2021-22 Departmental Results Report - Gender-based analysis plus

Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus capacity

The Agency’s core responsibility is to support Atlantic Canada’s economic growth, wealth creation and economic prosperity through inclusive and clean growth. The Agency integrated gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) into its various activities as part of its implementation strategy. To ensure accountability, the Agency used a GBA Plus responsibility centre and working groups led by an executive-level GBA Plus Champion to support and monitor the implementation of GBA Plus throughout the Agency and liaise with the broader Government of Canada GBA Plus network.

All ACOA programs were delivered with an inclusive lens to support groups that are under-represented in Atlantic Canada’s economy and among its entrepreneurs. The Agency also advocated for regional interests in national initiatives, as well as consideration for urban, rural and remote areas. This is supported by enhanced data collection and analysis that includes groups under-represented in the economy.

Below are a few examples of work to advance ACOA’s GBA Plus capacity:

COVID-19 relief and recovery programs

The COVID-19 pandemic brought forward systematic biases in the economy and its workforce. The economic recovery also proved unequal for certain regions, groups and industries. In response to these challenges, regional development agencies, including ACOA, designed and delivered initiatives that were announced in Budget 2021: the Jobs and Growth Fund, the Tourism Relief Fund, the Canada Community Revitalization Fund, the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative, and the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative, with the latter delivered by only some agencies. To support these initiatives, a common results strategy was developed, including standardized templates, shared performance indicators, and activities to enhance the accuracy and harmonization of data gathered for under-represented groups.

Diversity and inclusion in ACOA’s workforce

The Agency supported its 2020-2022 Employment Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EEIAR) Action Plan, which aims to increase representativeness and foster an inclusive workplace through inclusive recruitment; by expanding the mandate of the Agency’s Employment Equity and Diversity committee; by better meeting career development needs of employment equity-designated groups; by developing a competency for managers that values diversity and inclusion; by delivering ACOA’s Diversity, Inclusion, Competency and Excellence (DICE) curriculum Agency-wide; and by supporting other diversity and inclusion events.

Administrative data systems update

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to update its internal systems to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements throughout the project life cycle to facilitate monitoring and reporting. This will enable ACOA to carry out analyses on its programs using new and existing administrative data. This will help the Agency take stock of the GBA Plus elements of its programs, look at trends, and provide insight into areas that may be improved upon to strengthen inclusivity.

Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program

Core Responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada

Program Name: Business Growth

Target Population: Atlantic Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), communities and organizations

Distribution of benefits:

Other key program impacts on gender and diversity:

An evaluation of the Business Growth programming at ACOA found that the Agency has taken positive steps toward strengthening inclusive growth:

• During the period of the evaluation, ACOA invested $38.2 million in 172 Indigenous economic development projects, 110 since the Investing in Regional Innovation and Development framework target was established in 2017.
• It delivered targeted programs for women, most notably the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy and the Women in Business Initiative.
• The Agency’s participation in the Atlantic Immigration Program is an important step forward on immigration and finding international workers who can help meet the needs of SMEs.

It offered targeted support for young business owners, primarily through a $7.3 million investment in the Youth Entrepreneur Development Initiative.

Supplementary information sources:

ACOA Business Growth and Trade and Investment Programming Evaluation Report 2020

GBA Plus data collection plan:

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision making within the Agency.

Core Responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada

Program Name: Diversified Communities

Target Population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations

Distribution of benefits:

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

GBA Plus data collection plan:

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision making within the Agency.

Core Responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada

Program Name: Inclusive Communities

Target Population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations

Distribution of benefits:

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

GBA Plus data collection plan:

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision making within the Agency.

Core Responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada

Program Name: Diversified Communities

Target Population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations

Distribution of benefits:

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

GBA Plus data collection plan:

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision making within the Agency.

Core Responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada

Program Name: Innovation Ecosystem

Target Population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations

Distribution of benefits:

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Other key program impacts on gender and diversity:

An evaluation of Innovation programming found that ACOA has taken positive steps toward strengthening inclusive growth. It found that the Agency made some efforts toward inclusive growth through funding and collaborations (e.g., immigrants, Indigenous people and women). However, there is growing internal recognition of the need to better support under-represented groups to facilitate economic growth, address skills and labour gaps, and better align with government priorities. Other key findings include:

• Between 2010 and 2015, female ACOA clients not only registered higher average growth rates than male ACOA clients in a number of employment and financial indicators but also outperformed female-owned businesses from the comparable group in most areas. Case studies indicated that there has been increased focus on supports to women in technology, computer science and entrepreneurship.
• ACOA’s involvement in the Atlantic Immigration Program (2017-2020), a key initiative under the Atlantic Growth Strategy, helps address labour and skills needs and ensures long-term economic growth in the region by attracting and retaining skilled immigrants.

Key informants also indicated that ACOA’s 28 points of service across the region position the Agency to meet the unique needs of rural businesses.

Supplementary information sources:

ACOA Innovation Programming Evaluation Report 2020

GBA Plus data collection plan:

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision making within the Agency.

Core Responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada

Program Name: Policy Research and Engagement

Target Population: Atlantic Canadian research organizations

Distribution of benefits:

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Other Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

This program, delivered through the Atlantic Policy Research Initiative (APRI), is the primary funding instrument through which ACOA supports policy research. It generates and disseminates knowledge that enhances policy information, including gender-based and diversity considerations, taking into account regional economic opportunities and challenges. These activities support and influence the policy research priorities that affect the Atlantic region, particularly those directly related to economic development, including when it affects under-represented groups. They also help establish and promote networks among stakeholders.

Supplementary information sources:

The following are examples of publications relevant to GBA Plus that are supported by the Policy Research and Engagement Program through APRI:

• Key Research Priorities for Atlantic Canada’s Economy: Looking Ahead and Finding Talent Series – Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, 2020-2022. https://www.apec-econ.ca/lookingahead/ ; https://www.apec-econ.ca/findingtalent/
• Employer Attitudes Toward Hiring Newcomers and International Students in the Atlantic Provinces – The Harris Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2021. https://www.mun.ca/harriscentre/ACOA_Immigration_Fang.pdf
• GEM Atlantic Canada Report 2019, The Centre for Innovation Studies, 2020. http://thecis.ca/wpdm-package/gem-atlantic-canada-report-2019/
• Immigration & Atlantic Revitalization – Public Policy Forum, 2020. https://ppforum.ca/project/immigration-atlantic-revitalization/
• Linking Indigenous communities with regional development, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2020. https://www.oecd.org/regional/indigenous-communities.htm

GBA Plus data collection plan:

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision making within the Agency.

Core Responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada

Program Name: Research and Development, and Commercialization

Target Population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations

Distribution of benefits:

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

GBA Plus data collection plan:

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision making within the Agency.

Core Responsibility: Economic development in Atlantic Canada

Program Name: Trade and Investment

Target Population: Atlantic Canadian SMEs, communities and organizations

Distribution of benefits:

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Other Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

An evaluation of Trade and Investment programming at ACOA found that the Agency has taken positive steps toward strengthening inclusive growth:

• During the period of the evaluation, ACOA invested $38.2 million in 172 Indigenous economic development projects, 110 since the Investing in Regional Innovation and Development framework target was established in 2017.
• ACOA delivered targeted programming for women, most notably the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy and the Women in Business Initiative.
• The Agency’s participation in the Atlantic Immigration Program is an important step forward on immigration and finding international workers who can help meet the needs of SMEs.

Targeted support for young business owners, primarily through a $7.3 million investment in the Youth Entrepreneur Development Initiative

Supplementary information sources:

ACOA Business Growth and Trade and Investment Programming Evaluation Report 2020

GBA Plus data collection plan:

In 2021-22, ACOA continued to enhance its internal administrative data collection system to capture microdata on GBA Plus elements to facilitate monitoring, analysis and reporting. The Agency also purchased custom data analyses from Statistics Canada to gain insights into client performance and the Atlantic Canadian economy with disaggregated data, where available. These additional data were further analyzed to help strengthen analysis and decision making within the Agency.

Definitions

Gender scale:

• First group: Predominantly men (e.g. 80 percent or more men)
• Second group: 60 percent - 79 percent men
• Third group: Broadly gender-balanced
• Fourth group: 60 percent - 79 percent women
• Fifth group: Predominantly women (e.g. 80 percent or more women)

Income level scale:

• First group: Strongly benefits low-income individuals (strongly progressive)
• Second group: Somewhat benefits low-income individuals (somewhat progressive)
• Third group: No significant distributional impacts
• Fourth group: Somewhat benefits high-income individuals (somewhat regressive)
• Fifth group: Strongly benefits high-income individuals (strongly regressive)

Age group scale :

• First group: Primarily benefits youth, children and/or future generations
• Second group: No significant inter-generational impacts or impacts generation between youth and seniors
• Third group: Primarily benefits seniors or the baby-boom generation