Gender-based analysis (GBA) Plus

Table of contents

Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus governance and capacity

Governance

Public Safety Canada (PS) remains committed to ensuring the application of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) in the development and implementation of its policies and programs, and management of its operations to inform the Department’s work to keep all Canadians safe.

The Department’s de-centralized governance model for GBA Plus ensures that the responsibility to advance the implementation of GBA Plus is shared across the Department. This includes improving and maintaining GBA Plus capacity and applying GBA Plus considerations to all aspects of the Department's mandate:

The GBA Plus Centre of Expertise will continue to work with the Diversity and Inclusion Secretariat as well as all relevant Departmental forums such as the READI (Respect, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion) Committee, employee networks, and any other employees/teams within PS to identify opportunities to further integrate GBA Plus in Departmental policies and programs.

Capacity

In 2025 to 2026, Public Safety Canada’s GBA Plus Centre of Expertise will:

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

Within Public Safety Canada, 11 FTEs are dedicated to GBA Plus. This number includes the GBA Plus Champion, the Centre of Expertise team, the advisors who support the GBA Plus Advisor Network, the Chief Data Officer, and the Bias, Sensitive, Diversity and Inclusion Team.

Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program

Program: National Security Leadership

Core responsibility

National Security

Program goals

Under this Program, national security policy, legislation, and programs that contribute to the government's ability to counter current and emerging threats are developed and implemented. Data will be used to understand the impact of the various national security initiatives led by the Department to refine the approach and mitigate any negative impact, in particular on vulnerable populations.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: Office of the National Counter-Foreign Interference Coordinator (ONCFIC)

In 2025 to 2026, the ONCFIC will be leading whole-of-government coordination and engagement, and public outreach, with domestic and international partners related to Foreign Interference (FI). This includes Canadian diaspora communities and Provincial and Territorial governments, as well as international partners such as the G7. The objective will be to increase awareness of FI threats and actions to build community resiliency and trust in the Government of Canada’s ability to address the threats through new counter-FI legislation introduced through Bill C-70, An Act Respecting Countering Foreign Interference. 

While all Canadians are exposed to foreign interference, the impacts of the latter are more present within some Canadian diaspora communities. Diaspora communities are a common target of foreign interference and transnational repression (TNR). Engaging and consulting with these Canadian communities at-risk of TNR is a priority for the ONCFIC. Although the engagement and data collection methodologies have not been finalized, they will be developed and implemented in a manner that will support qualitative and quantitative GBA Plus analysis. For example, feedback received from stakeholders during planned cross-country regional engagement sessions with community groups will help to inform a qualitative and quantitative analysis of impacts of the ONCFIC’s activities. Further, once established the Foreign Influence Transparency Registry (FITR), will provide an additional source of qualitative data to support the analysis.

Initiative 2: Office of the Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner (FITCO)

In 2025 to 2026, Public Safety Canada will continue its work to create the FITCO.

The Foreign Influence Transparency Registry (FITR), seeks to reduce foreign interference (FI) in Canada. This will enhance transparency and accountability of foreign influence activities domestically. As community groups are frequently the targets of FI, any initiative aimed at reducing this threat is expected to have a positive impact on populations most vulnerable to FI.

Although the engagement, data collection requirements, and methodologies have not been finalized, they will be developed in a manner that will support GBA Plus analysis. In addition, the team standing up the FITCO will develop a strategy to address outstanding GBA Plus considerations and intersectionality factors in close consultation with community groups.

To help carefully design the FITR, address concerns and mitigate any potential adverse impacts on certain groups, the Department has already engaged on countering FI with groups in the Chinese, Indian, Muslim, and Jewish communities to build long-lasting trust and relationships.

The FITCO will develop guidance material and undertake further outreach efforts, supported by a sustained public communication campaign to reduce any potential stigma that my be attached to the registration scheme. This way, those who comply with the FITR requirements would be supporting the transparency and national security objectives of Canada. Outreach and engagement activities will be appropriately tailored to various community groups to address their concerns, and further developed and elaborated in 2025 to 2026, targeting Summer 2025.

There remains a risk that the FITR may lead to an increased stigmatization of certain groups in Canada. It is difficult to fully quantify and assess the risk level until the FITCO becomes operational. Correctives actions might be implemented later to improve the work of the Office.

As an additional precautionary measure, the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act includes a 5-year Parliamentary review (i.e., starting in 5 years from 2024) and is subject to the review by the National Security Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the National Security Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA).

Initiative 3: Counter Terrorism Strategy

While sufficient GBA Plus disaggregated data is not currently collected for the Counter Terrorism Strategy, the Department is committed to establishing a systematic approach for tracking and quantifying the measurable impacts of identity and diversity factors within its programs and policy teams, if the renewal advances. Recognizing the inherent complexity of this endeavor, Public Safety Canada anticipates an incremental integration of its procedures to track the results over time.

Several major initiatives will be implemented to advance Departmental commitment to GBA Plus standards and principles when renewing the Secure Air Travel Act (SATA) List. Building on our assessment of the impacts on diverse groups, our primary focus will be on refining existing processes and introducing innovative strategies when evaluating individuals. The Program will also provide advice to help the Minister of Public Safety make the appropriate decision during our renewal periods. Additionally, we are dedicated to monitoring and evaluating the progress of ongoing initiatives, with the view of mitigating potential bias, and ensuring that they align with Public Safety Canada’s overarching goals and comply with GBA methodology and standards.

Program: Critical Infrastructure

Core responsibility

National Security

Program goals

The intent of the Critical Infrastructure (CI) Program is to develop and implement policies to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure in Canada, and to coordinate with partners to manage broad-scale protection efforts. Individual CI programs administered by the Department are not structured to collect GBA Plus data to enable the monitoring and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity, as they are focused on enhancing the resilience of physical and digital CI in Canada.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure

A dedicated GBA Plus Data Collection Plan is not yet in place for the 2009 National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure (CI) Strategy. However, the Department is committed to support efforts and approaches for tracking and quantifying the measurable impacts of identity and diversity factors within its programs and policy teams. Recognizing the inherent complexity of this endeavor, Public Safety Canada anticipates an incremental integration of its procedures to track the results over time.

During the department’s efforts to modernize its approach to security and resilience of CI, the CI Directorate (CID) commits to explore options for GBA Plus integration into its business processes and considerations over the next two fiscal years.

CID engagements with a variety of diverse public and private stakeholders through its ongoing work to support CI security and resilience under the National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure. In delivering its mandate, CID works with public and private stakeholders from all ten critical infrastructure sectors, from all provinces and territories and jurisdictions, and academia. Stakeholders are recognized as the subject matter experts, and operational and service provider professionals.

Program: Cyber Security

Core responsibility

National Security

Program goals

Through the Cyber Security Program, Public Safety Canada coordinates development of policies, legislation, programs, and regulatory frameworks which aim to enhance Canada’s ability to respond to current and emerging cyber security threats. The Cyber Security Program will diversify the disaggregated data it collects to better reflect the diverse cyber landscape and workforce.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: National Cyber Security Strategy

The Cyber Security Program is working towards increasing the collection of disaggregated data in support of the National Cyber Security Strategy.

A diverse workforce is essential for representing the various needs and perspectives of all Canadians. As the cyber landscape continues to evolve, Canada will require a larger cyber security workforce to manage emerging cyber security threats. Currently, joining the cyber security workforce can be limiting for job-seekers, which impacts the diversity of Canada’s cyber security workforce and the growth of Canada’s cyber security industry. As an example, Canada’s cyber workforce is lacking individuals from rural areas across Canada, due in part to the lack of high-speed Internet access. 

Of note, the Cyber Security Program already collects some disaggregated data on Canada’s cyber security workforce through its yearly Survey on Cyber Security and Cybercrime (CSCSC) that allows it to measure emerging trends. The Survey considers the academic level, gender, and population group breakdown of employees in a business. Still, a priority is to collect and monitor additional disaggregated data on identity and diversity factors for intersectionality analysis, to better understand and mitigate gaps.

As such, the Cyber Security Program aims to improve its collection of disaggregated data on attributes like the region, gender and population group of participants involved in Departmental consultations, and of respondents of the CSCSC. This improved collection plan will allow the Cyber Security Program to better understand the current demographics in Canada’s cyber security industry, by collecting data through a more detailed intersectional lens in the 2025 Survey. It will also enable the Program to measure how its current and future initiatives impact these demographics. Ultimately, this process should improve the diversity of Canada’s Cyber Security industry.

The Program will continue to collaborate with Statistics Canada to explore additional survey questions that could provide further information on diversity while balancing the need for privacy. This could include questions that would allow a better understanding of the sectors to which organizations belong, and the provinces and territories in which organizations are located.

Additionally, the Cyber Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Working Group co-led by Public Safety Canada and the Communications Security Establishment supports the application of intersectional analysis tools related to cyber-oriented Bias, Sensitivity, Diversity and Identity (BSDI) and GBA Plus considerations. These tools aim to identify, reduce and prevent inequality in the cyber security space by developing strategic approaches to include BSDI considerations in the Government of Canada cyber landscape. This working group could provide insights on how to best expand the CSCSC for GBA Plus purposes. It is anticipated that these initiatives will have a positive impact on diverse groups by identifying any gaps in cyber-related GBA Plus analysis.

The Program will continue improving its use of GBA Plus analysis in its policy development and procedures. The National Cyber Security Directorate will strive to ensure all employees receive GBA Plus certifications. Moreover, the Cyber Security Program aims to continue its work with federal partners to increase GBA Plus capacity-building. This includes building best practices and continuing data collection, research and analysis of GBA Plus and on intersectionality factors in the cyber community.

Initiative 2: Cyber Security and Diplomacy Initiative (Indo-Pacific Strategy)

Through disaggregated data collected during the international engagements that occur under the Cyber Security and Diplomacy Initiative, Public Safety Canada (PS) is able to monitor and report on the program’s impacts on gender and diversity. First, GBA Plus considerations are evaluated when determining who is the best fit to represent PS at events and engagements in the region in order to ensure a balanced representation.

Second, the reports developed following these events and engagements also track the occurrence of discussions and events related to gender, identity factors and cyber security. Through 2025 to 2026, this same qualitative data will be collected during events and engagements so that representation and discussions related to GBA Plus continue to be monitored.

As this initiative is part of the broader Indo-Pacific Strategy, Global Affairs Canada as the lead for the Strategy also collects data to monitor and report on the program’s GBA Plus impacts.

Program: Crime Prevention

Core responsibility

Community Safety

Program goals

Through the Crime Prevention Program, Public Safety Canada works with stakeholders to prevent and reduce crime in populations and communities most at risk and to build resilience in the face of threats to safety and well-being. In 2025 to 2026, GBA Plus will be applied by analyzing the Annual Performance Reports (APRs) for information on the gender and other diversity factors of program participants. Disaggregated APR data will be analyzed and used to report on progress and to measure the impact of the program. This could lead to the identification of gaps, lessons-learned, best practices, and/or the potential need for corrective actions.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: Canada Community Safety Program

The Canada Community Safety Program (CCSP) is designed to respond to the security needs of diverse communities in Canada. The objectives of the CCSP include: a reduction and mitigation of the harm caused by incidents of hate-motivated crime in targeted areas; target communities are equipped to address the risk of hate-motivated crime at their community gathering spaces; and increased awareness of the particular challenges faced by communities at risk of hate-motivated crime. The program provides funding to enhance the security of community gathering spaces that serve communities at risk of being targeted by hate-motivated crime. In Canada, most hate crimes are motivated by race/ethnicity, religion, and sex and gender-based issues. Accordingly, the majority of CCSP funding is provided to organizations representing diverse religious and ethnic groups.

The CCSP collects a range of data to enable it to report program impacts by diversity factors. CCSP applicants are asked to identify the community they represent (e.g., religious affiliation, ethnic group, gender identity, or other identity factors), and to provide information on the gathering space for which they are seeking enhanced security measures. In addition, program recipients are asked to complete a final report after program completion. As funding is provided to private, not for profit organizations for security enhancements, it is not feasible for the program to collect data on the gender of users of the gathering spaces. Requesting information on gender in the Annual Performance Report would be impractical (given the large volume of people that enter religious facilities during special events), and would place an undue burden on the organizations, many of which are run by volunteers. As well, those attending events at religious or other facilities may not be comfortable being asked their gender when attending an event. The program does, however, regularly assess the evolving needs of communities in Canada, in an effort to better protect communities that are vulnerable to hate-motivated crime.

Initiative 2: National Crime Prevention Strategy Funding

Three of the four funding programs under the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) – the Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF), the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF) and the Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund (NICPF) – collect disaggregated data to enable these to report program impacts by gender and diversity. The 2024 NCPS call for applications for the CPAF, YGPF and the NICPF was launched on November 1, 2024. Their prioritized population groups include Indigenous and racialized youth.

The NCPS programs emphasize Diversity and Inclusion by prioritizing projects that serve underrepresented communities—groups facing barriers to funding despite significant needs. Applicants are evaluated based on the number of underrepresented communities and the adequacy of addressing these communities' needs. Several standard Diversity and Inclusion questions have been added to the NCPS programs’ program application templates. For this, projects must identify their primary target populations through eight demographic and regional questions. These include specifying the project's geographic focus (e.g., remote, rural, urban, or Indigenous communities) and selecting up to four demographic categories (e.g., women, 2SLGBTQQIA+, Indigenous Peoples, racialized groups, youth, persons with disabilities, or newcomers). This structured approach ensures that funded projects align with NCPS objectives, promote equity, and effectively address the diverse needs of Canada’s communities.

Due to the time required to review applications and prepare new funding agreements following the 2024 call for applications, the Department anticipates collecting and sharing Annual Performance Reports (APR) information on the new projects in the 2026 to 2027 Departmental Results Report.

Quantitative and qualitative reporting on current projects will be provided in APRs and Activity Reports. Data on program impacts by gender and diversity factors are collected through the APR, which NCPS program recipients are required to complete. Reporting data will be collected in Qualtrics using the standardized APR template. Qualtrics is an online survey tool where users can build and distribute surveys, collect responses, and analyze response data, all from within the same platform. For the direct intervention projects that work with youth and communities, expected impacts on diverse population groups (e.g., girls/boys, Indigenous, racialized, rural/urban participants) include reduction in risk factors and increase in protective factors to prevent involvement in criminal behaviors. Risk factors include anti-social behaviours and negative peer groups, that indicate a propensity for a criminal trajectory. Projects also promote protective factors, like positive role models and cultural and school attachments, to deter youth from crime.

Initiative 3: National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence and Community Resilience Fund

The Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence (Canada Centre) continues to apply GBA Plus principles as part of its approach to preventing and countering violent extremism, in line with the National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence. The Strategy emphasizes the importance that policy development, programming and research should be designed to address the combinations of factors that can create risk and/or vulnerability for involvement in violent extremism; are important for identifying strengths and protective factors relevant to prevention; and must be considered to avoid potential bias and harmful unintended consequences when gender and other identity factors are not systematically considered.

As such, the Canada Centre has invested in a range of initiatives to help better identify what identity and diversity factors are relevant for what context, and to monitor their impacts on populations. These include a project led by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) examining how gender and socialization impacts radicalization to violence in gaming spaces, as well as a project examining the intersections between violent misogyny and radicalization to violence, led by the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence. These have also led to a better identification of important trends such as how gender-driven forms of violent extremism are manifesting online and offline.

An important upcoming development for 2025 to 2026 is that the Canada Centre is building a new data integration and analysis team, consisting of 5 FTEs over a period of three years, which will help expand capability to bring together the wide range of evidence produced and trends identified. This team will also generate more data-driven knowledge products to help inform decision-making, policy, programming and key stakeholder audiences. This expansion is expected to increase the Canada Centre capacity to report on GBA Plus-related impacts through the provision of additional disaggregated data.

This additional in-house capability will help draw more evidence from how the Community Resilience Fund (CRF) grants and contributions program centrally integrates GBA Plus considerations in its criteria for selection projects, as well as design and implementation of the Program with an eye to reducing any potential unintended outcomes for the target populations. Application requirements of the CRF demand recipients to demonstrate how their programming is expected to integrate considerations of gender, and other identity factors to identify potential impact on vulnerable communities. This requirement is part of how Public Safety Canada incorporates human rights and gender informed approaches and is inclusive of civil society, as demonstrated through the multiplicity of partnerships and funding agreements in place.

GBA Plus standards and associated intersectionality analysis are also used to help inform funding priorities and application assessments by identifying and tracking impacts on key at-risk populations and communities. These impacts include how various prevention or intervention techniques may impact various populations differently, as well and the environments, messengers, and narratives that are most conducive to successful engagement.

Funding recipients are also required to apply GBA Plus standards in their service delivery, and report on these activities via the Annual Performance Reports (APRs). To improve GBA Plus monitoring and reporting, the standardized APR piloted in 2024 incorporates a reporting section for client-facing programs to disaggregate the characteristics of program participants by gender and age, as well as the impacts and outcomes of the project by demographic variances.

This new APR template also requires recipients to identify identity factors (including ethnicity, religion, Indigeneity, disability), and socio-economic status of the target population with whom the Program will be engaging. The results of the APRs combined with project reports throughout the CRF cycle provide significant data to indicate program impacts by GBA Plus standards. These reporting requirements could ultimately lead to the identification of gaps, bias, lessons-learned, best practices, and/or the potential need for corrective actions. This process will be upheld throughout 2025 to 2026, with a revised version of the APR likely to be launched by April of 2025.

Program: Law Enforcement and Policing

Core responsibility

Community Safety

Program goals

The Law Enforcement and Policing Program's mandate fulfills the Minister's legislative responsibilities to initiate, recommend, coordinate, implement and promote policing policies, programs, projects, and specific accountabilities associated with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, including the establishment of strategic priorities. Building on data from a survey instrument that was initially launched in late 2024, information on the safe storage of firearms practices will examine the segmentation and intersectionality of firearm owners and how varying factors influence safe storage practices including gender, ethnicity, income, and environment, where possible, and will drive further GBA plus analysis on firearms research.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP)

Information such as gender, age, and region of residence (i.e., forward sortation area) and other intersectional factors (e.g., individuals who self-identified as requiring a firearm to hunt or trap in order to sustain themselves or their families) are already captured as part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) Canadian Firearms Information System (CFIS), a requirement to obtain a Possession and Acquisition License (PAL). Public Safety Canada will leverage its Information Sharing Agreement with the RCMP to obtain this information, which will inform Program planning as well as enable the Program to validate personal licensing data needed for participation in the ASFCP once launched in 2025. Individuals will voluntarily provide consent to the ASFCP to have their personal information used for GBA Plus analysis, monitoring and reporting. There will also be an option through the Web portal for individuals to voluntarily provide additional information associated with identity factors. Collected disaggregated data will support the analysis of Program impacts on regions across Canada, and various population groups, such as Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, providing insight into who benefits from the Program. The data will be used to monitor outcomes and inform similar programs in the future. It could also lead to corrective actions or improvements of the ASFCP.

Initiative 2: Bill C-21 and Firearms Provisions

In 2025 to 2026, Public Safety Canada (PS) will enter into a new three-year partnership with Statistics Canada for the provision of annual Juristat reports. These reports will include quantitative disaggregated data on Canadians impacted by firearms-related crime as well as analysis on police-reported trends (by province, territory, census metropolitan areas, and Urban/rural South/rural North); and comparison of overall crime rates across years. Intersectionality analysis, where possible given the sample size, will enable PS to develop firearms policy which considers the demographic profiles of perpetrators and victims of firearms-related crime to address the need for inclusive policy development. It will also allow PS to assess the impacts of the legislation on diverse populations.

The Department will also enter into a two-year partnership with the Privy Council Office (PCO)’s Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU) to conduct a behavioural science research project focused on safe firearms storage. The project includes a review and synthesis of existing literature, qualitative data gathering (e.g., interviews or focus groups), and quantitative data gathering through a small, but nationally representative survey that launched in December 2024.The survey explores critical questions around firearm safety through a behavioural science lens, focusing on the segmentation of firearm owners and the factors (e.g. personal, social and environmental) influencing safe firearm storage. Socioeconomic data will be collected in order to contribute to analysis to inform future policy and awareness initiatives. Data will also support the development of more targeted awareness initiatives.  

Initiative 3: Contract Policing

In 2025 to 2026, Public Safety Canada will continue engagement to further clarify a future vision for bo contract policing in Canada and prepare for the renegotiation of the Police Service Agreements (PSAs) in 2032. These discussions will not result in implementing specific outcomes until the implementation of new PSAs beginning in 2032. As such, it is not anticipated that there will be impacts to police service delivery or on any population groups in Canada at this time.

Policing is a shared responsibility in Canada. In this regard, provinces and territories are responsible for the administration of justice and have a lead role to play in engaging their jurisdictions to inform their visions for policing. The scope of engagement is focussed on provinces and territories, as those primarily responsible for the Provincial or Territorial (PT) PSA. The purpose of these discussions is to ensure that Canada and PTs are informed and prepared to seek renegotiation mandates and can be prepared to commence renegotiations well in advance of the expiry of the PSAs.

In 2023 to 2024, Public Safety Canada engaged with provinces, territories and municipalities, Indigenous partners and other stakeholders to assess the RCMP contract policing program. Qualitative participant feedback were summarized in the «What We Heard» report made publicly available in May 2024, which highlighted key considerations regarding the impacts of the Contract Policing program on diverse population groups. The document served as a foundation for the identification of the principles and key thematic areas being considered.

To illustrate, the report showed that the Territories face unique socio-economic and demographic challenges. Further discussions will take place with contract partners through the Contract Management Committee (CMC), to better understand the unique challenges faced by populations in the Territories. Discussions may contemplate establishing a vision for policing in the North that meets the unique needs of the populations living on the territories.

The Department anticipates that PSA renegotiations will ultimately impact diverse population groups, including according to identity and diversity factors (gender, racialized people, Indigenous status) and region of residence. As discussions further refine a policing vision post-2032, methodologies to measure impacts on those populations will be determined.

This process may enable police to become more responsive to issues impacting women such as gender-based violence. Alternatively, it may contribute to the reduction of the overrepresentation of Indigenous and racialized men in the justice system. It may also support measures that promote increased health and well-being for men and women in the RCMP via culture change initiatives.

New policing models have the potential outcome of becoming more responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable or marginalized populations, including those with mental health and substance use issues, those facing homelessness and racialized and Indigenous peoples, who are impacted by the legacies of institutionalized racism and colonialism within policing structures, and are overrepresented in the justice system.

Outside of engagements on future of policing, the Contract Management Committee will continue to function as an information sharing forum to foster timely consultation and collaboration on issues affecting the governance, cost and quality of police services or a RCMP program, prior to inform decisions. RCMP program leads will be responsible for collecting sufficient disaggregated data, according to methodologies determined internally by their department, to enable them to monitor and report on specific program impacts by gender and other diversity factors.

Initiative 4: Police Transitions

There is no direct application of GBA Plus to municipal police transitions. As a consequence, Public Safety Canada (PS) will not be monitoring or reporting on gender and other diversity issues. In 2025 to 2026 and beyond, PS will continue to plan and implement policing model transitions in Surrey, British Columbia and Grande Prairie, Alberta. PS’ role is to collaborate with provincial and municipal partners, the RCMP and the new municipal police services to plan, manage and implement police transitions. This is achieved through the establishment of overarching mechanisms and instruments with provinces or municipalities that define federal principles, scope and parameters of transitions, as well as federal financial and operational supports to complete transitions.

PS is not involved in operational service delivery of transitions. Accordingly, the Department is not mandated to engage with communities or measure the impacts of transitions on local police service delivery. In Canada, provinces are responsible for the administration of justice in their jurisdictions, including policing. This means they have constitutional authority to set policing priorities, goals and objectives according to the needs of their respective jurisdictions.

Initiative 5: Bill C-20

Bill C-20 received Royal Assent on October 31, 2024, and could take some time to come into force. Therefore it is too early to know whether the implemented Public Complaints and Review Commission (PCRC) will be able to appropriately monitor and/or report on program impacts by gender and diversity for 2025 to 2026.

However, it is expected that once the Public Complaints and Review Commission (PCRC) Act is implemented, vulnerable communities, including Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities, will benefit from its enhanced reporting mechanism, due to their disproportionate share of interactions with law enforcement.

Notably, the PCRC Act will require the Minister of Public Safety to consider the diversity of Canadian society before recommending the appointment a member of the PCRC to the Governor in Council. Further, the PCRC Act will require the collection of disaggregated data, including demographic and race-based data, from individuals who submitted a complaint against an employee of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) or the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The PCRC will also be required to collect data on the number of complaint cases from CBSA detainees that have been resolved through a reconciliation process with Indigenous peoples.

This disaggregated data will be included in the PCRC’s annual public report to Parliament, which will better inform decision-makers on potential systemic issues or bias that might exist within federal law and/or border enforcement agencies. Finally, the PCRC will be required to undertake a public education and awareness program to make its mandate better known to the public, including to vulnerable and marginalized communities, and to inform them of their rights to make a complaint.

Program: Serious and Organized Crime

Core responsibility

Community Safety

Program goals

Under this Program, Public Safety Canada collaborates with partners to develop legislative proposals and to provide evidence-based research, policy advice, and horizontal coordination for the development of federal, national and international strategies to combat serious and organized crime. The Program aims to prevent and disrupt criminal activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, cybercrime, and other illicit activities. In 2025 to 2026, the Program will continue to apply a GBA Plus lens to ensure that all its initiatives take into consideration the highly gendered nature of some of the crimes, including human trafficking and online child sexual exploitation, and the intersectional factors at play which increase risks of victimization for several groups. The Program will rely on internal disaggregated data collection, partnerships with Statistics Canada and engagement with key stakeholders to inform its efforts in that regard. 

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: Human Trafficking  

National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking

Public Safety Canada collects data from projects funded under the Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (CPCSOC) to better understand the scope, reach and impact of anti-human trafficking initiatives on populations at-risk.

In June 2024, a Horizontal Evaluation of the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking was published. This exercise included an assessment of how initiatives under the Strategy have met the needs of their intended audience, including populations experiencing increased risk. The evaluation found that funded projects positively impacted these populations by enhancing community capacity to support victims and survivors in rebuilding their lives and autonomy.

This assessment, along with insights and guidance from victims and survivors, partners, provinces and territories, and frontline practitioners, are helping inform the Department’s ongoing approach. This will lead to the identification of best practices and opportunities to strengthen the next iteration of the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking.

Anti-Human Trafficking Public Awareness Campaign

The Department will continue to plan and develop human trafficking public awareness materials that address the unique vulnerabilities faced by different population groups, including messaging with a particular focus on at-risk youth and marginalized groups such as women and girls, Indigenous women and girls, migrants, and new immigrants.

Initiative 2: Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE)

Public Safety Canada (PS) will continue its partnership with Statistics Canada to broaden its understanding of how this crime impacts vulnerable populations (e.g., 2SLGBTQQIA+, Indigenous, racialized, persons with disabilities, individuals experiencing poverty, individuals placed in the child welfare system) and those living in rural and remote communities. In this regard, PS will analyze disaggregated data collected through the through the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey and the Integrated Criminal Courts Survey and subsequent analysis of these data.

Specialized Internet Child Exploitation policing units funded by PS in provinces and territories will also continue to collect and report demographic disaggregated data on victims of online child sexual exploitation to facilitate intersectionality analysis. Data is collected by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) units through reporting mechanisms required in the contribution agreements.

The Department will also invest in more targeted and tailored awareness and educational resource material on online child sexual exploitation that will be available and accessible to at-risk youth groups, especially Indigenous youth through a contribution agreement that will be launched in April 2025 for up to 5 years in both official languages. Exact data collection methods/media will be identified as part of the contribution agreement development process. These efforts will ensure that vulnerable and/or marginalized populations receive adequate support and that any future initiatives to counter OCSE consider GBA Plus standards appropriately in its design, monitoring and delivery.

Initiative 3: Vehicle theft

Public Safety Canada (PS)’s role in support of this program is limited to 1) administering contribution agreements with recipients to bolster enforcement efforts to reduce vehicle theft rates, and 2) providing leadership and coordination to provinces and territories to advance efforts to combat auto theft under the National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft.

Therefore, no efforts will be undertaken in 2025 to 2026 to collect the type of data that could contribute to GBA Plus. Specific potential disaggregated data collection on vehicle theft occurrences and crime rates remains within the jurisdiction of local law enforcement. Additionally, the Canada Border Service Agency reports frequently on vehicle theft seizure statistics at ports of entry/exit, where available.

Initiative 4: Financial Crime Coordination Centre (FC3)

The FC3 does not collect any data to enable it to monitor or report program impacts by gender or diversity factors. This is because FC3 serves strategic policy and coordination functions that seek to improve operational effectiveness and outcomes related to financial crime investigations in Canada. In this vein, FC3’s work strives have a positive impact on all Canadians.

Moving forward, FC3 will work with law enforcement and other partners, like the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, to identify ways to improve the availability of financial crime disaggregated data to ensure that, where possible, policy solutions are tailored to mitigate detrimental impacts on those that are most affected.

Program: Border Policy

Core responsibility

Community Safety

Program goals

The Border Policy Program provides federal policy coordination and coherence on a variety of border issues, such as customs, immigration, refugees and citizenship, border integrity and cross-border law enforcement, in order to facilitate the flow of legitimate trade and travel while reducing security risks. The Program also oversees the Preclearance treaty and program between Canada and the United States (U.S.).

The Border Policy Program does not currently collect GBA Plus-related data and will not be advancing efforts to implement disaggregated data collection in 2025 to 2026. This is due to its role of providing advice in border and migration-related policies led by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The Program also oversees the U.S. Preclearance operations in Canada.

Overall, the Program relies on data collected by various Other Government Department (OGDs) and portfolio partners, as well as U.S. partners, and as such doesn’t collect its own data. CBSA and OGDs might however collect operational data that could facilitate the application of GBA Plus standards.

The Border Policy Program will nonetheless continue to monitor and analyze available qualitative and quantitative disaggregated data from partners. It will also ensure the information is taken into account throughout the policy development process, as well as in advice provided to decision makers.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: Cross-Border Crime Forum (CBCF)

The Border Policy Program does not currently collect GBA Plus-related data regarding the Cross-Border Crime Forum (CBCF). Additionally, it will not be advancing efforts to implement disaggregated data collection in 2025 to 2026.

Initiative 2: Preclearance

Public Safety Canada has no authority to collect disaggregated data with respect to U.S. Preclearance operations in Canada. U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducts day-to-day Preclearance operations in Canada under the terms of Canadian legislation, and bilateral treaty. These framework documents allow U.S. preclearance operations in Canada. It does not compel the U.S. government to collect and provide disaggregated data to the Government of Canada. Efforts will not be made to collect GBA Plus-related data and the Department will not be advancing efforts to implement disaggregated data collection in 2025 to 2026.

Program: Indigenous Policing

Core responsibility

Community Safety

Program goals

The Indigenous Policing Program provides funding to support policing services in Indigenous communities that are professional and responsive to the communities they serve. The Program strives to improve the coherence, responsiveness and efficiency of the services it delivers. In these efforts, performance reporting and data collection by the programs mentioned below will be revised collaboratively with First Nations and Inuit representatives. The application of a GBA Plus lens will allow the Program to better assess its impact on the communities it served.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (FNIPP) and First Nations and Inuit Policing Facilities Program (FNIPFP)

FNIPP and FNIPFP fund police services and police infrastructure initiatives respectively that are dedicated and responsive to First Nations and Inuit communities.

Public Safety Canada (PS) funds these programs but does not deliver police services. Since community-based priorities are determined at the community and service-provider level, PS does not have input into the activities of the police service-provider.

The Program currently does not collect sufficient disaggregated data to enable monitoring and/or reporting program impacts by gender and diversity factors. As part of PS’ overall efforts to reform and improve its Indigenous policing programs, the performance reporting and data collected by the program will be revised collaboratively with First Nations and Inuit representatives. These efforts are expected to simplify and streamline reporting requirements, but also identify opportunities to apply GBA lens to illustrate the programs’ impacts in the communities it serves.

Indigenous communities often suffer from disproportionately high crime rates, including high incidence rates of gender-based domestic violence. These conditions, as well as poor socio-economic conditions and other social determinants of health considerations, have been identified by researchers as causal factors in Canada’s ongoing efforts to prevent missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

Initiative 2: Legislation designating First Nations policing as an essential service

The co-development of legislation recognizing First Nations police services as essential services has taken longer than originally anticipated. Public Safety Canada (PS) continues to work with First Nations partners to build consensus on legislation. Should this legislation go forward, PS will develop a performance and monitoring framework that will include a GBA Plus lens.

Program: Corrections

Core responsibility

Community Safety

Program goals

The Program is responsible for providing advice on the strategic priorities of law enforcement and correctional agencies and on a broad range of national correctional and criminal justice program, policy and legislative issues and activities; leading legislative reforms; and the management of litigation. A GBA Plus lens is applied for research projects on the topics of overrepresentation of racialized and marginalized population groups in the criminal justice system. GBA Plus considerations are also taken into account on the examination of risk and protective factors associated with recidivism to inform program and policy initiatives.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: Corrections research

The Program systematically applies a GBA Plus lens to multiple research projects on the topics of overrepresentation of racialized groups in the criminal justice system, and on the examination of risk and protective factors associated with recidivism. To note, the GBA Plus factors considered depend on the scope of the research project and may vary. These projects are aligned with the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism and will inform the development, delivery and optimization of programs and policies designed to reduce criminal justice involvement, including for Indigenous and racialized communities.

Initiative 2: Implementation Plan for the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism

The Implementation Plan of the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism includes over 45 actions that are led by federal partners, including specific actions for Public Safety Canada to implement, until the first progress report to Parliament on this framework. The progress report is expected to be delivered to Parliament and be publicly released in 2025. The Implementation Plan does not include the collection of disaggregated data that would allow for the monitoring and reporting of results by gender and diversity factors. However, it includes a focus on the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples and Black Canadians in the criminal justice system and includes actions to support their reintegration through culturally appropriate interventions. The Department is working with partners to identify the available data to measure progress in supporting reintegration and reducing overrepresentation.

Initiative 3: Indigenous Community Corrections Initiative (ICCI)

The Indigenous Community Corrections Initiative (ICCI) funds projects that support alternatives to incarceration and reintegration supports in an effort to reduce number of recontacts with the Canadian criminal justice system and improve community safety. GBA Plus identity factors (e.g., gender (men, women, 2SLGBTQQIA+), Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit), disabilities (type of disabilities)) strongly support intersectionality analysis through ICCI funded-projects.

For instance, it is anticipated that in 2025 to 2026, ICCI funded-projects will collect GBA Plus disaggregated data from recipients involved in long-term project implementation of related initiatives. This includes the number of justice-involved Indigenous 2SLGBTQQIA+ persons and women that participated in the program, the types of program activities they participated in, and whether they reoffended during their program participation. This data, disaggregated by GBA Plus identity factors, will enable Public Safety Canada to assess the impacts on community members, including family members. Ultimately, the data collected will inform decision-makers whether the ICCI reduces the likelihood of future recontacts and increases access to culturally/gender-appropriate programming in justice settings. Likewise, the ICCI projects will describe findings in the non-financial report template of the Contribution Agreement (known as the Activity Report) as long as participant and community privacy concerns can be adequately protected.

In October 2024, ICCI recipients received the project development eligibility results and successful applicants began the current project development phase. Once projects begin their implementation, non-financial reporting must be submitted by ICCI recipients at least twice a year. The reporting process is anticipated to begin in 2025 to 2026. At that time, impacts of ICCI services and activities on GBA Plus factors (e.g. gender identity, Indigenous identity, disabilities, impacts on community members, including family members) will be assessed. As data collection has yet to take place, potential impacts of ICCI projects on GBA Plus factors cannot be assessed at this time. Once concrete impacts of ICCI on GBA Plus factors are determined, they will be assessed and reported on.

Initiative 4: Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative (ACSPI)

The Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative (ACSPI) supports Indigenous communities in completing safety planning to improve overall community safety and well-being. The ACSPI indirectly supports activities and outcomes directed towards Indigenous women/girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals, but does not currently track identifying data of individual participants due to privacy concerns and small sample sizes.

The ACSPI collects data regarding projects funded through the Aboriginal Community Safety Development Contribution Program (ACSDCP). Wherever possible, collected disaggregated data is analyzed along with intersecting factors by Indigenous groups to best serve the needs of the various groups targeted. This includes registered and non-registered First Nations (living on and off-reserve), Inuit (living in Inuit Nunangat or elsewhere), and Metis.

The initiative maintains an additional dataset of all completed community safety plans and tracks the quantity and diversity of community-identified solutions. This dataset does not capture demographic data, but rather tracks the safety priorities and concerns identified in community safety plans which might include issues disproportionately impacting specific groups. In 2025 to 2026, the ACSPI will continue to measure and track GBA Plus considerations ad hoc through analysis of this data repository. There are no plans for broad dissemination of this data at this time due to internal capacity and privacy considerations. In 2025 to 2026, the ACSPI will explore additional opportunities to collect disaggregated data.

Program: Emergency Preparedness

Core responsibility

Emergency Management

Program goals

The Emergency Preparedness Program aims to increase the capacity of communities and the federal government to be prepared for all-hazards emergencies when they do occur. This includes the development of plans to manage potential emergencies that include situational awareness, early warning, risk identification and evaluation, contingency plans, and information strategies for decision-makers. Organizations that receive PS funding through these initiatives will be encouraged to adapt protocols and procedures to meet the needs of specific vulnerable communities and address barriers to their participation.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: National flood risk awareness portal

Throughout the development of this initiative, various socio-economic and demographic considerations of those at highest risk of flooding are being considered. While the Portal seeks to raise awareness of flood risk amongst all Canadians, the Department recognizes that the impacts of flooding and the barriers to flood risk reduction measures are not equal across society. Some socially vulnerable groups (e.g., seniors, new Canadians (less than 10 years), persons with disabilities, single income/single parent households, visible minorities, remote locations, Indigenous communities) are disproportionality exposed and vulnerable to flooding and thus may be subjected to higher flood risk and lower resiliency to flooding. By communicating the flood potential for locations across Canada through the online public facing Portal, the initiative can better inform these populations of their risk, as well as provide guidance and resources to reduce their future exposure to risks.

In 2024, the initiative conducting engagement with some Indigenous communities and organizations through Kūwiingu-néewul Engagement Services on the development of the digital resource.

In advance of the Portal's launch in 2025 to 2026, the initiative will conduct user experience research (newcomers in Canada) and a national public opinion survey that will include social vulnerable populations among its target audiences (i.e. the vulnerable groups mentioned previously). This quantitative and qualitative research will seek to further identify barriers and challenges experienced by these populations to inform the development of the Portal and its public outreach activities post-launch. The Portal(with an online web presence on Canada.ca) will not collect data from the general public for privacy reasons.

There were significant data gaps that prevent linking socio-economic, and demographic conditions of Canadians to flood risk given the patchwork flood mapping efforts across Canada. With the procurement of a Canada-wide Flood Model, Public Safety Canada (PS) will be in a position to conduct further data analysis and further advance the Canadian Index of Social Vulnerability (CISV). In 2025 to 2026, PS in collaboration with Statistics Canada, plans to develop a new CISV to estimate vulnerability to environmental hazards including floods, earthquakes and wildfires. The index will be data-driven, with numerical scores given for Canada’s census dissemination areas reflecting how different demographic, socioeconomic, and ethno-cultural factors within a community might affect its ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from hazards and disasters. The CISV will present data on factors that have the potential to amplify the impact of natural hazards on populations and helps identify communities that are likely to bear the most significant social burden of risk and may need support before, during, and after a hazardous or disastrous event. With the disaggregated data, it is possible to locate geographic concentrations of social vulnerability. This methodology is expected to lead to a better understanding of the challenges faced by those who are at higher risk of flooding in Canada. This data will allow for robust analysis and consideration of GBA Plus through analyzing flood data based on socio-economic indicators.

PS is working towards incorporating the CISV into a community flood risk rating which will be publicly available through the Portal (launching in 2025). The post-launch evaluation plans for the Portal are currently being developed. It is anticipated that GBA Plus impacts could be measured through various survey methods.

Initiative 2: Modernization of emergency management

The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events may strain emergency management capacities and budgets across Canada. It also dramatically reinforces the need to reduce undue suffering and loss, especially among Canadians who are least able to anticipate, prepare for, cope with or recover from disasters. Hence, while the Government Operations Centre (GOC) does not have the resources to collect data on every emergency, it will continue to work with key policy teams in Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) to integrate data and ensure that a GBA Plus lens continues to inform the work the GOC does in its efforts to modernize emergency management in Canada.

There have been numerous reports which examine the impact of natural disasters on Canadians from disaggregated data based on gender and diversity. The most vulnerable populations in Canada are:

Recognizing the disproportionate impact that disasters can have on these populations, numerous policies and programs have considered gender, diversity and intersectionality analysis through program implementation. An example of a tool which can potentially support this kind of analysis is the National Risk Profile (NRP) (first public report published in May 2023) which helps identify the interventions needed to reduce disaster risks for everyone in Canada, including addressing the disproportionate impacts of disasters on vulnerable populations .

As an example, the construction of a new federal emergency management operations centre to prepare for and respond to emergencies in the national interest was designed to include a variety of logistical needs for persons of different genders, sexual orientations, age, religions and/or cultures, abilities, and other needs. In this asset, IT and telecommunications equipment (e.g., for teleconferencing) will also be configured to accommodate those who are visually or hearing impaired. The Government Operations Centre is expected to move into this new facility in the late spring of 2025.

In accordance with the Standard on Web Accessibility, web-based collaboration platforms and other technologies will accommodate those with visual impairment. Academic research on the impact of building design and layout on diverse groups was also considered to mitigate potential obstacles and reduce accessibility barriers. Much of this evidence-based research has focused on how building design and features (such as washrooms), contribute to broader discrimination and bias against persons of different genders, those with different health or accessibility needs, and those with different religious or cultural observances in the work place such as the inclusion of multi-faith space for employees.

In addition, a number of best practices are emerging about "inclusive building design" and ''universal design" policies and standards being implemented around the world. Much of this effort was driven by the implementation of the international WELL certification program, which prioritizes the wellness of the workspace both physically and mentally. The new facility will be the first Government of Canada building that meets the WELL Silver certification. PS, Shared Services Canada (SSC), and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) have collaborated to ensure that certain basic design features (e.g., access to gender neutral bathrooms, access to gender-neutral sleeping facilities, and building accessibility) have been included in the development of the criteria in the request for proposals for the contractor that was selected. The design and building upgrades have followed the GC Work Space fit-up standards, WELL design, building codes, and all other government acts, codes and policies to deliver this project. The fit-up standards also include flexibility to accommodate general ergonomic needs (i.e., the work surfaces move up and down).

In line with the Directive on the Duty to Accommodate Persons with Disabilities in the Federal Public Service, SSC will provide hardware and software solutions to accommodate the needs of specific individuals as needed.

Finally, in accordance with the Employment Equity Act, PS, PSPC, and SSC are equal opportunity employers, and welcome anyone to apply for a position with them. The request for proposals for the contractor will be open to all firms, and the process is designed to select the firm that best meets the criteria. GBA Plus considerations have been embedded in the design features of the new facility, as noted previously, as well as  in the contract Terms of Reference. PS, in partnership with PSPC, have been monitoring the construction to ensure compliance with GBA Plus design requirements.

Initiative 3: Government Operations Centre (GOC)

Support for vulnerable, at-risk and marginalized populations remain a key priority when the GOC coordinates emergency response and facilitates Requests for Federal Assistance. During coordination calls with federal and provincial stakeholders, inclusive protocols are followed. In doing this, the GOC seeks clarity on impacted populations and facilitates with applicable organizations to ensure the necessary supports are provided, tracked and reported on. The GOC works with responding organizations to leverage their own GBA Plus data.

The GOC does not currently collect disaggregated GBA Plus data. However, it does integrate GBA Plus considerations and intersectionality factors into cyclical planning, situational awareness products, and exercise design using data provided by other federal departments such as Statistics Canada’s Census information. These products are designed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of whole-of-government preparedness for and response to events in the national interest.

In 2023 to 2024, the GOC integrated the Statistics Canada’s Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation into its Geomatics Webmaps and will continue to ensure this remains available to its stakeholders. This enables the GOC and its partners to evaluate the vulnerability of populations based on four components: residential instability, economic dependency, situational vulnerability and ethno-cultural composition. This information can be used to support decision-making by federal departments and agencies when responding to emergencies. As our webmaps leverage Statistics Canada census data, the GOC will ensure the maps are updated to align with the new census data. However, given the census timeline is managed by Statistics Canada, the GOC updates will occur in 2025 to 2026 if Statistics Canada’s timelines are complete at that time.

Program: Emergency Response/Recovery

Core responsibility

Emergency Management

Program goals

Under the Emergency Response/Recovery Program, Public Safety Canada provides leadership and support to partners to respond to all-hazards emergencies, and coordinates an integrated federal response for events that threaten the safety and security of Canadians or the integrity of Canada's critical infrastructure. The initiatives under this program provide support to other government departments and stakeholders, who may collect their own data but for which Public Safety Canada has no direct involvement and thus we do not collect data to report on program impacts on diverse groups.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP)

This program is led by Natural Resources Canada, who would be better suited to provide their plan to collect disaggregated data. Under the FHIMP, Public Safety Canada is only responsible for licensing a Canada-wide flood hazard model. This activity has no ability to collect data related to GBA Plus.

Initiative 2: Federally Identified Flood Risk Areas (FIFRA)

The FIFRA Initiative includes two steps: the FIFRA Data Layer and the FIFRA Program. The FIFRA Data Layer is a data layer of flood risk areas ranging from low-extreme based on probabilistic flood methodology. The FIFRA Program is a mitigation guideline that other federal departments will use to inform their programming.

PS will not be collecting data through the FIFRA Data Layer as it is created by a licensed third-party Canada-wide flood hazard model and thus no changes can be made. The data is only based on flood depth, probability and flood generating mechanism and there is no data to collect. For the FIFRA Program, other federal departments may include a gender and diversity section within their program, but this would not be directly associated with the FIFRA. The Department may explore ways to collect data from federal departments who implement the FIFRA in order to determine the impacts on vulnerable populations.

Vulnerable populations may live in areas with higher damage and exposure risks because of low living costs and/or cultural reasons, and thus may be subjected to higher flood risk and lower resiliency to flooding. Through understanding the flood potential, the FIFRA can assist in identifying areas that should be prioritized for flood protection and mitigation investments (including through programs for Indigenous and socially vulnerable communities). FIFRA may deter further development in flood prone areas, which are predominately populated by disadvantaged people or affordable/subsidized housing.

Due to FIFRA mandate, collecting data is not possible as it is informed by a licensed Canada-wide flood hazard model. Public Safety Canada may explore ways to collect data from federal departments who implement the FIFRA in order to determine the impacts on vulnerable populations.

Initiative 3: Emergency Management Strategy Renewal

The Emergency Management Framework (EMF) for Canada serves as the foundational document that coordinates the national approach to emergency and disaster risk management among provinces and territories. It outlines the core principles and collaborative practices that underpin emergency management across all jurisdictions in Canada.

Building upon this foundation, the Emergency Management Strategy (EMS) sets out high-level strategic priorities for enhancing disaster resilience by 2030. The EMS is designed to facilitate a common understanding of the emergency management system in Canada and to determine a collaborative approach among federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) partners across four (4) pillars: prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. The Strategy further provides guidance on priorities such as enhancing governance structures, improving risk assessments, and fostering community resilience. It sets a strategic direction and informs policy development and strategic planning at a broad level but does not include mechanisms for direct program implementation or data collection.

The renewal of the EMF and EMS focuses on reaffirming commitments to overarching principles and priorities already established in both documents rather than on operational details such as data collection methodologies. Specifically, these documents do not have operational mandates and do not prescribe specific programs or initiatives that would involve the collection of data, including GBA Plus data. To this end, they have no provisions or directives related to data collection practices or frameworks for monitoring program impacts through a GBA Plus lens. Nonetheless, the EMS emphasizes collaboration and shared priorities, building on the foundational principles of the EMF, but stops short of prescribing operational activities.

Nevertheless, the EMS emphasizes the importance of engaging with Indigenous communities in a culturally sensitive and inclusive manner, recognizing the importance of traditional knowledge in emergency management – this is based not only in identifying vulnerabilities, but also in identifying strengths so that they can be replicated as best practices in the greater emergency management system. The Strategy outlines initiatives such as FPT governments agreeing to hold dedicated meetings with Indigenous representatives to discuss emergency management in Indigenous communities. Moreover, in collaboration with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and other Indigenous representatives, Public Safety Canada works on the co-development of an inventory of emergency management capabilities in Indigenous communities across Canada. This inventory aims to enhance risk-informed decision-making by improving the understanding of existing emergency management challenges and resources within these communities.

In addition, GBA Plus considerations are embedded within other strategic documents, such as the Advancing the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Emergency Management Strategy: Areas for Action Plan document supporting the EMS, but will not be advancing efforts to improve disaggregated data collection directly. Key initiatives within the document (e.g., Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements) will continue to indirectly improve and implement disaggregated data collection and monitor program impacts through their respective processes.

Initiative 4: Centre for Resiliency and Continuity Management (CRCM)

The CRCM is a program that serves in an advisory capacity to other federal departments and do not directly interact with Canadians. The CRCM does not specifically collect data, but rather provide guidance and share tools to other Government Departments. Therefore GBA Plus considerations are not applicable.

Initiative 5: Humanitarian workforce and pan-Canadian civilian response capacity

Disaggregated data is not collected in the administration of the Humanitarian Workforce (HWF) Program or in the course of the exploration of options for a pan-Canadian civilian response capacity. Accordingly, there is no plan to advance any efforts to improve and/or implement disaggregated data collection in the future.

The collection of GBA Plus data by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) funded under the HWF program is done through non-financial reporting, focusing on qualitative data like cultural awareness sessions, targeted communities, and collaborations with marginalized groups to assess the social impact of NGO initiatives. NGOs will provide data on session numbers, targeted demographics, and collaboration outcomes, enabling insights to improve programs and foster inclusivity. Reporting will occur at key intervals using standardized templates and actionable results. Public Safety Canada (PS) has been working closely with these NGOs to discuss the feasibility of gathering such data, collection methods that could potentially be employed and how vulnerable communities could be engaged in activities being undertaken by NGOs.

NGOs have examined how they work with various communities and have identified opportunities that they could pursue, including recruiting a more diverse base of volunteers, hiring Indigenous specialists, and reviewing the ways they work with communities. It is anticipated that by the time the HWF program sunsets (i.e., March 31, 2026), NGOs will have strengthened their ability to address the needs of communities that are disproportionately impacted by large-scale emergency events. Experiences and lessons learned through the HWF program will guide the exploration of options for a pan-Canadian civilian response capacity, ensuring the integration of effective strategies and enhanced outcomes.   

Although disaggregated data is not being collected as part of PS’s ongoing work on the exploration of options for a pan-Canadian civilian response capacity, steps are being taken to ensure the needs, lived experience and capabilities of at-risk and/or underrepresented groups (such as Indigenous Peoples, and youth, and cultural minorities) are considered. For example, as part of targeted engagement on civilian response that was undertaken in February and March 2024 (i.e., roundtable discussions and written submissions), the Government sought to understand current capacities, gaps and limitations, including with respect to mobilizing and supporting under-recognized groups in emergency management and addressing the unique needs and circumstances of Indigenous communities. This included the exploration of questions such as:

The findings from this engagement process will help inform next steps for this initiative.

Program: Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

Core responsibility

Emergency Management

Program goals

Under this Program, Public Safety Canada works with federal, provincial, territorial and municipal partners and other stakeholders to develop strategies and programs to increase capacity (i.e., knowledge, awareness and coherent action) to prevent and mitigate all-hazards emergencies. It also aims to proactively protect lives, property, the environment, communities and the economy, to avoid or reduce losses and damages when they do occur, and to reduce the impacts of future disasters. The initiatives under this program provide support to other government departments and stakeholders, who may collect their own data but for which Public Safety Canada has no direct involvement and thus we do not collect data to report on program impacts on diverse groups.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Initiative 1: Flood insurance program

The flood insurance program will be launched in 2026 to 2027. Thus, it is too early in the development process to confirm if this program will collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus).

With respect to the use of disaggregated data in the timeframe of April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, further engagements are planned with Federal-Provincial-Territorial governments, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and joint engagements with some Indigenous communities and additional GBA Plus data might be revealed at that time.

Initiative 2: Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA)

Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements do not directly interact with or collect data from Canadians. Rather, they are designed to provide direct financial support to provinces and territories in responding to and recovering from large-scale disasters.

However, the federal terms of the DFAA program do impact those most in need at a crucial time through their implementation by provinces and territories. Accordingly, policy changes have been made to the program to apply a GBA Plus lens to consider populations most disproportionately impacted by disasters. These changes also aim to expand eligibility for populations most severely impacted by eligible disasters, and reduce barriers to inclusion in some of the DFAA’s eligible expenses.

Provinces and territories (PTs) are encouraged to take advantage of these expanded and increased supports for people in their own program design and/or choose to collect and analyse indicator results taking into account GBA Plus considerations for their own program recipients. The new DFAA also includes expanded eligibility for province and territories to develop recovery indicators and collect more data on the supports/services provided to people affected by disasters. They may share this data with Public Safety Canada (PS). However, under DFAA Terms of Reference GBA Plus monitoring and reporting are not federal program requirements.

The new DFAA will begin to collect improved data following eligible disasters in 2025 to 2026. This data will allow the program to monitor and report on program impacts and outcomes at a macro level. For example, this will include tracking how much funding is allocated to PTs to support people impacted by a disaster; or how much funding is used to increase community and individual resilience to disasters. While this data is disaggregated, it will not allow the program to directly monitor and report program outcomes on GBA Plus (e.g., gender, diversity, status, etc.).

The new DFAA also includes optional reporting on disaster recovery indicators that PTs are encouraged to collect and report on. These indicators include additional disaggregated data on program supports to diverse populations. Although the decision to collect this information rests with PTs, the DFAA Program is strongly encouraging this type of monitoring and providing support through guidance materials, training, and financial incentives.

As PTs update their respective disaster financial assistance programs to align more closely with the new DFAA over the next few years and incorporate the expanded and increased supports within the program, PS expects to see more monitoring and reporting.

Initiative 3: International COSPAS-SARSAT Programme

This initiative does not collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor or report program impacts by gender and diversity. The International COSPAS-SARSAT Programme is an internationally recognized humanitarian program that provides distress alert and location data to search and rescue authorities around the world. The Programme utilizes various satellite constellations to detect and locate distress alerts from beacons onboard commercial aircraft, vessels and those carried by individuals.

The Programme does not collect personal data that can be used for GBA Plus analysis, but its automated system delivers distress alert and location data to 200 Search and Rescue Points of Contacts around the world, free of charge. The objective of the COSPAS-SARSAT Programme is to ensure delivery of accurate distress alert and location data to search and rescue (SAR) authorities so that SAR services can be delivered in a timely manner to mitigate the loss of life.   

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