/or report program impacts by GBA Plus.

PSPC’s Pension Program collects data via client service feedback surveys. The program provides pension services through the Government of Canada Pension Centre and the program’s secure online employee portal. The client service feedback survey initiative enables the program to assess member satisfaction with these service delivery channels.

Respondent information can be broken down by age and gender. Further demographic diversity-related data, such as identifying as a member of a visible minority, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+, or Indigenous peoples, is also collected via this initiative. The program is well-placed to expand capacity to report and identify trends across these diverse population groups, once a sufficient population size is established through future surveys. The client service feedback data will help guide the evaluation of current services and identify opportunities for improvement to both service delivery and pension services, with a member-centric focus.

The Pension Program is also undertaking web renewal initiatives to expand and upgrade online services and tools. This includes updating the current pension portal for employees and developing a retiree portal. These projects will meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1AA requirements. The pension portals will provide members with content that is more accessible to people with disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.

Government-wide accounting and reporting

This program does not collect sufficient data to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The Public Accounts of Canada is the annual financial report to Canadians covering the fiscal year ending March 31. The Receiver General (the Minister of Public Services and Procurement), as the government’s accountant, is responsible for preparing and publishing the report. Sections 63, 64, and 65 of the Financial Administration Act provide the Receiver General with the authority to maintain accounts, to prepare the Public Accounts and to request financial information from departments and agencies.

As part of the provision of its public accounts services, PSPC does not gather demographic information on individuals.

Payments instead of property taxes to local governments

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The Payments Instead of Property Taxes to Local Governments Program (PILT) issues payments to taxing authorities under the authority of the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Act. Local governments receive payments in recognition of the services they provide to federal property located in their jurisdictions because the Government of Canada is exempt from taxation. The objective of the program is to provide fair and equitable administration of payments to taxing authorities on behalf of federal custodian departments and agencies. Taxing authorities manage the payments to fund municipal programs, services and infrastructure. As such, PSPC cannot assess the impact on gender and diversity with regards to PILT payments.

Payments and revenue collection

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The Receiver General is a service provider to Government of Canada departments and agencies that manage individual programs. Those departments and agencies determine the entitlement of recipients to benefits, or the requirement for Canadians to remit funds to the Government of Canada. The Receiver General does not gather demographic information on these individuals as part of the provision of its payment services.

Core responsibility: Property and infrastructure

The gender-based analysis plus information related to the programs under this core responsibility is detailed below.

Cape Breton Operations: Portfolio management

Cape Breton Operations (CBO) collects sufficient data on a portion of its Portfolio Management Program to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The program encompasses a land divestiture program, which has prioritized sales to First Nations through a portfolio-based consultation agreement. Other areas of the program include facilities management and the mine water treatment program. Efforts will continue to further assess the gender and diversity impacts of these programs.

Federal accommodation and infrastructure

This program collects sufficient data to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

PSPC leads efforts towards enhancing accessibility in the government’s built environment. For example, PSPC’s Office of Accessibility in the Built Environment (OABE) conducts technical accessibility assessments in PSPC Crown-owned real property portfolio to assess and identify improvements to ensure compliance and exceed the latest accessibility standards.

In 2024 to 2025, PSPC will continue addressing legislative requirements under the Accessible Canada Act. Ongoing consultations with the Network of Persons with Disabilities will identify high-impact and low-cost accessibility improvements in Crown-owned assets, referred to as the Lean Forward Initiatives. PSPC will continue the optimization of the office portfolio to provide a modern, technology-enabled, secure, sustainable, inclusive and accessible office space to client departments, while adapting it to the needs of evolving work patterns.

Universal accessibility is an important design principle that will continue to guide the department portfolio modernization and rehabilitation projects. Universal accessibility considerations will be applied throughout the building design process, resulting in buildings rich in features such as tactile signage, exterior security lighting, accessible entrances, elevators, and gender-neutral washrooms.

As part of PSPC’s commitment to making buildings more accessible, the department will advance pilot projects on touchless elevator access, wayfinding and washroom access through the GOHERE washroom access program, which helps individuals find public washrooms via a smartphone application. Moreover, PSPC will continue converting gendered washrooms to gender inclusive multi-stall washrooms across its crown-owned real property portfolio.

Parliament hill and surroundings

This program collects sufficient data to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The long term vision and plans (LTVP) for both the Parliamentary Precinct and Laboratories Canada employ a GBA Plus lens to continue creating inclusive built environments for Canadians across the country, including youth, women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities. The projects delivered under the 2 program components also report on gender and diversity in accordance with Treasury Board policy requirements.

Parliamentary Precinct

In March 2023, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada tabled its audit report of the Centre Block Rehabilitation Program. While the Centre Block project was already guided by a gender-based analysis conducted for the LTVP, the Auditor General’s report recommended that PSPC conduct a GBA Plus assessment for the Centre Block Rehabilitation Program to further ensure that the public spaces are inclusive and represent the diversity of the Canadian population. This assessment will build on previous GBA Plus assessments of 2021 and 2017.

In 2024 to 2025, PSPC will continue conducting a renewed GBA Plus for the LTVP for the Parliamentary Precinct. With this renewed GBA Plus assessment, PSPC plans to measure how the Parliamentary Precinct’s LTVP is achieving its goals to make the precinct’s buildings representative, accessible and inclusive to all people, and suggest improvements to ensure these goals are reached, as applicable.

The LTVP for the Parliamentary Precinct is also increasing socio-economic participation in the federal procurement process and developing broader strategies to increase skills development, as well as apprenticeship and employment opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and firms by implementing mandatory Indigenous participation plans as part of the contractual requirements for all major projects.

Laboratories Canada

Recognizing the crucial role that science plays in Canadian society, it is imperative to create a high quality, functional and sustainable laboratory portfolio to support federal science programs that is also inclusive and accessible. The Laboratories Canada LTVP will significantly benefit diverse user groups by improving the design of science facilities and ensuring they are accessible, modern, inclusive, and collaborative (from accessible laboratories to gender-neutral washrooms) by accounting for these factors in the early design and planning stages. PSPC is working collaboratively with science partners to undertake any assessment, as required, which will be informed by scientific information.

Laboratory environments are known for posing inherent risks and hazards, which can be even more challenging for individuals with disabilities. To ensure their safety, comprehensive risk assessments of the laboratory environment will be conducted and integrate appropriate safety measures into the laboratory facility design. This involves incorporating universal design principles to facilitate safe access and use of laboratory spaces, as well as providing adequate training and support to individuals with disabilities.

Real property services

This program collects sufficient data to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

This program provides real property services on a fee-for-service basis to PSPC’s Federal Accommodation and Infrastructure and Parliament Hill and Surroundings programs, as well as to other federal organizations. Services are provided in accordance with the instructions of its clients and functional direction received by the service leads. Therefore, office workplaces and other facilities (marine, airports, roads and highways, etc.) are maintained, updated and renovated to meet the requirements of government and to comply with health, safety and environmental standards.

PSPC will continue to ensure that new real property initiatives include accessibility standards and Indigenous and diversity components. PSPC is taking steps to integrate these commitments into existing large contracts and will continue to track and report on service contracts for managing large facilities that include accessibility standards, Indigenous and diversity components.

Core responsibility: Government-wide support

The gender-based analysis plus information related to the programs under this core responsibility is detailed below.

Asset disposal

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The collection of GBA Plus data is not relevant to the seized property management as the program focuses on services determined by partners departments and agencies. However, PSPC’s GCSurplus program has improved data collection methods and continues to identify new opportunities to inform and assess impacts of program changes. The program will continue to identify opportunities for consultation to ensure that initiatives are inclusive and meet the needs of stakeholders.

Canadian General Standards Board

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The Canadian General Standards Board administers the standards development process and publishes National Standards of Canada, which are written by technical committees of experts from across the country. Historically, national standards were written largely as product specifications. However, there are standards that have a greater impact directly on people versus products, such as translation services, personnel certification, or responsible business conduct.

The National Standards System as a whole (led by the Standards Council of Canada) has been actively working towards ensuring that the system can better incorporate gender-neutral terminology, involve a more diverse selection of technical committee members, and be inclusive in the overall approach to developing national standards.

New requirements and guidelines for all standard development organizations are currently being developed by the Standards Council of Canada. It is expected that these new requirements and guidelines will include a robust process to develop gender-responsive standards.

Information services

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The program (advertising, public opinion research, Canada Gazette, publications and the copyright media clearance program) provides advisory and technical services to government departments and agencies, which plan and implement communications initiatives.

2 of the program business lines, copyright media clearance program and public opinion research, support clients on an ongoing basis to ensure their environmental analysis activities take into consideration a range of elements related to GBA Plus.

PSPC is also working in conjunction with partners to enhance the accessibility components of its tools and websites and promoting policies and best practices to support efforts by departments to provide publications in an accessible format.

Document imaging services

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

This program converts paper-based materials to electronic formats. The users of the documents are client departments and agencies, which plan and implement related initiatives.

Government-wide corporate services

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

This program provides federal organizations with high-quality, timely and accessible services, tools and systems for travel, information management, human resources, business processes and financial and materiel management. This program allows federal organizations to adopt modern, consolidated, systems-based standard business processes, which can reduce administrative or back office costs, enhance employee productivity and reduce overall government spending on internal services.

Linguistic services

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The Translation Bureau provides translation and interpretation services in Indigenous languages, and continuously works towards increasing the number of Indigenous freelancers, growing the number of combinations of Indigenous languages, strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities and building partnerships with Indigenous organizations. The Translation Bureau further promotes Reconciliation though culturally appropriate trainings to encourage relationship building and is working to become the Government of Canada’s centre of excellence in Indigenous languages.

The Translation Bureau also continues to work with partners to provide sign language interpretation in American Sign Language (ASL) and langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) at high-visibility events. It 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, and further develop partnerships with teaching institutions to support the training of the next generation of sign language interpreters. The progress of these initiatives is followed through PSPC’s Accessibility Plan.

The Translation Bureau also regularly updates the Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology, promotes and provides training on the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing to ensure that Canadians have access to the latest linguistic resources on gender-inclusive writing in both official languages.

Security and oversight services

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The program interacts mostly with entities (businesses and corporations) that the government does business with. The program is committed to only collecting personal information that is necessary to determine whether a supplier is ineligible under the Government of Canada’s Integrity Regime. There are no plans to collect personal information from suppliers.

Information specifically addressing gender metrics for registered individuals and organizations of the Controlled Goods Program is limited. The program is awaiting a new information technology solution that would enable improved data capture, mining, and reporting on GBA Plus metrics, for example, gender and age.

Service management

This program does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity. This program does, however, track completion of GBA Plus assessments by individual service line.

The Service Management Program enables the centralized functions of the department to meet the requirements of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Policy on Service and Digital. The Service Management Program enables the designated service official to deliver programs of work, and data for departmental service results reporting.

The requirement and ability to monitor and/or report on the program’s impacts by gender and diversity will be assessed.

Core responsibility: Procurement ombudsman

The gender-based analysis plus information related to the program under this core responsibility is detailed below.

Procurement ombudsman

This program collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.

The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman’s (OPO) ongoing commitment to GBA Plus data collection includes:

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2024-03-19