Knowledge Exchange Platform (KEP) Workshop 2 - Canada QOL & GBA - Nathalie Watts Lucie Morin.pdf

OECD Knowledge Exchange Platform on Well-being Metrics and Policy Practice (KEP): Virtual Workshop 2, 3 October 2024

Integrating multidimensional well-being evidence and principles in policy decision-making tools

1. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
Implementation of Canada’s Quality of
Life (QOL) Framework & Gender-Based
Analysis (GBA) Plus
Led by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
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2. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
2
Overview of the QOL Framework for Canada & its guiding principles
5 domains that contribute to quality of life
84indicators(Annex 1) based on evidence on
the key determinants of wellbeing
2 cross-cutting lenses for fairness and
inclusion, as well as sustainability and
resilience
QOL data available on Statistics
Canada’sQOL Hub
Multidimensional thinking
(wellbeing today)
Five broad domains provide
evidence about key determinants
of a good quality of life
Inclusive thinking
(wellbeing for everyone)
Cross-cutting lens breaks down
outcomes for different population
groups to identify socio-economic
gaps (using tools such as GBA Plus)
Long-term thinking
(wellbeing in the future)
Cross-cutting lens looks at how
outcomes are expected to play out
over time, while risks/protective
factors arebuilt in

3. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
3
The QOL Framework and GBA Plus within the Government of Canada
The Government of Canada’s central agencies
Privy Council Office
Provides support to Cabinet,
non-partisan advice to the
Prime Minister (PM) and a link
between the PM and the public
service
Department of Finance
Oversees the government’s
fiscal framework, develops
the annual budget, and is the
leading source of socio-
economic analysis and advice
Treasury Board of Canada
Secretariat
Provides advice to the Treasury
Board (TB) and oversees TB
policies in different areas of
management (amongst other
functions)
TBS Core
Responsibilities
Spending
Oversight
Administrative
Leadership
Employer
Regulatory
Oversight
Departmental
Result
Government
organizations
measure, evaluate,
and report their
performance
Supporting
Programs
Expenditure Management
Sector (Expenditure Data,
Analysis, Results, and
Reviews Program)
Results Division
The QOL Framework
and GBA Plus support
departments’ planning,
development,
implementation,
measurement and
reporting of their
programs’ impacts.
Expenditure Strategies
and Estimates Division
Expenditure Analysis
and Compensation
Planning Division
Horizontal Program
Reviews Division
Oversight and TB Support
Program
Program
Results
Government
organizations use
results and
expenditure
information to
improve
programs and
allocate
resources
Parliamentarians
and the public
can understand
what government
achieves and the
resources used

4. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
Brief History of QOL implementation in Canada
2019
to lead on QOL
measurement
to lead on QOL measurement
MANDATE LETTER 2019
Minister of Middle Class
Prosperity and Associate
Minister of Financeto lead
on QOL measurement
2020
PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH
PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH
Commissioned by Finance
Canada
Broad support (86%) for moving
“beyond GDP”
2021
to lead on QOL
Framework 
to lead on QOL Framework 
implementation
MANDATE LETTER 2021
President of TB to lead on
QOL Framework
implementation with support
from all Ministers
Release of the QOL Framework
2021 2022 2023 2024
BUDGET 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Release of the QOL Framework (2021)
Funding to address data gaps (2021)
QOL in Budget proposaltemplate and
BudgetImpacts Report (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
2022
QOL HUB LAUNCH
QOL HUB LAUNCH
By Statistics Canada
2023
GOVERNMENT-WIDE EVENT
GOVERNMENT-WIDE EVENT
GOVERNMENT-
WIDE EVENT
Introduction to QOL
2024
DEPARTMENTAL PLANS
Departments now
indicate how core
responsibilities impact
QOL, starting in
2024-25
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5. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
Reflections on QOL implementation & the way forward
Challenges
•Increasing awareness and
buy-in (culture change)
across the government with
limited resources
•Embedding QOL in
government policies and
processes
•Coordinating with other
frameworks and lenses with
similar objectives
•Ensuring meaningful use of
the Framework and
demonstrating its value
supported by examples
Solutions
•Leverage interdepartmental
champions
•Engage external partners
•Increase/maintain internal
online communication
•Identify and collaborate with
early adopters to pilot
certain applications and
develop case studies
•Use all available levers to
embed QOL in policies and
processes (including via
existing guidance)
•QOL has been integrated into
Budget Impact Reports,
Departmental Plans, and is used
by some departments in
performance measurement and
evaluation
•Interdepartmental governance
and collaboration on QOL is
growing (community of practice)
•Awareness is increasing through
government-wide events and
online resources
•The mediais becoming
increasingly interested in QOL
data, research and evidence (with
external partners’ contributions)
•Momentum for QOL approaches
is growing internationally and
domestically
•Entrench QOL into core
policy levers to ensure QOL
considerations and data
meaningfully inform
decision-making at every
stage of the policy cycle
•Release formal guidance
and case studies on QOL
applications
•Explore further options to
report on QOLin Canada
•Enhance interdepartmental
collaboration and grow the
community of practice
•Strengthen/formalize
partnerships with key
external partners
Results
Future
opportunities
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6. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
The evolution of GBAPlus within the Government of Canada
1995 2007 2011 2015 2016 2018 2019 2021-222022-23
policy on
transfer
policy on transfer
payments
policy on
transfer
Government
Commitment to
GBA
Following the
United Nations'
fourth World
Conference on
Women in Beijing
China, and with
the endorsement
of the Beijing
Declaration and
Platform for
Action, the
Government of
Canada
committed to
conducting a
GBAon all policies
and programs
GBA Mandatory in
Submissions to
TBS
The 2007 revised
Guide to Preparing
Treasury Board
Submissions
(GoC’s
mechanism to
secure financial
authorities) made
it mandatory for
GBA information to
be included in
TB Submissions
Re-branding to
GBA Plus
In 2011, the
Government of
Canada rebranded
GBA to GBA Plus.
The ‘Plus’ was
added to
encourage
consideration of
the multiple
factors that shape
experiences and
outcomes, beyond
sex and gender.
With this re-
branding, the GBA
Plus wheel was
introduced
Auditor General
Audit ofGBA Plus
Recommended
thatStatus of
Women Canada,
Privy Council
Office and
Treasury Board
Secretariat work
with all federal
organizations to
identify the
barriers to
GBA Plus
implementation
and to periodically
assess and report
on progress
GBA Plus Action
Plan
The 2016-2020
GBA Plus Action
Plan included a
requirement for
GBA Plus in
Memoranda to
Cabinet (GoC’s
mechanism to
obtain policy
authorities) and a
commitment to
embed into policy
processes
The requirement
for GBA Plus to be
included in
TB Submissions
was re-affirmed
Governance to
support GBA Plus
was implemented.
Training was
expanded with the
Canada School of
Public Service
Budget 2018
As per the
newCanadian
Gender Budgeting
Act,the integration
of GBA Plus is
required for all
new Budget
measures, tax
expenditures, and
existing spending
Women and
Gender Equality
Canada was
created in 2018,
transforming the
former Status of
Women Canada
into an official
department of the
Government of
Canada. This
change
modernizes and
formalizes, in law,
the roles of the
Minister and the
Department
Mainstreaming
GBA Plus
GBA Plus
commitments are
included in all
Ministerial
mandate letters
As per the new
Impact
Assessment Act,
GBA Plus is
legislated for the
impact
assessments of all
all major initiatives
Strengthening
GBA Plus
Commitments
made in Ministerial
mandate letters to
enhance GBA Plus
framing and
parameters
Budget 2021
investments to
strengthen
disaggregated data
to enable more
robust GBA Plus
Amendments
made to the policy
on transfer
payments to
include GBA Plus
requirements in
G&C programs
Better tracking of
results and
impacts
More
comprehensive
impact reporting
via :
•Budget
Statement and
Impacts Report
on Gender,
Diversity, and
Quality of Life
•Departmental
Results Report
Supplementary
Information
Tables
•Expanded
disaggregated
data assets with
the launch of
new survey,
new data sets
and standards
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7. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
The Canadian Gender Budgeting Act
•The 2018 Canadian Gender Budgeting Act enshrines gender budgeting principles in Canada’s
budgetary and financial management processes
•Section 5 of the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act legislates reporting on gender and diversity
impacts
▪“Once a year, the President of Treasury Board must make available to the public analysis
of impacts in terms of gender and diversity of the existing Government of Canada
expenditure programs that the President, in consultation with the Minister of Finance,
considers appropriate.”
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8. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
2023-24 DepartmentalResultsReport GBA Plus Requirements
Departments have been asked to provide the following information for each Program:
1.Core responsibility it falls under
2.Program name
3.Program goals: How GBA Plus was applied in program activities undertaken, outcomes and impacts
identified
4.Target population
5.Distribution of benefits:By gender, income, age group
6.Specific demographic group outcomes
7.Key program impacts on gender and diversity
a.Key program impact statistics (quantitative impacts):
▪Program indicator
▪Observed Results (highlighting gender and diversity impacts)
▪Data source
▪Comment
b.Other key program impacts:
▪Qualitative impacts of processes or activities.
8.Supplementary information sources
9.GBA Plus data collection plan: Activities and timelines to improve data collection and analysis
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9. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
Canadian Gender Budgeting Act TBS Web Page
A screenshot of a web page with title "Impacts of Gender-based Analysis Plus" and links to additional webpages for 2021-22, 2020-21 and 2019-20 underneath it.
•The webpage highlights work being undertakentomeasure and improveoutcomes for
diversecommunities based on the review of enterprise-wide annual Departmental Results
Report GBA Plus Supplementary Information Tables
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10. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
Questions for reflection and discussion
Training & skill
development
•Analytical thinking
•Data literacy
•Change management
•Collaboration and system
thinking
•Communication
•Knowledge on wellbeing
science
•Expertise in impacts
assessment
Disaggregated data &
evidence on wellbeing
•Subjective & objective
well-being data,
disaggregated by
population groups (at
national & program
levels)
•Case studies
•Literature review
•New research and
findings
Evidence-informed
decision-making
•More widespread use of
well-being informed policy
tools across the policy
cycle (particularly at
program/initiative level)
•Application in
performance
measurement and
evaluation
Collaboration with
non-government actors
•Community of wellbeing
measurement and policy
•Mobilizing knowledge &
evidence (what does it
mean for policy)
•Communicating and
promoting the value of QOL
& GBA Plus approaches
•Application beyond
government
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11. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
[email protected]
Contact us

12. UNCLASSIFIED / NON CLASSIFIÉ
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Annex 1: Canada’s QOL Framework (Infosheet)