Supplementary information tables

Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

This supplementary information table supports the commitment in the Federal Sustainable Development Act (FSDA) to make environmental decision-making more transparent and accountable to Parliament. It also contributes to an integrated, whole?of?government view of activities supporting environmental sustainability.

Introduction to the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

The 2016 to 2019 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. In keeping with the purpose of this Act to provide the legal framework for developing and implementing a Federal Sustainable Development Strategy that will make environmental decision-making more transparent and accountable to Parliament, Public Safety supports reporting on the implementation of the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Sustainable development in Public Safety

Public Safety’s Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy for 2017 to 2020 describes the department’s actions in support of achieving:

• Low-Carbon Government: The Government of Canada leads by example by making its operations low-carbon.
• Safe and Healthy Communities: All Canadians live in clean, sustainable communities that contribute to their health and well-being.

This supplementary information table presents available results for the departmental action(s) pertinent to these goals. Previous years’ supplementary information tables are posted on Public Safety’s website.

Departmental performance by FSDS goal

The following tables provide performance information on departmental action(s) in support of the FSDS goals listed in section 2.

Context: Safe and Healthy Communities

Environment and Climate Change Canada published the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (“the Regulations”) in June 2016. The regulations set national air pollutant standards for various industrial sources (for example, certain gas-fueled boilers used in many industrial facilities, and cement kilns). The following tables provide performance information on departmental actions in support of the FSDS goals listed in section 2.

Report on integrating sustainable development

Public Safety will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets through its strategic environmental assessment (SEA) process. A SEA for a policy, plan or program proposal includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment, including on relevant FSDS goals and targets.

Public statements on the results of Public Safety’s assessments are made public when an initiative has undergone a detailed SEA (see here). The purpose of the public statement is to demonstrate that the environmental effects, including the impacts on achieving the FSDS goals and targets, of the approved policy, plan or program have been considered during proposal development and decision-making.

Details on transfer payment programs (TPP) of $5 million or more

Biology Casework Analysis (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Biology Casework Analysis (Voted)

Start date

2010–11

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2014-2015

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Border Policy

Description

This program provides contributions to the governments of Ontario and Québec, which operate forensic laboratories that undertake biological casework analysis for the purpose of criminal identification, and which also provide crime scene DNA profiles to the National DNA Data Bank (NDDB).

Results achieved

As of March 31, 2020, Ontario and Québec laboratories have completed 66,650 and 47,168 crime scene DNA profiles, respectively, which represents 66% of the 173,292 crime scene DNA profiles contained in the National DNA Data Bank.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

An evaluation of Public Safety’s role in support of DNA Analysis began in 2019–20 and was completed in May 2019.

Summary of the evaluation’s findings: The evaluation concluded that there is a continued need for Public Safety’s activities in this area as DNA analysis continues to be an important investigatory tool for the criminal justice system. In addition, both the demand for such analysis and the technology used in the process are increasing and evolving, respectively, which underlines the need to continue building capacity to meet these demands.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

Public Safety and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) engaged the governments of Ontario and Québec through visits to their laboratories, regular email and telephone communications, and participation in the bi-annual F/P/T (Federal/Provincial/Territorial) DNA Working Group.

Explanation of variances

N/A

Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (Voted)

Start date

2014

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2019–20

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Border Policy

Serious and Organized Crime

Description

Public Safety’s Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (CPCSOC) supports initiatives, research, partnership building, specialized police services, projects and programs to increase knowledge, raise awareness and/or help advance efforts to combat serious and organized crime. This is achieved through funding allocations to eligible recipients. Serious and organized crime (e.g., drug trafficking, identity theft, financial crimes, auto theft, contraband tobacco smuggling, human trafficking, and child sexual exploitation, among others) pose significant threats to the health and safety of Canadians.

Results achieved

In 2019–20, Public Safety supported the launch of the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline, which receives funding through the CPCSOC. As a result, victims and survivors of human trafficking can easily access supports and services needed to help them in their recovery.

Public Safety also signed contribution agreements with two provinces to increase their respective Internet Child Exploitation units’ capacities to investigate cases of online child sexual exploitation.

The Akwesasne Organized Crime Initiative and Kahnawake Organized Crime Initiative have contributed to the disruption of organized crime and related criminal activities in and around the Akwesasne and Kahnawake First Nation communities and surrounding areas.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

N/A

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

Applicants are engaged on a regular basis through targeted requests for proposals to address issues relevant to CPCSOC, e.g., human trafficking. In some cases, CPCSOC applicants are identified specifically (e.g., Canadian Centre for Child Protection, individual First Nations applicants such as Kahnawake and Akwesasne), based on the particular policy and program objectives being pursued. Once identified, applicants are engaged through a variety of means, as appropriate, including via email, by telephone, and through in-person meetings.

Explanation of variances

The $1.2 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019–20 is primarily the result of a lapse under the initiative for Building Law Enforcement Capacity to Address Drug-Impaired Driving in Canada. Policing resources are deployed according to operational priorities and thus law enforcement agencies have not been able to train as many officers in the Standard Field Sobriety Test and Drug Recognition Evaluation, and procure approved drug screening equipment for roadside screening.

Community Resilience Fund (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Community Resilience Fund (Voted)

Start date

2016–17

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Grant and Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2016–17

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Crime Prevention

Description

The Community Resilience Fund (CRF) supports the priorities of the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence (the “Canada Centre”) by providing time-limited financial assistance to enhance and/or support the countering of radicalization to violence research and programming across Canada. The CRF includes opportunities for local communities, organizations and academics to obtain funds for new and existing countering of radicalization to violence initiatives.

Results achieved

Under the CRF, PS continues to develop and implement youth-led projects selected under the CRF 2018-2019 Call for Applications which support the empowerment of young people working to counter radicalization to violence. The CRF also continues to advance the National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence objectives and priorities to build, share and use knowledge; address radicalization to violence in online spaces; and support interventions. In 2019-20, 10 new projects were implemented under the CRF, and a total of 25 projects continued to receive support, representing an investment of $6.23M.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

An evaluation of the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence was completed in July 2020. This evaluation included the CRF.

Summary of the evaluation’s findings: The Canada Centre has established a national leadership role and international profile in countering radicalization to violence. Projects funded through the CRF addressed identified priorities, and have assisted in building the capacity of organizations and countering of radicalization to violence practitioners. To help create a knowledge-base, and to collect data on the effectiveness of programming, the Centre should encourage and support project-level evaluations.

Moving forward, the focus will be on identifying more precise priorities and topics for CRF applicants, and providing enhanced guidance to ensure that funded projects are monitoring and assessing their activities in line with overall objectives of the CRF. These objectives include building capacity to address radicalization to violence through expert knowledge; enhanced cooperation and knowledge transfer to key stakeholders; and empowering local communities to take steps to prevent all forms of radicalization to violence.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

The CRF program maintains a mailing list, which is used to provide relevant countering of radicalization to violence information and future funding notifications to interested parties. Engagement efforts also include project support through regional offices, as well as events such as national stakeholder conferences.

Explanation of variances

The $0.8 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019–20 can be attributed to delays in the development and negotiation for a number of projects that were awarded funding through the July 2017 Open Call. Human resource limitations in applicant organizations and Public Safety, along with the timing implications related to negotiating and finalizing school-based projects, resulted in delays in finalizing the funding agreements.

Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (Voted)

Start date

1970

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

Terms and conditions were last amended in 2014–15. In June 2019, they were extended until March 31, 2022.

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Emergency Response/Recovery

Description

The Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) provides federal financial assistance to provinces and territories (P/Ts) affected by significant natural disasters such as floods and storms. When response and recovery costs exceed what individual P/Ts could reasonably be expected to bear on their own, the DFAA provides the Government of Canada with a fair and equitable means of assisting P/Ts.

The DFAA has guidelines in place that include an established cost-sharing formula. This is not a program with repayable contributions.

Results achieved

Six Orders in Council were approved in 2019–20. These Orders in Council declared the corresponding natural disasters to be of concern to the federal government, and authorized the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to provide critical federal financial assistance to P/Ts through the DFAA for response and recovery costs, including eligible mitigation initiatives.

In 2019-20, changes were implemented to the DFAA’s reporting methodology and semi-annual accounting exercise process following a review led by an external consultant. The results of the changes have greatly improved the program’s ability to forecast spending and manage appropriations more effectively without the relocation or re-profiling of funds.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

An evaluation of the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements Program was not completed in 2019–20, as a prior evaluation of this program was completed in December 2016.

The next planned evaluation of this TPP will begin in 2022–23.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

Two semi-annual accounting exercises and ongoing discussions with P/Ts on active events.

Explanation of variances

The $155.0 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019–20 is attributable to new funding of $155 million (Budget 2019 – Ensuring Better Disaster Management Preparation and Response Initiative) that was transferred through the 2019 Budget Implementation vote and as a result was not reflected in the planned spending for DFAA. As per the 2019–20 Public Accounts, the program did not lapse funds.

First Nations and Inuit Policing Facilities (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Funding for First Nation and Inuit Policing Facilities (Voted)

Start date

2018–19

End date

2024–25

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018–19

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Indigenous Policing

Description

Recognizing that there are pressing needs in terms of policing infrastructure in First Nation and Inuit communities, the Funding for First Nation and Inuit Policing Facilities Program (FFNIPF) is providing $88.6 million over seven years, beginning in 2018–19, to repair, renovate or replace policing facilities owned by First Nation and Inuit communities. The program will help ensure policing facilities comply with current building, policing, and health and safety standards.

Results achieved

In collaboration with provincial and territorial (P/T) governments, in 2019–20, communities with policing facilities requiring urgent repairs were identified and received funding under Phase 1 of the FFNIPF. The criteria used to select these projects included the urgency of the needed repairs and the threats posed to the health and safety of the infrastructure’s occupants. As a result, in 2019–20, approximately $6.9 million was attributed to recipients for 23 multi-year projects, whereby the provinces provided their funding cost-share of 48%. All approved projects were identified as urgent priorities by P/T representatives.

Public Safety continues to collaborate with P/Ts to launch a professional assessment of all community-owned police facilities in First Nations Policing Program (FNPP) communities which, combined with a set of National criteria, will guide funding decisions in the future.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

As the FFNIPF program was launched in November 2018, it has not yet undergone an evaluation.

The first planned evaluation of this TPP will begin in 2023–24.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

In collaboration with provincial and territorial (P/T) governments, in 2019–20, communities with policing facilities requiring urgent repairs were identified. All approved projects were identified as urgent priorities by P/T representatives.

Explanation of variances

The $6.2 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019–20 is primarily a result of delays related to Federal-Provincial-Territorial funding decisions.

First Nations Policing Program (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

First Nations Policing Program (Voted)

Start date

1991–92

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018-2019

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Indigenous Policing

Description

The First Nations Policing Program (FNPP), in conjunction with provinces and territories (P/Ts), provides funding to support policing services that are professional, dedicated and responsive to the First Nation and Inuit communities they serve. The FNPP is delivered through multilateral policing agreements which are negotiated amongst the federal government, P/Ts, and First Nations or Inuit communities. Additionally, the FNPP provides broad policy advice on Indigenous policing and justice issues, such as Indigenous self-government. The FNPP also undertakes research and performance measurement exercises to ensure that credible performance data is being collected. Performance measurement indicators include engaging stakeholders in developing policy options for improving public safety in First Nation and Inuit communities, and working collaboratively with other federal partners in addressing diverse challenges in First Nation and Inuit communities.

Results achieved

Public Safety continued to work with partners, such as the RCMP, P/T representatives, and Indigenous community members to develop and strengthen partnerships; raise awareness of issues facing these partners; and facilitate collaboration with the aim of improving services to communities and facilitating the role of FNPP officers.

Public Safety had previously announced that it would be providing up to 110 additional officers as part of the FNPP. Over 113 applications for additional officers were received, and 502 additional officers were requested in total. In 2019–20, 75 officers were allocated to communities with Self-Administered Police Service Agreements or the Ontario First Nations Policing Agreement, and 35 officers were allocated to communities with a Community Tripartite Agreement, for a total of 110 additional officers allocated. Public Safety began laying the groundwork to advance the Minister’s commitment to co-develop a legislative framework for First Nations policing. This framework recognizes First Nations policing as an essential service, and facilitates work with interested communities to expand the number of communities served by First Nations policing.

Public Safety continues to provide support to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada on the development of a National Action Plan to Address Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls. In particular, the Department has taken a leadership role in gathering input for two thematic areas: “Justice” (co-led with Justice Canada), and “Human Security and Safety” (co-led with Women and Gender Equality Canada). Public Safety, in collaboration with portfolio partners, also continues to assess where the Department may be able to contribute in responding to the Calls for Justice contained in the National Inquiry’s final report. Additionally, following the release of the National Inquiry’s interim report, Public Safety provided funding for a review of police policies and practices, to identify gaps and challenges in the delivery of culturally competent policing services. The four research projects funded through this review have now been completed and reports are expected to be published on the Public Safety website and are to be shared with law enforcement partners across the country.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

The evaluation of the First Nations Policing Program began in 2019–20 and is expected to be completed in March 2021.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

Public Safety continued its engagement activities with relevant program stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, P/Ts, and Indigenous organizations. The Department continued to work closely with the Department of Indigenous Services Canada and other federal departments to better address the policing and public safety needs of Indigenous communities.

Explanation of variances

The $44.8 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019-20 is primarily attributable to a $52.9 million transfer to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) through Supplementary Estimates. Since the mid-2000s, funding has been transferred to the RCMP annually via the Supplementary Estimates (Public Safety Grants and Contributions Vote 5 to RCMP Operating Vote 1).  A portion of FNPP funding is provided to the RCMP to support the provision of dedicated and responsive policing services by RCMP police officers to 280 Indigenous communities across Canada.

Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund (Voted)

Start date

2018

End date

2023

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018–19

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Crime Prevention

Description

The objective of the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund (GGVAF) is to support law enforcement and intervention initiatives at the provincial and territorial (P/T), municipal and community levels by providing funding to P/Ts. Funding is provided to P/Ts with the goals of supporting police services and other organizations in enhancing efforts to prevent, disrupt and combat gun and gang violence, and increasing awareness and understanding of related issues. 

Results achieved

Since the inception of the program, P/Ts have indicated a positive effect on their ability to address gun and gang violence within their respective jurisdictions. In 2019-20:

• 100% of P/Ts indicated that GGVAF funding has enabled them to better respond to gun and gang violence in their jurisdiction;
• 58% of P/Ts have integrated knowledge from funded initiatives into their practice or decision-making; and
• 67% of respondents have provided new resources dedicated to guns and gangs within their police services.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

The first planned evaluation of the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund will begin in 2022-23.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

As P/Ts are the sole eligible recipients to receive contributions under the GGVAF, the engagement of recipients takes place at various fora attended by federal, provincial and territorial government representatives.

Explanation of variances

The $7.6 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019–20 is primarily attributable to a re-profile of funds from 2018–19 not reflected in the planned spending. This additional funding was required to allow Provinces and Territories to fully establish their work plan and set-up programs or initiatives. The lapse, as presented in 2019–20 Public Accounts is $0.3 million.

Memorial Grant Program for First Responders (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Memorial Grant Program for First Responders (Voted)

Start date

2018-19

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Grant

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018-19

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

Description

In recognition of the critical role of first responders in protecting Canadians, the Memorial Grant Program for First Responders (MGPFR) will provide a one-time, lump sum, tax-free direct maximum payment of $300,000 to the families of first responders who have died as a result of their duties.

Results achieved

In 2019-20, Public Safety ensured that:

• Stakeholders are aware of the program and assisted with promotion. This involved creating a website dedicated to the MGPFR, which included awareness brochures and FAQs. Additionally, Public Safety hosted several meetings with stakeholders to discuss the MGPFR and to assist with promotion, including through the distribution of brochures and presentations. Stakeholder websites have also been updated to include information on the MGPFR.
• Applications for grants were received, and 45 grants were paid. Additionally, eight Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) have been signed with provinces and territories, and work is underway on negotiating additional MOAs with the remaining provinces and territories.
• The community of first responders and their families were well-supported. This was accomplished through the issuance of $13.5M in grants to eligible families, in recognition of the sacrifices made by their departed loved ones.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

The evaluation of the Memorial Grant Program for First Responders is expected to be completed in March 2021.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

Stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous communities and the general public received consistent information about the program through the program’s website.

Explanation of variances

The $8.1 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019–20 corresponds to the volume of applications for this program in this particular fiscal year.

National Crime Prevention Strategy (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

National Crime Prevention Strategy (Voted)

Start date

National Crime Prevention Strategy: 1998–99

• Crime Prevention Action Fund: 2005
• Northern and Aboriginal Crime Prevention Fund: 2008
• Youth Gang Prevention Fund: 2007
• Security Infrastructure Program: 2007

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

• Crime Prevention Action Fund: Grant and Contribution
• Northern and Aboriginal Crime Prevention Fund: Grant and Contribution
• Youth Gang Prevention Fund: Contribution
• Security Infrastructure Program: Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

• Crime Prevention Action Fund: 2013
• Northern and Aboriginal Crime Prevention Fund: 2013
• Youth Gang Prevention Fund: 2011
• Security Infrastructure Program: 2019–20

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Crime Prevention

Description

The National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) is the federal government’s primary policy framework for the implementation of crime prevention strategies in Canada. Through the NCPS, Public Safety provides time-limited funding to organizations for the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based interventions, with a view to building knowledge of “what works” in crime prevention.

The NCPS’ goal is to reduce offending among those most at risk, such as children and youth who demonstrate various risk factors, and to prevent crimes from being committed. The NCPS provides national leadership in the development and dissemination of evidence-based crime prevention programs and policies, and supports projects that are responsive and appropriate to community and regional needs. The NCPS aims to increase the coordination and integration of effective crime prevention policies and programs at the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal levels, as well as increase the identification of, and response to, emerging priority issues and orientation of funding programs.

Results achieved

Under the NCPS, Public Safety continued to develop and implement projects across the country, focusing on at-risk communities and combatting youth gangs, youth violence, bullying and cyberbullying. Under the NCPS, in 2019-20:

• 83 new projects were implemented, which represents an investment of $49.6M over the lifespan of the projects; and
• $35.65M was distributed to 162 ongoing projects.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

N/A

The next planned evaluation of the National Crime Prevention Strategy will be in 2022–23.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

The NCPS utilized its mailing list to ensure potential applicants and recipients are informed of relevant activities and future funding opportunities. Public Safety continued to support the use of external networks to facilitate the exchange of information between funding recipients who are implementing similar models or promising practices in different communities across Canada.

Explanation of variances

The $2.6 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019-20 is due to the longer than anticipated time required to develop approved projects.

National Disaster Mitigation Program (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

National Disaster Mitigation Program (Voted)

Start date

April 1, 2015

End date

March 31, 2020

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2015–16

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

Description

The National Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) is part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to build safer and more resilient communities. The NDMP addresses rising flood risks and costs, and builds the foundation for informed mitigation investments that could reduce, or even negate, the effects of flood events. The NDMP fills a critical gap in Canada's ability to effectively mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from flood-related events by building a body of knowledge on flood risks in Canada, and investing in foundational flood mitigation activities. Knowledge that is up-to-date and accessible will not only help governments, communities and individuals to understand flood risks and employ effective mitigation strategies to reduce the impacts of flooding, but will also further discussions on developing a residential flood insurance market in Canada.

The NDMP has two components: (1) the Mitigation Contribution Component (MCC) which provides financial support to provinces (up to 50%) and territories (up to 75%) for cost-shared projects in four stream of eligible activities; and, (2) the Targeted National Capabilities Component (TNCC) which helps in building the foundation for future mitigation efforts by investing in three key areas (related to risk, resilience and awareness).

Results achieved

In the 2019–20 fiscal year, 109 projects were approved. Of the 109 approved projects, 16 were risk assessments, 41 were flood mapping, 22 were flood mitigation planning, and 30 were non-structural or small-scale structural measures.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

An evaluation of the NDMP was completed in December 2019.

Summary of the Evaluation’s Findings:

• Flood disasters are the most common and costly natural disasters affecting Canada. There is a continued need for a national approach to support investments in flood disaster mitigation;
• The NDMP complements other federal programs that provide funding for mitigation projects;
• There is a need for future mitigation programming to consider the relationships between hazards, to increase resilience in Canadian communities;
• The MCC contributed to an increase in the number of Canadian communities that undertook mitigation investment projects. In total, 363 projects were funded in 117 communities, which consisted mostly of flood mapping and both structural and non-structural mitigation projects;
• Challenges were identified regarding the MCC’s ability to invest the total allocated budget, and the ability of some provinces and territories (P/Ts) and First Nations communities to fully participate in the program;
• Administrative requirements and time limits for structural projects were seen as barriers;
• Analysis of demographic data revealed that the NDMP funded communities with higher representation of vulnerable populations, such as seniors and Indigenous community members; and
• The TNCC developed some of the planned mitigation tools including the Federal Flood Mapping Series and the National Emergency Management System. There is a continuing need to further promote the utilization of these tools.

Recommendations:

In the spirit of continuous improvement and the potential for future disaster mitigation programming, the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Emergency Management and Programs Branch should, among other things:

• Consider taking measures to better align any future disaster mitigation program timelines and processes with the P/Ts, and to streamline administrative and reporting requirements to facilitate participation of all eligible recipients;
• Examine existing requirements for structural mitigation projects, including exploring potential options relating to time limits, to reflect the realities of planning and completing structural mitigation projects;
• Further promote the use of the national risk and resilience tools and repository among relevant audiences; and
• Explore policy options to support all-hazard mitigation efforts to reduce disaster risks and related recovery costs across Canada.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

Regular engagement with P/Ts via the Public Safety Regional Offices, Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management, written correspondence, and the NDMP page on the Public Safety website.

Explanation of variances

The $15.8 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019–20 is primarily the result of the limited number of approved projects in 2019–20. With the program sunsetting in 2019–20, funding was restricted to one-year projects. Delays related to agreement negotiation and signature processes also impacted the program’s ability to finalize agreements with Provinces and Territories in a timely manner.  

Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (Voted)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (Voted)

Start date

1987

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2009–10

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

Description

The Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SARNIF) provides annual funding for projects that will improve the National Search and Rescue Program. The objectives of the program include promoting and supporting projects designed to develop and improve SAR prevention; enhancing the effectiveness of the SAR response in federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions; and sharing SAR response and prevention ‘best practices’ across the SAR community.

Results achieved

The efforts of the National SAR Program were supported to provide a seamless SAR program through improved partnerships and increased interoperability and cooperation.

In 2019-20, there were 8 new projects approved, and a total of 26 active projects.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

N/A

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

An evaluation of the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund began in September 2019. Findings will be outlined in the 2020-21 FY.

The next planned evaluation on this TPP will begin in 2024–25.

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

Engagement occurs through established stakeholder networks and governance groups, and generally involves the sharing of best practices and “lessons learned”. The SARNIF’s web page, which is hosted on the Public Safety website, is also regularly updated with relevant announcements and information.

Explanation of variances

The $1.8 million variance between actual and planned spending in 2019–20 is primarily the result of the limited number of new projects approved for 2019–20. This was due to various reasons, including project eligibility and alignment with program objectives and priorities. Furthermore, some projects incurred delays or underspent, consequently less federal funding was necessary for that fiscal year.

Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (Statutory Grant)

General information

Name of transfer payment program

Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (Statutory Grant)

Start date

March 28, 2019

End date

March 31, 2022

Type of transfer payment

Grant

Type of appropriation

Appropriated one time through Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018–19

Link to the Department’s Program Inventory

Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

Description

Through a grant of $65 million, Public Safety will provide the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS) with the funding it needs to purchase five new emergency ambulance helicopters in order to support the renewal of its current fleet. This funding will help accelerate the overall renewal to be completed over the next three years. This investment will also help support emergency response services in the region, and is aligned with the common priorities that all federal, provincial and territorial governments agreed to in the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada.

Results achieved

STARS has purchased five (5) H-145 helicopters and the planned delivery dates remain on schedule. The first delivery of one (1) helicopter is forecasted for December 31, 2020. The remaining four (4) helicopters are expected to be delivered between March 2021 and June 2021.

Findings of audits completed in 2019–20

There were no audits in 2019–20 (first year of project).

Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20

There were no evaluations in 2019–20 (first year of project).

Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20

Public Safety regularly engages representatives of the STARS to monitor the project’s progress, schedule and funding, as per the requirements of the funding agreement.

Explanation of variances

The $65.0 million variance in 2019–20 is a result of new statutory funding of $65.0 million from Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1 and therefore, it was not reflected in the planned spending.

Gender-based analysis plus

Institutional GBA+ Capacity

Public Safety’s Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) Action Plan (the “Action Plan”) is based on the following governance model:

• It is the responsibility of all areas of Public Safety to improve and maintain GBA+ capacity and to apply GBA+ considerations to all aspects of the Department's mandate;
• The Action Plan confirms that Assistant Deputy Ministers, with the support of their respective GBA+ Advisors, are responsible for ensuring GBA+ is effectively applied to initiatives, and for tracking and reporting on GBA+ outcomes within their area of responsibility;
• The Action Plan establishes a GBA+ Advisor Network, which provides peer review services and advice on GBA+ matters in the areas of specialization of the advisors. The Advisor Network also serves as a learning and information-sharing forum on GBA+ best practices. The Advisor Network is chaired by the Department's GBA+ Coordinator;
• The Department’s GBA+ Focal Point (i.e., champion) provides senior-level leadership, including promoting GBA+ and mentoring the GBA+ Advisor Network; and
• Public Safety’s GBA+ Action Plan is updated annually and monitored by senior management through the Internal Policy Committee (IPC) (until the February 2020 realignment of Public Safety’s governance structure when IPC was dissolved).

Accountability, monitoring and reporting mechanisms to ensure integration of GBA+ considerations in decision making include:

• All Cabinet documents require a comprehensive GBA+ analysis;
• The tracking of new policy and program proposals presented to senior management, through the IPC, to monitor the quality and consistency of application of GBA+;
• Biannual reporting to senior management, through the IPC, on the implementation of the Department's GBA+ Action Plan;
• All program evaluations brought to the senior management committee responsible for monitoring program outcomes (the Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee) also include considerations related to GBA+ outcomes; and
• GBA+ indicators that were built into Program Performance Information Profiles and the Departmental Results Framework are monitored to inform policy and program evolution and decisions.

Public Safety completed an internal “Laser Audit” on its application of GBA+ in 2019–20. The Audit’s recommendations include clarifying departmental GBA+ roles and responsibilities, and developing detailed reporting measures to monitor and report on GBA+ performance. Progress on deliverables includes:

• Conducting a survey among GBA+ Advisors, Policy/Program Analysts, Managers, and Executives on GBA+ roles and responsibilities;
• Developing proposed reporting measures and supporting tools (i.e., updated GBA+ Action Plan and departmental reporting templates); and
• Following a realignment of Public Safety’s governance structure, identifying an alternative senior management committee as a proposed venue to discuss strategic direction and results of departmental performance reporting on GBA+.

Highlights of GBA+ Results by Program

National Security Leadership

Public Safety leads and manages an interdepartmental working group to share best practices and promote the adoption of GBA+ principles and concrete GBA+ practices in the national security community, specifically.

Public Safety hosted an expert symposium titled “Unconscious Bias, Inclusion and Diversity in National Security” in March 2020, which featured 100+ participants from government, academia, and civil society. The purpose of the symposium was to build engagement and further research efforts on issues of GBA+, bias and cultural competency in national security. Public Safety also organized a panel with senior management participation at the Open Government Summit to discuss issues around GBA+ and bias sensitivity in national security.

National Security Transparency Commitment (NSTC): During their second meeting in December 2019, the National Security Transparency Advisory Group (NS-TAG) held a discussion with experts and guests on GBA+ and its use in the national security and intelligence landscape. This included discussing the importance of recognizing identity factors beyond gender; the role that GBA+ can play in assessing the potential bias of logic employed in artificial intelligence and algorithms; the importance of recruiting and retaining diverse talent; the intersection of GBA+ and DND’s defence policy; and the importance of GBA+ in community outreach.

Passenger Protect Program (PPP): The GBA+ analysis undertaken for the PPP at Public Safety examines gender, age and cultural background (including nationality), to reduce the potential for bias in the Secure Air Travel Act listing process. In addition, GBA+ considerations were incorporated in the Secure Air Travel Regulations amendments which support two major enhancements being made to the PPP:

• The establishment of a centralized screening system; and
• A Canadian Travel Number (CTN) for individuals whose air travels are impacted by the PPP, with a view to help address the issue of false name matches to the Secure Air Travel Act (SATA) list.

As a result, travelers will be able to choose a neutral sex or gender identifier (non-binary) at the time of booking. Non-binary gender indicators (including “U” and “X”) will also be accepted by air carriers for the purpose of centralized screening data. Likewise, those who apply for a CTN will be able to select a neutral sex or gender identifier, or the option not to specify or disclose a gender identity. Although gender-based data will still be required to support Canada’s centralized screening system, the regulations no longer require air carriers to verify the sex or gender of passengers at the boarding gate. Travelers will therefore be able to present identification documents without a sex or gender identifier.

Cyber Security

Public Safety requested the addition of GBA+ elements to the 2019–20 call for application and evaluation criteria for the Cyber Security Cooperation Program, to encourage that applicants for grants and contributions meet equity and parity in their proposals, where possible. The Senior Management Evaluation Committee has also ensured a fair and diverse regional representation in its recommendation of approval of successful applications.

Critical Infrastructure

GBA+ considerations continue to be considered by staff when brainstorming potential future services and programs which may enhance the resilience of Canada’s critical infrastructure community.

Border Policy

The Department’s contribution agreements with Ontario and Québec for DNA analysis under the Biology Casework Analysis Contribution Program (BCACP) supports the Government’s priority of addressing gender-based violence in Canada. The contribution agreements facilitate the work of the National DNA Databank, which help with “difficult-to-solve” crimes, including crimes which disproportionately affect women, such as sexual assault. The BCACP also facilitated the work of the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Statistics and research in Canada demonstrate that certain women are more at-risk for violence than others, including Indigenous women.

Corrections

The Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative (ACSPI) supports activities and outcomes directed specifically towards Indigenous Peoples living in Canada. Performance measures apply directly to Indigenous Peoples, including registered and non-registered First Nations (living on and off-reserve), Métis, and Inuit (living in Inuit Nunangat or elsewhere). Data collected on community engagement, participation, and community safety plan completion are disaggregated by Indigenous group.

ACSPI Engagement:

• 85% First Nations;
• 5% Métis;
• 6% Inuit; and
• 4% mixed communities in an urban setting

ACSPI Participation:

• 87% First Nations;
• 6% Métis;
• 2% Inuit; and
• 5% mixed communities in an urban setting

Community Safety Plan (CSP) Completion Rate:

• 83% First Nations;
• 6% Métis;
• 2% Inuit; and
• 9% mixed in an urban setting

Data collection activities of the ACSPI are being updated to track community safety plan implementation, disaggregated by Indigenous group, to develop and maintain a robust initiative “dashboard” to help identify gaps in support for various Indigenous groups. This could include means of determining how this initiative indirectly supports activities and outcomes directed towards Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, and LGBTQ2+ individuals.

Crime Prevention

Public Safety managed a research contract in 2019–20 on the topic of Incorporating Gender-Based Analysis into Crime Prevention. The research has been completed and the summary and report will be available in 2020–21.

As part of the GBA+ initiative, the 2018 National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) Call for Applications selected 50 projects that address youth violence, including cyberbullying, and which take into account gender considerations. During their project-development phases in 2019-20, the target populations of all 50 projects were clearly defined and appropriately captured in our data management system, to improve on Public Safety’s performance reporting.

During the Community Resilience Fund’s (CRF’s) 2019 Call for Proposals three GBA+ questions were added to the application forms. A description of GBA+ was included within the application guide, and applicants were also directed to Women and Gender Equality Canada’s online GBA+ resources. While some agreements are still in development, approximately 90% of the projects selected during this cycle are expected to collect disaggregated data pertaining to GBA+ factors, and 85% are expected to specifically address barriers to participation in planned activities. Additionally, a fourth funding stream for youth-led projects was added to encourage youth engagement in the CRF.

Serious and Organized Crime

The Department’s contribution agreements with the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking supports the Government’s priority of addressing gender-based violence in Canada. The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline officially launched on May 29, 2019, and is a confidential, multilingual service, operating 24/7 to connect victims and survivors with social services, law enforcement, and emergency services, as well as receive tips from the public. The hotline uses a victim-centered approach when connecting human trafficking victims and survivors with local emergency, transition, and/or long-term supports and services across the country, as well as connecting callers to law enforcement where appropriate.

Budget 2019 announced the Government of Canada’s intentions to establish a whole- of-government approach to combatting human trafficking. A GBA+ analysis was conducted using information gathered previously through extensive stakeholder consultations from across Canada on human trafficking.

The National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking was announced on September 4, 2019 and will help advance gender equality and diversity objectives, and will benefit marginalized and vulnerable populations which are at risk of being trafficked, including women and girls, Indigenous persons, LGBTQ2+ persons, persons living with disabilities, youth, individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and those living with precarious immigration statuses.

In 2019-20, Public Safety also supported the publication of the Trafficking in Persons, 2018 Special Juristat by Statistics Canada. The Juristat directly indicated that between 2009 and 2018:

• The vast majority of victims of police-reported human trafficking were women and girls (97%);
• About half (45%) of all victims of police-reported human trafficking were between the ages of 18 and 24;
• Nearly three in ten victims (28%) were under the age of 18, and the remainder (26%) were 25 years of age or older;
• Four in five (81%) persons accused of human trafficking since 2009 have been men; and
• Just over half (51%) of all accused persons were 25 years of age or older, and a further 43% were between the ages of 18 and 24. The remainder (6%) were youth, between the ages of 12 and 17.

GBA+ considerations continue to be considered by staff when implementing activities under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking.

Emergency Preparedness

Relocation and Accommodations for the Government Operations Centre (GOC) Project:

• GBA+ policy considerations have been and will continue to be taken into account throughout the various phases of this project. The design is informed by research on how building design and features, such as washrooms, feed into broader discrimination against persons of different genders, as well as those with different health or accessibility needs, and those with different religious or cultural observances in the work place.
• Public Safety, Shared Services Canada (SSC), and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) have worked together to ensure that certain basic design features (e.g., access to gender-neutral bathrooms, access to gender-neutral sleeping facilities, and building accessibility) have been included in the development of the criteria in the request for proposals for the contractor that was selected to develop the design of the new facility.
• While the GOC is somewhat unique in its space and infrastructure requirements, PSPC has experience in planning and designing facilities to accommodate diverse needs (e.g., PSPC Carling Campus project was the first to include universal all gender washrooms on every floor of each building), and will continue to provide oversight and guidance throughout this process.
• Regarding Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT) and telecommunications equipment required for the project, SSC's IT and telecommunications equipment (e.g., for teleconferencing) is configured to accommodate those who are visually or hearing impaired. In accordance with the Standard on Web Accessibility, web-based collaboration platforms and other technologies can accommodate visual impairment. In addition, SSC is able provide hardware and software solutions to accommodate the needs of specific individuals, where required.
• To monitor the GBA+ impacts of the project, Public Safety and PSPC have reviewed the construction documentation developed by the contractor and made necessary change requests at the 33%, 66%, and 99% stages of the design. GBA+ considerations have been embedded in the design features of the new facility, and Public Safety – in partnership with PSPC – will monitor construction to ensure compliance with GBA+ design requirements.
• Public Safety also plans to collect data associated with this initiative by surveying GOC personnel and stakeholders following relocation (move-in), to obtain qualitative feedback regarding the extent to which the new facility meets their operational needs. The collection of this data will provide feedback about an individual’s experience based on GBA+ and/or other considerations that may not have been identified at the outset of the project. While Public Safety does not anticipate that any major logistical issues will arise, items identified will be addressed as time and cost permits.

GBA+ analysis was applied in developing the Emergency Management Public Awareness Contribution (EMPAC) Program. Projects under the EMPAC aim to increase the awareness of vulnerable populations to the risks posed by natural disasters, and strategies to mitigate them. Some 17 project applications were received, reviewed and had decisions rendered as to their viability. The objective of the EMPAC Program connects with the principles of GBA+ analysis in that the Program’s objective is to increase the level of preparedness and readiness of vulnerable groups – particularly low-income Canadians, seniors, women, immigrants, and Indigenous communities – to natural hazards. Preliminary results from this work will be available in 2020–21. This was a new contribution program established near fiscal year-end.

Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

GBA+ analysis is integrated into the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada: Toward a Resilient 2030, and the National Risk Profile (NRP) initiative. These analyses will consider how risks and capability gaps may disproportionately affect different individual, communities, and vulnerable populations, in particular.

Similarly, work undertaken by Public Safety pertaining specifically to flood insurance program applied GBA+ analyses to determine how flood risk-reduction and mitigation efforts would benefit not only Canadian in general, but also vulnerable populations specifically.

Horizontal initiatives

Horizontal Initiative: Addressing Drug-Impaired Driving in Canada

General information

Name of horizontal initiative

Addressing Drug-Impaired Driving in Canada

Lead department

Public Safety Canada

Federal partner departments

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Note: Other government departments (e.g., the Department of Justice) are supporting this federal initiative. However they are not captured in this Horizontal Initiative table as they have not received funding through this initiative.

Start date of the horizontal initiative

April 1, 2017

End date of the horizontal initiative

March 31, 2025^{Footnote 3}

Description of the horizontal initiative

The objective of the horizontal initiative is to build law enforcement capacity to enforce new and stronger laws related to drug-impaired driving.

The initiative is designed to follow through on the Government's key objectives of protecting public health, safety and security.

More specifically, the initiative aims to protect public safety on roadways in Canada by equipping law enforcement with the tools, technology and training necessary to enforce the new drug-impaired driving legislation, and by adding to this deterrence through research, public awareness and the development of evidence-based policies.

The federal partner organizations will establish and implement ongoing delivery of this initiative including policy and program development; research and data collection; national public education and awareness activities; and tracking and measurement.

Activities are organized under five key themes:

• Policy and Program Development;
• Capacity Building;
• Training Development and Delivery;
• Devices and Processing; and
• Awareness Campaign.

Governance structures

Governance is provided through an existing Federal/Provincial/Territorial (F/P/T) Assistant Deputy Minister level committee on crime prevention and policing to provide high level oversight and strategic direction on the implementation of activities; and a F/P/T working group, represented by public safety and transportation sector officials and police forces that are responsible for planning and implementing a national plan of resources to build law enforcement training capacity across Canada. The F/P/T Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials led by the Department of Justice is responsible for supporting and developing legal policy options for impaired driving.

Public Safety Canada's Drug Policy Division provides a central coordinating role in tracking key project milestones and in reporting to federal Ministers.

The Government is committed to ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners. In May 2016, the F/P/T Senior Officials Working Group on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation was struck, to enable F/P/T governments to exchange information on important issues about the legalization and regulation of cannabis throughout the consultation, design and implementation of the legislation, regulations, and non-regulatory activities. Supporting F/P/T working groups and committees have also been established to facilitate ongoing engagement in key priority areas, including drug-impaired driving. In addition, existing F/P/T bodies are also considering the implications of drug-impaired driving, including F/P/T Deputy Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety.

Total federal funding allocated (from start to end date) (dollars)

$110,310,440

Total federal planned spending to date (dollars)

PS: $36,190,918

RCMP: $5,387,517

CBSA: $6,710,000

Total federal actual spending to date (dollars)

Including EBP, SSC, PWGSC, and Internal Services

PS: $21,340,111.40

RCMP: $3,916,849

CBSA: $5,084,630

Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative

N/A

Total federal funding allocated at the last renewal, and source of funding (dollars)

N/A

Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars)

N/A

Total planned spending since the last renewal

N/A

Total actual spending since the last renewal

N/A

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

2023-24

Performance highlights

Public Safety Canada

In 2019–20, Public Safety (PS) Canada continued to administer multi-year agreements with the provinces and territories aimed at Building and Enhancing Law Enforcement Capacity To Address Drug-Impaired Driving (DID) in Canada through the Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (CPCSOC). Under this initiative, the Federal Government is providing new funding, announced in 2017, to:

• Increase law enforcement training in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), the refresher SFST course, and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluation;
• Support the procurement of drug screening equipment approved^{Footnote 4} by the Attorney General of Canada for use by law enforcement; and
• Enhance data collection capacity and develop national standardized indicators on DID.

A key priority for 2019-20 was to develop a common set of data metrics and the implementation of standardized data collection and reporting on DID. An agreement was reached with provinces and territories on a series of shared data indicators, and on the type of future work required to improve the availability and completeness of data.

PS continued to improve the response to DID by investing in research to study the effects of cannabis on drivers. The Department is funding the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to conduct a laboratory study on the impacts of smoked cannabis on drivers ranging in age from 19 to 45.

Canada Border Services Agency

The CBSA provides training to border services officers in the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) which consists of three separate physical coordination tests that detect impairment by drugs, alcohol or both. Efforts to provide policy advice and guidance related to the process for detecting drug impaired driving were ongoing through the 2019-20 fiscal year.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

There were 24 Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) certification events delivered during the 2019-20 fiscal year. DRE certification events prepare all police agencies, including DND-Military Police, to accurately detect drug-impaired driving (DID). All sessions utilized International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) approved training materials developed by the RCMP. The RCMP also supported two Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) instructor development courses for DND-Military Police, and provided additional SFST courses for CBSA in developing their training plans for DID.

During the 2019-20 fiscal year, the RCMP successfully conducted engagement sessions with youth to discuss trends and current issues related to DID. The aim of these sessions was to educate youth about the consequences of DID and also to discuss related issues impacting their individual communities. This gave the RCMP the opportunity to learn directly from this group. Educational materials (e.g., brochures, videos, presentations, and workshops) outlining the impacts and consequences of DID for youth were also developed and delivered to this population.

Contact information

Kristin McLeod
Director,
Drug Policy Division
kristin.mcleod@canada.ca
613-991-4301

Performance information

Horizontal Initiative: An Emergency Management Strategy for Canada

General information

Name of horizontal initiative

An Emergency Management Strategy for Ensuring Better Disaster Management in Canada

Lead department

Public Safety Canada

Federal partner departments

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Indigenous Services Canada

Natural Resources Canada

Start date of the horizontal initiative

2019–2020

End date of the horizontal initiative

2023–24 (and ongoing for certain initiatives)

Description of the horizontal initiative

Natural disasters are a growing threat to the safety and economic stability of Canadian communities. The increasing frequency and severity of disaster events, particularly flooding, wildland fires, and earthquakes, can be attributed to a multitude of factors, including Canada’s changing climate, unsustainable development, and increasing urbanization. The correlative increase in post-disaster costs highlights the need to find innovative and sustainable ways to reduce disaster risks, and to strike an improved balance of responsibility for disaster costs across society.

Governance structures

Various governance structures are in place to ensure appropriate oversight and accountabilities for the Emergency Management Strategy (EMS), including the Assistant Deputy Minister Emergency Management Committee (ADM-EMC) as well as a Director General Emergency Management Committee (DG-EMC), in addition to working-level committees.

ADM-EMC meets quarterly and is chaired by Public Safety, with representation from federal departments with emergency management responsibilities as defined within the Federal Emergency Response Plan; all partner organizations within the EMS also have representation at ADM-EMC.

DG-EMC follows a similar structure at the Director General-level, and meets on a quarterly basis. DG-EMC reports upwards to the ADM-EMC, and provides direction to working groups, including the National Risk Profile Director General Coordinating Committee, which supports the DG-EMC. With the extended 2030 horizon of the EMS, ADM-EMC and DG-EMC serve as permanent governance committees for federal emergency management oversight.

Total federal funding allocated (from start to end date) (dollars)

$162,006,375 with $9,275,501 ongoing

Total federal planned spending to date (dollars)

$18,265,684

Total federal actual spending to date (dollars)

$16,976,947

Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative

2019

Total federal funding allocated at the last renewal, and source of funding (dollars)

$162,006,375 with $9,275,501 ongoing

Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars)

Not applicable

Total planned spending since the last renewal

$162,006,375 with $9,275,501 ongoing

Total actual spending since the last renewal

$16,976,947

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

2023-24

Performance highlights

In the first year of the EMS, significant progress has been made by departments to ensure better disaster management in Canada.

Strategic Objective 1 has been advanced by working closely with provincial and territorial (P/T) partners to advance the development of an action plan to support the EMS.

Progress was made in support of Strategic Objective 2 through development of the National Risk Profile (NRP) initiatives, which addressed multiple hazards. Strategic Objective 2 has also been advanced through interdepartmental collaboration, including by convening a Director General (DG)-level committee, and by refining the “All Hazards Risk Assessment” methodology for subsequent use with external partners; the Earthquake Risk Assessment initiative also engaged stakeholders throughout 2019-20.

Also in 2019-20, the NRP Floodplain Risk Assessment incorporated new data from Canada’s RADARSAT Constellation Mission satellites, thereby enabling daily updates of emergency flood maps and published new flood extent datasets on open maps. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) began working with PTs to compile all existing flood hazard data in order to support reporting for the NRP. Additionally, work on the Wildland Fire Risk initiative strengthened collaboration by establishing the NRP Intergovernmental Table on Wildland Fire Risk.

The NRP 2019-20 Earthquake Risk Assessment initiative also developed a draft of a national earthquake risk profile, the production of which will be coordinated between federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) authorities to support the development of seismic retrofit guidelines for some key building types. Those leading this initiative also hosted a workshop facilitated by experts from the Global Earthquake Model Foundation, to assist in building capacity for the use of the OpenQuake earthquake hazard and risk modeling software.

The Critical Infrastructure Resilience Programs initiative, which encompasses the Regional Resilience Assessment Program (RRAP) and the Virtual Risk Analysis Cell (VRAC), also supported Strategic Objective 2 by conducting a number of assessments across critical infrastructure sectors, and by providing owners and operators with several options for consideration regarding their security and resilience. VRAC also undertook a number of research and analytical activities focused on critical infrastructure resilience.

Strategic Objective 3 was advanced through the Wildland Fire Resilience initiative. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) established a research network on wildland fires and associated issues. This research network will help build the evidence-base for wildfire risk prevention and mitigation actions, and support the development of decision-support tools and systems.

Strategic Objective 4 was supported through an initiative on Early Earthquake Warning Activities in 2019-2020. This included the development of specifications for the system, including through consultation and workshops with FPT and international partners. Additional staff were hired and the procurement process for equipment has been initiated.

Contact information

David Myers
Public Safety Canada
269 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario. K1A 0P8
David.Myers@Canada.ca

Performance information

Note: The amounts above include contributions to Employee Benefit Plans (EBP), Core Support Services (CSS), Shared Services Canada (SSC) Core IT and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and departmental accommodation costs.

Note: The amounts above include contributions to Employee Benefit Plans (EBP), Core Support Services (CSS), Shared Services Canada (SSC) Core IT and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and departmental accommodation costs.

Note: The amounts above include contributions to Employee Benefit Plans (EBP), Core Support Services (CSS), Shared Services Canada (SSC) Core IT and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and departmental accommodation costs.

Horizontal Initiative: Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence

General Information

Name of horizontal initiative

Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence

Lead department

Public Safety Canada

Federal partner departments

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Note: Other government departments (e.g. the Department of Justice) are supporting this federal initiative. However, they are not captured in this Horizontal Initiative table as they have not received funding through this initiative.

Start date of the horizontal initiative

September 28, 2018

End date of the horizontal initiative

March 31, 2023

Description of the horizontal initiative

These activities deliver on a Budget 2018 Government commitment to take action against gun and gang violence by removing handguns and assault-style firearms from our streets, and for the Minister of Public Safety Canada (PS) to work with provincial, territorial and municipal counterparts to develop a strategy on how the federal government can best support communities and law enforcement in their ongoing efforts to make it harder for criminals to obtain and use firearms, and to reduce gun and gang violence.

The Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence (ITAAGGV) helps to support a variety of strategies to reduce gun crime and criminal gang activities, and is centered around three themes:

• Investing in communities through a grants and contributions program;
• Enhancing federal enforcement capacity within the RCMP and CBSA; and
• Enhancing federal leadership by Public Safety to promote improved data collection, research and information sharing.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP): The RCMP is expanding and enhancing existing services provided under the Investments to Combat the Criminal Use of Firearms (ICCUF) horizontal initiative by:

• Bolstering investigative firearms support nationwide;
• Leveraging increased capacity to conduct physical firearms inspections;
• Supporting strategic intelligence analysis related to street gangs;
• Prioritizing the use of the Canadian Integrated Ballistics Identification Network (CIBIN) for gang-related cases;
• Providing anonymous online capability to investigate firearm trafficking and smuggling;
• Enhancing analytical capacity to develop and produce actionable intelligence; and
• Establishing the Criminal Firearms Strategic and Operational Support Services (CFSOSS) team to coordinate efforts and support initiative partners with tools, strategic analysis, and research related to criminal gun usage and gang violence.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA): The CBSA is investing in new technologies and specialized training to better interdict illicit trafficking across the border by:

• Procuring detection technology for international postal processing facilities and major international airport facilities to streamline the inspection of mail and air cargo;
• Constructing facilities and investing in training to increase CBSA’s detector dog team capacity to identify drugs and firearms at ports of entry through less invasive means;
• Investing in IT capabilities to effectively leverage Interpol information to interdict high risk travellers at the earliest point;
• Developing and deploying national training products to enhance the CBSA’s effectiveness to identify, detect, and interdict illicit trafficking.

Public Safety Canada is providing funding to provinces and territories through the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund (GGVAF) to combat the issue of gun and gang violence in communities across Canada. Provinces and territories are responsible for further distributing funding to eligible recipients in their jurisdictions, in order to advance efforts in the priority areas of prevention; intervention; gang exit; outreach and awareness programming; strategy development; training; and enhancing intelligence sharing and law enforcement capacity to combat gun and gang violence. Additionally, Public Safety will enhance federal leadership by developing an integrated, results-based approach to reducing gun and gang violence across Canada. This includes developing expertise on guns and gangs, including linkages to other illicit markets; creating a national strategy; improving the collection of national data related to gun and criminal activity in a coordinated approach with partners; and, sharing information and best practices to avoid duplication of efforts.

Governance structures

Public Safety is establishing an Oversight Committee at the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) level for the ITAAGGV. Its role is to review the status of the various initiatives and progresses made in meeting results targets; direct that adjustments be made if necessary; and provide overall direction regarding the implementation of the horizontal initiative. The Committee plans to meet at least twice per year, in intervals which correspond with the planning and reporting cycles.

Public Safety will chair the Committee, with participation from CBSA and the RCMP, and will continue to work together to implement the ITAAGGV, including the results measurement strategy. The working group plans to meet at least quarterly.

Total federal funding allocated (from start to end date) (dollars)

$373.8M

Total federal planned spending to date (dollars)

CBSA: $6,342,986

RCMP: $6,072,609

PS: $43,217,162

Total: $55,632,757

Total federal actual spending to date (dollars)

CBSA: $7,599,186

RCMP: $4,272,453

PS: $40,739,689

Total: $52,611,328

Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative

N/A

Total federal funding allocated at the last renewal, and source of funding (dollars)

N/A

Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars)

N/A

Total planned spending since the last renewal

N/A

Total actual spending since the last renewal

N/A

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

Public Safety Canada will report on results/actions for Year 2 in fall 2020. An evaluation is scheduled for completion end fiscal year 2022-23.

Performance highlights

The majority of the ITTAAGV funding (approximately $214M) was provided to Public Safety through the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund (GGVAF). In 2019-20, twelve provinces and territories (P/Ts) have signed funding agreements, allowing the disbursement of funds in support of their efforts in enforcement, prevention, prosecution, data collection, and training. Public Safety is working to finalize the remaining P/T agreement.

Public Safety’s research priorities include engagement with academic and external partners from across Canada to share knowledge of good practices and emerging priorities, and to identify specific research and data gaps. Plans were underway to host a guns and gangs summit in spring 2020, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic planning has been postponed while alternative virtual options are being explored. In 2019-20, members of the Guns and Gangs Policy Unit developed further knowledge and expertise, as well as engaged with stakeholders at Gun and Gang conferences in both Toronto and Vancouver. Moreover, members of the policy unit observed a ride-along with the Surrey Gang Enforcement Team; met with provincial and regional public safety counterparts; and consulted with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit – BC, and various other program representatives which received funding from the GGVAF.

As a follow-up to the recommendations of a 2018-19 feasibility study on the collection of additional data on the criminal use of firearms, in 2019-20 the Firearms Data Collection Study developed a blueprint for data collection which is to be implemented in 2020-21, to help prepare for data collection in 2021. Statistics Canada, in collaboration with Public Safety, continues work to improve data collection on crime guns and gang-related criminal incidents including developing a standard definition of ‘crime gun’ and ‘shooting’.

In addition, to align with Public Safety’s goal to enhance federal leadership, Public Safety is continuing with the development of a national strategy on reducing gun and gang violence. This strategy is being developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, with plans to be published by 2020-21. The strategy will be in alignment with recently announced legislative and regulatory measures which are being implemented as part of the broader Government of Canada firearms strategy.

The funding provided to the CBSA for operating and capital expenditures will increase the Agency's capacity to prevent illegal firearms from coming into Canada through the use of enhanced imaging technology, the expansion of the detector dog program, and additional officer training programs.

The following highlights were also achieved in 2019-20:

• The Air Cargo Security Initiative made some significant advances in 2019-20. Eighteen handheld units were procured, and will be deployed to Air Cargo operations. The deployment of nine units and training of officers at four locations was also completed. The remaining nine units and training of officers at four locations will be delivered in 2020-21, once COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted. Furthermore, fourteen additional Contraband Outfitted Mobile Examination Trucks (COMET) were purchased; eight vehicles were delivered in 2019-20, and the remaining two vehicles were delayed due to COVID-19, which will be delivered at the same time as the 4 vehicles scheduled for 2020-21. A statement of work and Request for Proposal (RFP) have been developed to secure a contractor for the customized fit-up requirements for the vehicles. Fourteen small tool kits and ION Scanners were also purchased, and will be deployed along with each of the vehicles. Significant planning for the implementation of the Pallet Large Scale Imaging equipment took place throughout the course of 2019-20. As a result, it was determined that only one site was ready for implementation in 2020-21. This delay was further exacerbated by COVID-19. CBSA will explore options to spread this initiative over four years with a new completion date for 2023-24.
• The Advanced Vehicle Concealment Course was development in 2019-20 and delivered as a pilot. Twelve employees participated in the pilot, while an additional twelve employees participated in the “Train the Trainer” events. The remainder of the training sessions scheduled for 2019-20 have been delayed due to COVID-19, and will begin once travel restrictions are lifted. Due to physical distancing measures, the completion of the formal training session may take longer than expected.
• One of the six Postal X-ray units procured has been installed and is now operational. The networking of this technology is moving forward through the software management lifecycle, and approval has been obtained for the intake stage.
• The business case for the All Weather Facility (AWF) has been completed, including the finalization of its architectural designs Gate 4 required documentation. The statement of work, which is required in order to issue a Request for Proposal to secure a contractor for the build phase, has also been completed. The project schedule has been modified, and a new completion date for the build is now estimated to be September 2021, with project close-out scheduled for September 2022. Unused funding was identified as a carry-forward for the 2020-21 budget.

Results from 2019-20 have included the prioritization of staffing actions for positions funded under ITAAGGV to bolster specialized RCMP services contributing to reducing criminal firearms usage in Canada. Specifically, these positions have strengthened RCMP capacities to support investigations through the provision of nationwide firearms services, firearms inspections and identification, intelligence development and analysis, and the management of specialized databases, experts, and training. This includes efforts to collaborate with key partners, including law enforcement and governmental agencies, to align efforts and share actionable intelligence. In addition, efforts are underway to:

• Build a consensus definition of street gangs;
• Coordinate national conferences and symposiums to educate key partners on the current landscape of gangs;
• Work to complete a national street gang assessment; and
• Develop a national working group to identify active street gangs in Canada.

The RCMP is also assisting in the identification and interception of firearms by studying the relationships between firearms and crime scenes. Collaborative efforts with external law enforcement agencies, including the Winnipeg Police Service and Edmonton Police Service, are underway to develop and implement an improved service delivery model with the goal of providing timely investigative information related to criminal firearm use. This information is then to be provided to participating agencies in order to assist in investigations by providing investigators with timely intelligence. The RCMP has also provided training to law enforcement partners to expand the capacity to respond to and examine firearm-related incidents. Also ongoing are focused efforts to engage with external partners—such as Statistics Canada—to improve access to firearms and gang-related occurrence data and promote approaches that enhance data quality and collection.

RCMP stakeholders are working to enhance intelligence networks to promote information sharing among internal and external partners. This bolstered analytical capacity is being positioned to produce actionable intelligence to share with regional police organizations, governmental departments, and international partners. These efforts have already led to multiple intelligence probes and surveillance operations being conducted and shared with partners in order to assist investigations on the illicit use of firearms and explosives. The RCMP has also established working groups to share intelligence and information on street gangs, in addition to joint force operations to exchange intelligence on firearm trafficking and illicit manufacture, and is also pursuing a number of initiatives to increase opportunities to detect high-risk individuals and their eligibility to hold valid firearms licenses.

Contact information

Candi Ager
Manager, Guns & Gangs Policy Development
Public Safety Canada
Candi.Ager@canada.ca
(613) 991-9932

Performance information

† Includes Internal Services, EBP, Centrally Held, and SSC. Changes to planned spending from the previously published Departmental Planning Report 2019-2020, are a result of updates to the Treasury Board Submission. This is now reflected in all sections for planned spending amounts under Public Safety (themes 1 and 3) in the Departmental Results Report 2019-2020.

† Includes Internal Services.

† Includes Vote 1, Internal Services, EBP/SSC/Accommodation.

Horizontal Initiative: National Cyber Security Strategy

General information:

Name of horizontal initiative

National Cyber Security Strategy

Lead department

Public Safety Canada

Federal partner departments

Communications Security Establishment (CSE)

Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Start date of the horizontal initiative

June 2018

End date of the horizontal initiative

March 2023

Description of the horizontal initiative

In 2010, the Government of Canada launched a national effort to defend against cyber threats via the National Cyber Security Strategy (“NCSS” or “the Strategy”). As the digital economy evolves, so do cyber threats, which requires a renewed approach which responds to the changing landscape. In 2016, the Government of Canada took the first step toward developing a new cyber strategy; a comprehensive Cyber Review was launched, and it included Canada’s first public consultation on cyber security which assisted in gaining insights and advice from experts, key stakeholders, and engaged citizens.

The updated NCSS—which was launched in 2018—responds to the findings of the Cyber Review. It recognizes that robust cyber security is an essential element of Canadian innovation and prosperity. The NCSS is therefore designed to be adaptable and to account for a continuously changing cyber landscape.

The NCSS introduces this new strategic direction and defines three goals to achieve its vision of security and prosperity in the digital age:

• Secure and Resilient Canadian Systems: with enhanced capabilities and in collaboration with partners, the Government of Canada will better protect Canadians from cybercrime, respond to evolving threats, and help defend critical government and private sector systems.
• An Innovative and Adaptive Cyber Ecosystem: the Government of Canada will support advanced research, foster digital innovation, and develop cyber skills and knowledge to position Canada as a global leader in cyber security.
• Effective Leadership, Governance and Collaboration: in collaboration with provinces, territories and the private sector, the federal government will take a leadership role to advance cyber security in Canada, and will, in coordination with allies, work to shape the international cyber security environment in Canada’s favour.

Funded through Budget 2018 ($507.7M over 5 years, and 108.8M ongoing), the initiatives under the NCSS represent an incremental first step to achieving this vision. As the NCSS is designed to be flexible, it is anticipated that additional initiatives could be identified as the cyber landscape continues to evolve.

Governance structures

The NCSS’s horizontal governance and oversight leverages existing inter-departmental cyber security governance structures, including the Deputy Ministers’ Committee on Cyber Security (DM Cyber). Chaired by the Deputy Minister of Public Safety, this committee meets regularly to:

• Establish policy direction for issues related to cyber security;
• Set cyber security related priorities for member Departments/Agencies;
• Monitor progress on the implementation of the Strategy at minimum biannually; and
• Consider emerging cyber issues.

Total federal funding allocated (from start to end date) (dollars)

$471,319,017

Total federal planned spending to date (dollars)

$172,077,937

Total federal actual spending to date (dollars)

$125,198,682

Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative

N/A

Total federal funding allocated at the last renewal, and source of funding (dollars)

N/A

Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars)

N/A

Total planned spending since the last renewal

N/A

Total actual spending since the last renewal

N/A

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

2020-21

Performance highlights

In its second year, the National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS) and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (the Cyber Centre) achieved several significant milestones, including:

Improving Integrated Threat Assessments

The Cyber Centre’s Strategic Assessments Program (SAP) broke new ground in the production of its first assessments, which were promoted to critical infrastructure providers, in particular. More specifically, it prepared assessments in 2019-20 pertaining to cyber threats related to COVID-19 and to Canada’s electricity sector. Beyond that, it has published numerous classified assessments (including those relating to the 2021 Census) and has created related material for a wide variety of audiences at various classification levels. The SAP has continued to hire strategic assessors and data scientists with the goal of increasing its capacity. It has also partnered with other Government of Canada assessment teams and academic researchers to continue improving its assessment and data science methodologies and approaches. Additionally, the SAP continued its engagement with critical infrastructure providers and Canadian government representatives in order to understand their concerns and requirements, and to better prioritize its production of cyber threat assessments.

Preparing Government of Canada Communications for Advances in Quantum

In 2019-20, the Cyber Centre allocated resources to continue developing project artifacts, as well as communicating and engaging with Government of Canada stakeholders on quantum preparedness activities. It also engaged with U.S. cryptography vendors and security partners to evaluate project deliverables against Canadian requirements and—where required—code modifications were identified. The first set of software upgrades by the vendors, initially targeted for release in 2020-21, will be delayed due to the pending resolution of those issues and the yet to be determined impact of the modified operational posture of both Canadian and international partners due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Expanding Advice and Guidance to the Finance and Energy Sectors

• The Cyber Centre continued to invest in partnerships with key associations and organizations within the energy and finance sectors. The Cyber Centre also increased engagement in the finance sector, including with cyber resilience and fraud groups. The Cyber Centre also started to expand the “PURPLECORAL” initiative to additional banks and an energy company. The negotiations for the legal agreements for this multi-way sharing project will continue into 2020-21, but should establish a scalable way to reach more partners in the future.
• Within the energy sector, the Cyber Centre increased its number of partners through a sector-wide initiatives, such as with the Energy Sector Community Call. The Cyber Centre spent much of the year engaging with partners to increase trust and confidence to levels that will permit more advanced activities, such as the deployment of basic and advanced cyber defence services and co-development of guidance for sub-sectors.

Canadian Centre for Cyber Security

• Since its inception in October 2018, the Cyber Centre has made great strides towards unifying three distinct groups into one new organization. Following consolidation, results of the Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) found an average improvement of 6.2% in the PSES results between 2018 and 2019, indicating that the Cyber Centre is successfully integrating into its new identity. The Cyber Centre has also made impressive achievements by establishing itself as the Government of Canada’s authoritative source on cyber security.
• In pursuit of its primary objective to stabilize the organization and its operations in 2019-20, the Cyber Centre progressed on consolidating the networks, platforms and applications formerly maintained by Shared Services Canada’s Security Operations Centre and Public Safety Canada’s Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre.
• In addition to technical integration, the Cyber Centre advanced its goal of physical integration with the opening of a new facility in Ottawa. In December 2019, 50 employees relocated and played a crucial role by demonstrating to their peers the wealth of opportunities offered by this new facility and operating environment. These staff helped to test new mobility and communications technologies; provided input into new policies and security procedures; welcomed partners and visitors to the new facility; and helped acclimatize the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) to its status as a multi-facility organization with a multi-classification environment.
• Finally, the Cyber Centre has improved its functional integration through the consolidation of roles formerly within the purview of Public Safety and Shared Services Canada, and through the modernization of incident management, incident handling, and operational coordination processes. This has included the development and documentation of new methodologies to clearly evaluate incident risks and severity, and the alignment of these processes and methodologies with the Government of Canada Cyber Security Event Management Plan.

Building a National Cybercrime Coordination Unit (NC3 Unit)

In April 2020, the NC3 reached full capacity. Reporting on NC3 performance indicators will commence during the 2020-21 fiscal year.

Building Federal Policing Cybercrime Enforcement Capacity

• Throughout 2019-20, the RCMP worked closely with public, private, domestic and international partners, as well as with victims of cybercrime, to achieve the desired outcomes of detecting, preventing, and responding to threats to the safety and security of the people of Canada and Canadian interests.
• Federal policing operates in an increasingly complex and evolving criminal landscape; this leads to investigations that are multifaceted and often multi-year in duration. Cyber-related occurrences, which are often connected to various types of crime (e.g. financial crime, organized crime), continue to increase annually. The RCMP has identified a need for additional dedicated cybercrime investigational capacity to address the growing workload.

Continue implementing a Cyber Security Student Work Placement Program

38% more students were enrolled in cyber-related programs compared to 2019.

Contact information

Public Safety Canada
National Cyber Security Directorate
PS.NCSD-DGCN.SP@canada.ca

Performance information

Horizontal Initiative: National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking

General information

Name of horizontal initiative

National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking^{Footnote 122}

Lead department

Public Safety Canada

Federal partner departments

Canada Border Service Agency

Financial Transactions and Report Analysis Centre of Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Women and Gender Equality Canada

Public Services and Procurement Canada

Note: Other government departments (Justice Canada, Employment and Social Development, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Global Affairs Canada) support this federal initiative, but are not captured in this Horizontal Initiative table as they do not receive funding through it.

Start date of the horizontal initiative

August 16, 2019

End date of the horizontal initiative

Ongoing

Description of the horizontal initiative

The National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (NSCHT) delivers on a Budget 2019 commitment to establish a whole-of-government strategy to combat human trafficking. Led by Public Safety Canada, the NSCHT builds on Canada’s current investments and response to human trafficking, and seeks to address identified gaps and challenges through an enhanced and strategic response to this issue, leveraging international best practices when appropriate. It is designed to bring all federal human trafficking efforts together under a cohesive framework to ensure enhanced coordination and alignment of initiatives and to be an evergreen roadmap for federal efforts that allows new activities and initiatives that advance Canada’s anti-human trafficking response to be incorporated as priorities evolve and additional actions are taken.

Guided by five strategic pillars of empowerment, prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships, the NSCHT will enhance efforts in a number of priority areas, such as the need for increased trauma-informed supports and services to protect and rehabilitate victims and survivors, and the promotion of culturally-sensitive approaches. The NSCHT will also aim to increase awareness of human trafficking so that Canadians can better understand the signs of this crime, and improve the ability of government officials and front-line staff in key sectors to identify, detect and protect victims and survivors. In other areas, it will:

• Increase intelligence and data collection capacity;
• Support law enforcement and the criminal justice system;
• Enhance federal procurement practices; and
• Strengthen partnerships across all levels of government, civil society organizations, the private sector and international partners.

The NSCHT is funded through an investment of $57.22 million over five years, beginning in 2019-20, and $10.28 million per year ongoing starting in 2024-25.

• Public Safety Canada received funding to launch a national public awareness campaign, provide enhanced funding for support services for victims and survivors of human trafficking, provide funding for at-risk youth pilot projects and youth hackathons, develop a national case management standard and multi-sectoral training tools, put in place a survivor-led advisory committee, appoint a Chief Advisor to Combat Human Trafficking, host an international conference, and hold annual stakeholder engagement sessions;
• The Canada Border Services Agency received funding to assess immigration enforcement processes and to establish a dedicated team of border officials to strengthen strategies;
• Women and Gender Equality Canada received funding to provide funding for the development and implementation of promising practices to enhance empowerment supports for at-risk populations and survivors;
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada received funding to better detect and respond to suspected cases;
• Public Services and Procurement Canada received funding to enhance federal procurement supply chains with the goal of ensuring that they are free from human trafficking and labour exploitation; and
• The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada received funding to enhance Project PROTECT and increase capacity to produce financial intelligence on money laundering.

Additional information on the National Strategy.

Governance structures

Public Safety Canada is establishing a Director General (DG) Steering Committee on Human Trafficking to provide oversight of the horizontal initiative, including addressing operational, implementation and technical issues. The existing working-level interdepartmental Human Trafficking Taskforce (HTT) will support the work of the DG Steering Committee. The HTT is a working-level, interdepartmental group that serves as a governance body for the NSCHT, and which brings partners together to share information and adapt approaches, as needed, to respond to emerging trends. The HTT is led by Public Safety Canada and consists of representatives from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Department of Justice (JUS), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Service Canada, Statistics Canada (STATCAN), the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and the Department of National Defense (DND).

Furthermore, existing federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) fora, including the FPT Working Group on Trafficking in Persons and the FPT Deputy Ministers’ and Ministers’ Public Safety and Justice meetings, will be leveraged to coordinate and share information across jurisdictions, including providing updates on the status of initiatives under the NSCHT and identifying opportunities for further collaboration.

Total federal funding allocated (from start to end date) (dollars)

PS: $22,606,861

CBSA: $7,583,478

FINTRAC: $ 2,494,007

IRCC: $8,950,170

PSPC: $5,191,688

WAGE : $10,000,100

Total : $56,826,304^{Footnote 123}

Total federal planned spending to date (dollars)

PS: $603,275

CBSA: $789,878

FINTAC: $89,619

IRCC: $994,170

PSPC: $540,091

WAGE: $0

Total: $3,017,033

Total federal actual spending to date (dollars)

PS: $508,054

CBSA: $406,136

FINTAC: $89,640

IRCC: $994,170

PSPC: $483,159

WAGE: $0

Total: $2,481,159

Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative

N/A

Total federal funding allocated at the last renewal, and source of funding (dollars)

N/A

Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars)

N/A

Total planned spending since the last renewal

N/A

Total actual spending since the last renewal

N/A

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

Public Safety Canada will lead a horizontal evaluation in fiscal year 2023-24.

Performance highlights

The NSCHT has had some delays in implementation in 2019-20 due to funding issues and additional requirements. This has caused some targets to go unmet or to change. Despite this, progress has been made in the implementation of the NSCHT. In 2019-20, the following results were accomplished by the partner Departments under the horizontal initiative:

Public Safety Canada developed and launched a public opinion research survey to support the development of the national public awareness campaign which will inform Canadians of the signs, facts, and resources to report incidences of human trafficking, while also informing them that no individual is immune to falling victim. The awareness campaign will be far-reaching in order to raise awareness across the country and in urban and rural communities alike. The Department also supported efforts by Statistics Canada to close knowledge gaps on human trafficking through the publication of the Trafficking in Persons in Canada, 2018 special Juristat and infographic^{Footnote 124}. The Department also made progress to prepare for the launch of its activities in FY 2020-21, including the development of calls for proposals to support enhanced funding under the Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (CPCSOC) for empowerment programs, at-risk youth pilots and youth hackathons; the development of terms of reference for the Survivor-led Advisory committee; and the establishment of an enhanced governance structure for the Government of Canada.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) undertook several staffing actions for the positions funded in Year 1 of the NSHT. Additionally, CBSA initiated the process of developing its implementation plan and terms of reference. Preliminary scoping work on the policy review was undertaken to define the work involved. Contracts for academic research were also initiated to provide comparative analyses on additional gender-based violence considerations in immigration enforcement policy.

“Project Protect” is an important element of the NSCHT, and since its inception has played a key role in helping to protect and rescue some of Canada’s most vulnerable citizens. Through Project Protect, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) worked closely with Canada’s financial institutions to develop “Operational Alert, The laundering of illicit proceeds from human trafficking for sexual exploitation”, to increase awareness and understanding of money laundering in relation to human trafficking in the sex trade. As a result of these efforts and the ongoing commitment of Canadian businesses, FINTRAC has received thousands of suspicious transaction reports in relation to Project Protect. In 2019–20, FINTRAC was able to provide 251 disclosures of actionable financial intelligence in relation to Project Protect, including thousands of transaction reports, to Canada’s municipal, provincial and federal police forces in support of their human trafficking investigations. During 2019–20, FINTRAC delivered a presentation on Project Protect at a Lawyers Without Borders human trafficking seminar in El Salvador. The seminar was attended by judicial authorities, law enforcement and financial intelligence units from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. FINTRAC also supported the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s workshop on Financial Investigations of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, which was held in Cairo, Egypt, and which helped train Egyptian law enforcement agencies on methods of conducting financial investigation and financial analysis in relation to trafficking in persons and smuggling migrants. FINTRAC provided a presentation on Project Protect to the Egyptian financial intelligence unit, law enforcement officials and prosecutors. Going forward, FINTRAC will continue to collaborate with its national and international partners on a number of priority projects, including combatting human trafficking.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has resourced full-time equivalents (FTEs) to conduct administrative investigations into transnational human trafficking networks; support enforcement partners; and provide valuable information to immigration officers globally, in order to better detect cases of human trafficking. IRCC has established a human trafficking working group to bring focus to how the Department manages human trafficking issues internally and promote effective information sharing. In February 2020, IRCC hosted a two-day symposium on human trafficking, bringing together officers from across Canada who are responsible for processing Temporary Resident Permits for Victims of Trafficking in Persons (VTIP TRP) applications, to ensure that officers have the information and tools they require to make informed decisions and identify victims of human trafficking. There has been a significant increase in the number of VTIP TRPs processed in 2019-20 by local offices; in response, IRCC developed processing efficiencies when a large number of cases are referred simultaneously. IRCC has also begun significant policy research and analysis to determine whether the policy tools (i.e. Ministerial instructions, public policy authorities, and program delivery guidance) used by IRCC continue to be sufficient and appropriate to address the changing nature of human trafficking of foreign nationals in Canada and the significant increase in cases coming forward for issuance of a TRP.

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) established a five-member ethical procurement team in Year 1 of the NSCHT. As the central policy function for ethical procurement in PSPC, the team is leading activities and initiatives to address human trafficking in federal procurement supply chains. In 2019-20, PSPC drafted a comprehensive policy research paper to guide its work over the course of the five-year Strategy; commenced the contracting process for a risk an analysis of human trafficking, forced labour and child labour in its procurement supply chains; and drafted a comprehensive consultation plan for revising the Code of Conduct for Procurement, which will outline expectations on labour and human rights for suppliers. PSPC also continued to engage with other committed governments, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom, on preventing and addressing human trafficking in government procurement practices.

Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) completed analyses and established funding parameters to support the development and implementation of the Human Trafficking Initiative Call for Proposals, which is planned for 2020-21. The funding initiative will support organizations working to prevent human trafficking and support survivors of these crimes. WAGE also completed several stakeholder engagements on the impacts of COVID-19 on gender-based violence sector organizations.

Contact information

Mark Schindel
Manager, Policy Development
Serious and Organized Crime Division
Mark.Schindel@canada.ca

Performance information^{Footnote 125}

Responses to parliamentary committees and external audits

Responses to parliamentary committees

Government Response to the Twenty-fourth Report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights entitled: Moving Forward in the Fight against Human Trafficking in Canada.

Summary:

In December 2018, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST) tabled its report, entitled “Moving Forward in the Fight against Human Trafficking”. This report and the study preceding it were undertaken by JUST with the goals of examining a number of issues and efforts undertaken to combat human trafficking in Canada, including detecting and preventing human trafficking; prosecuting human traffickers; the effectiveness and challenges of the current legal framework; the realities and challenges facing community organizations which assist victims; and making recommendations which address the needs of victims and other stakeholders, among others.

Recommendations:

The Committee provided 17 recommendations in its report, which fell into several larger categories, including (but not limited to):

• Detecting, preventing, and raising awareness of human trafficking;
• Protecting victims and survivors of human trafficking both domestically and abroad;
• The provision of training, education, programs, and/or materials to those such as judges, police officers, immigration officials, and medical professionals, among others;
• The collection, analysis, and distribution of data and information pertaining to human trafficking among stakeholders;
• The funding, collaboration, and coordination of federal, provincial and territorial governments;
• The revision, renewal or modification of various programs and policies, such as the National Hotline on Human Trafficking and the Enhanced National Action Plan to End Human Trafficking; and
• The public release and availability of the names and information of individuals convicted of human trafficking offences, or of establishments which have knowingly facilitated such offences.

Response Hyperlink/Summary:

Public Safety and the Department of Justice Canada provided a joint response to the report on April 10, 2019.

Corrective Actions:

The Government’s response to the report addressed each of the 17 recommendations individually, and also outlined both the existing and planned efforts of numerous Departments—such as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and Global Affairs Canada (GAC)—to combat human trafficking in Canada. The Government either agreed with or acknowledged the importance of all 17 recommendations, and committed to continuing to strive to prevent human trafficking in all its forms; to identify and support victims; to protect the most vulnerable populations; and to bring perpetrators to justice. In September 2019, the Government of Canada announced the launch of a new five-year National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, which now serves as a whole-of-government approach to combatting such offences in Canada.

Government Response to the Thirtieth Report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security entitled: M-161, Record Suspension Program.

Summary:

In December 2018, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) tabled its report pertaining to its examination of the Records Suspension Program (RSP). This study sought to:

• Examine the impact of a record suspension to help those with a criminal record reintegrate into society;
• Examine the impact of criminal record suspension fees and additional costs associated with the application process on low-income applicants;
• Identify appropriate changes to fees and service standards for record suspensions; and 
• Identify improvements to better support applicants for a criminal record suspension.

Recommendations:

The SECU found that an individual’s ability to find employment or housing, receive an education or travel, or successfully adopt or gain custody of children is negatively impacted by a criminal record. The SECU therefore recommended that:

• The Government review record suspension fees, and fee structure;
• The Government review the complexity of the record suspension process and consider other measures that could be put in place to support applicants through the record suspension process and make it more accessible;
• The Government examine approaches to criminal record suspensions in other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia;
• The Government consider regulating those individuals or entities who are charging fees to help current or prospective applicants with the record suspension process;
• The Government review use of the term “record suspension”, recognizing the impact it has on applicants and program objectives; and
• The Government examine a mechanism to make record suspensions automatic in specific and appropriate circumstances.

Response Hyperlink/Summary:

The Government provided its response to the SECU’s recommendations on April 10, 2019.

Corrective Actions:

Public Safety indicated its agreement that criminal records negatively impact an individual’s ability to be fully-contributing member of society. It also noted that it has undertaken a study of changes to the criminal justice system between 2006-2015, in addition to two separate public consultations pertaining to both pardon applications and records suspensions. Public Safety also indicated that it takes very seriously the SECU’s desire to ensure that neither the fees nor the process associated with record suspensions place an undue burden on eligible individuals, particularly those who are overrepresented within the criminal justice system. Public Safety also noted that the following findings from its above-noted consultations would continue to inform any future changes to the Record Suspension Program (RSP):

• The majority of respondents preferred the term “pardon” to “records suspension”, due to its connotation of a “clean slate”; and
• A majority of respondents supported—in specific circumstances, and based on the type or severity of the offence—the automatic suspension of records.

Public Safety has therefore committed to continuing to use the results of both consultations, its review of changes to the criminal justice system between 2006-2015, and the SECU’s findings and recommendations as guides for any future Government efforts to improve the RSP.

Responses to audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (including audits conducted by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

There were no audits in 2019–20 requiring a response.

Responses to audits conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

Horizontal Audit on Credential Validation

The audit examined a sample of 278 external appointments made between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016, across 15 departments and agencies, and across 20 occupations with responsibilities related to the health, safety or security of Canadians. The audit focused on occupational groups where the nature of the education or certification requirement are directly linked to the job specialization. The audit’s objective was to gather information on credential validation practices for appointments where education or professional certifications could not be validated with academic or professional organizations.

On February 8, 2019 PSC confirmed that Public Safety was compliant.

The audit results from all 15 organization were compiled and the report was published on May 29, 2019. The report is available on the Public Service Commission’s website.

Up-front multi-year funding

General information

Name of recipient

Avalanche Canada

Start date

July 3, 2019

End date

Ongoing

Strategic Outcome

Canada can effectively mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from all-hazards events.

Link to the Program Inventory

Emergency Prevention/Mitigation

Description

The goal of this project is to enable Avalanche Canada to expand services nationally to further ensure that more Canadians are better informed of the risks that avalanches pose, and how to be safe when participating in activities in back-country areas.

Audit findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan

N/A

Evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year, and future plan

An evaluation of is scheduled to begin in 2023–24.

Summary of results achieved by the recipient

This project aims to both stabilize levels of service (resources) in currently covered regions, and to expand existing services in Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland, Québec and the Yukon.

“Stabilization” Expected Results:

• Increase staffing to adequate levels;
• Attracting long-term employees; and
• Maintaining and improving current information technology products, such as AvID (Avalanche Information Distribution System).

“Expansion” Expected Results:

• Increase the number of regions receiving the daily avalanche forecast;
• Increasing the number of staff to accommodate newly-covered regions;
• Increasing the number of Information Technology (IT) staff; and
• Increasing both field and outreach capacity.

Special projects for 2019–20 included snowpack modelling, website upgrades, and research projects with Simon Fraser University.

Explanation of variances

N/A

Date modified:

2021-04-07