Departmental Plan 2022-23
Gender–Based Analysis Plus

Policy
(Design and Monitoring)

Public Infrastructure and Communities Policy
The Public Infrastructure and Community Policy programs provide decision-makers with timely policy recommendations for infrastructure and communities issues.  Evidence-based policy decisions related to public infrastructure and communities that target the needs of Canadians and stakeholders (public/private partners) while considering finite resources, will continue to be informed by policy centres of expertise. Stakeholder engagement, research and market intelligence data and government-wide considerations including GBA Plus are used to inform policy and program development.  GBA Plus is incorporated into Infrastructure Canada's evaluations.

Rural Economic Development Policy
The Rural Economic Development Policy function has been moved from Infrastructure to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2021-2022. In Fiscal Year 2022-23, Infrastructure Canada will continue to collaborate with other government departments toward the development of rural infrastructure and housing priorities, including rural transit solutions.

Alternative Financing Policy
The Alternative Financing Policy program provides stakeholders with timely policy recommendations supporting alternative financing of infrastructure. INFC identifies investment opportunities across a range of funding mechanisms aimed to maximize value-for-money as the federal Government directs investment into infrastructure.  Evidence-based policy decisions related to alternative financing models that target the needs of Canadians and stakeholders (public/private partners) while considering finite resources, will continue to be informed by policy centres of expertise.

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

Notes Regarding the Infrastructure Policy Process
At the time of development of many 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 and thus does not collect data at the individual, user level. Existing outcomes and indicators which have been established in INFC's reporting framework and which are tracked do not include program or individual-level data regarding the distribution of benefits by gender, income level, or age, and consequently, this data is not collected.

While many INFC programs do not have GBA Plus data collection plans, certain programs  collect project location data, enabling the Department to learn from past programs, and conducts 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.

Investment
(Contracts)

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 policies and projects in the area such as transit, Resilient and Innovative Communities, and rural development. One of the major funds, the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), requires that individual projects worth over a certain costs threshold ($10 million or $25 million depending on jurisdiction) in federal contribution report on the employment and/or procurement opportunities for at least three Community Employment Benefits (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.

GBA Plus data is collected by INFC through the project application process, and through progress and final reporting for approved projects. Data collected through eligibility requirements in the project application process and reporting from recipients may be used for future GBA Plus analysis. It is the responsibility of the recipients to collect and report on GBA Plus related data through the submission of progress reports and a final report to INFC. INFC collects project location data, enabling the department to conduct GBA Plus analysis on the basis of regional and geographic distribution.

Alternative Financing Investment
The Alternative Financing Investment program 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 favour GBA Plus factors such as diverse communities including projects with Indigenous partners, that are equal-opportunity employers, have diverse boards, or promote economic inclusion.

Major Bridges Investment
A key feature of some major bridges investment projects is the inclusion of a  Community Benefits Plan (CBP). Projects are monitored for positive outcomes for local communities. Workforce Development and Participation Strategies are geared toward engaging 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.

Oversight and Delivery
(Compliance and Disbursements)

Allocation and Merit-Based Funding Oversight
For programs such as ICIP, 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 and submitted to INFC through the submission of 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. However, as explained above, older INFC programs have not included GBA Plus data collection plans.

Some active programs, including ICIP and newly launched 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:

• whether projects take gender into consideration during the design and/or construction phases;
• whether 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 approaches are developed and influenced through Alternative Financing Oversight. Alternative financing investments take into account a diverse range of communities in their program delivery. While the initial program design did not include GBA Plus, current data collection of outputs for awareness building and technical assistance will be provided in the program analysis.

Major Bridges Oversight
Investments in Major Bridges take into account a diverse range of communities in their program delivery. While the initial program design did not directly include GBA Plus, current data collection of outputs for awareness-building and technical assistance will be provided in the program analysis.