Public Services and Procurement Canada
Results: What we achieved—2021 to 2022 Departmental Results Report

Core responsibilities

Purchase of goods and services

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

Departmental result: Federal organizations have the products and services they need, when they need them, at the best value

In 2021 to 2022, PSPC managed the procurement of goods and services valued at approximately $25 billion on behalf of client departments and agencies. The department provided procurement services to support Government of Canada institutions in fulfilling their respective mandates, while contributing to the country's socio-economic goals. In doing so, the department not only supported its clients in carrying out their planned initiatives, but also in responding to emerging priorities.

COVID-19 pandemic

In 2021 to 2022, procurements in support of the Government of Canada’s response to COVID‑19 continued to be a priority for PSPC. Among the most critical requirements were vaccines and therapeutics, testing equipment and border testing services.

PSPC worked with suppliers to manage the delivery of vaccine doses to Canadians, and by July 2021 had achieved the important milestone of having doses for every eligible adult in Canada who wanted one. The department also worked to secure the supply of booster and pediatric doses at the earliest opportunity, as well as to procure doses for Canada’s future needs. In terms of therapeutics, PSPC took a proactive approach by securing orders for more than 1.7 million treatment courses for 9 therapeutics, 2 of which were still pending regulatory approval at the time of contract award, to ensure that Canadians would have timely access. The department continues to work actively with suppliers on planned deliveries, and to pursue actions which will accelerate delivery schedules of the treatment courses.

Testing was a priority in 2021 to 2022 given its importance in supporting a safe and open economy. Following a competitive process, PSPC established standing offers with multiple qualified companies to ensure a reliable supply of rapid tests on an as-needed basis. By the end of the fiscal year, PSPC had procured over 600 million test kits. The department also posted a competitive request for proposals to secure the services from testing providers to collect and process test specimens from travellers entering Canada, to meet the demand of the evolving Border Testing Program. This solicitation resulted in flexible contracts that enable services to ramp up and down as needed, allowing the Government of Canada to better respond to waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Procurement modernization

PSPC has continued its ongoing efforts to modernize procurement and ensure value for money in federal purchasing. PSPC implemented its new Vendor Performance Management regime, which aims to hold poor performers accountable while encouraging good performance, in 6 commodities. PSPC also began reviewing the outcomes of this initial implementation, and engaging with key industry partners and client departments, to inform any necessary refinements to the regime before its implementation in additional areas of procurement.

The department also continued to implement the sustainment initiative principles, in collaboration with the Department of National Defence and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, by providing procurement professionals with ongoing support in the development of sustainment solutions for military equipment and fleets. Engagement, training, best practices and tools are refined on a continual basis to ensure the development of tailored solutions that reflect the initiative’s principles of performance, value for money, flexibility and economic benefits.

PSPC continued to strengthen relationships with stakeholders and other government organizations through forums to discuss procurement principles and tools. For example, PSPC’s Supplier Advisory Committee met on a regular basis, advancing a work plan that was regularly reviewed to ensure continued alignment with the priorities of both the department and the members representing industry. In addition, PSPC continued to enhance its Canadian Collaborative Procurement Initiative, through which provincial and territorial governments, as well as the municipalities, academic institutions, schools and hospitals (MASH) sector and other entities, can use federal procurement tools. The aim of this initiative is to improve the efficiency and value of public procurement for the benefit of Canadians, and make it easier for suppliers to sell to multiple levels of government in a streamlined approach. Over the past year, PSPC increased the percentage of participants from the MASH sector by 14%, and also expanded the procurement instruments available under the initiative by more than 30%.

Defence and marine procurement

In 2021 to 2022, PSPC continued to support Canada's defence policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged, and the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), ensuring the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) receive the equipment and services they need.

Following extensive industry engagement over past years, in 2021 to 2022, formal requests for proposals were released to pre-qualified suppliers for 4 major defence procurements:

• Future Aircrew Training Program
• Logistics Vehicle Modernization Project
• Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Project
• Strategic Tanker Transport Capability Project

Following a competitive procurement process, PSPC awarded contracts for the purchase and in‑service support of 3 new tactical control radars. Significant progress was also made in deliveries of equipment under existing contracts, including search and rescue aircraft and armoured combat support vehicles. In addition, a key advancement was made in replacing Canada’s fighter aircraft fleet, as the federal government announced it would enter into the finalization phase of the procurement process with the top-ranked bidder.

Work under the NSS, which is providing the CCG and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) with modern vessels and delivering important economic benefits, also continued to advance. At Irving Shipbuilding Inc.. work continued on the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships, with key milestones in 2021 to 2022 including delivery of the second ship, launch of the 3rd ship, a keel-laying ceremony for the 4th ship and a cut-steel event for the 5th ship. Design work on the Canadian surface combatants was also advanced as the project entered the preliminary design review phase of the definition contract in December 2021. At Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards, construction on the 1st joint support ship and 1st offshore oceanographic science vessel is underway, as well as early design work for the multi-purpose vessels and polar icebreakers.

In 2021 to 2022, the NSS also continued to provide opportunities for small vessel construction, and repair, refit and maintenance of vessels. Following a competitive procurement process, PSPC awarded an in-service support contract for the Halifax-class LM2500 gas turbines. The department also awarded a number of contracts to extend the life of various CCG vessels, including motorized lifeboats, jet boats and fisheries patrol vessels. Deliveries continued for small vessels under existing contracts, including search and rescue lifeboats to the CCG and naval large tugs for the RCN.

In 2021 to 2022, the department also continued working towards the addition of a 3rd Canadian shipyard under the NSS, to provide additional shipbuilding capacity in Canada to renew the RCN and CCG fleets, while supporting economic opportunities for the Canadian marine sector. In parallel with the 3rd yard selection process, Chantier Davie continued work under existing contracts for the acquisition and conversion of 3 medium commercial icebreakers, maintenance work on Canada’s Halifax-class frigates, and the design and construction of 2 new ferries for Transport Canada. In March 2022, the shipyard was also awarded a contract to complete vessel life extension work on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent.

Departmental result: Government purchasing is simpler and easy to access, fair and transparent for suppliers

In its efforts to make it easier for suppliers and Canadians to do business with the Government of Canada, PSPC made great strides in the implementation of the Electronic Procurement Solution (EPS). By the end of the fiscal year, over 500 contracts were awarded using the solution. As implementation advanced, continuous engagement across the supplier community was a priority. The department ensured that the tools and resources available to suppliers were updated based on feedback received.

PSPC also continued to advance its Contract Modernization Initiative, which is aimed at modernizing and standardizing existing contract structure and language across procurement instruments. Modernized requests for proposals were posted on PSPC’s Buyandsell website, and were well-received by businesses. With approximately 75% of PSPC standard contract clauses having undergone modernization, work is now underway to integrate the modernized contract structure and content for use with the EPS.

PSPC continued to support Canadians having access to open data on federal procurement. The department published a dataset as part of the open contracting data standard pilot, as well as reports related to lessons learned and stakeholder engagement. In addition, PSPC has taken other steps to advance the availability of open data related to federal procurement. As an example, in 2021 to 2022, the department began publishing suppliers’ quarterly usage reports for some of its methods of supply for services, where there was a known level of interest.

PSPC also continued to implement innovative procurement approaches in procuring the goods and services required by federal organizations. This included the phased bid compliance approach, through which the department can provide bidders with more flexibility in demonstrating their compliance with certain mandatory requirements, as well as agile procurement, a collaborative approach that focuses on outcomes and brings together government and industry to design procurements in an iterative manner to achieve results.

In addition, the department has continued to carry out calls for proposals on behalf of programs such as Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) and Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC). These programs challenge Canadian businesses to develop innovative solutions that can assist Canada in solving specific challenges or test late stage innovations, for example those related to defence, public safety and security. In 2021 to 2022, PSPC awarded over 300 contracts for innovative solutions as a result of these calls for proposals.

The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises was rebranded to Procurement Assistance Canada in July 2021. This change highlights the important role of this organization in delivering educational support and providing assistance that makes it easier for smaller and diverse businesses to bid on federal contracting opportunities.

Departmental result: Government purchasing supports Canada’s economic, environmental, and social policy goals

Indigenous procurement

PSPC, in collaboration with Indigenous Services Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, continued its work with Indigenous partners to increase the participation of Indigenous businesses in federal procurement. A key milestone was achieved in implementing the target of awarding at least 5% of the value of federal contracts to Indigenous businesses: the Treasury Board Directive on the Management of Procurement was amended, effective on April 1, 2022, to introduce Appendix E—Mandatory Procedures for Contracts Awarded to Indigenous Businesses. In addition to establishing a robust reporting mechanism, this directive also requires that departments develop procurement plans to identify opportunities for Indigenous businesses, among other requirements. To support its procurement workforce in increasing Indigenous procurement, PSPC has released step-by-step guidance to its procurement workforce on incorporating measures into various aspects of the procurement process, such as defining requirements and conducting market research.

Bidder diversity

The department launched its Supplier Diversity Action Plan, which outlines concrete steps to increase the participation of businesses from under-represented groups in federal procurement, a cornerstone of which is the Policy on Social Procurement. The policy allows the department to create targeted approaches to increase diversity and inclusion in PSPC procurement and leverage trade agreements that permit socio-economic procurement. In implementing the action plan, PSPC has incorporated lessons learned from the Black Businesses Procurement Pilot that was launched in 2021. The action plan also takes into account several requests for information published in 2021, which sought to better understand the procurement experience and needs of businesses owned or led by Black entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities and the LGBTQ2+ community.

PSPC also enhanced the services delivered through Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC) to help under-represented groups successfully participate in federal procurement. In 2021 to 2022, PAC piloted a new coaching service in partnership with Women Business Enterprises Canada. This new service aims to provide assistance to experienced bidders from diverse socio-economic groups who have had limited success in bidding on federal government opportunities, via a series of personalized sessions. PAC also continued to engage with under-represented groups to guide the department’s efforts to advance supplier diversity.

Green procurement

PSPC is committed to advancing Canada’s net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and zero plastic waste agendas through the implementation of the Policy on Green Procurement and the advancement of the Greening Government Strategy. As part of the department’s Low Carbon Procurement Project, 2 contracts were awarded to develop science-based methods and tools to measure GHG emissions associated with PSPC’s office furniture and professional services supply chains. PSPC also advanced the development of standard procurement language related to sustainable packaging and the durability of goods, with the expansion of pilot projects to test and evaluate the standard language in various operational environments.

In addition, the department increased the availability of electric vehicles on its existing procurement instruments, and also introduced new procurement instruments that provide clients with access to electric buses, trucks, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and utility task vehicles.

Ethical procurement

PSPC is addressing the risk of forced labour and human trafficking in federal procurement supply chains. A number of key advancements were made, beginning with a risk analysis of PSPC’s supply chains to determine which goods were at the highest risk of exposure to human trafficking, forced labour, and child labour. The risk analysis identified key areas that will allow the department to maximize the impact of its actions. The department also updated its Code of Conduct for Procurement, which sets forth human and labour rights expectations for suppliers and their subcontractors.

PSPC implemented new anti-forced labour clauses in all goods contracts to ensure that it can terminate contracts where there is credible information that goods have been produced in whole or in part by forced labour or human trafficking.

Finally, continuing to build on an evidence-based approach, the department posted a request for proposal to map international human rights due-diligence obligations for businesses to report on actions taken to address risks of forced labour, human trafficking, and human rights violations in their supply chains.

Gender-based analysis plus

PSPC continued to incorporate Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) in PSPC’s work and decision-making processes. For example, GBA Plus analyses continued to inform the department’s work on social and accessible procurement. Various requests for information were launched during 2021 to gain a better understanding of the experience of under-represented businesses in federal procurement. The feedback received is providing critical context to the department’s policy work and ensuring that initiatives to increase the participation of under-represented groups reflect the realities and needs of these businesses.

Moreover, the department has been developing a methodology which applies a gender-based analysis in procurement. Based on this methodology, learning tools are being developed to support its application in procurement. For example, a dedicated training course on GBA Plus from a procurement perspective has been developed and is being rolled out to PSPC’s procurement workforce–initially in a small group format with the aim of providing valuable insights into a future government-wide training course.

The department also continued to collaborate with the Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) to incorporate GBA Plus into defence and marine procurements. Canada’s defence policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged commits to supporting the integration of GBA Plus into DND’s equipment procurement, and similar considerations are being applied to the CCG portfolio. For example, GBA Plus principles are imbedded in the requirements for the Future Aircrew Training Program in various ways, such as infrastructure design.

With the increasing demand for GBA Plus support and expertise, PSPC is supporting Women and Gender Equality Canada to establish a standing offer for GBA Plus consultancy services. The standing offer will establish a pool of pre-qualified suppliers to provide GBA Plus expertise to federal departments when needed.

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

PSPC activities under its purchase of goods and services core responsibility supported Canada’s efforts to address the United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The various initiatives and programs under this core responsibility, such as procurement modernization, the development of a Policy on Social Procurement, and advancements in ethical and green procurement, contributed 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)

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

Risk mitigation

Defence and marine procurement

At the outset of 2021 to 2022, there was a risk that the inherent complexities of defence and marine procurement, in addition to impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, would present challenges in achieving the timely delivery of Canada's defence policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged, and National Shipbuilding Strategy objectives. To mitigate this risk, PSPC:

• continued ongoing enhancements to defence and marine procurement, including the risk-based approach to procurement approvals
• leveraged interdepartmental governance committees
• hired and trained additional specialized procurement staff
• collaborated closely with partners and stakeholders, including those in the defence and marine industries
• continued the implementation of the sustainment initiative principles

Pandemic procurement

Due to intense global competition and constrained supply chains, in 2021 to 2022, there was a risk that PSPC would face challenges in continuing to procure critical goods and services needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. To mitigate this risk, PSPC put in place and maintained multi-year contracts and procurement instruments with a diversified roster of suppliers—including domestic suppliers—to secure stable and predictable access to critical supplies and services, even in times of high demand. The department also incorporated flexibility in contracts and procurement instruments so that supply could be ramped up and down as needed to respond to waves in the COVID-19 pandemic. PSPC also worked closely with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada with respect to forecasting future needs to ensure that Canada would have sufficient supplies available, and to sequence deliveries accordingly.

Procurement modernization

At the beginning of the 2021 to 2022 fiscal year, there was a risk that PSPC would not be able to achieve its ongoing procurement modernization goals and initiatives in a timely manner, and to the desired extent. To mitigate this risk, the department gradually implemented its modernization initiatives in the areas where they would have the greatest impact, with a view to demonstrating progress and building momentum, and also recognizing that effort is required to foster uptake amongst procurement officers, clients and suppliers. Gradual implementation of initiatives has also provided PSPC with an opportunity to identify lessons learned and to adjust accordingly as the initiatives progress, and to ensure that all stakeholders are properly supported in adapting to new processes and tools through rigorous change management approaches.

Table 1: Results achieved: Purchase of goods and services—Performance indicators, targets and dates for 2021 to 2022, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years

2021 to 2022 departmental results	2021 to 2022 departmental result indicators	2019 to 2020 actual results	2020 to 2021 actual results	2021 to 2022 targets	Date to achieve target	2021 to 2022 actual results
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	n/atable 1 note 1	90%	At least 80%	March 31, 2022	87%
	Percentage of original contracts of level 1 (basic) complexity awarded within established timeframes	78%	78%	At least 85%	March 31, 2022	75%table 1 note 2
	Percentage of original contracts of level 2 (standard) complexity awarded within established timeframes	75%	81%	At least 80%	March 31, 2022	78%table 1 note 3
	Cost of procurement services per $100 of contract value	$1.42	$1.50	At most $1.75	March 31, 2022	$1.33
	Percentage of dollar value awarded through competitive contracting processes	71%	64%	At least 80%	March 31, 2022	81%
	Percentage of contracts awarded through PSPC standing offers and/or supply arrangements	23%	40%	At least 30%	March 31, 2022	Data will be available in April 2023table 1 note 4
	Percentage of competitive procurement processes versus sole source	80%	76%	At least 80%	March 31, 2022	79%table 1 note 5
	Percentage of complex competitive procurement processes for which at least 2 bids were received (level 3 to 5)	72%	67%	At least 80%	March 31,2022	84%
	Average number of qualified bidders on Complex competitive procurement processes	3.1	3.5	At least 2.5	March 31, 2022	2.6
Government purchasing is simpler and easy to access, fair and transparent for suppliers	Percentage of suppliers that rate the purchasing process as simpler and easy to access	84%	87%	At least 80%	March 31, 2022	85%
	Percentage of contracts awarded for which a valid complaint was filed	0.04%	0.14%	At most 1%	March 31, 2022	0.05%
	Percentage of suppliers that rate the purchasing process as fair and transparent	82%	85%	At least 80%	March 31, 2022	84%
	Number of agile digital procurements	6	30	At least 19	March 31, 2022	24
Government purchasing supports Canada’s economic, environmental, and social policy goals	Percentage of contract value awarded to small and medium businesses	52%	47%	At least 40%	March 31, 2022	32%table 1 note 6
	Percentage of PSPC contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements that include “green” goods and services	43%	42.6%	At least 45%	March 31,2022	45%
	Percentage increase in participation to procurement processes by businesses owned by Indigenous Peoples	n/atable 1 note 7	0% pointtable 1 note 8	n/atable 1 note 9	March 31, 2022	(4% points)table 1 note 10
	Percentage increase in participation to procurement processes by businesses owned by women.	n/atable 1 note 11	(2% points)table 1 note 12	n/atable 1 note 13	March 31, 2022	0% pointtable 1 note 14
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 Changes underway to improve PSPC’s procurement processes, such as thoughtful and meaningful consideration of how to benefit Indigenous Peoples and under-represented groups through procurement, are impacting procurement timeframes. Return to table 1 note 2 referrer Table 1 Note 3 Changes underway to improve PSPC’s procurement processes, such as thoughtful and meaningful consideration of how to benefit Indigenous Peoples and under-represented groups through procurement, are impacting procurement timeframes. Return to table 1 note 3 referrer Table 1 Note 4 The data supporting this performance indicator is provided by departments to PSPC after the close of the calendar year, therefore data for 2021 to 2022 is expected to be available in early 2023. Return to table 1 note 4 referrer Table 1 Note 5 PSPC contracting authorities ensure that bids are solicited for contracts, except when one of the exceptions set out in the Government Contracts Regulations applies. Each non-competitive procurement process that contributed to this result would be supported by a clear justification. In 2021 to 2022, most non-competitive procurement processes were due to only 1 supplier being capable of performing the contract. Return to table 1 note 5 referrer Table 1 Note 6 The COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing throughout 2021 to 2022, and is understood to have had a disproportionate impact on small and medium enterprises. In 2021 to 2022, PSPC also noted that some of the highest-value procurements awarded to small and medium businesses were in fact awarded to suppliers which are commonly known to be large enterprises. To refine the results calculation, PSPC manually redirected the value of procurements for these suppliers to attribute them to large businesses. In view of this exercise, PSPC is exploring potential refinements to the data source and/or methodology for this indicator going forward. Return to table 1 note 6 referrer Table 1 Note 7 A manual tabulation of 2019 to 2020 bid information was conducted, and provided a baseline year against which a 2020 to 2021 result for a percentage increase could be calculated. In 2019 to 2020, 11% of bids received from businesses in Canada were from businesses owned by Indigenous Peoples. Return to table 1 note 7 referrer Table 1 Note 8 Manual tabulations of bid information for fiscal years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021, respectively, both indicated that 11% of bids received from businesses in Canada were from businesses owned by Indigenous Peoples. Given this, a 0% percentage increase in participation was reported. Return to table 1 note 8 referrer Table 1 Note 9 At the beginning of the year, a full fiscal year of baseline data was not yet available for this indicator, therefore it was not yet possible to set a target at that time. As of 2022 to 2023, this indicator will be replaced. The new indicator will measure a direct percentage of participation rather than a percentage increase over the previous year. Return to table 1 note 9 referrer Table 1 Note 10 A manual tabulation of bid information for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 indicated that 7% of bids received from businesses in Canada were from Indigenous businesses, compared to 11% of bids in 2020 to 2021. This may be due to fewer contracts having been awarded under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB) in 2021 to 2022, which could be related to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, procurements of office furniture under the PSIB, which were previously high volume, declined substantially. PSPC has provided its procurement workforce with guidance and tools aimed at increasing opportunities for Indigenous businesses and peoples in procurement. In addition, through Procurement Assistance Canada, the department is undertaking outreach and engagement with Indigenous businesses. Return to table 1 note 10 referrer Table 1 Note 11 A manual tabulation of 2019 to 2020 bid information was conducted, and provided a baseline year against which a 2020 to 2021 result for a percentage increase could be calculated. In 2019 to 2020, 16% of bids received from businesses in Canada were from businesses owned by women. Return to table 1 note 11 referrer Table 1 Note 12 A manual tabulation of bid information for fiscal year 2020 to 2021 indicated that 14% of bids received from businesses in Canada were from businesses owned by women, compared to 16% of bids in 2019 to 2020. Return to table 1 note 12 referrer Table 1 Note 13 At the beginning of the year, a full fiscal year of baseline data was not yet available for this indicator, therefore it was not yet possible to set a target at that time. As of 2022 to 2023, this indicator will be replaced. The new indicator will measure a direct percentage of participation rather than a percentage increase over the previous year. Return to table 1 note 13 referrer Table 1 Note 14 Manual tabulations of bid information for fiscal years 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022, respectively, have both indicated that 14% of bids received from businesses in Canada were from businesses owned by women. Given this, a 0% percentage increase in participation is reported. PSPC is strengthening its outreach and engagement in support of broader efforts across the Government of Canada to increase the diversity of bidders on government contracts. Return to table 1 note 14 referrer

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

Table 2: Budgetary financial resources: Purchase of goods and services—Actual versus planned spending including difference for 2021 to 2022 (in dollars)

2021 to 2022 main estimates	2021 to 2022 planned spending	2021 to 2022 total authorities available for use	2021 to 2022 actual spending (authorities used)	2021 to 2022 difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
165,373,648	165,373,648	873,605,552	248,612,162	83,238,514

The variance between actual spending and planned spending is mainly due to additional funding received to support the Government of Canada’s evolving response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the continued modernization of federal procurement to support a more robust, inclusive and sustainable economy.

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

Table 3: Human resources: Purchase of goods and services—Planned versus actual full-time equivalents including difference for 2021 to 2022

2021 to 2022 planned full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 actual full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
1,857.00	2,106.00	249.00

The difference between planned full-time equivalents and actual full-time equivalents during the 2021 to 2022 fiscal year is mainly due to PSPC having secured additional funding through Budget 2021 and through new agreements with client departments and agencies. The department was able to quickly ramp up its workforce as a result of this new funding, enabling PSPC to provide high-quality procurement services, while also actively delivering on key priorities for the Government of Canada. This includes supporting the evolving response to the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing procurement inclusivity, and continuing the modernization of federal procurement.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available in 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.

Departmental result: Canadians, businesses and organizations receive payments on time and revenues are collected for government services in an efficient manner

In 2021 to 2022, the Receiver General processed over 362 million payments, with $3 trillion in cash flow. Although this represents a decrease from last year, when 400 million payments were issued, volumes and values remained higher than pre-pandemic, as PSPC continued to issue payments to support individuals and businesses under the Government of Canada’s various COVID-19 benefit programs.

The COVID-19 programs, along with other critical Receiver General-issued social payments such as Employment Insurance, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, and the Canada Child Benefit, were critical to ensuring the economic well-being of Canadians in the 2nd year of the pandemic.

The Receiver General also implemented data sharing solutions with financial institutions to help combat frauds related to payments. Payment efficiency was also improved by the implementation of a cheque image exchange solution, that allows Government of Canada cheques to be cleared and reconciled more quickly, thus also identifying payment fraud in a more timely fashion. This solution is aligning the Government of Canada with the industry standard process of exchanging images and data from redeemed cheques electronically. Partnerships were implemented with 2 financial institutions in 2021 to 2022, moving approximately 40% of the Receiver General volume from a paper process to the digital exchange of redeemed government cheques, as part of the payment reconciliation process. Efforts continue to implement partnerships with additional banks in Canada.

Departmental result: Members of federal pension plans receive timely and accurate pension payments, benefits and support services to which they are entitled

PSPC is committed to providing members of federal pension plans with the highest quality services so that they have the information they have the information they need to make important life decisions at the right time. As one of Canada’s largest pension administrators serving more than 935,000 active and retired members, PSPC issued over 5.1 million pension payments valued at $14.5 billion in 2021 to 2022. All service levels for service delivery to plan members were met during the year, with pension payments subject to a rigid verification and quality assurance process to ensure they are made accurately. For the 21st consecutive year, the Pension Program received an unmodified audit opinion from the Office of the Auditor General on the Public Service Pension Plan financial statements.

The Pension Program successfully designed and implemented an automated solution to calculate pension payment revisions resulting from retroactive salary changes. This automation improved data quality, streamlined processes, and enabled the Pension Program to issue revised payments to over 20,000 pension plans members, reducing processing time by up to 8 months and eliminating over 40,000 hours of manual intervention.

Departmental result: In collaboration with government departments, employees receive timely and accurate pay and benefits

PSPC continued its efforts to reduce the backlog of unprocessed pay transactions that accumulated following the introduction of the Phoenix pay system in 2016. As of March 30, 2022, the backlog has been reduced by 247,000 transactions (64%) since it peaked in January 2018. The high intake since March 2021, due to the growth in the public service and other extenuating factors such as the federal mandatory vaccination policy and classification conversion, impacted output potential and may lead to new cases entering the backlog.

During the fiscal year, the department made progress on the implementation of the phased Backlog Reduction Strategy (BRS), which helped to eliminate some of the backlog of transactions at the Pay Centre. In August 2021, 95% of the cases targeted by phase 2 of the BRS had been processed, roughly 4 months ahead of schedule. The BRS dedicated team has now been redeployed to help with overpayments and new intake.

The implementation of the Accelerator initiative, which leveraged the knowledge base and skillsets of compensation advisors, contributed to the standardization and streamlining of pay processing to improve team performance.

Continuous improvement and implementation of innovative solutions, such as robotic process automations (RPA) and data analytics have resulted in the reduction of highly-repetitive manual tasks, improvement in accuracy and streamlining of pay processes. Several pay processes were partially automated with RPA, which contributed to processing an average of 1,753 transactions per pay period and a total of 45,570 transactions for 2021 to 2022. Other technology solutions resulted in a reduction of 29 full-time equivalents annually of manual effort.

Efforts were also deployed to stabilize the HR-to-Pay systems by implementing transformative technology enhancements. For example, PeopleSoft 9.2 upgrade was successfully completed in September 2021, which allows for regular software and tax rate updates and patches. A new pay system support contract was signed with IBM in December 2021 to continue receiving support for functional, technical and payroll processing.

Departmental result: Canadians have timely access to reliable information on Canada’s finances

The Receiver General continued to maintain the General Ledger of the Government of Canada, also known as the Public Accounts of Canada, to produce government-wide financial reports, and provide expert advice, guidance and instructions to departments and agencies on accounting and reporting matters.

The Receiver General continues to be among the world leaders in terms of government accounting. For the 23rd consecutive year, the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Government of Canada received an unmodified audit opinion from the Auditor General.

PSPC published all formats of the Public Accounts simultaneously, allowing Canadians with disabilities to access reliable information at the same time as other stakeholders, contributing to the commitment for a more responsive, accessible and transparent government.

PSPC continued to advance the Receiver General’s Accounting Modernization Initiative. As progress was made to automate the current business processes to increase efficiencies and minimize risk through the delivery of a series of projects, a draft concept was put forward to outline how to improve, streamline and digitalize the way the Receiver General operates to ensure Government of Canada’s legislated accounting reporting requirements are met.

Gender-based analysis plus

PSPC analyzed the gender, age and language composition of employees with a case in the backlog for more than a year. The findings will be used to guide future decision-making. PSPC is also planning to undertake a refresh and expansion of the GBA Plus related to additional aspects of pay administration, for example, escalation cases, return from leave cases and employees with more than 2 cases.

Experimentation

The HR-to-Pay Program continued with various experimentation initiatives, including robotic process automations (RPA) and innovative problem-solving techniques. The introduction of RPA (the automation of manual and repetitive processes) allows employees to focus on higher-value and complex work, increasing efficiency in processing pay. PSPC has 8 robots automatically processing between 200 and 2000 transactions per pay period, adding to capacity at the Pay Centre. PSPC continues to test additional robots in order to be able to scale this initiative to other pay processes in 2022 to 2023.

Advanced problem solving techniques through the Innovation Garage also continued. The Innovation Garage conducts short-term projects, called minimum viable products (MVPs), that aim to solve complex problems using advanced technology and processes. As of March 31, 2022, 7 MVPs were successfully completed, which helped tackle various problems and improved service delivery.

Risk mitigation

Pay stabilization

There was a risk that the ongoing stabilization of pay administration for Government of Canada employees would be slowed down impacting the timeliness and accuracy of employees’ pay, the integrity of pension data, and the ability for the department to continue resolving existing pay errors. Contributing factors included, but were not limited to, increased intake since March 2021 due to a growth in the public service and the implementation of government-wide human resources initiatives (collective agreements, classification conversion and mandatory vaccine policy), increased attrition and the complexity of the remaining backlog cases.

To mitigate this risk, PSPC:

• ensured regular monitoring and reporting of pay processing to internal and external stakeholders
• continued to work towards enabling the Internet access to MyGCPay to former employees as well as active employees without Government of Canada network to build trust and make Pay information accessible
• continued collaboration with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) on a forward agenda for human resources management changes to facilitate planning for both system and resource requirements
• continued to work with TBS and other Government of Canada departments and agencies to implement timeliness and accuracy standards for human resources transactions. PSPC has been reporting to departments on the timeliness of human resources transactions. In August 2021, PSPC’s reports expanded to include 20 HR-to-Pay transactions, in line with the expansion of standards set by the chief human resources officer
• used innovative technologies, initiatives and processes, such as robotic process automations (RPA) and data analytics, to help increase productivity and improve the quality of pay transactions
• continued to maximize processing capacity and implemented a workforce strategy focused on retaining subject matter experts with technical and operational pay expertise
• continued to work with TBS and Shared Services Canada to ensure pension data requirements are incorporated in the development of the next generation human resources and pay system

Table 4: Results achieved: Payments and accounting—Performance indicators, targets and dates for 2021 to 2022, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years

2021 to 2022 departmental results	2021 to 2022 departmental result indicators	2019 to 2020 actual results	2020 to 2021 actual results	2021 to 2022 targets	Date to achieve target	2021 to 2022 actual results
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 timeframes	99.99%	99.99%	At least 99%	March 31, 2022	99.99%
	Percentage of money paid to Government of Canada that is reconciled within 2 business days	100%	100%	At least 95%	March 31, 2022	100%
	Percentage of payments made instead of property taxes to taxing authorities within established timeframes	99.5%	97.2%	At least 95%	March 31, 2022	90.3%table 4 note 1
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	99%	99%	At least 95%	March 31, 2022	98%
In collaboration with government departments, employees receive timely and accurate pay and benefits	Percentage of pay transactions processed that are accurate and on time	68%	73%	At least 95%	March 31, 2022	81%table 4 note 2
	Percentage of cases submitted to the Pay Centre on time	n/atable 4 note 3	70%	At least 65%	March 31, 2022	72%
	Percentage of cases, promptly submitted to the Pay Centre, that have been processed on time	n/atable 4 note 4	89%	At least 80%	March 31, 2022	83%
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%	March 31, 2022	100%
	Information presented in the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Government of Canada is accurate	100%	100%	At least 99%	March 31, 2022	100%
Table 4 Notes Table 4 Note 1 The target was not met because payments were not finalized to municipalities in Ontario and Manitoba due to issues related to new legislation introduced by the government of Ontario and Manitoba that reduced the business education tax rates for taxable business properties while maintaining higher previous-year tax rates for federal payments in lieu of taxes (PILT) properties. The legislative amendment conflicts with the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Act, which requires that the Government of Canada be treated like other taxable property owners. Return to table 4 note 1 referrer Table 4 Note 2 Accountability for pay accuracy and timeliness is shared across the Government of Canada. 2 main factors have an impact on this result: the timeliness and accuracy of human resources transactions submitted by departments and agencies in the Phoenix and human resources systems, and the processing of cases in the backlog. Inaccurate or late human resources data generates more transactions in the queue and increases risks for errors in pay. Return to table 4 note 2 referrer Table 4 Note 3 This indicator was added to the Departmental Results Framework in 2020 to 2021. Return to table 4 note 3 referrer Table 4 Note 4 This indicator was added to the Departmental Results Framework in 2020 to 2021. Return to table 4 note 4 referrer

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

Table 5: Budgetary financial resources: Payments and accounting—Actual versus planned spending including difference for 2021 to 2022 (in dollars)

2021 to 2022 main estimates	2021 to 2022 planned spending	2021 to 2022 total authorities available for use	2021 to 2022 actual spending (authorities used)	2021 to 2022 difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
564,223,848	564,223,848	623,035,047	584,208,702	19,984,854

The variance between actual spending and planned spending is mainly due to incremental funding received to support the stabilization of pay operations and reduce the backlog of pay issues. 

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

Table 6: Human resources: Payments and accounting—Planned versus actual full-time equivalents including difference for 2021 to 2022

2021 to 2022 planned full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 actual full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
4,748.20	4,584.65	-163.55

There is no significant variance between planned and actual full-time equivalents.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available in 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.

Departmental result: Federal real property and associated services meet the needs of federal government clients, partners and/or parliamentarians, and ensure best value for Canadians

In 2021 to 2022, PSPC submitted to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat the latest version of its office long term plan (OLTP), which aims at modernizing and greening the Government of Canada’s office portfolio over a 10‑year planning horizon. The OLTP takes advantage of the dramatic change in working patterns and commuting behaviours resulting from the pandemic to transform the current office portfolio into a fit-for-purpose, modern, green, and cost-effective office portfolio, and to generate annual savings for the Government of Canada through selective acquisitions and recapitalization of office buildings, and disposals of properties that no longer support the department’s mandate of providing office space to federal departments and agencies.

The department continued to enhance flexibility in working environments for federal public servants in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic through the workspace modernization (GCworkplace) and governmental coworking (GCcoworking) models. PSPC worked with client departments and agencies to meet their future office needs, which are expected to be characterized by the extensive use of unassigned office space and interdepartmental shared space, and result in a reduced office footprint over time. As of March 2022, the GCcoworking project had onboarded 46 departments and agencies and over 3,500 employees registered to participate. There are 9 sites across the country (5 in the National Capital Area and 1 each in Laval, Toronto, Dartmouth and Vancouver). Interest in GCcoworking continues to grow strong with an increase of user applications to GCcoworking and multiple departmental inquiries for presentations and sites tours.

Consolidation of work environments will contribute significantly to the greening efforts of the Government of Canada by, over time, reducing the office footprint and the greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2021 to 2022, the restoration and renewal of heritage buildings to support sustainability and the health and safety of Canadians remained an ongoing priority for the department. PSPC made significant progress on the renewal and fit-up of the Lester B. Pearson Building: Tower D (Phase 1) construction was completed; the design for Tower B (Phase 2) was also finalized and early works, demolition and abatement activities related to Tower B started in fall 2021.

The rehabilitation of the Supreme Court of Canada Building and the West Memorial Building (WMB) also continued in 2021 to 2022. The WMB Rehabilitation Project remained on track and is expected to be completed in summer 2024. The project will modernize the WMB to meet current building codes and conserve important heritage characteristics.

PSPC also advanced redevelopment projects at several Crown-owned locations. For example, the Place du Portage III Asset and Workplace Renewal Project continued: selective interior demolition was completed in fall 2021 and construction work began in January 2022. Important progress was also made on the Les Terrasses de la Chaudière (Les Terrasses) complex and the design of the new replacement envelope was initiated. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2022 with a completion in 2026. The first phase of the interior modernization was launched in 2021 and by 2023, 15 floors or 33,000 square meters in the complex will have been modernized to GCworkplace standards. A comprehensive feasibility study to plan the long term modernization of the Les Terrasses complex was also initiated and is expected to be completed in 2022.

In 2021 to 2022, the department continued to protect the integrity, value and usefulness of the 24 engineering assets under its stewardship, in accordance with government standards and accepted engineering and maintenance practices. These assets include key interprovincial bridges (Alexandra Bridge, Chaudière Crossing, and MacDonald-Cartier Bridge), dams, the Alaska Highway, the Esquimalt Graving Dock, and the National Capital Area District Energy System. They serve hundreds of thousands of Canadians and support economic activity in their respective communities. Key achievements in 2021 to 2022 include improvements to the use of the Esquimalt Graving Dock as well as construction activities for the East end dock extension, which will continue through December 2022 and allow for more efficient use of drydock space resulting in significant client savings (primarily Royal Canadian Navy and British Columbia Ferries) and freeing up space for additional contracts.

In 2021 to 2022, the department worked with the National Capital Commission (NCC) to complete a long-term plan for integrated interprovincial crossings, in close collaboration with provincial, municipal and Indigenous partners. This plan will support decision-making at all levels of government based on continued data collection, including elements such as post-pandemic commuting patterns. The plan was approved by the NCC board of directors in January 2022. In fall 2021, PSPC also established, jointly with the NCC, a dedicated project office responsible for addressing the need for an additional crossing in the National Capital Region.

The department continued to advance work to support the ongoing maintenance of the region’s interprovincial bridges, including the replacement of the aging Alexandra Bridge. In June 2021, the NCC’s Board of Directors approved the planning and design principles for the replacement of the bridge, while in March 2022, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada posted the initial project description (PDF) on its website, thereby officially starting the project’s impact assessment process. A structural steel replacement project was also completed on the Alexandra Bridge in 2021 and progress has been made on the planning of a boardwalk lane and articulation rehabilitation project to make sure the bridge is maintained in safe condition until it is replaced. With regards to the Chaudière Crossing, projects currently underway include the widening of the Hull Causeway and a major rehabilitation of the 100-year-old Union Bridge. The work started in July 2021 and is planned on being completed in summer 2023.

Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct and the Laboratories Canada Strategy

In 2021 to 2022, PSPC made significant progress on the restoration and modernization of Canada’s Parliamentary Precinct, as part of the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP), a multi-decade strategy designed to address the health and safety risks stemming from the deteriorated state of the more than 100 years old Parliament buildings. The objective of the LTVP is to modernize the buildings to meet the requirements of the Parliament of Canada, as well as 21st century expectations for sustainability, security and accessibility for all Canadians—while protecting and conserving the unique heritage character, qualities and features.

Work progressed on the restoration and modernization of the historic Centre Block, the largest and most complex heritage rehabilitation project in Canada’s history. PSPC advanced construction on the Centre Block with the careful removal of more than 20,000 heritage assets for repair and conservation. Interior demolition and the removal of hazardous materials, including approximately 16 million pounds of asbestos containing material, reached a completion rate of 65%. The masonry rehabilitation of the north facade of the building reached a completion rate of about 25% and represents around 5% of the overall masonry work, including the Peace Tower. This work will involve the complete removal and repair, and in some cases replacement, of approximately 35% of the 400,000 stones. In addition, about 65% of the excavation work for the new Parliament Welcome Centre has been completed with over 27,000 truckloads of rock removed from the site. Through collaboration with the Parliamentary partners (House of Commons, Senate of Canada, and Parliamentary Protective Service), PSPC also developed a design for the Centre Block endorsed by the Royal Canadian Architectural Institute of Canada and an independent design review panel of eminent design professionals.

PSPC advanced work on the long term vision and plan (LTVP) update, which will provide the framework to transform the Parliamentary Precinct into an integrated and modern campus that takes into consideration important and interconnected elements including security, visitor experience, urban design and landscape, material handling, movement of people and vehicles, environmental sustainability, and accessibility. The rehabilitation and modernization of Block 2—the city block bounded by Metcalfe, Wellington, O'Connor and Sparks streets—will transform a mix of functionally-obsolete heritage buildings into a modern, sustainable and accessible facility for Parliament. This project is a critical piece in the evolution of the long-term plan towards an integrated campus and will enable PSPC to empty and then restore both the East Block and the Confederation Buildings. This redeveloped space will then allow PSPC to consolidate parliamentary operations into an integrated campus.

In May 2021, PSPC advanced the Block 2 redevelopment project by launching an international design competition, for which the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada assembled an independent jury comprised of design professionals, members of academia, civil society and Parliamentarians. In 2022, the jury selected 6 out of 12 prequalified teams to advance to the 2nd phase of the competition.

In addition to work accomplished on the Centre Block and Block 2, PSPC also completed construction for the East Block Rehabilitation Phase 1 project, which included recapitalization work of 4 areas of greatest concern within the exterior envelope of the 1867 wing. These areas included urgent repairs to the Southwest tower, the Southeast entrance (Agricultural entrance), the South entrance and the Governor General's entrance; as well as the implementation of an enhanced maintenance program and an ongoing screening and investigation program to identify issues to be addressed prior to its full rehabilitation.

PSPC is responsible for Laboratories Canada, a long-term transformative strategy driven by a long term vision and plan (LTVP) to enable federal science excellence by creating a world-class national network of modern, multipurpose, federal science and technology laboratories to support collaborative, multidisciplinary research and innovation, and evidence-based decision-making, including in regulatory responsibilities.

In 2021 to 2022, progress was made to advance Phase 1 of the strategy, which includes the development of 5 science hubs across the country that will support science program synergies in areas such as security and regulation; health and safety; heritage and conservation; and sustainability of Atlantic fresh water and coastal ecosystems. PSPC also announced the launch of the TerraCanada hub, including investments in the Mississauga and Hamilton projects. PSPC continued to advance planning and procurement for Laboratories Canada hubs by awarding contracts for the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) hub, continuing the planning and actively contributing to the engagement strategy with Indigenous Peoples for the Cultural Heritage Science (CHS) hub, and completing the planning and advancing procurement for the Transportation Safety and Technology Science (TSTS) hub. PSPC also awarded contracts and completed schematic design for the Regulatory and Security Science (RSS) Sidney project. In addition, the department completed construction for the TerraCanada Hamilton project and advanced construction work on the TerraCanada Mississauga project. These major milestones will support the future engagement with key stakeholders such as municipalities, community organizations, Indigenous groups, academia, and the greater science and technology community.

Prompt payment initiative

PSPC continued the development of regulations to help ensure a full implementation of the prompt payment regime. The Federal Prompt Payment for Construction Work Act received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019, as part of the Budget Implementation Act, 2019. The prompt payment regime provides benefits for contractors and subcontractors who do business with the federal government by improving payment timeliness while facilitating the orderly and timely advancement of federal construction projects. The regulations will define the process and timing of the adjudication process should a dispute arise over a payment at any tier of the construction supply chain. The act and regulations are expected to come into effect in winter 2023.

Departmental result: Federal infrastructure spending supports Canada’s social, economic and environmental priorities

Advance sustainability, climate resiliency, and the green agenda for federal real property and infrastructure assets

PSPC continues to take effective action on climate change in accordance with the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and the Government of Canada's Greening Government Strategy by transitioning to net-zero carbon and climate-resilient operations, while also reducing environmental impacts beyond carbon, including on waste, water and biodiversity. Modernization of the PSPC district energy systems (DES) in the National Capital Region (NCR) through the Energy Services Acquisition Program (ESAP) is well underway with significant progress made in 2021 to 2022 to build new energy centres at Cliff Street and Tunney’s Pasture. In March 2022, the construction of a new modernized Gatineau energy centre with a low-carbon electric boiler plant was approved by the Treasury Board of Canada. In combination with other initiatives, this will result in a reduction of 92% of GHG emissions over the 2005 baseline for ESAP DES operations, upon completion in late 2025. The DES provides heating services to 80 buildings and cooling services to 67 buildings in the NCR, accommodating 55,000 occupants. As of March 2022, 13 buildings have been fully converted through ESAP’s User Building Conversion Plan to enable building connections to the modernized DES.

The government is taking action to reduce GHG emissions from its buildings. In 2021 to 2022, PSPC reported a 57.1% reduction in GHG emissions from its buildings compared to the 2005 baseline. PSPC already achieved a 58% reduction of its GHG emissions, surpassing the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy target of 40% by 2030. These reductions came from actions to improve buildings’ energy efficiency, electricity grid improvements and the procurement of renewable energy credits.

PSPC continues working with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat in developing a strategy to procure 100% clean electricity where available by 2022, and by 2025 at the latest. In 2021 to 2022, 92% of the electricity used by the Government of Canada in the Crown-building portfolio (excluding housing) was clean.

Work continued on implementing the Real Property Plastics Action Plan, which sets out PSPC actions to reduce the use of plastic in construction projects, government buildings and leases and to meet the federal government’s plastic reduction targets. In 2021 to 2022, a total of 86 waste audits were completed to inform procurement and operational strategies to further reduce waste. These audits also provide PSPC with comparative and predictive data to understand present and future needs in the post-pandemic environment.

The department also advanced sustainability occupant awareness pilot projects in PSPC buildings to improve employee engagement levels to reduce plastic waste in federal operations. PSPC developed engagement strategies adapted to new and hybrid workplace environments. A pilot program for the recycling of face masks was implemented to identify potential diversion solutions for this new waste stream. The pilot informed additional industry outreach to identify service availability and long-term contracting solutions for diversion of hard to recycle plastics, including disposable face masks.

In 2021 to 2022, on behalf of Environment and Climate Change Canada, PSPC completed the clean-up portion of the Randle Reef remediation project. Randle Reef is the largest contaminated sediment site on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes. This project is a major contribution to the restoration of Hamilton Harbour and is estimated to have generated approximately $167 million in economic benefits for the local community, including job creation, business growth and increased tourism.

Work continued on making surplus federal real property available for re-purposing to affordable housing through the Federal Lands Initiative (FLI) led by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). In 2021 to 2022, PSPC contributed 21 properties that CMHC will assess for suitability for affordable housing. Since the inception of the program in 2018, the department contributed a total of 96 properties. In 2021 to 2022, 1 PSPC property in Thunder Bay, Ontario, was identified for transfer through the FLI and 3 others are also in the process of being transferred to new owners that will use them to provide affordable housing.

PSPC continued to leverage the Parliamentary Precinct and Laboratories Canada long term vision and plans (LTVP) to enhance sustainability, improve climate resiliency, and advance the greening commitment for federal real property and infrastructure assets with the goal of reducing the Government of Canada’s carbon footprint. PSPC has reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) levels in the Parliamentary Precinct by 62% from 2005 levels and is on track for reductions of 95% by 2040. To ensure the Parliamentary Precinct continues to be a model of environmental sustainability, PSPC identified sustainability as one of the strategic objectives within the LTVP update for the Parliamentary Precinct and includes sustainability targets in every LTVP project. In addition, the design, delivery, and implementation of all Laboratories Canada projects include enhanced greening and sustainability measures and adhere to PSPC’s GHG options analysis methodology, and to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s Greening Government Strategy.

Improve accessibility of federal buildings

PSPC is leading the government towards enhancing accessibility in the built environment by meeting and surpassing existing applicable building codes and accessibility standards. As COVID-19 restrictions began to ease, the department was able to resume delivery of technical accessibility assessments. PSPC assessed more than 50 assets in 2021 to 2022, which brings the total number of assets assessed to 111 out of 353 nationally. In support of these assessments, PSPC launched an anonymous online survey in order to gather information from persons with disabilities and building users on barriers faced in the built environment.

In collaboration with stakeholders, PSPC is also implementing pilot projects to identify opportunities and assess the feasibility of improving the accessibility of PSPC’s built environment and exceeding the minimum codes and standards. In 2021 to 2022, PSPC successfully implemented 2 new pilot projects which are not only improving the accessibility of its buildings but are also reducing touch points in response to COVID-19. PSPC also continued to make incremental improvements to its portfolio. As of March 2022, 22 high-impact low-cost accessibility improvements identified through previous pilot projects had been implemented in 97% of PSPC‑managed Crown buildings.

PSPC is committed to making the Parliamentary Precinct a model for universal accessibility excellence. Within the Parliamentary Precinct, the finalization of the Universal Accessibility Strategy and Action Plan progressed, in partnership with Parliamentary partners and leading accessibility groups in Canada. While work continues on the strategy, implementation has already begun, including through the ongoing engagement of persons with disabilities, and the development of a strategy for universal accessibility improvements.

The department also continued to ensure all phase 1 projects for Laboratories Canada maintain universal accessibility at the forefront of design requirements to ensure that the built environment is accessible and supportive of diversity and inclusion.

Support reconciliation efforts

In 2021 to 2022, PSPC issued 3 supply arrangements (SA) for project services for office fit-ups and light base building work. An overarching Indigenous participation plan (IPP) forms part of each of these SA. Subsequent request for proposals (RFP) from the SA will draw upon the overarching IPPs and provide a mandatory IPP for each project. This is expected to create subcontracting opportunities for Indigenous businesses as well as supporting growth and capacity building within the industry. The department has also launched a RFP for full-service workplace solutions in the National Capital Area. As part of the RFP, service providers are encouraged to further promote the use of IPPs to contribute to the mandated 5% of federal contracts awarded to businesses managed or led by Indigenous Peoples.

PSPC continued to advance the modernization of the Parliamentary Precinct and the revitalization of federal science infrastructure while also focusing on ways to create new opportunities for under-represented groups. The department incorporated IPPs as part of the contracts for the Transportation Safety and Technology Science and Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre (ASEC) Laboratories Canada hubs in order to meet the target of awarding at least 5% of the value of federal contracts to Indigenous-owned businesses. With this goal, PSPC has also established agreements with organizations, such as the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA), the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO), the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario (AABO) and the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council (AANTC), to assist with fulfilling that target as it pertains to the Parliamentary Precinct.

Gender-based analysis plus

In 2021 to 2022, PSPC issued 3 SA for project services for office fit-ups and light base building work. These initiatives include opportunities for the contractors to engage in social procurement activities. Each initiative contains a roadmap for social procurement which is intended to assist contractors to build their program using guidance documents, reporting metrics and measurements to increase the number of under-represented people and businesses involved in the projects under these mechanisms.

Experimentation

Evolution of Work Pathfinder Project

The PSPC Evolution of Work Pathfinder Project supports new, modern, and flexible ways of working. It seeks to test how a network of federal workplaces could be managed and used to shape the future PSPC workplace. In August 2021, PSPC launched the project in the National Capital Region (stage 2 of the Evolution of Work). A number of modern workplaces were opened to give employees the voluntary option to return to the workplace on an occasional basis. Using an online space booking system, employees were able to return to the workplace for focused individual work or collaboration. Locations in the National Capital Region were equipped with a variety of unassigned workstations and technology, and workplace coordinators were deployed to support employees. This stage allowed PSPC to test these key elements of the hybrid work model to prepare for the next stage.

In parallel to PSPC’s development of its Pathfinder Project and in alignment with PSPC’s role as the Government of Canada’s common service provider of real property and accommodations management, PSPC is leading the Community of the Ready and Enabled (CORE) initiative. This initiative brings together 11 departments to advance the Future of Work Agenda in the Government of Canada. This project encompasses 3 pillars, 1 of which is the further implementation of the Pathfinder Express Guide in departments, to support their experimentation and findings which, in turn, will inform hybrid work across the government.

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 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, target 5c)
• make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (SDG 11, target 11.1)

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

Risk mitigation

Property asset integrity and safety

There was a risk that climate change, natural disasters, infrastructure deterioration over time, and human-related events would negatively affect the safe integrity, and operations of PSPC’s real property and infrastructure assets.

PSPC took steps to mitigate this risk, such as greening initiatives to lessen environmental impact, and putting in place business continuity planning and emergency management programs. The department undertook extensive infrastructure renewal activities, including National Capital Region projects like the Alexandra Bridge replacement as well as rehabilitating and maintaining the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge and the Chaudière Crossing. In addition, PSPC will continue to design all rehabilitation and new construction projects to be net zero-carbon ready, integrate climate-resilience in design and building operations, and strengthen national functional direction to incorporate scientific data and become more predictive in threat assessments and emergency planning.

PSPC also continued to implement recommendations from a campus-wide climate change vulnerability assessment for the Parliamentary Precinct. The assessment identified key building components at risk of failure, damage, and/or accelerated deterioration from changes in climate, and recommended a series of policy, maintenance, and design measures to increase resilience.

Workplaces of the future

There was a risk that opportunities for PSPC, as the landlord for the Government of Canada, to accelerate the scope and pace of public service workplace modernization (such as the development of GCworkplace) would be lost due to factors such as work delays as well as uncertainty around clients’ future accommodation needs.

To mitigate this risk, PSPC continued to engage with unions, employees, partners and tenants to ensure that workplace modernization efforts meet future needs. The department has been helping its employees to create ergonomic and efficient interim workspaces outside of the traditional office environment, and helping to ensure compliance with evolving occupational health and safety requirements. PSPC also undertook a pathfinder pilot project in the National Capital Region to study and document how to advance to future ways of working, by testing space reservation, access control and workplace digital technologies and how workspaces are utilized to inform the organization of work. The findings of the pilot are being documented to support other Government of Canada departments conducting their own pathfinder initiatives as well as in support of PSPC’s innovations towards a future of work strategy.

Accessibility of federal buildings

There was a risk that PSPC’s real property holdings would 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 latest accessibility standards would be deemed unfeasible in some real property assets.

To mitigate this risk, PSPC continued 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 latest accessibility standards. The department also held consultations with persons with disabilities and other subject matter experts, to identify areas where accessibility and inclusivity could be improved within PSPC’s built environment, such as federal buildings and grounds within the Parliamentary Precinct. These consultations will help the department to better understand the barriers that persons with disabilities face to ensure that appropriate best practices and lessons learned will inform future workplace designs.

Delivery of large-scale and complex initiatives

There was a risk that project complexities, partner dependencies, and pandemic-related work and supply delays would affect the effective and efficient delivery of major PSPC initiatives, including the rehabilitation of the Parliamentary Precinct and federal science facilities.

In response, PSPC continued applying 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. In addition, the department made progress in establishing governance models based on engagement, collaboration, co-development and multi-project alignment using a portfolio lens.

Predictable capital funding

PSPC has successfully completed the 3rd year of operations under the Predictable Capital Funding regime without major disruption to the delivery of the department’s infrastructure programs. If PSPC does not continue the proper implementation of the predictable capital funding model, it could 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 enterprise 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. The project office is comprised of multiple sub-projects that focus on specific activities to support the project’s objectives. It is also designing new processes, tools and training sessions for staff.

Table 7: Results achieved: Property and infrastructure—Performance indicators, targets and dates for 2021 to 2022, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years

2021 to 2022 departmental results	2021 to 2022 departmental result indicators	2019 to 2020 actual results	2020 to 2021 actual results	2021 to 2022 targets	Date to achieve target	2021 to 2022 actual results
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	62%	58%	At least 53%	March 31, 2022	56.9%
	Percentage of Crown-owned heritage buildings that are in fair or better condition	47%	48%	At least 53%	March 31, 2022	48%table 7 note 1
	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	4.5%	3.32%	At least 4%	March 31, 2022	2.17%table 7 note 2
	Percentage of real property projects that are delivered within scope, on time and on budget	95%	95%	At least 95%	March 31, 2022	95%
	Percentage of time that PSPC’s real property facilities are fully operational	99.38%	99.62%	At least 99%	March 31, 2022	99.64%
	Operating expenses per square metre of Crown-owned office space	$132.66 per square metre	$135.35 per square metre	At most $173.18 per square metre	March 31, 2022	$172.31 per square metre
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/atable 7 note 3	17%	n/atable 7 note 4	March 31, 2022	31%table 7 note 5
	Total compliance score of PSPC owned and lease purchase buildings assessed against the 2018 Canadian Standards Association standard for Accessibility (CSA B651-2018)	n/atable 7 note 6	n/atable 7 note 7	n/atable 7 note 8	March 31, 2022	67%table 7 note 9
	Percentage of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in PSPC Crown-owned building portfolio, excluding housing	58.1%	57.6%	At least 40%	March 31, 2025table 7 note 10	57.1%
Table 7 Notes Table 7 Note 1 PSPC's ability to reach the target was impacted by budget constraints. Return to table 7 note 1 referrer Table 7 Note 2 Due to the increased costs of materials, inflation, and construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fit-up modernization program could not reach its target. Return to table 7 note 2 referrer Table 7 Note 3 This is a new indicator as of 2021 to 2022. Return to table 7 note 3 referrer Table 7 Note 4 A target of ‘At least 75%’ has been set for 2022 to 2023 according to the baseline established in 2021 to 2022. Return to table 7 note 4 referrer Table 7 Note 5 As a result of varying COVID-19 restrictions, PSPC was not able to complete some technical accessibility assessments. Furthermore, changes to the office long term plan (OLTP) also impacted the total number of buildings assessed and priority was given to buildings that are identified as long term core assets and not assets slated for disposal or undergoing a major renovation in the near future. Return to table 7 note 5 referrer Table 7 Note 6 This is a new indicator as of 2021 to 2022. 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 A target of ‘At least 80%’ has been set for 2022 to 2023. Return to table 7 note 8 referrer Table 7 Note 9 Accessibility score is based on the available results from 80 assessed buildings. Return to table 7 note 9 referrer Table 7 Note 10 The target for this indicator is 40% by 2025 and 90% by 2050. Return to table 7 note 10 referrer

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

Table 8: Budgetary financial resources: Property and infrastructure—Actual versus planned spending including difference for 2021 to 2022 (in dollars)

2021 to 2022 main estimates	2021 to 2022 Planned spending	2021 to 2022 Total authorities available for use	2021 to 2022 Actual spending (authorities used)	2021 to 2022 Difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
3,244,445,160	3,244,445,160	3,267,830,959	2,821,959,418	(422,485,742)

The variance between actual spending and planned spending is mainly a result of delays in several capital and fit-up projects as well as increased revenues for accommodation.

Table 9: Human resources: Property and infrastructure—Planned versus actual full-time equivalents including difference for 2021 to 2022

2021 to 2022 planned full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 actual full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
4,521.29	4,405.13	-116.16

There is no significant variance between actual and planned full-time equivalents.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available in 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.

Departmental result: Federal organizations have access to high quality linguistic services and tools

In 2021 to 2022, the Translation Bureau provided translation and interpretation services to the Parliament of Canada and the Government of Canada in official, foreign and Indigenous languages. The provision of these linguistic services was crucial in the delivery of national communications to all Canadians during the fiscal year.

The Translation Bureau also leveraged technological advances to improve its tools to support the provision of linguistic services and Canada’s official languages. The Translation Bureau continued to advance its linguistic services management system, GClingua, by successfully implementing automated billing, onboarding 4 client departments, and migrating employees to the new platform.

In parallel, the Translation Bureau tested artificial intelligence solutions and continued research projects in collaboration with the National Research Council, namely experimenting with a new neural machine translation engine. As well, a robust data strategy was created, which will provide the foundations for evidence-based decision-making for future investments in artificial intelligence and other tools.

Moreover, the Translation Bureau provided interpretation services to the Parliament of Canada, totaling more than 20,000 hours of interpretation, nearly all provided through distance and remote interpretation. The Translation Bureau also provided the Government of Canada with interpretation services totaling more than 17,000 hours in official, foreign, Indigenous and sign languages.

Demand for remote interpretation significantly increased due to widespread telework. The Translation Bureau updated and implemented a number of precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of interpreters. Guidelines were updated in order to maintain optimal conditions, so that interpreters can provide high-quality service in a safe environment.

Further, the number of requests for interpretation in Indigenous languages increased. To support the demand, PSPC delivered a workshop to train potential interpreters.

The Translation Bureau continued to provide sign language interpretation services to all of the Parliament’s press conferences. In addition, the Translation Bureau offered an increasing amount of video remote interpretation for sign language interpretation services for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing public servants. To ensure high quality sign language interpretation, the Translation Bureau established guidelines and service delivery requirements for staff and freelance interpreters. A new accreditation process was also put in place, via an online platform, which helped to increase the pool of freelance interpreters.

Departmental result: The government does business with ethical suppliers and ensures that sensitive information is handled appropriately

In order to support its goal of conducting its activities in a way that demonstrates integrity, accountability and transparency, PSPC undertook a number of initiatives. The department applied the government-wide integrity regime to help ensure the Government of Canada conducts business with ethical suppliers and to protect the integrity of procurement and real property transactions in an evolving marketplace. The department continued to explore potential options to better address new and emerging risks to federal procurement, both internally and collaboratively with external partners. In 2021 to 2022, the department completed more than 26,000 integrity verification requests (representing 620,815 name checks) to assist federal departments and agencies in verifying supplier compliance with the Integrity Regime. The department also applied processes and expertise related to the Integrity Regime to operationalize and administer new anti-forced labour contract clauses for specific goods within PSPC contracts. The department implemented its strategy to raise awareness of business dispute management services to support early resolution of contract disputes.

PSPC maintained its contribution to the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime by providing forensic accounting services to develop intelligence and share knowledge across government. The department notably contributed to the organization of the first national governmental conference on money laundering in Canada. Furthermore, 10 forensic accountants were hired, out of a planned 17 over 5 years, as part of the initiative to establish a team of dedicated forensic accountants in support of law enforcement and other government departments’ investigative efforts in combatting money laundering and terrorist financing activities in Canada.

In 2021 to 2022, the department has also engaged with industry and Government of Canada stakeholders on its initiative to refine the security screening process, under which only suppliers participating in a federal government procurement process would be registered and only personnel security screening requests supported by a valid security requirement would be processed. Engagements to date have included information sessions to raise awareness of the new process and to collect feedback.

PSPC continued to prepare for the launch of a new e-learning platform for company security officers (CSO) that will improve their knowledge of the Contract Security Program and its processes, and enhance the overall service delivery. The department delivered a series of live, instructor-led virtual training sessions, which provided increased capacity for newly appointed CSO.

Departmental result: Federal organizations have the support services and tools they need to deliver their programs to Canadians

PSPC ensured information regarding its activities and results was more effectively communicated to stakeholders and Canadians. The department continued enhancing proactive communications approaches and its use of social media platforms to improve awareness of opportunities to engage with and access the services of the department.

It has also undertaken a number of communications activities to support and promote procurement initiatives such as the Procurement Assistance Canada program, with a focus on under‑represented communities.

To ensure that PSPC can support demand for the digitization of services, which requires increased public trust in the information being presented, the department has made progress towards the Government of Canada Trusted Platform (GCTP). The GCTP will use the appropriate security safeguards to protect data subjected to highly-sophisticated cybersecurity threats, which will allow departments to increase the number of services being provided to the public online.

PSPC worked with Government of Canada travellers and successfully launched a new modern online booking tool, a simplified telephony system, a new Government of Canada travel website and tap-to-pay BMO bank individual travel credit cards with remote password reset capabilities, thus improving the travel experience of users across the 101 federal organizations. PSPC also received a 2022 digital government community award for the Government of Canada travel calculator in the “Excellence in building services for users” category.

Additionally, PSPC rapidly pivoted to support Government of Canada priorities and emergencies by rapidly setting up a call centre to support the COVID-19 3-day mandatory hotel quarantine program. This pop-up call centre handled more than 400,000 calls on behalf of 80,000 travellers and booked over 70,000 separate hotel reservations.

Gender-based analysis plus

The Translation Bureau helps federal public servants communicate clearly, effectively and consistently to all Canadians in both official languages. To this end, in 2021 to 2022, the Translation Bureau maintained and updated its glossaries, including those on COVID-19, on accessibility and on gender and sexual diversity, and published the Guide on equity, diversity and inclusion terminology.

The Translation Bureau provided interpretation services in American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) at major events organized by the Government of Canada, providing access to information to individuals whose primary language is ASL or LSQ. These sign language interpretation services were also offered through video remote interpretation.

As part of a pilot project launched in November 2020, the Translation Bureau assisted 2 federal agencies (Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications and Accessibility Standards Canada) with the production of high-quality sign language translation (in video format), thus providing Canadians who are deaf, deafblind, deafened and hard-of-hearing with access to government information.

Moreover, the Translation Bureau worked on the development and implementation of a standing offer process through which all departments will be able to obtain communication access real-time translation (CART) services (live captioning) and postproduction closed captioning services.

Experimentation

To enhance its capacity to deliver timely, cost effective and quality services, the Translation Bureau continued to 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 to determine the applicability and possible integration of those technologies into the translation workflow. In 2021 to 2022, the Translation Bureau, in collaboration with the National Research Council, continued to test artificial intelligence solutions for translation, remote interpretation, terminology and client service and experimented with a new neural machine translation engine. For instance, the Translation Bureau is currently testing a tool to identify clients and domains in specialised texts, as well as a new trained neural machine translation linked to a specific client software.

Risk mitigation

Protection of information

There was a risk that personal, business and other sensitive information would be compromised or inappropriately disclosed, including by means of cybersecurity breach. To ensure that information is appropriately protected, PSPC conducted reviews of applications using a risk-based approach followed by appropriate safeguard implementation; used Shared Services Canada’s Government of Canada Secret Infrastructure to safely handle and transfer secret information; and re-established the Controlled Goods Program’s Industry Engagement Committee. The department also started to work on the implementation of a 5-year cyber security action plan to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data used for operations and decision-making, and took further steps to secure the information it manages, including through prioritizing the storage of data in Canada.

The department also implemented and reported on safeguards detailed in the 3‑year Departmental Security Plan. This has helped align PSPC’s security program with the Policy on Government Security, and has improved governance, planning, monitoring, and reporting. In response to security risks identified in the plan, PSPC also approved 2 new departmental policies in 2021: the Policy on Emergency Management and the Policy on Departmental Security.

Fraud and other wrongdoing

As part of ongoing efforts to protect its operations, as well as those of the government as a whole, from threats of fraud, collusion and other forms of wrongdoing, PSPC engaged in a multi‑faceted approach to fraud detection and prevention. The department instituted the anti‑fraud hub to strengthen PSPC’s efforts to combat fraud by enhancing coordination and collaboration on anti-fraud activities, and by raising shared awareness of fraud risks. In partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Competition Bureau, PSPC also renewed the joint operation of the Federal Contracting Fraud Tip Line. This line provides a channel by which any member of the public can report suspicious activity on federal contracts and supports the department’s intelligence-led fraud detection initiatives. The department also increased exposure to the Tip Line by making it accessible via the Canada Business application. Finally, PSPC conducted 2 fraud awareness campaigns in the past year, leveraging social media, web banners and internal communication platforms to inform employees and the public about the importance of recognizing and reporting fraud and collusion.

Table 10: Results achieved: Government-wide support—Performance indicators, targets and dates for 2021 to 2022, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years

2021 to 2022 departmental results	2021 to 2022 departmental result indicators	2019 to 2020 actual results	2020 to 2021 actual results	2021 to 2022 targets	Date to achieve target	2021 to 2022 actual results
Federal organizations have access to high quality linguistic services and tools	Percentage of linguistic services that comply with established quality standards	n/atable 10 note 1	84.1%	At least 85%	March 31, 2022	81.47%table 10 note 2
	Percentage of overall client satisfaction with the Translation Bureau’s language tools and services	87.8%	89.8%	At least 90%	March 31, 2022	90%
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%	At least 80%	March 31, 2022	99%
	Percentage of security screenings processed within 7 business days for contractors and sub-contractors requiring access to protected information	98%	84%	At least 85%	March 31, 2022	99%
Federal organizations have the support services and tools they need to deliver their programs to Canadians	Percentage of overall client satisfaction with PSPC support services and tools	n/atable 10 note 3	76%	At least 87%	March 31, 2022	66%table 10 note 4
	Percentage of PSPC service standards met	73%	65%	At least 87%	March 31, 2022	75%table 10 note 5
Table 10 Notes Table 10 Note 1 In previous years this indicator was separated into 3 indicators, representing the Bureau’s 3 linguistic services: translation, interpretation and terminology. In 2020 to 2021, these indicators were 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 1 referrer Table 10 Note 2 The variance between the indicator’s target and actual result is due to the actual result for interpretation services that comply with established quality standards. Since the beginning of COVID-19, demand for remote interpretation significantly increased, and the shift to virtual and hybrid assignments resulted in difficult working conditions for interpreters. PSPC updated and implemented a number of precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of interpreters, and formalized its contract to include remote interpretation working conditions, so that interpreters can be better equipped to provide high-quality services in a safe environment. Return to table 10 note 2 referrer Table 10 Note 3 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 3 referrer Table 10 Note 4 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 4 referrer Table 10 Note 5 Due to a high staff turn-over, including staff shortages, and an increase in the volume of requests, a number of services did not meet their service standard targets. Return to table 10 note 5 referrer

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

Table 11: Budgetary financial resources: Government-wide support—Actual versus planned spending including difference for 2021 to 2022 (in dollars)

2021 to 2022 main estimates	2021 to 2022 planned spending	2021 to 2022 total authorities available for use	2021 to 2022 actual spending (authorities used)	2021 to 2022 difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
157,928,212	157,928,212	196,119,618	155,082,347	(2,845,866)

There is no significant variance between actual spending and planned spending.

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

Table 12: Human resources: Government-wide support—Planned versus actual full-time equivalents including difference for 2021 to 2022

2021 to 2022 planned full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 actual full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
2,622.12	2,513.74	-108.38

There is no significant variance between actual and planned full-time equivalents.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s program inventory is available in 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.

Departmental result: Raise awareness of procurement issues and exchange information

OPO conducted research and produced reports on topics of interest to Canadian suppliers and federal departments. In 2021 to 2022, OPO completed 2 studies entitled Social Procurement—Set-aside Programs, and National Security Exception, which will be made available on OPO’s website and discussed at conferences and events. In January 2022, OPO hosted virtually its 4th annual Diversifying the Federal Supply Chain Summit to connect diverse and Indigenous Canadian businesses with representatives from the Government of Canada, supplier councils, and other organizations who can help them obtain federal contracts. As a result, OPO had approximately 850 virtual participants from across Canada. During the 2 half-days of programming that included a variety of presentations and concurrent information sessions, suppliers had the opportunity to connect with diverse and Indigenous stakeholders such as Women Business Enterprises Canada, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business and Black Entrepreneurship Program, to assist them in securing government contracts.

Departmental result: Procurement related issues are addressed through alternative dispute resolution

The Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (OPO) helped suppliers and federal departments resolve procurement-related issues informally whenever possible, and offered formal alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services when requested and agreed-to by the parties to the federal contract. In 2021 to 2022, OPO received a total of 7 requests for ADR services. In 1 case, both parties to the contract agreed to use OPO’s ADR services but it did not result in a signed settlement agreement. In 3 cases, the federal department declined to participate in the ADR process. In 1 instance, the nature of the request for ADR services did not meet the Procurement Ombudsman Regulations and could not be considered any further. In the 2 remaining cases, the supplier withdrew its request.

Departmental result: Procurement related issues are addressed through the review of complaints and procurement practice reviews

Part of the Procurement Ombudsman's mandate is to review the procurement practices of federal departments for acquiring materiel and services to assess their fairness, openness and transparency, and make recommendations for improvement. In line with the 5 year Procurement Practices Review Plan, the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman (OPO) completed, in 2021 to 2022, 7 reviews that were launched in 2020 to 2021, and initiated an additional 6 reviews and 1 follow-up review to be completed in 2022 to 2023 in accordance with legislative timelines. The reports will be made available on the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman website.

In 2021 to 2022, OPO received a total of 528 procurement-related cases, which in turn raised 826 issues to OPO’s attention. In all instances, OPO either provided direct assistance or pointed the requestor to the appropriate authority. If a supplier contacts the office with a formal complaint that meets the criteria set out in the Procurement Ombudsman Regulations, OPO launches an investigation and produces a report on its findings. If the Procurement Ombudsman makes any recommendations in his report, OPO follows up with the federal organization 1 year later to inquire as to whether the recommendations were followed. In 2021 to 2022, OPO had received a total of 5 complaints that met the criteria set forth in the Procurement Ombudsman Regulations to launch a review. Of the 5 cases, 1 review was completed in 2021 to 2022. In 2 instances, the review was terminated, once because the department cancelled the contract, and the other time because the department reached an agreement with the complainant and the complainant withdrew the complaint. 2 other reviews will be completed in 2022 to 2023 in accordance with legislative timelines. The reports are made available on OPO’s website once completed.

Risk mitigation

In order to mitigate possible risks to its mandate, OPO:

• recruited and trained a skilled and multidisciplinary work force able to deliver high quality services and products in a timely manner
• remained abreast of current trends, developments and initiatives in federal procurement through OPO’s environmental scanning process, to maximize the quality and value of OPO’s recommendations and outputs
• collaborated extensively with stakeholders to ensure OPO took into consideration the impacts of its actions on both Canadian businesses and federal departments, and remained focused on the needs of those it serves

Table 13: Results achieved: Procurement ombudsman—Performance indicators, targets and dates for 2021 to 2022, and actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years

2021 to 2022 departmental results	2021 to 2022 departmental result indicators	2019 to 2020 actual results	2020 to 2021 actual results	2021 to 2022 targets	Date to achieve target	2021 to 2022 actual results
Raise awareness of procurement issues and exchange information	Number of awareness-building activities per year with Canadian suppliers, primarily small and medium-sized businesses, federal officials and other stakeholders	87	51	At least 48	March 31, 2022	64
	Number of provinces/territories where outreach activities are held	9	13	At least 6	March 31, 2022	12
	Year-over-year percentage increase of new visits to OPO’s website	n/atable 13 note 1	n/atable 13 note 2	n/atable 13 note 3	March 31, 2022	48%
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	100%	100%	At least 90%	March 31, 2022	0%table 13 note 4
Procurement-related issues are addressed through the review of complaints and procurement practice reviews	Percentage of supplier complaint reviews completed within 120 working days as per legislative requirements	100%	100%	100%	March 31, 2022	100%
	Percentage of recommendations made by the Ombudsman acted upon by federal organizations	100%	100%	100%	March 31, 2022	n/atable 13 note 5
Table 13 Notes Table 13 Note 1 New indicator as of 2021 to 2022. Return to table 13 note 1 referrer Table 13 Note 2 New indicator as of 2021 to 2022. Return to table 13 note 2 referrer Table 13 Note 3 New indicator as of 2021 to 2022. A target of at least 10% has been set for 2022 to 2023. Return to table 13 note 3 referrer Table 13 Note 4 In 2021 to 2022, only 1 alternative dispute resolution process was undertaken and it did not result in a settlement agreement. Return to table 13 note 4 referrer Table 13 Note 5 The result is not available because OPO did not complete a follow-up review in 2021 to 2022 to measure the percentage of recommendations made by the Ombudsman that were acted upon by the federal organization(s). However, 2 follow-up reviews were launched during the fiscal year and are expected to be completed in 2022 to 2023. Return to table 13 note 5 referrer

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

Table 14: Budgetary financial resources: Procurement ombudsman—Actual versus planned spending including difference for 2021 to 2022 (in dollars)

2021 to 2022 main estimates	2021 to 2022 planned spending	2021 to 2022 total authorities available for use	2021 to 2022 actual spending (authorities used)	2021 to 2022 difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
4,211,647	4,211,647	4,488,806	3,995,892	(215,755)

There is no significant variance between actual spending and planned spending.

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

Table 15: Human resources: Procurement ombudsman—Planned versus actual full-time equivalents including difference for 2021 to 2022

2021 to 2022 planned full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 actual full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
21.17	28.27	7.10

The difference between planned and actual full-time equivalents is mainly due to the staffing of vacant positions following departures, and the recruitment of students as a result of an increase in activities, such as knowledge deepening and sharing studies, procurement practice reviews and outreach.

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

Internal services

Internal services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal services refers to the activities and resources of the distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the internal services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:

• acquisition management services
• communication services
• financial management services
• human resources management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• legal services
• material management services
• management and oversight services
• real property management services

Results

PSPC continued to embed integrated business planning across the department through the publication and implementation of the 2021 to 2024 Integrated Business Plan (IBP).

The department also invested efforts to ensure compliance with proactive publication requirements under the Access to Information Act making information available to Canadians on the department’s proactive disclosure website and the Open Government Portal.

PSPC made progress to modernize the way it engages with Canadians and its employees by enhancing proactive communications approaches and using social media platforms to better reach its varied audiences. PSPC continued its effort to modernize its web content, allowing better integration of messages and supporting a user-centric, accessible and task-based approach to the provision of information and services. Communication approaches were informed by the diverse information needs of PSPC employees, clients, partners, and the public, and aligned with the department's IBP and minister's mandate and priorities.

In terms of security, over the last 3 years, 73% of the projects and initiatives under the Departmental Security Plan (DSP), which provides an integrated view of security risks to the department, were completed, leaving those that were not finalized to be included in the new DSP cycle. These accomplishments have helped align PSPC’s security program with the 8 mandatory security controls introduced by Treasury Board in the 2019 Policy on Government Security, and have improved governance, planning, monitoring, reporting, and integration of security into other corporate programs.

Over the past few years, the focus has been on developing expertise for various security specialists across the department. The renewal of the national unit security officer program is a prime example where roles and responsibilities have been clarified. Training is currently being designed and the renewed program will be piloted to test its efficiency. This work will continue in future years.

As part of Reconciliation efforts, PSPC undertook internal environmental scans to support the development of its Reconciliation Strategy and its action plan on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, in close collaboration with Indigenous partners.

Diversity and inclusion remains a priority for PSPC and its employees. The department took concrete actions to update its policies and programs and to establish a culture of inclusiveness. PSPC continued its collaboration with its diversity networks and its Task Force on Anti-Racism, Workplace Culture and Equity to learn from the lived experience of their members and inform the co-development of PSPC 2021 to 2025 Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan. The department started developing targeted strategies to support an inclusive workplace for members of employment equity-seeking groups, and successfully implemented the Leading, Elevating, Aspiring and Developing (LEAD) Sponsorship Program to ensure its workforce reflects the diversity of Canada’s evolving population. PSPC delivered mandatory workshops on unconscious bias for executives. The department also established an Interim Accessibility Plan which serves as a starting point to remove barriers and position the department as a leader in accessibility.

In support of mental health and well-being, PSPC continued to provide virtual access to mental health and well-being services as well as tools for managers and employees. The department also launched its 2nd Mental Health, Well-Being and Inclusion Strategy that responds to the Standard on Psychological Health and Safety and supports diversity and inclusion and the prevention of harassment and violence. The strategy aims at changing the culture, building capacity and supporting mental health and well-being for all employees within the organization. The ombud for mental health provided employees with access to a confidential space to share challenges affecting their mental health and engaged with employees across the organization using various platforms to increase awareness and help reduce mental health stigma.

Risk mitigation

In 2021 to 2022, the department managed a number of risks to the successful delivery of internal services.

Data analytics

There was a risk that PSPC would not be able to readily access reliable data and would not have the expertise needed to analyze it in order to make timely and informed decisions. To mitigate this risk, PSPC worked on the implementation of the required data repositories like data warehouses, and continued to invest in other data analytics capacity tools and related strategies. In addition, PSPC’s Digital Services started working on the implementation of the recently-developed Human Resources Strategy, which will focus on developing capacities within data analytics, data science and artificial intelligence. Work was also done on the implementation of the Data Strategy and approximately 15% of the activities have been completed, including the development of the chief data officer function and organizational structure, a maturity assessment and the preparation of an implementation plan.

Departmental coordination

There was a risk that the diversity of PSPC’s varied business lines would impact the department’s ability to collectively plan, and to make resourcing decisions that would achieve departmental results and support a culture of “One PSPC”, the departmental vision whereby all branches and regions within PSPC work together efficiently in an integrated manner towards common goals. To mitigate this risk, PSPC continued strengthening its department-wide integrated planning process, which includes the annual publication of the IBP. This improved PSPC’s common approaches and better aligned its processes to strategic and operational planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and performance monitoring and reporting. PSPC also took advantage of opportunities for increased collaboration by strengthening its strategic policy function, promoting and reinforcing the “One PSPC” approach in planning and communication, and continuing to adapt training and governance structures. This ensured a better alignment of resources with core priorities and more consistency in client service experiences.

Departmental risk management culture

There was a risk that PSPC’s departmental risk management culture change initiative would not foster the adaptability needed to seize opportunities and minimize threats in an integrated manner, while also maintaining the resilience required to safeguard trust in its ongoing ability to deliver. To mitigate this risk, PSPC has undertaken a number of important initiatives in recent years. These include developing a coherent and strong risk management framework, regularly renewing the department’s risk profile in order to communicate key strategic risks, and developing a new risk tolerance approach. In 2021 to 2022, PSPC shared with its employees more information pertaining to risk to support their awareness and understanding of the factors influencing their work, and published key tools and resources to support the adoption of effective risk management practices within the department. The department also adopted a revised approach and timing to the updating of key risk profiles focused on strengthening alignment with strategic planning publications and setting a strong foundation for future updates to the department’s risk profile.

Digital transformation

There was a risk that PSPC would not continue to have the modern and reliable systems, expertise and cyber safeguards needed to effectively operate and deliver services in a predominantly digital environment, which now includes a much increased reliance on telework. To mitigate this risk, the department implemented new virtual environments for experimentation and collaborative tools, including Teams and other Microsoft 365 applications. PSPC also created the Cloud Competency Centre, and is currently engaging with the private sector in order to establish delivery systems that will enable the department to acquire the in‑house expertise needed to improve cloud readiness. PSPC has also developed the Digital Services Human Resources Strategy, the Information Technology Project Management Framework, and a cyber security action plan to adapt to the changing digital environment.

Recruitment and retention

There was a risk that PSPC would not be able to attract and retain the specialized, skilled and diverse workforce needed to deliver timely and quality services to its clients. To mitigate this risk, PSPC implemented its 2nd cohesive and evergreen department-wide Strategic People Management Plan (SPMP) that is aligned with the department’s integrated planning processes. The department continued the implementation of other staffing and talent management modernization initiatives, such as the Leading, Elevating, Aspiring and Developing (LEAD) Sponsorship Program, which aims at increasing the representation of employment equity group employees in executive and management positions by Leading, Elevating, Aspiring and Developing their talent. PSPC also successfully participated in national recruitment initiatives opened to the public, including the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities and the Federal Internship for Newcomers Program. The implementation of mental health and well-being initiatives contributed to the mitigation of challenges impacting retention and recruitment by ensuring services and opportunities that contribute to remove barriers, promote full participation of employees, and create a culture that values accessibility, diversity and inclusion. These include fundamental initiatives such as the Accessibility Onboarding Toolkit for persons with disabilities led by PSPC’s Human Resources Accessibility Service Centre, and national virtual learning events accessible to all PSPC employees and led by the Mental Health and Well-Being Program. Through these initiatives, PSPC is becoming a leader in accessible tools and events in the federal public service.

Table 16: Budgetary financial resources: Internal services—Actual versus planned spending including difference for 2021 to 2022 (in dollars)

2021 to 2022 main estimates	2021 to 2022 planned spending	2021 to 2022 total authorities available for use	2021 to 2022 actual spending (authorities used)	2021 to 2022 difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
355,047,666	355,047,666	431,962,134	358,493,710	3,446,045

There is no significant variance between actual spending and planned spending.

Table 17: Human resources: Internal services—Planned versus actual full-time equivalents including difference for 2021 to 2022

2021 to 2022 planned full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 actual full-time equivalents	2021 to 2022 difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
3,336.67	3,138.11	-198.56

There is no significant variance between actual and planned full-time equivalents.