Gender-based Analysis Plus
Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus governance and capacity
Governance
Senior leadership at Shared Services Canada (SSC) maintains a strong commitment to embedding Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) into decision-making processes, program design, program delivery and program evaluation. GBA Plus consideration in all aspects of technical solutions ensures that services provided by the Department are equitable for all demographic groups of recipient government departments and agencies. In fiscal year 2024-25, SSC’s GBA Plus Guidance Unit participated in 2 intra-departmental networks to advance an intersectional lens with relevant stakeholders. The Unit also co-chaired an interdepartmental working group with the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada on advancing Diverse and Inclusive Digital Government, and supported Public Safety Canada’s working group with 1 presentation on inclusivity and diversity in the Government of Canada IT space.
Capacity
In fiscal year 2024-25, the GBA Plus Guidance Unit:
- Concluded a review of all 7 SSC programs to determine ways to support Branches in program design and delivery. The published documents comprise a set of quick reference guides for programs to consult for direction on ways to incorporate GBA Plus considerations in their day-to-day files.
- Refined integrations of GBA Plus into Department planning and reporting such as the Departmental Results Framework, Departmental Plan, Branch Business Plans and Program Information Profiles.
- Provided guidance to the Department on considerations regarding the GBA Plus impacts of Artificial Intelligence, and strategies to enhance development and use of Artificial Intelligence.
- Supported GBA Plus content for 9 Cabinet documents. Additionally, the Unit delivered 11 GBA Plus 101 presentations and supported with the completion of 8 GBA Plus assessments.
Human resources (full-time equivalents) dedicated to GBA Plus
The SSC GBA Plus Guidance Unit comprises of 2.25 full-time equivalents (FTEs). In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the Unit enhanced its institutional capacity by creating quick reference guides for all 7 service lines, and ensured the integration of GBA plus into the planning, decision-making and evaluation processes across the Department.
Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program
Core responsibility for all Programs: Common Government of Canada Information Technology (IT) Operations
Program name: Security
Program goals: Security-based IT Infrastructure and Services continue to be responsive to the diverse needs of GC departments and agencies. The secure remote access (SRA) initiative under the Security Program at SSC supports GC service and program delivery by enabling hybrid work for federal public servants.
Program name: Workplace technologies
Program goals: Workplace technologies provide federal public servants with cloud-based and on-premise solutions such as hardware and software by ensuring that Microsoft 365 and other tools meet the needs of employees across geographic locations, in both official languages, and with diverse accessibility requirements (e.g., when moving between GC organizations)..
Program name: Telecommunications
Program goals: Telecommunications provides voice services, mobile services, telephony devices, and conferencing services to enable communications and virtual collaboration for GC public servants across the country and in both official languages.
Program name: Cloud
Program goals: The Cloud Program enables digital government through the delivery of the Cloud Brokering Service to support the GC’s “Cloud-first” approach for delivering IT services. Cloud program offers centralized, reliable and agile services to enable and support Partners across geographic locations, different hours of work, and with accessibility considerations.
Program name: Data Center Information Technology Operations
Program goals: Data Centre Information Technology Operations provide database computing services and end-to-end management of physical complexes to enable federal public servants to support Canadians from different locations and across time zones, with limited latency and interruptions to workflows.
Program name: Networks
Program goals: Networks program is responsible for IT network infrastructure operations, services, and data integration. While supporting federal public servants with key IT tool such as GC-wide secret infrastructure, Local Area Network (LAN) management and wireless LAN and satellite services, there are limited differentiated human impacts of this program.
Target population: SSC provides security, workplace technologies, telecommunications, Cloud, data centre information technology operations and network services to Government of Canada departments and the public servants that work in those institutions. The following is a breakdown of the Federal Public Service demographics (including SSC):
| Average age | 43.3 |
| Located outside the National Capital Region | 57.4% |
| Identify French as their first language | 28% |
| Women | 46.8% |
| Indigenous | 4.4% |
| Persons with disabilities | 6.1% |
| Members of visible minorities | 21% |
Distribution of benefits
| Distribution |
Group |
|---|---|
| By gender | The public service is broadly gender balanced. |
| By income level | SSC does not have access to any statistics which can demonstrate the average federal public service salary. However, as of March 31 2024, the single median income range of the Federal Public Service was $71,000. This income level is higher than the single Canadian gross income median, which was $39,900 in 2023. |
| By age group | The average age of the federal public service is 43.3 years, whereas the average age of Canadians in 2022 is 41.9 years. As such there is no significant generational impact. |
Specific demographic group outcomes
Not applicable. The 6 identified programs (Security, Workplace technologies and Telecommunications, Data Center Information Technology Operations, Cloud, and Networks) attempt to bridge potential barriers to public servant participation, like geographic location, accessibility considerations and official languages.
Key program impacts on gender and diversity: SSC does not currently conduct research on key program impacts regarding gender and diversity.
Key program impact statistics: SSC does not currently conduct research on key program impact statistics.
Other key program impacts: Not applicable
Supplementary information sources
- 31st Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada - Privy Council Office - Canada.ca
- The Daily — Canadian Income Survey, 2023
- Distribution of public service of Canada employees by designated group and salary range - Canada.ca
- Age (in single years), average age and median age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts
- Average and median market, total and after-tax income of individuals by selected demographic characteristics
- Employment income statistics by industry sectors, highest level of education, immigrant status and period of immigration, work activity during the reference year, age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts
GBA Plus data collection plan
In 2024-25, the GBA Plus Guidance Unit completed a comprehensive review of SSC’s 7 service lines to identify opportunities to provide advice on areas for GBA Plus data collection in the Department. The final report and quick reference guides for service lines highlighted specific opportunities for GBA Plus considerations both by program and by identity factor (i.e. Women, Persons with disabilities, Visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, etc.).