Canadian Grain Commission Gender-based analysis plus

Section 1: Institutional GBA+ Capacity

The Canadian Grain Commission is a small science-based and regulatory department with a focused mandated as set out in the Canada Grain Act to, in the interests of grain producers, establish and maintain standards of quality for Canadian grain and regulate grain handling in Canada. In 2021-22, the Canadian Grain Commission initiated a review of the department’s support for GBA Plus objectives to determine if additional steps were possible, particularly in terms of program outcomes. This included engaging with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and offering GBA Plus training to all interested Canadian Grain Commission employees. Review results are expected to be available for the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report.

Despite being a small department, in 2021-22, the Canadian Grain Commission incrementally increased resources and collaborative cross-divisional efforts towards GBA Plus objectives. This included incorporating GBA Plus objectives to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace that is representative of all Canadians.

Employment Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan: In 2021-22, GBA Plus objectives were actively pursued through the Canadian Grain Commission’s 2021 to 2024 Employment Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan, which includes a formal governance structure that reports to senior management. This multi-year plan includes commitments to ensuring:

• Effective leadership for employment equity and diversity, including planning, governance and accountability, monitoring, measurement, and reporting;
• Representation of designated group members is equal to or better than workforce availability as a result of Canadian Grain Commission efforts to eliminate barriers and address disadvantages in employment experienced by members of the four designated groups (Women, Visible Minorities, Indigenous Persons, and Persons with Disabilities); and
• Managers and employees understand and take action to ensure employment equity and to value and leverage diversity.

Additionally, this multi-year plan continues to guide the Canadian Grain Commission’s actions to raise awareness, address representation gaps, and work towards implementation of the requirements of the Accessibility Act. The Canadian Grain Commission seeks to increase representation in the following designated groups:

1. Persons with Disabilities (current representation gap organizationally is -21)*
2. Women in the technical group (while the representation of Women in the Canadian Grain Commission overall is +15, the current representation gap in technical areas is -9)*
3. Indigenous Persons (goal is to strengthen representation rate organizationally, which is at +1)*

The Canadian Grain Commission’s Open Letter on Implementation of the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion further outlined the department’s commitment and actions to ensuring a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment.

The Canadian Grain Commission continued to seek ways to apply this commitment throughout the department. For example, the Canadian Grain Commission’s Reintegration and Future of Work team applied a GBA Plus lens on the results of a Future of Work survey conducted in October 2020. These survey results have helped to inform the Canadian Grain Commission’s Future of Work plans.

Training and professional development: Completion of Women and Gender Equality Canada’s GBA Plus course was recommended to all subject matter experts involved in the development of regulatory and budget proposals, Memoranda to Cabinet, and Treasury Board submissions.

Additionally, in December 2021, the Canadian Grain Commission launched a diversity and inclusion speaker series as part of the department’s commitment to raise awareness and support open dialogue on equity, accessibility, and anti-racism.

In 2021-22, the Canadian Grain Commission continued to sponsor women participants and students to attend the Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference. Through this sponsorship activity, the Canadian Grain Commission continued to support the employment equity, diversity and inclusion plan to increase women working in technical positions at the Canadian Grain Commission.

Implementation of the Accessibility Act: The Canadian Grain Commission is developing an Accessibility Plan and accompanying processes to remove and prevent any barriers for persons with disabilities. Going forward, this will include employment, built environment, information and communication, technologies, and the design and delivery of programs and services. The plan and processes will be developed in continuous consultation with persons with disabilities.

Canadian Grain Commission regulatory and budget proposals, Memoranda to Cabinet, and Treasury Board submissions: Completion of the GBA Plus Assessment Form by program and policy leads was a mandatory element of the development of regulatory and budget proposals, Memoranda to Cabinet, and Treasury Board submissions. The assessments provided a framework and guidance to help analysts consider possible diversity impacts related to the proposed initiatives.

*based on data as of March 31, 2022.

Section 2: Gender and Diversity Impacts, by Program