Gender-based analysis plus
Introduction
Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) is an analytical process used to assess how different groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.
As part of fulfilling of government commitments and obligations to make available publicly GBA Plus of its expenditure programs, supplementary information tables to Departmental Results Reports include a table on GBA Plus.
About this table
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s (TBS’s) GBA Plus supplementary information table to its 2021–22 Departmental Results Report has four sections:
- Section 1: institutional GBA plus capacity
This section describes key actions taken to advance the implementation of GBA Plus at TBS.
- Section 2: gender and diversity impacts, by program
This section provides the following information for each TBS program:
- a link to the GC InfoBase page for the program, which provides a description of the program’s activities
- the program’s target population
- the distribution of benefits by gender, income level and age group,Footnote 1 if different from the standard TBS distributionFootnote 2
- any data on gender and diversity impacts the program has had
- any other program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
- any hyperlinks to public reports or other sources with GBA Plus impact analysis for the program
- the program’s GBA Plus Data Collection Plan, which describes how the program collects and analyzes data to assess the gender and other impacts of the program on different groups of people
Section 1: institutional GBA Plus capacity
In 2021–22, TBS created a team under the TBS GBA Plus Champion to better support implementation of GBA Plus at TBS.
TBS continued to ensure GBA Plus is integrated into key products and processes, including those related to the preparation and review of Treasury Board submissions and regulatory proposals, as well as those related to research, corporate reporting, and evaluation planning and design. It also worked with other federal organizations to ensure that TBS policies and procedures provide effective support for their GBA Plus activities.
TBS worked with the Women and Gender Equality Canada and the Privy Council Office to respond to the recommendations in the Auditor General’s 2022 report on GBA Plus implementation.
TBS improved its GBA Plus capacity by, for example:
- encouraging all employees, in its learning guide, to take online courses on GBA Plus through the Canada School of Public Service
- hiring an employee with experience in GBA Plus planning and analysis to work in the Human Resources Branch
Section 2: gender and diversity impacts, by program
Core responsibility 1: spending oversight
Program 1: Expenditure Data, Analysis, Results and Reviews
Target population: all Canadians
Key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
| Statistics | Resulttable 1 note * | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
Table 1 Notes
|
|||
| Percentage of programs that have a plan for collecting data on their impacts in terms of gender and diversity | 57% | 2020–21 GBA Plus Supplementary Information Tables to Departmental Results Reports | New indicator |
| Percentage of programs that have at least one indicator for monitoring their impact in terms of gender and diversity | 29% | 2020–21 GBA Plus Supplementary Information Tables to Departmental Results Reports | New indicator |
Other program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
The program provides guidance for departments on how to incorporate GBA Plus into management decisions and results reporting. In addition, the program assesses compliance and helps departments improve their GBA Plus and data collection strategies for Treasury Board submissions and for the review of Performance Information Profiles.
In 2021–22, the program:
- refined the guidance to departments on how to report on the gender and other identity‑related impacts of their programs under the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act
- continued to provide oversight of what departments reported to help programs meet the reporting requirements of the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act
- contributed to the development of training materials on how to incorporate GBA Plus into Treasury Board submissions, Estimates documents, program evaluations and Performance Information Profiles
- ensured that indicators reported in GC InfoBase have been marked as being related to GBA Plus when relevant
The program also partnered with Statistics Canada to develop the Diversity and Skills Database. The database contains information on the characteristics of the owners and workforces of businesses that access business innovation and growth support programs, including their:
- gender
- age
- immigrant status
- education
- business experience
The database will help evaluators and researchers analyze business performance and evaluate programs. In future, data will include indicators for disabled business owners, visible minority business owners and Indigenous businesses.
Supplementary information sources
Impacts of Gender Based Analysis Plus
GBA Plus data collection plan
In 2021–22, the program created new performance indicators. These indicators are now being instituted to:
- help monitor, on an annual basis, whether government programs can generate disaggregated performance statistics by gender and other identity factors that are needed to meet reporting requirements under the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act
- assess, on an ongoing basis, the quality of the plans for monitoring outcomes based on gender and other identity factors that are set out in Treasury Board submissions
- monitor, on an ongoing basis, the percentage of Treasury Board submissions that include plans to track the impact of the proposed program on gender and diversity
Program 2: Government-Wide Funds
Target population: all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
The program implements Treasury Board decisions that call for allocations to be made from the central votes. The allocations directly support the implementation of programs, initiatives and processes that all have their own GBA Plus considerations.
GBA Plus data collection plan
Not applicable. Details on the decisions and allocations related to the central votes are tracked in TBS’s Expenditure Management Component system, but the system contains no GBA Plus information.
Program 3: Oversight and Treasury Board Support
Target population: all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
To support departments and agencies incorporate GBA Plus into their proposed policies and programs, TBS implemented a multi-step approach in its challenge function role:
- during the review of Treasury Board submissions, the program encouraged departments to assess how GBA Plus is integrated into all aspects of their proposals, from program design, delivery and implementation
- working-level GBA Plus groups in the program met regularly to incorporate GBA Plus into the due diligence review of Treasury Board submissions
- to supplement the GBA Plus training provided by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), the program developed guidance for analysts who review the GBA Plus information in the program design and implementation sections of Treasury Board submissions
GBA Plus data collection plan
In 2021–22, the program had no GBA Plus Data Collection Plan for the following reasons:
- The program’s core business is performing due diligence reviews of other departments’ Treasury Board submissions to advise the Treasury Board on resource allocation, risks and policy compliance
- The program assesses, through its due diligence reviews, whether Treasury Board submissions adequately address government‑wide policy considerations. The program does not, however, manage the actual implementation of the initiatives proposed in submissions that do have an impact in terms of gender and diversity, nor does it manage the collection of data on the results of the initiatives
- At present, the program does not have the capacity to assess its performance when it reviews Treasury Board submissions. The advice it provides afterwards may affect the ability of the proposed project to achieve impacts in terms of gender and diversity.
Core responsibility 2: administrative leadership
Program 1: Acquired Services and Assets Policies and Initiatives
Target population: all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In 2021–22, the program:
- introduced directives for real property, procurement, and material management under the Policy on the Planning and Management of Investments that incorporated GBA Plus into the requirements for considering socio-economic benefits in procurements, including the requirements related to:
- accessibility
- the participation of Indigenous peoples
- unbundling procurements to allow smaller, more specialized businesses that include marginalized communities
- supported Public Services and Procurement Canada in developing training on GBA Plus in procurement
In 2021–22, the program responded to a growing need for online professional development by conducting GBA Plus of the webinars and other products it provides to the procurement, project management, materiel and real property functional communities to make sure the products were inclusive and accessible.
The program then explored:
- how the lessons learned could be applied to other professional development programs
- ways to monitor and assess compliance with the requirements related to procurement and socio‑economic benefits set out in the new Directive on the Management of Procurement and the Directive on Government Contracts, Including Real Property Leases, in the Nunavut Settlement Area
- the option of incorporating unconscious bias training into the mandatory training program for the procurement community
- developing specific procurement guidance on GBA Plus
- ways to monitor and assess how departments are considering diversity, including gender identity and gender expression, in the design and provision of building amenities
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program has:
- confirmed that a method is available to source data that accurately reflects its functional communities
- updated the questions it asks departments so that it can establish a baseline for the extent to which departments have strategies in place to help economically empower specific communities and to increase diversity in procurement, specifically, from Indigenous businesses
- conducted activities to collect data and report on GBA Plus as it relates to functional communities within the program and to monitor new policy requirements, for example:
- surveyed project managers in departments and agencies about the experience and certification requirements for managers of major projects and included questions about employment equity in the survey. The results will be used to identify and reduce diversity gaps in the project management community across the public service
- added a new question to the Management Accountability Framework to find out whether departments and agencies have strategies in place to further economic empowerment and to increase procurement from Indigenous businesses
The program is also:
- reviewing its program-level performance indicators to identify opportunities to incorporate considerations relating to gender and other identity factors
- exploring ways to collect information on gender and diversity in relation to acquired services and assets policies and initiatives
- continuing to monitor third‑party data from partners (for example, demographic assessments) as part of efforts to better monitor GBA Plus in the federal government’s real property, procurement, materiel management, and project management communities
- collecting data on gender identity and other intersecting traits as part of its professional development initiatives. For example, initiatives such as the Comptrollership Leadership Development Program will ask candidates to self‑declare if they belong to an equity‑seeking group. The data will help the program provide professional development opportunities to candidates that are representative of the Canadian population
Program 2: Canadian Digital Service
Target population: all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
The Canadian Digital Service (CDS) strives to meet high standards for accessibility and inclusion. In turn, adoption of CDS’s digital service platforms government-wide presents the opportunity for greater accessibility of services across Canada.
In 2021–22, CDS took various actions to make both its products and the advice and coaching it provides to departments accessible by:
- providing organization-wide training on accessibility and inclusion
- providing workshops on specific accessibility competencies and challenges, tailored to a given team’s specific context and needs
- testing services, using automated and manual methods, to identify and address barriers to their use
- bringing in external experts to conduct accessibility audits on different services, increasing the knowledge of staff in the process
- conducting usability testing with persons with disabilities
More broadly, through the design research CDS conducts for its platform products, CDS sought to identify differences in experience depending on how individuals self-identify. Where possible, it introduced or proposed additional supports.
CDS also took steps to develop and support a diverse and inclusive workforce, including through:
- organization-wide unconscious bias training, tailored to CDS employees
- listening sessions, where working-level employees could speak directly to management about experiences of internal discrimination, modelled on a non-hierarchical approach to discussion and learning
- a land acknowledgement that has space for employees to speak to their own responsibilities for the land where they are
- a hiring process that integrated considerations of diversity and inclusion throughout, with attention to the potential for employees on selection boards to develop their cultural competencies
- Women in Tech sessions during which all women could discuss their experiences and barriers to working in technology
- formal and informal learning groups for employees to learn and discuss experiences related to race, gender, sexuality, neurodivergence, and other identity factors
- groups where employees could learn about the reality of anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism and recognize related socialized behaviours and start to change them
- drafting and posting an inclusive language lexicon
- a blog post by the interim chief executive officer on inclusive language in the workplace
GBA Plus data collection plan
Where possible, the program collects data on its impacts based on gender and other identity factors as part of its design research and usability testing practices for the products and services it develops.
To support its employees, CDS also surveys staff annually on their experiences related to inclusion, belonging and workplace practices and looks at the results based on different identity factors (including race, gender, age, disability and tenure).
Program 3: Communications and Federal Identity Policies and Initiatives
Target population: all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In 2021–2022, the program began exploring opportunities to collect data from departments on:
- how they apply a GBA Plus lens when developing and implementing communications products and activities
- how they assess the effectiveness of their communications products and activities with intended audiences
Practitioners experienced in diversity and inclusion in communications assessed a proposed questionnaire to survey departments and identified other potential areas to explore. The revised questionnaire and consultation approach to collect GBA Plus information will be used to improve data collection and impact assessment.
GBA Plus data collection plans
In the first quarter of 2022–23, a virtual consultation will be piloted to create best practices for communication products with a GBA Plus lens and, if necessary, the approach will be adjusted.
Program 4: Digital Policy
Target population: all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In 2018, the Government of Canada and the Open Government Partnership launched the Feminist and Inclusive Open Government Initiative. Inclusion continues to be one of the Government of Canada’s open government priorities. Canada’s 2018–2020 National Action Plan on Open Government included a commitment to feminist and inclusive dialogue and included a commitment to assess the impact of the plan in terms of gender and diversity.
For the 2022–2024 plan, the approach to consultations was reconsidered based on lessons learned from the previous plan, including recommendations from the GBA Plus assessment.
In 2021–2022, the program carried out the following activities as part of its inclusive approach to drafting the 2022–2024 plan:
- The Government of Canada conducted an extensive public engagement process from January 2020 to February 2022 to understand Canadians’ priorities and expectations for open government. To make sure the first digital-only consultation was inclusive, the consultation organizers followed the recommendations in Women and Gender Equality Canada’s guide on making public engagement processes inclusive. For example, sessions were held at different times of the day so that people in different time zones could participate. Also, for all online sessions, CART services (Communication Access Realtime Translation services) writers from the Canadian Hearing Society provided on‑screen captions
- Telephone town halls were held so that people with limited or no Internet access and people who preferred to participate offline could participate. TBS collaborated with the Canadian Federation of Library Associations and l’Association des bibliothèques publiques du Québec and sent out flyers about the telephone town halls for member libraries to post
- So that people who did not want to attend an online or in‑person event could submit comments, TBS offered online discussion forums, a private feedback form and an email address
- To support the development of inclusive activities within the plan, TBS offered additional training and guidance for the departments responsible for drafting commitments. Departments responsible for leading commitments worked with Women and Gender Equality Canada, the Canada School of Public Service, Canadian Heritage and GBA Plus experts in the departments to draft plan commitments and ensure that all aspects of the plan are inclusive. TBS provided a one-hour workshop to departments to help them embed inclusion and GBA Plus into plan commitments, and a new inclusion toolkit, which included resources and training options, was created
- The draft commitments were reviewed during the public consultations to get recommendations on how they could be more inclusive
The 2022–2024 National Action Plan on Open Government will be released in 2022–23.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program:
- collects data on gender and other socio-economic factors through the Citizens First survey and the annual update of the Government of Canada Service Inventory to monitor and report on satisfaction with government services among different population groups
- is partnering with departments including Women and Gender Equality Canada, Statistics Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to explore innovative practices that combine inclusion and open data, for example:
- collection and publication of disaggregated data
- data ethics
- Indigenous data sovereignty
- looking at how considerations related to collecting data for GBA Plus can be incorporated into national action plans
- development of a GBA Plus and inclusion toolkit for national action plan commitment leads
As part of the review of the access to information system, the program surveyed users about their experience with making access to information requests. Respondents could self‑identify according to different demographic factors (for example, membership in an equity-seeking group, and location and area of employment). The results of the Access to Information User‑Experience Survey are posted on the open.canada.ca portal.
Program 5: Digital Strategy, Planning, and Oversight
Target population: all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In 2021–22, the program started developing the GC Digital Talent Platform to connect Government of Canada hiring managers to digital talent across the country, both within and outside the public service. The platform is expected to enhance government-wide digital talent recruitment and talent management initiatives being led by the Office of the Chief Information Officer to advance diversity, inclusion and equity in the government’s digital community.
GBA Plus was incorporated throughout the design and development of the platform. For example, in addition to leveraging promising new theories and methodologies for diversity and inclusion in hiring, from the start, the platform design was tested with people who use a wide variety of assistive technologies to ensure it was accessible. The Indigenous talent component of the platform has been designed and tested in close collaboration with Indigenous partners through the IT Apprenticeship Program for Indigenous Peoples.
The GC Digital Talent Platform is scheduled to launch in 2022–23. Data will become available after that.
Also in 2021–22, the program created three performance commitments for departmental chief information officers in order to promote the representation of women and diversity groups in the information management and information technology (IM/IT) and cybersecurity communities.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program collects data on women and diversity groups in the government’s IM/IT and cybersecurity communities to inform the program’s efforts to increase their representation in these communities. As soon as it is launched in 2022–23, the platform will start collecting information from users, including self‑declared employment equity information. By the end of 2022–23, there should be enough data to enable preliminary analysis of how users of different groups are interacting with the platform (for example, are they being found from skill‑based searches, are they being connected to managers, are they being selected for job opportunities) and to identify opportunities for targeted efforts.
Program 6: Financial Management Policies and Initiatives
Target population: all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
The program develops and delivers capacity‑building and talent‑management strategies and initiatives to promote recruitment, development and retention in the financial management community to help build a skilled, inclusive, diverse and equitable workforce.
In 2021–22, the program took into account systemic inequalities when it reviewed the Treasury Board’s financial management policy instruments.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program uses existing human resources data on women and diversity groups in the government’s financial management community to inform the program’s efforts to build a skilled, inclusive, diverse and equitable financial management workforce. In 2021–22, the data for fiscal year 2020–21 was extracted once from existing human resources systems. A subsequent request was made for data as of March 2022; it has not yet been received.
Program 7: Financial Management Transformation
Target population: all Canadians
GBA Plus data collection plan
Accessibility
When implementing new financial management systems (for example, using SaaS or through activities associated with the data collection plan), the program will ensure that information and communication technology (ICT) components of any proposed system conform with relevant accessibility requirements of the European Standard for Digital Accessibility (EN 301 549 (2018)) and comply with the Accessible Canada Act and Nothing Without Us: An Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada, and remove and do not create new barriers to ICT accessibility.
Components include user interface, administrative interface, product documentation, training documentation, ICT support services, reports, and emails generated by the system.
To ensure compliance, TBS will first identify the new financial management systems and second, identify that the system meets or will meet the accessibility requirements in the act and the accessibility strategy.
Official languages
Under the Official Languages Act, the Government of Canada has an obligation to provide service delivery in Canada’s two official languages. The Financial Management Transformation program, through current contracts, business capability model assessment, and investment alignment analysis, ensures that all user-facing components of financial management systems applications, services, information and tools are available in both official languages, and that they:
- provide materials for any user in both official languages
- provide personal communications to users in the user’s language of choice, with English as the default language if the user has not indicated a preference
- maintain a record of each user’s language preference so that users receive all personal communications in their language of choice
- ensure that all user-oriented communication materials are available for distribution in both official languages
The results for compliance will come from documented contracts, business capability model assessment, and investment alignment analysis to ensure that all components meet official languages requirements.
Program 8: Greening Government Operations
Target population: all Canadians
GBA Plus data collection plan
Not applicable. This program is limited to greening internal government operations. It is not expected to impact women or other diversity groups.
Program 9: Internal Audit Policies and Initiatives
Target population: all Canadians
Key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
| Statistic | Result | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender distribution of departmental audit committee (DAC) members | 60.6% of DAC members are women | DAC statistics and demographics report | Increase from 2020–21 results |
| DAC members who have French as a first language | 25.8% | DAC statistics and demographics report | Increase from 2020–21 results |
| DAC members who identify as a visible minority | 32.3% | DAC statistics and demographics report | Increase from 2020–21 results |
| DAC members who identify as persons with a disability | 5.2% | DAC statistics and demographics report | Decrease from 2020–21 results. This result is below the labour market availability rate. Work is underway to improve this result. |
| DAC members who identify as Indigenous | 11% | DAC statistics and demographics report | Increase from 2020–21 results |
| DAC members outside Ontario and Quebec | 43.2% | DAC statistics and demographics report | Increase from 2020–21 results |
| Internal audit functions that report gaps with labour market availability for Indigenous Canadians | 80% | Capacity Assessment Template | New indicator |
| Internal audit functions that report gaps with labour market availability for persons with disabilities | 63% | Capacity Assessment Template | New indicator |
| Internal audit functions that report gaps with labour market availability for visible minorities | 18% | Capacity Assessment Template | New indicator |
| Internal audit functions that report gaps with labour market availability for women | 18% | Capacity Assessment Template | New indicator |
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
The program develops and delivers capacity‑building and talent‑management strategies and initiatives to promote recruitment, development and retention in the government’s internal audit community, including departmental audit committees (DACs), with a focus on building a skilled, inclusive, diverse and equitable workforce.
Supplementary Information Sources
Not applicable.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program runs a voluntary self-identification campaign for prospective DAC members to gather information on committee demographics and to ensure appropriate representation.
It is also obtaining more specific information from the quantitative and qualitative data collected annually on the performance and capacity of the internal audit function across government, which may provide insight into talent management and professional designations, and other institutional elements where GBA Plus could be a factor (for example, to see whether there are differences between people with and people without designations based on gender or other identify factors).
The Capacity Assessment Template captures information reported by internal audit functions on where their function might be falling short of labour market availability rates for employment equity groups. The template is key to the program’s renewed vision for internal audit, which promotes multidisciplinary teams and DACs that reflect Canada’s diversity.
Program 10: Management Accountability Framework
Target population: all Canadians
GBA Plus data collection plan
In 2021–22, the Management Accountability Framework was used as a tool to assess the reporting of departments and agencies on the gender and diversity impacts of their programs.
The program is exploring other ways to collect data from departments on the impacts of their diversity and inclusion efforts on different identity groups in areas such as results management, security management, and service management, to encourage a broader range of management practices that foster diversity and equity.
Program 11: Public Service Accessibility
Target population: federal public servants with disabilities and all Canadians with disabilities
| Statistics | Result | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall representation of persons with disabilities in the public service of Canada | 5.6% | Employment Equity Annual Report 2020–21 | Increase from 2020–21 results. This is the largest increase in 20 years, but the result is still below labour market availability (9%). |
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In 2021–22, the program:
- supported a community of practice for employees who are responsible for the developing their organization’s accessibility plan
- launched a self-assessment tool to help departments and agencies identify, prevent and eliminate barriers to accessibility
- maintained an Accessibility Hub to centralize information and learning resources that departments can use to improve accessibility and to make their workplaces and services more inclusive for persons with disabilities
- continued to invest in innovative and experimental projects and initiatives through the Centralized Enabling Workplace Fund, which aims to improve workplace accommodation practices and remove systemic barriers that create a need for individual accommodation
Supplementary information sources
Employment Equity in the Public Service of Canada for Fiscal Year 2020 to 2021
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program uses administrative data collected every year and survey data collected every two years to monitor and report on its impacts based on gender and other identity factors.
Core responsibility 3:Employer
Program 1: Employment Conditions and Labour Relations
Target population: employees of the core public administration, including managers, all Canadians
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In 2021–22, the program developed the Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration Including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In developing the policy, the program analyzed it using the Women and Gender Equality Canada GBA Plus guidance and the Public Health Agency of Canada’s July 2021 COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Survey, Cycle 2, and the September 10, 2021, report on vaccination coverage.
The program preformed a GBA Plus analysis on the proposed vaccination policy, which determined that the proposed policy was not anticipated to create systemic inequalities for individuals who attest to being fully vaccinated and for individuals who are unable to be fully vaccinated because of a certified medical contraindication, or because of another prohibited ground of discrimination as defined in the Canadian Human Rights Act.
GBA Plus data collection plan
At present, the program uses administrative, program and survey data to monitor and report on its impacts based on gender and other identity factors.
In future, it will use information from Labour Canada on various issues related to harassment and occupational health and safety. Benchmarking data from internal and external studies, as well as data from the Pensions and Benefits Plan Member Survey that is fielded every 10 years, will also be used to examine the competitive position of the federal government compared to that of other employers.
Program 2: Executive and Leadership Development
Target population: executives in the core public administration
| First group | Second group | Third group | Fourth group | Fifth group | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By income level | Low | High |
| First group | Second group | Third group | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By age group | Youth | Senior |
| Statistics | Result | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment equity distribution of executives in the core public administration | Women: 52.3% Visible minorities: 12.4% Indigenous persons: 4.4% Persons with disabilities: 5.6% |
Employment Equity Database as of March 31, 2021 | The data includes the Law Management occupational group.
Increase from 2020–21 results |
| Age distribution of executives in the core public administration | 51.1% of EXs are age 50 or over | Pay system as of March 31, 2021 | The data does not include the Law Management occupational group.
Increase from 2020–21 results |
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In support of diverse and inclusive development and succession planning of executives, the program:
- incorporated an enhanced diversity lens into talent management of senior leaders by:
- requesting that executives be asked to self‑identify membership in any of the employment equity groups so that more data will be available on the composition of the executive‑level workforce
- equipping deputy heads and heads of human resources with information on the self‑identification of executives, including assistant deputy ministers (ADMs), so that they can identify diversity gaps and support talent management
- providing aggregate data analysis on ADMs, with a focus on employment equity representation at the ADM level to identify gaps and enable talent and succession planning
- providing deputy heads and heads of human resources with the talent profiles of mid‑level executives who self-identify as members of one or more employment equity groups, a list of qualified pools of Indigenous executives, as well as the talent profiles of Black executives
- successfully piloting an initiative to make “inclusion stewards,” deputy heads designated to raise awareness of, identify, challenge and mitigate unconscious bias, part of the ADM talent discussions
- laying the foundation for an inclusive leadership culture by creating a Senior Leaders Strategy, a comprehensive multi-year strategy to build a high‑performing, accountable, results-driven senior leadership cadre; the strategy includes a program of change to enhance equity, diversity and inclusion among senior leaders
- as part of the Senior Leaders Strategy, developing talent-building strategies with and for Black and Indigenous executives, to reduce barriers and increase representation of diverse leaders
- maintaining the requirement, introduced in 2020, that 50% of departments’ nominees for the Executive Leadership Development Program be executives who have self‑identified as members of one of the following employment equity groups, which had been under-represented in the program: Indigenous peoples, visible minorities or persons with a disability. In 2021–22, 61% of the candidates selected for the executive stream belonged to at least one of those three groups
- strengthening the GBA Plus lens in the talent management strategy for the public service
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program uses survey data collected every two years and workforce data collected every year from the Executive Talent Management System application to monitor and report on gender and diversity impacts related to the executive ranks of the public service.
Program 3: Pension and Benefits Management
Target population
- Pension benefits: all contributors and beneficiaries recognized by the Public Service Superannuation Act
- Health and dental benefits: active and retired employees and their eligible dependents
| Statistics | Result | Data source |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of active members who ranked the pension plan as an important or very important factor in their decision to join the federal public service | Male: 85.2% English: 85.2% |
Pension and Benefit Plan Member Survey (2019) |
| Percentage of retired members who ranked the pension plan as an important or very important factor in their decision to join the federal public service | Male: 56% English: 54.9% |
Pension and Benefit Plan Member Survey (2019) |
| Percentage of active members who ranked the pension plan as an important or very important factor in their decision to continue working for the federal public service | Male: 92.1% English: 93.3% |
Pension and Benefit Plan Member Survey (2019) |
| Percentage of active members who regard their pension plan as being important or very important to their overall well being | Male: 90.2% English: 89.5% |
Pension and Benefit Plan Member Survey (2019) |
| Percentage of all members (active and retired) who indicate that the Public Service Health Care Plan was an important or very important factor in their decision to join the federal public service | Male: 52.7% English: 76.9% |
Pension and Benefit Plan Member Survey (2019) |
| Percentage of all members (active and retired) who indicate that the Public Service Dental Care Plan was an important factor or very important factor in their decision to join the federal public service | Male: 67.6 % English: 76.9% |
Pension and Benefit Plan Member Survey (2019) |
Public service pension plan provisions, which are legislated under the Public Service Superannuation Act, apply equally to all employees who meet the eligibility requirements for contributing to the plan. The survey is conducted every 6 years. The next one is planned for 2025.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program collects data from the following sources so that it can monitor and report on its impacts in terms of gender and diversity:
- triennial Actuarial Report on the Pension Plan for the Public Service
- annual demographic reports on the public service
- public service pension and benefits plan member surveys
- Public Service Health Care Plan and Public Service Dental Care Plan data
- benchmarking data, as available
Program 4: People Management Systems and Processes
Target population: employees of the core public administration
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
No significant actions were undertaken in 2021–22, but in 2022–23, the program is planning to:
- conduct GBA Plus on the employee performance and talent management program, subject to resource availability
- set diversity goals for the Next Generation Human Resources and Pay Initiative to ensure that the initiative includes consultations with employees from the four designated employment equity groups and from other equity‑seeking groups.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program uses administrative data from the Executive Talent Management System application to monitor and report on its gender and diversity impacts.
Program 5: Public Service Employer Payments
Target population
- Pension benefits: all contributors and beneficiaries recognized by the Public Service Superannuation Act
- Health and dental benefits: active and retired employees and their eligible dependents
GBA Plus data collection plan
Not applicable. The program provides funding to supplement appropriations for programs such as the Pension and Benefits Management program, which collects its own data for GBA Plus.
Program 6: Research, Planning and Renewal
Target population: employees of the core public administration
| Statistics | Result | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public service employees who feel encouraged to be innovative or to take initiative in their work | Overall: 71% Male: 69% Visible minority: 70% Persons with a disability: 62% Indigenous persons: 67% 24 years of age and under: 78% 25 to 29 years of age: 74% 35 to 39 years of age: 71% 40 to 44 years of age: 72% 45 to 49 years of age: 71% 50 to 54 years of age: 71% 55 to 59 years of age: 69% 60 years of age and over: 69% |
2020 Public Service Employee Survey, specifically, responses to question 14: “I am encouraged to be innovative or to take initiative in my work.” | Employees who indicated “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree” |
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
The Research, Planning and Renewal program:
- led the design and assessment of the People Management area of the Management Accountability Framework, which focuses on the ways in which organizations apply diversity and inclusion, GBA Plus and future‑of‑work lenses in their management practices
- analyzed the results of the Public Service Employee Survey and the Student Exit Survey using a GBA Plus lens to better understand the nuances in the results and the different lived experiences of public servants
- provided data on the core public administration workforce to departments and agencies to support services and programs in which a GBA Plus lens is applied
- developed evidence-based recommendations to improve the self-identification process, including the accuracy, breadth and depth of employment equity data, allowing for greater disaggregation and intersectionality, which are critical for GBA Plus
- began developing evaluation methodologies to guide experimentation on hybrid workforce models, which will involve applying a GBA Plus lens to the analysis of findings to inform policy
The program also applied a GBA Plus lens to its work on:
- post-pandemic planning: GBA Plus considerations were identified as a key consideration in post-pandemic planning guidance provided to departments and agencies
- the future of work: diversity, inclusion and accessibility continue to be strategic areas of focus for the future of work
- flexible and equitable work arrangements: GBA Plus considerations were incorporated into an assessment of hybrid work scenarios and will be part of consultations with stakeholders in 2022–23
Supplementary information sources
Public Service Diversity and Inclusion statistics
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program uses the Public Service Employee Survey, which is conducted every two years, to monitor and report on program impacts in terms of gender and other identity factors.
Program 7: Workplace Policies and Services
Target population: employees of the core public administration
| Statistics | Result | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of institutions where communication in designated bilingual offices nearly always occur in the official language chosen by the public | 91.58% | Annual reviews on official languages | None |
| Percentage of executives who are members of designated employment equity groups (versus workforce availability) | Visible minorities: 12.4% (versus 10.6%) Women: 52.3% (versus 48%) Indigenous persons: 4.4% (versus 5.1%) Persons with disabilities: 5.6% (versus 5.3%) |
Employment Equity Annual Report 2021 | None |
| Percentage of employees who are members of designated employment equity groups (versus workforce availability) | Visible minorities: 18.9% (versus 15.3%) Women: 55.6% (versus 52.7%) Indigenous persons: 5.2% (versus 4%) Persons with disabilities: 5.6% (versus 9%) |
Employment Equity Annual Report 2021 | None |
| Percentage of employees who indicate that their organization respects individual differences | Visible minorities: 74% Women: 78% Indigenous persons: 70% Persons with disabilities: 65% |
PSES 2020 | The target is to have a result that is greater than or equal to 69%. |
| Percentage of employees who indicate that they have been the victim of discrimination on the job in the past 12 months | Visible minorities: 11% Women: 7% Indigenous persons: 12% Persons with disabilities: 19% |
PSES 2020 | The target is to have a result that is less than or equal to 17%. |
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In 2021–22, the program:
- collaborated with other stakeholders on:
- development of policy options to examine official languages barriers for Indigenous employees
- a joint employer-union committee to understand the extent and nature of Indigenous language use in the public service
- amended the Directive on Official Languages for People Management to remove barriers in staffing for persons with disabilities at the senior executive level
- addressed GBA Plus considerations as part of securing funding to support the modernization of the Official Languages Act
- worked with the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Canada and with employee diversity networks, bargaining agents, senior officials for diversity and inclusion, and employment equity groups on many matters, including:
- the implementation of amendments to the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) to address systemic barriers for equity-seeking groups in the staffing process
- the PSC’s new investigative powers under the amended PSEA
- the review of the Treasury Board Policy on Government Security from a diversity and inclusion lens
- launched the consultations on the review of the Employment Equity Act for the core public administration, which included an intersectional lens
- through the Centre on Diversity and Inclusion, supported initiatives directed at and developed with members of equity-seeking groups, including:
- Indigenous Career Pathways, an online resource that supports Indigenous employees’ professional development and career advancement and provides tools for hiring managers to recruit First Nations, Inuit and Métis employees
- the Mentorship Plus Program, which aims to better support leadership development, with specific emphasis on supporting members of under‑represented groups who aspire to leadership and executive positions
- the Federal Speakers’ Forum on Diversity and Inclusion, an online platform where public servants can share their lived experience with other public servants who have been included or excluded because of differences such as the colour of their skin, gender identity, sexuality or disability. Using the same platform, departments and agencies can request speakers for their organization’s events. Speakers recruited by the Centre on Diversity and Inclusion come from diverse perspectives and identities
- the Mosaic Leadership Development Program, a 12-month program that strives to accelerate meaningful culture change among public service executives by developing and supporting talented leaders among under-represented groups to potentially qualify for and be appointed to executive positions
- applied intersectionality in its mental health promotion, outreach and engagement activities, from the selection of imagery used in public communications to the choice of the moderator and panelists for mental health events that were co-hosted with the Canada School of Public Service
- co-hosted the Government of Canada Diversity and Inclusion Conference 2021 with the Canada School of Public Service, Statistics Canada and Canadian Heritage
- published Optimizing a Hybrid Workforce: Spotlight on Telework, guidance for managers and employees when implementing a hybrid approach to work
Supplementary information sources
Detailed information is available in the Employment Equity Annual Report, the Annual Report on Official Languages, the Public Service Employee Survey and the Public Service Diversity and Inclusion statistics.
GBA Plus data collection plan
The program uses a range of workforce and survey data sources to monitor and report on its impacts in terms of gender and diversity. The program is reviewing the data to gain a better understanding of data availability and needs, including from an intersectional lens, for both representation and perception data sources.
Core responsibility 4:Regulatory Oversight
Program 1: Regulatory Policy, Oversight, and Cooperation
Target population: all Canadian
| Statistics | Result | Data source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of final in-scope Governor in Council regulations that provided information on GBA Plus in the corresponding regulatory impact analysis statement | 95% (117/123) | Canada Gazette, Part II | Information on GBA Plus can range in detail. If no impacts based on gender or other identity factors were identified, a statement to that effect would be included. |
| Percentage of stakeholders that participated in consultations on TBS-led regulatory initiatives that identified as or represented interests of an under represented demographic (for example, women, Indigenous people, members of visible minorities, gender diverse people, youth, people with disabilities) | No applicable consultations were held in 2021–22. | None | None |
GBA Plus data collection plan
The Cabinet Directive on Regulation, implemented by the program, requires departments and agencies to undertake GBA Plus when developing regulations. Information about their analysis and results is then included in their regulatory impact analysis statements. These statements accompany regulatory proposals and final regulations published in the Canada Gazette.
The program plays an oversight role during regulatory development and tracks compliance of certain elements of regulatory analysis required by the Cabinet Directive on Regulation, including the percentage of applicable regulatory impact analysis statements that include information on GBA Plus.
In future consultations, the program will capture certain demographic information for program‑led consultations, to monitor and improve the diversity of stakeholders engaged in these consultations.
Core responsibility 5: internal servicesFootnote 3
Target population: TBS employees in the federal public service
Distribution of benefits
| First group | Second group | Third group | Fourth group | Fifth group | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By age group | men | women |
Other key program impacts in terms of gender and diversity
In 2021–22, TBS’s internal human resources management services integrated GBA Plus into their work by:
- including a GBA Plus lens in the department’s evolution to a hybrid organization
- promoting data analytics products that support management decision‑making about employment equity
- using journey mapping to document the lived experiences of persons with disabilities at TBS, in partnership with the Accessibility Network, to identify barriers and other problems
- involving TBS’s Accessibility Network in discussions about the department’s built environment to make the TBS workplace more accessible
- launching an Employment Systems Review and inviting TBS employees and employee networks to participate in it; the review aims to identify barriers in policies, processes and procedures to foster more equitable programs and policies
- forming a team to conduct simplified advertised staffing processes to attract and hire members of employment equity groups. The team analyzed TBS workforce data to determine which equity groups and which employment groups and levels to target and consulted with employee networks to make sure the processes were inclusive under‑represented groups who aspire to leadership and executive positions
Supplementary information sources
GBA Plus data collection plan
TBS internal services use a range of administrative and survey data sources to monitor and report on its impacts by gender and diversity.
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