Management Response and Action Plan

3.33

The Privy Council Office and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should provide timely and documented feedback to departments and agencies on the application of gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) in their Memoranda to Cabinet and Treasury Board submissions and should share this feedback with Women and Gender Equality Canada. Departments and agencies should then make future cycle improvements to strengthen the application of GBA Plus.

The Privy Council Office’s response. Agreed. As part of the challenge-function role, Privy Council Office (PCO) will continue to provide feedback on the application of gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) in Memoranda to Cabinet (MCs). PCO will also formalize an approach to ensure that feedback is timely and well‑documented.

PCO will provide Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) with observations on the relevance and quality of GBA Plus, which can help identify systemic barriers to the conduct of quality of GBA Plus and inform recommendations for new or strengthened actions to improve GBA Plus in MCs. Consolidated feedback will be provided to WAGE annually and will be supported by a meeting with WAGE.

PCO will also establish a process of providing proactive and targeted GBA Plus support in the challenge-function role to strategically advance the quality of GBA Plus early in the MC development process for select MCs. Setting expectations on ensuring that GBA Plus considerations are developed early in the MC development process would include senior executive management engagement.

PCO will also develop new tools and guidance that provide departments and agencies with direction on the application of GBA Plus in the development of MCs. These tools will be updated regularly to ensure continuous improvement.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s response. Agreed. Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) will continue to provide documented feedback to departments and agencies on their Treasury Board submissions.

TBS will provide Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) with observations on the relevance and quality of GBA Plus, which can help identify systemic barriers to the conduct or quality of GBA Plus and inform recommendations for new or strengthened actions to improve GBA Plus in future submissions. Consolidated feedback will be provided to WAGE annually and will be supported by a meeting with WAGE.

Since departments and agencies are also required to publicly report annually on the impact of their existing programs in terms of gender and diversity under Section 5 of the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act, TBS will monitor this reporting to help assess the conduct of GBA Plus.

The quality of GBA Plus in MCs and Treasury Board submissions is improved.

This outcome will be achieved through the following activities:

September 2023

• Continuing to provide timely and well-documented guidance and feedback to departments and agencies on how to integrate GBA Plus in MCs and Treasury Board submissions. 

PCO will develop an approach to better documenting feedback on GBA Plus in MCs. PCO will also further develop an approach to determine the level of GBA Plus support in the development of MCs. Interim timeline for a first iteration of these approaches is by January 2023 with a final approach by September 2023.

Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, Privy Council Office

TBS will develop an approach to consolidate and summarize feedback on GBA Plus in TBS submissions by July 2023.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

• Sharing key observations with WAGE based on feedback provided on MCs and TB submissions to support the development of learning products, supported by a meeting with senior officials.

A senior TBS and PCO official will share key observations on GBA Plus in TB submissions and MCs with WAGE by September 2023 and then ongoing annually thereafter).

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, Privy Council Office

• Reviewing and updating existing tools and guidance on the application of GBA Plus in MCs and make appropriate adjustments. These updates will be informed by sharing key observations based on feedback provided in MCs on GBA Plus to support the development of learning products, supported by a meeting with senior officials.

Initial review of tools/guidance to be completed by January 2023.

Final review of tools/guidance by September 2023.

Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, Privy Council Office

• Monitoring departmental reporting under section 5 of the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act and update the Gender and diversity: Impacts of Programs webpage, to share best practices on how to measure impacts on gender and diversity.

Best practices on how to measure impacts are shared by end of June 2023.

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

3.45

Women and Gender Equality Canada should ensure its efforts as a leader and centre of expertise to help advance gender-based analysis plus across all of the federal government.

Women and Gender Equality Canada’s response. Agreed. Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) will strengthen the department as a Centre of Expertise for advancing gender equality and supporting the application of GBA Plus across government decision-making processes. This will allow WAGE to support line departments as they work to advance equality and inclusion across their portfolios.

WAGE will also work with various partners on enhancing GBA Plus so that it better captures the lived experiences of all Canadians.

As a centre of expertise, WAGE will also

• fund, undertake, and disseminate research on gender equality that uncovers intersectional gender inequalities, their causes, and consequences. This evidence can be used to inform GBA Plus by line departments
• work with federal partners to identify and address barriers to the implementation of GBA Plus in decision making
• work with federal partners to develop and disseminate training, resources, and other materials to support the implementation of GBA Plus in decision making

Access to training, tools, and other resources, to apply GBA Plus to decision-making, is increased.

This outcome will be achieved through the following activities:

By December 2023

• Funding, undertaking, and disseminating research on intersectional gender equality and inequities.

Work with key delivery partners to support data collection, analysis and publication of research (ongoing annually by December).

Launch Call for Proposals for community-based research (December 2022).

Disseminate research on gender equality and intersectionality through WAGE’s existing GBV Knowledge Hub and through a new Gender Equality Knowledge Hub/GBA Plus Learning Hub (December 2023).

Director General, Research, Results and Delivery and Centre of Expertise, Women and Gender Equality Canada

• Working with key partners to identify and address barriers to the implementation of GBA Plus in decision making.

Work with key partners to enhance the framing and parameters of GBA Plus, with particular attention to the intersectional analysis of race, indigeneity, rurality, disability and sexual identity, among other characteristics, so that it better captures the lived experiences of all Canadians  (September 2023).

Establish new governance structures within the federal government to support GBA Plus application and to identify barriers (September 2023).

Director General, Research, Results and Delivery and Centre of Expertise, Women and Gender Equality Canada

• Working with key delivery partners to develop and disseminate training, resources, and other materials to support the implementation of GBA Plus in decision making.

In collaboration with key delivery partners, develop a GBA Plus Learning Pathway to chart a clear path for GBA Plus training for public servants (September 2023).

In collaboration with key delivery partners, develop a key competency framework and certification program in GBA Plus for federal public servants (September 2023).

Use key observations on the relevance and quality of GBA Plus from PCO and TBS, as well as on barriers to GBA Plus, to identify and develop new resources, training and other initiatives to support departmental capacity to apply GBA Plus (annually, ongoing).

Work with key federal partners to establish curriculum and support the provision of advanced and customized GBA Plus training, including training tailored to specific functional communities and departments (annually, ongoing).

Director General, Research, Results and Delivery and Centre of Expertise, Women and Gender Equality Canada

3.46

The Privy Council Office and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should, within their respective mandates, ensure all departments and agencies appropriately implement the GBA Plus Framework and report publicly on their progress.

The Privy Council Office’s response. Agreed. PCO will engage Deputy Ministers (once annually) to encourage progress across federal departments and agencies on the implementation of GBA Plus institutional capacity frameworks. PCO will create a GBA Plus Network internal to PCO to advance its own departmental GBA Plus institutional capacity framework. PCO will also continue to demonstrate senior leadership with the maintenance of a Deputy Secretary GBA Plus Champion.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s response. Agreed. TBS will ensure that departmental results reports promote the implementation of GBA Plus institutional capacity frameworks and allow for monitoring of status across federal organizations.

Mechanisms for departments to report publicly on GBA Plus are strengthened.

These outcomes will be achieved through the following activities:

November 2023

• Promoting GBA Plus frameworks to strengthen decision-making documents. This includes focussing efforts on improving the application of GBA Plus in the initial design phase of Cabinet documents (e.g., improved challenge-function role, tools and guidance).

Preliminary Deputy Minister discussion by January 2023. Continued Deputy Minister discussion to occur by September 2023, and then a minimum of once annually, thereafter.

Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, Privy Council Office

• Strengthening departmental work on GBA Plus, including its Departmental GBA Plus institutional capacity framework.

Creation of PCO internal network with a focus on supporting Cabinet operations by November 2022.

Preliminary iteration of PCO internal GBA Plus Institutional Capacity Framework developed by January 2023.

Final version of framework to be developed by September 2023.

Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, Privy Council Office

Consultations with WAGE on the information requested through departmental reporting (Departmental Plan, Departmental Results Reports) on the implementation of the GBA Plus institutional capacity framework and adjustment of the reporting requirements accordingly (By May 2023 for the DRR and by November 2023 for the DP)

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

3.57

The Privy Council Office, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Department of Women and Gender Equality should, within their respective mandates, work with other departments and agencies to ensure that disaggregated data is sought, compiled and used in the design, delivery, and measurement of all policies, programs, and initiatives.

The Privy Council Office’s response. Agreed. To support its challenge-function role, PCO will develop tools and guidance to facilitate the integration of disaggregated data considerations into policy proposals.

As co‑chair of the recently established Federal Advisory Committee on the Disaggregation of Data, PCO will also provide continued leadership with Statistics Canada to promote and improve collaboration and coordination among federal departments in identifying and addressing data needs to support government efforts to address systemic inequalities.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s response. Agreed. TBS will develop tools and guidance to encourage the development and use of disaggregated data, wherever feasible. This includes in ministerial decisions and in ongoing program administration and would support fulfilment of the analysis and reporting requirements of the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act.

Women and Gender Equality Canada’s response. Agreed. Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) will continue to support efforts by federal partners to improve access to, and availability of, disaggregated data for GBA Plus. Moreover, WAGE will fund and undertake research and data collection related to intersectional gender equality to optimize the availability of data and evidence to inform GBA Plus at all stages of an initiative. WAGE will continue to update its tools and resources to support the collection and use of disaggregated data and other information sources for the application of intersectional GBA Plus.

Departments have additional tools to seek out, compile and use data to carry out GBA Plus

This outcome will be achieved through the following activities:

June 2024

• Funding, undertaking, and disseminating research on intersectional gender equality and inequities.

Through the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan (launched August 2022), fund community-led research, and initiate new data collection and research.) (June 2024)

Develop a three-year Gender Equality Research Plan.(June 2023)

As a centre of expertise, work with key federal partners to develop a plan for making disaggregated data available and accessible to federal departments and agencies.(December 2023)

Work with key federal partners to support data collection, analysis, and publication of research. (annually by December)

Launch Call for Proposals for community-based research. (December 2022)

Disseminate research on gender equality and intersectionality and promote uptake through WAGE’s existing GBV Knowledge Hub and through a new Gender Equality Knowledge Hub/GBA Plus Learning Hub. (December 2023)

Through the Gender Equality Knowledge Hub/GBA Plus Learning Hub, promote and disseminate knowledge on the impact of GBA Plus application in policy or program decision-making. (December 2023 and ongoing)

Director General, Research, Results and Delivery and Centre of Expertise, Women and Gender Equality Canada

• Supporting federal departments and agencies in collecting and using disaggregated data to support evidence-based decision-making.

PCO will include considerations for disaggregated data into a tool with guidance for departments and agencies on the application of GBA Plus in MCs. Initial review of tools/guidance by January 2023. Final review of tools/guidance by September 2023.

PCO will use its co-chair position in the Federal Advisory Committee on the Disaggregation of Data to improve cross-government efforts to address systemic inequities using disaggregated data. Next meeting is January 2023 and work is ongoing.

PCO will continue to promote awareness of approaches that leverage disaggregated data to identify systemic inequities in access to and benefit from government services. Next engagement event, November 2022 and work is ongoing.

Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Result and Delivery Unit, Privy Council Office

Develop and refine guidance to enable departments and agencies to collect and use GBA Plus disaggregated data at the program level (By end of March 2023), including, for instance, by using a linkable file environment where feasible.

Identify initiatives which may provide best practices of how to measure impacts on gender and diversity, which will be highlighted on the Gender and diversity: Impacts of programs webpage (by end of June 2023).

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

3.66

Women and Gender Equality Canada, with the support of the Privy Council Office and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, should, on a regular basis, comprehensively monitor and publicly report on the status of gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) implementation across the federal government, including plans to advance GBA Plus implementation.

The Privy Council Office’s response. Agreed. To support Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) in the monitoring and public reporting on GBA Plus implementation, there will be one annual meeting, involving senior officials, with WAGE to discuss the assessment of GBA Plus implementation.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s response. Agreed. To support Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) in the monitoring and public reporting on GBA Plus implementation, there will be one annual meeting with WAGE, involving senior officials, to discuss the assessment of GBA Plus implementation.

TBS will monitor and report on the status of GBA Plus implementation through the GBA Plus supplementary information table of departmental results reports.

Women and Gender Equality Canada’s response. Agreed. WAGE will continue to improve monitoring and public reporting on the status of GBA Plus implementation across government by

• identifying and implementing various tools to collect information in order to monitor and publicly report on the status of GBA Plus
• improving the annual GBA Plus Implementation Survey by addressing the methodological and other concerns identified by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada
• ensuring public reporting of information that demonstrates progress and challenges at a government‑wide level and over time
• having one annual meeting on the monitoring and public reporting on GBA Plus implementation involving senior officials to discuss the assessment of GBA Plus implementation

Monitoring and reporting on GBA Plus implementation are improved.

These outcomes will be achieved through the following activity:

• Establishing strengthened governance structures to monitor challenges and capacity gaps in GBA Plus.
• Using feedback from departments to inform the design and implementation of new tools, training and resources to promote a better understanding and strengthened application of GBA Plus to decision-making.

June 2024

Establish new governance structures within the federal government to monitor GBA Plus application and provide regular feedback to departments. (September 2023)

Work with key partners to develop and implement tools to more comprehensively monitor and report on the implementation of GBA Plus. (June 2024)

Director General, Research, Results and Delivery and Centre of Expertise, Women and Gender Equality Canada

Continue to make publicly available analysis of gender and diversity impacts of existing expenditure programs  per the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act, which will be published on the corresponding webpage: Gender and diversity: Impacts of programs. (By end of June 2023)

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Actively engage in new WAGE-led governance structures within the federal government to monitor GBA Plus application and provide regular feedback to departments. (September 2023). This includes, for example, supporting WAGE on the monitoring and public reporting of GBA Plus implementation by participating in, at a minimum, an annual meeting involving senior officials (ongoing)

Work closely with WAGE to develop and implement tools to more comprehensively monitor and report on the implementation of GBA Plus (June 2024)

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, Privy Council Office

PCO will facilitate Deputy-level engagement with WAGE to advance GBA Plus implementation and strengthen collaboration on GBA Plus in MCs (ongoing).

Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Development Policy, Privy Council Office

3.76

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should issue guidance to departments and agencies for reporting gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) in their departmental results report that requires complete, accurate, and consistent results that can contribute in a meaningful way to analysis on the progress of GBA Plus implementation and impacts.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s response. Agreed. TBS issues annual guidance for departments and agencies to report consistently on certain core indicators, in the context of their annual reporting under the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act (through the departmental results reports), while also providing flexibility to report on the most relevant GBA Plus aspects of a specific initiative. TBS will continuously review and refine the guidance for departmental results reports to ensure meaningful information is made available to decision makers and the public.

Reporting on GBA Plus implementation and impacts by departments is improved.

This outcome will be achieved through the following activities:

November 2023

• Reviewing and refining the guidance for departmental results reports to ensure meaningful information is made available to decision makers and the public.

Review and refine annual guidance to departments to report on relevant analysis of impacts on gender and diversity as required by the Canadian Gender Budget Act. (By May 2023 for the DRR and by November 2023 for the DP)

Assistant Secretary, Expenditure Management Sector, Treasury Board Secretariat

3.88

Women and Gender Equality Canada, in collaboration with other responsible departments and agencies and central agencies, should

• develop specific and measurable targets for the results frameworks that it leads and to which it contributes
• develop and implement a plan and monitor results to improve the availability of data for the intersectional identity factors relevant to all indicators used in related frameworks

Women and Gender Equality Canada’s response. Agreed. GBA Plus is a tool that generates evidence on inequalities to inform decisions and actions. It does this by allowing for a better understanding of issues and of who is impacted by them, how they are impacted, what barriers can prevent certain individuals or groups from accessing supports to overcome issues, and how initiatives might be tailored to better respond to the unique needs of diverse people. Every person is unique, with lived experience that is shaped by a range of intersecting factors. When undertaking GBA Plus, one needs to consider diverse factors, including age, culture, disability, education, economic status, ethnicity, gender, geography, language, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. While GBA Plus can contribute to the development and implementation of initiatives to advance equality, including gender equality, this analysis alone will not achieve full equality.

Targets for outcomes are policy decisions that need to be assessed in an all‑of‑government context, rather than by any individual department.

To respond to this recommendation, Women and Gender Equality Canada will continue to work with partners across government to develop specific and measurable quantitative indicators to strengthen accountability as it relates to GBA Plus itself and will encourage the development of meaningful quantitative indicators in various equality-related frameworks.

Access to and reporting on data and evidence to monitor GBA Plus impacts is improved.

This outcome will be achieved through the following activities:

December 2024

• Working with key federal partners to develop specific and measurable quantitative indicators to strengthen accountability as it relates to GBA Plus and encouraging the development of meaningful quantitative indicators in various equality-related frameworks.

Work with key delivery partners to develop specific and measurable indicators for Canada’s Gender Results Framework and other federal frameworks related to gender equality (December 2024)

Work with key federal and other partners to develop a plan for the collection and reporting of disaggregated data related to Canada’s Gender Results Framework (December 2024)

Director General, Research, Results and Delivery and Centre of Expertise, Women and Gender Equality Canada