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From the Interim Chief Commissioner
As Interim Chief Commissioner, it is my pleasure to deliver the Canadian Human Rights Commission's Departmental Plan for the 2025–2026 year.
As Canada's national human rights institution, we promote and protect human rights in Canada.
At the centre of our work this upcoming year will be our steadfast commitment to our mission to promote and protect human rights in Canada, and our vision of an inclusive society where everyone is valued and respected and has access to equal opportunities, free from discrimination.
With that in mind, we will focus our priorities for the coming year on five overarching strategic operational priorities:
- 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; and
- 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.
We will continue to embed inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and anti-racism within the Commission, and in all the work we do that touches the Canadian public and workforce.
Guided by our strategic priorities, we will continue to operate as a single expert organization providing fair mechanisms for human rights resolution, enforcement, and advocacy.
This means we will offer free, confidential, and accessible pathways for people in Canada to understand their rights, resolve disputes, and seek redress. We will strive to resolve issues efficiently and effectively, often without the need for complex, lengthy, and costly public hearings. And, we will be strategic in the cases we litigate before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the courts. We will continue to approach our work in these cases through an intersectional lens, including prioritizing those cases involving systemic forms of discrimination and racism.
We will identify emerging human rights issues and work to realize a Canada that is inclusive, equitable, just, and barrier-free. And, we will do this through continued engagements with civil society and the people with lived experiences of the kinds of discrimination and barriers we are working to eliminate.
We will work closely with federally regulated organizations to promote compliance with the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA), the Employment Equity Act (EEA), the Pay Equity Act (PEA), and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).
We will provide support to the Federal Housing Advocate, whose mandate was recently renewed, to help advocate for housing rights for people in Canada in the most vulnerable of circumstances.
Finally, we will continue to hold Canada accountable to its international human rights commitments. We will seek opportunities to continue our work in monitoring Canada's implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The Commission will be working within a limited budget and resource allocation. We will continue to be nimble and strategic in where we prioritize our people and our work.
Key to this will be the continued modernization of our operations. We will prioritize the strengthening of our approach to data management and trends analysis, the redesign of our complaints case management system, and the enhancement of our digital transformation and procurement.
Together, as a diverse group of caring and compassionate people, the Commission will continue on our course this year to advocate for human rights, to provide enforcement and dispute resolution mechanisms that are fair, equitable, and respect the inherent dignity of all, and to keep pushing for an inclusive society where everyone is valued and respected and has access to equal opportunities, free from discrimination.
Sincerely,
Charlotte-Anne Malischewski
Interim Chief Commissioner
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
Core responsibilities and internal services
- Core responsibility 1: Engagement & Advocacy
- Core responsibility 2: Complaints
- Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance
- Internal services
Core responsibility 1: Engagement & Advocacy
In this section
- Description
- Quality of life impacts
- Indicators, results and targets
- Plans to achieve results
- Key risks
- Planned resources to achieve results
- Related government priorities
- Program inventory
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.
Indicators, results and targets
This section presents details on the department's indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2025–2026 for Engagement & Advocacy. Details are presented by departmental result.
Table 1: Full Compliance with the Paris Principles
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual Results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain A-status accreditation as Canada's national human rights institution |
| A-status | March 2026 |
Table 2: People in Canada are informed of their rights and responsibilities
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual Results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2023–2024: 2.0 million | At least 3.6 million | March 2026 |
Note: The methodology to calculate this indicator was modified in 2023–2024, so results cannot be compared with ones from preceding years.
Table 3: CHRC interventions influence law and support the advancement of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual Results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of interventions in the public interest before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the Courts | 2023–2024: 290 | At least 250 | March 2026 |
Note: This indicator was added in 2023–2024. Results are not available for preceding years.
Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for the Commission's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Plans to achieve results
The following section describes the planned results for Engagement & Advocacy in 2025–2026.
Full Compliance with the Paris Principles
Results we plan to achieve
In 2025– 2026, the Commission will continue to adhere to the Paris Principles and maintain our A-status designation.
- The Paris Principles is a framework established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to guide National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in promoting and protecting human rights. By emphasizing independence, transparency, and pluralism, the Paris Principles ensure institutions operate autonomously, with adequate resources and broad mandates.
People in Canada are informed of their rights and responsibilities
Results we plan to achieve
In 2025–2026, the Commission will:
- develop a comprehensive strategy to conduct ongoing stakeholder engagement with rights holders by:
- sharing information, through a quarterly newsletter, about new initiatives at the Commission, human rights topics, and our human rights complaints process;
- engaging with respondents and complainants to identify and address human rights issues, including systemic concerns;
- maintaining ongoing communication with relevant users of our systems to reduce barriers to access to our complaints processes;
- holding targeted meetings with regulated organizations to inform them of their rights and obligations under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA), the Employment Equity Act (EEA), the Pay Equity Act (PEA), and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA); and
- expanding outreach to respondents to raise awareness of discrimination trends in specific federal sectors.
- communicate and disseminate information on human rights issues by:
- issuing public statements, reports, or other publications on human rights issues;
- drafting remarks to support public and stakeholder engagement activities and Parliamentary appearances;
- producing social media posts across all platforms;
- achieving social media reach of over one million screen views;
- increasing website visits; and
- publishing a series of detailed reports on various areas of the monitoring framework for the right to adequate housing.
- strengthen inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and anti-racism (IDEA-AR) across the Commission, by:
- increasing engagement with employees and Commission teams on IDEA-AR fundamentals, to build capacity and foster inclusive practices;
- enhancing understanding of barriers to inclusion to shape strategies, initiatives, and reports focused on embedding IDEA-AR principles; and
- strengthening accountability and governance through the design and launch of IDEA-AR programs.
In 2025–2026, in support of our mandate under the EEA, the Commission will:
- publish the “2024–2027 Employment Equity Audit Forward Plan” on the Commission's website which includes information on upcoming employment equity compliance audit processes in the various sectors and on sector-wide audit reports.
In 2025–2026, the Pay Equity Commissioner will:
- engage in outreach with various key stakeholders and inform them of their rights and obligations under the PEA;
- publish guidance and tools to support employees, bargaining agents, and employers in understanding their rights and obligations under the PEA, and to promote compliance; and
- continue to make decision interpreting the requirements of the PEA publicly available.
In 2025–2026, the Accessibility Commissioner will:
- engage in outreach with various key stakeholders (for example, via inspections, compliance promotion efforts) and inform them of their rights and obligations under the ACA; and
- publish guidance and information for federally regulated entities to foster proactive compliance.
In 2025–2026, the Federal Housing Advocate (FHA) will:
- provide financial and human resources for one systemic housing issue referral to the National Housing Council annually;
- conduct FHA-led reviews of systemic housing issues every two years;
- follow up on existing reports addressing Inuit and Métis housing conditions and homelessness encampments;
- maintain collaboration with stakeholders, community organizations, and individuals with lived experience to promote the right to adequate housing; and
- stay engaged with the ongoing review panel referred to the National Housing Council in May 2023, focusing on housing for women, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse people.
CHRC interventions influence law and support the advancement of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility.
Results we plan to achieve
In 2025–2026, the Commission will:
- continue helping to develop federal human rights law and combat systemic discrimination by participating in cases before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal), the courts, and the Federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board; and
- represent the public interest and maximize our impact by examining closely and strategically our participation in human rights hearings, for complaints under the CHRA that were referred to the Tribunal.
Key risks
Delays in processing CHRA complaints could harm relationships with respondents and complainants, potentially affecting the Commission's broader mandates. To mitigate this risk, a case inventory performance measurement framework is in place to track progress on efforts to reduce delays, enhance credibility, and maintain public confidence.
Increased financial pressures and limited resources pose risks to delivering on IDEA-AR commitments. To mitigate this risk, the Commission is exploring ways to integrate initiatives and leverage existing resources to continue to foster an inclusive workplace.
A perceived lack of progress on the Commission's Accessibility and Anti-Racism Plans may erode public and employee confidence. To address this risk, we will implement a measurement framework in collaboration with employees, rights holders, and stakeholders to better assess and articulate impacts and outcomes.
The lack of funding for the role of the Commission as the National Monitoring Mechanism (NMM) for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities creates a risk of stakeholder frustration due to the Commission's limited capacity to meet expectations.
The FHA's Budget 2024 funding has been reduced by 52%, posing challenges to her mandate and long-term sustainability. Key risks include potential mandate erosion, as reduced funding may limit the FHA's capacity to address systemic housing issues; operational constraints that restrict strategic initiatives; and stakeholder criticism, which could damage the credibility of the FHA due to concerns over government support.
Finally, a lack of understanding of the Commission's multiple mandates may create false expectations. To address this risk, we will continue engaging with stakeholders to clarify our roles under the CHRA, EEA, PEA, ACA, and the National Housing Strategy Act.
Planned resources to achieve results
Table 4: Planned resources to achieve results for Engagement & Advocacy
| Resource | Planned |
|---|---|
| Spending | $5,976,730 |
| Full-time equivalents | 37 |
Complete financial and human resources information for the Commission's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Related government priorities
Gender-based analysis plus
The Commission will apply an intersectional lens, including Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus), in planning and delivering engagement and advocacy activities to fully understand how intersecting forms of discrimination affect people's lived experiences in Canada.
A new Case Management System (CMS) for CHRA complaints will help collect and disaggregate data to identify barriers and improve access for those engaging with the system.
We are committed to inclusive and accessible stakeholder engagement, ensuring diverse voices are represented. This includes improving meeting practices and inviting stakeholders with various lived experiences to provide feedback on updates to complaint rules, the new CHRA CMS, and complaint forms.
The Commission will integrate IDEA-AR analysis alongside GBA Plus to enhance stakeholder engagement and inclusion. We will also continue to advocate for better data collection, including disaggregated data.
As part of the Monitoring Framework on the right to adequate housing for people with disabilities, the Commission collects and analyzes disaggregated data comparing people with disabilities to those without, and further breaking it down by gender and indigeneity.
The OFHA will continue to apply GBA Plus to address systemic housing issues, with a focus on gender and diversity. The FHA examines how housing barriers uniquely affect marginalized groups, including women and gender-diverse people.
Program inventory
Engagement & Advocacy is supported by the following programs:
- Promotion Program
Additional information related to the program inventory for Engagement & Advocacy is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year
There were no changes to the approved departmental results framework associated with this Core Responsibility.
Core responsibility 2: Complaints
In this section
- Description
- Quality of life impacts
- Indicators, results and targets
- Plans to achieve results
- Key risks
- Planned resources 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.
Indicators, results and targets
This section presents details on the department's indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2025–2026 for Complaints. Details are presented by departmental result.
Table 5: People in Canada have access to a complaint system for human rights, pay equity and accessibility complaints
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual Results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of complaints completed by the Commission |
| At least 90% | March 2026 |
Table 6: Complaints are resolved consistent with private and public interests
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual Results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediation settlement rate |
| At least 55% | March 2026 |
Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for the Commission's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Plans to achieve results
The following section describes the planned results for Complaints in 2025–2026.
People in Canada have access to a complaint system for human rights, pay equity and accessibility complaints
Results we plan to achieve
In 2025–2026, for complaints under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA), the Commission will:
- ensure all work undertaken with respect to CHRA complaints is informed by our Accountability Framework, which promotes the dismantling of barriers for Indigenous, Black, and other racialized complainants, as well as other equity-deserving groups, and furthers the ongoing implementation of the Commission's Anti-Racism Action Plan, which specifically addresses anti-Black racism;
- update our Accountability Framework to leverage successes and identify CHRA complaints processing efficiencies, with a focus on CHRA complaints prioritized due to complainant vulnerability, public policy implications, and the potential for systemic remedies;
- enhance the implementation of our Accountability Framework through ongoing recruitment and retention strategies that prioritize the lived experience of employees from equity-deserving groups, thereby enabling and expanding our efforts to take a trauma-informed approach in CHRA complaints processing;
- focus on updating and improving procedures, processes, and tools, including:
- implementing a 90 day onboarding program to ensure all staff have the knowledge required to process CHRA complaints efficiently and equitably. This includes a thorough understanding of the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as bias, trauma-informed approaches, and how to recognize subtle acts of exclusion and understand their impact;
- initiating a review of our CHRA Complaint Rules to better define the rights and responsibilities of the parties throughout the complaints process, in addition to removing access barriers and improving accessibility for those navigating our CHRA complaints process;
- working on a new CHRA Case Management System (CMS) with a 2026 expected launch, which will improve accessibility, communication, data management, reporting, and efficiency, in addition to enabling better service provision to people in Canada, and enhancing our ability to analyze overall trends in race-based discrimination complaints, including systemic discrimination within federally regulated sectors;
- updating templates to ensure all external communications are accessible and inclusive; and
- enhancing case management functions to move files through the CHRA complaints system as efficiently as possible, including, where appropriate, to mediation and conciliation.
- explore partnership possibilities with legal clinics representing targeted demographic groups, such as linguistic minorities and equity-deserving groups to support rights holders when their needs are beyond our capacity or mandate;
- strengthen our relationships with community agencies, such as 211 Canada, to offer support to rights holders, whose needs fall outside the Commission's mandate; and
- continue advancement of federal case law regarding discrimination based on the grounds of race, colour, and national or ethnic origin by participating fully in a significant proportion of relevant CHRA complaints before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, and by hiring expert witnesses, as appropriate.
For complaints under the Pay Equity Act (PEA), the Pay Equity Commissioner (PEC) will continue to develop, modify and implement an efficient Pay Equity (PE) dispute resolution process for employees, bargaining agents, and employers (collectively “workplace parties”). More specifically, the PEC, will:
- provide workplace parties with a range of online services to file requests for authorization, matters in disputes, objections, and PEA complaints;
- continue the implementation of a new PEA Case Management System to ensure efficient data management, reporting, and processing of PEA complaints;
- deliver a range of PE alternate redress mechanisms, including mediation, to assist workplace parties in complying with the PEA; and
- continue building a body of jurisprudence through timely decisions interpreting the PEA.
For complaints under the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), the Accessibility Commissioner (AC) will ensure the process for filing ACA complaints is expeditious, accessible, and easy to understand. More specifically, the AC will:
- further explore options for a digital solution/system infrastructure to support an efficient and user-centred service; and
- develop ACA complaint processing tools to support the efficient management of ACA complaints received by the AC.
Complaints are resolved, consistent with private and public interests
Results we plan to achieve
In 2025–2026, for CHRA complaints, the Commission will:
- continue the use of case conferences with parties to address operational obstacles that cause delays in CHRA complaints processing, and to increase awareness about the steps in our CHRA complaints process;
- increase use of mediation and conciliation for early resolution of CHRA complaints;
- publish a mediation promotional video and a reference guide to demystify the mediation and conciliation process, with the goal of increasing participation; and
- update the CHRA Complaint Rules based on feedback from respondents and advocacy groups.
For PEA complaints, the PEC will:
- expand the use of alternate redress mechanisms with parties to cultivate understanding and collaboration in the PEA complaints process; and
- promote the use of mediation for early resolution of PEA complaints.
For ACA complaints, the AC will:
- promote the use of mediation for early resolution of ACA complaints.
Key risks
There is a risk that a lack of financial and human resources will hinder the Commission's ability to provide timely and efficient processing of complaints and delay our goal of reducing our complaints inventory. There is also the added risk of an unpredictable influx of cases at the Commission.
To mitigate these risks, we will continue to realign our resources to reduce backlogs in our system, as well as implementing organizational and structural changes that maximize the use of limited human resources. Moreover, we will continue to pilot new CHRA complaints processing approaches, developing new tools and resources, such as operational dashboards and job aids, streamlining our onboarding training for new staff, and investing in longer-term technological solutions.
Planned resources to achieve results
Table 7: Planned resources to achieve results for Complaints
| Resource | Planned |
|---|---|
| Spending | $13,734,341 |
| Full-time equivalents | 95 |
Complete financial and human resources information for the Commission's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Related government priorities
Gender-based analysis plus
The Commission continues to use gender-inclusive language in complaint forms and will continue to update all templated letters and communications to respect diversity. The Commission will engage user testers with diverse lived experiences to inform modernization process. Employees responsible for processing complaints will continue with GBA Plus training including trauma-informed approaches across the complaints system.
The Commission will continue to monitor and assess the effectiveness of its Accountability Framework, ensuring that multidisciplinary teams with varied lived experiences provide input on CHRA complaints. To further promote inclusion, both GBA Plus and IDEA-AR lenses will continue to be applied in evaluating the framework's impact. This will help identify barriers faced by equity-deserving populations and inform the design and delivery of CHRA complaints programming, ultimately enhancing access and reducing barriers for those who need the system most. Engagement with stakeholders will span through the fiscal year to seek input as needed.
Program inventory
Complaints is supported by the following programs:
- 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
- Quality of life impacts
- Indicators, results and targets
- Plans to achieve results
- Key risks
- Planned resources to achieve results
- Related government priorities
- Program inventory
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.
Indicators, results and targets
This section presents details on the department's indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2025–2026 for Proactive Compliance. Details are presented by departmental result.
Table 8: Employers are fostering a work environment that promotes equality of opportunities
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual Results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employment equity goal setting reports validated for conventional and horizontal audits | 2023–2024: 17 | At least 15 | March 2026 |
Table 9: Workplace parties have the tools and support to implement the pay equity plan process
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual Results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of stakeholder feedback indicating satisfaction with support and guidance provided | 2023–2024: 83% | At least 70% | March 2026 |
Table 10: Regulated entities have published accessibility plans, feedback mechanism and progress report
| Departmental Result Indicators | Actual Results | Target | Date to achieve target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of entities that are using my Accessibility Portal | 2023–2024: 84.5% | At least 80% | March 2026 |
Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for the Commission's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Plans to achieve results
The following section describes the planned results for Proactive Compliance in 2025–2026.
Employers are fostering a work environment that promotes equality of opportunities
Results we plan to achieve
In 2025–2026, as part of our mandate under the Employment Equity Act (EEA), and to ensure that federally regulated employers meet their Employment Equity (EE) obligations, the Commission will:
- publish the sector-wide EE horizontal audit report on racialized people in management and executive positions in the public service;
- launch audits from each of its three audit processes (conventional, horizontal and blitz); and
- issue up to 20 individual EE audit reports to employers in the public and private sectors.
Workplace parties have the tools and support to implement the pay equity plan process
Results we plan to achieve
In 2025–2026, the Pay Equity Commissioner (PEC) will:
- continue to produce quality guidance and tools to support employees, bargaining agents, and employers in understanding their rights and obligations under the Pay Equity Act (PEA) and to promote compliance;
- finalize and implement the online service for receiving, managing, and analyzing employer annual statement data;
- develop and implement the Administrative Monetary Penalties policy and system; and
- implement the Pay Equity audit program.
Regulated entities have published accessibility plans, feedback mechanisms and progress reports
Results we plan to achieve
In 2025–2026, the Accessibility Commissioner (AC) will:
- enhance information management technology to communicate with regulated entities, promote, monitor, and enforce the requirements of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and its Regulations, and handle ACA complaints; and
- develop and implement programming to promote, monitor, and enforce compliance with new regulations.
Key risks
If the Commission does not monitor employers' compliance with the EEA, there is a risk that employers may not implement or track the measures in their EE plans, potentially undermining the success of their programs, which often compete with other business priorities. To mitigate this, the Commission will leverage three existing compliance audit processes to monitor employers' EE programs from various angles.
Without improvements to the information management technology used for compliance monitoring and enforcement, key activities such as tracking, analyzing trends, and ensuring timely enforcement actions may be compromised, especially as the number of regulated entities continues to increase. To mitigate this risk, upgrades will be made to the existing infrastructure. Additionally, innovative solutions will be implemented to strengthen the PEC's capacity to promote, monitor, and enforce compliance with the PEA and its associated regulations.
Similarly, if the information management technology for compliance promotion, monitoring, enforcement, and handling of ACA complaints is not improved before new ACA requirements are enacted or ACA complaints are received, key activities could be negatively impacted. Given the high volume of regulated entities, efficiency and effectiveness may suffer. To reduce this risk, the Commission will enhance infrastructure and adopt innovative processes to support the AC's mandate to promote, monitor, and enforce compliance with the ACA and handle ACA complaints.
Planned resources to achieve results
Table 11: Planned resources to achieve results for Proactive Compliance
| Resource | Planned |
|---|---|
| Spending | $8,421,165 |
| Full-time equivalents | 59 |
Complete financial and human resources information for the Commission's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Related government priorities
Gender-based analysis plus
Pay equity targets gender discrimination caused by the undervaluation of work traditionally performed by women. Upon completion of the PE 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 2SLGBTQQIA+ 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 programs:
- 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
- Plans to achieve results
- Planned resources to achieve results
- Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Description
Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:
- 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
Plans to achieve results
This section presents details on how the department plans to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.
The Commission's various legislative mandates—including those under the Chief Commissioner, the Pay Equity Commissioner, the Accessibility Commissioner, and the Federal Housing Advocate—place significant and ongoing demands on our internal services. Each mandate carries distinct statutory requirements, creating competing pressures that must be managed effectively to fulfill our obligations. These demands stem from external statutory obligations and evolving compliance expectations, rather than internal resource allocation challenges. The fiscal year 2025–2026 will see these pressures intensify as the Commission works to meet the requirements of its legislative framework while delivering critical programs.
Specifically, these competing pressures will create challenges in Communications and Information Technology. The growing need for modern digital tools, enhanced service delivery, and the ability to meet evolving client expectations are crucial to fulfilling our legislative mandates and serving the public effectively. To address these external pressures and support the organization, the Commission will prioritize the implementation, updating, and development of tools and guidelines to improve internal capacity. Additionally, we will leverage technology to optimize business performance, enhance the client service experience, and improve resource allocation.
That said, our digital strategy focuses on the following actions:
- deploy modern accessible digital tools to internal and external stakeholders;
- continue to standardize our case management systems;
- provide a modern, reliable, and secure Information Technology infrastructure; and
- effectively manage and use data and information.
Planned resources to achieve results
Table 12: Planned resources to achieve results for internal services this year
| Resource | Planned |
|---|---|
| Spending | $11,359,262 |
| Full-time equivalents | 92 |
Complete financial and human resources information for the Commission's program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Government of Canada departments are to meet a target of awarding at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses each year. This commitment is to be fully implemented by the end of 2024–2025.
The Commission plans to achieve the mandatory minimum target of at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses annually by doing procurement planning, market analysis and selecting Indigenous suppliers where it is possible. More specifically, the following measures will help the Commission achieve its goal of awarding 6.25% of its contracts to Indigenous businesses by:
- Planning
- integrate Indigenous providers into the corporate planning function for procurement and investment planning that supports forecasting;
- align expected outcomes of procurement with opportunities to support Indigenous peoples' participation, where appropriate; and
- consider unbundling requirements, where appropriate, to support the participation of Indigenous suppliers, who tend to be smaller and more specialized.
- Conducting a market analysis
- consult the Indigenous Business Directory to identify potential Indigenous businesses; and
- use the Public Services and Procurement Canada's Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements application to view detailed information on existing standing offers or supply arrangements, including the ability to filter results to search for Indigenous businesses.
- Selecting suppliers
- use set-asides for professional services under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (e.g., THS, Proservices, etc.);
- optional set-aside: only qualified Indigenous firms are invited to bid on the contract.
- issue Task Authorizations under the Indigenous set-aside for task-based informatics professional services competitive contracts;
- use Indigenous resellers from the Standing Offer when buying IT hardware via Shared Services Canada IT Procurement;
- use Indigenous suppliers capable of providing Network Software licenses and maintenance; and
- use indigenous resellers from the Furniture Supply arrangement when purchasing.
- use set-asides for professional services under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (e.g., THS, Proservices, etc.);
Table 13: Percentage of contracts planned and awarded to Indigenous businesses
| 5% Reporting Field | 2023–2024 Actual Result | 2024–2025 Forecasted Result | 2025–2026 Planned Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total percentage of contracts with Indigenous businesses | 11.85% | 6.3% | 6.25% |
Planned spending and human resources
This section provides an overview of the Commission's planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2025–2026 with actual spending from previous years.
In this section
Spending
This section presents an overview of the department's planned expenditures from 2022–2023 to 2027–2028.
Graph 1: Planned spending by core responsibility in 2025–2026
Graph 1 presents how much the department plans to spend in 2025–2026 to carry out core responsibilities and internal services.
Image
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–2026 planned spending |
|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | $5,976,730 |
| Complaints | $13,734,341 |
| Proactive Compliance | $8,421,165 |
| Internal Services | $11,359,262 |
Analysis of planned spending by core responsibility
The Commission has reduced its planned spending on Internal Services and Engagement & Advocacy relative to 2024–2025 because of lower budgetary authorities in those years. New temporary funding was approved in Budget 2024 to support the Federal Housing Advocate, but the level of funding is lower than in prior years, so the program was reduced in size accordingly. Addressing the backlog of Human Rights Complaints and implementing the requirements of the Accessible Canada Act & Pay Equity Act are the driving factors behind increased spending on Complaints and Proactive Compliance.
Budgetary performance summary
Table 14: Three-year spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
| Core responsibilities and Internal services | 2022–2023 Actual Expenditures | 2023–2024 Actual Expenditures | 2024–2025 Forecast Spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | $6,793,072 | $7,373,685 | $6,232,483 |
| Complaints | $12,113,006 | $13,706,079 | $13,317,609 |
| Proactive Compliance | $8,127,230 | $8,627,465 | $8,148,277 |
| Subtotal | $27,033,308 | $29,707,229 | $27,698,369 |
| Internal services | $12,309,864 | $15,171,244 | $12,349,684 |
| Total | $39,343,172 | $44,878,473 | $40,048,053 |
Analysis of the past three years of spending
Spending in 2023–2024 was higher than in 2022–2023 and the projections for 2024–2025, primarily due to the signing of new collective bargaining agreements with a significant number of employment groups. The signing of these new collective agreements required one-time retroactive salary payments, which led to an increase in authorities and expenditures of $3.4 million in 2023–2024. The Commission also received a larger operating budget carryforward in 2023–2024, which was $815 thousand more than in 2024–2025. Due to lower budgetary authorities in 2024–2025, the Commission implemented a freeze on external hiring to keep its forecast within budget while continuing to explore options to improve efficiency within the context of its lower operating budget.
More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.
Table 15: Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
| Core responsibilities and Internal services | 2025–2026 Planned Spending | 2026–2027 Planned Spending | 2027–2028 Planned Spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | $5,976,730 | $5,071,160 | $5,071,160 |
| Complaints | $13,734,341 | $13,734,342 | $13,734,342 |
| Proactive Compliance | $8,421,165 | $8,421,165 | $8,421,165 |
| Subtotal | $28,132,236 | $27,226,667 | $27,226,667 |
| Internal services | $11,359,262 | $10,981,602 | $10,981,602 |
| Total | $39,491,498 | $38,208,269 | $38,208,269 |
Analysis of the next three years of spending
The Commission's planned spending in 2025–2026 does not differ significantly from 2024–2025 except for a decline in temporary funding related to the Accessible Canada Act of $845 thousand. In 2026–2027, the Commission is also planning for a reduction in funding for the Federal Housing Advocate from $1.8 million to $0.35 million which will lead to a further decline in spending on Engagement & Advocacy and Internal Services.
More detailed financial information on planned spending is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.
Table 16: Budgetary gross and net planned spending summary (dollars)
| Core responsibilities and Internal services | 2025–2026 Gross planned spending (dollars) | 2025–2026 Planned revenues netted against spending (dollars) | 2025–2026 Planned net spending (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | $5,976,730 | $0 | $5,976,730 |
| Complaints | $13,734,341 | $0 | $13,734,341 |
| Proactive Compliance | $8,421,165 | $0 | $8,421,165 |
| Subtotal | $28,132,236 | $0 | $28,132,236 |
| Internal services | $13,897,829 | ($2,538,567) | $11,359,262 |
| Total | $42,030,065 | ($2,538,567) | $39,491,498 |
Analysis of budgetary gross and net planned spending summary
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.
Information on the alignment of the Commission's spending with Government of Canada's spending and activities is available on GC InfoBase.
Funding
This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.
Graph 2: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a six-year period
Graph 2 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2022–2023 to 2027–2028.
Image
| Fiscal year | Total | Voted | Statutory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–2023 | $43,542,530 | $39,280,451 | $4,262,079 |
| 2023–2024 | $46,252,108 | $41,270,000 | $4,982,108 |
| 2024–2025 | $41,499,213 | $36,896,644 | $4,602,569 |
| 2025–2026 | $39,491,498 | $34,461,588 | $5,029,910 |
| 2026–2027 | $38,208,269 | $33,345,406 | $4,862,863 |
| 2027–2028 | $38,208,269 | $33,345,406 | $4,862,863 |
Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period
The Commission's authorities increased in 2023–2024 due to a one-time payment of $3.4 million in salary adjustments related to new collective bargaining agreements and a maximized operating budget carryforward which declined by $845 thousand in 2024–2025. Authorities in 2024–2025 include an Operating Budget Carryforward of $1.04 million, but no carryforward is included in the projected authorities for 2025–2026 to 2027–2028. In 2026–2027; funding for the Federal Housing Advocate is expected to decline from $1.8 million to $0.35 million which is the only significant change in authorities that takes place after 2025–2026.
For further information on the Commission's departmental appropriations, consult the 2025–2026 Main Estimates.
Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the Commission's operations for 2024–2025 to 2025–2026.
Table 17: Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ended March 31, 2026 (dollars)
| Financial information | 2024–2025 Forecast results | 2025–2026 Planned results | Difference (planned results minus forecasted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $47,711,246 | $49,395,904 | $1,684,658 |
| Total revenues | ($2,508,558) | ($2,538,567) | ($30,009) |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | $45,202,688 | $46,857,337 | $1,654,649 |
Analysis of forecasted and planned results
The variance between planned and forecast results is not significant enough to warrant a comment here.
A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated Notes for 2025–2026 including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, is available on the Commission's website.
Human resources
This section presents an overview of the department's actual and planned human resources from 2022–2023 to 2027–2028.
Table 18: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2022–2023 Actual full-time equivalents | 2023–2024 Actual full-time equivalents | 2024–2025 Forecasted full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | 39 | 40 | 38 |
| Complaints | 94 | 97 | 93 |
| Proactive Compliance | 57 | 56 | 55 |
| Subtotal | 190 | 193 | 186 |
| Internal services | 98 | 107 | 101 |
| Total | 288 | 300 | 287 |
Note: FTEs under Internal Services for 2022–2023 include 18 FTEs for Internal Support Services that the Commission offers to other small government departments. For 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, 19 FTEs in this category are included in the total.
Analysis of human resources over the last three years
The Commission reported higher FTEs in 2023–2024 due to higher temporary funding available in that fiscal year. FTEs have since declined to reflect the Commission's available authorities.
Table 19: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–2026 Planned full-time equivalents | 2026–2027 Planned full-time equivalents | 2027–2028 Planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | 37 | 28 | 28 |
| Complaints | 95 | 95 | 95 |
| Proactive Compliance | 59 | 59 | 59 |
| Subtotal | 191 | 182 | 182 |
| Internal services | 92 | 88 | 88 |
| Total | 283 | 270 | 270 |
Note: FTEs under Internal Services for 2025–2026 to 2027–2028 include 19 FTEs for Internal Support Services that the Commission offers to other small government departments.
Analysis of human resources for the next three years
FTEs are expected to remain stable for Complaints and Proactive Compliance, but a reduction in FTEs for Engagement & Advocacy and Internal Services is planned for 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 due to the decline in funding for the Federal Housing Advocate as of 2026–2027.
Corporate information
Departmental profile
Appropriate minister: The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., M.P.
Institutional head: (Interim Chief Commissioner) Deputy Chief Commissioner Charlotte-Anne Malischewski
Ministerial portfolio: Justice
Enabling instruments: Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act
Ministerial portfolio: Labour and Seniors
Enabling instrument: Pay Equity Act
Ministerial portfolio: Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
Enabling instrument: Accessible Canada Act
Ministerial portfolio: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Enabling instrument: National Housing Strategy Act
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1977
Departmental 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
Website: http://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca
X: @CdnHumanRights
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianHumanRightsCommission
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information tables are available on the Commission's website:
- Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus)
Information on the Commission's Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy can be found on the Commission's website.
Federal tax expenditures
The Commission's Departmental Plan does not include information on 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.
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, departments 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 an appropriated department over a 3-year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.
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 quantitative measure of progress on 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 on a department's actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
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. For a particular position, the full-time equivalent figure is the ratio of the number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person's collective agreement.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
Is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that 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.
Using GBA Plus involves taking a gender- and diversity-sensitive approach to our work. Considering all intersecting identity factors as part of GBA Plus, not only sex and gender, is a Government of Canada commitment.
government priorities (priorités gouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2025–2026 Departmental Plan, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government's agenda in the most recent Speech from the Throne.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative where two or more federal departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)
For the purpose of the Directive on the Management of Procurement Appendix E: Mandatory Procedures for Contracts Awarded to Indigenous Businesses and the Government of Canada's commitment that a mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses, a department that meets the definition and requirements as defined by the Indigenous Business Directory.
non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Non-budgetary authorities that comprise assets and liabilities transactions for loans, investments and advances, or specified purpose accounts, that have been established under specific statutes or under non-statutory authorities in the Estimates and elsewhere. Non-budgetary transactions are those expenditures and receipts related to the government's financial claims on, and obligations to, outside parties. These consist of transactions in loans, investments and advances; in cash and accounts receivable; in public money received or collected for specified purposes; and in all other assets and liabilities. Other assets and liabilities, not specifically defined in G to P authority codes are to be recorded to an R authority code, which is the residual authority code for all other assets and liabilities.
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 means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an department, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
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 those amounts presented in 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 the department's programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department's core responsibilities and results.
result (résultat)
A consequence attributed, in part, to a department, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single department, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the department'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.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that a department, 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.
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