Departmental Results Report 2021-22

Departmental Results Report 2021-22 PDF Version (2.2 MB)

Table of contents

• From the Ministers
• Results at a glance
  • Core responsibilities and key activities
• Results: what we achieved
  • Core responsibilities
    • National Security
    • Community Safety
    • Emergency Management
  • Internal Services
• Spending and human resources
  • Spending
  • Human resources
  • Expenditures by vote
  • Government of Canada spending and activities
  • Financial statements and financial statements highlights
• Corporate information
  • Organizational profile
  • Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
  • Operating context
  • Reporting framework
• Supporting information on the program inventory
• Supplementary information tables
• Federal tax expenditures
• Organizational contact information
• Appendix: definitions

From the Ministers

The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino
Minister of Public Safety

The Honourable William Sterling Blair
President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

As the Minister of Public Safety and the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, we are pleased to present the 2021–22 Departmental Results Report (DRR) for Public Safety Canada. This year, the Department continued to take a lead role in responding to threats to the safety of Canadians, from domestic threats and hazards, to global issues including the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine has resulted in a tragic loss of life and a migration crisis, highlighting the importance of collaboration and prompting concrete actions from Public Safety Canada. The Department worked with Ukraine and Five Eyes partners to counter Russian disinformation and continued to work with the cyber security community to address the heightened threat of malicious cyber activity. Public Safety Canada, in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Communications Security Establishment, hosted information sessions with critical infrastructure stakeholders to discuss mitigation and resilience efforts that Canadian industry can take to better secure their systems against attacks. These efforts complement a mid-term review of the National Cyber Security Strategy to ensure that our approaches reflect the current landscape and the interconnectedness between the cyber and physical realms.

On an international scale, Public Safety Canada also worked to keep our country and our allies safe, including from hostile activities by state actors (HASA) and foreign interference, and enhance safety at our borders. Working with the Department’s portfolio partners, Public Safety Canada led policy development for important counter-HASA measures, and added four new groups to the list of terrorist entities under the Criminal Code. The Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence continued to expand its role as an international centre of excellence, and advance the priorities of the National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence. As international travel regains momentum, the Department continued its efforts to streamline travel and trade, while bolstering border security, by expanding preclearance.

Within our own borders, Public Safety Canada took several actions in line with the Department’s priority of keeping Canadian communities safe. This year, the Department made significant strides in strengthening Canada’s gun control legislation, by restricting access to and movement of firearms, expanding background checks, and increasing licence verification measures. Understanding that prevention is key to tackling crime, the Department launched the first federal Social Impact Bond in the area of community safety, to expand the Alternative Suspension program. The program supports youth in returning to school, reducing repeated suspensions, and ultimately improving educational and social outcomes. The Department also developed the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism through engagements with stakeholders, which aims to improve public safety by reducing recidivism, preventing victimization and, importantly, addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous persons, Black Canadians, and other marginalized groups in our criminal justice system.

As Ministers, central to our mandates is a continued focus on addressing systemic inequities and disparities in our society, including our institutions. This year, the Department took steps to ensure the Records Suspension Program is fair and accessible, reducing the application fee from $657.77 to $50.00. It also began engaging with provincial and territorial partners to explore how an automated sequestering of records system could be implemented in Canada. Such a system would remove barriers to safe and successful reintegration for those with a criminal record who are now living crime-free.

Achieving this goal also means taking further steps together on the path to reconciliation, and making sure our priorities and work reflect the needs of Indigenous populations. Public Safety Canada was pleased to collaborate with First Nations (FN) organizations on FN police services needs, and launched an engagement process to help inform the co-development of legislation to recognize FN police services as essential services. The Department also began preparations for renewed and ongoing dialogue with Inuit and Métis partners, to identify and better understand their unique policing and community safety needs, and how the Department can support them.

Often, the threats to our collective safety are borderless in nature, creating a rapidly changing and unpredictable climate. Housed within Public Safety Canada, the Government Operations Centre coordinates the whole-of-government response to emergencies, which included the response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the federal response to major flooding, wildfires, and atmospheric rivers across the country; and the provision of support for Afghan and Ukrainian evacuees. The Department has continued to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous partners to prepare for future emergencies. For example, the joint Federal-Provincial-Territorial Emergency Management Strategy Interim Action Plan 2021-22 was implemented to help strengthen Canada’s ability to assess risks like flooding and wildfires, and to help prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.

We encourage all Canadians to read this report to learn more about how Public Safety Canada is continually striving to keep Canadians safe.

The Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P
Minister of Public Safety

The Honourable William Sterling Blair, P.C., C.O.M., M.P
President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

Results at a glance

Human Resources

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

Results: what we achieved

Public Safety Canada’s activities and results are structured under three Core Responsibilities (i.e., National Security, Community Safety, and Emergency Management), as well as Internal Services.

Core responsibilities

National Security

Description

Public Safety Canada develops policy, legislation and programs to support Canada’s capacity to respond to a range of national security threats directed against Canadians, our critical infrastructure (CI) and our cyber systems while advancing national counter terrorism efforts.

Results

National Security Leadership

Transparency in National Security

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to enhance transparency and trust in the national security community through several consultative and advisory mechanisms.

The National Security Transparency Commitment Secretariat sought to foster robust and open engagement between the Government of Canada and Canadians on national security issues. The Secretariat published a report titled “National Security Information Sharing and Transparency Public Opinion Research”, which detailed the results of the public opinion research that the Secretariat had conducted at the beginning of 2021.

The National Security Transparency Advisory Group published a second report titled, “The Definition, Measurement, and Institutionalization of Transparency in National Security”, in support of stronger accountability and transparency mechanisms.

Passenger Protect Program and Supporting Initiatives

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to support air transportation security through the administration of the Passenger Protect Program (PPP) with Transport Canada, in close coordination with other federal departments and agencies. The objective of the PPP is to ensure transportation security by mitigating the risks presented by individuals who may pose a threat to aviation and/or national security, or who may travel by air for the purpose of committing terrorism offences.

The Department led the implementation phase of the enhancements to the PPP, while also protecting the rights and freedoms of travelers. As a result, Public Safety Canada facilitated the onboarding of more than half of the PPP-regulated air carriers to the Centralized Screening System and is currently on track to achieving the target of having 100% of air carriers onboarded by November 2022.

The implementation of the Canadian Travel Number (CTN) Portal also helped travelers who have the same or similar name to someone on the Secure Air Travel Act list (sometimes referred to as the “SATA List” or the “No Fly List”) to have faster, and automatic deconfliction of false name matches. As of March 2022, the Department received 1,500 CTN applications and processed over 1,330 cases; approximately 8% of the processed applications identified as false name matches. No air travel delays were reported for children under the age of 16.

Terrorist Listings under the Criminal Code

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to work with its Portfolio agencies and other government departments to add four new terrorist entities to the Criminal Code list (see Currently listed entities), which now comprises 75 groups and 2 individuals. The newly added terrorist entities included three ideologically motivated violent extremist entities (i.e., Aryan Strikeforce, Three Percenters, and James Mason), and one Daesh affiliate (i.e., the Islamic State – Democratic Republic of the Congo). Listings assist in the investigation and prosecution of terrorist acts and offences, as well as helping prevent the exploitation of Canada’s financial systems by terrorist entities. It also helps obstruct assistance from sympathizers and supporters in Canada by prohibiting and criminalizing certain support activities, including those related to terrorist travel, training and recruitment and ensure that terrorist entities do not use Canada as a base from which to conduct terrorist activities (including fundraising).

Moreover, the Department completed the statutory review of nine previously listed entities (Al Qaida, Asbat Al-Ansar, Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, Hamas, Hizballah, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command) and as a result, no change was proposed to the list.

Public Safety Canada also continued to coordinate with Portfolio partners and the broader security and intelligence community to lead deconfliction efforts and address the many security-related challenges posed by Canadian Extremist Travelers (CETs), and to ensure that the Government can effectively monitor and respond to CETs.

Countering hostile activity by state actors

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to engage with federal and international partners to improve Canada’s approach to countering hostile activities by state actors and to lead on several policy initiatives aimed at bolstering Canada’s defences.

Following-up on an agreement in late March 2022 between the Prime Ministers of Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) to deepen the two countries’ security partnership, Departmental officials began discussions with their UK Home Office counterparts to increase collaboration with respect to security and intelligence, including through the Five Eyes. These collaborations would serve to better combat current and future threats to democracy and our collective security and economic interests. This includes enhancing cooperation in the fight against foreign influence, and improving cyber and economic security.

The Department also continued to support work led by the Privy Council Office Democratic Institutions unit and Global Affairs Canada’s G7 Rapid Response Mechanism units aimed at protecting democracy both domestically and internationally. Moreover, Public Safety Canada and its Portfolio partners have collaborated with Ukraine and security partners from the Five Eyes community to counter Russian disinformation and other foreign influence activities, alongside the enforcement of sanctions against designated Russian individuals and entities.The Department continued coordinating the Government of Canada’s involvement in the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.

Economic-Based Threats to National Security

Public Safety Canada, in close collaboration with other government departments and agencies, continued to develop a comprehensive policy framework to counter economic-based threats to national security such as the loss of valuable intellectual property, military and dual-use technology, sensitive personal information, and compromised critical infrastructure (CI).

The framework will better enable and equip the Government of Canada, as well as a wide range of external stakeholders, to counter existing and emerging economic-based threats, including those from foreign direct investments, and those that seek to exploit Canada’s open knowledge-based economy, while maintaining a positive climate for innovation, investment and the promotion of economic resilience.

Public Safety Canada continued to engage provinces and territories and municipalities on issues related to economic security through the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Economic-based National Security Community of Practice, a forum that facilitates engagement through information exchanges and sharing of best practices.

The Department also continued to work with federal partners to identify and assess technology areas that have national security implications and to assess foreign investments under the national security provisions of the Investment Canada Act.

Research Security

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada enhanced outreach and engagement activities, in collaboration with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), the security and intelligence community, and the research community. Following the Spring 2021 Research Security Policy Statement, Public Safety Canada supported ISED with their release of the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships, which includes a Risk Assessment Form to assess potential risks that research partnerships may pose to Canada’s national security.

The Department also engaged with Canada’s research community to raise awareness of research security issues through the Safeguarding Science Initiative. In 2021-22, the Safeguarding Science team increased the number of virtual workshops delivered to stakeholders by 33%, and reached a total of 1487 participants across Canada.

Critical Infrastructure

Delivery of Critical Infrastructure Programs

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada focused on providing public and private critical infrastructure (CI) owners and operators with concrete tools and actionable information to strengthen resilience and CI protection in Canada. The CI Cyber Partnerships team:

• Hosted several Industrial Control System (ICS) security-related awareness sessions, including the new foundational “Understanding ICS” session;
• Conducted 7 Canadian Cyber Resilience Review assessments and 4 Network Security Resilience Assessments;
• Processed 157 Canadian Cyber Security Tool assessments; and
• Participated in 3 exercises, including a cyber exercise conducted by the United States (US) Department of Homeland Security and a NATO-led exercise.

The Department initiated a new exercise program titled “Cy-Phy 23”, which will span over two years and is designed to explore the relation between the cyber and physical domains with regards to incident response. Two national information seminars were held with close to 800 combined participants. The CI Exercise Team also launched the Zodiac Exercise Program, which brings together partners to better prepare to respond more effectively and efficiently to an emergency. The Program will culminate with the final exercise activity, Exercise Coastal Response 2022, which is scheduled to occur in Winter 2023.

The Regional Resilience Assessment Program team conducted 11 Critical Infrastructure Multimedia Tool and Critical Infrastructure Resilience Tool assessments. In addition, the program continued to work on the development of a self-assessment version of the Critical Infrastructure Resilience Tool that is expected to be rolled out in the next fiscal year. The self-assessment will extend the reach of the program, and will be particularly useful for smaller owners and operators for whom in-person assessment may not be feasible.

The Virtual Risk Analysis Cell team developed 13 CI-focused products to inform decision making, improve preparedness and support emergency management in relation to cyclical hazards (e.g., flooding, wildfires, hurricanes, winter storms and earthquakes). These products were distributed to various CI stakeholders (i.e., provinces and territories, other government departments, and the private sector) in an effort to increase the resilience of Canada’s CI and raise awareness of potential CI impact considerations.

Enhancing Canada’s Approach to Critical Infrastructure Resilience

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to bolster partnerships with critical infrastructure (CI) owners and operators and key stakeholders from the private and public spheres through various fora, including the National Cross Sector Forum (NCSF), which brings together national executive level industry leaders to prioritize the federal government response to emerging issues related to CI. The NCSF met in November 2021 to launch the renewal of the National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure. This forum served as an opportunity for members to provide input on the renewal of the National Strategy and approach to CI security and resilience in Canada. Approximately 71% of survey respondents indicated that they had an increased level of awareness of risks and threats to CI as a result of their attendance.

As a result of ongoing impacts to industry stemming from the pandemic, Public Safety Canada hosted 5 Extended NCSFs for CI on COVID-19, wherein government and private sector participants met virtually to gain insight from subject-matter experts. Through post-session assessments, members, representing over 170 organizations and departments at all federal, provincial, and territorial levels, informed that their level of awareness to COVID-19 related risks and threats to CI had increased as a result of their participation and that the collaborations across sectors were useful to help increase their organizations’ resilience.

Furthermore, the Department collaborated with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other partners to deliver multiple cross-sector webinars to address ongoing issues such as supply chain disruptions, labour shortages, cyber threats, drones and other matters pertaining to CI resilience. During these webinars, participants were introduced to cyber tools and assessments to help improve their capacity to address risks of international cyber state-sponsored threats and impacts to Canada’s CI, as well as to our security and prosperity.

Cyber Security

National Cyber Security Strategy Mid-term Strategy Evaluation

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada conducted a mid-term evaluation of three of the National Cyber Security Strategy initiatives that fall under its responsibility, in order to assess the performance of these initiatives in achieving their outcomes of improving Canadian cyber security. The evaluation covered activities from 2018-19 to mid-2021-22 and its main conclusions addressed 3 themes:

• Strategic Policy Capacity in Cyber Security and Cybercrime – The Strategic Policy Capacity has been successful in increasing inter-departmental coordination and the awareness of cyber security issues;
• Supporting Canadian Critical Infrastructure (CI) Owners and Operators – Public Safety Canada has reached all 10 CI sectors through its programs and activities; and
• Cyber Security Cooperation Program (CSCP) – Stakeholders are aware of the CSCP and projects are increasing.

Cyber Security Cooperation Program

Public Safety Canada continued to collaborate with recipients of grants and contributions from the Cyber Security Cooperation Program (CSCP) to support a number of cyber security projects and initiatives seeking to improve Canada’s cyber security.

In 2021-22, the CSCP successfully funded 8 projects throughout Canada focused on a diverse set of cyber security-related outcomes, with all funding for the program allocated. Among those, the program funded an innovative project proposed by Ryerson University, which will introduce an applied learning program in Cybersecurity, Safety and Responsible Innovation that is adaptive and inclusive for Canada’s cyber ecosystem, addressing learning and skills development needs at different junctures in the skills continuum. The specific objectives aim to promote career pathways in cybersecurity to women from traditionally underrepresented groups, and bridge gaps in knowledge, skills and collaboration among policy and industry professionals.

Critical Cyber Systems

Public Safety Canada, in collaboration with other federal departments, continued to lead work related to developing a critical cyber systems framework to protect Canada’s critical infrastructure (CI) in the federally regulated finance, telecommunications, energy and transportation sectors.

This framework is intended to lay the foundation for securing Canada’s CI, and strengthens baseline cyber security protections of the services and systems upon which Canadians rely and that are vital to national security and public safety.

Telecommunications Security

As the lead department for Canada’s 5G Security Examination, Public Safety Canada continued to ensure that the policies and plans for the introduction of 5G technology in Canada recognized both the significant economic opportunities and related security challenges of this new technology. In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to lead inter-departmental work related to 5G telecommunications security.

Ransomware

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to propose policy and operational solutions to increase incident reporting, deter criminality and enhance cyber resilience against ransomware.

The Department worked closely with other departments and agencies to discuss potential policy and operational solutions to combat ransomware, as well as identifying initiatives such as awareness campaigns and facilitating information sharing between government and industry in order to strengthen Canadians’ and organizations’ cyber hygiene, and improve Canada’s overall cyber security posture. For example, the Department chairs a domestic Ransomware Working Group (WG) comprised of over fifteen government departments and agencies, which focuses on the aforementioned policy and operational solutions.

Public Safety Canada also continued ongoing collaborative work with its international allies through a number of forums (e.g., Ottawa 5 Ransomware WG, International Counter Ransomware Initiative, G7 Extraordinary Forum on Ransomware) to develop innovative policy solutions that bolster existing frameworks to deny, deter and prevent malicious cyber events, including ransomware incidents.

International Partnerships

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to collaborate with security partners bilaterally through multilateral forums, such as the G7 under United Kingdom Presidency and the Roma-Lyon Group (on transnational organized crime and terrorism). The Department advanced commitments made under the Roadmap for a Renewed US-Canada Partnership and the North American Leaders Summit, and reinvigorated the Canada-US Cross Border Crime Forum where the Ministers of Public Safety and Justice Canada discussed cybercrime, violent extremism, public safety, firearms violence, and justice reform with their United States counterparts.

Through these engagements, the Department advanced cooperation on a wide range of national security and public safety priorities, including cyber-security and cyber-crime; online harms; transnational organized crime; ideologically motivated violent extremism; terrorism; emerging challenges in national and border security; and anti-corruption and kleptocracies, which all contributed to enhance the safety of Canadians at home.

Public Safety Canada collaborated with security and intelligence departments and agencies to develop policy and legislative proposals to address threats. The Department was also engaged bilaterally in ministerial and other high-level meetings with Five Eyes security partners and others to share information and best practices.

In 2021-22, the Department supported the Minister in his participation in a virtual annual meeting of the Five Country Ministerial (FCM) in April 2021, hosted by New Zealand. The Ministers agreed to work closer together to counter cyber security threats and improve public awareness measures. The Department also supported ad hoc FCM meetings in August 2021, in reaction to the crisis in Afghanistan, and in February and March 2022 to coordinate the Five Eyes response in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Similarly, Public Safety Canada continued to advance key priorities through engagement with the United Nations (UN), including through the UN Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

Gender-based analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

GBA Plus forms the core of the policy and program development process and remains an important consideration in the delivery of national security initiatives and their objectives. Public Safety Canada Branches under the National Security core responsibility continued to use GBA Plus to ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians, including in the development and delivery of national security initiatives such as the Mid-Term Review of the National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS), Cyber Security Cooperation Program, the listing of terrorist entities under the Criminal Code of Canada; and responses to national security threats such as Canadian extremist travellers and hostile activities by state actors, as well as critical infrastructure (CI) programs, policies and initiatives.

The NCSS and accompanying initiatives were designed to reach all Canadians across regions, socioeconomic backgrounds, gender, race, ability and age. In recognition that Canadians from different backgrounds experience cyber security challenges and opportunities differently, a gender and diversity impact lens was applied to the Mid-Term Review to assess the extent to which gender and other intersecting identity factors were considered in the design and implementation of the NCSS and its supporting 5-Year Action Plan (2019-2024). To continue to further build capacity to apply GBA Plus and Diversity and Inclusion lens, the cyber community has developed a working group for on-going sharing of best practices.

Through its coordination team, Public Safety Canada continued to tailor the application of GBA Plus to the national security environment to produce bias-sensitive and inclusive approaches to inform and shape policies, programs, operations and corporate business practices.

In 2021-22, the Bias Sensitivity, Diversity and Identity (BSDI) team hosted its Third Annual Expert Symposium on the theme of National Security, Islamophobia and Anti-Asian Hate: Building Trust and Awareness. Expert discussions explored how national security policies and operations have impacted Muslim and Asian communities, particularly amid the rise in religiously- and racially-motivated hate crimes domestically and abroad. Last year’s symposium discussed community engagement in national security, ideologically motived violent extremism, emerging technologies and the workforce diversity of national security institutions.

The BSDI team additionally delivered pilot training sessions to over 200 national security practitioners in policy and operational settings to enhance critical reflection on how we perceive, interact with, and deliver national security work by applying bias and intersectionality considerations.

In 2021, the CI Directorate developed a template for an action plan designed to improve how GBA Plus principles are applied to the Directorate’s CI resilience initiatives. This approach is focused on increasing employee awareness and training, as well as consistently applying a GBA Plus lens across the Directorate.

To support the renewal of the National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure and overall approach to CI resilience, Public Safety Canada created the CI Experts working group to provide input, advice and feedback on consultation documents and proposals. GBA Plus considerations were applied to ensure that the group included a diverse representation of region, sector, expertise, gender balance, ethnicity and colour, among others.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

As part of a whole-of-government approach to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), Public Safety Canada contributed to supporting SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) in the following ways in 2021-22:

• 16.6 and 16.7 – The Financial Crime Coordination Centrel strengthened coordination among operational agencies by hosting its inaugural conference, which virtually brought together more than 850 investigators, prosecutors and other experts to discuss anti-money laundering enforcement efforts.
• 16.6, 16.7, and 16.10 – The National Security Transparency Commitment Secretariat worked to increase transparency by conducting public opinion research in early 2021 regarding national security issues.
• 17.14, 17.16, and 17.17 – The National Security Transparency Advisory Group helped to bridge the gap between different levels of government as well as between government, academia, civil society, and the Canadian public via its combined structure of non-governmental representatives and a government co-chair. This diverse group conducted virtual meetings in 2021-22 to discuss national security issues from a variety of perspectives.

Experimentation

Further to the Direction on Experimentation from Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Safety Canada developed an experimentation framework that guides the Department’s efforts in testing new approaches to existing problems and measuring their impact. Although the framework was promoted across the Department, there were no experiments submitted for consideration in 2021-22. Plans are underway to further promote experimentation and streamline the process for 2022-23.

Key risks

Public Safety Canada’s mission is to build a safe and resilient Canada. The Department must exercise a high level of awareness, engagement and adaptability to keep Canadians safe, maintain a cohesive and coordinated approach to safety and security, and generate results for Canadians while managing a variety of risks.

At the corporate level, there are risks that may affect the Department’s ability to deliver on its mandate. Some of the key risks are that:

• some program outcomes relying on the actions of partners will not be met.
• the Department may not respond effectively to the pace and magnitude of change in the evolving, all-hazards threat environment.
• that the Department will not attract and retain the employees required to achieve its organizational objectives.

These risks challenge the Department’s capacity to ensure that national security threats are understood and reduced. As such, initiatives were developed to address and mitigate the risks. For example:

• A community of exercise practitioners for critical infrastructure (CI) and Cyber Security was developed.
• Engagement-focused relationships and forums with allies such as communities, provinces and territories, Indigenous groups, industry and other partners were developed leading to the creation of products such as the Federal Terrorism Response Plan for effective coordination and governance.
• The Virtual Risk Analysis Cell Program was established to develop and share analytic products and produces impact assessments on disruptions to CI.

Initiatives such as these help mitigate the risks associated with the achievement of our departmental results, and additional control and mitigation strategies are managed through Public Safety Canada’s Corporate Risk Profile.

The following table shows, for National Security, the results achieved, the performance indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2021–22, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

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

The following table shows, for National Security budgetary, spending for 2021–22, as well as actual spending for that year.

The variance between actual and planned spending in 2021-22 is primarily the result of additional resources required to support the Economic Security Task Force and the Cyber Security Cooperation Program.

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

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2021–22.

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

Community Safety

Description

Public Safety Canada provides national coordination to help Canadian communities and stakeholders respond to crime and build community resilience, promote the safety and security of Canadian communities and institutions, enhance the integrity of Canada’s borders, and support the provision of policing services to Indigenous communities.

Results

Crime Prevention

Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada advanced the fight against gun and gang violence via the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund (GGVAF). The GGVAF is part of the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence (ITAAGGV), a horizontal initiative led by the Department in collaboration with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

The majority of ITAAGGV funding (approximately $214 million) has been allocated to provinces and territories (PTs) via the GGVAF to combat firearm and gang-related criminal activity in their jurisdiction. Public Safety Canada continued to engage with PT partners to monitor their activities in order to enhance the development and availability of data regarding the effectiveness of various initiatives.

Countering Radicalization to Violence

In 2021-22, the Department’s Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence (the Canada Centre) continued to expand its role as an international centre of excellence on countering radicalization to violence (CRV). This included actively contributing to multi-stakeholder initiatives like the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), through lead roles in GIFCT Working Groups (WGs) focusing on preventative approaches to understanding and addressing violent extremist and terrorist use of the Internet.

The Canada Centre led Canada’s contributions to the Christchurch Call to Eliminate Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content Online, including to support small companies’ efforts to identify and remove violent extremist and terrorist content on their platforms. The Centre also advanced international efforts to counter violent extremism by supporting ministerial discussions on countering violent extremism at the G7 Interior Ministers meeting and the Five Country Ministerial (FCM) forum of security ministers. One of the Canada Centre’s roles in support of the FCM is as co-lead with the United States (US) of the Five Country Research & Development Countering Violent Extremism Network, which provides research and analytical support to FCM policy and program priorities for CRV, including impacts of the pandemic on online dimensions of radicalization to violence.

National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence

In 2021-22, the Canada Centre also continued to advance the three priorities of the National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence (the National Strategy): Building, sharing and using knowledge; Addressing radicalization to violence in online spaces; and Supporting interventions. All three priorities were supported by ongoing work co-led by the Canada Centre and the United States Department of Homeland Security as part of the Five Country Research & Development Countering Violent Extremism Network to support and publish systematic evidence reviews (two published in fiscal year 2021-22). The Canada Centre also collaborated with the Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence to publicize new results of research on successful and less successful approaches to prevention, and hosted online knowledge sharing events for key stakeholders to support ongoing research and program development by initiatives under the Community Resilience Fund (CRF) and the Campbell Collaboration.

The Canada Centre also launched a Call for Applications for the CRF in December 2021 to enhance countering radicalization to violence (CRV) research and programming. A total of $6.2 million in grants and contributions was allocated via the CRF in 2021-22. The following priorities were identified for the call for proposals, which elicited a record 130 project applications:

• Locating harm, vulnerabilities, and needs: increase precision about vulnerabilities, risks and pathways to better inform prevention efforts and guard against bias, including mistaken labeling of individuals, groups, or identity factors as threats.
• Professionalizing the Practice: build on evidence-based resources and practices to support and guide effective and bias-sensitive CRV prevention and intervention initiatives online and offline, better equip frontline practitioners, and support more effective collaboration between sectors.
• Expanding Capacity for Impact: support the continued development of prevention and intervention programs which build on lessons from early existing CRV initiatives, both to help strengthen existing programs and address key prevention gaps in regions and types of prevention.

National Crime Prevention Strategy

Through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), Public Safety Canada launched a Call for Applications in August 2021 to allocate $7 million in funding that will become available in 2022-23. It received a total of 266 applications. The priorities for the Call included:

• Multi-sectoral interventions to address risk and protective factors amongst identified at-risk priority youth populations, with specific focus on Indigenous and Black youth;
• Research on multi-sectoral initiatives; and
• Research on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on crime prevention issues and/or service delivery.

Public Safety Canada also launched the first federal Social Impact Bond in the area of community safety by investing up to $4.5 million over 5 years for the expansion of the YMCAs of Quebec’s Alternative Suspension program. The goal of the program is to limit risk factors for delinquency by supporting students in a successful return to school, decrease repeated suspensions and improve educational and social outcomes.

In addition, the Department continued to fund cyberbullying interventions and research, thanks to funding received under the National Strategy to Prevent Gender-based violence. As part of this effort, Public Safety Canada held a virtual panel event titled Online Dangers: Cyberbullying and Online Child Sexual Exploitation to provide information to parents and caregivers about how to keep their children and youth safe online.

In 2021-22, the Department continued to support Indigenous-led community safety and well-being approaches through the expansion and coordination of the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative (ACSPI) and the Northern and Aboriginal Crime Prevention Fund (NACPF). Budget 2021 provided dedicated funds of $64.6 million over five years, beginning in 2021-22, and $18.1 million ongoing, to enhance Indigenous-led crime prevention strategies and community safety services, which includes both the ACSPI and the NACPF.

These programs will help Indigenous communities to respond to their unique safety and security challenges by supporting the adaptation, development, implementation and evaluation of culturally sensitive crime prevention practices to address community-identified needs in Community Safety Plans, in First Nations, Inuit, and Metis communities on and off reserve, in the North, and in urban areas.

Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program

Public Safety Canada continued to support communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes by providing funding to make security improvements to community gathering spaces.

In 2021-22, the Department conducted direct outreach to raise awareness of the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP) 2021 Call for Applications in order to enhance the participation of vulnerable communities that may not otherwise know about the program. A number of enhancements to the SIP were made in order to address certain concerns raised by stakeholders during the consultations with leaders from Asian, Jewish and Muslim Canadian communities. For example, recipients can now take up to 18 months to complete their security infrastructure upgrades (increased from 12 months) which allows for more flexibility to accommodate the winter period when construction is more difficult. Additionally, a new category of eligible recipients was added to the SIP in 2021-22 – shelters serving victims of gender-based violence – that will be able to apply for funding from 2022-23 onwards.

Law Enforcement and Policing

Combatting the Use of Firearms and Gun Control Framework

Public Safety Canada continued its efforts to strengthen Canada’s gun control framework and combat the criminal use of firearms. In July 2021, the Government brought into force provisions of former Bill C-71, An Act to amend certain acts and regulations in relation to firearms, including expanded background checks. Background checks for gun license applications must now cover the entire lifetime of an applicant’s history, rather than only the preceding 5 years, and the Chief Firearms Officer must now consider whether the applicant has a history of harassment, restraining orders, or otherwise pose a danger to any other person. These changes will prevent people with a history of violence from owning a firearm.

Additional regulatory changes from the former Bill C-71 were pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I , in June 2021. These related to license verification and business record-keeping and require that businesses and individuals transferring non-restricted firearms verify the status of the transferee’s license with the Registrar of Firearms to ensure that only those individuals with a valid firearms license may purchase these firearms. These changes will also require businesses to retain sales and inventory records on non-restricted firearms for at least 20 years and are intended to help law enforcement successfully investigate and trace crime guns. The coming-into-force of these regulations is planned for 2022-23.

Additionally, Public Safety Canada made progress in the design of the buyback program to compensate firearm owners and businesses affected by the May 2020 prohibition of assault-style firearms. The Government extended the Amnesty on these firearms to October 30, 2023. The delivery model for the buyback program is expected to bring together a mix of operational partners including industry, federal departments and agencies, and police of jurisdiction (provinces, territories, and municipalities) who will provide capabilities in supporting the program across Canada.

Serious and Organized Crime

Online Child Sexual Exploitation

As the Department leading the National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet, Public Safety Canada continued to deliver and support initiatives to further raise awareness and protect children from online sexual exploitation.

In 2021-22, the Department funded the Talking for Change, a pilot project launched in August 2021 by the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, which included a bilingual website, a national anonymous helpline, and a therapy group for individuals with sexual interest in children. Public Safety Canada also continued to provide funding to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) for the operation of Cybertip.ca, a tip line where Canadians can report suspected Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE).

The Department further supported the C3P in its expansion of Project Arachnid – an automated web-crawling tool that helps reduce the online availability of child sexual abuse material, in order to break the cycle of abuse. With the funding linked to this extension, the number of hotlines and child protection organizations around the globe contributing to classifying images within Arachnid has increased from five to 11 organizations. In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada’s financial support also led to an increased number of companies worldwide receiving notices through Project Arachnid to a total of 1000.

The Department also worked with provinces to increase criminal justice professionals’ ability to investigate suspected individuals. In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada signed two new funding agreements with the provinces of New Brunswick and Saskatchewan to enhance law enforcement’s capacity to combat OCSE through increased hiring and training, as well as the purchasing of new equipment and tools.

Public Safety Canada also continued its engagement with digital industry to further advance efforts to combat OCSE by holding preliminary discussions with Industry to learn about their work to address OCSE and child sexual abuse material located on digital platforms.

In early 2022, Public Safety Canada hosted a three-part webinar series on combatting OCSE for partners and stakeholders working on addressing this issue across Canada. The objectives of these webinars were to share information on best practices and lessons learned as well as facilitate discussions around gaps and challenges. Over 600 participants from a cross-disciplinary audience participated.

Human Trafficking

Public Safety Canada continued working with federal partners, provinces, territories and other stakeholders to implement measures under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (2019-2024), a whole-of-government approach to prevent human trafficking, prosecute perpetrators, and support vulnerable populations.

In 2021-22, the Department:

• Launched a national awareness campaign to raise awareness of the prevalence of human trafficking in Canada, informing the public of common misunderstandings on the crime, and how to safely report suspected cases;
• Provided funding to 18 projects from organizations that offer trauma-informed services to victims and survivors and which raise awareness among at-risk youth through the Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime;
• Hosted a three-part webinar series on human trafficking to increase awareness and engage key stakeholders across Canada, with over 800 participants; and
• Engaged with federal, provincial, territorial and international partners through bilateral and multilateral fora (such as the interdepartmental Human Trafficking Taskforce) to share current and emerging issues concerning human trafficking in Canada.

Public Safety Canada also continued to provide funding to the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking in order to ensure the continued operation of the multilingual, 24/7 toll-free Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline. In February 2022, the Centre activated an educational awareness campaign around National Human Trafficking Awareness Day to bring attention to the issue and help the most vulnerable. “The World’s Most Understanding Hotline” campaign raised awareness of the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline and encouraged those in need to call.

Finally, Public Safety Canada collaborated with the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics of Statistics Canada in the production of the Trafficking in persons in Canada, 2019 Juristat Quick Fact. The article was published in May 2021 in the Juristat Bulletin, and provides estimates of police-reported trafficking in persons, infographics, and statistics surrounding human trafficking.

Reducing the Supply of Illicit Drugs

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to combat illicit drug trafficking, including opioids by supporting supply reduction efforts. The Department continued to work with the RCMP, CBSA, other federal partners and international counterparts, notably in the United States (US) and Mexico, to advance measures to disrupt illegal drug markets.

Efforts undertaken in 2021-22 included:

• Advancing analysis of law enforcement implications of drug decriminalization, including through the creation of a federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) WG on approaches to simple possession;
• Undertaking research on the scope of trafficking of opioids, synthetic opioids, and other illicit drugs on the web in support of developing disruption mechanisms;
• Establishing a FPT WG to examine precursor chemicals of concern, including those used in the production of fentanyl and other illegal opioids;
• Contributing to whole-of-government development of enhanced policy options in support of the enforcement pillar of the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy and the federal response to the opioid crisis; and
• Hosting in a virtual format its Fifth Law Enforcement Roundtable on Drugs that brought together experts from FPTs, police services, national organizations, Indigenous communities and academia, to engage in pan-Canadian discussions on current and emerging drug threats.

The Department also continued to engage with international partners through bilateral and multilateral fora, to advance policy responses to various drug threats, including the flow of illegal drugs and their precursor chemicals from source and transit countries. Through the Canada-US Action Plan on Opioids, Public Safety Canada and federal partners worked closely with US counterparts to develop new projects and advance implementation of ongoing projects under the law enforcement and border security working groups.

For example, Canada Post and the US Postal Inspection Service formalized an agreement to support coordination and communication efforts, held eight operational meetings to share information and trends, two joint training workshops on dark web investigations and a session on detection technology best practices to improve the targeting of illicit drug trafficking in the postal streams. Canadian and US partners also agreed to pursue opportunities to share resources and strengthen the capacity of border services personnel to detect and interdict fentanyl, its related substances, and other synthetic opioids illegally crossing its borders.

Similarly, the Department and federal partners worked with counterparts in Mexico and the US to advance common priorities. As part of these efforts, in February 2022, Public Safety Canada participated in the Fifth North American Drug Dialogue, to review progress to address the production and trafficking of illegal drugs, the public health harms associated with drug use and overdoses, and illicit finance.

Finally, in 2021-22, Public Safety Canada also collaborated with its G7 Interior Ministers Track partners to further combat illicit drug trafficking. A notable outcome was a Canada-hosted Roma-Lyon Group Expert Session on Opioids held in November 2021, that focused on information sharing and multilateral coordination mechanisms.

Reducing the Illegal Cannabis Market

Public Safety Canada continued to collaborate with federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) partners, as well as law enforcement stakeholders, to advance public safety-related components of the cannabis legalization framework, including the disruption and displacement of the illegal online cannabis market.

In 2021-22, the Department advanced efforts aimed at displacing the illicit cannabis market, through the implementation of the Online Illicit Cannabis Sales Action Plan. FPT partners and law enforcement worked collaboratively to collect and share data across the country in order to improve understanding of the availability of the illicit cannabis market.

Public Safety Canada also undertook research projects related to cannabis sales and on effective disruption methods for other illicit drug markets.In 2021-22, the Department co-led with the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction a Cannabis Policy Research Symposium, to take stock of various public safety aspects of cannabis legalization (including the supply of the illicit cannabis trade by Canadians online and the evolution of the demand for cannabis on the dark web; on the impacts on illicit markets and organized crime groups, and the extent that cannabis users continued to purchase cannabis products from the illicit market). To address these issues, federal and provincial policy makers, members of the law enforcement community, academics, and selected private sector entities met over a series of events.

The Department further developed public education and awareness materials to inform Canadians about the dangers of ordering and using cannabis from illegal online sources. This included launch of a new animated video to assist consumers in recognizing the dangers of ordering and using cannabis from illegal online sources. The Department also collaborated with Health Canada in March 2022, on the launch of a list detailing the Authorized cannabis retailers in the provinces and territories to assist Canadians in ensuring they are purchasing from legal sources.

Financial Crimes Coordination Centre

In April 2021, Public Safety Canada launched the Financial Crime Coordination Centre (FC3) to coordinate support to investigators and prosecutors at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. The FC3 is a five-year pilot initiative first announced in Budget 2019 as an integrated unit of experts across intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the aim of strengthening inter-agency coordination and cooperation in addressing significant financial crime threats.

Following the establishment of the FC3, the Department also launched the FC3's Knowledge Hub Portal, an online, access-restricted collaboration space that serves professionals at all levels of government who deal with money laundering and other financial crimes, particularly those in investigative or enforcement roles.

In December 2021, the FC3 hosted its inaugural conference, which virtually brought together more than 850 investigators, prosecutors and other experts to discuss anti-money laundering enforcement efforts, making it the first large scale conference of anti-money laundering professionals in Canada. Key areas of discussion included: the impact of COVID-19 on money laundering trends; current money laundering tactics including the use of virtual currency; and information sharing, investigational challenges and best practices.

These new mechanisms represent a key step in strengthening Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering Regime and demonstrate the Government of Canada’s commitment to taking stronger action on combatting financial crime.

Border Policy

The Minister of Public Safety’s Mandate Letter, published in December 2021, highlighted the commitment to create a review body for the CBSA, as well as to accelerate action to reform the RCMP by “establishing defined timelines to respond to recommendations from the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission”, and to ensure effective mechanisms are in place to maintain public trust and confidence in border and law enforcement agencies.

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued its efforts to support the introduction of legislation to enhance civilian review of Canada’s law enforcement agencies, including the CBSA and the RCMP.

Irregular Migration

Throughout 2021-22, Public Safety Canada collaborated with other government departments, portfolio agencies, and key international partners to help advance work on immigration and asylum-related files, including irregular migration. Public Safety Canada remains committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians by providing federal policy leadership to strengthen the integrity and efficient management of Canada’s borders.

Preclearance

Throughout 2021-22, the Department made strides towards expanding preclearance operations in Canada and continued to lead Government efforts to manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on existing preclearance facilities and service providers. In particular, Public Safety Canada made notable progress toward implementing preclearance at a marine transportation facility in British Columbia.

Public Safety Canada also worked closely with United States and Government of Canada partners to ensure adequate numbers of preclearance officers were deployed to Canada to meet growing travel demands.

Indigenous Policing

Public Safety Canada continues to support access to professional, dedicated and culturally responsive policing in Indigenous communities with the resources, equipment and facilities that best serve the needs of the communities. A well-funded, culturally sensitive, and respectful police service is essential for community safety and well-being in Indigenous communities across Canada.

Budget 2021 included a number of investments to support culturally responsive policing and community safety services in First Nations and Inuit communities, including:

• $43.7 million over five years, beginning in 2021-22, to co-develop a legislative framework for First Nations policing that recognizes First Nations policing as an essential service;
• $540.3 million over five years, beginning in 2021-22, and $126.8 million ongoing, to support Indigenous communities currently served under First Nations and Inuit Policing Program and expand the program to new First Nations and Inuit communities; and
• $108.6 million over five years, beginning in 2021-22, to repair, renovate, and replace policing facilities in First Nations and Inuit communities.

The Department has been leading on the implementation of the above Budget 2021 initiatives, which also support Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Call for Justice 5.4 through the co-development of legislation recognizing First Nations police services as an essential service and Call for Justice 5.5 through the provision of policing services which are professional, dedicated and responsive to the First Nations and Inuit communities they serve, including in northern and remote areas.

Co-developing First Nations Police Services Legislation

In 2021-22 Public Safety Canada made progress towards the co-development of First Nations police services legislation with First Nations, First Nations police services, provinces and territories. The Department engaged with First Nations, provinces and territories (PTs), First Nations organizations, First Nations police services, First Nations police boards/commissions, First Nations women's organizations, First Nations youth organizations, First Nations 2SLGBTQQIA+^{Footnote 19} people and organizations, subject matter experts and others to inform the co-development of this federal legislation.

The Department also committed an additional $4.4 million to the Assembly of First Nations and $1.3 million to the First Nations Chief of Police Association, representative bodies for First Nations and First Nations police services, respectively, to support their participation in the co-development of legislation. Recognizing their important role, including as co-funders, Public Safety Canada regularly engaged PTs to inform the federal legislation to ensure that the new legislation is complementary to PT legislation and jurisdiction.

First Nations and Inuit Policing Program and First Nations and Inuit Policing Facilities Program

Public Safety Canada began work to implement Budget 2021 investments by focusing on acute funding needs in fiscal year 2022-23. This included funding new officers in existing agreements, supporting community safety officer projects, supporting new communities that wish to join an existing First Nations and Inuit self-administered police service and bolstering police service budgets. Public Safety Canada also supported communities to begin to conduct feasibility assessments to help inform the community’s efforts to change their police service delivery.

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada began collaborative work with provinces and territories (PTs) to implement the stabilization investments by amending existing police service agreements. Public Safety Canada also began conversations with communities to explore their readiness to create their own police services. The Department is working closely with PTs, and is engaging with the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association to advance this work and support greater access to more equitable and culturally responsive police services in First Nation and Inuit communities, in keeping with the principles of self-governance, self-determination and reconciliation.

Public Safety Canada continued to address safety issues within First Nation and Inuit police facilities under the Funding for First Nations and Inuit Police Facilities Program (FNIPFP). Budget 2021 provided an investment in the Program beginning in 2021-22 to repair, renovate, and replace policing facilities in First Nations and Inuit communities. In collaboration with PTs, Public Safety Canada began to identify and address the most significant, large in scope police facility infrastructure projects in First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (FNIPP) communities. Public Safety Canada also continued its work with Public Services and Procurement Canada to conduct a professional assessment of community owned-policing facilities on-reserve which are funded by the FNIPP.

The FNIPFP federal-provincial-territorial working group (WG) approved new infrastructure projects to be implemented from 2021-22 to 2026-27. Currently, the WG has recommended police facility projects which maximize the allocated funding for each fiscal year until 2026-27. The program is fully subscribed until 2026-27.

Supporting Inuit and Métis Policing and Community Safety Priorities

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to prepare to launch a national and ongoing collaborative dialogue with Inuit and Métis partners to identify and better understand their unique policing and community safety needs, and to explore how the Department could support them through best practices and approaches. Preliminary conversations were held with certain partners and groups to ensure that the planned dialogue would best meet the needs of Inuit and Métis. Early conversations were also held with provinces and territories, as well as other government departments and agencies, to seek input on the engagement process and ongoing dialogue.

Gender-based analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

GBA Plus forms the core of the policy and program development process and remains an important consideration in the delivery of community safety initiatives and their objectives. Public Safety Canada Branches under the Community Safety core responsibility continued to use GBA Plus to ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians, including in the development and delivery of community safety initiatives such as the Crime Prevention Action Fund, the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism, combating Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking, and First Nations policing services legislation.

The 2021-22 Crime Prevention Action Fund call for applications included GBA Plus considerations when selecting policy priorities for the projects, which ultimately targeted populations that are traditionally overrepresented in the criminal justice system.

Consultations with over 20 organizations and 140 people representing a wide-range of partners and stakeholders took place during the development of the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism.  The Framework implementation plan comprises GBA Plus priorities pertaining to the unique challenges faced by women, Indigenous peoples and Black Canadians that were identified in those consultations.

Similarly, the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative (ACSPI) continued to collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor, report program impacts as well as identify persistent and emerging trends related specifically to Indigenous Peoples. The ACSP continued to approach measurement and tracking of GBA Plus considerations by maintaining a dataset of GBA Plus outcomes and indicators collected during the Community Safety Plan (CSP) process and following the completion of CSPs, and conducting regular analyses to identify persistent and emerging trends. Data collected was also used to inform a consolidated picture of Indigenous programming and support the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Horizontal Initiative Results Framework.

Public Safety Canada is currently developing a new Annual Performance Report to be disseminated to both First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (FNIPP) communities and FNIPP police service providers which will support the collection of GBA Plus data under the FNIPP, including the demographic makeup of FNIPP governance bodies. GBA Plus considerations for the First Nations and Inuit Police Facilities Program (FNIPFP) are captured under FNIPP reporting. Public Safety Canada will also use the Annual Performance Report, Statistics Canada’s Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, and the First Nations Information Government Centre surveys to measure crime rates and perceptions of community safety in First Nations and Inuit communities.

Public Safety Canada used a GBA Plus lens in the design and delivery of the virtual engagement process to inform the co-development of First Nations police services legislation. Public Safety Canada engaged with First Nations communities and organizations in order to understand diverse perspectives and views. Engagement sessions were also guided by First Nations Elders who shared their knowledge of First Nations values, stories and histories to inform discussions. As the Department continues its preparations in advance of the launch of a national dialogue with Inuit and Métis partners to better understand their unique policing and community safety needs, the specific circumstances of Elders, youth, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals are being incorporated into the proposed engagement approach.

Finally, Public Safety Canada’s initiatives to combat Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE) and Human Trafficking continued to be informed by intersectional analysis. This is especially true for the design, delivery and implementation of OCSE awareness campaigns, the calls for proposals and the awarding of funds for human trafficking related projects and programs.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

As part of a whole-of-government approach to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Public Safety Canada contributed to advancing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through the following targets:

• 3.5, 3.6, 5.2 and 17.7 – Activities were completed within the ACSP which served to:
  • provide the space and opportunity for communities to address and speak to community strengths, assets, safety and wellness goals that create a path leading toward a healthier, safer home and community life;
  • prevent incidents of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and support close to 60 communities in defining their safety concerns, including violence, and find solutions to respond to root causes and current aggravating factors; and
  • develop and maintain partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to support Indigenous communities in the implementation of their Community Safety Plans.
• 5.2, 8.7, and 16.2 – The Department continued the implementation of the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (2019-2024). More specifically, under the National Strategy’s pillar of ‘empowerment’, projects aim to empower vulnerable populations, including women and girls, and to prevent and reduce the risk of forced labour in government procurement supply chains.
• 10.3 and 16.3 – The Department continued to advance work to co-develop legislation which recognizes First Nations Policing as an essential service and prepare for the launch of a national and ongoing dialogue with Inuit and Métis partners to identify and better understand their unique policing and community safety needs; and,
• 16.1 and 16.2 – The Department implemented an evidence-based crime prevention approach to reduce youth contact with the criminal justice system as part of the National Crime Prevention Strategy.

Experimentation

Further to the Direction on Experimentation from Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Safety Canada developed an experimentation framework that guides the Department’s efforts in testing new approaches to existing problems and measuring their impact. Although the framework was promoted across the Department, there were no experiments submitted for consideration in 2021-22. Plans are underway to further promote experimentation and streamline the process for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Key risks

Public Safety Canada’s mission is to build a safe and resilient Canada. The Department must exercise a high level of awareness, engagement and adaptability to keep Canadians safe, maintain a cohesive and coordinated approach to safety and security, and generate results for Canadians while managing a variety of risks.

At the corporate level, there are risks that may affect the Department’s capacity to deliver on its mandate. Some of the key risks are that:

• some program outcomes relying on the actions of partners will not be met.
• the Department may not respond effectively to the pace and magnitude of change in the evolving, all-hazards threat environment.
• the Department will not attract and retain the employees required to achieve its organizational objectives.

These risks challenge the ability to deliver on the Department’s capacity to ensure that community safety practices are strengthened, Canadian communities are safe and crime is prevented and addressed in populations / communities most at-risk. As such, initiatives were developed to address and mitigate the risks. For example:

• The National Strategy to Combat Gun and Gang Violence was developed in collaboration with federal, provincial and territorial partners and key stakeholders.
• The Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence was developed to better serve communities.
• Funding and engagement with partners to enhance crime prevention.

Initiatives such as these help mitigate the risks associated with the achievement of our departmental results, and additional control and mitigation strategies are managed through Public Safety Canada’s Corporate Risk Profile.

The following table shows, for Community Safety, the results achieved, the performance indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2021–22, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

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

The following table shows, for Community Safety, budgetary spending for 2021–22, as well as actual spending for that year.

The variance between actual and planned spending in 2021-22 is primarily the result of a transfer to the RCMP for the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program offset by new funding for Indigenous Policing and Community Safety received through the Supplementary Estimates.

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

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), the human resources the Department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2021–22.

The variance between actual and planned FTEs in 2021-22 is primarily the result of new salary funding received through the Supplementary Estimates for Indigenous Policing and Community Safety and to develop a buy-back program for assault-style firearms and a national social marketing campaign.

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

Emergency Management

Description

Public Safety Canada works to strengthen national emergency management to help prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from all-hazards events. Public Safety Canada provides resources and expertise to Canadian communities in support of emergency preparedness, disaster mitigation and recovery.

Results

Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

Strengthened Resilience

In March 2022, Federal, Provincial, and Territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for emergency management met and released the 2021-22 FPT Emergency Management Strategy Interim Action Plan, the first in a series of action plans to 2030. It sets the stage for future plans by advancing defined outcomes within the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada, and demonstrates concrete steps that FPT governments, and respective emergency management partners, intend to take to advance resilience to disasters. This structured approach increases FPT cohesiveness and accountability in advancing the Emergency Management Strategy.

Specifically, the 2021-22 plan identifies five strategic actions, including:

1. Continued FPT Government Engagement to Ensure Strong Pan-Canadian Cohesion for Emergency Management;
2. Improved Pan-Canadian Understanding of Disaster Risk;
3. Reduced Pan-Canadian Flood Risk;
4. Advanced Emergency Communications across Canada; and
5. Advanced Efforts for Improved Disaster Recovery Programming.

The Emergency Management Strategy also commits FPT governments within their areas of responsibility to provide Indigenous Peoples and their communities with the capacity to integrate traditional knowledge and public awareness and education programs into emergency management and disaster risk reduction. This 2021-22 Interim Action Plan sets the stage for future plans which will be built on sustained dialogue, active participation and ongoing discussions among all partners.

Public Safety Canada continued to advance Canada’s first-ever National Action Plan on Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries (PTSI) for public safety personnel, titled Supporting Canada’s Public Safety Personnel: An Action Plan on Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries, owing to significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of public safety personnel and frontline workers. The Department supported the expansion of the $10 million Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy pilot to include Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, in addition to the original provinces of Saskatchewan and Quebec. Also, work on the COVID-19 Readiness Portal was completed in Spring 2021, and the Portal provides access to self-assessment tools, coping strategies, family supports and strategies for public safety leadership, and on specific COVID-19 challenges.

Public Safety Canada also worked with the Public Health Agency of Canada to develop and launch their 2021 Call for Proposals to support a trauma and PTSI stream of mental health programming for populations at high risk of experiencing COVID-19 challenges. In addition, in March 2022, the Government of Canada announced its intention to provide up to $1 million to Runnymede Healthcare Centre, in Ontario, for a feasibility study on the development of a facility dedicated to rehabilitation programs and PTSI services for public safety personnel.

Understanding Disaster Risks

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada held virtual risk assessment and virtual capability assessment sessions with whole-of-society stakeholders involving a series of twelve disaster scenarios. These representative scenarios examined various sizes of emergency/disaster events across three natural hazards: floods, wildland fires and earthquakes.

The results of these assessment sessions and other findings, drawing upon complementary risk assessment initiatives and data analysis, will be compiled into a public report to be published in 2023.

In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP) is investing $63.8M to complete flood hazard maps of higher risk areas in Canada and make this flood hazard information accessible. FHIMP is an important measure the Government of Canada is pursuing with a view to increasing the resiliency of Canadians in the face of the rising frequency and costs of flood events and other climate-related disasters. Work also contributes to creating a portal informed by mapping to provide centralized access to information on flood risks as well as resources and suggestions on how best to protect their homes and communities.

Whole-of-Society Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

The Government of Canada established the Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation (TFFIR) in late 2020 to advance a sustainable solution to rising flood costs. Over 18 months, the members of the TFFIR collaborated to advance a series of six key objectives, including:

1. Undertaking a comprehensive review of the current policy context, existing best practices, and forward-looking research in the domain of flood insurance;
2. Creating Canada-wide estimates for flood hazard and flood damages based on best available and accessible data;
3. Conducting actuarial analysis to assess cost of insurance and funding models across viable insurance arrangements;
4. Examining opportunities and determine viable measures to support potential relocation of residences at the highest risk of repeat flooding;
5. Assessing viable flood insurance arrangements and measures to support potential relocation; and
6. Developing a final statement of facts report, which provides a common understanding of the evidence and information required and the most detailed assessment of residential flood risk and damage ever compiled in Canada.

Emergency Preparedness

The Emergency Management Public Awareness Contribution Program continued to fund the Canadian Red Cross to develop and implement its project to deliver a national public awareness campaign targeting at-risk populations, including seniors, youth, women, new Canadians, and Indigenous communities.

While progress on this initiative was delayed by operational pressures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, work has continued to design and run surveys and focus groups in order to gather baseline data and identify the needs and barriers to preparedness among the targeted groups. Existing communication such as, postcards with preparedness tips for low-income seniors living in flood prone areas, emergency preparedness and hazard-specific videos, social media graphics and resources translated in various languages for new Canadians are being updated and new material created based on the data and information gathered since the project began in 2020-21. Engagement has also begun to determine the appropriate and effective means to communicate with vulnerable communities and drafts of public awareness materials have been piloted.

The Government Operations Centre (GOC) continued to provide a leadership role in several emergency management interdepartmental coordination tables such as the Federal Operations Coordination Working Groups, Continuous Improvement Working Group and the Federal Emergency Management Planning Working Group. The GOC’s Planning Division also led the development of an interdepartmental Federal Election Contingency Plan.

Emergency Response/Recovery

In 2021-22, the Government Operations Centre (GOC) coordinated 121 requests for federal assistance (RFA)^{Footnote 36} from provinces and territories. These included 92 RFAs related to COVID-19, 19 related to climate-related emergencies, and 49 directly in support of Indigenous communities. It also provided planning support to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in response to the need to evacuate people from Afghanistan and Ukraine, and provided senior-level support in response to the “Freedom Convoy” demonstrations.

Enhance Disaster Response Capacity and Coordination

The Temporary National Coordination Office report, A Public Safety Broadband Network for Canada: A Canadian Approach to Implementation of the Next Generation of Public Safety Communications, was published following a presentation to Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management.

Public Safety Canada continued to develop policy options for a nationwide interoperable Public Safety Broadband Network in light of the recommendations put forth by the Temporary National Coordination Office.

The Department also continued to work with FPT partners on advancing work to strengthen the National Public Alerting System. This work was presented to FPT Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management who reaffirmed their commitment to this important emergency management capability by endorsing priorities to support the ongoing sustainability and enhancement of the system at their March 2022 meeting.

The National Search and Rescue Secretariat further developed the national Concept of Operation (ConOps) for heavy urban search and rescue (HUSAR) through close coordination with the HUSAR Task Forces and under the direction of the Urban Search and Rescue Advisory Committee. Completion of the foundational ConOps is expected in Fall 2022. Establishment of a national HUSAR team accreditation mechanism has required a second round of contractor solicitation. Completion is expected one year from the contract being award.

During 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to coordinate Canada’s leadership of the International Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (COSPAS-SARSAT) Programme in accordance with Canada’s obligations under the International COSPAS-SARSAT Programme Agreement.

Federal Emergency Management Modernization Project

In 2021, Public Safety Canada implemented a process to renew the Federal Emergency Response Plan (FERP) with a series of six workshops involving representatives from 26 federal partners. This process provided advice and consensus on the key requirements for a renewed FERP.

A business plan and report were developed for the implementation of a Federal Functional Community for Emergency Management. It proposes solutions to enable and support whole-of-government approaches to the continuous improvements for federal emergency management workforce capability, interoperability and resiliency as well as enhance collaborative and effective use of resources.

The Department also developed a report detailing current gaps and considerations for defining common principles and development of core business requirements for an Emergency Management Information Management/Information Technology suite of tools. The contract for the fit-up of the new GOC facility was implemented in late 2021. Public Safety Canada continues to work with Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada to ensure the project is on schedule and meets all requirements.

Canadian Red Cross and the Humanitarian Workforce

The Fall Economic Statement 2020 announced the Government of Canada’s intention to provide up to $150 million over two years, starting in 2021-22, to support the Canadian Red Cross and other non-governmental organizations in building and maintaining a humanitarian workforce. The intention was that the humanitarian workforce could rapidly deploy to provide surge capacity to support emergency responses to major events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and other all hazards events, such as flooding and wildfires. In 2021-22, $56.8 million in funding was provided to the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, The Salvation Army and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada to ensure they have the capacity to mobilize quickly in response to emerging all hazards events and deploy critical on-the-ground support to provincial, territorial and local governments. The deployments across Canada were funded (totaling $26 million), including to support health human resources activities, epidemic prevention and control and vaccination.

Strengthen Recovery Efforts

In March 2022, then-Minister of Emergency Preparedness appointed the Disaster Financial Assistant Arrangements (DFAA) advisory panel to review Canada’s approach to post-disaster financing and reflect on how best to align these efforts with broader disaster mitigation and climate adaptation work. This included meaningful engagement with provinces and territories, Indigenous representatives and emergency management stakeholders, with an aim to provide recommendations on how to improve the sustainability and long-term viability of disaster financing in Canada, improve DFAA program administration, and reduce disaster risks. The panel is a diverse group of individuals from across public, private, and community sector domains.

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus)

GBA Plus forms the core of the policy and program development process and remains an important consideration in the delivery of emergency management initiatives and their objectives. Public Safety Canada Branches under the Emergency Management core responsibility continued to use GBA Plus to ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians, including in the development and delivery of emergency management initiatives such as the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada, National Risk Profile (NRP), Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation (TFFIR), and the Emergency Management Public Awareness Contribution Program (EMPACP).

The 2021-22 FPT Emergency Management Strategy Interim Action Plan included GBA Plus considerations for several emergency management initiatives. For example, NRP risk and capability assessment sessions, and the TFFIR report on options for low-cost flood insurance and relocation of residents in high risk areas, included examinations of GBA Plus considerations with regards to the effects of disasters on vulnerable populations, including remote and coastal communities. The NRP supports the identification and analysis of Canada's disaster risks and resilience capabilities in order to strengthen the levels of preparedness and readiness of Indigenous communities as well as vulnerable groups (e.g., low-income Canadians, seniors, women, and newcomers to Canada) to natural hazards.

Initiatives to inform emergency management policy, such as the NRP and the TFFIR, included targeted engagement with academics, non-governmental organizations, first responders, Inuit, Métis and Indigenous people living off-reserve, and other organizations, to incorporate external expertise concerning vulnerable groups and the disaster risks they face. Indigenous Service Canada along with the Assembly of First Nations also undertook a complementary initiative exploring the needs of First Nations with respect to home flood insurance.

The EMPACP was developed to address GBA Plus considerations identified across Public Safety Canada’s emergency management policies and programs. GBA Plus considerations and lessons learned from this work were also used to ensure complementarity with a public awareness ad campaign.

The EMPACP continued to fund the Canadian Red Cross to develop and implement its project to deliver a national public awareness campaign targeting at risk populations, including seniors, youth, women, new Canadians, and Indigenous communities.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

As part of a whole-of-government approach to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Public Safety Canada contributed to advancing SDG 1 (End Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), through the following targets:

• 1.5 and 11.b – The Emergency Management Strategy builds on the foundational principles articulated in the Emergency Management Framework and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in order to establish federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) priorities to strengthen the resilience of Canadian society by 2030. The Strategy supports the roles and responsibilities as outlined in the Framework. It also seeks to guide FPT governments, and their respective emergency management partners in carrying out priorities aimed at strengthening Canada's ability to assess risks and to prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. This is all supported by strong leadership from FPT governments with their respective emergency management partners, in relation to their roles and responsibilities.
  • In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada worked to enhance the understanding of changing risks posed by various hazards nationally across Canada, and continued work developing Canada’s first National Risk Profile (NRP). The Department also held virtual, multi-stakeholder, risk and capability assessment sessions aimed at improving emergency management across three natural hazards: floods, wildland fires and earthquakes.
  • Public Safety Canada provided support to the ongoing development of a national climate change adaptation strategy which will help to advance initiatives and measures focused on reducing the impact of climate-related disasters, like floods and wildfires, to make communities safer and more resilient.
• 3.d – Through the NRP, Public Safety Canada worked to strengthen the evidence base on risks and capabilities across Canada. This work supports prioritization of mitigation measures, and helped to identify capability gaps within the national emergency management system.
• 11.5 – The Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation included research on understanding Canada’s risk landscape, examined options for flood insurance, and explored how relocation could increase viability. Under the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program, Public Safety Canada completed the most robust assessment of financial flood risk to residential properties ever conducted in Canada. This analysis resulted in Average Annual Loss dollar value estimates for flood damage to residential properties in Canada, in support of the Flood Insurance and Relocation Program. The work is now being leveraged for other types of risk assessments, including estimating social vulnerability of populations in flood hazard areas.

Experimentation

Further to the Direction on Experimentation from Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Safety Canada developed an experimentation framework that guides the Department’s efforts in testing new approaches to existing problems and measuring their impact. Although the framework was promoted across the Department, there were no experiments submitted for consideration in 2021-22. Plans are underway to further promote experimentation and streamline the process for 2022-23.

Key risks

Public Safety Canada’s mission is to build a safe and resilient Canada. The Department must exercise a high level of awareness, engagement and adaptability to keep Canadians safe, maintain a cohesive and coordinated approach to safety and security, and generate results for Canadians while managing a variety of risks.

At the corporate level, there are risks that may affect the Department’s capacity to deliver on its mandate. Some of the key risks are that:

• some program outcomes relying on the actions of partners will not be met.
• that the Department may not respond effectively to the pace and magnitude of change in the evolving, all-hazards threat environment.
• that the Department will not attract and retain the employees required to achieve its organizational objectives.

These risks challenge the ability to deliver on the Department’s capacity to ensure that Canada can effectively mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from all-hazards events. As such, initiatives were developed to address and mitigate the risks. For example:

• The development of operational coordination and governance mechanisms such as the Hazards Prevention Program.
• The development of Capability Based Planning adopted across federal, provincial, and territorial governments to address the evolving all-hazards disaster risk environment.
• Engagement-focused relationships and forums with allies such as communities, provinces, territories, Indigenous groups, industry and other partners leading to the development of the Natural Disaster Mitigation Program.

Initiatives such as these help mitigate the risks associated with the achievement of our departmental results, and additional control and mitigation strategies are managed through Public Safety Canada’s Corporate Risk Profile.

The following table shows, for Emergency Management, the results achieved, the performance indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2021–22, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

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

The following table shows, for Emergency Management, budgetary spending for 2021–22, as well as actual spending for that year.

The variance between actual and planned spending in 2021-22 is primarily the result of new funding received through the Supplementary Estimates to support relief efforts related to COVID-19 offset by a funding transfer for use in future fiscal years for the relocation and accommodations for the Government Operations Centre due to unforeseen project delays.

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

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2021–22.

The variance between actual and planned Full-Time Equivalents in 2021-22 is primarily the result of new salary funding received through the Supplementary Estimates to support relief efforts related to COVID-19 as well as additional funding required for the Government Operation Centre.

Financial, human resources and performance information for Public Safety Canada’s Program Inventory is available in 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
• 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

Results

Financial Stewardship

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to ensure the sound financial stewardship of the Department with the objective of the optimal deployment of departmental resources to achieve public safety outcomes for Canadians. This was accomplished through the completion of a multi-year budget re-allocation exercise, with the view of recalibrating budgets within the Department to ensure that resources are adequately aligned to advance key priorities.

In addition, Public Safety Canada continued its implementation of Internal Controls over Financial Management and is well positioned to fully comply with the Policy on Financial Management requirements by 2023-24. Finance and Human Resources implemented the Pay Administration Management Action Plan this year in response to various internal and external audit recommendations to address employee pay issues and establish key controls. Finally, the Grant and Contributions Management continued to provide sound stewardship of Public Safety Canada Grant and Contributions programs to the Portfolio partners.

Government of Canada Business Continuity Renewal

Public Safety Canada’s Centre for Resiliency and Continuity Management (CRCM), as the Business Continuity Management (BCM) Lead Security Agency for the Government of Canada, developed a multi-year overarching strategy and implementation plan in partnership with other lead security agencies and enterprise service organizations to improve BCM leadership, expertise, tools, and training that will enhance organizational resilience across the Government of Canada.

The BCM Renewal Strategy (2021-25) was launched at the beginning of 2021 and the CRCM successfully completed its first year of the implementation plan. The focus was on updating BCM methodologies and increasing leadership and engagements with the Chief Security Officer and BCM community. While developing new tools and guidance, lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic were integrated to improve overall continuity planning activities across the Government of Canada.

Safeguarding and Security Management

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to promote a resilient security culture (both physical and Information Technology [IT] security) across the Department and adapted its security processes and controls to mitigate risks with the remote work environment through the ongoing implementation of the Departmental Security Plan 2020-23. The new work environment highlighted the need to adapt security processes and increase security awareness amongst all employees.

The Department facilitated numerous interactive security awareness sessions with employees to promote newly adapted processes, provided job-specific training and presentations to targeted audiences on various security practices, launched the Security Awareness Week and posted monthly security communications to all staff. In addition, a new Insider Risk Framework was implemented to further mitigate risks and monitor and respond to unusual behaviors.

The importance of business continuity and sustained productivity and performance throughout the pandemic has spurred increased investment in Information Management-Information Technology (IM-IT) at Public Safety Canada. A range of exceptional initiatives, brought together as part of the digital transformation strategy (i.e., “DX2021”), have focused attention and effort in accelerating progress towards a new operating environment that supports increased mobility, flexibility, remote and secure engagement and collaboration. Investments have been strategically targeted to address challenges and exploit opportunities, including increasing network capacity, leveraging Virtual Private Networks and employing split tunneling, onboarding Microsoft Teams, securing Public Safety Canada's cloud tenancy and migrating email, strengthening the IT security regime, improving internal services and IM-IT project management for more efficient, strategic and better integrated planning to support and deliver on departmental priorities and mandate commitments.

Diversity and Inclusion

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada contributed to efforts to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive Public Service through its continued implementation of the Strategic Framework on Diversity and Inclusion. The Department formally integrated the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Secretariat within the Portfolio Affairs and Communications Branch to support the Corporate Management Branch, departmental champions, networks and committees in further enhancing D&I and addressing systemic barriers and racism, and unconscious bias within the workplace.

Building on the Framework, the Department:

• Launched departmental employee resources and training on diversity and inclusion topics (e.g., allyship) and provided direct supports for employees (e.g., Trust Circles for employees in equity impacted areas to address mental health impacts of systemic discrimination and barriers and employee networks) and employee networks like the Black Employee Network and the Indigenous Working Group;
• Updated Public Safety Canada’s Staffing Monitoring Framework to monitor progress on the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Recruitment Strategy;
• Updated the Human Resources process for the collection and administration of Employment Equity (EE) self-identification data and relevant templates;
• Launched the Departmental Mentorship+ Program to support the career development and talent management of underrepresented groups and to ensure that the Department is diverse and inclusive;
• Launched a new centralized Duty to Accommodate program which included a case management tracking system to ensure that employees and managers are well supported in identifying and implementing accommodation measures; and
• Communicated EE representation data and the Staffing Options Tool to Branch Management Committees to promote a variety of EE staffing options, including the Digital Careers pool and the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities.

In November 2021, Public Safety Canada also celebrated its third annual D&I Week which included a range of activities to bring cultural and social awareness to intersectionality, D&I in our workplace. The Department also celebrated Black History Month in February 2022 with the theme: Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day. One event featured a panel discussion with some of Canada’s “first” Black leaders.

Values and Ethics Strategic Framework and Action Plan

Public Safety Canada continued to strengthen its departmental culture by updating and continuing to implement its Values and Ethics Strategic Framework and Action Plan.

As part of the Action Plan, in 2021-22 the Department:

• Supported departmental Champions for Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), Wellness, and the Workplace, as well as collaboration with the D&I Secretariat and the Inclusive by Design Committee and Circles to meet the goals established in the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Framework;
• Celebrated Mental Health Week in May, Mental Illness Awareness Week and Healthy Workplace Month in October, and promoted various year-round employee assistance services;
• Communicated and promoted new or improved remote work tools, resources and strategies to support mental health, wellness and remote work during the pandemic;
• Developed information products and delivered training related to an ethical workplace culture, Conflict of Interest, Disclosure of Wrongdoing, as well as political activities and social media; and
• Supported the Pandemic Management Committee and the Integration Secretariat with a focus on risk assessments, individual COVID-19 cases and reopening, and the development of the progressive Return to Work Hybrid Model.

Public Safety Canada also continued to implement the new Violence and Harassment Prevention program, with a focus on ensuring that all employees, managers, and executives have completed mandatory training in order to support the culture shift associated with these changes.

People Management

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada reviewed, improved or created people management approaches and practices to support government-wide priorities and initiatives and to continue to build the Department’s people management capacity and enhance Human Resources (HR) services, such as:

• Advanced work on the creation of a new Organizational Health Dashboard using business intelligence software to better support evidence-based decision making;
• Updated the Instrument of Delegation of Human Resources Management Authorities to reflect changes to the People Management Policy Suite;
• Updated and streamlined tools and processes related to training requests, talent management, and onboarding activities, including an updated Onboarding Program for New Employees and Students;
• Developed and delivered Virtual Team Leadership training to provide managers with the tools to manage in a virtual environment;
• Supported and promoted the HR-to-Pay Stabilization Project including mandatory training on Phoenix, and implementing the Office of the Auditor General recommendations; and
• Launched and completed the Departmental formal awards process and organized the first Virtual Awards and Recognition Ceremony during National Public Service Week.

Performance Management and Reporting

In 2021-22, Public Safety Canada continued to increase awareness of performance measurement throughout the Department, and on delivering high-quality products and services in compliance with the Policy on Results. The Department developed a risk management community of practice, information sessions on corporate reporting best practices, and offered advice and guidance to Programs in relation to policy and program performance measurement.

For the 2021-22 Management Accountability Framework (MAF) Assessment, Public Safety Canada attained strong overall results, thereby demonstrating continued progress towards a departmental culture of excellence in public sector management.

Integrated Risk Management

Public Safety Canada has a completed Integrated Risk Management Framework. The Department also established a Risk Management Community of Practice which meets, on average, monthly. In addition, Public Safety Canada developed an Environmental Scan to help inform its internal products. The Department has revised its Risk Management Intranet site into a first point of contact for risk management information, thus alleviating some of the workload from the Risk Management team, allowing it to better use its time.

The following table shows, for internal services, budgetary spending for 2021–22, as well as spending for that year.

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the Department needed to carry out its internal services for 2021–22.

Spending and human resources

Spending

Spending 2019–20 to 2024–25

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

The “Budgetary performance summary for core responsibilities and internal services” table presents the budgetary financial resources allocated for Public Safety Canada’s core responsibilities and for internal services.

In 2021-22, planned spending increased by $158.9 million (15%) to total authorities available for use of $1.2 billion. This increase is primarily attributable to new funding for:

• Supporting various relief efforts related to COVID-19 ($153.9 million);
• Investment in Indigenous Policing and Community Safety ($47.7 million);
• The establishment of the Building Safer Communities Fund ($17.2 million); and
• Funding for various firearms control initiatives ($12.9 million).

Offset by:

• A transfer to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the First Nations Community Policing Service ($87 million), which takes place annually through the Supplementary Estimates.

The decrease of $388.1 million (37%) in planned spending from 2021-22 to 2022-23 is primarily attributable to a decrease of $345.8 million in funding levels for the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) contribution program and to the expiry of the funding of $20.9 million for the National Disaster Mitigation Program.

Actual spending for 2021-22 is $146.7 million (12%) lower than total authorities available for use. This variance is primarily attributable to:

• Supporting a humanitarian workforce to respond to COVID-19 and other large-scale emergencies ($44.3 million) which is anticipated to be transferred for use in future fiscal years, as a large portion of the response stream, has not been required for the 2021-22 fiscal year; and
• The relocation and accommodations for the Government Operations Centre ($30.1 million) which has been transferred for use in future fiscal years due to unforeseen project delays.

Actual spending for 2021-22 is $290.3 million (37%) higher than expenditures in 2020-21. This increase is primarily attributable to the increase in payments under the DFAA program based on forecasts from provinces and territories for disbursements in 2021-22. Public Safety Canada regularly consults with provinces and territories to ensure funding levels meet disbursement requirements under the DFAA legislation, and aligns funding levels accordingly.

Human resources

The “Human resources summary for core responsibilities and internal services” table presents the full-time equivalents (FTEs) allocated to each of Public Safety Canada’s core responsibilities and to internal services.

The increase of 112 FTEs (9%) from 1,186 FTEs in 2020-21 to 1,298 FTEs in 2021-22 is primarily attributable to staffing related to new funding that were received through the Supplementary Estimates, such as for Indigenous Policing and Community Safety, various firearms control initiatives as well as Anti-Money Laundering Action, Coordination and Enforcement Team.

The increase of 98 FTEs (8%) from the 2021-22 Planned FTEs to the 2021-22 Actual FTEs is also primarily attributable to staffing related to new funding that were received through the Supplementary Estimates mentioned above in the Budgetary performance summary section.

Expenditures by vote

For information on Public Safety Canada’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2021.

Government of Canada spending and activities

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

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

Public Safety Canada’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2022, are available on the departmental website.

Financial statement highlights

Total departmental expenses have increased by $5,063 million, from $693 million in 2020-21 to $5,757 million in 2021-22. This increase can be attributed primarily to a significant increase in accrued transfer payment expenses, mainly related to the DFAA^{Footnote 49} and recent British Columbia storm, flood and wildfires.

The chart below presents the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position by showing expenses by category as a percentage of total departmental accrual expenses. Transfer payments represent 96.2% (i.e., $5,539 million) of the total expenses. Meanwhile, salaries and employee benefits represent 2.7%, professional and special services 0.5%, accommodation 0.2% and other expenses which include travel and relocation, equipment, communication, equipment rentals, amortization, repairs, utilities, material and supplies represent 0.4%.

Public Safety Canada's total net liabilities of $8,144 million is primarily comprised of DFAA ($7,233 million) program liabilities^{Footnote 50}, accounts payables and accrued liabilities ($895 million), vacation pay and compensatory leave ($11 million) and employee future benefits ($4 million).

There was an increase of $4,912 million in total net liabilities when compared to 2020-21. This variance is mainly attributed to a significant increase in the DFAA accrued liabilities.

The total net financial assets of $903 million include $893 million due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and accounts receivables and advances of $10 million. The increase in the total net financial assets is mainly due to the increase in the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Total non-financial assets decreased in 2021–22 by $948,000 when compared to 2020–21 due to the amortization of tangible capital assets.

The following chart shows total net liabilities by type of liability.

The 2021–22 planned results information is provided in Public Safety Canada’s Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2021–22.

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister[s]:

The Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P.

The Honourable William Sterling Blair, P.C., C.O.M., M.P

Institutional head:

Mr. Rob Stewart

Ministerial portfolio:

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Enabling instrument(s):

Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act (2005)

Emergency Management Act (2007)

Year of incorporation/commencement:

2003

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 Public Safety Canada’s website.

Information on Public Safety Canada’s mandate letter commitments is available in the Minister of Public Safety’s mandate letter and the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness’ mandate letter.

Operating context

Information on the operating context is available on Public Safety Canada’s website.

Reporting framework

Public Safety Canada’s Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2021–22 are shown below.

2021-22 Departmental Reporting Framework by Core Responsibility

Supporting information on the program inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the Public Safety Canada’s Program Inventory is available in the in GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Public Safety Canada’s website:

• Reporting on Green Procurement
• Details on transfer payment programs
• Gender-based analysis plus
• Horizontal initiatives
• Response to parliamentary committees and external audits
• Up-front multi-year funding
• United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

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 as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address:

269 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0P8

Telephone:

613-944-4875 or 1-800-830-3118

TTY:

1-866-865-5667

Fax:

613-954-5186

Email:

ps.mediarelations-relationsaveclesmedias.sp@ps-sp.gc.ca

Website:

Public Safety Canada

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 Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

An analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives; and understand how factors such as sex, race, national and ethnic origin, Indigenous origin or identity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic conditions, geography, culture and disability, impact experiences and outcomes, and can affect access to and experience of government programs.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2021–22 Departmental Results Report, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2020 Speech from the Throne, namely: Protecting Canadians from COVID-19; Helping Canadians through the pandemic; Building back better – a resiliency agenda for the middle class; The Canada we’re fighting for.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)

The process of communicating evidence‑based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the Department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

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.

Date modified:

2023-06-29