Gender-based analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

Program: National Security Leadership

Core responsibility:

National Security

Program goals:

Under this Program, national security policy, legislation, and programs that contribute to the government's ability to counter current and emerging threats are developed and implemented.

Target population:

All people in Canada, particularly those of equity-seeking groups (e.g., LGBTQ2+, racialized communities, those living with a disability, etc.)

Distribution of benefits

By gender

Third group: broadly gender-balanced (2021 to 2022, last results available)

By income level

Third group: no significant distributional impacts (2021 to 2022, last results available)

By age group

Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors (2021 to 2022, last results available)

Specific demographic group outcomes

N/A

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

N/A

GBA Plus data collection plan

Not available at the time of publication.

Program: Critical Infrastructure

Core responsibility:

National Security

Program goals:

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

Target population:

Critical infrastructure stakeholders

Distribution of benefits

By gender

Not available.

By income level

Not available.

By age group

Not available.

Specific demographic group outcomes

Not available. Critical Infrastructure (CI) programs administered by the Department were designed with a focus on enhancing the resilience of physical and digital CI in Canada, they do not capture GBA Plus data.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

The Critical Infrastructure programs administered by the Critical Infrastructure Directorate have been designated to strengthen the resilience of physical and digital infrastructure in Canada from an all-hazards perspective, and do not collect sufficient data to enable the monitoring and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity.

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Critical Infrastructure Directorate (CID) is currently engaging stakeholders with the objective to renew the National Critical Infrastructure Strategy in order to enhance the resiliency of Canada's Critical Infrastructure (CI). While GBA Plus information was voluntarily collected by CID in 2022 to 2023 through participant registration for the “Let's Talk Critical Infrastructure” online consultation to gain a better understanding of the diversity within the CI community to assist with future CI renewal work, a dedicated GBA Plus Data Collection Plan is not currently active. CID has continued to engage with a variety of diverse public and private stakeholders through the renewal process. Going forward, the implementation of a GBA Plus Data Collection Plan remains an important consideration as efforts progress.

Program: Cyber Security

Core responsibility:

National Security

Program goals:

Through the Cyber Security Program, Public Safety Canada aims to enhance Canada's ability to respond to current and emerging cyber security threats. Public Safety Canada's Cyber Security Cooperation Program (CSCP) aims to contribute to the federal government's leadership role in advancing cyber security in Canada. By enabling close collaboration with other levels of governments, the private sector, academia, and non-governmental organizations, the CSCP's purpose is to commission research and yield comprehensive results which help position domestic governments, businesses, and citizens to better anticipate trends, adapt to a changing environment, and remain on the leading edge of innovation in cyber security. In 2023 to 2024, Public Safety Canada used a project activity report to better assess the diversity amongst program recipients and their GBA Plus efforts.

Target population:

Cyber Security Cooperation Program:

• Canadian not-for-profit organizations;
• Canadian academic and research institutions;
• Provincial, territorial and local governments and authorities;
• Canadian individual researchers and professionals; and
• Canadian for-profit organizations.

Distribution of benefits

By gender

Second group: 60% to 79% men. The Cyber Security Cooperation Program (CSCP) does not favor projects based on the gender of applicants. However, the Canadian Survey of Cyber Security and Cybercrime, Public Safety Canada and Statistics Canada have learned that employees that complete tasks related to the cyber security of Canadian organizations as part of their regular responsibilities were 37% female and 63% male in 2021. Thus, currently, the CSCP most likely advantages more men than women or gender diverse individuals, as the cyber security field is male dominant. Knowing this, the projects funded by the CSCP aim to increase the diversity of the cyber security field.

For instance, the Toronto Metropolitan University's project “Cybersecurity, Safety and Responsible Innovation Applied Learning Program”, (i.e., CyberStart Canada) which ran from 2022 to 2024, focused on underrepresented learners in tech and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Participant group demographics included young women aged 13-18 only; to youth aged 13-18 from schools, organizations and programs identified as having a high population of youth that identify as girls, black, indigenous, and people of colour, neurodiverse, and new Canadians. In 2023 to 2024, the program was made available nationwide. Throughout the duration of the program, an average of 45% of girls and non-binary youth participated in CyberStart Canada.

By income level

Not available. The Cyber Security Cooperation Program does not favor projects based on income or monetary amounts.

By age group

Not available. The Cyber Security Cooperation Program does not favor projects based on the age of applicants.

Specific demographic group outcomes

In 2023 to 2024, the Cyber Security Cooperation Program (CSCP) funded ten projects. Direct recipients of the CSCP program funding were Canadian academic and research institutions (seven), Canadian not-for-profit organizations (two), and a Canadian for-profit organization (one). These recipients were from Ontario (six), Quebec (two), Saskatchewan (one), and British Columbia (one).

Six of the funded projects were primarily focused on research:

• “Cyber Security for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles”
• “Évaluation de la résilience d'un redistributeur électrique dans un contexte d'industrie 4.0”
• “Sécurité dans l'Internet industriel des objets dans un contexte de connectivite 5G et de traitement en périphérie”
• “Advancing Canadian Cyber Security, Resilience and Sovereignty through Monitoring Internet Routing, Connectivity and Reachability”
• “Security and Resiliency of Wide Area Monitoring, Protection, and Control (WAMPAC) Systems in Smart Grids: Obstacles and Remedies”
• “The next-generation secure and privacy-preserving cyber-physical systems using blockchains”

These projects aimed to promote cyber security research and innovation; advance the government, businesses and individuals knowledge of cyber security practices; protect critical infrastructure; defend against cybercriminals; promote resiliency; and protect sensitive information.

They benefitted a diverse population as these objectives would contribute to the overall safety and security of all Canadians. When these projects needed to determine research goals, consult Canadians, collaborate with partners, select speakers, or host events, they often considered and included marginalized groups, such as Canadians with socio-economic challenges or who face systemic barriers.

Four of the funded projects were primarily focused on upskilling and capacity building:

• “Cyber Security Capacity in Canadian Agriculture”
• “Coding For Veterans Cyber Security Career Certification Program”
• “Setting a National Standard for Cyber Resiliency in Healthcare”
• “Cybersecurity, Safety and Responsible Innovation Applied Learning Program”

These projects aimed to advance the government, businesses and individuals knowledge of cyber security practices; protect critical infrastructure; defend against cybercriminals; promote resiliency; and protect sensitive information.

These projects benefitted Canadian youth, Canadians who identify as women/girls, black, indigenous, and people of colour, neurodiverse, new Canadians, and Canadian veterans. They also directly benefitted those in healthcare and the agricultural sectors.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

The current iteration of the Cyber Security Cooperation Program (CSCP) completed in March 2024. During the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, the CSCP funded ten projects on a variety of topics to a variety of recipients.

Since its beginning in 2018, the CSCP program has funded twenty-eight projects across Canada and has had many impacts on the diversity of Canadian cyber security. The CSCP has funded fourteen projects in Ontario, five projects in Quebec, three projects in British Columbia, two projects in Alberta, one project in Prince Edward Island, one project in New Brunswick, one project in Saskatchewan, and one project in Manitoba. The CSCP also funded one Indigenous-led project to completion.

Overall, the projects funded by the CSCP have impacted and benefitted a diverse group of Canadians, such as Canadian youth, Canadians who identify as women/girls, black, indigenous, and people of colour, neurodiverse, new Canadians, and Canadian veterans. The projects have benefitted various sectors including agriculture, healthcare, transportation, law enforcement, green energy, and technology. They have provided necessary support to Canadian not-for-profit organizations; Canadian academic and research institutions; and Indigenous communities for projects aimed to promote cyber security research and innovation; advance the government, businesses and individuals knowledge of cyber security practices; protect critical infrastructure; defend against cybercriminals; promote resiliency; and protect sensitive information. Moreover, the research and upskilling opportunities provided through these projects have indirectly benefitted all Canadians. For example:

• The Toronto Metropolitan University's project “Cybersecurity, Safety and Responsible Innovation Applied Learning Program” provided 1,157 students with increased cybersecurity knowledge. This program prioritized Canadian youth, Canadians who identify as women/girls, black, indigenous, and people of colour, neurodiverse, and new Canadians.
• The STEM Fellowship's project “Cybersecurity Classroom Training Program” provided 2120 teachers and over 40,000 students with high-school aligned curriculum and cyber security career pathway information. This program prioritized visible minorities, underrepresented French-Canadians, Indigenous peoples, and recent immigrants.
• The research conducted through the Canadian Internet Registration Authority's project “Advancing Canadian Cyber Security, Resilience and Sovereignty through Monitoring Internet Routing, Connectivity and Reachability” prioritized accessibility and usability through a user-friendly interface, informative traceroute visualizations, essential query & analysis tools and application programming interfaces. It has potential applications in cyber threat assessment, promoting internet health awareness, and the development of cyber-resilience policies.

Separate from the CSCP, the Department co-chairs a Bias Sensitivity, Diversity and Identity (BSDI) Cyber Security Working Group alongside Communications Security Establishment. This interdepartmental working group has representation from over 10 federal government departments. The purpose of this working group is to provide a dedicated space to foster collaboration and to discuss BSDI and GBA Plus challenges, opportunities and implications as they relate to cyber security. The working group has developed documents to share best practices, tools, lessons learned and training opportunities, as well as has developed a unified BSDI approach for the cyber security community within the federal government. This group's work has helped inform the CSCP, such as through ways to better target diverse populations and recipients and through recommendations on how to better track these results, as well as other Government Departments' programs.

Key program impact statistics

GBA Plus data collection plan

In 2023 to 2024, Public Safety Canada used a project activity report to better assess the diversity amongst program recipients and their GBA Plus efforts. This report allowed the Cyber Security Cooperation Program (CSCP) to measure whether:

• A project considered a diverse range of individuals and/or groups in its design, implementation, and/or partnerships;
• A project included outreach with vulnerable populations or groups; and,
• The data collected through a project was broken down into categories to help understand the project's impact on diverse individuals and/or groups.

Results of these analyses are presented in the "Key program impact statistics” table above.

In addition, an internal report was drafted in Winter 2024 to capture all the data from the CSCP from 2018 to 2024. From this report, a visualization was created to provide information on the number of funded projects by province, by recipient organization, and by stream.

Program: Crime Prevention

Core responsibility:

Community Safety

Program goals:

Through the Crime Prevention program, Public Safety Canada works with stakeholders to prevent and reduce crime in populations and communities most at risk and to build resilience in the face of threats to safety and well-being. Through the National Crime Prevention Strategy, Public Safety Canada supports the implementation and evaluation of local, targeted crime prevention initiatives with the objective of developing and sharing knowledge of what works to prevent and reduce crime among at-risk populations and vulnerable communities. GBA Plus analysis is used to help inform funding priorities and application assessment by identifying key at-risk populations and communities.

Target population:

As part of the National Crime Prevention Strategy, Public Safety Canada provides funding toward preventing and reducing crime in Canada and increasing knowledge of what works through four separate funds, each focusing on the following identified priority populations:

• Crime Prevention Action Fund: Vulnerable groups of the population, particularly children and youth from 6-30 years, and high-risk offenders.
• Youth Gang Prevention Fund: At-risk youth from 12-30 years.
• Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund: Indigenous children and youth populations / Indigenous communities both on and off-reserve and in the North.
• Security Infrastructure Program (replaced by the Canada Community Security Program in October 2024): Communities at risk of hate-motivated crime.

Distribution of benefits

Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF)

By gender

Third group: broadly gender-balanced. The CPAF provides funding to initiatives working with girls and young women, as well as boys and young men. Based on statistics from the Criminal Justice System (CJS), those most at risk of becoming involved in the CJS are young boys and men, who make up 78% of youth in correctional settings. For 2023 to 2024, at least 6,660 individuals were reported to have participated in CPAF funded projects.

Research has indicated that the risk factors related to involvement in the CJS, as well as the types of crime committed, vary between boys and young men, and between girls and young women. Furthermore, while concrete data is lacking for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth involvement in the Canadian CJS, early research indicates that this population is at a heightened risk of coming into contact with the CJS due to risk factors related to homelessness and family violence. As such, the 2021 CPAF call for applications invited applicants to propose initiatives that include gender-responsive components within their projects, meaning that the initiatives proposed should take into account the gender of the demographic being served, and tailor the programming to the specific needs of that sub-demographic. For 2023 to 2024, three (10%) CPAF projects targeted their interventions to 2SLGBTQIA+ participants.

By income level

Not collected.

By age group

First group: primarily benefits youth, children or future generations. The 2021 Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF) Call for Applications focused on supporting multi-sectoral, community-driven crime prevention initiatives to enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors impacting youth aged 12-30 years, from priority populations, including Indigenous and Black youth. In 2023 to 2024, 76% of CPAF funded projects targeted youth participants between the ages of 12-30 years.

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

From the 2021 Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF) Call for Applications, a total of 20 projects targeting Black and Indigenous youths were chosen for funding. Among these projects, 8 focused on providing interventions to Black youth, 10 on Indigenous youth, and 2 addressed both Indigenous and Black youth. These projects are implementing multi-sectoral, gender responsive and trauma informed approaches; and have a strong regional distribution (i.e., with 1 project in New Brunswick; 2 projects in Quebec; 5 projects in Ontario; 3 projects in British Columbia; 3 projects in Alberta; 2 projects in Manitoba; 2 projects in Saskatchewan; 1 project in Northwest Territories; and 1 project in Yukon).

Youth Gang Prevention Fund

By gender

N/A. Data cannot be assessed due to the low number of projects reporting.

By income level

Not collected.

By age group

First group: primarily benefits youth, children or future generations. Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF) provides time-limited funding for initiatives in communities where youth gangs are an existing or emerging threat impacting youth aged 12-30 years. In 2023 to 2024, 100% of participants in YGPF funded initiatives were between the ages of 12-25 years.

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

In 2023 to 2024, activity reporting from 4 Youth Gang Prevention Fund funded initiatives indicate that Indigenous youth were participating in 50% of the projects, and 25% reported that 2SLGBTQIA+ persons and persons with disabilities were participating in their projects.

Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund

By gender

Not available. Data cannot be assessed due to the low number of projects reporting.

By income level

Not collected. Data cannot be assessed due to the low number of projects reporting.

By age group

Not available. Data cannot be assessed due to the low number of projects reporting.

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

For projects that submitted Annual Performance Reports (n=2) in 2023 to 2024, 100% focused on Indigenous children and youth.

Security Infrastructure Program

By gender

Not available. This program funds infrastructure projects (installation of cameras etc.). Eligible recipients include places of worship, community centres, educational institutions and gender-based violence shelters.

By income level

Not available. This program funds infrastructure projects (installation of cameras etc.). Eligible recipients include places of worship, community centres, educational institutions and gender-based violence shelters.

By age group

Not available. This program funds infrastructure projects (installation of cameras etc.). Eligible recipients include places of worship, community centres, educational institutions and gender-based violence shelters.

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

Since 2017, communities at-risk of being victimized by hate crimes that applied to the Security Infrastructure Program are mainly Jewish (45%), Muslim (21%), Christian (17%), Hindu (5.7%), Sikh (3.3%), Buddhist (1.8%), Traditional spirituality (1.6%), and Other (4%).

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

The National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) has recognized that the needs of males, females and gender-diverse populations must be taken into account in the development of crime prevention policies and strategies. Priorities for the 2021 Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF) Call for Applications included a focus on key populations and approaches (multi-sectoral interventions that include gender responsive programming). Projects chosen from the 2021 Call continued to be supported in 2023 to 2024.

In addition to supporting the implementation of crime prevention interventions, the NCPS also aims to increase the knowledge base of effective crime prevention approaches in Canada. The Crime Prevention Inventory (CPI) is a key tool that helps to advance this goal. The CPI is a searchable database of crime prevention programs that was developed by Public Safety Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories. As of 2023 to 2024, the database holds 220 crime prevention programs. The CPI allows Canadians to search past and present programs based on a combination of filters and search terms including by the gender of project participants or whether the program targets 2SLGBTQIA+ populations. This features allows users to learn about gender-specific and gender-diverse crime prevention programs being used across the country.

Finally, aligned with the Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence, in 2023 to 2024, Public Safety Canada continued to support implementation of intervention projects and research focused on cyberbullying prevention. One project being implemented through the CPAF is Open New Tab. The project is being led by YWCA Halifax and is delivering anti-cyberbullying programming through a gender lens, to diverse youth populations aged 9-17. This project is being evaluated and will provide important information about gender-specific anti-cyberbullying programming. In addition, a new research report was published in 2023 to 2024 titled: Examining Key Populations in the Context of implementing Cyberbullying Prevention and Intervention Initiatives: Literature Review on 2SLGBTQIA+, Girls, and Ethno-racially Diverse Youth. This report provides information on recent advances in cyberbullying research, with a specific focus given to gender diverse groups.

Key program impact statistics

Other key program impacts

GBA Plus considerations are central to the work of the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS). The NCPS draws on statistics and research to inform priority populations and determine the complex mix of factors that may put individuals at risk for future contact with the criminal justice system. An evaluation of the NCPS was completed in 2023 to 2024 and found that the NCPS has been successful at targeting communities and populations with elevated risks. Commitments made in the 2023 NCPS Management Action Plan included the standardization of project data collection tools with a goal to enhance GBA Plus data collection from NCPS funded projects, which in turn would support comprehensive demographic analyses to identify gaps in service/support for underrepresented communities.

In 2023 to 2024, the Annual Performance Reporting (APR) template was standardized for the Crime Prevention Action Fund, Youth Gang Prevention Fund, and Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund. This was done by a working group comprising regional and national Departmental representatives from various teams.

The revised APR now includes a GBA Plus section to collect demographic data (e.g., ethno-cultural background, age, disability, region) at the project level, and are aligned with Statistics Canada standards. The template was also simplified for clarity and brevity to improve completion rates and data quality. It aligns with program indicators to support reporting and decision-making.

Launched in 2024, the new APR template is currently in the field collecting data from Public Safety Canada funding recipients. The implementation was deemed successful as it has facilitated our internal and corporate reporting efforts. Additionally, reporting burden on recipients was lessened by the reduced length of the new template. The implementation will be reviewed in Fall 2024 for efficacy and adjusted as needed for the next fiscal year's reporting season.

Supplementary information sources

Evaluation of the National Crime Prevention Strategy

Table 35-10-0006-01 Youth admissions to correctional services, by age and sex

GBA Plus data collection plan

GBA Plus data collection plan outlined under the Other key program impacts above.

Program: Law Enforcement and Policing

Core responsibility:

Community Safety

Program goals:

The Law Enforcement and Policing Program's mandate fulfills the Minister's legislative responsibilities to initiate, recommend, coordinate, implement and promote policing policies, programs, projects, and specific accountabilities associated with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, including the establishment of strategic priorities. Public Safety Canada provides federal leadership, promotes coordination and supports a comprehensive approach to the development of firearms policy, including legislative and regulatory measures, to enhance public safety and address firearms-related violence. GBA Plus analysis is used in the development of policy proposals.

Target population:

Firearms Policy: All Canadians, law enforcement, municipalities.

Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (previously Firearms Buyback Program): All Canadians, firearms owners.

Distribution of benefits

By gender

First group: predominantly men (80% or more men). According to data from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's (RCMP) Canadian Firearms Program, males represent the largest demographic with a firearms license (86% males versus 14% females; January 2022).

96% of suicides by firearm are males (Statistics Canada).

Violent crime is often committed by males (92% in 2019; Cotter, 2021), and males are more likely to be the target of firearm-related violent crime (66%) and victims of firearm-related homicides (83% of homicide victims were male in 2020; Statistics Canada, 2021).

In 2022, women represented 89% of victims of violent crime involving firearms committed by a spouse or an intimate partner. Ten per cent of victims of firearms-related violent crime are at the hands of an intimate partner (Statistics Canada).

By age group

Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors. Individuals must be 18 or older to obtain a firearms license in Canada, of which there are approximately 2.35 million license holders as of December 31, 2023. Minors between the age of 12 and 17 can be eligible for a minor's license with limited privileges. There were less 4,129 of these licenses in 2022.

Among men aged 18 to 24, 5.1% of violent crimes were committed with firearms in 2022. Boys aged 12 to 17 had the second-highest victim rate—that is, 76.3% were victims of firearm-related violent crime per 100,000 boys in this age group—and 4.2% of crimes targeting this group were committed with a firearm. Overall, firearm-related violent crime with victims aged 18 to 24 has been declining since 2019. In contrast, the rate of boys accused of firearm-related violent crime rose sharply from 2021 to 2022.

By ethnicity

Indigenous Peoples (i.e., First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals) represented 17% of firearm-related homicide victims in 2022, both among male victims (17%) and female victims (18%). This proportion was much higher for homicides involving a rifle or shotgun (which includes assault-style firearms) (40%) than homicides involving handguns (7.6%). The proportion of Indigenous individuals among all victims of firearm-related homicides (17%) was more than three times higher than their proportion in the Canadian population (5%).

To better understand the potential impacts of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP) implementation on Indigenous peoples, engagement with Indigenous organizations and communities will continue over the course of 2024. As per its commitment to uphold Shared Priority 65 under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan, the ASFCP will continue to work collaboratively with Indigenous groups to ensure that the Program design enables Indigenous participation and that potential unintended impacts to Section 35 rights are identified and mitigated.

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

Regulations came into force in 2022 to 2023 to expand license verification and business record-keeping for non-restricted firearms. These measures reduce the risk of non-restricted firearms being transferred to those without a valid license. Suicides by firearm are primarily committed by males, and ensuring only valid license holders can acquire and possess firearms lowers the risk of unlicensed individuals obtaining firearms to commit self-harm or criminal acts.

Additionally, the May 1, 2020 Order in Council has resulted in the prohibition of approximately 2,000 assault-style firearms. This directly impacts firearms owners, who are predominantly male, and indirectly impacts all Canadians as the removal of these firearms from Canadian society, upon completion of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP), will help reduce the likelihood of mass shootings.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

The Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP) has not been implemented yet, and thus impacts of the Program are still under consideration. However, firearms-related initiatives will predominantly impact males due to their higher rates of ownership of firearms and rates of victimization. Other groups who disproportionately tend to experience firearms-related violence such as visible minorities and those with Indigenous identity, are also likely to experience some positive outcomes from initiatives such as the ASFCP.

Key program impact statistics

Other key program impacts

Reporting capacity for this program is limited due to the lack of sufficient individual recipient microdata information regarding program clients for the purpose of undertaking GBA Plus. GBA Plus, including trend analysis (for example, based on gender, sex, and socioeconomic characteristics) and net impact analysis is undertaken through the use of aggregate and disaggregated data collected and provided to Public Safety Canada by other departments and agencies such as the Canada Border Services Agency, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Statistics Canada. Work is underway to improve data quality, with an initial focus on consistency of data collected, however, in 2022 to 2023, priority attention was given to supporting the Government of Canada with advice on legislative, regulatory and policy due to resource constraints.^{Footnote 2}

Funding to Enhance Canada's Firearm Control Framework^{Footnote 3}:

Activities under the Funding to Enhance Canada's Firearm Control Framework will help support the collection of data to enable better monitoring and/or reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity (i.e. age, gender, geographic location). Public Safety Canada continues to work with partners involved in the collection and analysis of law enforcement data.

For example, work is ongoing with Statistics Canada to ensure consistency and reliability of data collected on firearms across Canada. Statistics Canada carried out a feasibility study in consultation with key stakeholders and identified information that could potentially be collected from police services using the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey. they have since made a number of revisions to the UCR Survey, starting in 2021, although it may take a few years for these changes to be fully implemented by police services in a way that allows the reporting of this information to the UCR. Statistics Canada is also committed to working with the policing community and key organizations to enable police to report statistics on Indigenous and ethno-cultural groups in police-reported crime statistics for victims and accused persons.

While Public Safety Canada recognizes the importance of data collection and governance in the firearms framework, resource constraints limited the scope of the Department's work in 2022 to 2023 to supporting the advancement of Bill C-21. Work in this domain included engagements with Indigenous communities and other stakeholders, as well as providing support to the Government to advance legislation on red/yellow flag regime. As Bill C-21 is still before Parliament, no implementation measures or outcomes are currently available for this program or the Bill.^{Footnote 4}

Supplementary information sources

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan 2023 to 2028

Shared Priority 65 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan 2023 to 2028

2022 Commissioner of Firearms Report

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program Web Portal, once implemented, will provide impacted firearms businesses and owners access to a user-friendly Web Portal to enable their participation in the Program, and will support the collection of GBA Plus factors from individual owners on a voluntary and consensual basis. Such factors collected include gender, age, and region of residence. The GBA Plus data collected will be used to report on the impacts of the Program on various population groups and regions across Canada and may be used to inform the development of similar programs. No GBA Plus factors will be collected as part of the implementation of the Program for firearms businesses.

Program: Serious and Organized Crime

Core responsibility:

Community Safety

Program goals:

The objective of the Serious and Organized Crime program at Public Safety Canada is to enhance the safety and security of Canadians by combating and reducing the impact of serious and organized crime in Canada. The program aims to prevent and disrupt criminal activities carried such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, cybercrime, and other illicit activities.

In 2023 to 2024, the National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet (NSPCSEI) supported Statistics Canada to produce a Juristat report on the Statistical profile of online child sexual exploitation police-reported incidents in Canada in order to better understand how this crime impacts various populations. This report illustrated that OCSE is a gendered crime, which largely impacts girls as victims for all offence types. The majority of victims of police-reported online sexual offences against children were girls, particularly girls between the ages of 12 and 17 (71% of all victims). Between 2014 and 2022, most (82%) victims of online luring were youth (aged 12 to 17 years) and, of these, 84% were girls. Boys and men represented the vast majority of accused across all offence types, especially for incidents of invitation to sexual touching (97%), luring a child (96%) and possessing or accessing child pornography (90%). This report helps inform our policies and programs in addressing this crime.

Target population:

Online child sexual exploitation (OCSE): All Canadians / children and youth under the age of 18.

Human Trafficking: All Canadians / at-risk populations.

Biology Casework Analysis Contribution Program (BCACP): Law enforcement agencies throughout Canada.

First Nations Organized Crime Initiative (FNOCI): All Canadians with emphasis on Mohawk communities of Akwesasne and Kahnawake.

Distribution of benefits

Online child sexual exploitation

By gender

Third group: broadly gender-balanced. Benefits are distributed equally under the National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet (NSPCSEI), however girls are more often victimized by this crime. According to a Statistics Canada report released on March 12, 2024, between 2014 and 2022, the majority of victims of police-reported online sexual offences against children were girls, particularly girls between the ages of 12 and 17 (71% of all victims). As such, girl receive more benefits than boys, although the gap is growing less significant.

By age group

First group: primarily benefits youth, children or future generations, given the target population for the NSPCSEI (i.e., children and youth under 18).

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

Children and youth directly benefited from the NSPCSEI which aims to protect children from online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) and prevent this crime. They receive targeted prevention and awareness to better understand the risks and consequences associated by interaction with potential online predators. They are also directly impacted by initiatives under the strategy that aims at making the internet safer and free of OCSE through: funding of Internet Child Exploitation Units to increase the investigative capacity of law enforcement agencies, a national awareness campaign to increase awareness of the risks of OCSE, a webinar series and engagement with digital industry and victims support organizations to increase understanding of the scale and scope of the issue and find new ways to combat OCSE. Groups indirectly impacted by the strategy are educators, parents, caregivers who are in direct contact with children.

Human Trafficking

By gender

Fifth group: predominantly women (80% or more women). According to Statistics Canada reports, there were 3,103 detected victims of police-reported human trafficking in Canada between 2012 and 2024. The vast majority (94%) of these victims were women and girls, while a small proportion (5.64%) were men and boys.

By age group

First group: primarily benefits youth, children or future generations. Since 2011, victims were most often aged 18 to 24 (43%), while another quarter (24%) of victims were aged 17 and younger. The remaining victims were aged 25 to 34 (22%), 35 to 44 (7.2%) and 45 and older (3.6%). While seven in ten (71%) female victims were aged 24 and younger, male victims were not concentrated in the youngest age groups. Of the relatively small number (168) of men and boys who were identified as victims of human trafficking, the largest proportion were most often aged 25 to 34 (35%), followed by those aged 18 to 24 (20%).

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

The full scope of human trafficking is unknown due to the under-reported nature of the crime and barriers preventing some victims from reporting to law enforcement. Barriers may include concerns for their safety, fear of deportation, and a distrust of law enforcement. As a result, police-reported and court-related data provide only a partial view of the issue. While formal data is limited, qualitative evidence illustrates that individuals at greatest risk of victimization in Canada are generally those facing socio-economic challenges and marginalization. Particularly at risk are Indigenous women and girls, immigrants and newcomers to Canada, youth in foster care, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.

At risk-populations, including women, girls and youth directly benefited from the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, which aims to provide protection, support and prevention measures to those most vulnerable to this crime. Initiatives under the National Strategy include trauma-informed and culturally relevant support services, awareness campaigns targeting youth, parents, and at-risk populations, and educational outreach in schools to highlight the risks and signs of trafficking.

Additionally, the National Strategy enhances the capacity of law enforcement and front-line staff trough training and resources to better identify, detect, and protect victims and survivors. Public Safety Canada is also investing in the development of guidelines for front-line community workers to support victims and survivors of human trafficking.

First Nations Organized Crime Initiative (FNOCI)

By gender

Third group: broadly gender balanced. FNOCI funds police services in the First Nations communities of Akwesasne and Kahnawake, who report total residential populations of approximately 12,000 and 8,000, respectively. The gender distribution in these communities is assumed to be broadly balanced in the absence of gender data on reserve from Statistics Canada.

By age

Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations. Strengthened law enforcement capacity through FNOCI benefits all generations.

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

Funding provided through FNOCI helped build law enforcement capacity in Akwesasne and Kahnawake, with some evidence of positive results for youth. For example, in 2023 to 2024, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) funded through FNOCI in Kahnawake presented the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program to approximately 120 students in grade 7,8, and 10 to help build resilience among First Nation youth in the community to live productive and drug and violence-free lives. In partnership with the Kahnawake education system, the PRO also expanded educational visits to include topics like firearm safety, how to report criminal activity to Kahnawake Peacekeepers and careers in policing.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Organizations funded under the Strategy streams delivered projects targeting specific at-risk target groups including clients who identify as youth, women, girls, 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous, migrants and immigrants. These organizations also submit annual reports containing information about who has been engaged in their projects (results found in the table below); this includes demographic categories of their target population, and ages and gender of project participants where possible.

As of April 2024, there have been over 3,000 project participants in the 12 community-led Empowerment projects funded under the Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime. The majority of participants were female over the age of 25. Participants also included individuals self-identified as transgender non-binary, Indigenous, and experiencing a disability.

Almost all of the projects addressed the need for individualized supports as their client's needs can be diverse and as one project noted, “healing from trauma is non-linear.”

For those projects targeted at youth, as of April 2024, there have been over 44,000 individuals reached both in-person and online. The majority of participants were female and under the age of 25. Participants also included individuals self-identified as transgender non-binary, Indigenous, and experiencing a disability.

Combined, the projects numbered over thirty-five services in over twenty categories (including mentoring, life skills training, outreach, employment support, and counselling). Projects also supported other priority areas including early intervention, intervention/reintegration, and capacity building and training for practitioners. Although the nature of the projects were pilot in scope, all of the organizations noted that their projects identified or responded to a current human trafficking issue or programming gap. Many of the projects noted that they are the only ones in their community or Province. Youth feedback indicates appreciation for survivor-led stories and the ability to engage and provide feedback to the material.

Public Safety Canada is also investing in the development of guidelines for front-line community workers to support victims and survivors of human trafficking. These guidelines will apply a trauma-informed, culturally-relevant and gender-responsive lens in the development process that ultimately benefits at-risk target populations. They were nearing development by the end of 2023 to 2024.

Key program impact statistics

Other key program impacts

Biology Casework Analysis Contribution Program (BCACP):

A review of performance data revealed that GBA Plus indicators are not being collected by the Ontario and Quebec forensic laboratories under the BCACP. Submissions for DNA analysis are anonymous and are often not clearly linked to a specific individual until a match is established. For these reasons, evidence of program impacts by gender and diversity has not been documented. Given the importance of preserving the anonymity of DNA samples in the National DNA Data Bank (NDDB), the Ontario and Québec forensic laboratories will continue to proceed with respect and consideration by preserving the anonymity of the DNA samples they analyze.

However, hits in the cross-jurisdictional NDDB assist police investigations in every jurisdiction in Canada equally, thereby contributing to the safety and security of all Canadians regardless of gender, age, sex or income. These hits are expected to provide indirect benefits to specific gender and demographic groups, such as women and girls, who continue to be over-represented among victims and survivors of reported sexual assault and “other sexual violations.” In Canada, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, women with poorer mental health, women who are gay or bisexual, and women who live in more remote areas are more at-risk for violence.

National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (NSCHT):

The NSCHT supports one pillar of the Gender Results Framework, which is Eliminating Gender-Based Violence and Promoting Access to Justice. Canada's NSCHT is informed by the findings of detailed GBA Plus analysis and qualitative and quantitative information gathered through various methods, including the following in 2023 to 2024:

• National consultations conducted in Fall 2018;
• Aggregated data from Statistics Canada reported in annual Juristat reports; and
• Performance reporting by external organizations funded under federal grants and contribution programs (reporting will be available following the program's completion in March 2024).

While its primary purpose is to provide referral services to victims and survivors of human trafficking, data collected by the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline provides further insight into the characteristics of individuals who are victims or vulnerable to being victimized. This includes the collection of non-identifying, aggregated data such as gender, age, geographic location, and trafficking typology. A publicly available report was published in July 2023.

Public Safety Canada continued to require that Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (CPCSOC) funding recipients' annual report include GBA Plus-related data collection about the demographic categories of their target population, and ages and gender of project participants where possible. No work was done in 2023 to 2024 to modify these. The Department also worked with partners to gather qualitative information on the performance of the National Strategy, including as it relates to emerging GBA Plus impacts and considerations, throughout its implementation.

National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet:

Initiatives under Canada's National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet (NSPCSEI) are informed by the findings of detailed GBA Plus. Public Safety Canada has actively sought alternate data sources (research, special studies, input from partners) to identify GBA Plus considerations of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE), particularly in respect of vulnerable groups and at-risk populations. For example, in 2023 to 2024 Public Safety Canada entered into a working-level agreement with Statistics Canada to develop an annual Juristat report on OCSE that incorporates analysis of various data sources including OCSE trends and GBA Plus consideration of this crime. The Department provided funding to Statistics Canada for a Report released in March 2023, on police-reported online child sexual exploitation in Canada, between 2014 to 2022.

Supplementary information sources

Trafficking in persons in Canada, 2022

Online child sexual exploitation: A statistical profile of police-reported incidents in Canada, 2014 to 2022

Human Trafficking Trends in Canada (2019-2022)

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Department produced a GBA Plus research report on online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) that examines the demographic characteristics of those who have experienced online child sexual exploitation. The report was reviewed and finalized as of the end of 2023 to 2024, with two infographics to accompany the research report in development. These infographics will be published later in 2024.

Following working-level outreach with Departmental Indigenous policy teams, Indigenous Services Canada and others to identify gaps in Indigenous CSE statistics and research, the Department continued to engage with Indigenous-led organizations, such as Indspire and Moose Hide, and with 2SLGBTQIA+ associations to ensure National Strategy initiatives remain culturally relevant and are reaching populations most at-risk of online sexual exploitation. This engagement will help inform the next round of funding for targeted awareness, to begin on September 1, 2024.

Since 2022, Public Safety Canada has supported White Ribbon through its Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime, to create culturally appropriate and relevant curriculums for communities vulnerable to sexual exploitation, specifically Indigenous and racialized youth. By capturing intersectional youth perspectives, White Ribbon was able to enhance the ways in which they connect with traditionally underserved youth and learn more about the root causes and areas for prevention.

Contribution Agreements with Provincial Internet Child Exploitation Units were renewed for all participating provinces for 2023 to 2024. A new section on GBA Plus information was added to contribution agreement proposals and reporting templates. New reporting information will include victims and offenders sociodemographic characteristics such as age and gender.

Program: Border Policy

Core responsibility:

Community Safety

Program goals:

The Border Policy Program provides federal policy coordination and coherence on a variety of border issues, such as customs, immigration, refugees and citizenship, border integrity and cross-border law enforcement.

Target population:

All Canadians: While border policies may impact all demographic groups, it may tend to impact more migrants and travelers on border-related issues. Some programs may target some groups more specifically, such as Indigenous peoples in the context of Indigenous border-crossing policy.

Distribution of benefits

By gender

Third group: broadly gender-balanced. The Border Policy Program relies on data collected by partners to inform our policies and programs. However, as most of the Program's work is to ensure proper coordination and coherence on border issues, most of the impacts are on departing and returning Canadians, as well as on migrants and tourists of all genders.

By income level

Second group: somewhat benefits low income individuals (somewhat progressive). The Border Policy Program relies on data collected by partners to inform its policies and initiatives. However, most of the impacts of policies and programs impact groups such as asylum seekers, which tend to be lower income individuals, as the majority are from developing countries.

By age group

Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors. As the Border Policy Program's main objective is about ensuring proper coordination and coherence on border issues, most of the impacts are on departing and returning Canadians, as well as on migrants and tourists of all ages.

Specific demographic group outcomes:

Migrants

Border policies tend to impact specific demographic groups more, as these groups are more likely to be beneficiaries of immigration programs. For instance, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada's (IRB) “Claims by Country of Alleged Persecution – 2024”, which covers the months of January to March 2024, indicates that the IRB has heard a total of 46,693 claims for refugee status. The highest number of refugee claims were from individuals from India (6,056), Mexico (5,825), Nigeria (5,061), and Bangladesh (3,016). Further, in February 2024, Public Safety Canada supported the decision of reimposing visa requirements for Mexican nationals following increases in asylum claims. This change specifically impacted Mexican nationals.

First Nations, Métis and Inuit

The Border Policy Program continues to support Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) co-led initiative to respond to Indigenous border-crossing issues, as committed to through The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act's action plan measure 52. Specifically, the Government committed to pursuing legislative and regulatory amendments and policy reforms to address complex border crossing and migration challenges faced by Indigenous peoples, including options to amend Canada's right of entry provision, and work and study permit requirements by 2024. Engagement with Indigenous peoples and their representative organizations to implement the action plan measure was initiated in 2023, and policy development continued throughout the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year.

While still under development, this initiative specifically targets Indigenous Peoples and, once implemented, is expected to have positive impacts on Indigenous rights to move across what is perceived by Indigenous communities as a colonially-imposed boundary, in order to enter and remain in Canada.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

The main objective of Public Safety Canada's Border Policy Program is to lead on immigration and border policy issues on behalf of the Department, and manage the relationship with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). As such, there are no plans to collect data on gender and diversity directly. However, the Department always ensures to take into consideration gender and diversity for all of its border-related policies and programs.

For instance, during the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, Public Safety Canada supported the advancement of Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission (PCRC), throughout the legislative process. While work to obtain Royal Assent is ongoing, it is expected that the Departmental efforts around this initiative would have positive impacts on gender and diversity. The bill includes a provision that would require the Minister of Public Safety to consider the diversity of Canadian society before recommending members of the PCRC to the Governor in Council. It would also require the PCRC to collect and annually publish disaggregated data, including demographic and race-based, from individuals who submitted a complaint against an employee of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the CBSA.

Should Bill C-20 be adopted, it is expected that these provisions would have positive impacts, notably by providing data to better identify systemic issues within Federal law enforcement, and better inform Government responses to these issues.

Key program impact statistics

N/A

Other key program impacts

N/A

Supplementary information sources

Claims by Country of Alleged Persecution - 2024 - Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (irb-cisr.gc.ca)

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Border Policy Program does not directly collect any data and relies on data collected by Portfolio agencies. However, in 2024 to 2025, the Program will continue to monitor and analyze any qualitative and quantitative data from partners and ensure this information is taken into account throughout the policy development process, as well as in any policy advice provided to senior management.

Program: Indigenous Policing

Core responsibility:

Community Safety

Program goals:

The Indigenous Policing program provides funding to support policing services in Indigenous communities that are professional and responsive to the communities they serve.

Public Safety Canada funds policing services that are professional, dedicated and responsive to First Nation and Inuit communities. GBA Plus was applied and continues to be applied in all program and policy updates to consider the unique needs of Indigenous people, including disproportionate crime rates as related to Indigenous women and girls, and the indirect impacts of low-income status and remoteness on Indigenous communities.

Target population:

First Nations and Inuit communities in Canada.

Distribution of benefits

Public Safety Canada does not currently collect gender or social data as it relates to policing in First Nation and Inuit communities. The narrative below is based on typical demographics of First Nations and Inuit communities, but not necessarily the specific communities served by the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program (FNIPP) and First Nations and Inuit Policing Facilities Program (FNIPFP).

By gender

Third group: broadly gender-balanced. This program is intended to benefit a broadly gender balanced group as it provides policing services to all eligible First Nations and Inuit groups served by the FNIPP. The overall goal of the program is to increase policing and community safety in Indigenous communities. However, certain demographics (e.g., women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people) are more often victims of crime, so they will indirectly benefit more than other demographics by seeing a reduction in crime rates.

By income level

First group: strongly benefits low income individuals (strongly progressive). While the FNIPP is intended to benefit recipients of all income levels, according to the 2016 Census of Population, individuals in Indigenous communities were more likely to live in low-income families, with a relatively high proportion of the population in the bottom income decile.

By age group

First group: primarily benefits youth, children or future generations. While the FNIPP is intended to benefit recipients of all age groups, according to the 2016 Census, the median age for Canada's Indigenous population is 29.1 years, as opposed to a median age of 40.9 years for non-Indigenous Canadians. The Inuit population is notably younger, with a median age of 24 years whereas the median age among Métis is 33 years, edging closer to the median age of non-Indigenous Canadians.

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

Indigenous Women and Girls

The FNIPP is intended to benefit a broadly gender balanced group as it provide policing services to all eligible First Nations and Inuit groups served by the FNIPP. The overall goal of the program is to increase policing and community safety in Indigenous communities. However, certain demographics (e.g., women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people) are more often victims of crime, so they will indirectly benefit more than other demographics by seeing a reduction in crime rates.

• Indigenous women are physically assaulted, sexually assaulted or robbed almost three times as often as non-Indigenous women. The majority of Indigenous women who are victimized report experiencing multiple episodes of violence, and are between 15 and 34 years of age.
• Despite the fact that Indigenous women make up four percent of Canada's female population, they represent nearly one-quarter (24%) of all homicide victims and are 12 times more likely to be murdered or missing than any other women in Canada. This disproportion can be explained in part by an elevated risk of partner violence for Indigenous women compared to non-Indigenous women in Canada. There is an overrepresentation of Indigenous women in street prostitution in Western provinces and Quebec.
• Indigenous people were more likely (9%) than non-Indigenous people (4%) to have been a victim of spousal violence. Of these, Indigenous women were three times more likely (10%) to report being a victim of spousal violence than non-Indigenous women (3%), and Indigenous men were twice as likely (8%) as non-Indigenous men (4%). Indigenous victims of non-spousal violence were more likely not to report the crime to police than their non-Indigenous counterparts.
• The overall rate of violent victimization among Indigenous women was double that of Indigenous men; nearly triple that of non-Indigenous women; and more than triple that of non-Indigenous men.

2SLGBTQIA+

Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQIA (2SLGBTQIA+) communities are disproportionately impacted by violence, poverty, homelessness, and mental-health issues. 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals experience intersecting oppression due to multiple non-dominant identity factors such as gender, sexuality, race, status, and geographic isolation. This discrimination is compounded in the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals when they try to access gender-affirming healthcare, mental health counselling, and anti-violence services.

Age groups

While the FNIPP is intended to benefit recipients of all age groups, according to the 2016 Census, the median age for Canada's Indigenous population is 29.1 years, as opposed to a median age of 40.9 years for non-Indigenous Canadians. The Inuit population is notably younger, with a median age of 24 years whereas the median age among Métis is 33 years, edging closer to the median age of non-Indigenous Canadians.

In 2016, Indigenous children aged 14 and under represented 26.8% of the total Indigenous population, while non-Indigenous children aged 14 and under accounted for 16.4% of the non-Indigenous population.

Regarding victimization and risk factors:

• In 2015 to 2016, Indigenous youth represented 35% of all youth admissions to correctional services.
• Indigenous children made up 7.7% of all children under the age of 15 in 2016 but accounted for 52.2% of children in foster care in private homes.
• Regarding domestic violence, the 2014 General Social Survey found that 40% of Indigenous respondents said they were physically or sexually abused as children, in contrast to 29% of non-Indigenous people who reported family violence.

Low Income

While the FNIPP is intended to benefit recipients of all income levels, according to the 2016 Census of Population, individuals in Indigenous communities were more likely to live in low-income families, with a relatively high proportion of the population in the bottom income decile.

According to information from the 2016 Census of Population, individuals in the Indigenous communities in this study were much less likely to have completed high school. In addition, they were less likely to be employed and less likely to participate in the labour force, which may be tied to limited access to work opportunities in more remote communities. In turn, individuals in Indigenous communities were more likely to live in low-income families, with a relatively high proportion of the population in the bottom income decile.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Public Safety Canada does not currently collect gender or social data as it relates to policing in First Nation and Inuit communities.

GBA Plus data collection plan

The Department applies a GBA Plus lens in its management of the Indigenous policing programs and liaises with other government departments on GBA Plus issues, noting that Indigenous communities often suffer from disproportionately high crime rates, including high incidence rates of gender-based domestic violence. These conditions, as well as poor socio-economic conditions and other social determinants of health considerations, have been identified by advocates and researchers as causal factors which contribute to barriers in achieving safe Indigenous communities.

Program data and performance indicators were not collected on these cross-cutting factors, due in part to an urgent need to secure and deliver new investments to stabilize funding levels for existing recipients and align the program delivery under a dedicated senior official. 

In the interim, FNIPP continued supporting Community Consultative Groups (CCGs) which act as a liaison between the First Nations or Inuit community and the police officer(s) assigned to work within the community (ongoing). The CCGs undertake specific activities that are designed to ensure the community receives police services that best meet its particular needs and defines the working relationship that will exist between the CCG, the police service provider and the community.

Furthermore, as part of the Department's overall efforts to reform and improve the Indigenous policing programs, and in line with the recommendations of the report of the Auditor General on the FNIPP, the performance reporting and data collected by the programs will be revised collaboratively with First Nations and Inuit representatives. These efforts are expected to simplify and streamline reporting requirements, but also identify opportunities to better capture how the programs are making a GBA Plus impact in the communities they serve.

Program: Corrections

Core responsibility:

Community Safety

Program goals:

The program is responsible for providing advice on the strategic priorities of law enforcement and correctional agencies and on a broad range of national correctional and criminal justice program, policy and legislative issues and activities; leading legislative reforms; and the management of litigation. In fulfilling its mandate, the program leads collaborative efforts with other portfolio agencies and actively works with and supports provincial and territorial partners as well as consulting with other stakeholders such as non-governmental organizations and senior justice officials. The program also develops and implements innovative approaches to community justice, Indigenous corrections and community safety, and safe and effective community release and reintegration through grant and contribution funding, as well as facilitating the sharing of information to promote public safety objectives concerning the correctional system generally and in particular with respect to victims through the National Office for Victims.

Target population:

Law enforcement agencies throughout Canada.

Distribution of benefits

N/A

Specific demographic group outcomes

The Grants and Contributions Program to National Voluntary Organizations provides funding to eligible recipients who are active in the area of corrections, conditional release and/or community reintegration. These voluntary organizations serve target populations that include various groups, such as women, Indigenous peoples, and youth.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Key program impact statistics

GBA Plus data collection plan

Not available at the time of publication.

Program: Emergency Preparedness

Core responsibility:

Emergency Management

Program goals:

Public Safety Canada works in collaboration with other federal departments and provincial and territorial governments, academia, national associations and non-governmental organizations to strengthen national emergency preparedness including planning, training, exercises, and sharing lessons learned. These efforts, taken prior to an emergency, are aligned with Government of Canada priorities and are aimed at making Canadian communities safe and resilient. Related awareness activities include Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week, an annual, week-long public education effort led by Public Safety in collaboration with emergency management partners, and the observation of Fire Prevention Week each October, which aims to reduce human, environmental, and financial losses associated with fires.

Target population:

All Canadians

Distribution of benefits

By gender

Third group: broadly gender-balanced

By income level

Third group: no significant distributional impacts

By age group

Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

N/A

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Emergency Management Strategy

Natural-hazard-driven disasters and large-scale emergencies affect the lives of all Canadians, with one in three Canadians having experienced a major emergency or disaster in their lifetime. However, some populations are more affected by these large-scale events than others (e.g., Women, children, seniors, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, newcomers and immigrants, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and low-income individuals and households).

The Emergency Management Strategy for Canada: Toward a Resilient 2030 (EM Strategy) has integrated GBA Plus within its design. Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management have adopted an Areas for Action report detailing concrete items across the five priorities for action outlined in the Emergency Management Strategy. Actions embed GBA Plus by targeting vulnerable populations and communities in Canada, including Indigenous partners; however, the Action Plan itself does not advance efforts to improve disaggregated data collection.

While the Emergency Management Strategy in and of itself is not an initiative which collects data, key initiatives undertaken as part of the Emergency Management Strategy, such as the National Risk Profile, have helped improve and implement disaggregated data collection through their respective processes and, therefore, may be used to measure, at a high level, the GBA Plus impacts on particular populations with respect to emergency management.

National Risk Profile

The National Risk Profile (NRP) assesses and shares risk information regarding disasters in Canada; this includes disproportionate impacts felt by vulnerable populations. GBA Plus principles were embedded in the engagement process for NRP risk and capability assessments. These analyses considered how risks and capability gaps may disproportionately affect different individuals, communities, and vulnerable populations. The First Report of the NRP contains disaggregated information about impacts across all segments of the population, including with specific regard to vulnerable communities and intersections between communities.

To ensure that NRP assessment findings reflected the diverse and varying realities of Canadians, whole-of-society stakeholders across a number of sectors were included as a part of the assessment process. The second round of risk and capability assessments as part of the NRP, which started in 2022 to 2023 and continued in 2023 to 2024, included strengthened targeted GBA Plus engagement. This engagement included seeking out advocacy groups and experts representing a variety of population groups to share disaggregated information about how their communities are impacted by disasters, to ensure that all perspectives and disproportionate impacts are included within the NRP. Results are expected to be available in 2024 to 2025.

Social Vulnerability Index 2.0

Public Safety Canada also continued to develop the Social Vulnerability Index (“SoVI 2.0”), which helps inform the development of data-informed equity-based policies and effective disaster and emergency management strategies across the country. Demographic indicators as part of the SoVI include:

• Sex (male or female)
• Age (Working age (15-64), Senior (65+), children under 5, children under 15)
• 1st generation status
• Canadian Citizenship (Foreign-born, Canadian citizen)
• Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)
• Year of Immigration
• Ethnicity
• Knowledge of official languages
• Obtained post-secondary certificate (yes/no)

Other indicators related to access and mobility, health and wellbeing, housing, social networks, and economic security were also used. An analytical article, user guide, and data will be released publicly through the Statistics Canada website in 2024.

Key program impact statistics

N/A

GBA Plus data collection plan

In 2023 to 2024, questions about demographics and specific GBA Plus undertakings by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were asked in non-financial reporting requirements. This has led to the ability to measure:

• the number of cultural awareness and safety sessions for volunteers and employees of NGOs;
• specific communities that were targeted, and;
• the number of collaborations between NGOs and marginalized communities.

In the next year, more NGOs will be reporting on these indicators in their reports, which will lead to more data for the future.

Program: Emergency Response/Recovery

Core responsibility:

Emergency Management

Program goals:

The Emergency Response/Recovery program supports coordination of federal activities related to the response and recovery from disasters and emergencies.

Target population:

All Canadians

Distribution of benefits

By gender

Third group: broadly gender-balanced

By income level

Third group: no significant distributional impacts

By age group

Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

N/A

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Public Safety Canada was a federal partner in the development of Canada's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (CNAP), specifically within the Focus area 3: Crisis response of Public Safety Canada's CNAP Implementation Plan. This role included providing input and coordination to the Action Plan. The Action Plan reflects a resolve to sustain Canada's role as a leader on women, peace and security, and to act with humility to advance the agenda domestically and abroad. It was developed with the guidance of civil society organizations, peacebuilders, Indigenous Peoples, and others in Canada and around the world. Public Safety Canada's contribution to advancing the CNAP in 2023 to 2024 will be available online in 2024.

Key program impact statistics

N/A

GBA Plus data collection plan

Not available at the time of publication.

Program: Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

Core responsibility:

Emergency Management

Program goals:

Public Safety Canada aims to promote a safer and more resilient Canada through the reduction of disaster risks, recognizing that emergency management is a shared responsibility. The Department works with all orders of government, the private sector, academia, non-governmental organizations, professional associations, Indigenous groups, and the general public. Specifically, the Department works to promote the reduction of impacts and risks of hazards through proactive measures, before an emergency or disaster occurs.

Target population:

All Canadians

Distribution of benefits

By gender

Third group: broadly gender-balanced

By income level

Third group: no significant distributional impacts

By age group

Second group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific Demographic Group Outcomes:

N/A

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

In 2023 to 2024, Canada contributed to the development of the Gender Action Plan to Support Implementation of the Sendai Framework (i.e., the Sendai GAP), released in March 2024 by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). The Sendai GAP recognizes the fact that disasters and displacements substantially increase the risk of gender-based violence, which includes increased deaths, injuries, and long-term health conditions. It identifies nine key objectives related to the four priorities of the Sendai Framework and recommends 33 actions that promote gender equality, and calls for the empowerment of all women and girls in disaster risk reduction.

Public Safety Canada contributed to the development of performance indicators for the Sendai GAP which, once completed, will be used to measure every United Nations member country's progress in the field of gender disaster risk reduction, including Canada's progress. Canada was one of the initial countries to develop a Gender Action Plan, calling for enhanced disaster preparedness, and recognizes that it requires women and persons with disabilities to publicly lead and promote gender-equitable and universally accessible approaches during the response and reconstruction phases.

Public Safety Canada is often consulted by the UNDRR in the field of gender because of consistent participation in the field. For instance, in 2023 to 2024, the Department coordinated and supported Women and Gender Equality senior officials and the Chief Science Advisor in attending the Regional Platform for the UNDRR in Uruguay in 2023, where the Chief Science Advisor spoke on the gender approach to Disaster Risk Reduction panel. Public Safety Canada also participated in the North American Leaders Summit in 2023 in a trilateral panel discussion about women working within Disaster Risk Reduction.

GBA Plus data collection plan

Public Safety Canada convened federal partners to support a common understanding and interoperability of disaster risk reduction data, and ensure a data-driven approach to emergency response functions and information. The Department established an interdepartmental group to develop a Disaster Risk Reduction Data Strategy (DRRDS), to create a government-wide repository of data, and create mechanisms for sharing that data, for which methodologies are currently in development. Core departments involved included Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada, and the DRRDS will inform the physical risk portion of the Climate Data Strategy currently in development by Environment and Climate Change Canada for 2025.

This activity advanced efforts to better prepare Canada to mitigate and prepare for all-hazard events. To date, a draft DRRDS has been shared with stakeholders for feedback, alongside strategic objectives which were developed and adopted in 2023 to 2024. Internally, Public Safety Canada has launched information gathering activities to understand the types of data collected and managed by the department as to inform the data inventory project. A cross-departmental gap analysis was completed to understand what data is and is not available in January 2024.