RECOMMENDATION 1

That the Government of Canada, led by Women and Gender Equality Canada, rebrand GBA Plus as Gender and Diversity Analysis.

RECOMMENDATION 2

That the Government of Canada partner with a) Indigenous communities, equity-seeking groups, and expert-advocates; and b) civil society organizations and academics to build the knowledge, tools, and infrastructure required for meaningful implementation and evaluation to improve GBA Plus and enhance its application.

RECOMMENDATION 3

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology endorses the conclusions of the Office of the Auditor General’s three reports on GBA Plus and therefore recommends that the Government of Canada commit to implementing all recommendations from the Auditor General’s 2009, 2016, and 2022 reports on GBA Plus.

RECOMMENDATION 4

That the Government of Canada improve GBA Plus training and expand the competencies of GBA Plus analysts in all federal departments by:

• partnering with a) Indigenous communities, equity-seeking groups, and expert-advocates; and b) civil society organizations and academics to offer new programs and tools;
• supporting the establishment of interdisciplinary policy professional networks within the federal public service; and
• identifying, documenting and evaluating federal training programs and tools as part of the public reporting put forward by Recommendation 12.

RECOMMENDATION 5

That the Government of Canada identify GBA Plus as a priority in initial policy design, in addition to subsequent policy development, implementation and evaluation.

RECOMMENDATION 6

That the Government of Canada, through Women and Gender Equality Canada, prioritize improving the timeliness of GBA Plus, including by creating a strategic plan identifying measurable outcomes and ensuring that the tools and resources necessary for early GBA Plus consideration are available through the federal government.

RECOMMENDATION 7

That, in order for GBA Plus to be included as a consideration for parliamentarians during the legislative process:

• the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament study the feasibility of providing GBA Plus of government bills, when relevant data are publicly available;
• the Government of Canada table GBA Plus for all government bills when introduced in either chamber of Parliament;
• parliamentarians are encouraged to include GBA Plus when drafting House of Commons private members’ bills and Senate public bills; and
• Women and Gender Equality Canada establish resources for parliamentary committees to support their use of GBA Plus when considering legislation.

RECOMMENDATION 8

That the Government of Canada ensure adequate funding is provided to a) Indigenous communities, equity-seeking groups, and expert-advocates; and b) civil society organizations and academics to facilitate their engagement and partnership with the government on GBA Plus.

RECOMMENDATION 9

That the Government of Canada ensure identity indicators are built into federal programs in order to provide disaggregated data on program recipients and impacts.

RECOMMENDATION 10

That Statistics Canada, in cooperation with federal departments and agencies, enhance the collection, analysis and dissemination of data useful for GBA Plus.

RECOMMENDATION 11

That the Government of Canada ensure that data is collected using a culturally-relevant approach, developing best practices in consultation with a) Indigenous communities, equity-seeking groups, and expert-advocates; and b) civil society organizations and academics regarding both data collection and use, with a specific emphasis on including qualitative, diverse data.

RECOMMENDATION 12

That Women and Gender Equality Canada report to Parliament annually on the results of the GBA Plus departmental implementation survey, and the use and application of GBA Plus by all federal agencies and departments; and that this report evaluate a) the impact of GBA Plus on policy and program decisions and outcomes and b) federal training programs and tools.

RECOMMENDATION 13

That the Clerk of the Privy Council be a Champion for GBA Plus, leading the Privy Council Office, and working with the Treasury Board Secretariat and Women and Gender Equality Canada to support GBA Plus implementation throughout the federal government.

RECOMMENDATION 14

That by 31 December 2023, each federal department and agency appoint a GBA Plus Champion who will work to:

• develop a centre of excellence with resources and tools specific to the needs of their work;
• implement best practices for GBA Plus; and
• improve departmental performance on GBA Plus, as measured by Women and Gender Equality Canada’s annual implantation surveys and reported as per Recommendation 12.

RECOMMENDATION 15

That the Government of Canada factor the quality of departmental implementation of GBA Plus into senior management performance evaluations.