2023-24 Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

From: Transport Canada

General information

Institutional GBA Plus Capacity

Governance Structure

Transport Canada (TC)’s Gender Based Analysis (GBA Plus) Centre of Excellence (Centre) provides oversight and guidance on all of the department’s GBA Plus initiatives. In late 2020, a new Gender Inclusiveness Champion was established, bringing together the Champion of GBA Plus and the Champion of Gender Diversity and Inclusive Services. There are no planned changes to the governance structure or resourcing levels for the 2023-24 fiscal year. While working in close collaboration with the support of subject matter experts across the Department, the Centre will continue to:

  • Support and monitor all TC GBA Plus initiatives;
  • Lead a “GBA Plus Intra-departmental Network” to promote greater integration of GBA Plus tools and knowledge into our operations and practices;
  • Serve as the main TC point of contact for:
  • Support the “Gender Inclusiveness Champion” whose role includes:
    • Promote and provide leadership on TC’s commitment to applying GBA Plus and the Policy Directive on Sex and Gender Information Practices to modernize how sex and gender information is collected by the department;
    • Ensure that TC’s policies, programs and initiatives are inclusive of all individuals by considering other identity factors beyond sex and gender, such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability;
    • Promote continued advancement of more informed and responsive policies, programs and initiatives through the use of GBA Plus as an analytical tool to systematically consider the various obstacles, barriers and conditions faced by different groups of people, in all their diversity, to achieve overarching goals of improving gender equality and contribute to a more fair and equitable society;
    • Advance the department’s work related to updating the collection, display and use of sex and gender data to align with the Policy Directive on Sex and Gender Information Practices; and
    • Representing TC at Assistant Deputy Minister-level meetings and working groups.
  • Provide overarching guidance to support subject matter experts (e.g., within air, rail, marine, etc.) with respect to questions that impact the development of GBA Plus assessments related to Cabinet documents.
  • Supporting TC access to online GBA Plus training and other pertinent resources.

Major Initiatives Undertaken and Progress Achieved

A number of results were achieved that delivered on initiatives set out in the GBA Plus Policy Statement for 2021 and beyond. In particular, the TC GBA Plus Centre of Excellence has:

  • Continued to promote GBA Plus mandatory training – as of late 2022, over 90% of TC employees had completed the online GBA Plus training offered by WAGE;
  • Regularly engaged the approximately 90 plus GBA Plus Network members at TC through email updates and meetings;
  • Continued integration of GBA Plus across departmental functions and activities, including the development of TC’s Gender Inclusive Language Guide
  • Participated in interdepartmental and international meetings and events, and promoted GBA Plus best practices (e.g., in early 2022, TC took part in the annual Consultation on Gender and Transport hosted by the International Transport Forum (ITF); in May 2022 the GBA Plus Centre of Expertise held information sessions for the completion of GBA Plus assessments of Cabinet documents).

In 2023-24, TC will aim to continue this work in support of the desired outcomes of its GBA Plus Policy Statement: integration of GBA Plus principles in every aspect of TC’s work; application of GBA Plus consistent and aligned with relevant overarching government priorities and commitments; and informed decision-making grounded in evidence-based intersectional analysis.

Highlights of GBA Plus Results Reporting Capacity by Program

Aviation Safety Regulatory Framework
  • The Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS) and data collected by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) is safety focused and does not collect information with respect to gender, the data collected focuses on event-based information. Only as much information that is necessary to carry out a mandate (safety in this case) is collected.
  • Transport Canada’s Civil Aviation Directorate created the Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EEDIC). This committee provides leadership and advocacy in fostering and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workplace through engagement, education, information sharing, and personal accountability at all levels. It aims to positively impact Employment Equity (EE) representation and to embrace the principles of diversity to foster inclusion within the department.
Aviation Safety Oversight
  • TCCA’s Oversight Framework is currently seeking funding to collect data in the future year to enable the organization to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity.
  • National Aircraft Certification formed a Diversity Committee within the Branch in 2022. Included in the Committee mandate is direction to develop specific Canadian Aerospace demographic data that can be used to supplement the TC demographics data. Diversity data representative of the Canadian aerospace industry will allow Civil Aviation's National Aircraft Certification Branch to assess Branch diversity in relation to our industry. This data will also help inform hiring processes, including any associated with the Aircraft Certification funding requests. TCCA will also be seeking opportunities to work with industry and other government departments to improve understanding of the benefits of the drone sector on the quality of life in all demographics through data collection activities in employment and participation in the sector. TCCA will also continue to look for opportunities to work with other federal organizations to promote the participation of women and other traditionally underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
Aircraft Services
  • Aircraft Services Directorate’s (ASD) program services are provided almost exclusively to internal to government clients from either the Civil Aviation directorate at TC with the majority of ASD's services being provided to Other Government Departments (OGDs) especially DND and CCG. ASD is focusing its efforts where it can exert some control, namely, on ensuring and promoting gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness within ASD. ASD contributes indirectly to multiple pillars of the GBA Plus Framework by ensuring that its internal policies and actions promote gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness in its work with the public and private sectors by allocating time and resources for training and activities on an ongoing basis to advance GBA Plus objectives.
  • ASD will continue to monitor its programs for opportunities to contribute to GBA Plus. As part of GBA Plus activities, ASD is proactively seeking to increase gender diversity and is updating official directorate policy documents (such as the Maintenance Control Manual) to utilize gender neutral vocabulary and its clothing policy to ensure GBA Plus considerations are incorporated. ASD's functions supports a broadly male-dominated occupational group (technical groups such as AO's and EG's).
  • ASD also reaches out to industry, educational institutions, tradeshows, to promote our organization with the goal of becoming more gender balanced within TC. ASD will continue its close ties with the aviation industry in the future, with the intentions of recruiting a more balanced demographic. In particular, ASD has been actively involved with the Canadian Women in Aviation which helps to promote and empower (both internally to ASD and in Canadian society in general) the value of females in the highly male dominant aviation sector. ASD had successfully completed EE competitions, which resulted in hiring a successful female candidate. ASD will continue working closely with Corporate Human Resources to continue this trend in the future.
Marine Safety Regulatory Framework The Marine Safety Regulatory Framework program does not collect information directly related to GBA Plus at this time. However, all Marine Safety regulatory initiatives undergo a GBA Plus analysis. The Marine Safety Regulatory Program will continue to consider gender-based impacts to guide the development of future marine safety regulations.
Marine Safety Oversight
  • Marine Safety Oversight program oversees the Canadian marine system, including the certification of seafarers.
  • Marine Safety and Security (MSS) collects information such as age, gender, location, and language preference via the various databases such as Transport Canada Inspector Database (TCID), Automated Certification Examination System (ACES); Multimodal Personnel Document Issuance System (MPDIS); and Pleasure Craft Operator Cards (PCOC), the information in these databases is not currently used as a means to assess how diverse groups of women, men, and gender diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives.
  • No planned actions to collect additional GBA Plus data with respect to oversight of the marine transportation system are being considered at this time. However, the Marine Safety Oversight Program will continue to consider gender-based impacts to guide the development of future initiatives including the recruitment and retention TIs (marine inspectors) within MSS.
Navigation Protection Program The Navigation Protection Program will strengthen the protection of Canada’s navigable waters by continuing to administer and implement the Canadian Navigable Waters Act, including the process for adding navigable waters to the schedule of the Act, pursuing new partnerships with Indigenous groups, and advancing regulatory proposals such as: create Cost Recovery Regulations to establish fees for services; repeal the Ferry Cable regulations; create new administrative monetary penalty regulations to strengthen enforcement, and the advancement of proposed CNWA Exemption Orders. GBA Plus information and analysis will support decision-making processes for all of these initiatives.
Indigenous Partnerships and Engagement We are currently developing policies and exploring the potential for partnership agreements with Indigenous communities. GBA Plus information and analysis will support decision-making processes for these initiatives. As part of the new Indigenous Relations Strategic Plan that is being developed, we will look at integrating a GBA Plus lens using a distinctions-based approach.
Rail Safety Regulatory Framework All proposed regulatory initiatives undergo a mandatory GBA Plus assessment. These assessments consider the practice of GBA Plus impacts to guide the development of future regulations.
Rail Safety Oversight
  • Rail Safety does not extensively collect information directly related to GBA Plus at this time.
  • Rail Safety Oversight has a working group focused on diversity and inclusivity, particularly as it relates to day-to-day operations.
Rail Safety Improvement Program (RSIP)
  • The names of legal entities applying to the program are recorded (e.g., provinces, territories, municipalities, and local governments, road and transit authorities, crown corporations, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations [including academia], Indigenous groups, communities and organizations and individuals), but no microdata or demographic data (e.g., age, gender, profession, Social Insurance Number, etc.) is captured or used by the program.
  • TC will support inclusive rail safety initiatives that target vulnerable groups (e.g., Operation Lifesaver [funded through RSIP] has an Indigenous Outreach component).
Multimodal Road Safety Regulatory Framework
  • MRSP Regulatory Framework supports departmental GBA Plus data collection through reporting of Motor Vehicle Safety (MVS) data on rates of reportable road traffic collisions, fatalities, and serious injuries.
  • Through the work of the Safety & Security Group GBA Plus Community of Practice (CoP), MRSP will work with other programs to establish best practices for data collection, analysis and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity.
Multimodal Road Safety Oversight
  • MRSP Oversight supports departmental GBA Plus data collection through reporting of MVS data on rates of reportable road traffic collisions, fatalities, and serious injuries.
  • Through the work of the GBA Plus CoP, MRSP will work with other programs to establish best practices for data collection, analysis and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity."
TDG Regulatory Framework
  • The Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulatory regime applies predominantly to companies as opposed to individuals, designated minority groups, or underrepresented populations.
  • The TDG Program is actively advancing initiatives under its modernization roadmap to broaden engagement with Indigenous communities and industry. These structured and regular consultations will enhance transparency and public trust, and provide new fora for obtaining input from diverse stakeholders.
TDG Oversight Beginning in FY 2023-24, TDG will work with other groups within TC to determine the most effective way to implement pertinent GBA Plus practices into relevant future Risk Assessments, such as direct consultations and input from Indigenous communities.
TDG Technical Support Development of gender inclusive language guidelines for the emergency centre notifications and situation reports (completion timeline: before end of fiscal year 2022-2023).
Aviation Security Regulatory Framework Aviation Security does not directly monitor or report on its program’s impacts by gender and diversity. Rather, the aviation security regulatory framework contributes indirectly to multiple pillars of the Gender Results Framework by ensuring that regulations and policies promote gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness in its work with both the domestic and international community. Gender-based impacts are also considered to guide the development of security regulations.
Aviation Security Oversight Aviation Security does not directly monitor or report on its program’s impacts by gender and diversity. Rather, the aviation security oversight contributes indirectly to multiple pillars of the Gender Results Framework by ensuring that regulations and policies promote gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness in its work with both the domestic and international community. Also, Gender-based impacts are considered to guide the development of security regulations.
Marine Security Regulatory Framework The Marine Security Regulatory Framework program does not collect information directly related to GBA Plus at this time. However, all Marine Security regulatory initiatives undergo a GBA Plus analysis. The Marine Security Regulatory Program will continue to consider gender-based impacts to guide the development of future marine security regulations.
Marine Security Oversight
  • The Marine Security Oversight program primarily deals with entities and not individuals. The program currently collects data on vessels, marine facilities and corporations, and any information on individuals is limited to contact information for their roles related to vessels, marine facilities or corporations.
  • No planned actions to collect additional GBA Plus data with respect to oversight of the marine transportation system are being considered at this time. However, the Marine Security Oversight Program will continue to consider gender-based impacts to guide the development of future initiatives including the recruitment and retention TIs (marine inspectors) within MSS.
Intermodal Surface Security Regulatory Framework Security Intelligence Assessment Branch (SIAB) does not collect data but is committed to ensuring that the GBA Plus objectives are met, and where applicable, will support future monitoring and reporting.
Intermodal Surface Security Oversight (ISSO) ISSO’s regulatory programs are security-based and do not generate gender related data, however during the regulatory development a GBA Plus was considered and analyzed. Furthermore, ISSO ensures that GBA Plus considerations are applied when implementing various standard operating procedures, and when drafting and developing program documents such as security inspection checklists and stakeholder guidance documents. In addition, for example, special consideration was taken when procuring personal protective equipment for the inspectorate for the TDG by Rail Security Program, as the previous one size fits all for various forms of garments, were not inclusive to female inspectors who often required smaller sizes.
Security Screening Certification The Transportation Security Clearance (TSC) program has continued to enhance the TSC application form to improve the user experience. The new form collects a significant amount of information, as is required to conduct background checks in collaboration with other federal departments. The program plans further improvements with the aim of streamlining and eliminating paper from the process, including the addition of digital signatures and an online portal. With improvements to date, the program collects structured and consistent data. The focus now is to develop reporting based on this data for ongoing/future GBA Plus assessments as well as for performance monitoring and reporting to senior management.
Emergency Management The EM Program does not collect data but is committed to ensuring that the GBA Plus objectives are met, and where applicable, will support future monitoring and reporting.
Climate Change and Clean Air
  • Currently, the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program conducts voluntary annual surveys of iZEV recipients and is used to gain insights into who is making use of the Program and its impacts on ZEV uptake in Canada. The survey collects information on individual gender, location, income, ethnicity, etc. These surveys are regularly reviewed to ensure relevant data are being collected and that approaches to enable reporting on the impacts of the Program along a gender and diversity lens are being considered.
  • The initiatives developed and delivered by TC’s Climate Change and Clean Air Program support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from various transportation sources. As such, they may support consumers and businesses in adopting new low carbon technologies, such as zero emission vehicles, and result in lower air pollutant emissions and human health benefits for communities adjacent to the transportation activity, helping support the pillars of Economic Participation and Prosperity, and Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being under the Gender Results Framework.
Protecting Oceans and Waterways Certain sub-initiatives of the OPP collect gender-disaggregated administrative data. For instance, the Marine Training Program targets training for underrepresented groups (including women and Indigenous Peoples) in the marine sector, and will collect gender-disaggregated data on both the number of students participating in training programs as well as the number who are hired into Canada’s marine sector post-graduation; this will improve the ability to assess how this sub-initiative impacts demographic diversity in the marine sector.
Environmental Stewardship of Transportation As part of the impact assessment process of major projects, health, social and economic impacts on Indigenous groups and communities are taken into consideration and project-specific mitigation measures are implemented to address negative impacts. The program's activities are designed to increase Indigenous participation and to be inclusive, but no specific data collection plans are in place.
Transportation Innovation Part of the Innovation Centre’s activities includes the crashworthiness research programs that are carried out at the Motor Vehicle Test Centre in Blainville, QC. These research programs use crash test dummies, advanced measurement technologies, and test methods to evaluate the protection of occupants in road vehicles. Until very recently, the only existing crash test dummy (worldwide) to represent a female occupant was a scaled down version of an average sized male dummy. Notwithstanding the limitations of this dummy, extensive research was conducted to evaluate protection in various crash configurations and seating positions. In March 2021, TC took delivery of the latest generation frontal crash dummy representative of a small female. In April 2021 the dummy was introduced into the crash test programs to evaluate the effectiveness of this new tool in assessing protection for women in vehicles. The results were peer reviewed and presented in September 2022 at the International Research Council on Biomechanics. In October 2022, the head of Crashworthiness Research was invited by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to present research findings and to participate in the Workshop for Equity in Crash Safety. A summary of this important workshop will be presented at the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles Conference in the Spring of 2023. The Department is in the process of acquiring two additional dummies to continue the research and contribute to the development of tools and safety measures for women and vulnerable occupants in all vehicles.
Transportation Marketplace Frameworks
  • Domestic Shipping Policy does not carry out services or deliver specific programs. It reviews marine policies that are economic in nature as they apply to vessels, vessel owners and their activities in domestic waters, regardless of sex, age, gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, language, etc.
  • No GBA Plus data is collected with respect to this function or any enforcement actions taken in event of non-compliance as any information on individuals is limited to contact information related to their roles in the operation of vessels or corporations. The direct beneficiaries of this policy function are vessel owners and operators. This leads to indirect benefits to crew of marine vessels, which are predominantly male, in this case GBA Plus data has recently been acquired for analysis purposes.
  • With respect to data collected to monitor economic activity of the marine transportation system Domestic Shipping Policy relies on open-sourced data from Statistics Canada and data produced by the Transportation Economics Analysis (TEA) Team. Negative differential impacts as a result of this approach are unlikely as the policy function neither directly nor indirectly support the goals and/or objectives of the Gender Results Framework. As indicated in the description, gender and diversity were not found to be relevant factors in our policy considerations or results.
  • The program will continue to include relevant considerations in its research as files evolve.
Transportation Analysis The TEA team will continue to collect Census data from Statistics Canada (employment data disaggregated at the gender, aboriginal status, visible minority, age and education levels) in order to support GBA Plus.
National Trade Corridors TC has contracted research with the aim of establishing a current and reliable evidence base for GBA Plus, to improve GBA Plus reporting at the program level and potentially inform future reporting requirements under the NTCF; findings will be incorporated, as appropriate, into project and/or program reporting.
Transportation Infrastructure With regard to managing TC’s legacy transportation assets and other activities within the program, TC does not collect socio-demographic data on users that would allow for monitoring differential impacts on clients of differing genders/other intersecting identities. Activities are not expected to negatively impact Canadians based on gender or relative vulnerability. TC facilities and ferry vessels must comply with relevant regulatory and other requirements, including through the provision of separate gendered washrooms and accessible washrooms. More broadly, the operation of these assets play an important role in terms of supporting local economic development, including tourism, as well as responding to social needs and serving local populations.
Internal Services
  • Legislative and Oversight Modernization: All legislative initiatives led by the Legislative Modernization group undergo a detailed GBA Plus assessment as per requirements set out by the Cabinet Directive on Law-Making and other Government of Canada guidance. While the Legislative Modernization group does not collect data directly related to GBA Plus, it will continue to work with programs to integrate a gender-diversity and intersectional approach to the development of legislation, including amendments to support oversight modernization.
  • Audit and Evaluation: Audit and Evaluation will continue to apply a GBA Plus lens when carrying out individual reviews, audits, and evaluations to help assess how well GBA Plus factors have been incorporated and considered as part of the design and implementation of departmental policies, programs or initiatives. As well, Evaluation will continue to provide GBA Plus advice on performance measurement frameworks in Memoranda to Cabinet and Treasury Board submissions as well as ongoing program, policy and service development and implementation.
  • Communications: The TC Communications Group ensures that communications materials depict the diverse nature of Canadians in a fair, representative and inclusive manner, including a balance of gender and ethnicity.
    • When producing graphics and videos depicting people, our designers and videographers ensure a balance of using different genders (often in non-traditional roles), as well as various ethnicities and Canadians with disabilities. Other graphics feature gender-neutral images. This includes visuals that support the department’s various communications initiatives for use on social media, web, in ad campaigns and more, resulting in communications that are targeted, yet inclusive of all Canadians. When conducting contracted Public Opinion Research, GBA Plus is considered in developing the target groups and sample size for research studies.
    • We look at GBA Plus considerations and carefully apply them to target audiences for advertising campaigns.
    • In our social media content, either both the TC Corporate accounts or Deputy Minister account, we include inclusive content and have put a focus on GBA Plus issues.
    • Adhere to the Standard on Web Accessibility and provide published information on request that is equal for a diverse audience and those with disabilities.
    • All communications content is accessible to all and available in both official languages. Compliance with GC Web Standards ensures that this is integrated into our processes.
  • In addition, the TC Communications Group supports the Gender Inclusiveness Champion and departmental Diversity and Inclusion Leads on an ongoing basis by providing strategic communications advice, promoting initiatives designed to support TC’s three-year GBA Plus Action Plan for 2018 to 2020, developing internal communications products, and supporting the organization of events. The group also uses inclusive language when writing its products, ranging from gender-inclusive language in internal communications to ensuring that speeches written on behalf of the Minister and other officials include Indigenous land acknowledgements. This ensures TC executives, managers and employees are aware of TC’s approach to diversity and inclusion, and of the policies, programs, tools, training and other initiatives designed to make our department a welcoming and diverse workplace.
  • Cost Recovery: TC is modernizing its fees so that those who benefit from TC services pay a greater portion of the costs, rather than all Canadians. Since 2019, stakeholder mapping sessions for eleven different areas of service identified stakeholders that were impacted and interested in the modernized fees. During these sessions, GBA Plus aspects were considered to ensure that underrepresented groups in the transportation sector are not adversely impacted by the fee changes. These considerations are taken into account when proposing new fees for TC services. TC will continue to consult stakeholders to get their feedback on proposed fee changes before implementing them.
  • Human Resources: TC is awaiting government-wide direction in relation to Self-ID Modernization which is intended to elaborate upon the gender-related options available via the self-identification of employment equity and equity-seeking group members.

    All Human Resources (HR) policies are assessed through a GBA Plus lens (as well as a Mental Health and Remote work lens).

    The Human Resources directorate has requested funding to implement a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in the Staffing Activity Management System (SAMS) which would provide them with the data required for the analysis and early identification of barriers in individual recruitment process so that solutions can be found and implemented for ensuring equitable access and inclusion of all candidates. Also enabling the analysis of trends and gaps across multiple recruitment efforts in order to further build a diverse workforce. Drop-off rates within processes will easily be identified allowing for analysis of barriers and the identification of potential solutions.

    Implementing RPA in SAMS will support internal stakeholders (delegated managers, HR coordinators, and Staffing Specialists), with additional benefit of strengthening a diverse workforce that will in turn influence the inclusivity of TC policies, programs, regulations. This initiative will provide HR with critical staffing and evaluation data in order to make empirical decisions and recommendations to reduce barriers to employment and provide mitigations.

    GBA Plus is also applied where possible as part of the department’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan.
  • Business Solutions Directorate New digital investment projects are accompanied by a GBA Plus analysis as part of the initial planning and design.

Report a problem with this page

Date modified: