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Section I: Organizational Expenditure Overview

Organizational Profile

Appropriate Minister:
The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Institutional Head:
Meena Ballantyne
Ministerial Portfolio:
Canadian Heritage
Enabling Instrument:
Order in Council (1976-779)
Year of Incorporation / Commencement:
1976

Organizational Context

Raison d’être

The Office of the Co-ordinator, Status of Women, known as Status of Women Canada (SWC), is a federal government agency that promotes equality between women and men in all aspects of Canadian life. The mandate of SWC is “to coordinate policy with respect to the status of women and administer related programs” (1976).

SWC is responsible for exercising leadership and working in partnership to promote and advance equality by: supporting community-based action and innovation that will lead to equality by helping to create conditions for success for women and girls in Canada; providing expert advice on gender equality and Gender-based Analysis in the development of effective programs, policies and legislation for all Canadians; promoting commemorative dates relating to women and girls in Canada; and supporting Canada’s efforts to meet international obligations.

SWC works to promote and advance equality for women and girls, focusing its efforts in three areas: improving women’s and girls’ economic security and prosperity; ending violence against women and girls; and supporting the advancement and increased representation of women and girls in leadership and decision-making roles. While SWC focuses on these three areas, the agency is able to address specific issues, such as engaging men and boys in ending violence, increasing women’s participation in skilled trades and technical professions or assisting women in rural and remote communities.

Responsibilities

SWC is the primary federal agency responsible for supporting the government’s agenda to achieve equality for women and girls. As issues affecting women and girls permeate every aspect of society, the agency works with a wide range of organizations, builds synergies with key stakeholders, collaborates with different levels of government and engages the private and voluntary sectors.

To bring about concrete results and enduring benefits for Canadians, the agency carries out its mandate strategically and, ensures that its policy interventions and program investments are aligned with Government of Canada priorities.

In its policy function, SWC plays the role of a knowledge broker and facilitator, offering input, advice and strategic support to other government departments and agencies, conducting policy analysis, and making strategic interventions at both the domestic and international levels.

SWC also leads in building capacity across government for the integration of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+). GBA+ is an analytical tool to systematically integrate gender and other identity factors throughout the decision-making process and to assess the potential impacts of policies, programs or legislation on diverse groups of women and men in order to inform the development and delivery of more responsive initiatives.

Through the Women’s Program, SWC supports community-based action and innovation by providing financial and professional assistance to organizations to carry out projects that work to bring about equality between women and men and have a clear potential for making a difference in the lives of women and girls in Canada.

To raise awareness of the key milestones in the history of women, SWC promotes commemorative dates such as: International Women’s Day (March 8), Women’s History Month (October), the International Day of the Girl (October 11), Persons Day (October 18) and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (December 6).

SWC’s regional offices are located in Montréal (serving Quebec), Moncton (serving New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and Edmonton (serving Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Yukon). The National office, also serving Nunavut, and the Ontario regional office are located at SWC headquarters in the National Capital Region.

Strategic Outcome and Program Alignment Architecture

1. Strategic Outcome: Equality between women and men is promoted and advanced in Canada

1.1 Program: Leadership, Expertise and Advice

1.2 Program: Advancing Equality for Women

Internal Services

Organizational Priorities

Priority Type Programs
Addressing violence against women and girls Ongoing
  • Program 1.1
  • Program 1.2
Summary of Progress

What progress has been made toward this priority?

  • SWC led the development of the Action Plan to Address Family Violence and Violent Crimes Against Aboriginal Women and Girls, outlining the commitments, investments and actions of the federal government to prevent violence, support Aboriginal victims and protect Aboriginal women and girls. (cfc-swc.gc.ca/fun-fin/ap-pa/index-en.html).
  • SWC supported the Minister’s participation in the National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, where key stakeholders agreed to coordinate efforts through the Framework for Action to Prevent and Address Violence against Indigenous Women and Girls. (cfc-swc.gc.ca/fun-fin/ap-pa/index-en.html).
  • SWC developed two fact sheets on sexual violence against women, entitled: The Nature and Extent of Sexual Violence against Women in Canada and Addressing Sexual Violence in Canada (cfc-swc.gc.ca/violence/res-eng.html).
  • In 2014-15, SWC supported a total of 128 projects, specifically designed to address diverse issues relating to violence against women and girls. It also launched an open call for proposals, soliciting applications for projects that foster partnerships among communities in order to address conditions that perpetuate or contribute to gender-based violence.
Priority Type Programs
Increasing representation of women in leadership and decision-making roles Ongoing
  • Program 1.1
  • Program 1.2
Summary of Progress

What progress has been made toward this priority?

  • In 2014-15, SWC continued its efforts to promote the benefits of gender diversity in leadership and decision-making roles, raising awareness about the need to address existing gaps in both public and private sectors. This included support for the work of the Advisory Council for Promoting Women on Boards, which released its report, Good for Business: A Plan to Promote the Participation of More Women on Canadian Boards. The recommendation to achieve a 30% representation of women on boards by 2019 – has since inspired key stakeholders to take action to achieve gender-balance in their respective sectors. (cfc-swc.gc.ca/initiatives/wldp/wb-ca/wob-fca-eng.html).
  • A total of 37 projects, focused on increasing the representation of women and girls in leadership and decision-making roles, received financial and professional support during the reporting year. Moreover, the agency ensured that other projects, such as those designed to promote economic opportunities for women, also integrated issues of women in leadership and decision-making roles.
Priority Type Programs
Strengthening implementation of Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) Ongoing
  • Program 1.1
Summary of Progress

What progress has been made toward this priority?

  • In 2014-15, SWC provided support to over 30 federal departments in implementing GBA+, with a particular focus on the science, security and health research sectors. SWC also carried out a number of learning events and awareness raising activities aimed at building GBA+ capacity.
Priority Type Programs
Promoting economic opportunities for women Ongoing
  • Program 1.1
  • Program 1.2
Summary of Progress

What progress has been made toward this priority?

  • In 2014-15, SWC continued to promote economic opportunities for women. The agency organized the Women Entrepreneurs Forum: Investing in the Future. The Forum provided women entrepreneurs access to information, advice and tools as well as networking and mentorship opportunities, to help build their capacity to enter and succeed in diverse economic sectors.
  • During the reporting year, SWC supported a total of 153 projects to promote economic opportunities for women, encouraging innovative ideas to address emerging issues. Also, the agency launched calls for proposals to advance specific priorities, such as: increasing opportunities for women entrepreneurs, supporting women’s advancement through mentorship and sponsorship, and strengthening women’s financial preparedness.
Priority Type Programs
Modernizing programs and services for Canadians Ongoing
  • Program 1.2
Summary of Progress

What progress has been made toward this priority?

  • SWC continued to take measures to improve its grants and contributions processes and to enhance efficiency in project management and monitoring. In 2014-15, through the LEAN exercise, the agency succeeded in reducing its proposal assessment time by 66%. To enhance organizational capacity for knowledge sharing, SWC continued to implement its knowledge management and dissemination strategy, internally through learning events and externally to promote best practices.
  • Through the Women’s Program, the agency has also started work to implement a client engagement strategy to facilitate partnerships, knowledge sharing and mentoring among recipient organizations as well as to increase opportunities for client input in program design and delivery.

Risk Analysis

SWC’s outcomes are interdependent on the actions of other stakeholders. Such interdependence represents a risk to the achievement of expected results and progress toward the agency’s strategic outcome. To mitigate this potential risk, SWC has established response strategies that engage citizens, build synergies, support networks and promote partnerships and collaboration among different players. Given the diverse and growing demand for its services, SWC also faces a potential risk to its image as a relevant and responsive organization. As such, SWC has put in place processes, mechanisms and tools to ensure that its programming, policy function and communication activities remain relevant and responsive.

Key Risks

Risk Risk Response Strategy Link to Program Alignment Architecture
SWC’s outcomes are interdependent on the actions of other stakeholders.
  • SWC’s Messaging: The focus of SWC’s communication strategy is to build an informed society where citizens are aware that they have a shared responsibility to advance gender equality.
  • Community Action and Engagement: SWC programming is focused on engaging communities through initiatives that facilitate collaboration, networking and partnerships to achieve concrete results that help advance gender equality.
  • Knowledge Sharing: SWC focuses on strategies that complement and leverage collaborative efforts, based on the recognition among key players of their shared responsibility to advance gender equality in their respective spheres of influence.
  • Program 1.1
  • Program 1.2
Risk Risk Response Strategy Link to Program Alignment Architecture
Given its broad mandate and the range of demands for its program and policy interventions, SWC may be perceived as not meeting/responding to stakeholder expectations.
  • Area of Focus: To respond to stakeholder expectations and to bring about meaningful results, SWC has identified three areas of focus which are aligned with government priorities: improving women’s and girls’ economic security and prosperity, ending violence against women and girls, and supporting the advancement and increased representation of women and girls in leadership and decision-making roles.
  • Outreach Strategy: SWC’s outreach efforts are designed to communicate the agency’s strategic direction, areas of focus, current priorities, and program guidelines.
  • Decision-Making Processes: To manage the range of demands for its services and interventions, SWC has instituted processes and practices that maximize the efficiency of its programming, policy and communication levers.
  • Strategic Investment/Intervention: To remain relevant, effective and efficient, SWC employs targeted approaches, building synergies and leveraging partnerships so as to maximize the impact of its interventions.
  • Program 1.1
  • Program 1.2

Actual Expenditures

Budgetary Financial Resources (dollars)

2014–15
Main Estimates
2014–15
Planned Spending
2014–15
Total Authorities
Available for Use
2014–15
Actual Spending
(authorities used)
Difference
(actual minus planned)
29,607,730 29,607,730 30,327,567 30,125,744 518,014

Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalents [FTEs])

2014–15
Planned
2014–15
Actual
2014–15
Difference
(actual minus planned)
96 98 2
Budgetary Performance Summary for Strategic Outcome and Programs (dollars)
Strategic Outcome, Programs and Internal Services 2014–15
Main Estimates
2014–15
Planned Spending
2015–16
Planned Spending
2016–17
Planned Spending
2014–15
Total Authorities Available for Use
2014–15
Actual Spending (authorities used)
2013–14
Actual Spending (authorities used)
2012–13
Actual Spending (authorities used)
Strategic Outcome: 1. Equality between women and men is promoted and advanced in Canada
Program 1.1:
Leadership, Expertise and Advice
2,136,900 2,136,900 2,142,013 2,142,013 2,286,900 2,004,692 2,189,159  
Program 1.2:
Advancing Equality for Women
24,267,723 24,267,723 23,155,089 23,155,089 24,267,723 22,783,283 22,750,591  
Subtotal 26,404,623 26,404,623 25,297,102 25,297,102 26,554,623 24,523,698 24,939,750 24,607,197
Internal Services Subtotal 3,203,107 3,203,107 4,245,975 4,245,975 3,772,944 5,337,769 6,482,533 5,120,989
Total 29,607,730 29,607,730 29,543,077 29,543,077 30,327,567 30,125,744 31,422,283 29,728,186

Alignment of Spending With the Whole-of-Government Framework

Alignment of 2014-15 Actual Spending With the Whole-of-Government FrameworkEndnote i (dollars)

Strategic Outcome Program Spending Area Government of Canada Outcome 2014-15
Actual Spending
Equality between women and men is promoted and advanced in Canada 1.1: Leadership, Expertise and Advice Government Affairs A transparent, accountable and responsive federal government 2,004,692
1.2: Advancing Equality for Women Economic Affairs Income security and employment for Canadians 22,783,283

Total Spending by Spending Area (dollars)

Spending Area Total Planned Spending Total Actual Spending
Economic affairs 24,267,723 22,783,283
Government affairs 2,136,900 2,004,692

Departmental Spending Trend

Departmental Spending Trend Graph (dollars)
  2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018
Total Spending 29728187 31422283 30125743 29510040 29510040 29510040
  2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Sunset Programs - Anticipated 0 0 0 0 0 0
Statutory 1,262,449 1,327,619 1,275,340 1,203,901 1,203,901 1,203,901
Voted 28,465,738 30,094,664 28,850,404 28,306,139 28,306,139 28,306,139
Total Spending 29,728,187 31,422,283 30,125,744 29,510,040 29,510,040 29,510,040

In 2014-15, SWC spent a total of $30,125,744 ($19,033,332 in grants and contributions) to carry out its programs, achieve expected results and advance its strategic outcome. The decrease in spending is mainly due to the relocation of SWC headquarters in 2013.

The amount shown for the period 2012-13 to 2014-15 represents SWC’s actual spending; the amount shown for 2015-16 to 2017-18 is SWC’s planned spending.

Expenditures by Vote

For information on SWC’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2015,Endnote ii which is available on the Public Works and Government Services Canada website.Endnote iii

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