Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat 2023–24 Departmental Results Report

1.1 Refocusing government spending

In 2023–24, TBS led the first phase of the government-wide Refocusing Government Spending initiative announced in Budget 2023. As outlined in the Government Expenditure Plan and Main Estimates for 2024–25, the government will refocus about $8.7 billion over the next three years from departmental budgets to Canadians’ top priorities, such as health care and housing. This amount is on top of the $500 million reported in the Supplementary Estimates (B) 2023–24.

As part of this initiative in 2023–24, TBS worked to ensure that proposed measures did not create service delivery or program integrity issues. All proposals, risks and mitigation measures went through gender-based analysis plus and a review for how they would impact quality of life.

Together with the second phase of the Refocusing Government Spending initiative, announced in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, these reallocations will refocus a total $15.8 billion over five years and $4.8 billion every year thereafter.

1.2 Improving government effectiveness

As announced in Budget 2023, TBS led a government‑wide review of skills training and youth programs. The goal was to find ways to help more Canadians gain the skills and work experience they need for successful careers. The review found strengths in current programs and recommended ways to make it easier for people to access the services they need and improve the performance evidence available to decision-makers.

1.3 Exercising due diligence on spending proposals

In 2023–24, TBS also reviewed more than 370 Treasury Board submissions from departments to make sure they:

• aligned with Treasury Board policies and government priorities
• provided good value for money
• clearly explained the expected results and how they would be measured
• contained clear assessments of risks, including financial risks

This work supported government priorities in areas such as:

• new programs and initiatives, such as the Canadian Dental Care Plan and the Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy
• major information technology transformation initiatives, such as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Digital Platform Modernization program
• defence procurement and shipbuilding, such as the Canadian Multi‑Mission Aircraft Project and multi-purpose vessels
• economic investments, such as an electric vehicle battery project with Stellantis

1.4 Improving results-based management

To improve the government’s overall approach to results-based management, TBS continued to review the Policy on Results. Since it came into force in 2016, the Policy on Results has set out the fundamental requirements for federal departments in relation to their accountability for performance information and evaluation. It also emphasizes the importance of focussing on results in management and expenditure decisions, and in public reporting. The results and recommendations of the review are expected in 2024–25.

TBS also continued to integrate the Quality of Life Framework into government decision‑making processes to help make sure the government’s investments benefit Canadians. The framework measures what matters most to Canadians and supports evidence-based budgeting and decision-making at the federal level.

To improve public reporting, TBS updated and simplified the reporting requirements for departments. For example, it revised the templates for departmental plans and departmental results reports to make the information more concise and the format more web-friendly and accessible. These changes improved accountability and transparency for Parliamentarians and Canadians, and made the reports easier to read.

1.1 Excellence in technology and operations

In 2023–24, TBS supported digital program and service delivery by working with departments right from the start to help shape their digital initiatives. TBS also continued to oversee major transformation initiatives, which included commissioning independent third-party reviews of select initiatives to make sure identified risks were properly mitigated and to uncover others. TBS’s support helped departments align their initiatives with the goals of Canada’s Digital Ambition and take steps to increase the success rate of these initiatives.

TBS also started developing a government-wide information technology (IT) modernization strategy to plan and prioritize investments in time, expertise and funding. This strategy will help modernize outdated technology, address the problem of aging IT systems and applications, and improve the overall health of the government’s application portfolio. The strategy will also support TBS’s response to the 2023 report of the Auditor General of Canada on modernizing information technology systems.

In addition to developing the strategy, TBS helped modernize IT systems across government by:

• funding departments through the Application Modernization Investment Fund
• reviewing major systems plans to make sure the systems are built using modern tools and standard architectures
• leading communities of practice to help departments migrate to modern technologies
• working to replace the system used for keeping the inventory of government applications
• improving how it assesses the health of applications

TBS also worked with departments to monitor the performance of their existing IT systems and make sure the services these systems support were provided to Canadians.

To help keep government information and networks secure, TBS removed the WeChat and Kaspersky suite of applications from government-issued mobile devices and blocked them from being downloaded.

1.2 Data-enabled digital services and programs

To ensure reliable and high-quality government data and to support the 2023–2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service, TBS set expectations on best practices and established common data standards across the government by publishing:

• the Data Reference Standard on Industry Classification System
• the Data Reference Standard on Canadian Provinces and Territories
• the Standard for Managing Metadata, Appendix L of the Directive on Service and Digital
• Guidance on Data Quality

To improve the responsiveness and performance of the access to information system, TBS published:

• the Directive on Proactive Publication Under the Access to Information Act
• updates to the Policy on Access to Information

TBS also updated the Access to Information Regulations to reflect amendments to the Access to Information Act.

In 2023–24, TBS continued to publish notices that provide guidance for federal organizations on the interpretation and application of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and their related instruments. Notices issued in 2023–24 contained guidance on:

• collecting, using, retaining and disclosing personal information that is publicly available online
• collecting, using, retaining and disclosing personal information for program monitoring, evaluation and reporting purposes
• waiving the access to information application fee for Indigenous people to advance reconciliation
• providing culturally appropriate services to Indigenous people

In addition, TBS responded quickly to a privacy breach involving the personal information of past and present government employees, Canadian Armed Forces members and RCMP personnel held by Brookfield Global Relocation Services and SIRVA Canada. TBS made sure employees who had used these companies for moves in the previous 24 years had access to:

• credit monitoring services
• new passports
• advice on safeguarding financial and personal information online and access to personal or financial accounts

1.3 Action-ready digital strategy and policy

In 2023–24, TBS provided leadership in the responsible use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), by updating the Directive on Automated Decision-Making and by publishing the Guide on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence. These documentsguide departments in using AI in a manner that respects core principles of administrative law, such as transparency, accountability, legality, and procedural fairness. TBS will continue to review the Directive on Automated Decision-Making to make sure it keeps up with changes in AI.

In 2023–24, TBS worked on developing the Government of Canada’s Enterprise Cyber Security Strategy, a proactive approach for making sure the government can quickly and effectively combat cyber threats and address vulnerabilities across its digital estate. The strategy aims to help safeguard government systems, protect Canadians’ personal information and strengthen the resilience of digital government to ensure the continued delivery of secure and reliable digital services.

TBS also updated the Government of Canada Cloud Guardrails. These guardrails clarify roles, responsibilities and activities related to implementing cloud services, including the following:

• cyber security requirements and appropriate risk-based measures
• enhanced security requirements for the protection of user accounts and identities
• continuity plans
• validation that enables automated monitoring

These updates align with Canada’s Digital Ambition and respond to the 2022 report of the Auditor General of Canada on the cybersecurity of personal information in the cloud.

TBS also developed the 2024 Application Hosting Strategy, which provides direction and guidance for federal institutions in leveraging application hosting services efficiently and effectively. This helps align with broader government objectives of digital transformation while mitigating risks associated with delivering services to Canadians. The strategy is expected to improve the ways the government manages, funds and procures application hosting services.

In addition, TBS reviewed the policy instruments that fall under the Policy on Service and Digital. It rescinded several instruments that contained requirements that were outdated or covered in other instruments. These changes will help reduce administrative burden for service providers.

1.4 Structural evolution in funding, talent and culture

In 2023–24, TBS, in collaboration with Service Canada, developed a Public Service Skills Strategy that aims to build a service-oriented, digital-ready workforce to support efforts to improve service to Canadians.

In addition, TBS introduced the Directive on Digital Talent to help the Government of Canada access the talent it needs to provide modern and effective digital services to Canadians. The directive requires departments to submit additional information to TBS so that it can create business intelligence and speed up recruitment processes that serve departments across the government.

2.1 Asset management

In 2023–24, TBS took a series of actions to strengthen the management of government assets and acquired services.

In relation to procurement, TBS conducted a Review of Federal Government Contracts with McKinsey & Company, which it released in June 2023. The review identified opportunities for strengthening procurement policy, guidance and practices, as well as approaches to contracting and training, across government.

In response, TBS took steps to improve government procurement practices. For example, it:

• amended the Directive on the Management of Procurement to clarify the responsibilities of senior designated officials and contracting authorities for maintaining effective internal controls and for comprehensive information management
• updated the Guide to the Proactive Publication of Contracts to better support departments in meeting their reporting requirements, including providing guidance on disclosing more information about their decisions to contract for services and select suppliers
• published the Guide to Official Languages in Federal Procurement to help make sure departments meet official languages obligations during the procurement process
• released the Manager’s Guide: Key Considerations When Procuring Professional Services to help managers make informed contracting decisions, including the initial decision to contract out

TBS also:

• amended the Government Contracts Regulations to:
  • reduce administrative burden and give departments more flexibility by removing some requirements related to advance payments
  • allow exemptions for contracts related to legal proceedings so that the government can better secure expert witnesses and can promptly implement the terms of settlement agreements, court orders and judgments
• continued to work with Indigenous Services Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada and Indigenous partners to help departments follow the Mandatory Procedures for Contracts Awarded to Indigenous Businesses
• updated the Government of Canada Procurement Community Competencies to, among other things, enhance knowledge requirements and align with the Directive on the Management of Procurement
• introduced, based on lessons learned during the COVID‑19 pandemic, a special contracting limit for Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada that applies during sustained emergencies of national importance so that the government can respond to urgent and critical situations when they arise

To support better project management and to modernize approval structures, TBS renewed and streamlined the Organizational Project Management Capacity Assessment Tool and the Project Complexity and Risk Assessment Tool. The updated tools will help departments increase their focus on life‑cycle management, outcomes and benefits.

In addition, TBS continued to work with departments responsible for managing real property to address the recommendations in the Horizontal Fixed Asset Review and to train staff in all 28 custodian departments on planning and managing portfolios.

2.2 Financial management

In 2023–24, for the 25th year in a row, TBS received an unmodified audit opinion from the Auditor General of Canada on the government’s consolidated financial statements. An unmodified opinion means that the Auditor General found that the government presented its financial statements fairly and according to generally accepted accounting principles. This track record of unmodified audit opinions provides continued assurance to Canadians that they can trust the financial information the government publishes.

In addition, in 2023–24, TBS took a series of actions to enhance its oversight of departmental practices and to support effective financial management across government. Examples include:

• updating the Directive on Accounting Standards to include new standards for Asset Retirement Obligations and Financial Instruments in response to evolving public sector accounting standards
• updating the Guideline on Chief Financial Officer Attestation for Cabinet Submissions
• aligning the Directive on Charging and Special Financial Authorities with amendments to the Service Fees Act to bring more consistency, less bureaucracy and greater flexibility and responsiveness to government fees
• publishing the Guide to Costing, which:
  • outlines the principles, process, approaches and techniques recommended for the development of credible costing information
  • supports decision-making by improving the understanding of cost uncertainty, cost risk and cost drivers

In 2023–24, TBS continued to strengthen the financial management function through work to migrate the government from legacy technology to modern financial management systems. As part of this work, TBS collaborated with departments to:

• reduce the number of financial management systems across the government from 44 to 42
• publish a reference model for implementing an enterprise resource planning system for financial and material management in the Government of Canada to accelerate the adoption of modernized and standardized financial management systems by departments
• identify departmental financial management requirements to refine the competitive procurement process for selecting additional financial management system vendors

To ensure continued independent oversight of public resources and to assure Canadians that government activities demonstrate responsible stewardship, TBS also updated the Policy on Internal Audit and its supporting Directive on Internal Audit. The updates to the policies provide internal audit functions in departments more flexibility to respond to emerging risks and to provide a robust suite of services. TBS actively supported the internal audit functions as they updated their practices based on the latest policies. This included communicating the policy changes through various forums, as well as developing and sharing related guidance.

1.1 Supporting health and safety

In 2023–24, TBS continued to support the government’s work to achieve harassment- and violence-free workplaces that treat all employees with respect and dignity by:

• providing policy advice to departments and agencies that manage prevention and resolution processes
• developing harassment‑ and violence‑prevention tools
• providing resources for investigations
• working with bargaining agents to study informal conflict management systems
• improving prevention and ensuring effective complaint resolution by:
  • measuring departmental performance
  • showcasing best practices

TBS also formed a panel of experts, in October 2023, to lead consultations on the design of a new restorative engagement program for the federal public service. This program would be aimed at dismantling systemic barriers that contribute to workplace harassment, bullying, racism and other forms of discrimination and violence. The panel’s report, Restorative Engagement Program: Recommendations on How to Achieve a Successful Program, contains a program framework and recommendations for design and implementation. TBS is assessing the recommendations to determine next steps.

To support the mental health of federal public servants, TBS provided guidance and resources to help departments follow the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and to help them roll out the Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Strategy. In 2023–24, TBS also improved the Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Dashboard, which now provides three years of data for government overall and for individual departments, sub-organizational units, and numerous demographic groups.

1.2 Creating a diverse, equitable, accessible and inclusive workforce

The government is committed to fostering a safe, healthy and inclusive environment where Black public servants are recognized equally for their important contributions and are provided every opportunity to succeed. To achieve this goal, the government committed a total of $48.5 million, through Budgets 2022 and 2023, to create career development programs and mental health supports for Black public servants.

In June 2023, TBS established a task force to oversee the development and implementation of the Action Plan for Black Public Servants.

In February 2024, TBS announced funding for the following initiatives under the action plan:

• a leadership program run by the Canada School of Public Service for Black executives in the EX‑01, EX‑02 and EX‑03 groups to support their career advancement
• individualized assessment, counselling and coaching services for Black public servants, provided by the Public Service Commission; the commission will also improve the delivery of career development services for all levels of Black public servants
• Black-centric enhancements to Employee Assistance Program, which Health Canada provides to more than 90 departments and agencies; the enhancements include recruiting 19 additional Black counsellors this year (for a total of 60) to provide culturally competent and trauma-informed mental health support to public servants and their immediate families

In 2023–24, TBS continued to manage enterprise-wide initiatives to raise awareness and address barriers faced by equity-seeking employees, including:

• the Mosaic Leadership Development Program (which ran with its second cohort, made up of 50 new participants from the four designated equity groups, and from Black and 2SLGBTQI+ communities)
• the Mentorship Plus Program
• the Federal Speakers Forum on Lived Experience

To date, TBS’s work on these four initiatives resulted in:

• 26 new executive appointments from equity-seeking groups
• 802 sponsorship relationships across departments since Mentorship Plus began in December 2020
• 95 employee speakers who shared their lived experience at more than 608 government events

In addition, TBS continued to improve access to executive leadership development programs for people in equity-seeking groups and to increase their representation in these programs. In recent years, TBS worked to improve the selection process for the Executive Leadership Development Program to ensure diverse cohorts, mitigate potential biases, and increase Black and Indigenous participants. As a result, in 2023–24, the five active Executive Leadership Development Program cohorts comprised:

• 63% women
• 11% Indigenous people
• 41% visible minorities
• 12% persons with disabilities

To combat racism, discrimination and hate, to enable representation, and to foster a culture of inclusion and accessibility in the public service, TBS:

• continued to foster transparency and accountability by collecting and disseminating unprecedented levels of disaggregated data on the composition and experience of employment equity groups and subgroups in the public service as a whole
• continued to modernize the way employees indicate that they belong to an employment equity or equity-seeking group
• equipped departments to incorporate inclusion stewards into their performance and talent management processes to mitigate unconscious bias
• set aside time during meetings of deputy ministers on enterprise talent management to talk about assistant deputy ministers who had identified as belonging to employment equity groups; the aim was to increase their visibility, remove barriers and support their development, in order to build a leadership community that reflects Canada’s population
• raised awareness and improved the coherence of equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives across government by coordinating with deputy minister-level committees and engaging with equity-seeking networks
• started working with bargaining agents to review equity, diversity and inclusion training available to public service employees and informal conflict resolution systems in the core public administration
• promoted the Maturity Model on Diversity and Inclusion as a tool departments can use to assess how they are doing on five aspects of diversity and inclusion

TBS also worked with the Canada School of Public Service to develop training for public servants on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan 2023–2028 and how to respond to it.

In response to the Auditor General of Canada’s report on inclusion in the workplace for racialized employees, in October 2023, TBS published its Management Action Plan and began addressing the report’s recommendations by:

• developing guidance and best practices to help departments set performance indicators to measure and report on equity and inclusion outcomes in the public service
• developing guidance for managers on how to assess inclusive and anti-racist behaviours when assessing employee performance
• continuing to modernize the approach to self-identification so that departments will have data to support their efforts in comparing the experiences of racialized employees with those of non‑racialized employees

To increase accessibility in the public service, TBS:

• supported departments in publishing their first progress reports on their departmental accessibility plans
• provided leadership to support departments in reaching the overall public service target of hiring 5,000 net new public servants with disabilities
• collaborated with McMaster University’s IDEA (Inclusive Design for Employment Access) Lab to improve the recruitment, retention and advancement of employees with disabilities in the federal public service
• continued to provide intersectional recommendations to advance inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility across various communities of practice
• developed tools and resources to improve the well-being of employees with disabilities, including:
  • the Accessibility Self-Assessment Tool
  • the Accessibility Measurement Framework Synthesis

1.3 Reinforcing values and ethics

TBS supported the work of the Deputy Ministers’ Task Team on Values and Ethics, which participated in more than 90 conversations across the public service, as well as some with external parties and civil society. The task team’s report to the Clerk of the Privy Council contained several recommendations and is intended to serve as a prologue to a broader dialogue on values and ethics in the public service.

In response to the Auditor General of Canada’s findings about some government contracting, TBS moved to ensure that public servants maintain the trust of Canadians by launching a review of the policies and guidance on conflict of interest, including the Directive on Conflict of Interest, to ensure that:

• requirements are clear and effective, particularly those related to employees who engage in contracts with the government
• guidance supports deputy heads in exercising their authorities and carrying out their responsibilities effectively
• employees and managers received training on conflict of interest

TBS provided administrative support to the task force on the Review of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, set up to find ways to enhance the federal disclosure process and strengthen protections and supports for public servants who come forward to disclose wrongdoing. TBS also supported extensive consultations during the review. The task force’s report is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

1.4 Strengthening and modernizing the public service for the 21st century

TBS continued to adapt workplace policies and processes to make sure the public service fulfills its mandate. In spring 2023, the public service adopted a common hybrid model to maximize the benefits of public servants being in the workplace, which include:

• more effective collaboration
• smoother on‑boarding of new talent
• a stronger culture of performance consistent with the values and ethics of the public service

In spring and fall 2023, TBS sent questionnaires to deputy heads in the core public administration about how implementation of the Direction on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace was going in their departments. TBS received more than 60 responses each time, representing roughly 235,000 employees. The collective results of these questionnaires helped TBS and deputy heads guide the implementation of the direction.

TBS also committed to consulting with key parties to review the Directive on Telework, which lays out the roles, responsibilities and requirements for telework agreements under a hybrid work model.

In 2023–24, to ensure fair and equal pay in the public service, TBS developed two pay equity plans: one for the core public administration, the other for the RCMP. Developing these plans involved:

• forming two separate pay equity committees, one for each plan
• starting to discuss through each committee, key elements of the plans, such as determining job classes and gender predominance
• launching a procurement process for support services for the two committees

To support the HR and Pay Initiative, TBS worked with Public Services and Procurement Canada to analyze the selected vendor’s ability to provide the required human resources and pay capabilities. TBS also further reinforced the role of the Human Resources Systems Review Board to ensure business owner-led governance and oversight of investments in order to simplify the government’s human resources systems.

1.5 Promoting official languages

TBS continued to make sure Canadians have greater access to bilingual federal services by coordinating the Official Languages Regulations Reapplication Exercise as part of implementing the Official Languages (Communications With and Services to the Public) Regulations. Through the exercise, federal institutions confirm the linguistic designation of their offices. TBS expects the exercise will result in about 700 more federal offices and points of service being designated as bilingual by 2027.

In June 2023, An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages received royal assent, modernizing the Official Languages Act. The numerous changes to the Official Languages Act included two provisions to advance bilingualism in the public service:

• the right for all employees in bilingual regions to be supervised in the official language of their choice as of June 2025, regardless of the linguistic profile of their position
• the requirement for newly appointed deputy heads, associate deputy ministers and equivalents in departments listed in Schedule I of the Financial Administration Act to, if needed, take language training so that they can speak and understand both official languages clearly

In 2023–24, TBS also developed a second official language training framework to increase the bilingual capacity of the public service. Launched in June 2024, the framework aims to provide second language learning options that are effective, flexible, accessible, learner-centred, and that consider the needs of equity-seeking groups. The framework, which can be found on the newly launched Language Training Hub, includes guidance tools to help departments and managers plan and prioritize access to language training and to support managers and employees in their language-learning journey.

1.1 Developing and overseeing policies to promote good regulatory practices

TBS supported the second External Advisory Committee on Regulatory Competitiveness by coordinating the committee’s meetings with key parties and regulatory experts. The committee advises the President of the Treasury Board on how to improve Canada’s regulatory system. It discussed challenges and best practices related to, among other things:

• lessons learned about the regulatory system during the COVID‑19 pandemic
• regulatory stock reviews
• the Cabinet Directive on Regulation
• monitoring and providing guidance on the first committee’s recommendations

The committee also published and promoted its June 2023 advice letter to the President of the Treasury Board. The letter contains recommendations related to:

• making regulatory excellence a priority across government, championed at the Cabinet table by all ministers
• equipping Canada’s regulators to be world‑class
• modernizing regulatory engagement

In 2023–24, the committee met with stakeholders and regulatory experts to discuss topics including:

• performance measurement
• planned reviews of regulations
• modern engagement practices

These discussions shaped the committee’s advice to the President of the Treasury Board and will inform the government’s continued efforts to achieve regulatory excellence.

TBS also provided leadership and support to departments to advance modern approaches, use new consultation tools, and encourage regulatory innovation. The new comment on proposed regulations feature of the Canada Gazette facilitated online access and made consultations on pre-published regulations more modern and transparent. More than 13,000 comments on 136 regulations were submitted using the new feature.

TBS also continued to represent the government in formal regulatory cooperation forums, including:

• the Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table for the Canadian Free Trade Agreement
• the Canada-European Union Regulatory Cooperation Forum
• the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council

In 2023–24, the Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table started implementing the recommendations from a five-year review, which concluded in 2022–23. This work included improving reporting on implementation, increasing transparency, and communicating better with stakeholders.

In November 2023, Canada and the European Union signed agreements forming the Green Alliance and the Digital Partnership to establish frameworks for voluntary bilateral cooperation in combatting climate change and deepening digital engagement. Both agreements recognize the importance of regulatory cooperation and identify the Regulatory Cooperation Forum as a mechanism for identifying shared priorities and increasing cooperation.

In March 2024, the President of the Treasury Board launched a series of round tables with interested Canadian parties to explore opportunities for regulatory cooperation under the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council. This work continued into 2024–25, with the release of a statement in June 2024 on Revitalizing the Canada-United States Regulatory Partnership, which reaffirmed both countries’ shared commitment to regulatory cooperation.

1.2 Reviewing proposed regulations to make sure they meet the requirements of government policy

In 2023–24, TBS supported sound decision‑making through its specialized challenge function on all Governor in Council regulatory proposals.

Through this process, TBS works with regulators to validate the design of the proposed regulation and to identify the expected impacts on the environment, the economy and trade. It also serves to confirm that sound analysis and effective consultation identified the impacts on regulatory stakeholders.

This support ensured that advice to the Treasury Board met the requirements of the Cabinet Directive on Regulation and associated policies and guidance.

1.3 Reducing regulatory burden

TBS continued to support Bill S‑6, An Act Respecting Regulatory Modernization, the second annual regulatory modernization bill, as it was considered by Parliament. The bill has advanced through the House of Commons for review. Amendments proposed in the bill will:

• help reduce administrative burden on business
• facilitate digital interactions with government
• simplify regulatory processes
• make exemptions from certain regulatory requirements to test new products
• make cross-border trade easier through more consistent and coherent rules across governments

In spring 2023, TBS launched and completed a consultation process with interested parties and with the public to explore the possibility of seeking legislative authority for all federal regulatory organizations to set up regulatory “sandboxes” where they can test new regulatory approaches that provide flexibility from current requirements. The consultation also explored seeking legislative authority for “incorporation by reference” of internal documents, a mechanism that allows information related to a regulation to be put into a published document and then reference that document in the regulation. This process results in the content of the document having the same force of law as if it had been directly included in the text of the regulations.

In Budget 2018, the federal government announced three rounds of targeted regulatory reviews as part of broader plans to modernize Canada’s regulatory system.

Targeted Regulatory Reviews also help reduce regulatory burden and support regulatory modernization. TBS advanced the Targeted Regulatory Reviews (Round 3), which includes:

• the Supply Chain Regulatory Review
• the Blue Economy Regulatory Review

As part of the Supply Chain Regulatory Review, TBS held a public consultation on regulatory opportunities to improve the efficiency and resiliency of Canada’s supply chains. This consultation began in November 2023 and ended in February 2024 on the Let’s Talk Federal Regulations platform. It sought feedback on supply chain issues, with a particular focus on critical minerals, transportation, and border operations.

As part of the Blue Economy Regulatory Review, TBS continued to work with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to advance regulatory modernization in support of economic growth and innovation in the oceans sector.

In addition, TBS led public reporting on Targeted Regulatory Reviews (Round 1) and Targeted Regulatory Reviews (Round 2). In November 2023, it published a progress update on rounds 1 and 2. The update highlighted that of the more than 100 initiatives departments had put forward in the first two rounds of the reviews, almost 40% were complete and progress had been made on almost all of the rest.