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> Departmental Results Report 2018-19

Departmental Results Report 2018-19

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

ISSN: 2562-7376

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Table of Contents

Minister’s Message

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland

The Secretariat’s mandate is to provide the administrative support services required for the planning and conduct of federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers across Canada.

Multilateral intergovernmental meetings are a key instrument for open communication, consultation and collaboration among federal, provincial and territorial governments. CICS plays a critical and pivotal role in the area of intergovernmental machinery in Canada by providing impartial conference administrative services to the above-mentioned jurisdictions.

In fiscal year 2018-19, the Secretariat served 125 senior-level conferences across 41 sectors of intergovernmental activity, including Social Services, Education, Culture and Heritage, Status of Women, Indigenous Affairs and a First Ministers’ Meeting held in December 2018.

In its role as a key senior level conference services provider, CICS continues to adapt and modernize its service delivery model in order to remain focused, innovative and responsive to its clientele.

_________________________________________

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Results at a glance

Key results achieved in 2018–19
  • Opened the doors to our fully operational state-of-the-art virtual conferencing studio;
  • Upgraded the Conference Management System that is used internally to track, schedule, and plan events;
  • Held a Knowledge Exchange Forum involving federal officials from 13 sectors.

CICS provided its services to 125 senior-level intergovernmental conferences. The number of in-person meetings decreased by 7%, while the number of teleconferences diminished by 14%. Though it has decreased, the number of teleconferences still represents one third of all events served, and indicates clients’ ongoing interest in virtual meeting formats as a viable, efficient way for governments to confer. Overall, client satisfaction levels continue to be very high. For conference delegates, client satisfaction reached 93%, an increase over the previous 3 fiscal years. For conference planners, the 90% target was exceeded once again with a satisfaction rate of 92.6%.





Actual full time equivalents
26

CICS continues to focus on innovation and delivering high-quality, responsive, and cost-effective conference services to federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Our state-of-the-art virtual conferencing studio became fully operational on November 1, 2018 after extensive testing of the equipment and training of our technical staff. Since then, all teleconferences served (representing half of the 43 served in 2018-19) were coordinated from that facility.





Actual spending
$5,270,574

Guidelines and best-practices were developed to support the Secretariat’s personnel and clients alike. Upgrades to equipment and technology, including the Conference Management System, ensured that CICS is able to continue responding to the needs of its clients. With this responsiveness in mind, a Knowledge Exchange Forum was held in February 2019; it involved a group of 20 federal government contacts from 13 sectors who discussed ideas, trends, solutions and priorities in relation to senior-level intergovernmental conferences including the quickly evolving area of virtual conferencing with interpretation, and the growing involvement of Indigenous representatives at these meetings.

For more information on the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the Results: what we achieved section of this report.

Results: what we achieved

Core Responsibility

Intergovernmental Conference Services

Description

The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat provides continuity of planning and archival services and impartial administrative support for federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, throughout Canada.

Planning Highlights

The Conference Services program delivers the Agency’s core responsibility and, consequently, conducts the professional, innovative and successful delivery of services to senior-level intergovernmental meetings. In support of the federal government’s commitment to renewed collaboration and improved partnerships with provincial and territorial governments to bring about positive change for Canadians, the number of intergovernmental meetings supported by CICS was very similar to the level we saw in 2017-18. This reality continued to offer an excellent opportunity for CICS to strengthen its relationships with federal, provincial and territorial conference delegates as well as other stakeholders including meeting organizers and permanent secretariats that support intergovernmental relations in key sectors of activity.

The challenge, on the other hand, remains to ensure the Agency’s capacity to respond to the increasing demand for its services as well as to ensure its services remain relevant, forward looking, of the highest quality and responsive to clients’ evolving needs, especially in the area of virtual conferencing.

As such, activities and actions in 2018-19 were undertaken or broadened in support of the following five key initiatives designed to fulfill/advance the Agency’s core responsibility.

Results





Key Initiative 1: Proactively connect with intergovernmental stakeholders and other clients
Planned Activities
  • Achieve recognition among governments of CICS as the key conference service provider for senior level intergovernmental meetings;
  • Develop and explore opportunities with new partners;
  • Market CICS and its services effectively, so that new and existing clients alike are aware of the Agency’s service offerings as these are adapted and evolve over time.
Results Obtained
  • In 2018-19, CICS supported 125 conferences, a 9% decrease over the previous year. This included 82 in-person conferences (a 7% decrease) and 43 teleconferences (a 14% reduction, although still one third of all events served and a sign of clients’ ongoing reliance on this cost- and time-effective meeting format). It is important to note that CICS does not convene intergovernmental meetings but simply responds to decisions taken by host or chairing governments
  • The high level of conference activity in the past four years and clients’ search for more interactive and efficient meeting formats continued to provide excellent opportunities to strengthen relations with meeting organizers in all 14 client governments in 2018-19. The sharing of information and ideas focused on issues of common concern such as smaller meeting spaces, new formats/set-ups, more frequent Indigenous participation and stakeholder involvement, evolving technologies, and the benefits and ongoing technical and other challenges of web-, video- and teleconferencing with interpretation.
  • There has been a definite trend towards more advanced planning of conferences on the part of many CICS clients over the past two years. This is in good part to ensure our availability but also to get our input during the selection of meeting venues/spaces. In turn, this has allowed CICS to provide valuable advice and feedback on meeting aspects such as those mentioned under the previous bullet, at a stage of planning when new or different approaches, services and technologies can still be taken into consideration.
  • CICS’ website, which can be updated easily and whenever required, is still a prime source of information and method to promote our services to conference organizers. During intergovernmental meetings, CICS’ conference managers increasingly connect with officials of provincial and territorial governments tasked with organizing future meetings which their respective governments will host. This helps to establish an early rapport with even more clients and ensure greater CICS involvement in the decision-making process, in support of better advance planning of conferences as mentioned above.
  • A Knowledge Exchange Forum held in February 2019 brought together 20 federal government participants from 13 sectors. Ideas and solutions were shared about the evolving nature of senior-level intergovernmental conferences including virtual conferencing with interpretation and the growing inclusion of Indigenous representatives and stakeholders. The Forum also provided an opportunity to report on the results of the modernization exercise conducted by CICS in 2018 and discuss participants’ priorities.
  • The ever growing demand for web- or teleconferencing with interpretation, either for fully virtual meetings or to link remote participants and presenters to in-person meetings, has required that CICS expand its network of interpretation suppliers to include private sector companies. In the longer term, these new partnerships will also position CICS very well to offer even more effective, efficient and low-cost innovative options to its clients or share this knowledge with them as they, too, strive to stay at the forefront of technology and other solutions in this quickly evolving area.
Key Initiative 2: Encourage use of new formats and technologies in conference service delivery
Planned Activities
  • Support/facilitate the remote/virtual participation of delegates and others in senior level intergovernmental meetings, to help achieve the government’s desire for greater inclusion and the careful and prudent handling of public funds;
  • Advance the government’s objective to engage in constructive dialogue with Canadians, be more responsive to their expectations, and attain greater openness and transparency.
Results Obtained
  • The use of web-conferencing continues to increase as another cost-effective way (along with teleconferencing) to involve some presenters and delegates whose brief participation in in-person meetings makes travel costs and time investments prohibitive. For fully virtual meetings, though, clients still prefer the convenience, efficiency and low cost of teleconferencing as reflected in the sustained high number of these calls. Improvements are ongoing to further increase sound quality and reduce the risk of hearing injury, ensuring optimal user experience for participants and interpreters alike.
  • Also in support of virtual conferencing, CICS now benefits from a permanent in-house video-, web- and teleconferencing studio which adds convenience and cost-effectiveness to this critical service while improving its reliability and quality. During the first five months of operation from November 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019, the Secretariat served 22 intergovernmental teleconferences from this new facility.
Key Initiative 3: Review and refine training and development strategies for conference service delivery
Planned Activities
  • Ensure that our people, internal processes and technologies are aligned to respond to the current environment, future demands and the changing needs of clients;
  • Support the government’s and client sectors’ goal of a renewed relationship with Indigenous Peoples.
Results Obtained
  • Special focus on customer service through training and development, offered either as all-staff sessions or online courses taken by individual employees.
  • The February 2019 Knowledge Exchange Forum for CICS’ federal government clients included a session, led by three representatives from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, on the best ways to support the meaningful and culturally sensitive inclusion of Indigenous representation in senior-level intergovernmental meetings. Conference managers also provide regular advice to clients on this matter.
  • Training was provided to technical personnel who support teleconferencing with interpretation from CICS’ new studio, to ensure the effective and seamless conduct of these calls.
Key Initiative 4: Continue surveying clients (conference organizers and delegates) with a target satisfaction rate of 90%
Planned Activities
  • Analyze survey results and use as a primary source of information to determine service improvements and measure success in achieving our overall goal of service excellence and responsiveness.
Results Obtained
  • Two surveys (one of an annual sampling of conference organizers and the other of delegates after each in-person event) are used to assess client satisfaction, which continues to be very high.
    • For conference delegates, the satisfaction rate reached 93% in 2018-19, an increase over the previous three years. The rating from organizers of in-person meetings was 92.6%, slightly lower than the previous two years.
    • The satisfaction level of teleconference organizers, measured for three years now, reached 85.7% in 2019, down from 93.8% in 2018 but up from 78.8% in 2017, a result of the time and effort invested by CICS to resolve issues related to the technical and remote interpretation aspects of these calls.
  • While the words professional, efficient and helpful continue to be used most often by organizers and delegates alike to describe the quality of services provided by CICS in support of intergovernmental meetings, many also mention our organization’s knowledge and responsiveness.
  • Clients continued to favour CICS to help them plan and deliver their future meetings. The Secretariat’s ability to meet clients’ needs regarding conference requirements, and to identify options in relation to simultaneous interpretation in particular, received especially high ratings in 2018-19. Very high praise was also obtained once again regarding CICS staff’s and contractors’ courteousness, knowledge and responsiveness to participants’ needs during conferences, as well as CICS’ planning services having resulted in an effectively and efficiently run conference that met operational expectations.
Key Initiative 5: Continue using internal committees and employee input for program decision-making and to continuously innovate
Planned Activities
  • Draw on staff’s experience, skills and knowledge to constantly generate innovative ideas.
Results Obtained
  • The ongoing work of an internal Technology Committee, created in 2014-15, is a critical element in reviewing and implementing new technologies that enable CICS to enhance services while creating greater efficiencies in terms of time, costs, and logistical aspects.
    • A secure method to digitally sign forms (in relation to procurement and HR authorizations for example) was tested and perfected. This will make approvals more timely and efficient, in view of frequent absences of managers and staff due to conference travel.
    • Adjustments were made to the Conference Management System (CMS) used internally by CICS, especially to assist with the tracking of upcoming meetings and the assignment of personnel to these from the earliest stages of planning. This directly supports clients’ growing practice to contact CICS well ahead of upcoming meetings, especially with respect to the selection of a meeting venue, something that CICS has been encouraging for some time now.
  • In support of teleconferencing, extensive testing and adjusting of equipment in CICS’ new virtual conferencing studio took place in early fall 2018. Guidelines were developed for the benefit of CICS staff who support teleconferences, to ensure optimal use of the studio and its equipment, effective testing ahead of each call and efficient trouble-shooting in case of technical problems.
  • CICS also developed best practices and guidelines for teleconference organizers, participants and chairs/co-chairs.
Results achieved
Departmental results Performance indicators Target Date to achieve target 2018–19
Actual results		 2017–18
Actual results		 2016–17
Actual results
R1: Facilitate productive federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial discussions through centralized planning and professionally supported conferences Conference organizer satisfaction rate [1] >90% March 31, 2020 92.6% 93.3% 94.4%
Conference participant satisfaction rate[2] >90% March 31, 2020 93% 92.4% 86.7%
Percentage change in the number of conferences served by CICS[3] n/a March 31, 2020 -9% -2% +24%
R2: Continuous innovation in process and service delivery to meet evolving client needs Number of innovations in technologies and service delivery implemented out of those identified[4] n/a March 31, 2020 4 7 7
Usage rate of key technologies and service delivery innovations by clients[5] >75% March 31, 2020 83% 79% 78%

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.[i]

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2018–19
Main Estimates		 2018–19
Planned spending		 2018–19
Total authorities available for use		 2018–19
Actual spending
(authorities used)		 2018–19
Difference
(actual spending minus Planned)
4,626,974 4,413,409 4,682,445 3,990,884 (422,425)
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2018–19
Planned full-time equivalents		 2018–19
Actual full-time equivalents		 2018–19
Difference
(Actual full-time equivalents minus Planned full-time equivalents)
25 20 (5)

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.[i]

Internal Services

Description

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

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

Results

The Internal Services program supports the agency in meeting its mandate through sound management and careful stewardship of assets, financial and human resources, and information technology services. CICS continued to integrate new technologies into service delivery processes and day-to-day operations to ensure a relevant, responsive service delivery model.

In its continuous effort to always be at the cutting edge of technology, CICS continuously transforms and modernizes its technology processes to offer the ultimate client experience to our internal and external clients. The IM/IT group has undertaken various projects in the last year to modernize and improve our day-to-day activities in order to be more agile, more secure and to offer improved services to our clients and partners.

CICS reviewed, improved and streamlined internal processes to be end-to-end, integrated and efficient. In 2018-2019, an independent accounting firm was hired to assess CICS’ Pay Process Internal Control Framework to ensure it meets the requirements of a robust, reliable system that maintains sounds stewardship of financial resources. Treasury Board Policy Suite renewal instruments were also reviewed and CICS’ instruments were updated accordingly. Shared services agreements that were negotiated in previous years with other organizations for integrated service delivery were reviewed, updated and maintained, in order to stay in line with the government’s policy on internal service agreements, to minimize cost and ensure high quality services. These initiatives allowed CICS to deliver a high number of conferences without increasing overall operating costs.

CICS is committed to cultivating a continuous learning environment and values employees’ input. All recognition awards, including the Secretary’s Award of Excellence and the Employees Choice Award, were presented at all staff events. CICS new Learning Center facilitated the planning, delivery and tracking of learning activities. In 2018-2019, the average time allocated to training for each employee was doubled compared to the last two years (2018-2019: 38 hours, 2017-2018: 13 hours and 2016-2017: 20 hours). Several lunch and learns and other learning activities were held with an emphasis on mental health and wellness. Finally, significant efforts were made to renew CICS workforce by reviewing current staffing and succession plans to better address operational needs and take current demographic context into account. CICS increased the number of students hired, completed proactive staffing and created various pools of qualified candidates. Innovative staffing approaches such as career fairs and partnerships with universities and colleges were promoted.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2018–19
Main Estimates		 2018–19
Planned spending		 2018–19
Total authorities available for use		 2018–19
Actual spending
(authorities used)		 2018–19
Difference
(actual spending minus Planned)
1,344,104 1,280,312 1,501,441 1,279,690 (622)
Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2018–19
Planned full-time equivalents		 2018–19
Actual full-time equivalents		 2018–19
Difference
(Actual full-time equivalents minus Planned full-time equivalents)
7 6 (1)

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

Departmental spending trend graph

Departmental spending trend graph

Budgetary performance summary for Programs and Internal Services (dollars)

Core Responsibility and Internal Services 2018–19
Main Estimates		 2018–19
Planned spending		 2019–20
Planned spending		 2020–21
Planned spending		 2018–19
Total authorities available for use		 2018–19
Actual spending (authorities used)		 2017–18
Actual spending (authorities used)		 2016–17
Actual spending (authorities used)
Intergovernmental Conference Services 4,626,974 4,413,409 4,413,409 4,413,409 4,682,445 3,990,884 4,084,661 3,580,015
Internal Services 1,344,104 1,280,312 1,280,312 1,280,312 1,501,441 1,279,690 1,289,066 1,661,923
Total 5,971,058 5,693,721 5,693,721 5,693,721 6,183,886 5,270,574 5,373,727 5,241,938

It is important to note that CICS does not convene intergovernmental meetings. The Secretariat responds to decisions taken by governments to meet on key national or specific issues. The location, number, timing and duration of meeting are factors that are beyond the control of the Secretariat. CICS does exercise due care and probity in the expenditure of its funds to meet its mandate.

There has been a small decrease in conference activity (2018-2019: 125 conferences and 2017-2018: 138 conferences) which explains a slight decrease of $0.1 million this year. Vacant positions due to unplanned departures in 2018-2019 also had an impact on this reduction of expenditures.

CICS continues to ensure a relevant, responsive service delivery model while ensuring an effective and efficient use of resources. As a result, savings were generated from an increased number of teleconferences and virtual conferences. Because jurisdictions participate remotely by video or telephone, these types of meetings significantly reduce costs for CICS.

Actual human resources

Human resources summary for Core Responsibility and Internal Services (full-time equivalents)

Core Responsibility and Internal Services 2016–17
Actual full-time equivalents		 2017–18
Actual full-time equivalents		 2018–19
Planned full-time equivalents		 2018–19
Actual full-time equivalents		 2019–20
Planned full-time equivalents		 2020–21
Planned full-time equivalents
Intergovernmental Conference Services 23 22 25 20 25 25
Internal Services 8 7 7 6 7 7
Total 31 29 32 26 32 32

CICS human resources have decreased in 2018-2019 due to unplanned departures. To address potential departures, the Secretariat has put in place proactive measures such as the creation of various pools of qualified candidates, the promotion of student bridging and partnerships with other federal organizations, universities and colleges. Most of those vacancies were staffed by the end of the first quarter of 2019-2020.

Expenditures by vote

For information on the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2018–2019.[ii]

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s spending with the Government of Canada’s spending and activities is available in the GC InfoBase[iii].

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2019, are available on the departmental website

Financial statements highlights

Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2019 (dollars)
Financial information 2018–19
Planned results		 2018–19
Actual
results		 2017–18
Actual
results		 Difference
(2018–19 Actual results minus
2018–19 Planned results)		 Difference
(2018–19 Actual results minus
2017–18 Actual results)
Total expenses 6,279,889 5,777,283 5,654,251 (502,606) 123,032
Total revenues 0 0 0 0 0
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 6,279,889 5,777,283 5,654,251 (502,606) 123,032

Total expenses were approximately $5.8 million, $123 thousand more than the previous year’s expenses. This variance is mainly due to an increase in accommodation services provided to CICS at no cost by Public Service and Procurement Canada and to an increase in amortization charges for the new interpretation studio installed last year. It should be noted that expenses are recorded on an accrual basis in the Financial Statements and include charges paid on our behalf by other government departments. The $502 thousand variance between the planned results and actual results is mainly attributable to vacancies resulting from unplanned departures. CICS does not convene intergovernmental meetings and responds to decisions taken by governments to meet on key national or specific issues.

Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as at March 31, 2019 (dollars)
Financial information 2018–19 2017-18 Difference
(2018–19 minus
2017–18)
Total net liabilities 810,616 846,346 (35,730)
Total net financial assets 694,775 771,037 (76,262)
Departmental net debt 115,841 75,309 40,532
Total non-financial assets 199,624 227,538 (27,914)
Departmental net financial position 83,783 152,229 (68,446)

Total liabilities were approximately $810 thousand, a decrease of some $36 thousand (4%) over the previous year. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities make up the largest component representing 78% of total liabilities. The decrease is mainly due to accrued salaries since the number of full time equivalents was lower than for the same period last year.

Total net financial assets were approximately $695 thousand as at March 31, 2019, a decrease of some $76 thousand (10%) over the previous year. The decrease is mainly due to a decrease in receivables for contributions due from provincial governments since these were received earlier in the year.

Total non-financial assets were approximately $200 thousand as at March 31, 2019, a decrease of some $28 thousand (12%) over the previous year. The decrease is mainly due to the amortization of current assets such as the interpretation studio. Non-financial assets are comprised of tangible capital assets and prepaid expenses.

Supplementary information

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister: The Honourable Chrystia Freeland

Institutional head: André M. McArdle

Ministerial portfolio: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Enabling instrument: The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat was established pursuant to an agreement reached at the May 1973 First Ministers’ Conference and was designated a department of the federal government by an Order-in-Council dated November 29, 1973.

Year of incorporation / commencement: 1973


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 Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s website

For more general information about the department, see the “Supplementary information” section of this report.

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

Operating context and key risks

Information on operating context and key risks is available on the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s website.


Reporting Framework

The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2018–19 are shown below.

Graphical presentation of Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory

Supporting information on the Program Inventory

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase[iv].

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s website:

Federal tax expenditures

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

Organizational contact information

Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 488, Station ‘A’
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 8V5

Location
222 Queen St., 12th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5V9

General Inquiries: 613-995-2341
Fax: 613-996-6091
E-mail: Info@scics.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.

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

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report on an appropriated department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

evaluation (évaluation)
In the Government of Canada, the systematic and neutral collection and analysis of evidence to judge merit, worth or value. Evaluation informs decision making, improvements, innovation and accountability. Evaluations typically focus on programs, policies and priorities and examine questions related to relevance, effectiveness and efficiency. Depending on user needs, however, evaluations can also examine other units, themes and issues, including alternatives to existing interventions. Evaluations generally employ social science research methods.

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

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])
An analytical approach used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The “plus” in GBA+ acknowledges that the gender-based analysis goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ considers many other identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability. Examples of GBA+ processes include using data disaggregated by sex, gender and other intersecting identity factors in performance analysis, and identifying any impacts of the program on diverse groups of people, with a view to adjusting these initiatives to make them more inclusive.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2017–18 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2015 Speech from the Throne, namely: Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and a Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada’s Strength; and Security and Opportunity.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative where two or more departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

Management, Resources and Results Structure (structure de gestion, des ressources et des résultats)
A comprehensive framework that consists of an organization’s inventory of programs, resources, results, performance indicators and governance information. Programs and results are depicted in their hierarchical relationship to each other and to the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute. The Management, Resources and Results Structure is developed from the Program Alignment Architecture.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

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

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

performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)
The process of communicating evidence-based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.

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

planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts that receive Treasury Board approval by February 1. Therefore, planned spending may include amounts incremental to planned expenditures presented in the Main Estimates.

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

priority (priorité)
A plan or project that an organization has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired Strategic Outcome(s) or Departmental Results.

program (programme)
A group of related resource inputs and activities that are managed to meet specific needs and to achieve intended results and that are treated as a budgetary unit.

Program Alignment Architecture (architecture d’alignement des programmes)
A structured inventory of an organization’s programs depicting the hierarchical relationship between programs and the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute.

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.

sunset program (programme temporisé)
A time-limited program that does not have an ongoing funding and policy authority. When the program is set to expire, a decision must be made whether to continue the program. In the case of a renewal, the decision specifies the scope, funding level and duration.

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

[i].             GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

[ii].           Public Accounts of Canada 2017–2018, http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/recgen/cpc-pac/index-eng.html

[iii]           GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

[iv]           GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#start

[v].            Report on Federal Tax Expenditures, http://www.fin.gc.ca/purl/taxexp-eng.asp

 

[1] Proportion of respondents who provide a grade of 4 or 5 out of 5 to a series of interview questions.

[2] Proportion of respondents who provide a grade of 4 or 5 out of 5 to a series of survey questions.

[3] Number of conferences served in a given year compared to the previous year.

[4] Number of innovative solutions implemented.

[5] Percentage of innovative solutions being adopted by clients.