2020-21 Departmental Plan
The Departmental Plan is an expenditure plan that provides a detailed overview of the Commission’s main priorities over a three-year period. These priorities are divided by strategic outcome, program activities, and planned and expected results. The Departmental Plan also provides details on human resource requirements, major capital projects, grants and contributions, and net program costs.
Honourable David Lametti, P.C., M.P
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
ISSN: 2371-8293
Table of Contents
- From the Chief Commissioner
- Plans at a glance
- Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks
- Internal Services: planned results
- Spending and human resources
- Corporate information
- Supporting information on the program inventory
- Supplementary information tables
- Federal tax expenditures
- Organizational contact information
- Appendix: definitions
- Endnotes
From the Chief Commissioner
The Canadian Human Rights Commission works to protect and promote human rights in Canada and to foster an inclusive society where everyone is valued, respected and able to live free from discrimination.
Recently, Parliament entrusted the Commission to expand on this essential work, with new responsibilities under: the Pay Equity Act, the Accessible Canada Act, and the National Housing Strategy Act.
These new mandates signal a transformational shift in Canada’s approach to human rights protections. The proactive compliance approach under the Accessible Canada Act and the Pay Equity Act shifts the burden off individuals to bring forward a human rights complaint and places the onus on organizations to prevent discrimination. As we begin a new year, the team at the Commission is ready to build on these mandates and to take positive steps forward in combatting discrimination and inequality in Canada. The Commission has already accomplished important milestones in 2019 that will set up these programs for success, and will continue to build upon that work in 2020–21.
Human rights issues continue to be at the forefront of the national conversation. Canada has made positive progress, to be sure — these new human rights protections, for example, are signs that the government is prioritizing the rights of all Canadians. They are a recognition that equality, diversity, and strong human rights protections lead to a healthier society.
However, we cannot let our progress blind us to the fact that millions of people in Canada continue to face barriers and injustice every day. Hatred, intolerance and aggression targeting vulnerable members of our communities are on the rise. Women, children, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, racialized individuals, religious groups, and individuals with diverse sexual orientations or gender identities all continue to experience discrimination in Canada. No one should be made to feel like a second-class citizen because of who they are, the colour of their skin, what they believe or where they are from. Together, we must take action and push for a society where everyone feels included, safe and valued.
That is why we have called on Parliament to take concrete action to confront racism and intolerance, a daily reality for far too many people in Canada. Parliament must also continue to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and address the legacy of racist laws and policies that continue to affect their daily lives.
As we look ahead and bring our new mandates into the fold, our team will continue to build on its fundamental work – protecting everyone’s human rights through discrimination complaints, actively speaking out about discrimination and human rights issues, and acting as a vocal ally in the fight for equality in Canada. We will also continue to make combatting hate and intolerance in Canada our priority, and push for concrete measures to be taken in the fight against discrimination.
It is time to stand together as a country that embraces diversity, freedom and inclusion. We must not allow racism, intolerance and inequality to undermine our peace and prosperity. We must all do our part and renew our commitment to equal rights, dignity and respect for everyone in Canada.
It is an honour to present this plan for our upcoming work and we are hopeful that it will be met with the full support of Parliament.
Marie-Claude Landry, Ad. E.
Chief Commissioner
Plans at a glance
The Commission serves as a national voice for equality and for the promotion and protection of human rights. In 2020–21, the Commission will continue to use its expertise to raise awareness of current and emerging human rights issues that affect Canadians, by informing the public of their human rights and by ensuring that human rights issues remain a central part of the public debate and the national agenda. To this end, the Commission will carry on with the implementation of its action plans for two priority areas: hate and intolerance; and economic, social and cultural rights.
We will continue to invest time raising public awareness of the barriers people face when seeking access to human rights justice, and we will continue to ensure that people in the most vulnerable circumstances can access our complaints process. To that end, the Commission will continue to work towards a simpler, more effective and sustainable complaints process by exploring and piloting new approaches that put people first and that shorten the time it takes to process a complaint.
In the coming year, we will continue our efforts to implement a modernized approach to employment equity audits. In an effort to better support employers seeking guidance on how to comply with the Employment Equity Act, our horizontal audit model focuses on systemic issues faced by members of the four designated groups in specific industry sectors. In 2020–21, building on the success of last year’s horizontal audit on Indigenous employment in the banking and financial sector, we will complete and report on our second sector-wide audit that looks at the employment of persons with disabilities in the communication sector.
The coming year will also bring expanded responsibilities and program delivery for the Commission. These new responsibilities are in relation to the Accessible Canada Act, the Pay Equity Act and the National Housing Strategy Act.
The Commission will play a key role in the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). The ACA signals a transformational shift in Canada’s approach to disability and accessibility. It requires federally regulated entities to proactively identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers in seven priority areas: employment, built environment, information and communication technologies, communication, transportation, design and delivery of programs/services, and procurement. It also requires that federal agencies responsible for the implementation of ACA work collaboratively while ensuring that the involvement of persons with disabilities is at the core of the new approach. Toward that end, the Commission will chair the Council of Federal Accessibility Agencies. In addition, under this legislation, the Commission was designated as a body responsible for monitoring the Government of Canada’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In 2020–21, the Commission will continue to play a key role in working towards achieving equal pay for work of equal value for women in Canada. Leading up to the coming into force of the Pay Equity Act, the Commission will continue to build a dedicated team of subject-matter experts to support the implementation of its new mandate. We have welcomed the arrival of the new Pay Equity Commissioner who in 2020–21 will reach out to key stakeholders to hear their views on the new legislation. Taking into account those expectations, the Commission will develop an implementation strategy and tools to assist federally regulated workplaces in proactively complying with the Act, which will help address the gender pay wage gap.
Finally, under the National Housing Strategy Act passed by Parliament in 2019, the Commission will support the Federal Housing Advocate by developing a strategic operation plan with the goal to identify systemic challenges and barriers to the right to housing in Canada and advise policy makers on necessary reforms.
For more information on the Commission’s plans, priorities and planned results, see the “Planned results and resources” section of this report.
Core responsibilities: planned results and resources, and key risks
This section contains detailed information on the department’s planned results and resources for each of its core responsibilities. It also contains information on key risks related to achieving those results.
Engagement and Advocacy
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 by 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.
Planning highlights
As Canada’s national human rights institution, the Commission is a trusted source of human rights expertise. The Commission will continue its leadership role in helping to shape the human rights agenda in Canada by being proactive and vocal. More specifically, in 2020–21 and subsequent fiscal years, the Commission will:
- Continue to advocate for improved access to human rights justice by:
- raising awareness and understanding of the barriers to equality and access to justice that individuals in vulnerable circumstances are facing; and
- ensuring that people in vulnerable circumstances can access the Commission’s complaints process and be supported in navigating that process.
- Continue to focus our efforts on our two priority areas: hate and intolerance; and economic, social and cultural rights. In doing so, the Commission will continue to engage stakeholders to expand its understanding of the issues, raise awareness, and contribute to the identification of action-oriented solutions.
- Continue monitoring and reporting on Canada’s implementation of its international human rights obligations.
- Develop a sustainable mechanism for the effective monitoring of and reporting on the Government of Canada’s implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
On June 21, 2019, Parliament passed the National Housing Strategy Act that establishes a requirement for a national housing strategy, a National Housing Council and a Federal Housing Advocate.
The Commission will support the Federal Housing Advocate by developing a strategic plan that includes statistical analytical capacity, communication and report writing, engagement support, and qualitative and quantitative research related to the housing needs of vulnerable groups.
Gender-based analysis plus
In all of our planned activities, the Commission will ensure that it is fully taking into account how multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination influence the lived experiences of the individuals the Commission serves.
United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Commission’s planned activities will advance SDG Target 16.A relating to the strengthening of relevant national institutions, and specifically target 16.A.1 on ensuring the existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles.
Agenda 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals have clear and direct commitments to adequate housing for all (Sustainable Development Goal 11.1). As noted by the United Nations, human rights institutions around the globe and, here at home in Canada, will play an important role in realizing the right for housing for all by 2030.
Key risk(s)
There is a risk that unanticipated and pressing human rights matters will divert attention from our priorities. To mitigate the risk, the Commission will remain focussed on our priority areas by dedicating specific resources tasked with meeting the various project milestones outlined in the critical paths. We will also use environmental scanning to identify proactively emerging issues to allow us to be more flexible in our work plans, and to better anticipate and respond to emerging issues.
There is a risk that the scope of the Housing Advocate’s mandate may not be well understood. To address this challenge, the Housing Advocate will engage with key stakeholders to explain the Advocate’s mandate to identify systemic challenges and barriers to help inform necessary reform to housing policies, programs and laws in Canada.
Planned results for Engagement and Advocacy
| Departmental result | Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | 2016–17 actual result | 2017–18 actual result | 2018–19 actual result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full compliance with the Paris Principles | Maintain A-status accreditation as Canada's national human rights institution | A-status | March 31, 2021 | A-status | A-status | A-status |
| People in Canada are informed of their rights and responsibilities | # 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 | 1.2 million | March 31, 2021 | 2.26 million | 1.35 million | 1.8 million |
| CHRC interventions and decisions influence law and support the advancement of human rights, employment equity, pay equity and accessibility | Judicial review success rate | 70% | March 31, 2021 | 87% | 77% | 92% |
Planned budgetary financial resources for Engagement and Advocacy (dollars)
| 2020–21 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) | 2020–21 planned spending | 2021–22 planned spending | 2022–23 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6,842,569 | 7,032,255 | 6,753,143 | 4,747,568 |
Planned human resources for Engagement and Advocacy
| 2020–21 planned full-time equivalents | 2021–22 planned full-time equivalents | 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | 38 | 29 |
The decrease in financial and human resources in 2022-23 are mainly due to a reduction in funding for the National Housing Strategy from $3,000,000 in 2021-22 to $350,000 in 2022-23.
Complaints
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.
Planning highlights
In 2020–21, the Commission will continue to develop a simpler, more effective and sustainable complaints process that is driven by the needs of the people we serve. We will continue to reduce the time it takes to process a complaint by exploring and piloting new approaches.
More specifically, the Commission will:
- Improve its services to the public by:
- working to establish and implement service standards for the complaints process;
- moving toward a paperless complaints-management system;
- continuing to prioritize certain complaints;
- ensuring complainants are sent to the right forum as quickly as possible; and
- testing and incorporating more efficient, effective and sustainable approaches to complaints processing.
- The Commission will also:
- continue to represent the public interest in courts and tribunals to the extent that resources allow, while exploring innovative ways to improve our services; and
- strengthen our human rights complaints infrastructure, including continuing to develop a new Case Management System, to provide a sustainable foundation for our organization for the future.
Key risk(s)
There is a risk that the innovation strategy necessary to reduce the accumulated caseload may not bring about the expected results and that we may not retain appropriate staffing levels to meet the needs of people in Canada. To mitigate these risks, the Commission plans to monitor trends in current complaints processing and adjust where necessary, to continue to pilot new approaches to complaints handling, as well as develop a robust staffing strategy.
Planned results for Complaints
| Departmental result | Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | 2016–17 actual result | 2017–18 actual result | 2018–19 actual result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People in Canada have access to a complaint system for human rights, pay equity and accessibility complaints | % of complaints completed by the Commission | 90% | March 31, 2021 | 97% | 94% | 94% |
| Complaints are resolved consistent with private and public interests | Mediation settlement rate | 55% | March 31, 2021 | Not available | 65% | 59% |
Planned budgetary financial resources for Complaints (dollars)
| 2020–21 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) | 2020–21 planned spending | 2021–22 planned spending | 2022–23 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,991,787 | 11,495,921 | 10,683,454 | 10,642,486 |
Planned human resources for Complaints
| 2020–21 planned full-time equivalents | 2021–22 planned full-time equivalents | 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| 85 | 85 | 85 |
Proactive Compliance
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.
Planning highlights
Building on the success of a horizontal employment equity audit on Indigenous employment in the banking and financial sector, the Commission is conducting a second audit on the employment of persons with disabilities in the communication sector. In 2020–21 and the subsequent fiscal year, the Commission will:
- Complete its horizontal audit on the employment of persons with disabilities in the communication sector;
- Launch a third horizontal audit looking at the representation of racialized groups in management roles in the public sector;
- Continue conventional audits for new employers and employers who have persistent employment equity gaps;
- Develop and test a new risk-based approach for conventional audits;
- Test the feasibility of having scorecards on equality in the workplace for all designated groups in the federally-regulated sector across Canada; and
- Develop an employment equity audit plan for the next 3 to 5 years.
Further to the adoption of the Accessible Canada Act, the Commission will:
- Ensure that a sustainable Integrated Business and Human Resources Plan is in place in support of this new mandate;
- Prepare for the arrival of the Accessibility Commissioner and the establishment of the Accessibility Unit, including developing an engagement strategy;
- Develop tools in support of the proactive compliance design, such as a logic model, a measurement strategy, a compliance framework, an investigation model and a case management system;
- Participate in developing processes related to accessibility standards and regulations; and
- Continue to engage with rights holders and stakeholder groups, as well as chairing the new Council of Federal Accessibility Agencies.
In 2020–21 and the subsequent fiscal years, under the leadership of the Pay Equity Commissioner, the Commission will provide support to federally-regulated employers in developing and implementing their pay equity plans. Specifically, the Commission will:
- Continue to develop tools and provide the information that regulated entities need to develop their pay equity plans.
- Continue to develop an efficient proactive compliance regime and reporting mechanism.
- Provide an efficient and accessible dispute resolution system for employees, bargaining agents and employers.
- Develop a research program that will support compliance and build the knowledge base to advance pay equity and more generally, gender equality in Canada.
Gender-based analysis plus
Pay Equity targets gender discrimination in pay caused by the undervaluation of work traditionally performed by women. Upon completion of a pay equity exercise in a given workplace, all incumbents in female-predominant jobs found to be underpaid, including workers from the LGBTQ2 (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and two-spirit) community and those from other marginalized groups, would benefit from adjustments.
United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The new pay equity mandate of the Commission aims directly at advancing the following UN Sustainable Development Goal and target:
- SDGs Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
- Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. Pay Equity also advances SDG goals tied to No Poverty (Goal 1), Gender Equality (Goal 5) and Reduced inequalities (Goal 10)
Key risk(s)
There is a risk that some employers will not support the new employment equity horizontal audit approach. To mitigate the risk, the Commission will leverage strategic partnerships with key stakeholders and continue to build the value of a sector-wide audit model into our public messaging.
If there is a lack of cooperation between the multiple bodies responsible for ensuring compliance with the Accessible Canada Act, it could negatively affect disability stakeholders and potential complainants. To reduce this risk, the Commission will continue to establish strong working relationships with partners, including close collaboration with the Council of Federal Accessibility Agencies.
Without a sustainable engagement strategy, there is a risk that disability groups and stakeholders will experience consultation fatigue and unbearable financial pressure. To mitigate this risk, the Commission will explore electronic engagement tools, establish consultative working groups, research compensation options, participate in other organizations’ engagement efforts, and reach out to existing consultative bodies in order to maximize reach and impact.
Planned results for Proactive Compliance
| Departmental result | Departmental result indicator | Target | Date to achieve target | 2016–17 actual result | 2017–18 actual result | 2018–19 actual result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federally regulated organizations meet their employment equity, pay equity and accessibility obligations | % of management action plans completed by federally regulated organizations within the negotiated timeframe | 50% | March 31, 2021 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Planned budgetary financial resources for Proactive Compliance (dollars)
| 2020–21 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) | 2020–21 planned spending | 2021–22 planned spending | 2022–23 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,237,731 | 5,296,249 | 7,912,368 | 9,885,966 |
Planned human resources for Proactive Compliance
| 2020–21 planned full-time equivalents | 2021–22 planned full-time equivalents | 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 51 | 74 |
Financial, human resources and performance information for the Commission’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.
Internal Services: planned results
Description
Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of Programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct services that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are:
- Management and Oversight Services
- Communications Services
- Legal Services
- Human Resources Management Services
- Financial Management Services
- Information Management Services
- Information Technology Services
- Real Property Management Services
- Materiel Management Services
- Acquisition Management Services
Planning highlights
The coming year will bring about important challenges for the Commission’s internal services. The recent addition of new mandates, Pay Equity, Accessibility and Housing, has resulted in additional responsibilities in terms of program delivery for the people we serve.
Our work under these new mandates has already started. It will continue to impact our activities this coming year on multiple fronts — from human resources, procurement, and accommodation, to information technology, information management, communications and legal and financial management services. These new realities also represent additional activities for the Commission’s management and oversight. Of particular note is the planning for the increase of Commission staff by approximately 50% that will require modernization and optimization of our workspaces. This will include ensuring our workplace is fully accessible.
Besides planning for those upcoming challenges, the Commission will continue to solidify its capacity in terms of information technology and information management to better support program delivery for our clients, for all our mandates. This will include initiatives to move from paper-based to digital documents. The Commission has also started development of a platform for a new Case Management System. This project will continue over the next few years. This new system will support the Commission’s efforts to improve access to human rights for Canadians through technology.
Planned budgetary financial resources for Internal Services (dollars)
| 2020–21 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) | 2020–21 planned spending | 2021–22 planned spending | 2022–23 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9,425,185 | 9,779,847 | 9,392,476 | 8,720,567 |
Planned human resources for Internal Services
| 2020–21 planned full-time equivalents | 2021–22 planned full-time equivalents | 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| 97 | 97 | 97 |
Spending and human resources
This section provides an overview of the department’s planned spending and human resources for the next three consecutive fiscal years, and compares planned spending for the upcoming year with the current and previous years’ actual spending.
Planned spending
Departmental spending 2017–18 to 2022–23
The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory) spending over time.
Departmental Spending Trend Graph - Text Version
| 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory | 2,413 | 2,437 | 3,379 | 3,459 | 3,705 | 3,985 |
| Voted | 20,494 | 20,276 | 27,046 | 30,145 | 31,036 | 30,012 |
| Total | 22,907 | 22,713 | 30,425 | 33,604 | 34,741 | 33,997 |
The increase between 2018-19 and 2019-20 and following years is mainly due to increase in funding for three new programs: Accessible Canada Act, Pay Equity Act and the National Housing Strategy Act.
Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)
The following table shows actual, forecast and planned spending for each of the Commission’s core responsibilities and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.
| Core responsibilities and Internal Services | 2017–18 expenditures | 2018–19 expenditures | 2019–20 forecast spending | 2020–21 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) | 2020–21 planned spending | 2021–22 planned spending | 2022–23 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | 4,710,337 | 3,891,880 | 6,713,357 | 6,842,569 | 7,032,255 | 6,753,143 | 4,747,568 |
| Human Rights Complaints | 9,035,218 | 10,343,569 | 11,223,379 | 10,991,787 | 11,495,921 | 10,683,454 | 10,642,486 |
| Proactive Compliance | 1,152,418 | 1,200,628 | 2,973,319 | 5,237,731 | 5,296,249 | 7,912,368 | 9,885,966 |
| Subtotal | 14,897,973 | 15,436,077 | 20,910,055 | 23,072,087 | 23,824,425 | 25,348,965 | 25,276,020 |
| Internal Services | 8,009,322 | 7,276,769 | 9,515,353 | 9,425,185 | 9,779,847 | 9,392,476 | 8,720,567 |
| Total | 22,907,295 | 22,712,846 | 30,425,408 | 32,497,272 | 33,604,272 | 34,741,441 | 33,996,587 |
2020–21 Budgetary planned gross spending summary (dollars)
The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net planned spending for 2020–21.
| Core responsibilities and Internal Services | 2020–21 planned gross spending | 2020–21 planned gross spending for specified purpose accounts | 2020–21 planned revenues netted against expenditures | 2020–21 planned net spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | 7,032,255 | - | - | 7,032,255 |
| Human Rights Complaints | 11,495,921 | - | - | 11,495,921 |
| Proactive Compliance | 5,296,249 | - | - | 5,296,249 |
| Subtotal | 23,824,425 | - | - | 23,824,425 |
| Internal Services | 11,579,847 | - | (1 800 000) | 9,779,847 |
| Total | 35,404,272 | - | (1 800 000) | 33,604,272 |
The Commission provides internal support services to certain other small government departments and agencies such as finance, human resources, acquisition and information technology services. These Internal Support Services agreements are recorded as revenues as per section 29.2 of the Financial Administration Act.
Planned human resources
The following table shows actual, forecast and planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) for each core responsibility in the Commission’s departmental results framework and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.
Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services
| Core responsibilities and Internal Services | 2017–18 actual full time equivalents | 2018–19 actual full time equivalents | 2019–20 forecast full time equivalents | 2020–21 planned full time equivalents | 2021–22 planned full time equivalents | 2022–23 planned full time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement and Advocacy | 30 | 24 | 27 | 38 | 38 | 29 |
| Human Rights Complaints | 71 | 86 | 88 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| Proactive Compliance | 10 | 9 | 15 | 36 | 51 | 74 |
| Subtotal | 111 | 119 | 130 | 159 | 174 | 188 |
| Internal Services | 69 | 82 | 82 | 97 | 97 | 97 |
| Total | 180 | 201 | 212 | 256 | 271 | 285 |
Estimates by vote
Information on the Commission’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2019–20 Main Estimates.
Condensed future-oriented statement of operations
The condensed future oriented statement of operations provides an overview of the Commission’s operations for 2019–20 to 2020–21.
The amounts for forecast and planned results in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The amounts for forecast and planned spending presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.
A more detailed future oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, are available on the Commission’s website.
Condensed future oriented statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2021 (dollars)
| Financial information | 2019–20 forecast results | 2020–21 planned results | Difference (2020–21 planned results minus 2019–20 forecast results) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 37,065,108 | 39,467,454 | 2,402,346 |
| Total revenues | 1,800,000 | 1,800,000 | - |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 35,265,108 | 37,667,454 | 2,402,346 |
The increase between 2019-20 and 2020-21 is mainly due to increase in funding for three new programs: Accessible Canada Act, Pay Equity Act and the National Housing Strategy Act.
Spending and human resources
Organizational profile
Appropriate minister(s): The Honourable David Lametti, P.C., M.P.
Institutional head: Marie-Claude Landry, Ad. E.
Ministerial portfolio: Justice
Enabling instrument(s): Canadian Human Rights Act, Employment Equity Act, Accessible Canada Act, Pay Equity Act, and National Housing Strategy Act
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1977
Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
“Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do” is available on the Commission’s website.
Operating context
Information on the operating context is available on the Commission’s website.
Reporting framework
The Commission’s approved Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory for 2020–21 are as follows.
Departmental Results Framework - Text Version
This diagram represents the Departmental Results Framework. It reflects the Commission's core responsibilities, the expected results for each program and the indicators used to assess progress.
The left column (in blue), depicts the first responsibility of the Commission known as engagement and advocacy. This responsibility includes a number of activities to promote human rights (including pay equity, employment equity and accessibility obligations) and raise public awareness about human rights across the country. It also include activities related to the National Housing Strategy and on the monitoring of the Government of Canada’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. While being a national voice for human rights, and through its promotion program, the Commission engages in partnerships with various stakeholders to bring about human rights change. To support the advancement of human rights, this responsibility also includes the referral of human rights cases before the human rights tribunal.
The middle column (in green), presents another key responsibility of the Commission which is to provide people with a mechanism to file human rights complaints. To resolve complaints, the Commission may in particular conduct investigations and offer mediation services. Those services, that fall under the protection program of the Commission can facilitate access to justice for people facing discrimination.
Finally, the right column (in pink) covers the last responsibility of the Commission which is to ensure that employers meet their employment equity, pay equity and accessibility obligations. Through the audit program, and as required by the law, employers are expected to identify employment barriers and take measures to eliminate representation gaps for the designated groups namely, women, visible minority groups, Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities. This program also aims to ensure that men and women in their workplace receive equal pay for work of equal value and will also ensure compliance for organizations subject to the Accessible Canada Act.
Changes to the approved reporting framework since 2019–20
| Structure | 2020-21 | 2019-20 | Change | Reason for change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CORE RESPONSIBILITY | Engagement and Advocacy | Engagement and Advocacy | No change | |
| PROGRAM | Promotion | Promotion | No change | |
| CORE RESPONSIBILITY | Complaints | Human Rights Complaints | Title change | Note 1 |
| PROGRAM | Protection | Protection | No change | |
| CORE RESPONSIBILITY | Proactive Compliance | Employment Equity Audits | Title change | Note 1 |
| PROGRAM | Audit | Employment Equity Audit | Title change | Note 1 |
Note 1: Title changed to reflect expanded mandate because of new legislation (Pay Equity Act and Accessible Canada Act).
Supporting information on the program inventory
Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the Commission’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information tables are available on the Commission’s website:
Federal tax expenditures
The Commission’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures that relate to its planned results for 2020–21.
Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance, and the Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government¬ wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis. The tax measures presented in this report are solely the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.
Organizational contact information
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
http://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca
Twitter: @CdnHumanRights
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianHumanRightsCommission
Appendix: definitions
appropriation (crédit)
Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A report on the plans and expected performance of a department over a 3 year period. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
departmental priority (priorité ministérielle)
A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Departmental priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.
departmental result (résultat ministériel)
A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.
departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.
Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
experimentation (expérimentation)
The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare, the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works and what doesn’t. Experimentation is related to, but distinct form innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.
full time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. Full time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])
An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2020–21 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2015 Speech from the Throne, namely: Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and a Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada's Strength; and Security and Opportunity.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement)
What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)
The process of communicating evidence based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision-making, accountability and transparency.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.
A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
program (programme)
Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
Identifies all of the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.
result (résultat)
An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
strategic outcome (résultat stratégique)
A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.