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© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Justice, 2026, ISSN: 2561-1240
At a glance
This departmental results report details the Canadian Human Rights Commission's (the Commission) actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results outlined in its 2025–2026 Departmental Plan.
These results align with the priorities outlined in the May 21, 2025, mandate letter from the Prime Minister, as well as with the Commission's vision, mission, raison d'être and operating context.
Key priorities
The Commission identified the following key priorities for 2025–2026:
- engaging in promotion, monitoring, and advocacy efforts to achieve meaningful change, and advance human rights in Canada
- providing meaningful access to human rights justice through timely and fair dispute resolution processes
- overseeing and enforcing compliance with statutory human rights obligations in accessibility, pay equity, and employment equity
- modernizing the Commission to meet emerging challenges and opportunities in delivering our mandate
- fostering a diverse and thriving workforce and workplace that embodies the values of the Commission, and that is dedicated to excellence in advancing human rights
Highlights
In 2025–2026, the Commission advanced key initiatives to strengthen access to human rights protection, promote compliance with statutory obligations, and support systemic change across its mandates.
Advancing human rights through engagement, advocacy and strategic interventions
- The Commission continued to promote and protect human rights in Canada while maintaining its A-Status accreditation as Canada's national human rights institution. Through strategic litigation, public interest interventions, public statements, submissions, stakeholder engagement and advocacy, the Commission advanced systemic human rights change, raised awareness of key issues and supported rights holders. Key activities included engaging with civil society and Indigenous organizations, intervening before courts and tribunals in cases involving discrimination based on race, disability and other prohibited grounds, and advancing disability rights monitoring as Canada's National Monitoring Mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Commission also contributed to international human rights discussions by providing submissions to United Nations bodies on issues such as anti-Black racism, disability rights, overincarceration and detention conditions.
Strengthening access to human rights justice
- The Commission continued to improve access to fair, accessible and efficient complaint resolution processes under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA), Pay Equity Act (PEA) and Accessible Canada Act (ACA).
- Pursuant to the CHRA, the Commission strengthened human rights complaint processes through improved tools, and case management practices, and dispute resolution. These efforts resulted in settlements through mediation and conciliation, securing financial remedies and including systemic remedies that supported organizational change.
- Pursuant to the PEA, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner, supported employers, bargaining agents and employees in meeting their obligations through education, guidance and compliance tools. The launch of the Annual Statement Portal expanded training opportunities and outreach activities supported workplace parties in advancing pay equity.
- Pursuant to the ACA, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner, strengthened compliance support and prepared for new regulatory requirements by enhancing digital tools, improving guidance materials and supporting regulated entities in understanding their accessibility obligations.
Promoting equitable and inclusive workplaces
- The Commission continued to advance employment equity, pay equity and accessibility through compliance monitoring, audits, education and outreach. The Commission published its Employment Equity horizontal audit report on racialized people in management and executive positions in the public service, launched new employment equity audits, and collaborated with the Labour Program to improve data sharing and evidence-based compliance activities.
- The Commission also supported the Federal Housing Advocate in advancing the right to adequate housing through human rights-based monitoring, engagement with people with lived experience, and research on accessible housing, homelessness and the impacts of housing insecurity on equity-deserving groups.
Together, these initiatives strengthened accountability, improved access to justice, supported compliance with federal human rights obligations and advanced the Commission's mandate to promote equality and inclusion across Canada.
- Total actual spending (including internal services): $41,196,920
- Total full-time equivalent staff (including internal services): 281
For detailed information on the Commission's total spending and human resources, read the Spending and human resources section of this report.
Summary of results
The following provides a summary of the results the department achieved in 2025–2026 under its “core responsibilities” (its main areas of activity).
Core responsibility 1: Engagement & Advocacy
- Actual spending: $6,336,400
- Actual human resources: 35
In 2025–2026, the Commission promoted and protected human rights, and advanced employment equity, pay equity, accessibility and housing rights through engagement, advocacy, outreach and monitoring activities. Promoting compliance, strengthening accountability and advancing public awareness remained key priorities throughout the year.
The Commission engaged rights holders, regulated entities, governments, civil society organizations and international partners through public statements, reports, submissions, consultations, stakeholder engagement, outreach events, technical briefings and learning opportunities. It continued to support the implementation of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, accessibility and housing rights legislation by providing guidance, promoting compliance, conducting audits and inspections, and strengthening organizational capacity.
The Commission also advanced Canada's human rights commitments by contributing to United Nations human rights mechanisms, supporting the monitoring of international human rights obligations, including by promoting disability rights and environmental justice, advancing pay equity and accessibility, and advocating for the right to adequate housing.
For more information on the Commission's activities related to Engagement & Advocacy, read the “Results: What we achieved” section of this report.
Core responsibility 2: Complaints
- Actual spending: $14,209,214
- Actual human resources: 97
In 2025–2026, the Commission continued to ensure meaningful access to human rights justice through fair, accessible and efficient complaint resolution processes under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA), the Pay Equity Act (PEA), and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).
Human Rights Complaints
- In 2025–2026, for complaints under the CHRA, the Commission strengthened its complaints process by improving accessibility, efficiency and fairness. The Commission expanded the use of mediation and conciliation to support timely resolutions, settling 185 complaints resulting in more than $1.6 million in financial remedies and significant systemic changes. The Commission also continued to represent the public interest before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and courts to advance systemic human rights change, including in areas related to anti-racism, accessibility and access to justice.
Pay Equity Complaints
- In 2025–2026, for complaints under the PEA, the Pay Equity Commissioner (PEC) supported workplace parties in resolving disputes and meeting their obligations. The PEC managed 34 pay equity disputes and 172 authorization requests while continuing to strengthen alignment between pay equity processes and other Commission functions, enabling more efficient and accessible service delivery, reducing administrative burden, and improving access to consistent guidance and support.
Accessibility Complaints
- In 2025–2026, for complaints under the ACA, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner, continued to develop its accessibility complaints program by advancing options for early resolution and mediation, and started to integrate mediation services with the Commission's existing expertise to support a more efficient and user-centred process.
For more information on the Commission's activities related to Complaints, read the “Results: What we achieved” section of this report.
Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance
- Actual spending: $7,666,150
- Actual human resources: 48
In 2025–2026, the Commission continued to support equitable and inclusive workplaces by helping employers meet their obligations under the EEA, the PEA, and the ACA. Through compliance monitoring, guidance, education and improved tools, the Commission strengthened employer capacity to advance equality of opportunity and accessibility.
Employment Equity
In 2025–2026, under the EEA, the Commission supported employers in identifying and addressing workforce representation gaps through compliance audits, audit reports and Management Action Plans. The Commission published its horizontal audit report on racialized people in management and executive positions in the public service, launched 20 new audits and issued 14 audit reports.
Pay Equity
In 2025–2026, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner (PEC), supported workplace parties in meeting their obligations through guidance, education and compliance tools. The PEC launched the Annual Statement Portal, responded to requests for information and continued developing processes to support future compliance monitoring.
Accessibility
In 2025–2026, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner, strengthened compliance promotion and monitoring by improving digital tools, enhancing information management systems and preparing regulated entities and staff for new accessibility requirements.
For more information on the Commission's activities related to Proactive Compliance, read the “Results: What we achieved” section of this report.
From the Chief Commissioner
Charlotte-Anne Malischewski
Chief Commissioner
Canadian Human Rights Commission
I am pleased to present the Canadian Human Rights Commission's 2025–2026 Departmental Results Report, highlighting our work over the past year to advance and protect human rights in Canada.
This past year, Canadians continued to face significant economic and social pressures. In this context, the importance of respecting every person's fundamental human rights remains as relevant as ever. That principle has guided the Commission's work to promote human rights and provide fair, equitable, and accessible oversight and dispute resolution processes that uphold the dignity of all.
Delivering on this responsibility requires an integrated approach across the Commission's mandates. For decades, our work has been grounded in the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act. More recently, Parliament expanded this framework through the Pay Equity Act, the Accessible Canada Act, and the National Housing Strategy Act. Over the past year, we took deliberate steps to better align these responsibilities through our "One Commission" approach, strengthening collaboration, consistency, and service delivery across the organization.
As this work progressed, demand for our services continued to grow. The number of inquiries and potential complaints accepted under the Canadian Human Rights Act reached its highest level in five years, reflecting both increasing awareness of rights and the growing complexity of the issues being raised. We also continued to support federally regulated employers in meeting their obligations under employment equity, accessibility, and pay equity legislation, helping to advance more inclusive and barrier-free workplaces.
The Commission also continued to contribute to international human rights discussions through more than 25 submissions to United Nations human rights mechanisms. These submissions highlighted key issues affecting people in Canada, including housing, Indigenous rights, access to justice, accessibility, online hate, climate change, and the impact of emerging technologies.
Embedding inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and anti-racism across all areas of our work remained a priority throughout the year. Through our advocacy, litigation, complaints processing, compliance activities, and human rights promotion, we continued efforts to address systemic racism and discrimination, including anti-Black racism. We also advanced this work in support of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This represents a long-term commitment to strengthening the systems people rely on, so they are worthy of the public's trust.
The results presented in this report demonstrate the impact of our work and the areas where further progress is needed. At a time of growing demand and finite resources, the Commission remains focused on delivering meaningful results, strengthening public trust, and maximizing the impact of every part of its mandate.
Throughout 2025–2026, we remained guided by our commitment to equality, dignity, and respect. I am proud of the dedication, expertise, and compassion demonstrated by Commission employees across the organization. Together, we will continue to uphold the human rights protections that help build a stronger, more inclusive Canada.
Sincerely,
Charlotte-Anne Malischewski
Chief Commissioner
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Results – what we achieved
Core responsibilities and internal services
- Core responsibility 1: Engagement and Advocacy
- Core responsibility 2: Complaints
- Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance
- Internal services
Core responsibility 1: Engagement and Advocacy
In this section
Description
Provide a national, credible voice for equality in Canada by raising public awareness of human rights issues; engaging civil society, governments, employers and the public to affect human rights change; and monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Government of Canada's obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Quality of life impacts
This Core Responsibility contributes to the “Good Governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, “Discrimination and unfair treatment,” “Access to fair and equal justice,” and “Confidence in institutions,” through all the activities mentioned in the Core Responsibility description.
This Core Responsibility also contributes to the “Prosperity,” “Health,” and “Society” domains of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, “Functional health status,” “Children vulnerable in early development,” “Economic security and deprivation,” and “Self-rated mental health,” through advocating for equality in Canada.
Progress on results
This section details the department's performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility 1: Engagement and Advocacy.
Table 1 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Full Compliance with the Paris Principles” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain A-Status accreditation as Canada's national human rights institution | A-status | March 2026 |
|
Table 2 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “People in Canada are informed of their rights and responsibilities” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Canadians who have been informed about the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Pay Equity Act, and the Accessible Canada Act | At least 3.6 million | March 2026 |
|
Table 3 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “CHRC interventions influence law and support the advancement of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental result indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of interventions in the public interest before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the Courts | At least 250 | March 2026 |
|
The Results section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase provides additional information on results and performance related to its program inventory.
Details on results
The following section describes the results for Engagement and Advocacy in 2025–2026 compared with the planned results set out in the Commission's departmental plan for the year.
Full compliance with the Paris Principles
Results achieved
In 2025–2026, the Commission continued to adhere to the Paris Principles and maintain its A-Status designation.
- The Paris Principles is a framework established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to guide National Human Rights Institutions in promoting and protecting human rights. By emphasizing independence, transparency, and diversity, the Paris Principles ensure institutions operate autonomously, with adequate resources and broad mandates.
People in Canada are informed of their rights and responsibilities
Results achieved
- Promoting and protecting human rights
In 2025–2026, to strengthen public understanding of human rights, raise awareness of recourse mechanisms, and increase access to human rights justice, the Commission through engagement with rights holders, regulated entities, the international human rights community, public service networks, law practitioners, lawmakers, Parliament, government, civil society organizations and communities of practice:- disseminated information on human rights through more than 25 public statements and news releases, more than a dozen newsletters and mailouts, monthly social media activities over the Commission's various social media accounts, over 10 publications and tools, and other submissions
- supported rights holders and regulated entities through public statements, newsletters, publications, tools, stakeholder engagement, social media, parliamentary and United Nations (UN) submissions, and speaking engagements
- developed a centralized stakeholder coordination framework and tools to strengthen enterprise-wide stakeholder engagement under a One Commission approach, and to increase the impact of the Commission's engagement efforts across Canada
- continued to advance human rights as Canada's National Monitoring Mechanism under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- continued to engage stakeholders by sharing updates on disability rights monitoring work. For example, by:
- hosting two disability rights engagement sessions with civil society, Indigenous organizations and the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA) to strengthen disability rights advocacy, to explore better ways to integrate disability rights across Canada's UN treaty body reviews, facilitate dialogue on disability-related human rights issues, including concerns related to Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAID)
- submitting over 25 written recommendations to the UN Human Rights Committee and meeting with Committee members to raise key human rights concerns, including systemic discrimination and inequalities affecting vulnerable populations, and to advocate for stronger human rights protections and accountability in Canada
- submitted input to Environment and Climate Change Canada to inform the development of a national strategy on environmental racism and environmental justice
- submitted a report to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on anti-Black racial discrimination and human rights violations by law enforcement
- This submission reinforced and amplified ongoing advocacy on the issue of anti-Black racial discrimination, particularly the systemic harms and human rights violations inflicted by law enforcement on Black communities.
- delivered a statement to the UN Human Rights Council highlighting concerns related to overincarceration, prison conditions, institutionalization of people with disabilities, and the need for Canada to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, including by designating an appropriate National Preventive Mechanism to ensure ongoing and enhanced independent oversight, monitoring and reporting in all places of detention
- engaged with the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent through consultations in Canada and participation in the Fifth Session of this Permanent Forum, in Geneva, strengthening relationships with key stakeholders and informing the Commission's strategy to advance the objectives of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent
- Advancing employment equity
In 2025–2026, in support of its mandate under the Employment Equity Act, the Commission:- published the 2024–2027 Audit Forward Plan to support employment equity audit activities
- distributed over 55 post-audit surveys to gather employer feedback on the audit process, supporting the continuous improvement of audit practices and guidance by identifying strengths and addressing challenges
- Advancing pay equity
In 2025–2026, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner:- launched the Annual Statement Portal to support employers in submitting annual pay equity statements, receiving over 640 submissions (representing 12% of all employers), approximately 20% of which reported owing an increase to their female employees
- responded to almost 500 requests for information, primarily from employers (66.5%) suggesting that regulated entities are proactively seeking to understand and meet their obligations
- expanded pay equity learning by registering over 400 new participants in the free online Pay Equity training provided by Université TÉLUQ in conjunction with the Commission, and updating training materials
- hosted outreach events and technical briefings connecting with over 360 stakeholders. These included:
- the Annual Statement Workshop, which provided employers, unions, human resource professionals and other stakeholders with guidance on annual reporting obligations and a demonstration of the Annual Statement Portal
- the Pay Equity Maintenance Technical Briefing, which provided public sector employers with information on the maintenance review cycle
- national and international speaking engagements by the Pay Equity Commissioner, including the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), to promote pay equity and women's economic empowerment
- Advancing accessibility
In 2025–2026, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner:- engaged federally regulated organizations through presentations and outreach to promote awareness of and compliance with the Accessible Canada Act (ACA)
- advanced compliance and enforcement activities, issued guidance, reminder letters, inspection notices and newsletters to more than 3,500 regulated entities
- responded to more than 600 inquiries from regulated entities and members of the public regarding rights and obligations under the ACA
- updated guidance materials based on inquiries and inspection findings, supporting greater clarity for regulated entities, proactive compliance, and the identification and removal of accessibility barriers
- Advancing housing rights
In 2025–2026, together with the Commission, the Federal Housing Advocate (FHA):- continued developing a human rights monitoring framework on the right to adequate housing for people with disabilities, informed by people with lived experience
- requested that the National Housing Council establish a review panel on the lack of accessible housing in Canada
- supported and provided ongoing contributions to the NehaFootnote 1 review panel on the right to safe, adequate and affordable housing for women, Two Spirit, Trans, and gender-diverse people
- published research reports to inform the renewal of the National Housing Strategy
- continued implementing recommendations on homeless encampments by publishing guidance, research findings and public statements. More specifically:
- a Guide to Meaningful Engagement and Integrating a Human Rights-Based Approach into Encampment Responses [PDF]
- research findings from the FHA's visit to southern Ontario
- a statement to mark the second anniversary of the FHA's report
- continued engagement with First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments and launched a research project to review wildfire displacement, fire mortality and emergency management in First Nations communities
- continued engagement with stakeholders, community organizations and people with lived experience to promote the right to adequate housing through conferences, outreach and regional engagement activities
CHRC interventions influence law and support the advancement of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility
In 2025–2026, the Commission continued to advance human rights, employment equity, pay equity and accessibility by influencing the development and interpretation of law through strategic interventions, litigation and public decisions. Through its litigation before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) and the courts, the Commission adopted positions in the public interest to strengthen federal human rights law and combat discrimination and retaliation. More specifically, the Commission:
- was a party to, or intervened in, Tribunal and court matters dealing with allegations of discrimination on prohibited grounds such as race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, disability, and national or ethnic origin, as well as intersecting grounds
- sought judicial review of Tribunal decisions and appealed decisions from reviewing courts, when necessary, and when in the public interest
- appeared as an intervener before the Supreme Court of Canada in a landmark case concerning the prohibition against wearing religious symbols in certain public sector roles in Quebec
- advanced jurisprudence supporting the consistent interpretation and application of the Pay Equity Act, including through the Pay Equity Commissioner decision, subsequently upheld by the Tribunal, that clarified employer confidentiality obligations during pay equity implementation
Key risks
Public understanding of the Commission's mandates
A lack of understanding of the Commission's multiple mandates may create false expectations among rights holders, regulated entities and stakeholders.
- To mitigate this risk, the Commission continued engaging with stakeholders to clarify its roles under the Canadian Human Rights Act, Employment Equity Act, Pay Equity Act, Accessible Canada Act, and National Housing Strategy Act. The Commission published clear information on its website, distributed newsletters to stakeholders, and developed an external communications strategy to strengthen public understanding of its mandates and support the One Commission approach. The Commission also supported the publication and dissemination of the Commission's Accessibility Plan and Anti-Racism Action Plan, and National Monitoring Mechanism products.
Operational capacity and service delivery
Operational pressures, including complaint volumes, limited resources and budget uncertainty, may affect the Commission's ability to deliver timely services and fulfill its mandates.
- To mitigate this risk, the Commission:
- advanced its One Commission approach and developed a functions-based service delivery model to strengthen collaboration, improve consistency, and enhance service delivery across its mandates
- continued implementing the Inventory Reduction Initiative, supported by a dedicated team that resolved over 900 legacy inquiries and complaints
Compliance oversight and organizational reputation
Insufficient coordination of compliance activities may affect the Commission's ability to deliver consistent oversight and create reputational risks.
- To mitigate this risk and to strengthen compliance oversight, the Commission continued developing a strategic, data-informed audit and inspection plan across its employment equity, pay equity and accessibility mandates.
Advancing IDEA-AR and equitable service delivery
Systemic barriers and inequities may affect equitable access to the Commission's services and the achievement of its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Anti-Racism (IDEA-AR) commitments.
- To mitigate this risk, the Commission continued to embed IDEA-AR into our work including governance structures, service delivery, the ways in which we measure and report on results, and planning
Resources required to achieve results
Table 4 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $5,976,730 | $6,336,400 |
| Full-time equivalents | 37 | 35 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Related government priorities
This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.
Gender-based Analysis Plus
In 2025–2026, the Commission applied an intersectional lens, including Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus), across its mandates to better understand how intersecting forms of discrimination affect people's lived experiences and to support more inclusive outcomes for people in Canada.
The Office of the Federal Housing Advocate (OFHA) continued to apply a GBA Plus lens in its work, including through follow-up activities related to the encampments review, the Neha review panel and the request for an Accessible Housing review panel. The Commission, together with the OFHA, continued developing reports under the monitoring framework on the right to adequate housing for people with disabilities, informed by the experiences of people with disabilities and those who have experienced inadequate housing and homelessness. Using publicly available data, including Statistics Canada data, the framework monitors housing outcomes across areas such as homelessness, institutionalization, affordability and accessibility, with information disaggregated where possible by province or territory, disability type, age, race and gender. Findings demonstrate that people with disabilities are overrepresented in all aspects of inadequate housing and homelessness.
The Commission continued to apply an intersectional approach in its international reporting by highlighting systemic issues and their diverse impacts on groups experiencing marginalization or vulnerability. It also incorporated a GBA Plus lens into engagement and advocacy activities to better understand the impact of intersecting forms of discrimination.
Finally, an intersectional and GBA Plus lens was integrated into the development of key messages, social media content, remarks and public statements by incorporating diverse experiences and perspectives from within the Commission and through stakeholder feedback.
Program inventory
Engagement and Advocacy is supported by the following program:
- Promotion Program
Additional information related to the program inventory for Engagement and Advocacy is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Core responsibility 2: Complaints
In this section
- Description
- Quality of life impacts
- Progress on results
- Details on results
- Key risks
- Resources required to achieve results
- Related government priorities
- Program inventory
Description
Provide people in Canada with a mechanism to file and resolve complaints under the Canadian Human Rights Act, Pay Equity Act, and Accessible Canada Act, and to represent the public interest in achieving equality in Canada.
Quality of life impacts
This Core Responsibility contributes to the “Good Governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, “Discrimination and unfair treatment,” “Access to fair and equal justice,” and “Confidence in institutions,” through all the activities mentioned in the Core Responsibility description.
Progress on results
This section details the department's performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility 2: Complaints.
Table 5 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “People in Canada have access to a complaint system for human rights, pay equity and accessibility complaints” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of complaints completed by the Commission | At least 90% | March 2026 |
|
Table 6 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “Complaints are resolved consistent with private and public interests” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental result indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediation settlement rate | At least 55% | March 2026 |
|
The Results section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase provides additional information on results and performance related to its program inventory.
Details on results
The following section describes the results for Complaints in 2025–2026 compared with the planned results set out in the Commission's departmental plan for the year.
People in Canada have access to a complaint system for human rights, pay equity and accessibility complaints
Results achieved
- Complaints under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA)
In 2025–2026, for complaints under the CHRA, the Commission improved processing of complaints under the CHRA, with a focus on fairness, accessibility and efficiency. More specifically, the Commission:- applied the Complaints Processing Accountability Framework across human rights complaints work to reduce barriers for Indigenous, Black and other racialized complainants, as well as other equity-deserving groups, and to support the Anti-Racism Action Plan
- advanced improvements to complaint processes and tools, including:
- developing a 90-day onboarding program to strengthen staff capacity to handle complaints fairly, consistently and through a trauma-informed approach
- advancing the review of CHRA Complaint Rules to clarify roles and make the process easier to navigate
- advancing the development of a new Case Management System to improve accessibility, communication and data use
- updating templates and developing job aids to support clearer, more inclusive communications and consistent processes
- improving case management practices to move files more efficiently, including through mediation and simplified or accelerated processes where appropriate
- continued partnerships with community organizations, including 211 Canada and the Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region, to connect individuals with services beyond the Commission's mandate
- Complaints under the Pay Equity Act (PEA)
In 2025–2026, for complaints under the PEA, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner (PEC):- received 34 pay equity disputes filed by workplace parties, including complaints, objections and other matters in dispute
- The PEC closed 12 disputes, including two resolved through formal decisions and 10 that were withdrawn.
- received 172 authorization requests, primarily from employers seeking extensions to publish their final pay equity plans
- The PEC granted 158 applications fully, two in part, denied one, and closed or received withdrawals for 27 applications.
- received 34 pay equity disputes filed by workplace parties, including complaints, objections and other matters in dispute
- Complaints under the Accessible Canada Act (ACA)
In 2025–2026, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner:
- continued strengthening the accessibility complaints program to ensure it can respond effectively as accessibility complaint volumes evolve
- advanced the development and refinement of accessibility complaint-handling procedures, operational guidance and decision-support tools to support an accessible, efficient and procedurally fair accessibility complaints process
- continued assessing opportunities to enhance digital and case management solutions to support a more user-centred and efficient service
Complaints are resolved consistent with private and public interests
Results achieved
- Complaints under the CHRA
In 2025–2026, for complaints under the CHRA, the Commission:- continued using case conferences with parties, including three conferences with key respondents, to resolve operational issues that may cause delays, appropriately stream files and improve understanding of the complaints process
- increased the use of mediation and conciliation to support earlier resolution of complaints, where appropriate.
- The Commission settled 185 mediations and conciliations under the CHRA, securing more than $1.6 million in financial remedies. Of these settlements, 26 included systemic remedies addressing root causes of discrimination and promoting lasting organizational change, including improved accessibility, accommodation processes, training on disability and inclusion, and updated human resources policies.
- published a promotional video on mediation to raise awareness and encourage greater use of early resolution options
- developed an accredited mediation training program to enable Mediation Services to train new and existing mediators to national standards and strengthen the consistency, quality and credibility of mediation services
- continued participating in proceedings before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) and courts by adopting positions in the public interest, highlighting systemic human rights issues and supporting anti-racism, accessibility, barrier reduction and access to justice
- maintained involvement in cases involving discrimination based on race, colour, national or ethnic origin and disability, which represented a significant share of Tribunal-related complaints
- Complaints under the PEA
In 2025–2026, for complaints pursuant to the PEA, the Commission, under the direction of the PEC:- continued integrating pay equity processes with other Commission mandates while respecting the distinct role and responsibilities of the PEC as a regulator
- strengthened alignment between human rights resolution, oversight and education activities to create systems that are easier to navigate, more consistent in outcomes and better positioned to deliver timely and meaningful results
- Complaints under the ACA
In 2025–2026, for complaints pursuant to the ACA, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner:- advanced the development of options for early resolution and mediation to support the timely and effective resolution of accessibility complaints, options that will be presented to the Accessibility Commissioner for consideration
- explored an integrated approach with the Commission's existing mediation services to leverage operational expertise, promote consistency where appropriate and support the efficient delivery of mediation services while respecting the legislative framework of the ACA
Key risks
Increasing human rights complaint volumes and operational capacity
The continued increase in volume of complaints under the CHRA (20% increase from 2019), combined with limited financial and human resources, may affect the Commission's ability to process files in a timely manner and deliver an effective human rights complaints system. To mitigate this risk, the Commission:
- implemented a strategic staffing plan and established two Legacy Teams to address long-standing files at the intake stage of the complaints process. These teams resolved over 900 legacy complaints, exceeding the fiscal year target of 800 files
- created the Pay Equity and Accessibility Registry Pod to support its operational priority of designing and testing integrated registry services
- continued piloting new CHRA complaints processing approaches, the review of CHRA Complaint Rules, the development of a new Case Management System, updated templates, job aids, and improved case management practices and dashboards to support more efficient file movement, including to mediation where appropriate
Resources required to achieve results
Table 7 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $13,734,341 | $14,209,214 |
| Full-time equivalents | 95 | 97 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Related government priorities
This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.
Gender-based Analysis Plus
In 2025–2026, the Commission applied a Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) and intersectional lens to its human rights complaints work to reduce barriers and support more inclusive access to the human rights complaints process. All this work was guided by the Complaints Processing Accountability Framework, supporting the Commission's Anti-Racism Action Plan and helping address barriers faced by Indigenous, Black and other racialized complainants, as well as other equity-deserving groups.
The Commission also advanced improvements to its human rights complaints process by launching the CHRA Complaint Form Review Working Group and updating templates to support clearer and more inclusive communications.
Employees responsible for processing complaints continued to build their capacity through GBA Plus-related training, including trauma-informed approaches, accessibility and accommodation practices, and training to better support clients who are Deaf and use American Sign Language (ASL) or Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ). The Commission also delivered learning opportunities on a range of topics, including related to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Transgender Day of Visibility, and Black History Month to strengthen understanding of diverse lived experiences.
Program inventory
Complaints are supported by the following program:
- Protection Program
Additional information related to the program inventory for Complaints is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance
In this section
Description
Ensure federally regulated organizations comply with the requirements set out in the Employment Equity Act, Pay Equity Act, and the Accessible Canada Act and hold those who do not comply accountable.
Quality of life impacts
The Core Responsibility contributes to the “Prosperity” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada, more specifically “Household income,” “Productivity,” and “Firm growth.”
This Core Responsibility also contributes to the “Health,” “Society,” and “Good Governance” domains of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada through all the activities mentioned in the Core Responsibility description.
Progress on results
This section details the department's performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance.
Table 8 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Employers are fostering a work environment that promotes equality of opportunities” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employment equity goal setting reports validated for conventional and horizontal audits | At least 15 | March 2026 |
|
Table 9 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “Workplace parties have the tools and support to implement the pay equity plan process” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of stakeholder feedback indicating satisfaction with support and guidance provided | At least 70% | March 2026 |
|
Table 10 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “Regulated entities have published accessibility plans, feedback mechanisms and progress reports” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of regulated entities that are using my Accessibility Portal | At least 80% | March 2026 |
|
The Results section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase provides additional information on results and performance related to its program inventory.
Details on results
The following section describes the results for Proactive Compliance in 2025–2026 compared with the planned results set out in the Commission's departmental plan for the year.
Employers are fostering a work environment that promotes equality of opportunities
Results achieved
In 2025–2026, the Commission strategically used compliance audits, audit reports, and Management Action Plans (MAPs) to help employers identify and address workforce representation gaps and strengthen equitable opportunities, ensuring federally regulated workplaces comply with the requirements of the Employment Equity Act (EEA). More specifically, the Commission:
- published its sector-wide employment equity horizontal audit report on the employment of racialized people in management and executive positions in the public service
- The audit found that while representation of racialized people in executive roles generally matches workforce availability, there remain significant gaps, inconsistent results across departments and persistent systemic barriers.
- collaborated with the Labour Program of Employment and Social Development Canada to initiate a formal data sharing agreement to facilitate the secure and systematic exchange of relevant employer and workplace data
- This collaboration will strengthen the Commission's ability to identify trends, risks and areas of non-compliance, enabling more targeted and evidence-based compliance and enforcement activities.
- launched 20 new employment equity audits and issued 14 individual audit reports to employers in the public and private sectors
- began assessing its employment equity audit processes to identify efficiencies and opportunities for improvement, following challenges related to internal resources and lengthy evidence-gathering processes
Workplace parties have the tools and support to implement the pay equity plan process
Results achieved
In 2025–2026, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner (PEC) supported employers, bargaining agents and employees in understanding and meeting their obligations pursuant to the Pay Equity Act (PEA) through guidance, education, compliance tools and the development of monitoring and enforcement approaches. More specifically, the Commission:
- launched the Annual Statement Portal to help employers and workplace parties complete and submit their annual statements more efficiently
- To date, more than 640 annual statements have been received, representing approximately 12% of all employers. Of the employers who submitted annual statements, 129 (approximately 20%) reported owing an increase to their female employees.
- responded to almost 500 requests for information, with most requests coming from employers (66.5%), indicating proactive efforts by regulated entities to understand and meet their obligations
- issued updates and reminders to employers through newsletters and the Pay Equity Portal, and continued providing support through updated tools, resources and jurisprudence to assist workplace parties in fulfilling their obligations
- expanded pay equity education and capacity-building by registering over 400 new participants in the Université TÉLUQ free online course and updating the training module on increasing compensation with a new video and more in-depth guidance
- refined processes, tools and approaches to support future compliance monitoring
- Although formal audits have not yet begun, the PEC established processes to ensure that employers requesting new extensions demonstrate measurable progress in their pay equity work.
- continued developing the policies, procedures and tools required to implement the Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMP) system, including internal guidance, decision-making tools and operational processes
- This work strengthens the PEC's ability to respond to non-compliance while supporting a graduated and proportionate approach to compliance through education, engagement, corrective action plans and, where necessary, enforcement measures.
Regulated entities have published accessibility plans, feedback mechanisms and progress reports
Results achieved
In 2025–2026, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner (AC), strengthened the administration and enforcement of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) by enhancing digital systems, improving compliance monitoring capacity and preparing regulated entities and Commission staff for new accessibility requirements. More specifically, the Commission:
- conducted over 250 inspections to monitor and enforce compliance among federally regulated organizations and assess whether they are meeting their obligations under the ACA and its Regulations
- enhanced information management technology to support the administration and enforcement of the ACA
- In collaboration with the Commission's Information Technology team, the AC improved the My Accessibility Portal to enhance data quality, streamline information submitted by regulated entities and support organizations in meeting their legislative obligations, including the notification of publication of required accessibility documents.
- continued identifying future information management and digital system requirements to support compliance monitoring, inspections and the longer-term evolution of the complaints program (dedicated digital solutions for ACA complaints have not yet commenced)
- prepared for the coming into force of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Accessibility Regulations by providing foundational training and outreach to regulated entities and Commission staff
- This included developing inspector training, guidance materials, presentations and compliance promotion activities to support awareness and readiness.
- continued exploring operational approaches and implementation options to support the effective promotion, monitoring and enforcement of the ICT Accessibility Regulations as implementation progresses
Key risks
Employer compliance with employment equity requirements
- If the Commission does not effectively monitor employers' compliance with the EEA, there is a risk that employers may not implement or track the measures outlined in their employment equity plans, potentially undermining the success of their programs as they compete with other business priorities.
- To mitigate this risk, the Commission will leverage three existing compliance audit processes to monitor employers' employment equity programs from various angles. These processes will support the identification of gaps, promote compliance with the EEA and strengthen the effectiveness of employer employment equity programs.
Information management technology capacity
- Without improvements to information management technology used for compliance monitoring, enforcement and complaint administration, key activities such as tracking files, analyzing trends and ensuring timely compliance and enforcement actions may be compromised, particularly as the number of regulated entities coming into compliance continues to increase.
- To mitigate this risk, the Commission will continue improving information management technology infrastructure and implementing innovative solutions to strengthen capacity to promote, monitor and enforce compliance. These improvements will support more effective tracking, analysis and decision-making across employment equity, pay equity and accessibility responsibilities.
Accessibility complaints program readiness
- As the ACA regulatory framework expands and the accessibility complaints program matures, existing information management tools and processes may not provide the functionality and scalability required to support increasing operational demands. In particular, the absence of a dedicated digital solution for accessibility complaints presents a longer-term operational risk as complaint volumes and program requirements evolve.
- To mitigate this risk, the AC continued identifying future information management and digital system requirements to support compliance monitoring, inspections and the evolution of the complaints program. The AC is also exploring digital solutions and operational approaches to support the effective administration, monitoring and enforcement of the ACA as the regulatory framework expands.
Resources required to achieve results
Table 11 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $8,421,165 | $7,666,150 |
| Full-time equivalents | 59 | 48 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Related government priorities
This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.
Gender-based Analysis Plus
Each employment equity horizontal audit includes a gender-based lens to better understand the situation and experiences of women across designated groups.
Pay equity targets gender discrimination caused by the undervaluation of work traditionally performed by women. Upon completion of the pay equity exercise established by the PEA, in a given workplace, all incumbents in female-predominant jobs found to be underpaid, including workers from marginalized groups, would benefit from adjustments.
People with disabilities are often also members of other equity-deserving groups – including women, Indigenous people, racialized groups and 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Therefore, the unique barriers faced by people from diverse communities and with different lived experiences must be considered. The AC will continue to apply an intersectional lens in a way that aligns with the principles of the ACA.
Program inventory
Proactive Compliance is supported by the following program:
- Audit Program
Additional information related to the program inventory for Proactive Compliance is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Internal services
In this section
Description
Internal services are the activities and resources that support a department in meeting its corporate obligations and delivering its programs. The 10 categories of internal services are:
- acquisition management services
- communications services
- financial management services
- human resources management services
- information management services
- information technology services
- legal services
- material management services
- management and oversight services
- real property management services
Progress on results
This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.
In 2025–2026, the Commission's Internal Services strengthened the ability to deliver on multiple legislative mandates by modernizing digital services, improving information management practices, strengthening technology security and reliability, and fostering an inclusive workplace culture. The Commission advanced initiatives to increase organizational capacity, improve service delivery, support employee engagement and advance its digital transformation and IDEA-AR objectives.
Deploy modern accessible digital tools to internal and external stakeholders
In 2025–2026, the Commission continued to modernize digital services and improve accessibility for employees and external users by:
- updating the Pay Equity Annual Statement Portal to support the second reporting cycle under the Pay Equity Act, enabling regulated employers to meet legislative reporting obligations
- launching the Accessibility Inspection Database, providing a modern platform to support accessibility compliance and oversight activities
- enhancing the My Accessibility Portal to receive updated accessibility plans, improving the accessibility and efficiency of stakeholder interactions
- upgrading the docket and correspondence management system (CCM Enterprise) to a more accessible and user-friendly version, improving employee productivity and user experience
Continue to standardize case management systems
In 2025–2026, the Commission made significant progress toward modernizing and standardizing its case management environment by:
- completing major components of the new Complaints Case Management System (Mosaïque), which will provide a more integrated and standardized platform for managing complaints and supporting program operations
- providing a modern, reliable and secure information technology infrastructure
- strengthen the reliability, resilience and security of its technology infrastructure through several modernization initiatives, including:
- upgrading datacentre infrastructure to increase computing capacity and improve operational resilience
- modernizing the Commission's digital infrastructure and strengthening cybersecurity through updated mobile device management, secure videoconferencing, modernized email services, and enhanced cloud-based security
Effectively manage and use data and information
In 2025–2026, the Commission continued to improve information management practices and lay the foundation for modern digital collaboration by:
- making significant progress toward replacing the legacy eDocs Electronic Document Management System with SharePoint Online, improving information accessibility, collaboration capabilities and long-term records management
- advancing the development of a broader data strategy, including an IDEA-AR measurement framework to strengthen monitoring, reporting and evidence-based decision-making across the organization
Strengthen organizational readiness for artificial intelligence
In 2025–2026, the Commission began exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support productivity and improve the development of communications products by:
- using AI tools to assist in the development of communications materials and to assess readability levels to support accessibility
- using AI-enabled tools to support translation and analytical requirements where appropriate
- taking steps to prepare the organization for responsible AI adoption
- ensuring that IDEA-AR considerations were embedded into the Commission's AI strategy and prioritization framework for advancing digital projects, to help ensure that future AI-related initiatives align with the Commission's commitments to inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism
Build an inclusive and diverse workplace culture
In 2025–2026, the Commission strengthened its workplace culture by providing development opportunities for employees, managers and executives to build capacity and foster inclusive practices by:
- providing learning opportunities, events and awareness building activities to increase understanding of racism, systemic barriers and ways to disrupt racial inequities, on topics including National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, diversifying the Ombuds community, Transgender Day of Visibility, and Black History Month
- strengthening and expanding Employee Networks and Affinity Groups, which provide structured spaces for dialogue, peer support, learning and connection, and support progress on IDEA-AR commitments, workforce priorities and the One Commission approach
- providing access to Shared Ombuds Services as an independent, confidential, informal and impartial resource to support employees in discussing workplace concerns and exploring resolution options
Advance Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Anti-Racism (IDEA-AR)
The Commission continued to embed IDEA-AR principles into its operations, governance, decision-making and accountability mechanisms by:
- providing training opportunities, including ISO 30415:2021 diversity, equity and inclusion training and Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) training, to strengthen employee capacity to integrate IDEA-AR into their work
- continuing to support the IDEA-AR team and the Decolonization and Anti-racism Committee (DACC), which advises the Commission based on the lived experiences of racialized employees
- applying an IDEA-AR lens when reviewing and assessing progress toward enterprise-wide strategic priorities
- embedding IDEA-AR commitments into the performance objectives of all employees and executives, reinforcing that advancing anti-racism and inclusion is a shared responsibility and strengthening accountability for progress
Resources required to achieve results
Table 12 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $11,359,262 | $12,985,156 |
| Full-time equivalentsTable note * | 92 | 100 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase and the People section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Risk and compliance process
The Risk and Compliance Process (RCP) is a self-assessment designed to help deputy heads verify that they have controls and practices in place to meet their accountabilities under legislation and Treasury Board policy, and to effectively manage risks in their organizations.
In 2025–2026, the Commission completed the RCP self-assessment. The results show that the Commission has strong financial management, governance, reporting, and proactive disclosure practices in place. The assessment also identified operational pressures and risks related to workload demands, expanding mandates, limited resources, reliance on digital systems and external service providers, as well as challenges related to staffing pressures, including difficulties recruiting individuals with the specialized skills and expertise required to meet evolving organizational needs. It also highlighted concerns regarding employee fatigue, morale, and limitations in data infrastructure and access to disaggregated data.
In response, the Commission is:
- implementing mitigation measures to address workload pressures, limited resources, and reliance on digital systems and external service providers, including enhancements to monitoring and reporting processes and investments in digital infrastructure
- continuing workforce engagement initiatives through the Commission-wide restructuring, mentorship programs, recognition initiatives, and champions across various areas, to improve workplace culture
- strengthening enterprise-wide data management through the development of its Data Strategy and other data-related initiatives, and continuing collaboration with Statistics Canada to strengthen data collection and analytics capacity
Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Government of Canada departments are required to award at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses every year.
As shown in Table 13, the Commission awarded 9.2% of the total value of all contracts to Indigenous businesses for the fiscal year.
| Contracting performance indicator | 2025–2026 result |
|---|---|
| Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses (A) | $294,570.63 |
| Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous and non‑Indigenous businesses (B) | $3,201,949.98 |
| Value of exceptions approved by deputy head (C) | $0.00 |
| Proportion of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses [A / (B−C) × 100] | 9.2 % |
Notes
For the purposes of the minimum 5% target, Indigenous Services Canada defines “Indigenous businesses” as:
- businesses owned and operated by Elders, band and tribal councils
- businesses registered in the Government of Canada's Indigenous Business Directory
- registered on a modern treaty beneficiary business list
A “contract” is a binding agreement for the procurement of a good, service or construction and does not include real property leases. It includes contract amendments and contracts entered into by means of acquisition cards of more than $10,000.
In its 2026–2027 Departmental Plan, the Commission estimated that it would award 6.25% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses by the end of 2025–2026.
The Commission exceeded its estimated target of 6.25%, achieving 9.2% of the total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses in 2025–2026. This result was driven by procurement activities involving Indigenous suppliers across several categories, including professional services, information technology hardware and software, and office furniture, which increased Indigenous participation in departmental contracting. To achieve this result, the Commission:
- exceeded its Indigenous procurement target by increasing Indigenous participation in departmental procurement through the issuance of task authorizations under a professional services contract awarded to an Indigenous business
- expanded economic opportunities for Indigenous businesses by procuring IT hardware through Shared Services Canada's Standing Offer, increasing participation by Indigenous resellers
- strengthened supplier diversity by sourcing network software licences and maintenance services from Indigenous suppliers
- supported Indigenous businesses in the office furniture sector through purchases made under the Furniture Supply Arrangement, contributing to broader Indigenous participation in federal procurement
Spending and human resources
In this section
Spending
This section presents an overview of the department's actual and planned expenditures from 2023–2024 to 2028–2029.
Figure 1 shows how much the department spent in 2025–2026 to carry out its core responsibilities and internal services.
Text version of figure 1
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–2026 actual spending |
|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | $6,336,400 |
| Complaints | $14,209,214 |
| Proactive Compliance | $7,666,150 |
| Internal services | $12,985,156 |
Analysis of actual spending by core responsibility
Total actual spending in 2025–2026 was $1.7 million higher than planned, primarily due to greater availability of funding than anticipated. This included a maximized carryforward of $1.8 million and $0.8 million in funding to support the National Monitoring Mechanism.
Actual spending in Engagement & Advocacy was $360,000 higher than planned, due to increased research activities to support the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate.
In Complaints, actual spending was $475,000 higher than planned, with two additional FTEs supporting efforts to strengthen service delivery and address accumulated caseload pressures.
In Proactive Compliance, actual spending was $755,000 lower than planned, with fewer FTEs than anticipated due to attrition and the need to minimize staffing risks while awaiting the Comprehensive Expenditure Review decision.
Internal Services spending was $1.6 million higher than planned, with eight additional FTEs. These additional resources supported the transition to the “One Commission” and the implementation of one-time projects funded through the carryforward.
Budgetary performance summary
Table 14 shows the money that the Commission spent in each of the past three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–2026 Main Estimates | 2025–2026 total authorities available for use | Actual spending over three years (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | $5,976,730 | $6,443,190 |
|
| Complaints | $13,734,341 | $14,448,687 |
|
| Proactive Compliance | $8,421,165 | $7,795,351 |
|
| Subtotal | $28,132,236 | $28,687,228 |
|
| Internal services | $13,897,829 | $13,204,001 |
|
| Total | $42,030,065 | $41,891,229 |
|
Analysis of the next three years of spending
The Commission's spending under core responsibilities decreased by $1.2 million from 2023–2024 to 2024–2025 primarily due to uncertainty regarding the Commission's available authorities; therefore, the Commission mitigated this risk by limiting its staffing actions. Spending under core responsibilities decreased by $273,000 from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026 primarily due to attrition which was partially offset by an increase in Complaints spending, as the Commission has been focused on strengthening service delivery and addressing accumulated caseload pressures.
The Commission's spending under Internal Services decreased by $2.1 million from 2023–2024 to 2024–2025. This is primarily because the Commission spent nearly $1.2 million in one-time IT investments in 2023–2024. Spending under Internal Services decreased by $94,000 from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026 due to regular attrition.
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase provides more financial information from previous years.
Planned spending for next three years
Table 15 shows the Commission's planned spending for each of the next three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2026–2027 planned spending | 2027–2028 planned spending | 2028–2029 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | $6,029,311 | $5,936,246 | $5,723,508 |
| Complaints | $12,503,045 | $12,298,164 | $11,835,029 |
| Proactive Compliance | $8,307,970 | $8,173,070 | $7,867,616 |
| Subtotal | $26,840,326 | $26,407,480 | $25,426,153 |
| Internal services | $11,428,445 | $11,183,494 | $10,636,410 |
| Total | $38,268,771 | $37,590,974 | $36,062,563 |
Analysis of the next three years of spending
Total expenditures are expected to decrease by $678K in 2027–2028 compared with 2026–2027, primarily due to the sunsetting of the National Monitoring Mechanism and reductions resulting from the Comprehensive Expenditure Review.
In 2028–2029, total expenditures are expected to decrease by a further $1.5 million compared with 2027–2028, mainly due to the sunsetting of funding for the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate and additional reductions resulting from the Comprehensive Expenditure Review.
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase provides more detailed financial information related to future years.
Budgetary actual gross spending
Table 16 reconciles gross planned spending with net spending for 2025–2026.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–2026 actual gross spending | 2025–2026 actual revenues netted against expenditures | 2025–2026 actual net spending (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | $6,336,400 | $0 | $6,336,400 |
| Complaints | $14,209,214 | $0 | $14,209,214 |
| Proactive Compliance | $7,666,150 | $0 | $7,666,150 |
| Subtotal | $28,211,764 | $0 | $28,211,764 |
| Internal services | $14,975,632 | - $1,990,475 | $12,985,157 |
| Total | $43,187,395 | - $1,990,475 | $41,196,920 |
Analysis of budgetary actual gross spending summary
Revenues reported include the provision of internal support services, as referred to in paragraph 29.2 of the Financial Administration Act, including financial management, human resources, information management, information technology, communications, real property, materiel, acquisition, and other administrative services designated by order of the Governor in Council.
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase provides information on the alignment of the Commission's spending with Government of Canada's spending and activities.
Funding
This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services.
Graph 1 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2023–2024 to 2028–2029.
Image
Text version of graph 1
Graph 1 includes the following information in a bar graph:
| Fiscal year | Statutory | Voted | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | $4,982,108 | $41,270,000 | $46,252,108 |
| 2024-2025 | $4,602,569 | $36,896,644 | $41,499,213 |
| 2025-2026 | $5,169,454 | $37,052,959 | $42,222,413 |
| 2026-2027 | $5,628,334 | $34,919,372 | $40,547,706 |
| 2027-2028 | $5,414,616 | $33,633,202 | $39,047,818 |
| 2028-2029 | $4,945,126 | $31,117,437 | $36,062,563 |
Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period
Between 2023–2024 and 2028–2029, the Commission's total budget is decreasing by 22%.
Fiscal years 2023–2024 to 2025–2026 present approved funding as reported in the Public Accounts, while 2026–2027 to 2028–2029 present planned spending.
Approved funding decreased by $4.7 million from 2023–2024 to 2024–2025, primarily due to the inclusion of a one-time budget increase of $3.4 million in 2023–2024 to cover payments associated with signed collective bargaining agreements, as well as a decrease of $845,000 in the operating budget carryforward from the maximized amount in 2023–2024.
Approved funding increased by $723,000 in 2025–2026 due to additional funding received to support the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate (OFHA) and the National Monitoring Mechanism (NMM), as well as an operating budget carryforward of $1.8 million.
Total authorities for 2026–2027 include funding for OFHA and NMM; however, no carryforward is included in the planned spending for 2027–2028 and 2028–2029.
Beginning in 2027–2028, annual decreases in funding are primarily attributable to the sunsetting of temporary funding and reductions resulting from the Comprehensive Expenditure Review.
Consult the Public Accounts of Canada for further information on the Commission's departmental voted and statutory expenditures.
Financial statement highlights
This section presents the Commission's Financial statements (Unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2026.
Table 17 summarizes the expenses and revenues for 2025–2026, which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.
| Financial information | 2025–2026 actual results | 2025–2026 planned results | Difference (actual results minus planned) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $49,205,568 | $49,395,904 | - $190,336 |
| Total revenues | - $1,990,479 | - $2,538,567 | $548,088 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | $47,215,089 | $46,857,337 | $357,752 |
Analysis of expenses and revenues for 2025–2026
There are no significant variances in the 2025–2026 planned and actual results. Total expenses varied a negligible amount, whereas the variance in revenues is due to the Employee Benefit Plans cost of the internal services provided, which is expected.
The 2025–2026 planned results information is provided in the Commission's Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2025–2026.
Table 18 summarizes actual expenses and revenues and shows the net cost of operations before government funding and transfers.
| Financial information | 2025–2026 actual results | 2024–2025 actual results | Difference (2025–2026 minus 2024–2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $49,205,568 | $48,270,876 | $934,692 |
| Total revenues | - $1,990,479 | - $1,985,032 | - $5,447 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | $47,215,089 | $46,285,844 | $929,245 |
Analysis of differences in expenses and revenues between 2024–2025 and 2025–2026
The Commission's 2025–2026 actual results were $929,000 greater than the previous year. This is largely due to an increase in salary expenses to focus on strengthening service delivery and address accumulated caseload pressures.
Table 19 provides a brief snapshot of the amounts the department owes or must spend (liabilities) and its available resources (assets), which helps to indicate its ability to carry out programs and services.
| Financial information | Actual fiscal year (2025–2026) | Previous fiscal year (2024–2025) | Difference (2025–2026 minus 2024–2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total net liabilities | $6,845,838 | $7,231,238 | - $385,400 |
| Total net financial assets | $4,241,271 | $4,603,933 | - $362,662 |
| Departmental net debt | $2,604,567 | $2,627,305 | - $22,738 |
| Total non-financial assets | $2,167,811 | $2,795,238 | - $627,427 |
| Departmental net financial position | - $436,756 | $167,933 | - $604,689 |
Analysis of department's liabilities and assets since last fiscal year
In 2025–2026, the Commission went from a net asset of $167,933 to a net liability of $436,756. This was due to fewer capital asset acquisitions from year-to-year.
Human resources
This section presents an overview of the department's actual and planned human resources from 2023–2024 to 2028–2029.
Table 20 shows a summary in full-time equivalents of human resources for the Commission's core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2023–2024 actual full-time equivalents | 2024–2025 actual full-time equivalents | 2025–2026 actual full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | 40 | 38 | 35 |
| Complaints | 97 | 91 | 97 |
| Proactive Compliance | 55 | 54 | 48 |
| Subtotal | 192 | 183 | 181 |
| Internal services | 107 | 100 | 100 |
| TotalTable note * | 299 | 283 | 281 |
Analysis of human resources for the last three years
The Commission's FTEs under core responsibilities decreased by 9 from 2023–2024 to 2024–2025, as the Commission used available temporary funding in 2023–2024 to hire short-term employees to strengthen service delivery. FTEs under core responsibilities decreased by a further 2 from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in FTEs in Complaints, reflecting the Commission's focus on strengthening service delivery and addressing accumulated caseload pressures.
The Commission's FTEs under Internal Services decreased by 7 from 2023–2024 to 2024–2025, as the Commission used available temporary funding in 2023–2024 to hire short-term employees to accelerate priority projects. FTEs under Internal Services remained unchanged from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026.
Table 21 shows the planned full-time equivalents for each of the Commission's core responsibilities and for its internal services for the next three years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecast based on year to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2026–2027 planned full-time equivalents | 2027–2028 planned full-time equivalents | 2028–2029 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | 35 | 35 | 33 |
| Complaints | 85 | 84 | 82 |
| Proactive Compliance | 53 | 52 | 50 |
| Subtotal | 173 | 171 | 165 |
| Internal services | 94 | 92 | 89 |
| Total | 267 | 263 | 254 |
Analysis of human resources for the next three years
Planned FTEs are projected to decrease by 4 in 2026–2027 and by a further 9 in 2028–2029 because of Comprehensive Expenditure Review reductions and sunsetting funding. The impact is allocated proportionally across all core responsibilities.
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information table is available on the Commission'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. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.
Corporate information
Departmental profile
Appropriate minister:
The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., M.P.
Institutional head:
(Interim) Chief Commissioner Charlotte-Anne Malischewski
Ministerial portfolio:
Justice
Enabling instruments: Canadian Human Rights Act
Jobs and Families
Enabling instrument: Pay Equity Act, Accessible Canada Act and the Employment Equity Act
Housing and Infrastructure
Enabling instrument: National Housing Strategy Act
Year of incorporation or commencement: 1977
Departmental contact information
Mailing address:
Canadian Human Rights Commission
344 Slater Street, 8th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1E1
Telephone:
613-995-1151
Toll Free: 1-888-214-1090
TTY:
1-888-643-3304
Fax:
613-996-9661
Video Relay Service (Canada VRS):
Website:
X (formerly Twitter): @CdnHumanRights
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianHumanRightsCommission
Bluesky: @CdnHumanRights.bsky.social
Definitions
List of terms
- 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, departments or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
- core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
- An enduring function or role of a department. The departmental results listed for a core responsibility reflect the outcomes that the department seeks to influence or achieve.
- Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
- A report that outlines the anticipated activities and expected performance of an appropriated department over a three-year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament in spring.
- departmental priority (priorité)
- A plan, project or activity that a department focuses and reports on during a specific planning period. Priorities represent the most important things to be done or those to be addressed first to help achieve the desired departmental results.
- departmental result (résultat ministériel)
- A high-level outcome related to the core responsibilities of a department.
- departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
- A quantitative or qualitative measure that assesses progress toward 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 outlining a department's accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
- Full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
- Measures the person years in a departmental budget. An employee's scheduled hours per week divided by the employer's hours for a full-time workweek calculates a full-time equivalent. For example, an employee who works 20 hours in a 40-hour standard workweek represents a 0.5 full-time equivalent.
- Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
- An analytical tool that helps to understand the ways diverse individuals experience policies, programs and other initiatives. Applying GBA Plus to policies, programs and other initiatives helps to identify the different needs of the people affected, the ways to be more responsive and inclusive, and the methods to anticipate and mitigate potential barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
- government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
- For the purpose of the 2025–2026 Departmental Results Report, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government's agenda as announced in the 2025 Speech from the Throne.
- horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
- A program, project or other initiative where two or more federal departments receive funding to work collaboratively on a shared outcome usually linked to a government priority, and where the ministers involved agree to designate it as horizontal. Specific reporting requirements apply, including that the lead department must report on combined expenditures and results.
- Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)
- Requirements for verifying Indigenous businesses for the purposes of the departmental result report are available through the Indigenous Services Canada Mandatory minimum 5% Indigenous procurement target website.
- 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 a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
- performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
- A qualitative or quantitative measure that assesses progress toward a departmental-level or program-level result, or the expected outputs or outcomes of a program, policy or initiative.
- plan (plan)
- The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department 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 the amounts presented in Main Estimates. Departments must determine their planned spending and be able to defend the financial numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
- program (programme)
- An Individual, group, or combination of services and activities managed together within a department and focused on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
- program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
- A listing that identifies all the department's programs and the resources that contribute to delivering on the department's core responsibilities and achieving its results.
- result (résultat)
- An outcome or output related to the activities of a department, policy, program or initiative.
- statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
- Spending approved through legislation passed in Parliament, other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose and the terms and conditions of the expenditures.
- target (cible)
- A quantitative or qualitative, measurable goal that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period.
- voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
- Spending approved annually through an appropriation act passed in Parliament. The vote also outlines the conditions that govern the spending.
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