Departmental Results Report 2018-19

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada,
represented by the Minister of Industry, 2020

Cat. No. CR1-16E-PDF
ISSN 2561-1895

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Departmental Results Report 2018-19

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Minister’s message

I am pleased to present the 2018-19 Departmental Results Report for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Over the past year, the various organizations in the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Portfolio have together worked hard to make Canada a global innovation leader and to build an economy that works for everyone.

Our primary objectives were, and continue to be, to empower businesses to reach their innovation potential to compete in a global, knowledge-based economy; to enhance Canada’s economic strengths by supporting science and research; and to promote Canadian tourism. These objectives were supported by new and existing policies and programs designed to help Canadian entrepreneurs from across the country and from diverse backgrounds grow and reach new markets. We also continued to implement multiyear investments in science, including historic investments in fundamental research, while our robust tourism industry was bolstered by support for national initiatives.

Budget 2018 provided historical investments in support of the granting agencies. It increased the funding for social sciences and humanities research by $215.5 million over five years. The Budget included new measures to accelerate Canada’s transition to a more modern approach to research. In response, SSHRC launched the New Frontiers in Research Fund, and a first competition was held during the year. It also enabled the creation of a new funding stream under the Research Support Fund and supplemented the funding of the Canada Research Chairs Program. Finally, SSHRC led an interagency initiative to co-develop, with Indigenous communities, an interdisciplinary, Indigenous research and research training model that contributes to reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

These are just a few examples of SSHRC’s work on behalf of Canadians through collaboration, dialogue and partnerships across the country. We invite you to read this report to learn more about how we are working with and for Canadians to build our innovation nation.

The Honourable Navdeep Bains
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

President’s message

I am pleased to present SSHRC’s 2018-19 Departmental Results Report.

This has been an exciting year for SSHRC. The agency received a base budget increase of $215.5 million over five years, and $54.8 million per year thereafter, as part of Budget 2018’s historic investment in science and research through Canada’s three federal research funding agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and SSHRC.

This funding boost has enabled significant new investments in our principal programs that fostered excellence in a changing research landscape, created opportunities for research and training through collaborative initiatives, and connected Canadians with research on issues of national and international importance.

Budget 2018 also included a number of other measures that will strengthen and broaden the work we carry out in collaboration with fellow research funding agencies, as well as other partners in Canada and internationally.

First, to modernize Canada’s approach to research, Budget 2018 created a new tri-agency fund, managed by SSHRC, to support research that is international, interdisciplinary, fast-breaking and high-risk / high-reward. The New Frontiers in Research Fund, designed by the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, was launched in December 2018. The first stream for this fund, known as Exploration, has funded 157 early career researchers who will conduct exploratory research that crosses disciplinary boundaries.

Additional multiyear investments under SSHRC’s stewardship are also strengthening and enhancing the Canada Research Chairs Program and the Research Support Fund to ensure that researchers are provided with the necessary space and support at universities to undertake high-quality, multidisciplinary research.

Further, new collaborations with various organizations within the Government of Canada are providing ways for researchers in the social sciences and humanities to contribute directly to public policy and extend the impact of research. For example, SSHRC joined forces with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to promote research supporting Canada’s National Housing Strategy. A partnership with Defence Research and Development Canada supports social sciences and humanities research on questions of security.

Looking beyond our borders, a multi-agency partnership involving the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, SSHRC and the International Development Research Centre is improving Ebola response capacities. Four grants were awarded to research teams from Canada and a number of African countries to find innovative ways of preventing and mitigating the impact of future outbreaks. In addition, SSHRC and the United Kingdom’s Economic and Social Research Council awarded 10 grants to Canadian-British research teams to synthesize knowledge on the future of Canada-UK trade relationships.

Here in Canada, SSHRC has continued to support and promote social sciences and humanities research by and with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. This year, SSHRC led an interagency process to create a national dialogue with Indigenous communities to co-develop an interdisciplinary Indigenous research and research training model that contributes to reconciliation. In addition to regional roundtables and workshops, a National Dialogue event was held in Ottawa and a dedicated funding opportunity was launched: 116 multidisciplinary Indigenous Research Capacity and Reconciliation—Connection Grants were awarded to Indigenous not-for-profit organizations and to academic institutions.

This year SSHRC also enhanced its efforts to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in its programs by initiating the collection of data on federally designated groups—including women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minority groups—applying for and receiving SSHRC funding and participating in merit reviews. Increasing equity, diversity and inclusion in research environments enhances excellence, innovation and creativity, as well as the quality, social relevance, outcomes and impacts of research.

These and other new initiatives complement SSHRC’s established programs in developing the knowledge and fostering the talent Canada needs to excel. As the agency embarks on the second half of its 2016-21 Strategic Plan, SSHRC is well placed to sustain and enhance Canada’s position as a global leader in social sciences and humanities research and research training.

Ted Hewitt, PhD

Results at a glance

Through grants, fellowships and scholarships, SSHRC promotes and supports research and research training in the social sciences and humanities to develop talent, generate insights and build connections in the pursuit of social, cultural and economic outcomes for Canadians. In 2018-19, SSHRC implemented its departmental results focusing on two core responsibilities: (1) funding social sciences and humanities research and training; and (2) institutional support for the indirect costs of research.

Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training

In 2018-19, SSHRC helped Canada sustain and enhance its globally competitive position as a producer of high-calibre research and supported the objectives of Canada’s Innovation and Skills Plan. The following key results were achieved:

• Canada ranked 12th on the Average Relative Citation index for the social sciences and humanities among countries in the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development.
• About 70 per cent of SSHRC’s funded research involved international collaborations.
• The Canada Research Coordinating Committee secretariat, hosted at SSHRC, helped improve collaboration, coordination and harmonization and continued to address issues of national priority and common concern to the three federal research funding agencies (the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and SSHRC) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
• The inaugural competition of the New Frontiers in Research Fund, a new program administered by SSHRC on behalf of the three federal research funding agencies, awarded 157 grants valued over $38 million over two years.
• SSHRC led an interagency initiative that aims to create a national dialogue and co-develop, with Indigenous communities, an interdisciplinary, Indigenous research and research training model that contributes to reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

SSHRC successfully leveraged greater investment in social sciences and humanities research in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, broadening its impact. For example, SSHRC collaborated with:

• the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to enhance support in housing research, as prioritized under Canada’s National Housing Strategy; and
• the Economic and Social Research Council in the United Kingdom to fund 10 Knowledge Synthesis Grants totaling over $280,000 to assess the state of research knowledge on Canada-UK trade relationships.

SSHRC continues to seek opportunities to make the results of its funding accessible to Canadians and to organizations in all sectors, thus contributing to decision-making, policy-making and innovation, and helping to identify and address the challenges of today and tomorrow. The following key results were achieved in 2018-19:

• SSHRC funded 724 partnership projects in 2018-19, representing an increase of 47 per cent compared with the previous year.
• SSHRC continued to experiment with partnership grants that provide non-academic organizations flexibility and ease of use. SSHRC dedicated resources to further develop Partnership Engage Grants.
• Overall, 824 partners were involved in research projects and contributed $35,185,921 in research funding.
• SSHRC partnered with Global Affairs Canada on the International Policy Ideas Challenge, where 10 winners were invited to present their papers to senior government officials.

Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research

The Research Support Fund reinforces the federal government’s research investment by helping institutions ensure that their federally funded research projects are conducted in world-class facilities with the best equipment and administrative support available. Budget 2018 enabled the creation of a new funding stream under the Research Support Fund delivered in the form of Incremental Project Grants. In 2018-19, Incremental Project Grants were awarded to 29 institutions.

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

Results: what we achieved

Core Responsibilities

Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training

Description

SSHRC, through grants, fellowships and scholarships, promotes and supports research and research training in the social sciences and humanities to develop talent, generate insights and build connections in the pursuit of social, cultural and economic outcomes for Canadians.

Results

For this Core Responsibility, SSHRC aims to achieve its three departmental results through three strategic objectives: enable excellence in a changing research landscape; create opportunities for research and training through collaborative initiatives; and connect social sciences and humanities research with Canadians. These provided the basis for establishing SSHRC’s priorities and initiatives for 2018-19.

1. Enable excellence in a changing research landscape

SSHRC supports the objectives of Canada’s Innovation and Skills Plan, which recognizes that research is a key contributor to enhancing the economic and social well-being of Canadians. The following are the highlights of the results achieved in 2018-19.

An analysis of the Average Relative Citation Factor within the social sciences and humanities reveals that Canada ranks 12th among countries in the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development, an improvement by one rank compared with 2017-18. While metrics do not tell the full story of the research impact of the social sciences and humanities, they are an indication of how Canada’s scientific publications compare with those in other countries.

The frequency of collaborations between Canadian and international researchers can be a proxy for Canada’s reputation for research and training. In 2018-19, 70 per cent of SSHRC-funded research involved international collaborations. Research is increasingly international and such global collaborations demonstrate that Canadian researchers in the social sciences and humanities are in high demand while also benefiting from international knowledge.

SSHRC continues to host the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) secretariat, which aims to help improve collaboration, coordination and harmonization among the three federal research funding agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and SSHRC—as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

CRCC leadership on national priorities improved tri-agency collaboration on key files. Consultations with researchers and stakeholders in summer 2018 bolstered CRCC’s efforts to strengthen equity, diversity and inclusion. These efforts also supported the design of the New Frontiers in Research Fund, which was launched in December 2018 to create opportunities for interdisciplinary, international, transformative research. In addition, engagement with Indigenous communities across Canada led to a National Dialogue held in March 2019, which focused on the co-development of new models for Indigenous research that support reconciliation in Canada. More information on CRCC achievements is available in the Strengthening Canadian Research Progress Report 2018-19.

The New Frontiers in Research Fund is a new tri-agency program administered by SSHRC on behalf of the three federal research granting agencies. This fund held its inaugural competition under the Exploration stream, focusing on high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research. This competition targeted early career researchers and awarded 157 grants, with a total value of over $38 million over two years. From an equity, diversity and inclusion perspective, more than 50 per cent of the successful applicants self-identified as members of at least one of the four designated groups.

Budget 2018 committed $3.8 million to SSHRC to develop a strategic research plan that helped identify new ways of doing research by and with Indigenous communities. This includes strategies to grow the capacity of those communities to conduct research and partner with the broader research community. In collaboration with the other federal granting agencies, SSHRC has been leading the implementation of the Strengthening Indigenous Research Capacity initiative that aims to create a national dialogue and co-develop, with Indigenous communities, an interdisciplinary, Indigenous research and research training model that contributes to reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Achievements for 2018-19 included:

• convening 14 regional events in partnership with Indigenous organizations across Canada, which were attended by about 500 participants, including Elders, Knowledge Keepers, community leaders, researchers, students and youth;
• funding 116 projects of up to $50,000 for six months, through a multidisciplinary Indigenous Research Capacity and Reconciliation—Connection Grants competition;
• extending, for the first time, the eligibility of these grants to Indigenous not-for-profit organizations—85 per cent of proposals submitted by Indigenous not-for-profit organizations received grants; and
• holding a National Dialogue in March 2019, bringing together some 300 individuals who included Connection Grant holders, Indigenous Elders and CRCC members to discuss emerging themes identified through position papers submitted and during the course of engagement activities.

2. Create opportunities for research and training through collaborative initiatives

Through collaboration among research funders and other stakeholders, SSHRC seeks to leverage greater investment in social sciences and humanities research from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors; strengthen social, cultural, economic and intellectual impact from SSHRC funding; and foster increased international collaboration to facilitate access to new ideas, talent and opportunities for researchers and students.

Results highlights in 2018-19 include the following:

• SSHRC continued developing funding opportunities with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation under the Partnership Grants program. The inaugural competition funded eight partnerships through one-year development grants of up to $80,000, for an overall investment of $632,035. Funded researchers are to submit their formal proposal in fall 2019, aiming to create a knowledge mobilization hub as well as regional nodes. The grants will support collaborations between academics and the policy-making community, and will form the Collaborative Housing Research Network in order to enhance research, as prioritized under Canada’s National Housing Strategy.
• SSHRC collaborated with the Economic and Social Research Council in the United Kingdom and awarded 10 Knowledge Synthesis Grants totalling over $280,000 to assess the state of research knowledge on the future of Canada-UK trade relationships. The grants support cross-sectoral stakeholders and facilitate the sharing of research findings with the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
• Overall, in 2018-19, SSHRC funded 724 partnership projects, representing an increase of 47 per cent compared with the previous year.

3. Connect social sciences and humanities research with Canadians

SSHRC is committed to ensuring that the benefits of research and talent development are fully realized. SSHRC advances opportunities to make the results of its funding more accessible to Canadian organizations in all sectors, to contribute to decision-making, policy-making and innovation, and to help identify and address the challenges of today and tomorrow. Through outreach and engagement, SSHRC worked with government departments and other partners to facilitate access to SSHRC-funded students, researchers, research and data.

Results highlights in 2018-19 include the following:

• SSHRC grant recipients who submitted an end of grant report in 2018-19 indicated that 8,948 research trainees had been supported through their grants, well exceeding the goal of 5,000. This number, although dependent on the number of reports received, demonstrates the magnitude of support stemming from SSHRC funding. As well, SSHRC scholarships helped students and postdoctoral researchers acquire skills to effectively conduct research, teaching and knowledge mobilization, with 89 per cent of scholarship recipients reporting that the award helped enhance their skills to a great extent.
• SSHRC partnered with Policy Horizons Canada on a comprehensive horizon scan project to identify key global challenges that may have a major impact on Canada in the next decade. This resulted in the identification of 16 global challenges across six themes: economy, society, technology, environment, governance and arts/culture.
• SSHRC partnered with Global Affairs Canada on the International Policy Ideas Challenge, which invites graduate students and early career scholars to submit a policy brief on one of Global Affairs Canada’s priority policy areas. The 10 winners were invited to present their papers to senior government officials.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research

Description

SSHRC, on behalf of NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC, provides financial support to universities, colleges and their affiliated research hospitals and institutes to reimburse a portion of indirect costs associated with the funded research.

Results

The Research Support Fund program supports the achievement of SSHRC’s fourth departmental result: Canada’s university and college research environments are strong. Every year, the federal government invests in research excellence in the areas of health sciences, engineering, natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities through its three federal research funding agencies. The Research Support Fund reinforces this research investment by helping institutions ensure that their federally funded research projects are conducted in world-class facilities with the best equipment and administrative support available.

Results highlights in 2018-19 include the following:

• Budget 2018 boosted the annual Research Support Fund budget of $369 million with $231.3 million over the next five years, with nearly $59 million per year ongoing, for projects at eligible institutions.
• Research Support Fund grants have eligible and ineligible expenditures across five categories. In 2018-19, 37 per cent of Research Support Fund grants were invested in management and administration and 36 per cent of the funding was invested in research facilities. Total program expenditures amounted to $397,648,742. The additional funding received through the Incremental Project Grants stream accounts for some of the increase in the percentage of funds invested in research facilities, resulting in SSHRC slightly surpassing its target for 2018-19.
• The 15th-year evaluation of the Research Support Fund was started in 2018-19 and is planned to be completed in 2019-20. The evaluation assesses questions related to performance, namely the contribution of the Research Support Fund to the effective use of direct federal research funding, its relevance in terms of changes in the research environment that may have had an impact on the need for this program since the last evaluation, and the cost-efficiency of program delivery. The evaluation is also assessing the current challenges and barriers to collecting performance information from recipient institutions and the level of detail necessary to meet accountability requirements.
• In an effort to continue to improve performance reporting for the Research Support Fund, a validation and revision of the end of grant report was carried out in the context of the evaluation. Key informant interviews were held with representatives of 27 institutions, and data were collected from 97 institutions through an online reporting instrument. The results of this consultation will be made public, together with the evaluation findings and recommendations, in 2019-20.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Internal Services

Description

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

• Acquisition Management Services
• Communications Services
• Financial Management Services
• Human Resources Management Services
• Information Management Services
• Information Technology Services
• Legal Services
• Materiel Management Services
• Management and Oversight Services
• Real Property Management Services

Results

Results highlights in 2018-19 include the following:

• SSHRC continued the implementation of its People Strategy Action Plan for 2016-20. In alignment with the People Strategy and in response to findings from the 2017 Public Service Employee Survey, SSHRC continued efforts to reinforce and maintain a respectful, healthy and inclusive workplace through training and special events. This included introducing mandatory training on bias awareness and healthy workplaces as well as the People of NSERC-SSHRC Live program, which celebrates the diversity within the organization. These measures were undertaken to demonstrate SSHRC’s commitment to promoting a respectful work environment free of harassment, discrimination, incivility and any form of disrespect.
• Results of the 2018 Public Service Employee Survey show employee engagement continues to rise. SSHRC employees have a great sense of satisfaction from their work, feel valued at work and are proud of the work they do. Key areas of continued focus are related to its Mental Health and Well-Being strategy, Prevention of Harassment and Civility in the Workplace strategy, and Diversity and Inclusivity initiatives.
• SSHRC, in collaboration with NSERC and CIHR, continued the planning for the renewal of information technology support systems for the full grants management lifecycle and engaged with stakeholders to validate the needs of the research community. Following an extensive analysis, the presidents of the three granting agencies formally approved the decision to move forward with the preliminary planning of a tri-agency grants management solution.
• As an interim measure while the tri-agency grants management solution is under development, SSHRC continued to improve the existing grants management systems as necessary to meet ongoing and emerging program needs. In particular, SSHRC used an existing platform to successfully develop and launch systems for the new tri-agency New Frontiers in Research Fund.
• SSHRC ensures alignment to and compliance with Government of Canada priorities, policy requirements and transformative initiatives. In 2018-19, SSHRC began assessing the impacts of and developing implementation strategies for changes related to the TBS Policy Suite Reset Initiative.
• SSHRC’s migration to the new financial management system has been postponed to 2021, in agreement with TBS, to align with timelines for NSERC and CIHR. The migration to a new system is mandated by TBS and is expected to create operational efficiencies and ensure better flexibility and adaptability to future operational needs. It is also expected to improve reporting for evidence-based decisions. Finally, the new financial management system will support better coordination across government departments.
• To improve access to and use of SSHRC’s data, SSHRC made public its new online interactive dashboards that provide an overview of SSHRC’s investments and competition statistics.

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

During 2018-19, SSHRC’s total authorities available for use increased by $89.7 million over the 2018-19 Main Estimates largely due to the implementation of Budget 2018 items:

• an additional $28.7 million for the Research Support Fund;
• $26.8 million for investigator-led discovery research in the social sciences;
• $20.6 million to create the New Frontiers in Research Fund;
• an additional $4.3 million for the Canada Research Chairs Program;
• $3.7 million to strengthen Indigenous research capacity; and
• Other government departments contributed $5.6 million for joint initiatives in social sciences and humanities research.

Actual expenditures

Expenditures by vote

For information on SSHRC’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2018-2019.

Government of Canada spending and activities

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

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

SSHRC’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2019, are available on the departmental website.

Financial statements highlights

The increase in total expenses over previous year is mainly due to the variances in transfer payments in the following initiatives:

• an additional $28.7 million for the Research Support Fund;
• $26.8 million for investigator-led discovery research in the social sciences;
• $20.6 million to create the New Frontiers in Research Fund;
• an additional $4.3 million for the Canada Research Chairs Program; and
• Other government departments contributed $5.6 million for joint initiatives in social sciences and humanities research.

The increase in net liabilities and net financial assets is mainly due to grants and subsidies recognized at the end of 2018-19 that were paid in the following fiscal year.

The decrease in non-financial assets is mainly due to the annual depreciation of SSHRC’s tangible capital assets, which surpassed the additions made during the year.

Supplementary information

Corporate information

Organizational profile

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 SSHRC’s website.

For more information on the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter.

Operating context and key risks

Information on operating context and key risks is available on SSHRC’s website.

Reporting Framework

SSHRC’s Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2018-19 are shown below.

Graphical presentation of Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory

Supporting information on the Program Inventory

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase. In 2018-19, SSHRC added a new program to its Program Inventory: the New Frontiers in Research Fund. As this program was added during the reporting year, it is not included in SSHRC’s Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2018-19.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on SSHRC’s website:

• Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy;
• Details on transfer payment programs of $5 million or more; and
• Gender-based analysis plus.

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

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
350 Albert Street
Ottawa, ON K1P 6G4
Canada

Telephone: 613-992-0691
Email: corporate-performance@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

Core Responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a Core Responsibility are reflected in one or more related Departmental Results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a three year period. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

Departmental Result (résultat ministériel)

A Departmental Result represents the change or changes that the department seeks to influence. 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 factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a Departmental Result.

Departmental Results Framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

Consists of the department’s Core Responsibilities, Departmental Results and Departmental Result Indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on an appropriated department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

experimentation (expérimentation)

Activities that seek to explore, test and compare the effects and impacts of policies, interventions and approaches, to inform evidence-based decision-making, by learning what works and what does not.

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. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])

An analytical process used to help identify the potential impacts of policies, Programs and services on diverse groups of women, men and gender differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ considers many other identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2018-19 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2015 Speech from the Throne, namely: Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and a Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada’s Strength; and Security and Opportunity.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more departments 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 up 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.

priority (priorité)

A plan or project that an organization 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 Strategic Outcome(s) or Departmental Results.

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.

result (résultat)

An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

Strategic Outcome (résultat stratégique)

A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The Vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

Date modified:

2020-04-15