Gender-based Analysis Plus Implementation Survey Results 2023-2024

The 2023-2024 GBA Plus Implementation Survey (2024 Survey) collected insights from across the federal government, underscoring ongoing efforts to integrate GBA Plus principles into policies, programs, and initiatives.

Survey participation

The 87 federal departments and agencies represented 97% of Main Estimates* federal spending in 2023-2024. 

*Main Estimates describe the resources required by individual departments and agencies for an upcoming fiscal year. For more information on government spending, please visit Planned government spending.

An innovative approach for micro-organizations in the 2024 GBA Plus Implementation Survey

Of the 87 invited federal departments and agencies to participate in the survey, 20 were micro-organizations, whose staff complement was 150 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) or less. Historically, they have not participated as often in the GBA Plus Implementation Survey, which can impede our monitoring of GBA Plus in these smaller organizations. 

To better understand and respond to the unique challenges of micro-organizations with regards to GBA Plus implementation and reporting and to help alleviate their reporting burden, Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) piloted a new approach for the 2024 GBA Plus Survey by offering the option of responding through focus group discussions instead of the survey. WAGE conducted four focus groups discussions with nine micro-organisations. The feedback received underscored the very different circumstances that micro-organizations face in implementing GBA Plus, including difficulty aligning their organisation’s resources with the current GBA Plus Framework, a lack of time and GBA Plus resources tailored for their needs. 

Results from 2024 Survey submissions: 

For the year-to-year comparisons in this summary, only those organizations that responded to both the 2023 and 2024 surveys are included. All findings are based on self-reported data from participating organizations.

Training and support

• In 2024, 53% of surveyed departments and agencies reported having mandatory GBA Plus training in one or more functional areas*, versus 55% in 2023.  

• Responses indicated that fewer departments and agencies are making GBA Plus training mandatory or recommended for some functional areas such as program design and delivery, research and evaluation. 

*Functional areas represent areas of work or services and include the following: policy, evaluation, program design and delivery, program or frontline service delivery, research, human resources, financial management, information management/information technology services, and procurement. 

Capacity

• In 2024, almost all (97%) surveyed departments and agencies reported having one or more key elements of GBA Plus capacity*, which was comparable to results in 2023 (98%). 

• Moreover, 82% of surveyed departments and agencies reported having 5 or more elements in place, a notable increase from 74% in 2023. 

According to survey responses, more organizations reported having a formal GBA Plus policy or statement of intent (62% in 2024, up from 58% in 2023) and a departmental GBA Plus implementation plan (57% in 2024, up from 53% in 2023).

*Key elements of GBA Plus capacity  listed in the survey included: a departmental GBA Plus Steering Committee, a departmental GBA Plus implementation plan/action plan, a formal GBA Plus policy or statement of intent, an intra-departmental network or working-level group dedicated to GBA Plus, discussion of GBA Plus at senior management committees, resources dedicated to the development, delivery or promotion of GBA Plus training for employees, a GBA Plus Champion or other senior management representative to lead GBA Plus, and tools and resources to assist employees in applying GBA Plus to their work. Note, the 2024 Survey also included the following elements: an organizational needs-assessment and a GBA Plus “pilot” initiative, to provide a concrete example of GBA Plus application.

** Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs): In the 2024 Survey, the question on the number of FTEs dedicated to GBA Plus implementation was removed. The data in this report was compiled by WAGE using the GBA Plus Supplementary Information Table included in each organization’s Departmental Results Report (DRR).

Application

Survey responses indicated that the integration of GBA Plus to different functional areas of work* in government continues to improve. In 2024, departments and agencies integrated GBA Plus into all 15 areas of work. 

Notably, in 2024, survey participants noted that GBA Plus was applied more in information management/information technology services (IM/IT services) than it had been in past surveys: 57% of surveyed departments and agencies reported integrating GBA Plus in IM/IT services, up from 39% in 2023.

To support GBA Plus application across various areas of work, the survey results showed that most departments and agencies continue to rely on key WAGE resources, including the GBA Plus online course and the WAGE departmental website.   

*Functional areas of work listed in the survey included: departmental results reports, departmental plans, departmental results frameworks, performance information profiles, research, consultations, evaluation, program or front-line service delivery, human resource management, transfer payments, , development and design of training and professional development, procurement, information management/information technology services, communications products or initiatives and free-trade and other international agreements or related negotiations.

As shown in the graph below, the survey responses suggest that progress has been made in the integration of GBA Plus across all phases of the development cycle, from “problem definition” to “policy/program evaluation.” 

 

Data

In 2024, departments and agencies reported that Statistics Canada remained the primary source of data and research to inform their application of GBA Plus.

In 2024, responses indicated a 4% increase in the number of departments and agencies that used program administrative data, as well as data and research available from other government departments.

Areas for reported improvement

As in previous years, the 2024 Survey asked departments and agencies about the barriers they encountered to applying GBA Plus. A lack of access to and the availability of data and evidence, as well as a lack of capacity* to conduct a complete and thorough GBA Plus, were reported as the key barriers to applying GBA Plus from surveyed departments and agencies.

In the 2023 Survey, most organizations (81%) identified a lack of time* to conduct a complete and thorough GBA Plus assessments as a barrier, making it the second most frequently reported barrier. Some improvement is evident: in 2024, 72% identified lack of time as a barrier, making it the third most reported barrier in the last survey.

*Lack of time or capacity: Past surveys asked about “lack of time and/or capacity” as one barrier. Recognizing that time and capacity can pose different challenges for organizations, since 2023 the survey has asked about the barriers “lack of time” and “lack of capacity” separately, and the reporting in this summary reflects that change to the survey question.

Previous GBA Plus Implementation survey results

• Gender-based Analysis Plus implementation survey results 2022-2023
• Gender-based Analysis Plus implementation survey results 2019-2020
• Gender-based Analysis Plus implementation survey results 2018-2019
• Gender-based Analysis Plus implementation survey results 2016-2017
• Gender-Based Analysis Plus Implementation Survey Results 2015–2016