Accessibility Standards Canada: 2019 to 2020 Departmental Results Report

Accessibility Standards Canada aims to meet the highest standard of accessibility. Our goal is to give every Canadian, regardless of technology or ability, equal access to our reports. 

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International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2563-5794

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The Act shows a culture change in Canada’s approach to accessibility. Our government wants a future that is accessible for all Canadians, including people with disabilities. Accessibility Standards Canada’s mandate is to help create a barrier-free Canada by 2040. 

To reach its mandate, Accessibility Standards Canada is collaborating with people with disabilities and other partners. Its work is guided by the principle “Nothing without us”. The organization looks to Canadians with disabilities to guide the creation of standards. These standards will address accessibility barriers. We can no longer allow barriers to exist in our policies, practices, and laws. 

None of this can be done without the skills and knowledge of people with disabilities. A Board of Directors with vast experience in disability issues leads Accessibility Standards Canada. Most of the Directors have lived experience. 

It is with diverse and inclusive communities that we become a more resilient, thriving country. In putting accessibility and inclusion first, we are working toward a stronger Canada. We all benefit from inclusion. As we look to the future, we must work together to eliminate barriers, whether they are:

• built into our practices and policies;
• attitudinal;
• structural or otherwise. 

Accessibility Standards Canada will play a critical role in this collective effort. I am pleased to see that the organization has taken action to get set up quickly and start its important work.

That work includes creating the first By-law and a governance framework to guide our work. As we look forward, toward an accessible Canada for all, the first standards that we will create will focus on:

• outdoor spaces;
• plain language;
• emergency egress (exit); and 
• employment.

The Board has formed standing committees to advance our work. These committees focus on:

• strategic planning;
• external relations;
• governance; and
• performance appraisal.

The hard work of these committees is important in supporting Board motions, the creation of policy-related documents, and making key decisions quickly.   

We have built strong working relationships amongst ourselves and a good working relationship with the Chief Executive Officer. We have great mutual respect for one another. Accessibility Standards Canada’s employees are dedicated. We are all motivated by the same goal. Our goal is to make progress on our mandate quickly. 

Accessibility Standards Canada will be a leader in accessibility standards. In Canada, but also on the world stage. Standards will address the rights of all Canadians and ensure inclusion. We are committed to creating a solid national presence. Meetings and events will take place across the country. Accessibility Standards Canada held one of its first Board meetings in British Columbia. We look forward to making connections in other provinces and territories.  

We are accountable to Canadians. It is important that we model the change we want to see. I want Canadians to look to Accessibility Standards Canada as a model for inclusive practices.

Moving forward, I cannot wait to see our first technical committees come to life. These committees will create our first standards, which will be key to a more accessible Canada. We will always look to Canadians with disabilities for guidance and feedback. Only through working together will Canada truly become barrier-free for all.

Here are some of our successes from our first eight months:

• We set up the organization, separate from Employment and Social Development Canada.
• We hired 25 employees. We are proud to embrace the principle ʺNothing without usʺ through our culture of inclusion and teamwork.
• We looked at current standards and identified where we need new ones.
• We started the Advancing Accessibility Standards Research grants and contributions program.
• We formed many communication tools to connect with Canadians. 
• We started to build key relationships with people with disabilities and other stakeholders.

We also began planning our move into our new office space. This office will be one of the most accessible workspaces in North America. We hope to inspire inclusive and barrier-free work environments.

One key step that we took was to create a strong governance framework. This maintains accountability within Accessibility Standards Canada, and with all Canadians. It is an important step in building a solid foundation for our organization’s future.

I wish to acknowledge the strong relationship between my office and the Board of Directors. We are working collaboratively to achieve our collective mandate.

I want to thank our colleagues at Employment and Social Development Canada who helped us set up in the past year. You played a critical role in building this organization.

As we continue to work toward a barrier-free Canada, we cannot wait to see the creation of our first standards. We look forward to working with people with disabilities and other experts to develop world-class standards. 

As such, this report will provide an overview of what the organization has done from July 11, 2019 to March 31, 2020. There are many encouraging results to share, and these will be the focus of this report.

The Accessible Canada Act (the Act) created Accessibility Standards Canada in July 2019. (The legal name of the organization is the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization). The mandate of the organization is to help achieve a Canada without barriers. It does this by:

• developing and revising accessibility standards;
• providing information and products about new and revised standards;
• supporting and conducting research on barriers to accessibility; and
• sharing information about barriers to accessibility. 

As a new organization, Accessibility Standards Canada focused on becoming operational. This was a priority in the Minister’s 2019 Mandate Letter from the Prime Minister. 

A big part of becoming operational involved hiring, especially hiring people with disabilities. In 2019 to 2020, the organization grew from one to 25 employees. The organization also set the goal to hire more people with disabilities. This goal is to exceed labour market availability. The organization put measures in place to work toward achieving this goal.

Efforts to establish the organization went beyond hiring. In 2019 to 2020, the organization made progress on making sure its new office will be accessible. The goal is for the office to be the gold standard of accessibility. Just as important, the organization began to integrate its new vision, mission and values into everything it does. (See the “Raison d’être, mandate and role” section of this report). 

The organization also established its governance framework. This includes the organization’s:

• first By-law; 
• Governance policy; and
• a suite of other policies. 

Accessibility Standards Canada must also follow Treasury Board policies and directives. 

In addition to the important work of getting the organization up and running, Accessibility Standards Canada made significant strides in several areas to support its mandate: 

• The Board of Directors identified 4 priority areas for standards development. The Board did so in discussion with the CEO’s office. These areas include:
  • outdoor spaces;
  • plain language;
  • emergency egress (exit); and
  • employment. 
• The organization began to lay the foundation for the formation of technical committees. Technical committees will begin work on these priority areas in 2020 to 2021.
• Accessibility Standards Canada launched its grants and contributions program called “Advancing Accessibility Standards Research”. It funded six research projects from across Canada during 2019 to 2020.  
• The organisation began early engagement activities with:
  • stakeholders;
  • other standards development organizations;
  • provincial governments; and 
  • other federal government departments.

The goal is to create a smooth experience of accessibility across Canada.

 

Total Actual Spending for 2019 to 2020 (dollars):
1,843,725

 

Total Actual Full-Time Equivalents (employees) for 2019 to 2020:
3

For more information on Accessibility Standards Canada’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.

Results: what we achieved 

Core responsibility: Accessibility Standards

Description: 

Develop and revise standards by establishing and providing support and research to technical committees that reflect diversity and are composed of persons with disabilities, indigenous people, representatives from industries that would be required to follow the standards if made mandatory by regulation, and other experts. Promote, support and conduct research to inform the development of standards. Inform organizations and the public and provide products and services about accessibility standards, as well as best practices used to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers.

Results: 

1. Grants and Contributions Program: Advancing Accessibility Standards Research

Advancing Accessibility Standards Research (the Program) launched in January 2020. The goals of the Program are to:

• support research projects to find, take away and stop barriers to accessibility; and
• help inform accessibility standards in the future. 

The program launched two calls for research project proposals. One of these was a targeted call and the other a competitive call. The priority areas for research included:

• employment;
• emergency measures;
• the built environment, including parks and outdoor recreation facilities;
• information and communication technologies;
• Indigenous accessibility; and 
• accessible communications.

To be successful, the proposals had to meet several conditions:

• focus on a priority area for research;
• involve people with disabilities, other experts and organizations to help carry out the research; and 
• find and share research, information, best practices and tools about accessibility barriers and standards.

As of March 31, 2020, six research projects from across Canada received funding following the targeted call proposals. The findings from these projects will help to inform standards. 

The organization launched the competitive call for proposals on January 8, 2020. This call was open to eligible organizations across Canada. The closing date for applications was February 28, 2020. The organization will make funding decisions as early as fall 2020.

     2. Engagement Activities

The organization began forming working partnerships with: 

• external stakeholders;
• other standards development organizations;
• provincial governments; and
• other federal government departments.

The goal is to create a smooth experience of accessibility in Canada. 

These engagement activities included:

• Meeting with the President of the Canadian Standards Association and her Executive staff to discuss working together in the future. 
• Continuing a discussion with the International Codes Council President and General Manager with the aim to work together in the future. This council supports technical development in support of the American Disabilities Act. 
• Continuing discussions with provincial governments (Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan). Many provinces would like the organization to take the lead. They would also like to better understand their role in the development of standards. 
• Presenting to the Provincial Territorial Advisory Committee on Building and Fire Codes. This committee represents the provincial governments in areas related to standards.
• Taking part in discussions with the Provincial Territorial Policy Advisory Committee Chair. This committee administers building, fire and plumbing codes in their respective provinces and territories.  

     3. Web and Social Media

Since the creation of Accessibility Standards Canada, it has been important to let Canadians know that the organization exists. It was crucial to establish an online presence. The organization made important strides in this area:

• Its online presence grew from zero to a fully functioning and accessible website. 5000 visits were recorded by the end of March 2020. 
• Its website, created in August 2019, also grew rapidly to 22 pages by March 2020, with more growth planned. 

To model accessibility standards, all webpages meet WCAG 2.1 Web standards. This makes its content easier to use for people with disabilities. Also, the majority of webpages include videos in:

• American Sign Language (ASL); and 
• Langue des signes Québécoise (Quebec Sign Language).

Another way to establish an online presence was to become active on social media. Between January 2020 and March 2020, the organization became active on three major social media platforms:

• Twitter;
• Facebook; and
• LinkedIn.

Like the website, every effort is made to be accessible across all social media platforms. To do this content always includes: 

• alt-text;
• image descriptions; and
• closed captioning when sharing videos.

Accessibility Standards Canada uses plain language as part of its efforts to make its information accessible. It does so for communications and reporting. This includes information available to the public and internal documents. 

Gender-based analysis plus

Accessibility Standards Canada is committed to ensuring inclusive results for Canadians. Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) considerations are included in all aspects of its business. For example:

• Board of Directors – members represent identity factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, religion and disability.
• Job Posters – all job posters include messaging to encourage members from the four employment equity groups to apply*.
• Technical Committees – in the planning stage of this program, taking into account GBA+ considerations like the LGBTQ+ community, was a factor considered in its upcoming selection process.

These aspects are part of what makes Accessibility Standards Canada a unique organisation, able to live out the principle of the disability community “Nothing without us”, in its daily operations. 

*The Employment Equity Act identifies and defines the designated groups as women, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities and visible minorities.

Experimentation

Accessibility Standards Canada has been an exercise in experimentation. Being the first organisation of its kind in Canada, and one of only a few in the world, there was no roadmap to follow to create it. The organisation is a model for accessibility. It approaches all its work through a disability lens. 

There has been trial and error, but the organization is committed to learning and growing. Being an inclusive organisation, finding new ways of doing business happens all the time whether it be for employees, working with the Board of Directors or engaging with the public. The achievements so far are proof that people working together toward a common goal can accomplish anything.

Results achieved 

Departmental results	Performance indicators	Target*	Date to achieve target*	2017 to 2018 Actual result**	2018 to 2019 Annual results**	2019 to 2020 Actual results***
New and revised accessibility standards in priority areas contribute to the elimination of barriers for persons with disabilities.	Number of new or revised accessibility standards in priority areas that Accessibility Standards Canada: developed; collaborated in; or funded.	1 to 3 suites (groups)	March 2025	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
Pioneering research informs the next generation of accessibility standards.	Percentage of funding invested by Accessibility Standards Canada in research and development (R&D) projects that influences accessibility standards or priority-setting for standards development.	75% to 85%	March 2026	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
Information about accessibility standards, products, services and best practices to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers is accessed online by organizations and the public.	Number of unique views online of Accessibility Standards Canada services and products (e.g. technical papers, reports, presentations, peer-reviewed articles, guidelines) generated from funded research projects and/or from other Accessibility Standards Canada work.	7,000 to 12,000	March 2023	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
Accessibility Standards Canada’s work in accessibility standards increases opportunities for collaboration in advancing a Canada without barriers.	Number of Accessibility Standards Canada-led standards processes or other activities in which persons with disabilities, representatives from disability organizations, provincial and territorial governments, national associations, international bodies, industry and/or other standard development organizations collaborated or participated.	10 to 15	March 2025	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable

*Note: Accessibility Standards Canada based its targets on its first Departmental Results Framework. It developed that framework before the organization received funding from Parliament. The organization will review these targets and dates in 2021-2022. At that time, there will be more employees and thus capacity.

**Note: The actual results are not available for previous years because Accessibility Standards Canada was only created in 2019.

***Note: Actual progress against these results will be shown in the 2020 to 2021 Departmental Results Report.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars) 

2019 to 2020 Main Estimates	2019 to 2020 Planned spending*	2019 to 2020 Total authorities available for use	2019 to 2020 Actual spending (authorities used)	2019 to 2020 Difference (Actual spending minus Planned spending)
0	0	3,605,367	1,843,725	1,843,725

 

*Accessibility Standards Canada was created in mid-2019. For that reason, it was not able to create a Departmental Plan for fiscal year 2019 to 2020. The variance between authorities available for use and authorities used is due to getting its funding in December 2019. The authorities used represent just over 3 months of expenditures. Yet, the authorities available were approved with the assumption that a full year of operations would take place. 

Human resources (full-time equivalents (employees))

2019 to 2020 Planned full-time equivalents (employees)	2019 to 2020 Actual full-time equivalents (employees)	2019 to 2020 Difference (Actual full-time equivalents minus Planned full-time equivalents (employees))
0	3	3

 

Financial, human resources and performance information for Accessibility Standards Canada’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

Internal Services

Description

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

• Acquisition Management Services.
• Communication Services.
• Financial Management Services.
• Human Resources Management Services.
• Information Management Services.
• Information Technology Services.
• Legal Services.
• Material Management Services.
• Management and Oversight Services.
• Real Property Management Services.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars) 

2019 to 2020 Main Estimates	2019 to 2020 Planned spending*	2019 to 2020 Total authorities available for use	2019 to 2020 Actual spending (authorities used)	2019 to 2020 Difference (Actual spending minus Planned spending)
0	0	5,532,658	2,117,103	2,117,103

*Accessibility Standards Canada was created in mid-2019. For that reason, it was not able to create a Departmental Plan for fiscal year 2019 to 2020. The variance between authorities available for use and authorities used is due to getting its funding in December 2019. The authorities used represent just over 3 months of expenditures. Yet, the authorities available were approved with the assumption that a full year of operations would take place. 

Human resources (full-time equivalents (employees))

2019 to 2020 Planned full-time equivalents (employees)	2019 to 2020 Actual full-time equivalents (employees)	2019 to 2020 Difference (Actual full-time equivalents minus Planned full-time equivalents (employees))
0	4	4

 

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

Departmental spending trend graph

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

 

Budgetary performance summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars) 

Core responsibility and Internal Services	2019 to 2020 Main Estimates	2019 to 2020 Planned spending	2020 to 2021 Planned spending	2021 to 2022 Planned spending	2019 to 2020 Total authorities available for use	2017 to 2018 Actual spending (authorities used)	2018 to 2019 Actual spending (authorities used)	2019 to 2020 Actual spending (authorities used)
Accessibility Standards	Not applicable	Not applicable	10,988,792	15,451,135	3,605,367	Not applicable	Not applicable	1,843,725
Subtotal	Not applicable	Not applicable	10,988,792	15,451,135	3,605,367	Not applicable	Not applicable	1,843,725
Internal Services	Not applicable	Not applicable	4,329,640	5,597,958	5,532,658	Not applicable	Not applicable	2,117,103
Total	Not applicable	Not applicable	15,318,432	21,049,093	9,138,025	Not applicable	Not applicable	3,960,828

 

The Act creating Accessibility Standards Canada received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019. For this reason, no expenditures are reported for 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019. Due to the timing of the organization getting its funding (December 2019), only a portion of the resources available were used. 

Planned spending is increasing in 2020 to 2021 and again in 2021 to 2022. From there, the resources will reach a steady state. This ramp-up in funding allows the organization to have a gradual increase of staff. It also allows sufficient time to establish the right organizational structure to ensure all objectives are met.

Actual human resources

Human resources summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services

Core responsibility and Internal Services	2017 to 2018 Actual full-time equivalents (employees)	2018 to 2019 Actual full-time equivalents (employees)	2019 to 2020 Planned full-time equivalents (employees)	2019 to 2020 Actual full-time equivalents (employees)	2020 to 2021 Planned full-time equivalents (employees)	2021 to 2022 Planned full-time equivalents (employees)
Accessibility Standards	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	3	31	38
Subtotal	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	3	31	38
Internal Services	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	4	15	18
Total	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	7	46	56

 

The Act creating Accessibility Standards Canada received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019. For this reason, no full-time equivalents are reported for 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019. Also, full-time equivalents are prorated with the amount of working days of staff on strength in a year. For example, if an employee was hired on January 1, 2020, the full-time equivalent would be 0.25 (3 months remaining). Over 25 employees were on strength on March 31, but since they were hired between December and March, they only represented 7 full-time equivalents.

Expenditures by vote

For information on Accessibility Standards Canada’s organizational voted and statutory (planned) expenditures (spending), consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2019–2020.

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of Accessibility Standards Canada’s spending with the Government of Canada’s spending and activities is available in GC InfoBase.

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

Accessibility Standards Canada’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2020, are available on the departmental website. 

Financial statement highlights

Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2020 (dollars)

Financial information	2019 to 2020 Planned results	2019 to 2020 Actual results	2018 to 2019 Actual results	Difference (2019 to 2020 Actual results minus 2019 to 2020 Planned results)	Difference (2019 to 2020 Actual results minus 2018 to 2019 Actual results)
Total expenses	Not applicable	3,960,828	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
Total revenues	Not applicable	0	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers	Not applicable	3,960,828	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable

 

Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as of March 31, 2020 (dollars)

Financial information	2019 to 2020	2018 to 2019	Difference (2019 to 2020 minus 2018 to 2019)
Total net liabilities	3,938,378	Not applicable	Not applicable
Total net financial assets	3,886,858	Not applicable	Not applicable
Departmental net debt	51,520	Not applicable	Not applicable
Total non-financial assets	272,462	Not applicable	Not applicable
Departmental net financial position	220,942	Not applicable	Not applicable

 

Additional information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister: Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

Chairperson: Mr. Paul-Claude Bérubé

Institutional head: Mr. Philip Rizcallah, Chief Executive Officer

Ministerial portfolio: Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion 

Enabling instrument: The Accessible Canada Act 

Year of incorporation / commencement: 2019

Other: Accessibility Standards Canada is supervised by a ten-member Board of Directors, including a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson. 

The organization's Board of Directors: 

• sets its strategic direction; 
• oversees its activities; and
• provides advice to its Chief Executive Officer, also a Governor in Council appointee. 

Most of the Directors are people with disabilities and reflect the diversity of disabilities experienced by Canadians. 

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 Accessibility Standards Canada’s website.

For more information, see the Chairperson of the Board’s mandate letter and for the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter.

Accessibility Standards Canada’s Vision

Our vision is a Canada:

• that does not have barriers; and
• where persons with disabilities can be sure that they have the same access to opportunities and services as everyone else.

Accessibility Standards Canada’s Mission

Persons with disabilities lead Accessibility Standards Canada to create a Canada without barriers. We work with persons with disabilities to:

• create new modern accessibility standards in key areas;
• revise current accessibility standards;
• lead research; and
• support everyone to reach the highest level of accessibility

Accessibility Standards Canada’s Values

These six value statements guide our work:

1. We value the knowledge and experience of people with disabilities.  We expect those we collaborate with to demonstrate this same value.
2. We value the diversity of society. Our work respects human rights and focuses on including everyone.
3. The consistency of a Canada without barriers is important. People with disabilities can expect equal level of access across the country.
4. We value universal access. Services, products and places are designed to be accessible to everyone.
5. We value two-way communication in an open, accessible, timely, and clear manner and in all areas of our work.
6. Disability experience and research have the same value when making decisions.

These values are based on the principles outlined in the Accessible Canada Act.

Reporting framework

Shown below are Accessibility Standards Canada’s:

• Departmental Results Framework; and
• Program Inventory.

Internal services support the accessibility standards core responsibility and departmental results.

Departmental Results Framework 

Core Responsibility: Accessibility Standards 

Departmental Result: New and revised accessibility standards in priority areas contribute to the elimination of barriers for persons with disabilities.

• Indicator: Number of new or revised accessibility standards in priority areas that Accessibility Standards Canada developed, collaborated in or funded.

Departmental Result: Pioneering research informs the next generation of accessibility standards. 

• Indicator: Percentage of funding invested by Accessibility Standards Canada in research and development (R&D) projects that influences accessibility standards or priority-setting for standards development. 

Departmental Result: Information about accessibility standards, products, services and best practices to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers is accessed online by organizations and the public.

• Indicator: Number of unique views online of Accessibility Standards Canada services and products (e.g. technical papers, reports, presentations, peer-reviewed articles, guidelines) generated from funded research projects and/or from other Accessibility Standards Canada work.

Departmental Result: Accessibility Standards Canada’s work in accessibility standards increases opportunities for collaboration in advancing a Canada without barriers. 

• Indicator: Number of Accessibility Standards Canada-led standards processes or other activities in which persons with disabilities, representatives from disability organizations, provincial and territorial governments, national associations, international bodies, industry and/or other standard development organizations collaborated or participated.

Program Inventory 

Program: Standards Development 

Program: Outreach and Knowledge Application 

Supporting information on the program inventory

Financial, human resources and performance information for Accessibility Standards Canada’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Accessibility Standards Canada’s website:

• Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
• Gender-based analysis plus
• Response to parliamentary committees and external audits

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs. The tax measures presented in this report are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address: 

Accessibility Standards Canada 

111 Sussex Drive, Terrace Level, Suite 010 – Confederation Room, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2 

Telephone: 1-833-854-7628 

Email: 

Info.Accessibility.Standards-Normes.Accessibilite.Info@canada.gc.ca 

Accessibility Standards Canada’s website

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) 

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 2019–20 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2019 Speech from the Throne, namely: Fighting climate change; Strengthening the Middle Class; Walking the road of reconciliation; Keeping Canadians safe and healthy; and Positioning Canada for success in an uncertain world.

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)

A 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.

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.