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2021-22 Departmental Plan

The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P.
Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development

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From the Minister

Maryam Monsef

As Minister of Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), I am pleased to present the 2021–22 Departmental Plan. This document lays out our next steps in advancing gender equality in Canada, including accelerated efforts to address the gendered and intersectional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 was the most challenging year in recent Canadian history. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and laid bare the vulnerabilities and inequalities in the systems designed to support the most vulnerable and keep people safe. When this crisis struck, WAGE recognized the danger posed to those facing violence at home. Necessary public health actions resulted in a shadow pandemic, an increase in the severity and frequency of gender-based violence as people were trapped at home. WAGE acted swiftly, providing $100 million in new funding to organizations providing support to women and their families facing violence and introduced flexibilities to existing funding to ensure organizations could keep their doors open to those in need. As a result, more than 1500 organizations were better able to support some of the most vulnerable Canadians through this challenging time. WAGE will continue this work through the 2021-2022 fiscal year, ensuring that organizations working to prevent and respond to gender-based violence have resources they need to keep people safe.

The pandemic hit women hardest with many losing their jobs and taking on more unpaid work. It has been called a "she-session". Women also represent the majority of those on the front lines of the fight against COVID. But we will not allow this crisis to roll back progress or reverse the hard-won gains of women in Canada. WAGE has worked closely with other government departments, provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous leadership, and community organizations to ensure an intersectional feminist lens is applied to the federal response to COVID-19. Through the pandemic, WAGE has co-ordinated a government-wide effort to track and respond to the gendered and intersectional impacts of the pandemic to ensure that our response takes into account the needs of all Canadians. Canada has already been recognized by CARE Canada has having the most gender-responsive COVID response among 30 countries they examined. This work will continue through the next fiscal year, with a focus on providing the most vulnerable with the support they need.

In addition to our ongoing response to COVID-19, in 2021-2022, WAGE will continue our efforts to advance gender equality and create a safer, fairer, more inclusive country. Recognising the critical role that a strong and vibrant women's movement plays in this important work, WAGE will continue to provide historic funding to women's and equality-seeking organizations. Since 2015, we have increased this funding five-fold, supporting organizations that provide programs and services to 6 million Canadians every year. In the next fiscal year, WAGE will allocate over $100 million to these organizations. Understanding the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour, as well as those with disabilities, people living in remote and rural communities, and those living in poverty, this funding will be directed towards initiatives that will ensure an inclusive recovery.

To address the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 economic crisis on women, WAGE will also continue to work with other government departments to put in place the necessary supports to ensure the needs of women are at the centre of recovery efforts. We will support the work to create a Canada-wide early learning and childcare system, a critical element to ensuring women are able to return to the workplace. We will also continue to work with our partners to support the acceleration of the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, and increase women-owned businesses' access to the financing and expertise they need.

More than ever, there is a strong need to prevent and address gender-based violence in our country. Through 2020-2021, work was underway on the creation on a national action plan to address and prevent gender-based violence, building on It's Time: Canada's Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence. Using the Joint Declaration for a Canada free of Gender-based violence as a framework, the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women will continue to work together to ensure anyone in need has access to appropriate and timely services no matter where they live. This is the first time in the more than 35 years that this group of ministers has endorsed such a declaration. Recognizing that Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people are at an increased risk of gender-based violence, this work must align with and reinforce the ongoing work on the National Action Plan on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

2021-2022 provides us an opportunity to address some of the most challenging and pervasive barriers to gender equality. Advancing equality benefits all Canadians and everyone has a role to play. WAGE will continue to deepen its partnerships with organizations, governments, experts and Indigenous leaders to continue to make progress on our shared goals.

The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P.

Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development

Plans at a glance

The Government of Canada is investing in and taking action to address persistent gender inequalities that affect all people in Canada. Recent federal measures to address the long-standing barriers to gender equality have included:

In 2021–22, Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) will continue to build on this progress and advance more equitable economic, political and social outcomes for women, girls, and people of all genders in Canada.

In particular, the department will focus on four priority areas:

Preventing and Addressing Gender-Based Violence

Over the 2021–22 fiscal year, the department's interventions will aim to reduce the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in Canada and strengthen the GBV sector, in order to improve supports and services for people impacted by GBV.

In 2021–22, WAGE will:

Strategic action and engagement to address systemic barriers to gender equality

Strategic actions and engagement, at home and abroad, will address systemic barriers to gender equality, including social, political and economic equality.

In 2021–22, WAGE will:

Ensuring robust GBA+ throughout federal government decision making processes

The Government of Canada has committed to evidence-based decision-making that takes into consideration the impacts of policies on all people in Canada.

In 2021-22, as a centre of gender expertise on Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+), WAGE will:

Supporting community action to advance gender equality

WAGE seeks to support systemic change that promotes a fairer and more productive society for women, girls, and people of all gender identities and expressions.

In 2021–22, WAGE will:

For more information on WAGE's plans, priorities and planned results, see the "Core responsibilities: planned results and resources" section of this report.

Core responsibilities: planned results and resources

Advancing Gender Equality

Description

The Department for Women and Gender Equality advances gender equality for women, including social, economic, and political equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. The department promotes a greater understanding of the intersection of sex and gender with other identity factors that include race, national and ethnic origin, Indigenous origin or identity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic condition, place of residence and disability. The department develops and coordinates policies and programs; and undertakes research and data collection and analyses related to these policies and programs; and raises public awareness through outreach. The department provides advice to government to achieve Canada's gender equality outcomes and goals, including advocacy for gender-based budgeting, and facilitates the advancement of gender equality among other partners and stakeholders, through its expertise, contribution to research, and funding to community initiatives. The department serves as a central point for sharing expertise across Canada and with international partners, and uses this knowledge to inform and support Canada's gender equality priorities.

Planning highlights

Preventing and Addressing Gender-Based Violence

Gender-based violence (GBV) holds us all back. It has long-lasting and negative health, social and economic effects that can span generations, often leading to cycles of violence within families and sometimes whole communities. We all benefit when women, girls, and people of all gender identities and expressions, are able to live their lives to the fullest (News Release- August 2019- Government of Canada Highlights Progress on Gender-Based Violence). While anyone can experience violence, some people are more likely than others to face violence because of their gender, gender expression, gender identity or perceived gender. In Canada, research (Gender-based violence and unwanted sexual behaviours in Canada, 2018: Initial findings from the Survey of safety in Public and Private Spaces and Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2018. Section 2: Police-reported intimate partner violence in Canada, 2018) has found that women in general, particularly young women and girls (Statistics Canada. 2020. Self-reported physical and sexual abuse during childhood and Statistics Canada, 2019. Gender-based violence and unwanted sexual behaviours in Canada, 2018: Initial findings from the Survey of safety in Public and Private Spaces), Indigenous women (Self-reported violent victimization among Indigenous people and Victimization of Aboriginal people in Canada, 2014), women living with disabilities, women living in remote and rural areas (Gender-based violence: Sexual and physical assault in Canada's territories, 2018 and Police-reported violence crime against young women and girls in Canada's Provincial North and Territories, 2017), and LGBTQ2 people are more likely to experience GBV.

Evidence shows that disasters and crisis situations – such as the COVID-19 pandemic – can lead to a rise in GBV. With the public health measures, such as guidelines to stay home, there has been an increase in the rates and severity of some forms of gender-based violence, and there have been added barriers to escaping violent situations.

That is why the Government of Canada provided $100 million in emergency funding to women's shelters, sexual assault centres and other organizations providing GBV services to ensure continuity of supports during the pandemic. Women's Shelters Canada and the Canadian Women's Foundation were key partners in ensuring this funding quickly got to shelters and sexual assault centres and other organizations providing GBV services across Canada, except for the province of Québec, to meet their immediate needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Canada-Québec agreement was also negotiated with the Government of Québec to transfer funds to the province of Québec for distribution to organizations across the province. Over 1,000 organizations across the country received much-needed funding that helped ensure they could continue to support victims and survivors and keep their doors open to those experiencing GBV. Organizations used this funding to enhance cleaning and safety procedures, hire additional staff to manage additional workload, and purchase equipment to help them deliver their services remotely. In 2021-22, WAGE will support work to accelerate investments in shelters and transition housing, in order to support the rights of women and children to build their lives free of violence.

While moving swiftly to address immediate needs of those most at-risk of gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, WAGE, in partnership with provinces and territories, will also continue to advance a National Action Plan to End gender-based violence (GBV National Action Plan) in 2021-22, with a focus on supporting victims, survivors and their families, no matter where they live in Canada. The GBV National Action Plan will build on the foundation laid by It's Time: Canada's Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence (the GBV Strategy), which was launched in 2017 as the first federal, whole-of-government approach to addressing GBV.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed and exacerbated challenges for people experiencing GBV. The need for coordinated national action to prevent and address GBV is more apparent now than ever before. In 2021-22, WAGE will continue to collaborate with victims and survivors; provincial and territorial governments; other federal departments; First Nations, Metis, and Inuit leaders and communities; civil society organizations; advocates; and academics, to identify priority areas and existing gaps in GBV programs and services, to inform the development and implementation of the National Action Plan.

In 2021-22, WAGE will also support the Government of Canada's commitment to implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) Calls to Action and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls's Calls for Justice in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. The GBV National Action Plan will align with and complement the efforts already underway to develop the National Action Plan to Eliminate Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual People. WAGE will ensure the application of a GBA+ lens to the development the GBV National Action Plan, and will also maintain meaningful partnerships with Indigenous researchers, Elders and traditional knowledge keepers to support Indigenous-lead, distinctions-based initiatives that respond to priority areas raised by TRC, as they relate to GBV.

While undertaking the activities above, WAGE will continue to lead and coordinate the federal GBV Strategy. In 2021-22, WAGE will:

Also as part of GBV Strategy, in 2021–22, WAGE will advance efforts to continue work to prevent and address gender-based violence at post-secondary institutions (PSIs). Incidents of sexual assault on school, college, and university campuses remains high with nearly half of all self-reported sexual assaults committed against women aged 15 to 24. Efforts will take into consideration recommendations from the Courage to Act report and will build on P/T action to prevent and address GBV at PSIs.

In order to strengthen knowledge of GBV, the Department will continue to prioritize the funding of research activities, particularly as it affects underserved populations. Since 2018-2019, WAGE has signed 12 contracts to procure research and studies that address gender equality and GBV, totalling $5.2 million. The first results from these projects are expected to be available in 2021-22. In 2021–22, WAGE will work with Statistics Canada and other partners to further analyse the results of three national surveys implemented with funding from the federal GBV Strategy, including the release of seven research papers and other data products. This research will be critical to supporting the development and implementation of policies, programs and other initiatives to address GBV.

In addition, through the GBV Program, WAGE will continue to support organizations working in the GBV sector to develop and implement promising practices to address gaps in supports for Indigenous and other at-risk groups of victims and survivors in Canada. In 2021-22, WAGE will deliver funding to 67 projects under this program, with total planned spending during this period estimated at over $11 million.

Human trafficking is a heinous crime and a form of GBV. Women and girls accounted for 97% of police-identified human trafficking victims in Canada between 2009 and 2018, and 73% victims were women under the age of 25. In 2019, the Government of Canada launched the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, with activities divided across five pillars: empowerment, prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.

In support of this strategy, WAGE established the Human Trafficking Initiative, to deliver funding to organizations to develop, test and implement innovative and promising practices to enhance empowerment supports for at-risk populations and survivors of human trafficking and to reduce their risk of being trafficked and support them in regaining control over their lives. In 2021-22, WAGE will deliver funding to 43 projects to address human trafficking, with total planned spending during this period estimated at over $4.5 million.

In 2021-22, WAGE will continue to support the Government of Canada's actions to prevent harassment and violence in the workplace, including those related to new legislation and regulations that came into force on January 1, 2021.

Data from the Survey on Sexual Misconduct at Work (SSMW) will be released in the reporting period and, in collaboration with Statistics Canada, WAGE will analyze the results to obtain an accurate picture of the nature, extent, and frequency of inappropriate sexual behaviours that occur in a work-related setting.

WAGE will also support the implementation of a comprehensive plan to make the Royal Canadian Mounted Police a safe and supportive work environment for all employees and to address toxic workplace cultures, systemic discrimination and harassment.

Violent extremism continues to occur in Canada. This extremism can take many forms including gender-driven violence, under which falls violent misogyny, anti-LGBTQ2 violence, and violence motivated by a person's gender identity or expression. In 2021-22, WAGE will support action to combat hate groups and online hate and harassment, ideologically motivated violent extremism and terrorist organizations.

In 2021–22, WAGE will also continue to raise awareness and promote action through a public awareness campaign and commemoration events such as the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. 

Strategic Action and Engagement to Address Systemic Barriers to Gender Equality

Despite significant progress on eliminating systemic barriers to gender equality, more needs to be done in order to create a fairer, more inclusive Canada for the benefit of all people in Canada. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and exposed fundamental gaps in our society. Women lost jobs in March 2020 at twice the rate of men, and in May 2020, when the economy started to reopen, increases in employment for men were double that of women. Compounding this issue was the closure of schools and daycare centers, affecting many women's ability to participate in the labour force. Indigenous women, recent immigrant women, female lone parents, senior women, and LGBTQ2 people are disproportionately impacted by poverty and face core housing needs as a result of the pandemic. The Government of Canada's overriding priority is to protect the health and safety of all people in Canada, while supporting them through the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

In order to ensure recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is inclusive, in 2021-22, WAGE will support the collection of disaggregated data and research related to gender equality, specifically in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including for Black, Indigenous and other racialized women, people in rural areas, low-income individuals, and people with disabilities. This effort will enhance WAGE capacity to provide gender expertise and to power a whole-of-government and intersectional feminist approach to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Women entrepreneurs in Canada are key to our economic success as a country and make valuable contributions to our communities. Despite this, women still face unique and systemic barriers to starting and growing a business, and the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women entrepreneurs. The already wide gap for women-owned businesses could be further exacerbated with the closure of schools and daycares, loss of commercial revenue coupled with ongoing capital costs, as well as a lack of access to capital during the pandemic. To confront this issue, the Government of Canada is investing nearly $5 billion in the first ever Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) to advance women's economic empowerment and increase women-owned businesses' access to the financing, talent, networks and expertise they need to start up, scale up, and access new markets. In 2021-22, the Department will support Innovation, Science and Economic Development in the acceleration of the Women's Entrepreneurship Strategy and work across government in order to increase women-owned businesses' access to financing and expertise.

The Government of Canada is committed to standing up for fairness and equality, and an important part of that commitment includes increasing representation in hiring appointments, and leadership development within the Public Service. In 2021-22, WAGE will also work with the Treasury Board Secretariat to develop and implement a government-wide strategy and action plan to accelerate progress on diversity and inclusion, in order to achieve a representative and inclusive public service. The action plan will work to increase the representation of women, Black and racialized people in Canada, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and LGBTQ2 people in Canada in hiring, appointments and leadership development within the Public Service.

In collaboration with Canadian businesses and diversity organizations, the Government of Canada is working to improve access for racialized persons, people who identify as LGBTQ2, people living with disabilities, as well as First Nations, Inuit and Métis persons to positions of influence and leadership on corporate boards and in senior management. The Government is encouraging Canadian organizations to increase the representation and inclusion of diverse groups within their workplace, while highlighting the benefits of giving all people in Canada a seat at the table. In 2021-22, WAGE will support further progress on increasing gender equality and diversity in Canadian companies, including achieving gender parity on Canadian boards and senior management, as well as increasing representation of other under-represented groups, including racialized persons, people living with disabilities (including invisible and episodic disabilities) and members of the LGBTQ2 community, on Canadian board(s) and senior management.

WAGE will also continue to support federal partners in law enforcement and the criminal justice system, to ensure that barriers to gender equality and systemic inequities in the justice system are addressed appropriately. In recognition of disproportionate impacts on groups including Indigenous Peoples and Black Canadians, WAGE will support Justice Canada in the introduction of legislation and other actions to address systemic inequities in the criminal justice system.

Investing in accessible, high-quality child care is not only good for families, it makes good economic sense. It gives children a good start in life and gives parents, especially mothers, the support they need to maintain good jobs and provide for their families. In September 2020, the number of mothers who worked less than half of their usual hours for reasons most likely related to COVID-19 was 70 per cent higher than in February, compared with 24 per cent among fathers. Early childhood educators are often in low wage positions, experience poor working environments, have limited career advancement opportunities and are undervalued. Furthermore, child care providers have been particularly hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial lockdown meant the closure of most child care operations across the country. Even as the economy reopened, the implementation of new public health practices and the uneven return of children in care resulted in financial challenges for many providers, and made more precarious the work of over 280,000 early childhood educators and child care workers across the country, representing 1.6% of the total employed population. 

In 2021-22, WAGE will support Employment and Social Development Canada in making significant, long-term, sustained investment to create a Canada-wide early learning and child care system, including investments in additional before-and-after school spaces for kids under 10. Specifically, WAGE will co-chair two inter-departmental committees with Employment and Social Development Canada, with the objective of facilitating collaboration and information-sharing across the federal government in support of this commitment. In addition, WAGE will engage with stakeholders and provincial/territorial governments to chart a forward path.

WAGE will also continue to work closely with provincial and territorial governments through the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Forum of Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women to develop a three-year strategic plan to advance gender equality, including advancing priorities in the context of COVID-19 and the recovery period that will follow. WAGE will continue to seek guidance and work with the Indigenous Women's Circle (IWC), which consists of a group of Indigenous women leaders and experts, in both the public and private sectors, on the challenges they face and their priorities related to advancing gender equality.

To tackle persistent gaps in research and care, as well as, to advance an intersectional approach in the women's health field, WAGE will continue to collaborate with Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) by providing technical expertise in the creation of a National Women's Health Research Institute.

The Government of Canada continues to embrace its international roles and responsibilities as a world leader in promoting and advancing gender equality, and the full realization of women's human rights. In the 2021-22 year, WAGE will continue to engage with domestic and international partners to advance gender equality and champion the rights and empowerment of women and girls globally. In particular, WAGE will support Canada's participation in the 65th annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW). In addition, WAGE will continue to collaborate with Global Affairs Canada on the Generation Equality Forum. To mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing +25), UN Women, as well as the governments of France and of Mexico, launched the Generation Equality Forum, with the goal of making meaningful progress over the next five years to advance gender equality. This is being achieved through Action Coalitions, partnerships between countries, civil society, and the private sector, in 6 key areas:

Each Action Coalition is expected to develop and implement a set of measurable, scalable and multi-stakeholder actions. As a leader of the Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership, in the 2021-22 year, WAGE and Global Affairs Canada will identify actions and develop a plan, in collaboration with civil society and other partners.

Ensuring Robust GBA+ Throughout Federal Government Decision-Making Process

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives. GBA+ is a tool for understanding how various factors that make up who we are and the world around us interact to shape our experiences and social, health, and economic outcomes. Applying GBA+ to all initiatives ensures that diversity considerations are embedded in the decision-making process, allowing for responsive and inclusive initiatives that meet the needs of diverse groups of people. In 2021-22, WAGE will work with federal partners to undertake an evaluation of GBA+ with the goal of enhancing the framing and parameters of this analytical tool, and with particular attention to the intersectional analysis of race, indigeneity, disability and sexual identity, among other characteristics.

In order to strengthen the tool and the capacity of the public service to use it in all government decision-making, in 2021-22, WAGE will work with other departments and agencies with diversity and inclusion mandates to develop a suite of tools and resources. This includes the development of step-by-step guidance on how to undertake intersectional analysis in the development, implementation and evaluation of policies, programs, legislation and other initiatives. Resources specific to the various factors that shape outcomes, experiences and barriers to equality, will also be developed to support the application of GBA+. The Department will also work in close collaboration with the Canada School of Public Service and other partners in developing and implementing GBA+ training. This includes creating new or adapting existing opportunities for learning and development using virtual platforms and increasing flexibilities for more self-paced and self-directed participation. These efforts will help ensure that more people can take advantage of a broader array of learning opportunities so that rigorous GBA+ is undertaken across a wider range of government activities. By enhancing resources and supports for GBA+, public servants will be better equipped to ensure that equality, diversity, and inclusion issues are understood and considered in the development and implementation of legislation, budgets, and policies and in the design, delivery and evaluation of programs, including COVID-19 recovery measures.

In Budget 2018, the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act was enacted to ensure the inclusion of gender and diversity considerations in all federal budgets. In 2021-22, the Department will continue to work with Finance Canada to improve the quality, scope, and implementation of GBA+ in future budgets.

Over the course of the fiscal year, WAGE will also continue to monitor and report on the implementation and scope, scale and quality of GBA+ across the federal government. Additionally, WAGE will oversee the continued implementation of the analytical tool in planning and reporting activities, and increase available research, evidence, and data on GBA+ in order to support its application on policies and programs across the federal government.

Supporting Community Action to Advance Gender Equality

WAGE works to advance gender equality by supporting community action efforts that recognize diversity. In 2021–22, WAGE will continue to develop and deliver programming to support projects that address systemic barriers to gender equality and build the organizational capacity of equality-seeking organizations, while taking into consideration the emerging challenges and impacts arising from the COVID 19 pandemic. In particular, over the reporting period, WAGE will focus efforts on the following initiatives:

To raise awareness and encourage action and engagement in conversations to further gender equality, the department will undertake initiatives that promote and commemorate gender equality, including International Women's Day, Gender Equality Week, Women's History Month, International Day of the Girl, and Persons Day.

Gender-based analysis plus

WAGE is the lead federal department responsible for advancing gender equality, including with respect to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. Therefore, gender and intersectional identities considerations are fundamental in the design and delivery of all programs and initiatives undertaken as part of our Core Responsibility of Advancing Gender Equality. WAGE has a legislated mandate to promote an intersectional gender lens through the Government-wide implementation of GBA+. This application of an intersectional gender lens will help us to understand better the intersection of sex and gender with other factors, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, Indigenous identity, age, sexual orientation, education, income, geographical location and disability. The tool ensures that diversity considerations are embedded in the decision-making process, allowing for responsive and inclusive initiatives that meet the needs of diverse groups of people. WAGE continues to support the integration of GBA+ throughout the policy, legislation, and program development and evaluation cycle within the federal government.

In order to ensure access to data and evidence to support GBA+, WAGE is undertaking and funding research and data collection to fill existing knowledge gaps. GBA+ is also applied to all of our initiatives to engage people across Canada and our partners on important topics related to gender equality.

United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

As part of the Government of Canada's implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, WAGE will continue to work with Employment and Social Development Canada, the lead federal department, and other responsible federal departments and agencies to implement the SDGs. 

WAGE will collaborate with other federal departments and agencies on the development of a federal plan that will support coordinated implementation across the federal government. Specifically, WAGE will focus on coordination of federal initiatives under SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, including identification of targets and indicators, and monitoring and reporting on progress. This involves working with Statistics Canada to ensure alignment with the Gender Results Framework.

Canada has taken concrete steps to support SDG 5, including the Prime Minister's appointment of a gender-balanced Cabinet, Canada's first-ever Gender Statement as part of a federal budget in Budget 2017, the launch of a federal strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence, and strong investments in gender equality through Budget 2018 and 2019. Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy, implemented by Global Affairs Canada, will play a key role in supporting SDG 5 abroad by helping to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls internationally. WAGE continues to support the application of Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) across the federal government and the whole-of-government implementation of the SDGs, which will contribute to progress on SDG 5 (gender equality).

Planned results for Advancing Gender Equality

Departmental results: The Department's interventions facilitate the advancement of gender equality
Departmental result indicator Target Date to achieve target 2017-18
Actual results
2018-19 Actual results 2019-20 Actual results
Percentage of projects funded by the Department that have an impact on reducing systemic barriers to gender equality At least 85%Table note 1 March 2021Table note 1 Not availableTable note 2 89% Not availableTable note 3
Percentage of stakeholders that applied knowledge or resources from the Gender-Based Violence Knowledge Centre Greater than 75% March 2020 Not availableTable note 2 Not availableTable note 4 86%
Number of partnerships or coalitions with governments, and international, Indigenous, civil society, private sector, women's and equality-seeking organizations At least 1,200Table note 1 March 2021Table note 1 Not availableTable note 2 1,261 1,292
Number of federal government data and research gaps filled as identified by the Interdepartmental Committee on Gender Equality Not availableTable note 5 Not availableTable note 5 Not availableTable note 5 Not availableTable note 5 45
Departmental results: The federal government systematically considers gender equality
Departmental result indicator Target Date to achieve target 2017-18
Actual results
2018-19 Actual results 2019-20 Actual results
Percentage of federal organizations satisfied with the Department's tools and resources to incorporate gender equality considerations into their work Greater than 68% March 2020 Not availableTable note 2 99% Not availableTable note 6
Number of major new federal initiatives (e.g. policies and programs) that include specific measures to advance gender equality Not availableTable note 1 Not availableTable note 1 Not availableTable note 2 58 Not availableTable note 6

Financial, human resources and performance information for the WAGE's program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Planned budgetary financial resources for Advancing Gender Equality
2021–22 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2021–22
planned spending
2022–23
planned spending
2023–24
planned spending
111,716,737 111,716,737 116,605,325 137,530,069

Financial, human resources and performance information for WAGE's program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Planned human resources for Advancing Gender Equality
2021–22
planned full-time equivalents
2022–23
planned full-time equivalents
2023–24
planned full-time equivalents
231 224 190

Financial, human resources and performance information for the WAGE's program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Internal Services: planned results

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of Programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct services that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are:

Planning highlights

Over the reporting period, the department will continue to strengthen internal services functions, including those related to Human Resources and integrated services processes. Efforts will be maintained to prepare WAGE's offices and staff for an eventual return to the worksite following the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with local, provincial, and federal public health measures. The department will also continue to support staff in working in a virtual environment by providing the tools and equipment required to continue to deliver on the mandate of the department, in alignment with Treasury Board guidance.

Enabling tools and processes

As part of the government's approach to information technology (IT) and information management (IM), WAGE will continue to strengthen its digital capacity to ensure operational efficiency based on user collaboration, while continuing to strengthen cybersecurity. To this end, WAGE will:

WAGE will also continue its efforts to ensure that all its staff are equipped with the necessary equipment to maintain the required efficiency and productivity, while adapting and optimizing its internal processes, whether in terms of financial controls, acquisitions and contracting or asset management.

Strong human resources processes

To strengthen and optimize its workforce capacity, WAGE will promote evidence-based human resources management through the implementation of robust processes and tools in support of integrated planning, which will aim to:

Diversity and Inclusion within WAGE

WAGE will continue to implement commitments to an inclusive workplace, including by integrating diversity and inclusion commitments and considerations at all levels of the organization.

In particular, in the 2021-22 year, the department will leverage the expertise of its Diversity and Inclusion Committee to:

Supporting well-being in the workplace

WAGE will continue to implement commitments to a safe and healthy workplace, including by:

Planned budgetary financial resources for Internal Services
2021–22 budgetary spending
(as indicated in Main Estimates)
2021–22
planned spending
2022–23
planned spending
2023–24
planned spending
13,830,794 13,830,794  13,958,715  13,379,273
Planned human resources for Internal Services
2021–22
planned full-time equivalents
2022–23
planned full-time equivalents
2023–24
planned full-time equivalents
101 98 94

Spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the department's planned spending and human resources for the next three consecutive fiscal years and compares planned spending for the upcoming year with the current and previous years' actual spending.

Planned spending

Departmental spending 2018–19 to 2023–24

The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory) spending over time.

Departmental spending 2018–19 to 2023–24 graph
Text version of graph

In the table below, the numbers value is: $ thousands.

  2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023-24
Statutory 913 3,863 75,781 4,658 4,535 3,999
Voted 36,576 110,684 146,259 120,890 126,029 146,910
Total 37,489 114,547 222,040 125,548 130,564 150,909

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services

The following table shows actual, forecast and planned spending for each of WAGE's core responsibilities and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

Core responsibilities and Internal Services 2018–19
expenditures
2019–20
expenditures
2020–21
forecast spending
2021–22 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) 2021–22
planned spending
2022–23
planned spending
2023–24
planned spending
Advancing Gender Equality 31,326,456 99,260,478 207,728,691 111,716,737 111,716,737 116,605,325 137,530,069
Subtotal 31,326,456 99,260,478 207,728,691 111,716,737 111,716,737 116,605,325 137,530,069
Internal Services 6,162,713 15,286,031 14,310,926 13,830,794 13,830,794 13,958,715 13,379,273
Total 37,489,169 114,546,509  222,039,617 125,547,531 125,547,531 130,564,040 150,909,342

The Department for Women and Gender Equality was created on December 13, 2018, therefore, expenditures for 2018–19 are for the period of December 13, 2018 to March 31, 2019. The decrease in planned spending for 2021–22 is a result of one-time funding received in support of Canada's COVID-19 pandemic response and to time-limited Budget 2018 funding to support the sustainability of women's and equality-seeking organizations through the Women's Program, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Commemoration Fund.

The increase in planned spending for 2022–23 and 2023–24 are primarily attributable to new ongoing and time-limited funding received in Budget 2019 for advancing gender equality in Canada.

Planned human resources

The following table shows actual, forecast and planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) for each core responsibility in WAGE's departmental results framework and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services
Core responsibilities and Internal Services 2018–19
actual full‑time equivalents
2019–20
actual full‑time equivalents
2020–21
forecast full‑time equivalents
2021–22
planned full‑time equivalents
2022–23
planned full‑time equivalents
2023–24
planned full‑time equivalents
Advancing Gender Equality 47 208 222 231 224 190
Subtotal 47 208 222 231 224 190
Internal Services 29 92 99 101 98 94
Total 76 300 321 332 322 284

The Department for Women and Gender Equality was created on December 13, 2018, therefore, actual full-time equivalents for 2018–19 are only for the period of December 13, 2018 to March 31, 2019.

Increases in full-time equivalents since 2020-21 are mainly due to new investments received through Budget 2019. Decreases in requirements for full-time equivalents starting in 2022-23 are attributable to time-limited initiatives that are set to end.

Estimates by vote

Information on the WAGE's organizational appropriations is available in the 2021–22 Main Estimates.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future‑oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the WAGE's operations for 2020–21 to 2021–22.

The amounts for forecast and planned results in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The amounts for forecast and planned spending presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future‑oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, are available on WAGE's website.

Future‑oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2022 (dollars)
Financial information 2020–21 forecast results 2021–22 planned results Difference
(2021–22 planned results minus
2020–21 forecast results)
Total expenses 227,978,583 131,666,467 (96,312,116)
Total revenues - - -
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 227,978,583 131,666,467 (96,312,116)

The difference between 2021–22 planned results and 2020–21 forecast results is primarily attributable to additional funding received in 2020–21 to:

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister(s): The Honourable Maryam Monsef

Institutional head: Guylaine Roy

Ministerial portfolio: Department for Women and Gender Equality

Enabling instrument(s): Department for Women and Gender Equality Act

Year of incorporation / commencement: 2018

Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

"Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do" is available on Women and Gender Equality Canada's website.

For more information on the department's organizational mandate letter commitments, see the "Minister's mandate letter" and "Minister's Supplementary mandate letter".

Operating context

Information on the operating context is available on Women and Gender Equality Canada’s website.

Reporting framework

WAGE's approved Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory for 2021–22 are as follows.

Departmental Results Framework Core Responsibility:
Advancing Gender Equality
Internal Services
Departmental Result 1:
The Department's interventions facilitate the advancement of gender equality
Indicator 1: Percentage of projects funded by the Department that have an impact on reducing systemic barriers to gender equality
Indicator 2: Percentage of stakeholders that applied knowledge or resources from the Gender-Based Violence Knowledge Centre
Indicator 3: Number of partnerships or coalitions with governments, and international, Indigenous, civil society, private sector, women's and equality-seeking organizations
Indicator 4: Number of federal government data and research gaps filled as identified by the Interdepartmental Committee on Gender Equality
Departmental Result 2:
The federal government systematically considers gender equality
Indicator 5: Percentage of federal organizations satisfied with the Department's tools and resources to incorporate gender equality considerations into their work
Indicator 6: Number of major new federal initiatives (e.g. policies and programs) that include specific measures to advance gender equality
Program Inventory Program: Expertise and Outreach
Program: Community Action and Innovation

Supporting information on the program inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the WAGE's program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on WAGE's website:

Federal tax expenditures

WAGE's Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures that relate to its planned results for 2021–22.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance, and the Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government­‑wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis. The tax measures presented in this report are solely the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Organizational contact information

WAGE website

For financial information, contact:
Stéphane Lavigne
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director
Corporate Services Branch
Telephone: 819-420-6825
Email: Stephane.Lavigne@cfc-swc.gc.ca 

For other information, contact:
Lisa Smylie
Director General, Research, Results and Delivery
Telephone: 819-420-6508
Email: Lisa.Smylie@cfc-swc.gc.ca

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)
Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3‑year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.
departmental priority (priorité ministérielle)
A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.
departmental result (résultat ministériel)
A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments' immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.
departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
A framework that connects the department's core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.
Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report on a department's actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
experimentation (expérimentation)
The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.
full‑time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person‑year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full‑time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person's collective agreement.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])
An analytical process used to assess how diverse 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.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2021–22 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government's agenda in the 2020 Speech from the Throne, namely: Protecting Canadians from COVID-19; Helping Canadians through the pandemic; Building back better – a resiliency agenda for the middle class; The Canada we're fighting for.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative where two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
non‑budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement)
What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)
The process of communicating evidence‑based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.
A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
program (programme)
Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
Identifies all the department's programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department's core responsibilities and results.
result (résultat)
An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization's influence.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
strategic outcome (résultat stratégique)
A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization's mandate, vision and core functions.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.
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