2025-26 Supplementary Information Tables

List of supplementary information tables for the 2024-25 Departmental Plan

• Gender-based analysis plus
• Details on transfer payment programs - Women’s Program
• Details on transfer payment programs - Gender-Based Violence Program
• Details on transfer payment programs - Equality for Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Program (SSOGIE)
• Horizontal initiatives

Gender-based analysis plus

Section 1: Institutional Gender-Based Analysis Plus governance and capacity

Governance

Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) is an analytical tool and process designed to identify who is affected by a given issue or opportunity. It fosters a deeper understanding of the most impacted people’s diverse needs and how to tailor the initiative to address the unequal effects these groups face. GBA Plus is mandatory in key decision-making processes. This includes Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board submissions, and budget proposals.

In 2025, Canada will celebrate 30 years of continued commitment to GBA Plus. Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) will implement a series of initiatives to further enhance understanding of intersectionality. It will do this through education and awareness (more details are in the main body of the 2025–26 Departmental Plan).

GBA Plus is an analytical process that shapes government decision making. Meanwhile, the GBA Plus Framework covers the broader, systematic efforts needed to embed this analysis into government operations.

WAGE provides federal departments and agencies leadership and guidance to support them to establish the necessary parts of the Framework. For WAGE, this framework ensures that we have the structures and processes we need to use GBA Plus robustly and systematically.

Components of the GBA Plus Framework

To enhance the GBA Plus Framework over the 2025–26 fiscal year, WAGE will focus on advancing the implementation of its key parts. This will be done both within WAGE and through actions to support setting up the framework across federal departments and agencies. This includes:  

• a responsibility centre: WAGE’s GBA Plus Champion will ensure that GBA Plus is included in all departmental activities and decision-making processes. WAGE’s Centre of Expertise will also continue to lead the systematic application of GBA Plus throughout the Government of Canada, including within WAGE.
• needs assessments: WAGE will enhance the GBA Plus Resource Centre. To do so, it will provide federal departments and agencies the GBA Plus tools and resources they need to address capacity gaps in their organizations. WAGE will also provide federal departments and agencies technical advice on using GBA Plus.
• training and tools: GBA Plus training will continue to be required for WAGE employees. There will be ongoing opportunities to ensure all employees can provide GBA Plus leadership in their functional areas. WAGE will also continue to refine tools and training to enhance GBA Plus, with a stronger intersectional approach, and pilot new tools and processes.
• monitoring: Continuous monitoring and evaluation will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of GBA Plus implementation within WAGE and throughout the federal government. To do this, WAGE will conduct an annual GBA Plus implementation survey.
• pilot initiatives / best practices: Drawing on information from the GBA Plus implementation survey, WAGE will work with federal departments and agencies to develop and share best practices on applying GBA Plus.

Government-wide GBA Plus leadership and collaboration

WAGE’s GBA Plus Centre of Expertise plays a key role in advancing gender equality, and broader fairness and inclusion goals, across the federal government. As a centre promoting GBA Plus excellence, it champions gender equality. It also provides a strong and systematic process to advance equality for groups facing barriers to inclusion and equitable access to opportunities. The Centre of Expertise acts as a convener, knowledge broker, and capacity builder. By doing this, it ensures that federal departments and agencies have the tools, resources, and guidance they need to systematically apply GBA Plus. This leadership fosters collaboration, establishes best practices, and supports high standards in applying GBA Plus. This boosts departments’ capacity to address gender and diversity matters in all aspects of their work.

• As a convener, WAGE plans to lead and advance GBA Plus through 2025–26. To do this, it will maintain a well-functioning interdepartmental governance structure that helps partners advance intersectionality. WAGE will also promote and facilitate strong partnerships to tackle the range of barriers and negative impacts equity-deserving groups face when accessing government policies, programs, and initiatives. The Department will do this using existing advisory and interdepartmental committees.
•  As a knowledge broker, WAGE plans to improve information sharing among departments and stakeholders. It will also leverage collective resources and share information that allows partners to create effective initiatives. To do this, WAGE will promote best practices, develop tools and resources such as job aids and analytical documents, and run GBA Plus Awareness Week.
• As a capacity builder, WAGE plans to stimulate innovation across government to include intersectionality in policies, programs, and initiatives. To do this, it will improve the methodology in the intersectional tool by maintaining a standing offer of vetted intersectional experts. WAGE will also perform a functional review, as needed, of Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board submissions, and proposals for the budget and the impact assessment process. In addition, the Department will carry out a GBA Plus implementation survey across the government.

WAGE will continue to foster networks of GBA Plus champions, focal points, and practitioners. This will help us find opportunities together to enhance Canada’s approach and fulfill government commitments to enhancing the framing and parameters of this analytical tool. Doing this will promote more inclusive and responsive policymaking.

Over 2025–26, WAGE will continue to support collaboration and ensure a cohesive approach to this work. To do this, it will improve the GBA Plus governance structure and enhance coordinated engagement and collaboration across the federal government. WAGE will develop a two-year work plan to share best practices and support the consistent use of GBA Plus.

WAGE’s internal GBA Plus governance structures

Besides horizontal structures, WAGE uses its internal governance to promote applying GBA Plus across all its activities and to grow departmental capacity to advance GBA Plus in several sectors. WAGE committees and networks play many roles. These include ensuring GBA Plus is considered in all departmental activities and decision making; raising awareness of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility challenges; providing guidance and expertise to shape departmental efforts to address systemic inequalities; and supporting an inclusive work environment and celebrating diversity at WAGE. These communities include the:

• Executive Committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Committee
• Indigenous Employee Network
• Indigenous Women’s Circle
• Black Employees Network
• Persons With Disabilities Network
• Pride Network

Capacity

WAGE is a GBA Plus centre of expertise. It leads the systematic use of GBA Plus throughout the Government of Canada, including within WAGE. In this role, the Department will continue to:

• promote a greater understanding of GBA Plus as an intersectional tool for advancing fairness, equality, and inclusion;
• provide guidance, develop tools and training, and support the implementation of GBA Plus across federal departments and agencies;
• contribute to evidence-based practices, including for policy and program development, and gender budgeting.

Human resources (full-time equivalents) dedicated to GBA Plus

All WAGE employees help promote and advance GBA Plus. In 2025–26, eight full-time equivalents (FTEs) will serve specifically to fulfill WAGE’s GBA Plus responsibilities and commitments.

Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program

Core responsibility:

Advancing gender equality

WAGE advances gender equality, including social, economic, and political equality. It does this through leadership, support, and coordination of targeted policies and programs. In 2025–26, the Department will continue to do research, data collection, and analysis and raise awareness of gender equality issues through outreach and engagement. The Department will advise the government to achieve Canada’s gender equality outcomes and goals. This will include advocacy for gender-based budgeting. WAGE will also help advance gender equality among other partners and stakeholders through its expertise, contribution to research, and funding to community initiatives. The Department will continue to serve as a central point for sharing expertise across Canada and with international partners. It will also use this knowledge to shape and support Canada’s gender equality priorities.

Addressing diversity impacts

Using GBA Plus, WAGE will identify and respond to the unique challenges and unequal effects of issues and initiatives that diverse groups face. This will ensure that policies and programs are fair and inclusive. This intersectional approach helps to advance equality not only for women but for everyone who faces barriers to inclusion and equal opportunities.

GBA Plus data collection plan

For both the Community Action and Innovation and Expertise and Outreach programs

WAGE collects data and evidence, including annual progress and final reports, from organizations that receive WAGE funding to advance gender equality. This allows for monitoring and reporting on the resulting impacts on diverse populations.

The Department will continue its focus on intersectionality and disaggregating data by identity factors. This will ensure a thorough understanding of issues that can be experienced differently by some groups, including Indigenous Peoples; women and girls; men and boys; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and non-binary individuals, queer, two-spirit (2SLGBTQI+) individuals; visible minorities; those living in northern, rural, and remote communities; people with disabilities; children and youth; people living on a low income; newcomers and immigrants to Canada; religious minorities; and seniors. Data and research will continue to shape the direction of WAGE and other Government of Canada initiatives by enabling more robust GBA Plus throughout the initiative life cycle.

Details on transfer payment programs - Women’s Program (Voted)

Start date: 1973

End date: Ongoing

Type of transfer payment: Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation: Appropriation annually through Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2021-2022

Link to departmental result(s): The Department's interventions facilitate the advancement of gender equality

Link to the department’s Program Inventory: Community Action and Innovation

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program: The purpose of the Women's Program is to advance equality for women in Canada. It does this by working to address or remove systemic barriers to women’s progress and advancement. The Program’s objective is to support action enabling women to participate fully in Canada’s economic, social, and democratic life through systemic change. Grant and contribution funding is provided to eligible Canadian organizations. Funding supports local, regional, and national projects that address the following three priorities:

• encouraging women and girls in leadership and decision-making roles;
• improving women’s and girls’ economic security and prosperity;
• ending violence against women and girls.

The Program facilitates collaboration and networking; develops partnerships to address horizontal issues impacting women and girls; shares knowledge; and helps organizations working to advance women's equality to access expertise, resources, and tools.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

Expected results:

In 2025–26, the Department for Women and Gender Equality will continue to advance the objectives of the Women’s Program. To do this, it will fund projects under all three priority areas. This includes funding for 163 organizations under the 2023 Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund.  

Expected Result 1: Intended audiences have access to programs, resources and supports to address barriers to women's equality

• Performance indicator 1: # of targeted programs, resources and supports delivered
• Performance indicator 2: # of people reached by funded initiatives
• Performance indicator 3: # of people unable to access programs, resources or supports

Expected Result 2: Networks and collaborations to increase the reach, impact, and sustainability of women's equality efforts are established

• Performance indicator 4: # of partnerships established, by stakeholder type
• Performance indicator 5: Nature of partnerships and collaborations established

Expected Result 3: Intended audiences use/apply knowledge in their policy and program work to address barriers to women’s equality.

• Performance indicator 6: % of projects that reported their intended audiences are/will be using/applying knowledge in their work or lives

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation: 2017-2018

Decision following the results of last evaluation: Continuation of the program

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation: An evaluation of the Women’s Program is under way. It is expected to be published in June 2025.

General targeted recipient groups:

• Non-profit organizations
• Indigenous organizations
• Municipalities and local organizations
• Provinces and territories
• Research organizations and institutes, centres of expertise

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

The Department for Women and Gender Equality will continue developing tools and supports to better connect and engage recipients. Regional offices will also work closely with recipients to support organizations’ capacity building in various ways. This includes facilitating partnerships and knowledge sharing.

Explanation of variance

The 2025–26 and 2026–27 planned spending variance is due to the time-limited funding from Budget 2021 ending. Funding supports crisis hotlines to serve the urgent needs of more Canadians. This prevents gender-based violence from escalating. Budget 2023 also provided time-limited funding to advance gender equality in Canada. 

Details on transfer payment programs - Gender-Based Violence Program (Voted)

Start date: 2017

End date: Ongoing

Type of transfer payment: Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation: Appropriation annually through Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2021-2022

Link to departmental result(s): The Department's interventions facilitate the advancement of gender equality

Link to the department’s Program Inventory: Community Action and Innovation

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program: The Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Program takes action under It’s Time: Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence (the federal GBV Strategy). This is the federal government’s contribution to the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. The GBV Program is population-specific. Its objective is to support organizations working in the GBV sector to develop and implement promising practices^{Footnote 1} . This will address gaps in supports for underserved groups of victims and survivors in Canada.

Funding is provided to eligible organizations in support of projects at the local, regional, and national levels. Funding is available for time-specific projects that address gaps in supports for specific groups of survivors. This includes Indigenous women and their communities. It also includes other underserved groups, such as racialized women; 2SLGBTQI+ persons; non-status/refugee/immigrant women; women living in northern, rural, and remote communities; and women with disabilities.

The program does not have repayable contributions.

Expected results: 

In 2025–26, Women and Gender Equality Canada will continue to support GBV projects. It will do this by scaling successful promising practices and addressing gaps in supports for survivors, at-risk groups, or underserved groups.

Expected Results 1: Service providers access promising practices

• Performance indicator 1.1: % of organizations that applied for funding through the Gender-based Violence Funding Program but were not funded
• Performance indicator 1.2: Annual expenditures to organizations funded through the GBV Funding Program
• Performance indicator 1.3: # of organizations that received funding through the Gender-based Violence Funding Program
• Performance indicator 1.4: # of targeted programs, resources or supports delivered by funded organizations through the Gender-based Violence Funding Program
• Performance indicator 1.5: # of service providers reached by funded activities
• Performance indicator 1.6: # of service providers unable to access promising practices

Expected Results 2: Service providers use/apply promising practices in their policy and programming work

• Performance indicator 2.1: % of service providers reporting that they apply (use) or intend to apply (use) the promising practices products in their work or lives

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation:

The GBV Program was last evaluated in 2022–23 under the mid-term, horizontal evaluation of the federal GBV Strategy. The evaluation covered fiscal years 2017–18 to 2020–21.

Decision following the results of last evaluation:

Continuation of the program

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation:

The federal GBV Strategy evaluation will be conducted in 2025–26.

General targeted recipient groups:

• Non-profit organizations
• Indigenous organizations
• Municipalities and local organizations
• Provinces and territories

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients:

The Department for Women and Gender Equality will continue supporting organizations working in the GBV sector in developing tools and supports to better connect and engage recipients. Regional offices will also continue working closely with recipients to support organizations’ capacity building in various ways. This includes facilitating partnerships and knowledge sharing.

Explanation of variance

The 2025–26 and 2026–27 planned spending variance is due to the time-limited funding from Budget 2021 ending. This funding serves to enhance the GBV Program and support GBV research and knowledge mobilization.

Details on transfer payment programs - Equality for Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Program (SSOGIE)

Start date: 2019

End date: 2028-2029

Type of transfer payment: Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation: Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2023-2024

Link to departmental result(s): The Department's interventions facilitate the advancement of gender equality

Link to the department’s Program Inventory: Community Action and Innovation

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program: The objective of the Equality for SSOGIE Program is to advance social, political, and economic equality based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

Expected results:^{Footnote 2}

In 2025–26, the Department for Women and Gender Equality will continue promoting and advancing the objectives of the Equality for SSOGIE Program. To do this, it will fund projects that help improve people’s personal safety and reduce discrimination and unfair treatment. The Equality for SSOGIE Program projects will build stronger capacity and networks for 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality across Canada. Projects will also continue to support the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through agreements with each province and territory. Finally, projects will continue to bolster the capacity of Indigenous women’s and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations to provide GBV prevention programming.

Expected Result 1: Networks and collaborations to advance equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression are established

• Performance indictor 1: # of partnerships, networks and collaborations established, by stakeholder type
• Performance indictor 2: Nature of partnerships and collaborations established
  • Included in decision making
  • Sharing of expertise
  • Access to networks
  • Direct action
  • Funding support

Expected Result 2: Intended audiences have access to programs, resources, and supports to advance equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression

• Performance indicator 3: # of targeted programs, resources and supports delivered
• Performance indicator 4: # of people reached by funded initiatives

Expected Result 3: Intended audiences use/apply knowledge in their lives, to advance equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression

• Performance indicator 5: % of projects that reported their intended audiences are/will be using/applying knowledge from resources provided

Expected Result 4: Policies and practices to advance equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression are inclusive

• Performance indicator 6: Nature of change in policies, programs, and standard practices
• Performance indicator 7: % of funded projects implemented that resulted in a change in policies and/or practices 

National Action Plan (NAP) to End Gender-Based Violence

• Performance indicator 8: # of individuals accessing resources, programs, and supports provided by funding
• Performance indicator 9: % of projects serving Indigenous partners that reported delivering resources, programs and supports that were culturally appropriate
• Performance indicator 10: % of projects funded through the NAP to End GBV that are Indigenous led
• Performance indicator 11: % of stakeholders reporting that their GBV-related awareness has increased as a result of new initiatives
• Performance indicator 12: % of Indigenous partners that reported an increase in capacity to prevent and address GBV

Bolstering the capacity of Indigenous women’s and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations to provide GBV prevention programming

• Performance indicator 13: % of Indigenous organizations that reported an increase in organizational capacity
• Performance indicator 14: # of people who accessed programs, resources and supports delivered by Indigenous organizations

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation: Not applicable; new program

Decision following the results of last evaluation: Not applicable; recent program that has not been evaluated yet

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation: The Department for Women and Gender Equality has committed to evaluating funding to support the implementation of the first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan by 2027–28.

General targeted recipient groups:

• For-profit organizations
• Non-profit organizations and charities
• Indigenous recipients
• Municipalities and local organizations
• Provinces and territories
• Academia and public institutions

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients: The Department for Women and Gender Equality regularly engages applicants and recipients to ensure their concerns are understood and considered. Regional offices also work to connect and support organizations and to facilitate partnerships and knowledge sharing.

Explanation of variance

The 2024-25 forecast spending and the 2025-26 planned spending variance is due to new funding received in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement for the Menstrual Equity Fund.

The 2025–26 and 2026–27 planned spending variance is due to the time-limited funding from Budget 2021 ending. Funding provides support to bolster the capacity of Indigenous women’s and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations to provide GBV prevention programming. Budget 2022 also provided time-limited funding to renew the 2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund. This reduction is offset by the funding received in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement for the Menstrual Equity Fund.

The 2026–27 and 2027–28 planned spending variance is due to the ending of time-limited funding from Budget 2022 to work with provinces and territories to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and to renew the 2SLGBTQI+ Projects Fund and from the 2024 Fall Economic Statement for the Menstrual Equity Fund.

Horizontal initiatives

Planning information