Governance

Infrastructure Canada (INFC) is working toward developing a stronger Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) culture and implementing a structured approach to incorporate the analytical tool in its activities. The Policy and Results Branch leads INFC's efforts on GBA Plus and hosts the Department's GBA Plus Centre of Expertise and GBA Plus Focal Point.

The GBA Plus Centre of Expertise:

• Provides GBA Plus leadership and raises awareness across the department;
• Reviews, assesses, and provides guidance on Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board Submissions, and Budget Proposals;
• Contributes to departmental assessment, reporting and strategic planning around GBA Plus;
• Chairs a community of practice aimed toward building GBA Plus capacity across functional areas;
• Works with internal stakeholders to develop and disseminate best practices on every stage of GBA Plus, including measurement and evaluation;
• Develops tools and capacity within the Department;
• Liaises with the Department for Women and Gender Equality Canada and the broader Government of Canada GBA Plus Interdepartmental Network;
• Maintains an internal website to provide resources and build capacity across the department; and works in conjunction with INFC's diversity and inclusion network to promote a workplace that welcomes and celebrates differences and breaks down barriers.

The integration of GBA Plus in all facets of INFC's work – from research, policy and program development, to decision-making, monitoring and reporting – is supported by senior management. The Deputy Minister's Executive Committee, which is the most senior level of the INFC governance structure, provides strategic direction on policies and programs to ensure that they are made with an understanding of the positive and negative impacts of infrastructure investments on diverse communities and people living in Canada.

Overall, INFC is on track to improve the Departmental culture with respect to the implementation of GBA Plus and is committed to ensuring equitable outcomes of infrastructure investments.

Capacity

In 2024-25, planned initiatives will focus on three areas:

1. Incorporating GBA Plus within foundational departmental measurement and reporting:
   1. Support the inclusion of GBA Plus considerations in program measurement and mandatory reporting; and
   2. Continue to support reporting on Community Employment Benefits.
2. Building capacity through awareness and training:
   1. Promote GBA Plus training and learning events for employees;
   2. Deliver tailored training and support for employees in functional areas; and
   3. Liaise with INFC's broader departmental networks to promote the use GBA Plus.
3. Strengthen the use of GBA Plus in functional areas:
   1. Share tools to help analysts conduct high quality GBA Plus;
   2. Strengthening evidence based GBA Plus analyses in Memorandums to Cabinet, Treasury Board Submissions, and Budget proposals;
   3. Support GBA Plus analysis in the development of new policies and programs;
   4. Track whole-of-government reports and implement relevant recommendations on improving GBA Plus capacity.

Infrastructure Canada's programs provide services or benefits to all Canadian communities. The Department is committed to ensuring equitable outcomes of infrastructure investments for diverse communities and people living in Canada.

Highlights of GBA Plus results reporting by program

Core Responsibility 1: Public Infrastructure, Communities, Affordable Housing and Homelessness Policy

Public Infrastructure and Communities Policy

The Public Infrastructure and Community Policy programs provide decision-makers with timely policy recommendations for infrastructure and communities issues. Infrastructure Canada undertakes evidence-based policy decisions that target the needs of Canadian communities and stakeholders and are informed by policy centers of expertise, including GBA Plus. To inform policy and program development, the Department uses stakeholder engagement, research and market intelligence data, as well as government-wide considerations including GBA Plus. A GBA Plus analysis is included in all applicable budget proposals and cabinet-level documents in line with whole-of-government requirements.

Alternative Financing Policy

Alternative Finance Policy provides decision-makers with timely policy recommendations that support alternative financing of infrastructure, while taking multiple GBA Plus factors into account. Through consultation with stakeholders, INFC identifies investment opportunities across a range of funding mechanisms aimed at maximizing value-for-money as the federal government directs investment into infrastructure. Investment opportunities are considered using an inclusive lens, to ensure that infrastructure projects produce equitable outcomes that benefit diverse communities across Canada.

In line with guidance from INFC, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), a Crown Corporation under the Department's area of responsibility, is committed to Indigenous community infrastructure and economic participation by these communities. The CIB offers two programs, the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative, and its Indigenous Equity Program which can provide loans to Indigenous communities to support them in purchasing equity stakes in infrastructure projects in which the CIB is also investing. The Government has set a portfolio wide target for the CIB of $1 billion dollars in Indigenous infrastructure investments across all of its priority sectors, in collaboration with Indigenous partners. Additionally, in light of the current housing crisis, INFC has instructed the CIB to prioritize investing in infrastructure that enables the construction of housing developments, and to provide the Government with advice on how it can contribute to building more affordable and sustainable housing options, taking into consideration the various socio-economic statuses of Canadian communities. Furthermore, the advice provided by INFC to the CIB supports its own GBA Plus analysis. Evidence-based policy decisions related to alternative financing models that target the needs of Canadian communities and stakeholders (public and private partners) while considering finite resources, will continue to be informed by policy centres of expertise.

The Alternative Finance Policy Capital Markets and Analysis team's role is to produce, promote and disseminate data, information and knowledge about alternative financing approaches for infrastructure within the department and subsequently within the federal government. The team will extract value from the existing body of research available, produce new research and disseminate it within Alternative Finance and INFC, as well as other departments of the federal government in phases. GBA Plus factors are considered as part of this work as pertinent.

The Portfolio Management and Governance team within Alternative Financing Policy acts as a centre of expertise on governance issues for the Crown corporations that report to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. GBA Plus factors are considered as part of this work, including as it relates to leadership and Board of Directors appointments at Crown corporations. Applicants have the opportunity to identify diversity information (e.g., gender, 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous identity, disability and racialized groups), which are considered during the appointment process.

Major Bridges and Projects Policy

The Major Bridges and Projects Policy program provides stakeholders with timely policy recommendations supporting infrastructure project delivery. Policy centres of expertise will continue to inform evidence-based policy decisions related to public infrastructure that targets the needs of Canadians and stakeholders (public/private partners) while considering finite resources. Stakeholder engagement, research and market intelligence data and government-wide considerations incorporating GBA Plus are used to inform policy and program development.

Homelessness Policy

Reaching Home works with communities to develop and deliver outcomes-based approaches to address local homelessness needs. The program also leverages homelessness data, including emergency shelter data, Point-in-Time counts, which are snapshots of homelessness in Canadian communities on a particular day, and Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy program-level information, to build an understanding of the state of homelessness in Canada. Included are select demographic groups (such as women, gender diverse individuals, youth, seniors, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, Veterans, and people with disabilities), and the impact of federal investments where possible.

The Veteran Homelessness Program is providing funding to organizations to provide rent supplements and wrap-around supports to address Veteran Homelessness. The Program will gather data on the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness who receive a rent supplement and maintain housing, including, on a voluntary basis, key demographics of these Veterans (such as gender, Indigenous peoples, etc.). The first year of reporting on program activities is expected in Winter 2025.

Notes Regarding the Infrastructure Policy Process

At the time of development of some of Infrastructure Canada's historical and existing programs, GBA Plus data collection plans were not established. In part, long-term contribution agreements between INFC and the provinces and territories did not include data or indicators around GBA Plus.

Additionally, as INFC does not provide direct services to individual Canadians, the Department does not collect data at the individual, user level. Certain programs collect project location data, enabling the Department to learn from past programs, and conduct GBA Plus analysis on new programs on the basis of regional and geographic distribution, which in turn allows for evidence-based policy analysis and decision-making.

Core Responsibility 2: Public Infrastructure, Communities, and Homelessness Investments

Public Infrastructure and Communities Investment

Public Infrastructure and Communities Investment recommends projects related to public infrastructure and communities to which funds can be committed. It works to deliver long-term predictable funding that meets diverse and unique local needs in areas such as transit, climate adaptation for resilience, community and cultural infrastructure, and rural and northern development, in order to build stronger, more liveable and more resilient communities.

GBA Plus data is collected by INFC through the project funding application process, and through progress and final reporting for approved funding applications. Data collected through eligibility requirements in the project funding application process and reporting from recipients may be used for future GBA Plus analysis. 

INFC collects project location data, enabling the department to conduct GBA Plus analysis on the basis of regional and geographic distribution. For example, analyses may consider the distribution of approved projects in Northern communities and communities of different sizes. A Community Employment Benefits (CEB) reporting framework is applied to several of INFC's transfer payment programs requiring projects to report on at least three CEB groups. These groups include apprentices, Indigenous peoples, women, persons with disabilities, veterans, youth and new Canadians, as well as opportunities for small to medium-sized and social enterprises.

Alternative Financing Investment

Alternative Financing Investment provides oversight on federal matters relating to the development of alternative financing approaches for projects under this program. The initiatives are often merit-based and work with provincial, territorial or municipal partners that consider GBA Plus factors such as diverse communities, including projects with Indigenous partners, equal-opportunity employers, have diverse boards, or promote economic inclusion.

Major Bridges Investment

A key feature of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, one of the Major Bridges Program priorities, is the inclusion of a Community Benefits Plan (CBP). The project is monitored for positive outcomes for local communities and a Workforce Development and Participation Strategy has been geared toward engaging local businesses and focuses on supporting workforce, training and pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeship opportunities. Projects can report on GBA Plus based on identified priorities of the CBP. The Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor Project, another priority investment, continues to monitor relevant data to help identify future GBA Plus impact assessment opportunities as the Bridge shifts to full operations. Impact assessments for this Project were completed regarding dedicated transit lanes, multi-use paths, and gender-based employment equity practices during construction.

Homelessness Investment

Infrastructure Canada uses a range of funding mechanisms, including direct funding to urban, Indigenous, territorial, rural and remote communities across Canada to help them address their local homelessness needs. Under Reaching Home, communities work in partnership with the local community or regional organizations to set direction for addressing homelessness. In this regard, partnerships with a broad range of key sectors and systems that intersect with homelessness are encouraged, including Indigenous organizations, people with lived experience, police and correctional services, landlord associations, and health organizations. Under Reaching Home, investments made to support distinctions-based approaches to homelessness services are co-developed with Indigenous partners and governments.

The Veteran Homelessness Program funding recipients are encouraged to work with partners in the veteran-serving and homeless-serving sector and to ensure services are available to subpopulations of Veterans. Additionally, through the capacity-building stream, projects were prioritized that build knowledge and capacity to respond to the needs of specific sub-populations of Veterans, including Indigenous, women, seniors, racialized, gender-diverse and rural-based Veterans.

Core Responsibility 3: Public Infrastructure and Communities Investment Stewardship and Delivery

Allocation-based and Direct Funding Stewardship

For INFC's funding programs, it is the responsibility of program recipients to collect relevant data and report on GBA Plus. For example, this includes information obtained under the Community Employment Benefits which is submitted to INFC through both progress and final reports. In addition, INFC collects project location data, enabling the Department to conduct GBA Plus analysis on the basis of regional and geographic distribution.

Some active programs, including the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and direct application programs, also ensure compliance to GBA Plus principles by capturing and measuring key indicators at the community level. For example, these indicators consider:

• that projects take gender into consideration during the design and/or construction phases;
• that public facing built assets incorporate universal design;
• the percentage of federally funded public facing infrastructure which will meet the highest published applicable accessibility standard in a respective jurisdiction.

Such indicators are primarily reflected in the outcomes-based Grants and Contribution Agreements with various communities, some of which align funding to project outcomes and milestones for achieving them.

Alternative Financing Oversight

Alternative financing investments take into account a diverse range of communities in their program delivery and oversight. Data collection of outputs (including GBA Plus factors) are utilized for program analysis.

For example, oversight of the Public-private partnership (P3) Canada Fund includes elements of GBA Plus as some projects have included hiring targets and education / training outcomes for marginalized groups within the community. These outcomes and benefits are included in output specifications and reported annually as per the terms and conditions of the P3 Canada Fund. Additionally, some of the projects (e.g. public transit) will serve diverse groups of people differently.

Major Bridges Oversight

Investments in Major Bridges take into account a diverse range of communities in their project delivery. While the initial major bridge project design did not directly include GBA Plus, ongoing and future data collection to support future project analysis will include GBA Plus.

Homelessness Funding Oversight

Reaching Home uses a community-based approach so that communities are able to have flexibility in determining their own needs and priorities, and fund projects accordingly. Collection of data through homelessness systems allows for oversight of specific project funding, while creating an overall portrait of homelessness across Canada to support advanced responses to homelessness.

All Reaching Home funding recipients are required to provide reporting to INFC, which can include reporting on indicators such as the number of people that were placed in more stable housing, received a prevention service (e.g., utility payment or landlord mediation), started new paid employment, or began receiving income assistance. Reaching Home funding recipients provide data about select demographic information (e.g., gender, age, disability, immigration, Indigenous identity, Veteran status) for outcomes associated with housing placements, homelessness prevention and shelter diversion services, and client support services (income, employment, education, and job training assistance). Recipients receiving funding under certain streams are also required to complete additional reports regarding their community's progress towards implementing coordinated service delivery, and a Unique Identifier List that ultimately provides a real-time, comprehensive list of those experiencing homelessness in the community. Once in place, the reporting tool allows communities to provide annualized data (and, optionally, monthly data) that focuses on the cumulative levels of homelessness, inflows into and outflows from homelessness, and levels of Indigenous and chronic homelessness in the community.

Under the Veteran Homelessness Program (VHP), recipients will be required to report on the number of rent supplements provided and the number of Veterans who remained successfully housed after 12 months. This will be accomplished through the VHP data collection tool on an annual basis. Data will also be requested on key demographics of Veterans served (such as gender, Indigenous identity, etc.).