Gender-based analysis Plus

1.1 Basic Organizational Capacity (BOC)

Program goals: BOC provides Indigenous representative organizations with core capacity funding to support core operations and salaries within their respective organizations. These organizations are instrumental in advancing Indigenous self-determination and strengthening Crown-Indigenous relationships based on respect, cooperation, partnership, and recognition of rights. Funding through this program currently enables 51 recipient organizations to lead engagements with, and advocate on behalf of, Indigenous Peoples on issues determined by Indigenous Peoples.

Target population: First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: 60 to 79% men

Specific demographic group outcomes: BOC supports the core operations of organizations representing First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Non-Status Indians, as well as Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Other key program impacts: BOC is allocated to national and regional Indigenous organizations inclusive of all genders and Indigenous distinctions in order to ensure that diverse Indigenous voices are heard on issues that affect them. The program has indirect impacts on First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and 2S and Indigenous LGBTQI+ peoples. Of the 51 recognized organizations eligible for BOC funds, 4 Indigenous women's organizations are funded and specifically serve Indigenous women and gender-diverse people. Further, additional Indigenous representative organizations have women's, and gender-diverse representatives and/or councils that also serve the interests of women and 2SLGBTQI+ members and citizens.

GBA Plus data collection plan: CIRNAC is conducting a program review of BOC, Federal Interlocutor Contribution Program, and Consultation and Policy Development authorities. In addition to discussions with recipients on program effectiveness and efficiency, this program review will promote GBA Plus considerations and explore potential interest and willingness on the part of recipients to co-develop such indicators in coming years. In addition, tracking the distinctions-based indicators of organizations, with a mandate to advocate on behalf of Indigenous women or 2SLGBTQI+ peoples specifically, will be done at the departmental level. This will include tracking the mandates of recipient IROs as well as the specific topics of projects funded (i.e. a women's organization may be funded to engage on housing and economic development in the same year that several traditional IROs receive funding to discuss Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, greater inclusion for 2SLGBTQI+ people, and youth participation in governance).

1.2 Consultation and Accommodation

Program goals: The program provides capacity support funding and tools to Indigenous partners across regions, nations and communities. As such, the program is broadly gender balanced, as well as distinctions based.

Target population: Indigenous Peoples

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced
• By income level: no significant distributional impacts
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: The outcomes of this program are designed to assist Indigenous Peoples directly through enhanced capacity support. This program specifically aims to produce the following outcomes: (A) decreasing litigation risks related to consultation; (B) ensuring a clearer path to achieving economic development/economic stimulus; (C) advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and; (D) respecting the Crown's legal obligations related to section 35 Indigenous rights with a view to self-determination. This will benefit Indigenous communities as a whole, including diverse Indigenous people.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: Not available

GBA Plus data collection plan: Being cognizant of the administrative reporting burden on Indigenous partners, performance measurement, and indicators of the program for emerging GBA Plus impacts are encouraged within the existing reporting structure for Indigenous Peoples but not imposed by CIRNAC. The department continues to look for opportunities to work collaboratively towards the collection of GBA Plus-relevant data, where appropriate, and where Indigenous partners are interested in collaborating on GBA Plus objectives.

1.3 Consultation and Policy Development

Program Goals: The program provides time-limited, proposal-based project funding, and supports First Nation and Inuit recipient organizations to engage with the peoples they represent in order to provide input to the department on policy and program development. The program supports Indigenous peoples at the grassroots, community, regional and national levels in ensuring that their voices are heard on departmental programming and policies.

Target population: First Nations and Inuit Peoples

Distribution of benefits: By gender: 60 to 79% men

Specific demographic group outcomes: The program supports engagement projects by organizations representing First Nations and Inuit communities.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: The program has direct impacts on First Nations and Inuit men, women, and gender-diverse people as it supports advocacy and leadership capacity of Indigenous representative organizations (IROs) to be meaningful partners in advancing Indigenous self-determination. It has both direct and indirect benefits for First Nations and Inuit women and gender-diverse peoples, as national and regional Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations are eligible recipients of this program, in addition to other representative organizations that also serve the diverse interests of members and citizens including women, 2SLGBTQI+ people, youth and elders etc.

GBA Plus data collection plan: CIRNAC is conducting a program review of Basic Organizational Capacity, Federal Interlocutor Contribution Program, and Consultation and Policy Development authorities. In addition to discussions with recipients on program effectiveness and efficiency, this program review will promote GBA Plus considerations and explore potential interest/willingness on the part of recipients to co-develop such indicators in coming years. In addition, tracking the distinctions-based indicators of the Consultation and Policy Development projects funded, and the distinctions-based indicators of the organizations funded to carry them out on behalf of Indigenous women or 2SLGBTQI+ people specifically, will be done at the departmental level. This will include tracking the mandates of recipient IROs as well as the specific topics of projects funded (i.e. a women's organization may be funded to engage on housing and economic development in the same year that several traditional IROs receive funding to discuss Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, greater inclusion for 2SLGBTQI+ peoples, and youth participation in governance).

1.4 Federal Interlocutor's Contribution Program

Program Goals: The objective of the Federal Interlocutor's Contribution Program is to help to build capacity, and to maintain a relationship based on trust and respect between Métis and non-status Indian people and the Government of Canada. GBA Plus was applied in activities undertaken by partner organizations and communities to ensure inclusive design and integration of diverse perspectives to policy development.

Target population: Métis, Non-Status Indians, off-reserve, urban, Indigenous women, gender diverse, and other off-reserve Indigenous people

Distribution of benefits: By gender: 60 to 79% men

Specific demographic group outcomes: The outcomes of this program are designed to assist Métis and non-status Indian people directly through enhanced capacity support funding and tools for Métis and non-status Indian partners across regions, nations and communities.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Other key Program impacts: Not available

GBA Plus data collection plan: Baseline data continues to be defined with partner organizations and collected through the development and implementation of long-term work plans with partner organizations and communities that will assist in measuring and tracking GBA Plus considerations.

The program provides Indigenous Representative Organizations, and other eligible organizations with capacity funding to support projects that directly impact and support work in the off-reserve landscape. The program is proposal based and provided to national and regional Indigenous organizations and communities inclusive of all genders and Indigenous distinctions in order to ensure that diverse Indigenous voices are heard on issues that affect them. The program has direct and indirect impacts on First Nations, Inuit and Métis including gender diversity, women and 2S and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ people, missing and murdered women and girls, boys and men projects, and youth participation. Of the 15 organizations in receipt of FICP capacity funds, there are 2 Indigenous women's organizations specifically serving Indigenous women and gender-diverse people. Note that in addition to direct funding, in 2022–23, 4 Indigenous women's organizations and 3 2SLGBTQI+ organizations used the terms and conditions to flow their project funding from the Budget 2021 Supporting Indigenous Women's and 2SLGBTQI+ Organizations initiative. Further, of the remaining 13 organizations funded, 7 Indigenous representative organizations have women's, and gender-diverse representatives and/or councils that also serve the interests of women and 2SLGBTQIA+ members and citizens.

1.5 First Nation Jurisdiction over Land and Fiscal Management

The program works directly with the institutions (i.e., First Nations Tax Commission, First Nations Financial Management Board, First Nations Finance Authority and the Land Advisory Board) and not with First Nations. Therefore, the program does not collect or have access to GBA Plus information and does not have direct gender or intersectional-based impacts. The program seeks to provide additional governance tools to First Nations governments so they can manage their own lands and invest in much needed community infrastructure. As such, any impacts would be indirect and arise from decisions rendered by chief and council on land and fiscal management.

1.6 Management and Implementation of Agreements and Treaties

Indigenous modern treaty and self-government partners, as well as treaty-based institutions operate independently of federal government, and are independent from federal government direction, whether related to gender issues or otherwise. They believe any such interference would be manifestly inconsistent with the government's reconciliation agenda and with existing modern treaties. However, the broad objectives of modern treaties include supporting social and economic development, among others. Canada has committed to collaborating with Indigenous modern treaty partners to advance these objectives, and co-develop a measurement strategy to meaningfully track progress.

1.7 Negotiations of Treaties, Self-Government Agreements and other Constructive Arrangements

Program goals: This program supports Canada's commitment to the negotiation of treaties, self-government agreements and other constructive arrangements to reconcile Indigenous rights with the sovereignty of the Crown. The intent is to co-create an enabling environment where Indigenous groups can exercise their right to self-determination and improve the political, cultural and socioeconomic conditions within their communities. GBA Plus principles are reflected in the negotiation process in various ways, such as: considering whether a provision proposed for an agreement or self-government agreement contains elements that might adversely affect women or men or other community sub-groups (e.g., youth, elders, single parents, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ people) in comparison to others within the membership to be governed by the agreement under negotiation. Further, GBA Plus guidelines used by the program provide both general and context-specific tips for incorporating an intersectional lens. Indigenous groups are encouraged to apply these principles, but they are not beholden to them.

Target population: All Indigenous groups in negotiations with the Government of Canada

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced
• By income level: no significant distributional impacts
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people face gender-based barriers to participate in the exercise of Indigenous self-government, stemming from past and present discriminatory provisions in colonial policies and legislation, such as the identity and status provisions of the Indian Act, which stripped many Indigenous women and youth of their cultural identities. As a result, they are often excluded from governance processes and decisions.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: Canada will continue to ensure that underrepresented groups have a voice in the engagement and co-development of policies, and will encourage diverse perspectives at negotiation tables where appropriate.

CIRNAC recognizes that there are opportunities during the negotiation and ratification of an agreement to promote GBA Plus principles. For example, in consideration that marginalized and vulnerable groups can often be missed in voting and information dissemination activities, the department will work with Indigenous partners to co-develop an engagement and ratification strategy that applies a GBA Plus lens to ensure full accessibility. This includes developing a flexible strategy for engagement sessions to ensure they are held at optimal times and places, including appropriate methods of delivering information to different sub-groups, and a flexible engagement and ratification strategy that allows for the participation of all community members.

GBA Plus data collection plan: Impacts on Indigenous men, women, youth, 2SLGBTQI+ people, persons with disabilities, and additional diversity groups are possible but yet to be established. The requirement to collect disaggregated data relating to 2SLGBTQI+ people has been discussed and included in the MMIWG National Action Plan Data Strategy.

1.8 Residential Schools Legacy

Program Goals: In 2022–23, several goals have been achieved to address the legacy of residential schools, including expanding eligibility of community support funding, putting in place 38 new funding agreements, and providing additional funding to existing recipients to support community efforts in response to Calls to Action 72 to 76. The GBA Plus outcome is that partners and communities have timely access to information to plan and implement Calls to Action 72 to 76 initiatives, successfully secure funding to plan and implement Calls to Action 72 to 76 activities, and implement initiatives to locate, document, and commemorate/ memorialize missing children and burial sites associated with former residential schools.

Target population: First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples

Specifically, the focus for GBA Plus considerations is on residential school survivors, their communities and families, including those intergenerationally impacted and who could be marginalized due to an intersection of multiple compounding factors. The survivor community is a large diverse cross-section of the Indigenous population, comprised of women, men, and people of diverse genders, including individuals from all distinction groups and regions, residing both on and off reserve, and in urban and remote communities.

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced
• By income level: somewhat benefits low income individuals (somewhat progressive)
• By age group: Primarily benefits youth, children and/or future generations

Specific demographic group outcomes:

• First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples may benefit directly and indirectly.
• Residential school survivors, their communities and families, including those intergenerationally impacted, may benefit directly.
• While there is presently no data available to determine the impacts through an intersectional lens, existing research indicates that women and 2SLGBTQI+ survivors are more likely to face barriers to access and participation.
• senior Indigenous population: Age is another important consideration that may be a barrier or impede participation, since residential school survivors are an aging population, with the majority being over the age of 65.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Other key Program impacts: Disaggregated data is not available to track benefits of new funding agreements to particular populations. Increasing data collection could inadvertently negatively impact partners, small communities, and organizations and be perceived as an additional burden. These organizations often rely on volunteers to organize events and may reconsider applying for funding should the process become too complex. Reporting requirements are limited. While recipients are required to report on the number of participants reached by an activity or initiative, they are not obliged to track intersectional identity factors of participants.

GBA Plus data collection plan: Limited disaggregated data and existing challenges with measurement and the quality of available data mean that measuring progress needs to be considered against the need for meaningful reporting. In order to address GBA Plus challenges (such as capacity challenges, small population challenges, absence of identifiers for all Indigenous identity groups, including for 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, inconsistent data collection methods, and low rates of participation of key groups in survey instruments) there is significant work underway by the Government of Canada and its partners in key areas, some of which is being leveraged.

The use of programmatic data can enhance the understanding of results and impacts. CIRNAC will be collecting enhanced data on program recipients, as part of their regular reporting exercises during the program duration, that may contribute to better understanding the impacts through a GBA Plus lens.

1.9 Specific Claims

CIRNAC is not positioned to identify distribution of benefits of specific claims settlement agreements on individual members of a First Nation. As the settlement agreement provides the First Nation with the sole authority and responsibility for administration of the settlement compensation, Canada is not in a position to address such effects post-agreement, and Canada does not seek to ask First Nations to report on the use, access and benefits derived by the use of the settlement funds.

2.1 Canadian High Arctic Research Station

Program goals: The asset has been transferred to Polar Knowledge Canada. The original construction project particularly benefited men with a low to moderate degree of education. Some Nunavut Inuit-targeted technical and manual skilled positions, including carpentry, mechanical, and electrical trades that favoured Inuit men.

Target population: Groups involved in the construction of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: predominantly men (80% or more men)
• By income level: somewhat benefits low income individuals (somewhat progressive)
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: Construction of the CHARS campus directly benefited workers in construction and engineering. Workers include both lower-educated individuals and also higher-educated individuals.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: Not available

GBA Plus data collection plan: CIRNAC has transferred custodianship of the CHARS to Polar Knowledge Canada and will no longer collect data on the target population in support of departmental results. Polar Knowledge Canada will be responsible for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of CHARS research programs and operations.

2.2 Climate Change Adaptation and Clean Energy

Program goals: Climate Change Adaptation and Clean Energy provides programming to support Indigenous and Northern communities, organizations, and Peoples to help monitor and adapt to a changing climate, while also working to mitigate emissions through diesel reduction initiatives. Principles of GBA Plus are applied through a variety of methods, for example, including the use of committees that bring the voices and opinions of Indigenous Peoples, youth, and women to the table when making funding decisions.

Target population: All northern peoples, southern First Nations, and Métis

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: 60 to 79% men
• By income level: no significant distributional impacts
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: Demographic groups affected by this program include Indigenous Peoples, Women, Youth, and rural and remote communities. All of these groups stand to benefit directly and indirectly from program activities. Barriers to participating in this program include capacity issues, resulting in communities and organizations being unable to submit program applications and manage projects.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: Not available

GBA Plus data collection plan: Programs are adding a question to their proposal template regarding what steps the project will take to ensure the activities proposed incorporate the views of women, gender-diverse people, youth, elders, 2SLGBTQI+ or people with disabilities. To date, 3 of 5 programs have implemented this question, with the remaining programs to make the addition before year-end. Further to this, Indigenous-targeted programs have been using a distinctions-based approach to apply funding, while also supporting and encouraging communities to submit youth-led and youth targeted projects. Where possible distinction based data is collected.

2.3 Northern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability

Program goals: The Northern Contaminants Program supports activities which seek to improve an individual's, organization's, or community's ability to engage in contaminants issues. Capacity building may function as: formal training programs (one-on-one or small group training with the researcher); community or target-group workshops; presentations to, and engagement of northern students; and hiring and engagement of local individuals in research projects. Projects are required to include these elements, and some projects focus on building community capacity on environmental contaminants.

Target population: Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the territories

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced
• By income level: somewhat benefits high income individuals (somewhat regressive)
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the territories. Students, workers, higher-educated individuals benefit directly and lower-educated individuals, newcomers/immigrants benefit indirectly.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: The Northern Participant Funding Program supports Indigenous participation in impact assessments of major projects in the 3 territories. That participation has a bias towards the effects of projects on traditionally male land use and activities, to the detriment of looking at the impacts on Indigenous women. Quantitative data is sparse, but there is growing qualitative evidence supporting this difference.

GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2021–22, as a trial, as part of a broader redesign of its performance measurement strategy, the Northern Participant Funding Program drafted a new GBA Plus performance indicator tracking how many recipients incorporated GBA Plus into their funded activities and interventions. Use of this indicator continued in 2022–23, however responses are voluntary. As the program has only received a few reports (because of COVID-19 and capacity challenges), it does not have enough data yet to determine the success of the trial GBA Plus performance indicator. Program administrative data can be used to inform impact assessments, however applicants are not requested to confirm their gender identity when applying to the Northern Contaminants Program. This type of quantitative data would demonstrate the level of support for women in science, however there is currently no plan to collect this information.

2.4 Northern and Arctic Governance and Partnerships

Program goals: Not applicable

Target population: All Northerners, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the territories

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced
• By income level: no significant distributional impacts
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: Not applicable

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: Not available

GBA Plus data collection plan: Not applicable

2.5 Northern Contaminated Sites

Program goals: The objective of the Northern Contaminated Sites Program (NCSP) is to manage contaminated sites in a cost-effective and consistent manner, reduce or eliminate, where possible, risks to human and environmental health and the realization of maximum Northern and Indigenous community, business, and individual participation and economic development opportunities in NCSP projects.

Indigenous and northern communities benefit from the program's activities which facilitate improved accessibility to employment and business opportunities created by its projects. This leads to the development and maintenance of long-term partnerships with Indigenous and northern communities through governance and partnering opportunities, as well as capacity building activities facilitated through the program's active contaminated sites projects. For most of its contracts, the program collects training and employment data, including the number of northern and Indigenous employees. In line with the Treasury Board Secretariat's Direction to Modernize the Government of Canada's Sex and Gender Information Practices, the program also collects gender-disaggregated data for the purposes of completing, implementing, and monitoring gender-based analysis Plus considerations.

Target population: Indigenous Peoples and Northerners living in proximity to contaminated sites in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut

Distribution of benefits:

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced

Specific demographic group outcomes: Indigenous Peoples and Northerners living in proximity to contaminated sites in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut

Key program impacts on gender and diversity

Other key Program impacts: Not available

GBA Plus data collection plan: The program continues to collect and report socio-economic data, including from contracts issued through Public Services and Procurement Canada on behalf of the program. This includes socio-economic data on Indigenous Peoples, Northerners, women, Indigenous firms, and northern Lands.

2.6 Northern Regulatory and Legislative Frameworks

Program Goals: The objective the program is to support the management, sustainable development and regulatory oversight of the land, water, natural resources, and environment of the North, delivering on the department's role as the Government of Canada's natural resource manager in Nunavut and the northern offshore and its post-devolution responsibilities in the Northwest Territories and Yukon. This includes:

• managing oil and gas resource development
• supporting the sustainable management of active mineral exploration and development in the remaining department-managed land and water areas in the North
• supporting efficient and effective legislative and regulatory environments that respect and reflect modern treaties

Target population: All Canadians, but particularly First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, Northern populations, territorial governments and stakeholders (such as industry).

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced
• By income level: no significant distributional impacts
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: Target populations affected by this program stand to benefit directly and indirectly from program activities (i.e. the management of renewable and non-renewable resources). Barriers to participating in this program include capacity issues, resulting in communities and organizations being unable to submit comments/recommendations and/or participate in proceedings pertaining to resource management legislation, project applications, etc.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: According to reports commissioned by organizations representing First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women and underrepresented groups in the North, such as the Liard Aboriginal Women's Society, Native Women's Association of Canada, and the Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, northern resource development has an ongoing legacy of perpetuating harassment, violence, and discrimination against Indigenous women, youth, and the 2SLGBTQI+ community. This program attempts to negate adverse impacts from development by promoting the sustainable management of northern lands, waters, natural resources, and environments in such a way that responds to needs identified by partners such as Indigenous governments and organizations, territorial governments, resource management boards, and industry and respects structures established by modern treaties. This includes supporting and participating in fora with a diverse range of Parties to collaboratively identify and advance common regulatory and legislative priorities, such as the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act (YESAA) Oversight Group and YESAA Forum in Yukon; the Mackenzie Valley Operational Dialogue in the Northwest Territories; and board forums across the North.

GBA Plus data collection plan: Any federal government legislative and regulatory processes will include information that can support GBA Plus. The federal government will be required to consider GBA+ data at legislation and/or regulation development stages. Research conducted by the program in 2022–23 indicated that the development of an optional GBA Plus reporting question for Contribution Agreements would support GBA Plus and disaggregated data collection moving forward. Partners will have an opportunity to describe any steps they took to ensure Indigenous youth, Elders, women 2SLGBTQI+ people, or members of other underrepresented groups were included meaningfully in work on northern regulatory initiatives undertaken using funding. This is aligned with what the Northern Participant Funding Program began to implement in 2022–23.

2.7 Northern Strategic and Science Policy

Program goals: The objectives of the program are to ensure that Canadians benefit from well-informed northern policy and that Canada is a leader in integrated policy development. The focus is on supporting Canada's Arctic and northern organizations, individuals, communities and governments in the pursuit of a strong, inclusive, vibrant, prosperous and self-sufficient North, the vision of Canada's Arctic and Northern Policy Framework (ANPF). This includes federal coordination, science leadership, and effective delivery of federal programming, as well as Indigenous and territorial relations. Since 2017, these objectives have been advanced by convening the ANPF Leadership Committee, chaired by the Minister of Northern Affairs, and through funding announcements in Budgets 2019, 2021 and 2022.

The Program's role in implementing the ANPF is: coordinating whole-of-government approaches to working on Arctic and northern issues; coordinating engagement with Indigenous, territorial and provincial partners; implementing strategic initiatives (time-limited specific projects) that advance priorities of the Government of Canada and partners; and, implementing or participating in the implementation of federal government initiatives or programs in support of the goals and objectives of the ANPF, which may be led by other government departments or agencies.

Target population: All Northerners

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced
• By income level: somewhat benefits low income individuals (somewhat progressive)
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: Although the ANPF is designed primarily to benefit Northerners and Indigenous Peoples who live in the North, it will have benefits for all Canadians. Targeted measures intended to enhance access to northern post-secondary education are available to Northerners, Indigenous Peoples, and all Canadians. It will deliver greatest benefits to Indigenous Peoples both in the North and throughout Canada.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Other key program impacts: The program provides support for the shared priorities, goals and objectives of Canada's Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, specifically for Goal 1: Canadian Arctic and northern Indigenous peoples are resilient and healthy. There are unacceptable gaps in health and social development outcomes between Arctic and northern Indigenous peoples and most other Canadians. The Task Force on Post-Secondary Education in the North, the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, the construction of a science building at Yukon College as it transitions to Yukon University, and support for the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic institution will all contribute to mitigating the inequities caused by poor access to education for Arctic and northern Indigenous peoples.

While the benefits of establishing a Task Force on Post-Secondary Education in the North and support for the science building at Yukon College are expected to be broadly gender balanced, it is anticipated that support for the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning will provide particular support for women. The Dechinta Centre is noteworthy for the support it offers to single parents, particularly single mothers, through integrated child-care and schooling for the children of students. Through its engagement with students, the Dechinta Centre found that a lack of childcare was the principal barrier preventing women for attending post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories. The Dechinta Centre is also supportive of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and published the Gender and Queer Terminology Toolkit in 2022.

Yukon University has included a commitment to advancing reconciliation in its strategic plan for 2022 to 2027 and as part of achieving that, it will center Indigenous knowledge in its curricula and teaching, its leadership styles and governance, as well as work with First Nations, building an Indigenous student centre, and addressing social injustices. Enrolment and graduation statistics are not yet available for 2022–23.

Support for the transformation of Aurora College is anticipated to have significant positive benefits to Indigenous people as a portion of funding will go toward community engagement that will inform programming and campus locations. The college is tracking changes that it has made in the past several years in its governance structure and has met with high school students to adjust its curricula to what they will need in their future careers.

Supplementary information sources:

Education as a social determinant of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Health

Indigenous Post-Secondary Education, 2011 (PDF)

Statistics Canada Census

Postsecondary enrolments, by registration status, institution type, status of student in Canada and gender

Yukon University

Dechinta resources

Conference Board of Canada, 2023, Investing in Polytechnic Education in the Northwest Territories: Benefits for the Territory and Its Residents

Aurora College Transformation

GBA Plus data collection plan: Data collected and reported by funding recipients, including territorial governments and educational institutions, is relied upon by the program to analyze and assess the impacts of the program on the diverse indicators measured by gender-based plus analysis. More data will become available as more federal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments and organizations support the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework in their programming, and as more post-secondary institutions publish demographic statistics of their students and/or staff. The program is exploring options to integrate gender-based plus analysis into the reporting requirements for future funding recipients, where appropriate.

2.8 Nutrition North

Program goals: The goal of Nutrition North Canada (NNC) is to improve the accessibility and affordability of market and traditional foods to individuals living in northern isolated communities. Because of women's role as caregivers and their direct involvement in food preparation and caregiving activities inside the household, the retail food subsidy which lowers the price of food, directly benefits women and other vulnerable groups that may be under their responsibility such as children and elders. While the retail subsidy component is of general application, the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Programs fund are targeted at the most vulnerable and ensures the equitable distribution of food among women, elders, and children.

Target population: Residents of isolated, northern communities. While NNC is a program of general application, programming seeks to benefit residents with lower incomes, particularly Indigenous people, women, children, young and/or lone parents, people with disabilities, elders and others who are most vulnerable to food insecurity.

Distribution of benefits

• By gender: broadly gender-balanced
• By income level: strongly benefits low income individuals (strongly progressive)
• By age group: no significant intergenerational impacts or impacts on generations between youths and seniors

Specific demographic group outcomes: Canadian's living in northern isolated communities, specifically Indigenous populations.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: NNC collects program data related to food shipments and food cost/sale price. Additionally, the program receives progress reports on harvesting and food sharing activities supported by the Harvesters Support Grant which provide a qualitative lens as to how Grant initiatives are benefitting vulnerable groups, such as women and elders. As well, NNC continues to consult with Indigenous partners to gain a more nuanced approach to the lived experiences of women and other vulnerable groups in eligible communities.

Supplementary information sources:

• Aboriginal Peoples Survey (2017)
• Final Report on the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2019)
• Canadian Community Health Survey, 2014, 2015–16
• Nutrition North Canada Engagement 2016, Final report on what we heard
• Inuit Health Survey (IHS, 2007-2008) (PDF)
• Pauktuutit – Inuit Women of Canada, Food Mail Review, Inuit Gender-Based Analysis
• Council of Canadian Academies | CCA | Aboriginal Food Security in Northern Canada: An Assessment of the State of Knowledge
• Lemke, S., & Delormier, T. 2017. Indigenous Peoples' food systems, nutrition, and gender: Conceptual and methodological considerations. Maternal & child nutrition, 13(3)

GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2022–23 Nutrition North Canada hosted 2 co-development sessions with HSG recipients. Based on these engagements, the program is currently co-developing options to further improve the program in ways that better supports the most vulnerable and food insecure. This work centers on women's participation to amplify their role as keepers of communities and traditions.

The program receives recipient progress reports on harvesting and food sharing activities that are directly supported by NNC's Harvesters Support Grant. These reports provide a qualitative lens as to how Grant initiatives are benefitting vulnerable groups, such as women and elders. NNC continues to consult with Indigenous partners to gain a more nuanced approach to the lived experiences of women and other vulnerable groups in eligible communities.

In 2022–23, NNC launched its Food Security Research Grant. The 5 projects that have received funding have demonstrated that they incorporated a GBA Plus lens in the research design, methods, analysis and interpretation, and dissemination of findings. The results of these projects will be available to the program in early 2024–25 and will provide a more complete picture of who is accessing the subsidy and to what extent it is improving food security, especially among the most vulnerable, in the communities included in the projects.