Publication

Operating Context 2025–26

Mandate and client environment

The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) is an impartial agency whose mandate is to provide administrative support and planning services for federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) and provincial-territorial (PT) conferences of first ministers, ministers and deputy ministers, throughout Canada. Through these services, CICS supports intergovernmental collaboration and dialogue among governments from coast to coast.

Demand for intergovernmental conference services

Demand for intergovernmental conference services remained strong during 2025–26. FPT conferences continued to represent the majority of conference activity, while ministerial and deputy minister-level meetings accounted for most conferences supported by the Secretariat.

Governments continued to rely on intergovernmental collaboration to address a range of economic, trade, digital and public policy priorities. Demand also remained diverse, spanning numerous sectors and requiring support for both virtual and in-person conference formats.

Virtual conference delivery continued to play an important role in supporting intergovernmental discussions, providing governments with flexible and efficient options for collaboration while complementing in-person meetings.

Organizational capacity and resource pressures

The Secretariat continued to operate in an environment characterized by strong demand for conference services and ongoing resource pressures.

Temporary funding enabled CICS to increase organizational capacity, allowing the Secretariat to respond to a greater volume of conference requests. As a result, the number of conference requests declined due to resource constraints decreased significantly over recent years.

The temporary funding concluded on March 31, 2026. CICS may face challenges balancing future demand for conference services with reduced resources and organizational capacity.

Workforce environment

As a micro-organization providing specialized conference services, CICS operates in a workforce environment where knowledge retention, operational flexibility and employee development are important considerations.

Maintaining organizational capacity requires cross-training, knowledge transfer and workforce adaptability to ensure continuity of service and respond to changing operational requirements. Recruitment, retention and succession considerations continue to influence workforce planning and long-term organizational sustainability.

Accessibility, technology and security expectations

Governments expects conference services to be accessible, secure and supported by modern technologies. Accessibility requirements continue to evolve, requiring organizations to identify and remove barriers while ensuring inclusive participation in conferences and events.

At the same time, digital modernization, information management, privacy and cybersecurity considerations continue to shape expectations for conference technologies and service delivery. These factors require ongoing investment in processes, tools and systems that support secure and effective intergovernmental collaboration.

Looking ahead

Demand for intergovernmental collaboration is expected to remain strong. At the same time, organizations face growing expectation to deliver accessible, secure and technology-enabled services while operating in a fiscal constrained environment.

To respond to these pressures, CICS will continue to focus on long-term sustainability, operational efficiency, workforce resilience and service modernization to support the evolving needs of governments across Canada.