2021-22 Departmental Plan

The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., Q.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Public Prosecution Service of Canada

160 Elgin Street, 12^th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8

www.ppsc-sppc.gc.ca

Also available on the Web in PDF and HTML formats

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (2021)

Cat. No. J76-5E-PDF
ISSN 2371-7408

Table of contents

• From the Director of Public Prosecutions and Deputy Attorney General of Canada
• Plans at a glance
• Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks
  • Prosecution Services
• Internal Services: planned results
• Spending and human resources
  • Planned spending
  • Planned human resources
  • Estimates by vote
  • Future-oriented Condensed statement of operations
• 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
• Endnotes

From the Director of Public Prosecutions and Deputy Attorney General of Canada

When we prepared last year's Departmental Plan, we could not even imagine the extent to which our operations would be altered by world events. As you read this year's plan, it is set against the backdrop of both a global pandemic, and a fundamental shift in the world's consciousness in respect of systemic discrimination and racism, including as it exists in the criminal justice system here in Canada.

The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC^{Footnote 1}), as a prosecution service, plays an important part in the criminal justice system. We are proud of the role we play in protecting Canadians. That role, however, has to be examined with systemic discrimination in mind – it is incumbent upon us to look at how we make decisions, and to challenge those decisions where they may be based on bias, conscious or implicit. We have to look at our structures and policies, and to ask ourselves how they will assist us in playing our part to reduce over-representation of Indigenous and racialized Canadians in the system. 

Drawing upon lessons learned from the Commission on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls and the work of our Crown Witness Coordinators, we also have to work to better understand and address the needs and concerns of victims of crime, who have often been marginalized or disregarded as a result of systemic discrimination in the criminal justice system.

While not a project that can be confined to one year, resources will be deployed in 2021-22 to consider these issues, including looking at various chapters of our Deskbook, revamping our corporate values, and educating ourselves about bias and systemic discrimination. Beyond that, we will be developing plans that will over time make the PPSC more representative of the communities that it serves, at all levels of the organization. 

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the criminal justice system, and on our own operations. We have had to learn to be agile, and to work differently. For those of us with office jobs, we've been able to move operations to our respective homes. Prosecutors, paralegals and other professionals who need to appear before courts or interact with other justice system participants in court houses and police stations have also seen shifts in their work, with remote appearances being prioritized in some jurisdictions, including for hearing of matters where credibility is not in issue. While we have for some time been working to improve our digital tools, COVID has certainly brought home the priorities for us. The roll out of GCdocs, an electronic document management system, and Amicus^{Footnote 2}, our new legal case management tool, will allow our staff to access files more readily at a distance; in parallel, we will continue to work on developing useful tools for electronic disclosure. Throughout these efforts we will ensure the security of the personal and otherwise sensitive information that we handle. Those tools, even in a world no longer plagued by COVID, will allow the PPSC to step into the modern era as a prosecution service.

At the PPSC, we have always been very concerned with staff security and well-being. While that continues to be the case, there is now an enhanced focus on the physical and mental health of our staff. That priority will continue to occupy us in 2021-22, not only to keep staff safe from COVID following public health guidelines, but also as we look to expand the tools available to staff to deal with mental health issues, including vicarious trauma.

As we begin a new year, we hope for health, safety, and continuous improvement of public safety outcomes for Canadians.

Kathleen Roussel
Director of Public Prosecutions and
Deputy Attorney General of Canada

Plans at a glance

The PPSC has three main organizational priorities for 2021-22: Nurture a Culture of Civility, Wellness, and Inclusion; Strengthen Accountability and Transparency; and Foster Efficiency and Innovation.

Nurture a Culture of Civility, Wellness and Inclusion

This PPSC priority focuses on the well-being of employees and the culture of the organization by promoting and supporting a positive, healthy and inclusive workplace. The uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for the organization to continue its efforts towards nurturing a culture of civility, wellness and inclusion.

Key activities for 2021-22 include:

• ensuring that business resumption planning accounts for the mental heath needs of employees by considering organizational results of the PPSC's survey related to the pandemic and those stemming from the Public Service Employee Survey, in collaboration with the Mental Health and Wellness Committee; 
• continuing to offer support services to employees that are facing difficulties through the provision of the Employee Assistance Program and the Healthy Workplace Services;
• reviewing and updating policies and programs with the objective of addressing systematic bias and discrimination;
• implementing the PPSC's 2021-23 People Strategy that will lay the framework required to build agility, increase our efficiency and improve our effectiveness, and continue its efforts to create a diverse and inclusive workplace where employees have a sense of belonging;
• implementing the new policy on the prevention and resolution of workplace harassment and violence; and
• implementing the PPSC's 2021-23 Strategic Plan for Official Languages in order to strengthen the organization's bilingual capacity.

Strengthen Accountability and Transparency

This priority focuses on the need for transparency of decision-making and the management of employees and resources at the PPSC, as well as on strong stewardship in handling public funds.

Key activities for 2021-22 include:

• providing training to management with an emphasis on fundamental principles of leadership, understanding of accountabilities and the importance of timely and transparent communications;
• modernizing business processes related to the PPSC's Agents Affairs Program (managing private-sector prosecutors) to manage resources more efficiently, and increase regional reporting and financial advice capacity;
• redeveloping the PPSC's National Fine Recovery Program to increase the number of legal proceedings taken against offenders who have outstanding federal fines, and develop a new procurement strategy for selecting external collection agencies that assist with fine recovery; and
• redeveloping the PPSC's Complaints Policy regarding complaints from the public related to the PPSC's prosecution services.

Foster Efficiency and Innovation

This priority focuses on positioning the organization to become more efficient, agile and innovative, from the way we work, to the tools and technologies we use and develop.

Key activities for 2021-22 include:

• finalizing the implementation of two significant foundational elements of the department's digital platform (Amicus and GCdocs);
• exploring the possibility of developing an online platform for paying federal fines and experimenting with new digital and data reconciliation strategies to manage information related to federal fines;
• implementing the long-term digital strategy; and
• streamlining the PPSC's hiring process to eliminate non-value-added steps and documentation.

For more information on the PPSC's plans, priorities and planned results, see the "Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks" section of this report.

Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks

Prosecution Services

Description

The PPSC prosecutes criminal and regulatory offences under federal law in an independent, impartial and fair manner. It also provides prosecutorial legal advice to investigative agencies.

Planning highlights

COVID-19 will likely continue to impact prosecution services due to potential lockdowns of courts, resulting in a greater reliance on virtual hearings and trials to conduct prosecutions. To address this, the PPSC will increase its use of digital resources, e-signatures, and e-documents for court filings, file work, and administrative operations. This will ensure counsel and support staff working from home have access to useful tools and support. The PPSC will continue to collaborate in initiatives launched to enhance the modernization of the criminal justice system to support the work of prosecutors and the courts. These initiatives are directed to attempt to mitigate court delays and the back log of files awaiting court disposition, and address difficulties of having witnesses and counsel appearing virtually. Ultimately, many of these initiatives will be dependent upon decisions beyond the PPSC's control, including those made by other justice system participants, court administrations and the judiciary.

Given the urgent need presented by the pandemic, the PPSC agreed to conduct the prosecution of violations of by-laws passed by First Nations pursuant to the Indian Act that are directly related to COVID-19. This involves us entering into an agreement with local First Nation bands for the PPSC to prosecute Indian Act by-laws related to the pandemic, and provide legal advice to the local enforcement authority or police force. This is a temporary arrangement being carried forward into 2021-22, and is not expected to continue beyond the timeline of the pandemic. It is also anticipated that the PPSC will be required to prosecute offences under the new Quarantine Act.

Changes in legislation and directives are a part of the evolving legal system in Canada. The PPSC Deskbook sets out the guiding principles that all federal prosecutors, and persons acting as federal prosecutors, must follow, and contains the directives and guidelines for federal prosecutions. For that reason, regular reviews of the Deskbook are essential to keep it current. In 2021-22, pertinent chapters will be reviewed from multiple diversity and inclusion perspectives to ensure it contains guidance directing that prosecution decisions are made in a fair and equitable manner and its policies are reflective of the evolution of its role and purpose. This also emphasizes the PPSC's strong recognition of the role it plays in the criminal justice system and the impact its decisions have on racialized and marginalized communities. In particular, these reviews will assist in continuing to implement the Calls for Action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Calls for Justice issued by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

In 2021-22, the PPSC will continue to monitor the application of the new Directive on the prosecutorial approach to the offence of possession of controlled substances contrary to s. 4(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which considers the realities of the health impact of substance use while acknowledging that certain drug use may present particular public safety concerns. The guideline directs prosecutors to focus on serious cases raising public safety concerns, and to otherwise pursue suitable alternative measures and diversion from the criminal justice system for simple possession cases.

The Crown Witness Coordinator Program, which is unique to the northern territories, provides a service that supports victims and witnesses involved in the court process, with a particular focus upon helping to bridge the cultural gap between the justice system and Indigenous peoples. Initial contact by telephone or mail between Crown Witness Coordinators (CWCs) and victims/witnesses is often difficult, especially in Nunavut and some North West Territory communities. As such, the use of Facebook Messenger will be introduced to increase CWCs' capacity to reach victims and witnesses in the northern territories.

Ongoing professional development and learning is essential for prosecutors. The goal is to ensure that year-round training content is provided so that prosecutors are able to tackle the complex prosecutions of today as they arise. The PPSC School for Prosecutors will continue to pivot from in-person to virtual/digital capability for training methods as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The PPSC will also be moving forward with the revision of the Federal Prosecutor Development Program.

In 2021-22, the PPSC will finalize the implementation of Amicus. This legal case management system will provide greater responsiveness to the complexities of the criminal justice system and a more sustainable and long-term solution to managing case files.

Gender-based analysis plus

To build capacity for the GBA+ Deskbook review, the PPSC will commence the delivery of specialized training for prosecutors on the practical applications of GBA+ in their work. The training pilot will be delivered to PPSC's Diversity and Inclusion Committee and to its internal working group tasked with the Deskbook review. Subsequently, the training will also be provided to key functional leads and the members of the PPSC Senior Advisory Board.

In collaboration with the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Human Resources Programs and Development, the PPSC's GBA+ Responsibility Centre will promote diversity and inclusion across the organization and continue to support various GBA+ initiatives, such as the development of PPSC specific tools and/or guides and the creation of a GBA+ Resource Hub on its intranet site, iNet.

Experimentation

The pandemic has placed an increased pressure on the PPSC to adapt and find new ways of working remotely, and has forced the need to accelerate the delivery of new digital services and solutions in support of its mandate. In 2021-22, the PPSC will continue to work with various prosecution stakeholders to experiment with different electronic document disclosure technologies and determine which solutions could result in a more secure and timely preparation of products destined for disclosure to the defence and the courts.

Key risks

The PPSC identified its top risks for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 fiscal years: Stewardship, Security of Information and the Safety of Staff.

Risk to Stewardship: There is a risk that the current state of the PPSC's national programs structure (Agent Affairs and National Fine Recovery) could negatively impact the PPSC's ability to manage funds.

To mitigate this risk, the PPSC will continue its work to strengthen the financial accountabilities of these programs and related policies, procedures and delegations. The PPSC will also develop new approaches to create efficiencies in its processes and operations.

Risk to the Security of Information: Given the nature of the PPSC's core mandate, there is a risk that sensitive information could be inadvertently disclosed or lost, resulting in a threat to the security and safety of individuals, a potential privacy breach, and/or the public questioning the ability of the PPSC to adequately protect the information under its control.

To mitigate this risk, the PPSC will continue the implementation of the long-term security awareness strategy aimed at improving the organization's position in the areas of security of information, physical security and staff security.

Risk to the Safety of Staff: There is a risk that employees and agents are exposed to incidents of threat and intimidation due to the nature of their work for the PPSC (i.e. employees or agents could be threatened or intimidated by an accused or a hostile witness).

The implementation of the PPSC's long-term security awareness strategy will also mitigate the risk to the safety of staff.

¹ Level of satisfaction results are taken from the PPSC Survey of Investigative Agencies Report, which is conducted every three years. Therefore, results are unavailable for 2019-20 and 2017-18.
² Indicators were put in place in 2018-19; therefore, results are unavailable for previous years.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the PPSC's program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase..^{Footnote i}

Financial, human resources and performance information for the PPSC's program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.^{Footnote ii}

Financial, human resources and performance information for the PPSC's program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.^{Footnote iii}

Internal Services: planned results

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 services that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are:

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

Planning highlights

Like many other organizations, the PPSC experienced a dramatic shift to a virtual workforce during the pandemic. As such, the PPSC prioritized regular communications from the onset of the pandemic, including opportunities for employees to engage and provide feedback.

In 2021-22, the PPSC will focus on its digital future and continue to enhance its user-centric approach to the development of its public-facing materials. In particular, the organization will broaden its use of social media platforms to increase its reach, promote news releases more widely, increase public understanding of the PPSC's role in the criminal justice system, as well as promote employee wellness, and diversity and inclusion. The PPSC will also continue to ensure its employees have access to the information and resources they need to support their daily operations and overall health and well-being.

In 2021-22, the PPSC will finalize the implementation of two major foundational elements to its digital platforms: Amicus, our new legal case management tool, and the GCdocs electronic document management system. To implement these platforms, the PPSC will continue to invest to support their deployment and service longevity, enhance organizational digital dexterity as well as look ahead to other technologies that will contribute to digital innovation at the PPSC. 

The context of the global pandemic has also dictated that the PPSC rethink its approach to corporate security and workspace solutions. With the increased need for mobility of its workforce in 2021-22, the PPSC will revisit its security approach in order to maintain a healthy posture in the protection of its personnel and information assets. Furthermore, the PPSC will continue to support remote working and examine its future workspace needs. This will ensure the department maintains a balanced, long-term approach to a modern and functional workplace that will effectively support the delivery of remote and non-remote legal operations.

In collaboration with the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the PPSC's Champions for a Bias-Free Workplace will focus on a wide range of issues related to systemic discrimination to ensure that, over time, the organisation's leadership team at all levels better reflects the diversity of the organization as a whole and Canadian society more generally. In 2021-22, the Champions will review suggestions gathered during group discussions with employees, supervisors, managers and bargaining agents and recommend areas of focus for the organization to eliminate real or perceived bias in the PPSC's policies, programs and practices.

In 2021-22, the PPSC's recruitment efforts will be expanded to incorporate strategies for increasing its Indigenous representation across the organization. The PPSC will also work closely with its central agency partners to increase representation of persons with disabilities through Public Service-wide programs and identify strategies for equity-seeking groups. In collaboration with the Human Resources Directorate, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee will review current and future policies, programs and practices to identify and eliminate barriers that impede the organization's ability to recruit, retain and promote talent of members of minority groups. In an effort to improve its communications around recruitment efforts, the PPSC will ensure social media tools such as LinkedIn, will be used to promote job opportunities more widely, and reach target communities. The PPSC will also be conducting a lean exercise to its hiring process to eliminate non-value-added steps and documentation.

Moreover, in 2021-22, the PPSC will continue to prioritize the development of its executive cadre by rolling out a new leadership program, as well as moving forward with initiatives that support the development of mental health knowledge and skills, diversity and inclusion, and technical and technological skills.

The Mental Health and Wellness Committee has identified a number of areas to focus on including assessing the results of the PPSC COVID-19 Survey to understand the impact of the pandemic on employees; increasing its communication efforts related to the wellness of employees; and providing input related to the PPSC's business resumption planning and telework policy.

The Committee on Official Languages will continue to support and contribute to official languages (OL) projects and initiatives within PPSC and ensure that the PPSC is able to meet its obligations under the Official Languages Act and related regulations. The committee will also make sure there is OL involvement in government initiatives such as employment equity, diversity and inclusion, combatting discrimination, etc., and that second-language training and maintenance opportunities are provided to PPSC employees.

In 2021-22, the Internal Audit and Evaluation Division will focus on delivering value-added products that support the PPSC in improving its governance, accountability, efficiency, and innovation. Internal Audit will continue to assess the risks to the organization and determine where it can best focus its resources, including new and emerging risks due to the pandemic. Evaluation work will include attention to GBA+ and will continue to work with the PPSC Diversity and Inclusion Committee performing research and analyzing results to identify areas of systemic discrimination. Monitoring will continue for any new or developing risks that would require further attention from either function.

Spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the department's planned spending and human resources for the next three consecutive fiscal years and compares planned spending for the upcoming year with the current and previous years' actual spending.

Planned spending

Departmental spending 2018–19 to 2023–24

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

Departmental spending graph - Table

Departmental spending graph

	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24
Statutory	20,269,429	16,794,495	19,251,272	19,588,132	19,611,077	19,611,077
Voted	176,498,896	176,137,310	179,937,751	193,867,140	183,397,930	183,397,930
Total	196,768,325	192,931,805	199,189,023	213,455,272	203,509,007	203,509,007

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

1. Spending for 2018–19 and 2019–20 represents the actual expenditures incurred during the respective fiscal years, as reported in Public Accounts.
2. Planned spending for 2020–21 reflects the authorized funding levels to the end of the fiscal year.
3. Planned spending for 2021–22, 2022–23, and 2023–24 reflects funds already brought into the Department's reference levels, as well as amounts to be authorized through the Estimates process as presented in the Department's Annual Reference Level Update. In 2021-22, it has also been adjusted to reflect an anticipated carry over of unused funds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)

The following table shows actual, forecast and planned spending for each of the PPSC's core responsibilities and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

Prosecution Services and Internal Services:  The planned spending includes an increase due to planned staffing, the renegotiation of collective agreements, facilities projects and the carry over of unused funds into 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A surplus is anticipated; however, the details are unknown at this time due to the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Electoral Compliance and Enforcement:  On April 1, 2019, a notice was given in the Canada Gazette, making it official that the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections (OCCE) was transferred back to Elections Canada, pursuant to section 401 of An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and other Acts.

2021–22 Budgetary planned gross spending summary (dollars)

The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net planned spending for 2021–22.

Planned human resources

The following table shows actual, forecast and planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) for each core responsibility in the PPSC's departmental results framework and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

Prosecution Services: The increase in 2021-22 full-time equivalents is due to funding secured through Budget 2019 and supports the delivery of prosecution programs and services.

Electoral Compliance and Enforcement: On April 1, 2019, a notice was given in the Canada Gazette, making it official that the OCCE was transferred back to Elections Canada, pursuant to section 401 of An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and other Acts.

Internal Services: The increase in 2021-22 full-time equivalents is due to the repatriation of services previously provided by the Department of Justice and the implementation of a new legal case management system.

Estimates by vote

Information on the PPSC's organizational appropriations is available in the 2021–22 Main Estimates.^{Footnote iv}

Future-oriented Condensed statement of operations

The future‑oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the PPSC's operations for 2020–21 to 2021–22.

The amounts for forecast and planned results in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The amounts for forecast and planned spending presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future‑oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, are available on the PPSC's website^{Footnote v}.

The total planned expenses are projected to be higher in 2021-22 to continue the delivery of prosecution programs and due to the impact of COVID-19 in 2020-21. Further expenses are planned for work on facilities.

The total planned revenues are projected to be higher in 2021-22 due to an anticipated increase in time spent on prosecution services.

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister: The Honourable David Lametti

Institutional head: Kathleen Roussel, Director of Public Prosecutions and Deputy Attorney General of Canada

Ministerial portfolio: Justice

Enabling instrument: Director of Public Prosecutions Act

Year of incorporation / commencement: 2006

Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

"Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do" is available on the PPSC's website.^{Footnote vi}

For more information on the department's organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister's mandate letter.^{Footnote vii}

Operating context

Information on the PPSC's operating context is available on the PPSC's website^{Footnote viii}.

Reporting framework

The PPSC approved departmental results framework and program inventory for 2021-22 are as follows.

Text Version

Departmental Results Framework	Core Responsibility: Prosecution Services		Internal Services
	Departmental Result: Timely and comprehensive legal advice is provided to investigative agencies.	Indicator: Percentage of respondents satisfied with the timeliness of legal advice.
		Indicator: Percentage of respondents satisfied with the comprehensiveness of legal advice.
	Departmental Result: Federal prosecutions are completed in a timely manner.	Indicator: Number and percentage of cases that went to trial and resulted in a judicial stay of proceedings due to Crown delay.
		Indicator: Number and percentage of cases that went to trial and resulted in the Crown directing a stay of proceedings due to Crown delay.
	Departmental Result: Through professionally conducted prosecution related work, the ODPP contributes to the administration of justice.	Indicator: Number and percentage of prosecutions that result in a determination on the merits of the evidence.
		Indicator: Number and nature of judicial stays for abuse of process based on the conduct of a federal prosecutor.
		Indicator: Number and nature of successful malicious prosecution lawsuits.
		Indicator: Number and nature of substantiated complaints made pursuant to the ODPP's Complaints Policy
Program Inventory	Program: Federal Prosecutions

Supporting information on the program inventory

Financial, human resources and performance information for PPSC's Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.^{Footnote ix}

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the PPSC's website^{Footnote x}:

• Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
• Gender-based analysis plus

Federal tax expenditures

PPSC's Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures that relate to its planned results for 2021–22.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance, and the Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government­‑wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.^{Footnote xi} This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis. The tax measures presented in this report are solely the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Organizational contact information

Public Prosecution Service of Canada
160 Elgin Street, 12^th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8
613-957-7772
1-877-505-7772
info@ppsc.gc.ca

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)

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

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

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

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3‑year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental priority (priorité ministérielle)

A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments' immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the department's core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

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

experimentation (expérimentation)

The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.

full‑time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person‑year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full‑time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person's collective agreement.

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

An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2021–22 Departmental Plan, 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)

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

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

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

strategic outcome (résultat stratégique)

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

target (cible)

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

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

Endnotes

Date modified:

2021-02-25