Copyright information
@ His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Justice, 2025
Catalogue No.: HR2-7E-PDF
ISSN: 2561-1240
At a glance
This departmental results report details the Canadian Human Rights Commission's (the Commission) actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results outlined in its 2024–2025 Departmental Plan.
Key priorities
The Commission identified the following overarching key priorities for 2024–2025:
- advance anti-racism, reconciliation, accessibility, and the recognition of socioeconomic rights;
- ensure timely and meaningful access to human rights justice;
- build effective and meaningful new regulatory capacity; and
- modernize communications, data management, and digital services to meet the needs of the new Commission.
Highlights for the Commission in 2024–2025
- Total actual spending (including internal services): $41,564,182
- Total full-time equivalent staff (including internal services): 283
For complete information on the Commission's total spending and human resources, read the Spending and human resources section of its full departmental results report.
Summary of results
The following provides a summary of the results the department achieved in 2024–2025 under its main areas of activity, called “core responsibilities.”
Core responsibility 1: Engagement & Advocacy
- Actual spending: $6,510,598
- Actual full-time equivalent staff: 38
In 2024–2025, the Commission advanced its various mandates through engagement and advocacy to strengthen human rights protections in Canada. Engaging in promotion, monitoring, and advocacy efforts to achieve meaningful change and advance human rights was a key focus throughout the year.
Through legal interventions and public advocacy, the Commission helped shape the interpretation of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility laws. The Accessibility Commissioner, Pay Equity Commissioner, and Federal Housing Advocate led targeted outreach and compliance support, enabling organizations and governments to better understand and meet their obligations.
The Commission amplified voices of equity deserving groups through consultations, submissions, and partnerships, raising awareness of systemic barriers such as racism, gender discrimination, inadequate housing, and barriers faced by people with disabilities. Nationally, the Commission engaged civil society organizations through one-on-one engagements, newsletters, reports, statements, audits, and community events, while internationally, it represented Canada's human rights commitments before United Nations bodies and contributed to global policy discussions.
Collectively, these efforts pushed for the advancement of human rights, strengthened accountability, fostered inclusion, and advanced public understanding of human rights as a shared responsibility, reinforcing Canada's compliance with international standards and commitments.
For more information on the Commission's Engagement & Advocacy read the “Results – what we achieved,” section of its departmental results report.
Core responsibility 2: Complaints
- Actual spending: $13,582,070
- Actual full-time equivalent staff: 91
In 2024–2025, the Commission focused on ensuring meaningful access to human rights justice through timely and fair dispute resolution processes by strengthening its complaints systems under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA), the Pay Equity Act (PEA), and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).
Human Rights Complaints
- In 2024–2025, under the CHRA, the Commission continued to modernize its complaints process to make it more responsive, efficient, and accessible. Urgent and sensitive cases were prioritized to allow faster support for people in vulnerable circumstances, while simplified procedures and expanded use of mediation and conciliation improved timely access to remedies. The Commission also represented the public interest before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and courts, with a particular focus on advancing anti-racism jurisprudence and systemic change.
Pay Equity Complaints
- In 2024–2025, under the PEA, the Commission supported workplace parties in resolving disputes and meeting their obligations. The Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner, responded to a significant increase in formal disputes and authorization requests by streamlining processes, issuing timely decisions, and expanding use of the Pay Equity Portal. These measures provided workplace parties with practical tools and clearer guidance to strengthen compliance and advance pay equity across federally regulated workplaces.
Accessibility Complaints
- In 2024–2025, under the ACA, the Commission continued to build the foundation for a strong and effective complaints system. The Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner, established operational procedures and tools to guide intake, assessment, mediation, and corrective measures. This work ensures the Commission is well-positioned going forward to manage a growing caseload as the regulatory framework expands in the years ahead.
Through these efforts, the Commission strengthened access to justice across all mandates. People in Canada now benefit from complaints processes that are more efficient, fair, and inclusive, helping to protect rights, resolve disputes, and advance equality of opportunity.
For more information on the Commission's Complaints read the “Results – what we achieved” section of its departmental results report.
Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance
- Actual spending: $8,392,074
- Actual full-time equivalent staff: 54
In 2024–2025, the Commission focused on overseeing and enforcing compliance with statutory human rights obligations in accessibility, pay equity, and employment equity.
Employment Equity
- In 2024–2025, the Commission advanced equity in federally regulated workplaces by completing its horizontal audit on racialized people in management, closing over 200 small-employer files, and launching new audits on the representation of women and people with disabilities, as well as 20 additional conventional and blitz audits.
Pay Equity
- To support the first posting of Pay Equity Plans, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner, responded to over 600 information requests, expanded its guidance series, published a comprehensive employer reference guide, launched an Annual Statement Portal, and presented a preliminary Audit Framework to prepare organizations for future compliance reviews.
Accessibility
- The Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner, responded to over 380 information requests, published resources and conducted more than 400 inspections to verify compliance with Accessibility Plans and reporting requirements, focusing on large organizations and the federal public service, and worked with employers to establish corrective measures where needed.
Through audits, inspections, and new tools, the Commission strengthened accountability and helped federally regulated organizations advance employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility in workplaces across Canada.
For more information on the Commission's Proactive Compliance read the “Results – what we achieved” section of its departmental results report.
From the Interim Chief Commissioner
I am pleased to deliver the Canadian Human Rights Commission's 2024–2025 Departmental Results Report, detailing our work over the past year to advance human rights in Canada.
The Commission serves as a single organization with multiple responsibilities under five key federal laws: the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Accessible Canada Act, the Pay Equity Act, and the National Housing Strategy Act. We are internationally accredited as Canada's National Human Rights Institution. Across our mandates, we advocate for human rights, and provide enforcement and dispute resolution processes that are fair, equitable, and respect the inherent dignity of all. To unify our diverse work, we are guided by a shared vision: an inclusive Canada where everyone is valued and respected, and has equal access to opportunity, free from discrimination.
This vision has been the foundation for our work in 2024–2025. It has shaped how we address key human rights issues across all our mandates—domestically and internationally—including anti-racism, reconciliation, socioeconomic rights, accessibility, employment equity, pay equity, housing rights, and meaningful access to justice.
Over the past year, the Commission remained a strong national voice for human rights in Canada. We spoke out on a wide range of pressing issues: the disturbing rise of hate crimes in Canada, particularly antisemitism and Islamophobia; the rights of Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse youth; Indigenous rights and the need for an independent Indigenous human rights system; the right to housing for people with disabilities; the emerging issue of environmental racism and injustice; and the rights of current members and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces to seek justice in the face of sexual violence and systemic discrimination.
As a recognized leader in human rights knowledge and research, we continued to provide Parliament with independent, evidence-based advice. This work is strengthened by our engagement and collaboration with advocacy organizations, civil society, and people experiencing intersecting forms of discrimination and socioeconomic barriers.
One significant example of this collaborative approach is our partnership in 2024–2025 with the Office of the Federal Housing Advocate (OFHA). In our role as Canada's National Monitoring Mechanism of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we saw an opportunity to work together with the OFHA to delve into the urgent issue of inadequate housing and homelessness across Canada's disability community. Together, we launched a Monitoring Framework, the first of its kind, on the right to adequate housing for people with disabilities.
We also made important strides this year in improving access to justice across all our mandates. People in Canada now benefit from complaints processes—for human rights, accessibility, and pay equity—that are more efficient, inclusive, and trauma-informed.
For the first time in the Commission's history, race-based complaints under the Canadian Human Rights Act represented the largest proportion of accepted human rights complaints. Our ongoing work to transform how we handle these complaints has resulted in a higher referral rate to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and a lower dismissal rate for race-based human rights complaints compared to all others. And over the course of the past year, we prioritized and focused our strategic litigation on cases that can help strengthen anti-racism jurisprudence in Canadian law.
Beyond resolving complaints and improving case law, we also help federally regulated organizations put proactive measures in place to prevent discrimination before it takes place. In 2024–2025, we worked with federally regulated organizations in Canada to promote compliance with the Employment Equity Act, the Pay Equity Act, and the Accessible Canada Act.
Through all this work, we continued to lead with the values of equality, dignity, and respect —for the people we serve and the people we employ. Our team of dedicated Commission employees is as committed as ever to advancing human rights for people in Canada. I am energized and inspired by each of them, as I hope you are in reviewing the outcomes of our work in 2024–2025.
Sincerely,
Charlotte-Anne Malischewski
Interim Chief Commissioner
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Results – what we achieved
Core responsibilities and internal services
- Core responsibility 1: Engagement and Advocacy
- Core responsibility 2: Complaints
- Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance
- Internal services
Core responsibility 1: Engagement and Advocacy
In this section
Description
Provide a national credible voice for equality in Canada by raising public awareness of human rights issues; engaging civil society, governments, employers, and the public to affect human rights change; and monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Government of Canada's obligations under the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Quality of life impacts
This Core Responsibility contributes to the “Good Governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, “Discrimination and unfair treatment”, “Access to fair and equal justice”, and “Confidence in institutions,” through all the activities mentioned in the Core Responsibility description.
This Core Responsibility also contributes to the “Prosperity”, “Health”, and “Society” domains of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, “Functional Health Status”, “Children Vulnerable in Early Development”, “Economic Security and Deprivation”, and “Self-Rated Mental Health,” through advocating for social-economic and cultural rights.
Progress on results
This section details the department's performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility 1: Engagement & Advocacy.
Table 1: CHRC interventions influence law and support the advancement of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility
Table 1 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “CHRC interventions influence law and support the advancement of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| # of interventions in the public interest before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the Courts | At least 250 | March 2025 |
|
Table 2: Full compliance with the Paris Principles
Table 2 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “Full compliance with the Paris Principles” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain A-Status accreditation as Canada's National Human Rights Institution | A-Status | March 2025 |
|
Table 3: People in Canada are informed of their rights and responsibilities
Table 3 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “People in Canada are informed of their rights and responsibilities” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| # of Canadians who have been informed about the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Pay Equity Act, and the Accessible Canada Act | 3.6 million | March 2025 |
|
The Results section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page provides additional information on results and performance related to its program inventory.
Details on results
The following section describes the results for Engagement & Advocacy in 2024–2025 compared with the planned results set out in the Commission's departmental plan for the year.
CHRC interventions influence law and support the advancement of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility
Results achieved
In 2024–2025, the Commission helped influence law and supported the advancement of human rights by speaking out, advocating, and engaging on a variety of human rights, employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility issues. This work focused on human rights advancements that ensure Canada is inclusive, equitable and barrier-free.
Influencing Law and Advancing Human Rights
In 2024–2025, the Commission continued to help shape the human rights agenda in Canada through engagement with the international human rights community, public service networks, law practitioners, lawmakers, Parliament, stakeholders and communities of practice. More specifically, the Commission:
- intervened in Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) and court matters on prohibited grounds of discrimination, including intersecting grounds, to advance human rights and shape Canadian jurisprudence;
- Where necessary, the Commission sought judicial review of Tribunal decisions and appealed decisions from reviewing courts.
- spoke out and engaged on key human rights issues such as anti-racism, Indigenous rights, accessibility, and pay equity;
- The Commission issued statements, reports, and submissions that raised awareness of emerging issues, such as socioeconomic rights, and partnered with the Federal Housing Advocate on a joint event highlighting inadequate housing and homelessness.
- participated in Canada's review before the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) Committee, made recommendations on disability rights and socioeconomic inequality, and provided input on draft regulations for the Canada Disability Benefit, as Canada's National Monitoring Mechanism under the UNCRPD;
- In particular, the interim Chief Commissioner's engagements, remarks, and advocacy to the UNCRPD Committee were a key opportunity to support the advancement of human rights.
- engaged in international advocacy to ensure Canada upholds its international human rights obligations by delivering statements at the United Nations and contributing to Working Groups, Expert Mechanisms, and other international fora;
- This included submissions and meetings on systemic racism in law enforcement, inequitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Indigenous peoples' rights and data collection, and the rights of women and intersex people.
- highlighted other key human rights issues such as student safety, hate speech, anti-racism and diversity initiatives, and the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, ensuring advancements are being made in human rights in Canada.
Advancing Employment Equity
In 2024–2025, in support of its mandate under the Employment Equity Act, the Commission published up-to-date information on employment equity compliance audit processes and promoting sector-wide audit reports, highlighting barriers and recommending measures to improve equity in leadership roles.
Advancing Pay Equity
In 2024–2025, in support of its mandate under the Pay Equity Act (PEA), the Pay Equity Commissioner issued decisions that played a key role in clarifying interpretation of the PEA, addressed ambiguities, and set precedents for future cases. The increased number and complexity of cases required carefully considered decisions, which are now publicly available on the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) website, contributing to greater legal certainty and enforcement of pay equity.
Advancing Accessibility
In 2024–2025, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner, the Commission promoted compliance and awareness of regulatory obligations through guidance and presentations, engaged with regulated entities to encourage the removal of barriers, and supported outreach and engagement activities to advance compliance. The Commission also collaborated with partners such as Employment and Social Development Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the Canadian Transportation Agency, the Office of Public Service Accessibility, Accessibility Standards Canada, and the Office of the Chief Accessibility Officer. These efforts influenced accessibility regulations and standards, while advancing accessibility awareness and inclusion across federally regulated organizations.
Advancing Housing Rights
In 2024–2025, the Federal Housing Advocate (FHA):
- advanced systemic housing rights through targeted engagement-based advocacy, research, and monitoring;
- The FHA's work on encampments influenced the federal government's $250 million initiative and prompted commitments from federal and provincial leaders to rights-based approaches.
- released the first-ever report on Métis housing conditions, in partnership with Métis Nation–Saskatchewan, prompting a ministerial response;
- launched a joint Monitoring Framework on housing rights for persons with disabilities with the Commission, using outcome indicators and Statistics Canada data;
- played a key role in review panels, published reports on financialization of rental housing and housing rights for women and gender-diverse people, and issued research showing Canada faces a shortfall of 4.4 million affordable homes;
- published, through the Office of the Housing Advocate, fact sheets for provinces and municipalities, and a jurisprudence brief summarizing legal obligations on encampments; and
- advocated for investment in non-market and Indigenous housing, both domestically and internationally, including at the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly and the World Urban Forum.
Full compliance with the Paris Principles
Results achieved
In 2024–2025, the Commission continued to adhere to the Paris Principles and maintain its A-Status designation. Following a special review process, this status was reaffirmed in 2024.
- The Paris Principles is a framework established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to guide National Human Rights Institutions in promoting and protecting human rights. By emphasizing independence, transparency, and pluralism, the Paris Principles ensure institutions operate autonomously, with adequate resources and broad mandates.
People in Canada are informed of their rights and responsibilities
Results achieved
Promoting and protecting human rights
In 2024–2025, to strengthen public understanding of human rights, raise awareness of recourse mechanisms, and increase access to human rights justice, the Commission:
- expanded its public awareness work, issuing 25 public statements on emerging and systemic human rights issues such as Indigenous rights and the need for an independent Indigenous human rights system, housing rights for people with disabilities, environmental racism, hate, rights of current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces related to sexual assault and discrimination, Medical Assistance in Dying, women's right to pay equity, and trans rights;
- engaged the public, using traditional and digital channels, with over 1,300 social media posts reaching over 435,000 people in Canada, responded to 110 media requests, and was cited in over 2,000 media stories, significantly increasing visibility of human rights issues;
- published an updated guide on environmental sensitivities and scent-free policies, providing a human rights-based approach to accommodating people with invisible disabilities such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity;
- This was further promoted through presentations at the National Conference on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and linked to broader awareness efforts on workplace accommodation.
- enhanced awareness of human rights protections under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) and promoted access to justice. More specifically, the Commission:
- launched a new email newsletter to over 200 respondents and 450 advocacy stakeholders, providing updates and inviting feedback that will inform future human rights complaint rules;
- signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 211 Canada, establishing a partnership to raise awareness of the Commission's complaints process and connect people to community supports;
- released a promotional video on mediation as an effective resolution pathway, and began developing a companion guide (All About Mediation) with Pro Bono Students Canada to demystify the process for those without legal counsel; and
- engaged federal employee networks (Muslim Federal Employees Network, Jewish Public Servant Network, Black Executives Network) to highlight the Commission's mandate under the CHRA and human rights complaint processes, particularly improvements in handling complaints based on the grounds of race, colour, national and/or ethnic origin.
Advancing Employment Equity
In 2024–2025, as part of the employment equity audit process, a sample of employees from federally regulated organizations under audit were interviewed to corroborate information regarding their employer's employment equity program and to inform them about their rights and responsibilities in participating in related employment equity initiatives and activities.
Advancing Pay Equity
In 2024–2025, a significant pay equity milestone occurred as federally regulated employers faced the first major pay equity deadline for posting their final Pay Equity Plans, driving a marked increase in engagement, as employers sought clarity and assistance around their obligations.
To help regulated entities understand and meet their obligations transparently, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner:
- issued two newsletters to more than 1,600 stakeholders with guidance and resources;
- updated the online course, offered in partnership with Université TELUQ, now with over 1,500 participants since its launch;
- engaged close to 300 stakeholders through events in Canada and abroad;
- published four new Interpretations, Policies and Guidelines, and four new Notice templates covering compensation adjustments, posting extensions, and phase-in guidance; and
- launched an online comprehensive employer reference guide.
Advancing Accessibility
In 2024–2025, to help regulated entities understand their roles and responsibilities, recourse options, and meet their obligations transparently, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner:
- undertook outreach and engagement activities with people with disabilities, regulated entities, accessibility stakeholders, and international partners, engaging over 500 participants;
- enhanced awareness of obligations and rights under the Accessible Canada Act and its Regulations, through newsletters, informational resources, and compliance reminders. More specifically by:
- publishing two guidance materials on instructions and a template for completing a progress report;
- issuing a newsletter to over 3,500 regulated entities and enabling organizations; and
- posting one video resource on best practices for meaningfully consulting people with disabilities.
Advancing Housing Rights
In 2024–2025, together with the Commission, the Federal Housing Advocate:
- launched a Monitoring Framework on the right to adequate housing for people with disabilities, developed with the input of people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers, as well as people who have experienced inadequate housing and homelessness;
- The Framework provides an accountability mechanism to measure Canada's compliance with both domestic and international obligations and will inform future advocacy and policy change.
- engaged in over 300 events and over 1,500 media appearances since 2022, amplifying housing as a human right across Canada and abroad. Key activities in 2024–2025 included:
- presenting at the World Urban Forum (Cairo), advocating for international adoption of rights-based housing models;
- appearing before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories to underscore governments' obligations to uphold the right to housing; and
- maintaining an online submission tool that allows people and organizations to share lived experiences, which helps identify systemic issues and strengthen accountability through review panel processes.
Key Risks
There is a risk that limited public understanding of the Commission's human rights complaints process could result in human rights complaints being filed late or without necessary information. To mitigate this risk, the Commission conducted outreach at events and meetings with equity deserving groups, and took these opportunities to listen and learn from diverse groups about the barriers experienced and to take action to remove identified barriers.
Another key risk is insufficient coordination across employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility mandates, which could increase the burden on regulated entities that have obligations under all three mandates, and reduce the effectiveness of interventions. The Commission is mitigating this risk by developing an integrated data-driven risk-based compliance monitoring plan for the employment equity, pay equity, and accessibility mandates, focused on maximizing impact, finding efficiencies and reducing the burden on regulated organizations.
The loss of funding for the Commission's role in monitoring Canada's implementation of the UNCRPD limits its ability to fulfill this mandate and risks criticism and reputational harm. Mitigation measures have included limiting activities to ad hoc contributions, repurposing existing work, and redirecting equity deserving groups to broader disability-related initiatives.
Finally, a 52% funding reduction for the Office of the Housing Advocate disrupted operations, displaced staff, and weakened engagement with equity deserving groups.
Resources required to achieve results
Table 4: Snapshot of resources required for Engagement & Advocacy
Table 4 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $4,928,351 | $6,510,598 |
| Full-time equivalents | 31 | 38 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for the Commission's on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Program inventory
Engagement & Advocacy is supported by the following programs:
- Promotion Program
Additional information related to the program inventory for Engagement & Advocacy is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Core responsibility 2: Complaints
In this section
Description
Provide people in Canada with a mechanism to file and resolve complaints under the Canadian Human Rights Act, Pay Equity Act, and Accessible Canada Act, and to represent the public interest in achieving equality in Canada.
Quality of life impacts
This Core Responsibility contributes to the “Good Governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada and, more specifically, “Discrimination and unfair treatment”, “Access to fair and equal justice”, and “Confidence in institutions,” through all the activities mentioned in the Core Responsibility description.
Progress on results
This section details the department's performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility 2: Complaints.
Table 5: People in Canada have access to a complaint system for human rights, pay equity and accessibility complaints
Table 5 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “People in Canada have access to a complaint system for human rights, pay equity and accessibility complaints” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| % of complaints completed by the Commission | At least 90% | March 2025 |
|
Table 6: Complaints are resolved consistent with private and public interests
Table 6 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “Complaints are resolved consistent with private and public interests” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediation settlement rate | At least 55% | March 2025 |
|
The Results section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page provides additional information on results and performance related to its program inventory.
Details on results
The following section describes the results for Complaints in 2024–2025 compared with the planned results set out in the Commission's departmental plan for the year.
People in Canada have access to a complaint system for human rights, pay equity and accessibility complaints
Results achieved
Complaints under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA)
In 2024–2025, for complaints under the CHRA, the Commission continued modernizing and simplifying its human rights complaints process to make it more effective and sustainable, and informed by the needs of the people the Commission serves. More specifically, the Commission:
- prioritized urgent and sensitive complaints involving vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities and Indigenous, Black, and other racialized people, ensuring timely access to justice and reducing inventory;
- expanded the use of accelerated processes, including screening existing files for suitability and advancing a new conciliation-tribunal referral process to move cases more efficiently;
- increased referrals to mediation and conciliation, the quickest paths to resolution of individual, systemic, and policy-based forms of discrimination;
- held quarterly case conferences with respondent organizations who have a high volume of complaints to answer operational questions and increase respondent participation in mediations;
- initiated the development of onboarding tools for new employees, embedding knowledge of equity, diversity, trauma-informed practices, bias recognition and the recognition and impact of subtle acts of exclusion; and
- advanced the design of a new Human Rights Case Management System (CMS) to enhance complaint tracking and processing, data management, and reporting capacity.
Complaints under the Pay Equity Act (PEA)
In 2024–2025, for complaints under the PEA, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner:
- advanced the development and implementation of complaint resolution processes, including early resolution, mediation, investigation, and dismissal, to provide workplace parties with timely access to justice;
- managed a sharp rise in case volume: 77 formal disputes (up from 6 in 2023–2024); and 465 authorization applications (up from 21 in 2023–2024), with 331 resolved, reflecting a 2,000% increase in demand;
- implemented new internal workflow processes and leveraged the Pay Equity Portal to handle the increased caseload efficiently;
- continued developing a Pay Equity CMS integrated with the Portal, enabling better tracking of complaints and requests; and
- issued 334 decisions, further defining the interpretation of the PEA, reducing ambiguity, and setting precedent for future cases.
Complaints under the Accessible Canada Act (ACA)
In 2024–2025, for complaints under the ACA, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner:
- strengthened the accessibility complaints system by establishing procedural processes covering the full accessibility complaint lifecycle: intake, assessment, mediation, investigation, and corrective measures where complaints are substantiated;
- developed operational tools, including letter templates, practice directions, intake checklists, and standardized forms, to promote consistency, fairness, and efficiency in handling of accessibility complaints;
- prepared for forthcoming regulatory changes that will expand the volume and scope of accessibility complaints, while building internal capacity to manage a growing caseload; and
- ensured that accessibility complaints are managed in a manner that promotes equitable access and meaningful remedies for people in Canada.
Complaints are resolved consistent with private and public interests
Results achieved
Complaints under the CHRA
In 2024–2025, for complaints under the CHRA, the Commission:
- represented the public interest before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) and Canada's courts, ensuring that systemic human rights issues were highlighted and that the rights of people in Canada were advanced; and
- used strategic litigation to strengthen anti-racism jurisprudence and legal precedents in race-based discrimination cases.
- Complaints alleging discrimination related to race, colour and national and/or ethnic origin made up a significant share of the Tribunal caseload, and the Commission was actively involved in many of the cases referred during the year. Strategic litigation, also known as impact litigation, is the practice of pursuing specific cases to create social change. Through this litigation in the public interest, the Commission pushes for systemic anti-racism change and strives to strengthen Canadian jurisprudence to make it easier for people to access justice.
Complaints under the PEA
In 2024–2025, for complaints under the PEA, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner:
- resolved seven disputes, four of which were withdrawn, demonstrating both an active caseload under the PEA and the variety of resolution outcomes.
Complaints under the ACA
In 2024–2025, for complaints under the ACA, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner:
- received three accessibility complaints, none of which met the criteria to be accepted under section 94 of the ACA; and
- resolved or finalized four complaints by transferring to the authority of other applicable mandates, thereby ensuring outcomes aligned with both private and public interests.
Key risks
There is a risk that the innovation strategies to reduce the inventory of human rights complaints might not achieve the expected results and that the Commission might not be resourced to hire sufficient staff to meet the needs of people in Canada. To mitigate this risk, the Commission used a range of staffing approaches, including casual contracts, secondments, internal acting opportunities, and resource realignment to allow for an effective and flexible workforce. The Commission also implemented targeted inventory reduction initiatives, engaged in business process improvements to balance workloads, and applied case management monitoring strategies to increase the efficient flow of complaints through each stage of the process.
Another key risk is that the Commission might not be resourced to meet increased support needs, potentially impacting pay equity implementation by some employers. This risk was mitigated by leveraging the Pay Equity Portal and online tools to simplify submission of authorization requests and improving the Pay Equity CMS to assist with tracking applications.
There is also a risk that increased pay equity disputes could limit resources for auditing, education, and engagement. To address this, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner, reviewed and renewed internal processes for disputes as well as its education and engagement strategy.
Lastly, a risk to effective delivery of accessibility complaint processes is a lack of resources to support effective integration with the functions of the human rights Complaints Services Branch (CSB) of the Commission, which has extensive experience investigating complaints under the CHRA. In addition, forthcoming regulations may require specialized or technical expertise that the Commission will need to further develop or acquire. Without careful coordination and planning, these factors could lead to inefficiencies, inconsistent approaches, and delays in the timely and effective resolution of accessibility complaints. The Commission will mitigate this risk by exploring integration of accessibility complaints into broader CSB functions, with a registry working group currently underway and a customized training program focused on the forthcoming specialized regulatory requirements.
Resources required to achieve results
Table 7: Snapshot of resources required for Complaints
Table 7 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $13,248,610 | $13,582,070 |
| Full-time equivalents | 91 | 91 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Program inventory
Complaints is supported by the following programs:
- Protection Program
Additional information related to the program inventory for Complaints is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance
In this section
Description
Ensure federally regulated organizations comply with the requirements set out in the Employment Equity Act, Pay Equity Act, and the Accessible Canada Act and hold those who do not comply accountable.
Quality of life impacts
The Core Responsibility contributes to the “Prosperity” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada, more specifically “Household Income”, “Productivity”, and “Firm growth”.
This Core Responsibility also contributes to the “Health”, “Society”, and “Good Governance” domains of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada through the activities mentioned in the Core Responsibility description.
Progress on results
This section details the department's performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility 3: Proactive Compliance.
Table 8: Employers are fostering a work environment that promotes equality of opportunities
Table 8 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Employers are fostering a work environment that promotes equality of opportunities in the last three fiscal years”.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| # of employment equity goal setting reports validated for conventional and horizontal audits | At least 15 | March 2025 |
|
The target for fiscal year 2024–2025 was not achieved due to the nature of the audit cycle. Employment equity goal setting reports are officially validated only once audited employers complete their Management Action Plans (MAPs) and the audit files are closed. The number of goal setting reports validated in a fiscal year depends on the number of audits in the monitoring phase (i.e., audits with active MAPs). During 2024–2025, there were six audits in the monitoring phase. Four of those audits were closed, and their goal setting reports were validated.
Table 9: Workplace parties have the tools and support to implement the pay equity plan process
Table 9 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “Workplace parties have the tools and support to implement the pay equity plan process” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| % of stakeholder feedback indicating satisfaction with support and guidance provided | At least 70% | March 2025 |
|
Table 10: Regulated entities have published accessibility plans, feedback mechanism and progress report
Table 10 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under “Regulated entities have published accessibility plans, feedback mechanism and progress report” in the last three fiscal years.
| Departmental Result Indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| % of regulated entities that are using My Accessibility Portal | At least 80% | March 2025 |
|
The Results section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page provides additional information on results and performance related to its program inventory.
Details on results
The following section describes the results for Proactive Compliance in 2024–2025 compared with the planned results set out in the Commission's departmental plan for the year.
Employers are fostering a work environment that promotes equality of opportunities
Results achieved
In 2024–2025, the Commission strategically used compliance audits, audit reports, and MAPs to help employers identify and address workforce representation gaps and strengthen equitable opportunities, ensuring federally regulated workplaces comply with the requirements of the Employment Equity Act. More specifically, the Commission:
- concluded the horizontal audit on the representation of racialized people in management and executive positions in the federal public service, with the sector-wide report published on the Commission website to inform stakeholders and guide improvements;
- closed remaining files from the blitz pilot audit examining self-identification surveys and workforce representation rates of over 200 small employers;
- concluded the assessment phase of the horizontal audit of employers in the ground transportation sector, focusing on the representation of racialized people;
- initiated a horizontal audit of employers in the water transportation sector, focusing on the representation of people with disabilities;
- launched phase II of the horizontal audit on the employment of women in management in the air transportation sector; and
- launched a new wave of audits, including five conventional audits and fifteen blitz audits, to further monitor and enforce employer compliance with employment equity requirements.
Workplace parties have the tools and support to implement the pay equity plan process
Results achieved
In 2024–2025, federally regulated employers faced their first obligation to post Pay Equity Plans, prompting the Commission to provide enhanced guidance, tools, and support necessary to workplace parties to implement Pay Equity Plans effectively and maintain compliance with the Pay Equity Act. More specifically, the Commission, under the direction of the Pay Equity Commissioner:
- responded to 679 information requests (a 69% increase over 2023–2024), helping employers navigate the Pay Equity Plan process and understand their regulatory obligations, with most inquiries from employers seeking clarity on Pay Equity Plan processes and dispute resolution;
- expanded the publications series of Interpretations, Policies, and Guidelines by adding four new publications and four additional Notice templates;
- A comprehensive employer reference guide was also made available online to support employers in meeting regulatory requirements and deadlines.
- launched a dedicated Annual Statement Portal, providing a centralized system for submitting and managing annual statements;
- The Portal reduced administrative burden while ensuring timely and accurate reporting.
- presented a preliminary Pay Equity Audit Framework to familiarize stakeholders with the proposed approach and prepare them for its eventual launch.
- The session was attended by 31 organizations and their representatives, and provided an opportunity to gather feedback and questions.
- This Framework will set the direction for conducting future compliance audits. The planned audits will assess how well employers are meeting their regulatory obligations, while also helping to identify ongoing or systemic issues.
Regulated entities have published accessibility plans, feedback mechanisms and progress reports
Results achieved
In 2024–2025, the Commission, under the direction of the Accessibility Commissioner, advanced accountability and strengthened accessibility across sectors, reinforced transparency and supported organizations in meeting their accessibility obligations. More specifically, the Commission:
- responded to over 380 information requests (a 23% increase over 2023–2024), with most inquiries from regulated entities seeking to understand whether they have obligations under the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and its Regulations due to their nature of work;
- conducted over 400 inspections of regulated entities related to publication and notification requirements, strengthening accountability and advancing accessibility across sectors;
- carried out risk-based inspection plans and managed complaints including transfer to regulatory partners as applicable;
- More specifically, inspectors met with regulated organizations to review inspection findings, discuss non-compliance issues, and inform corrective action plans, fostering lasting improvements that help ensure regulated organizations' policies, practices, and environments are accessible and inclusive for all.
- monitored federally regulated organizations to verify compliance with publication requirements under the ACA, including accessibility plans, feedback process descriptions, and progress reports;
- issuing compliance reminders to over 4,600 regulated entities; and
- Issuing cautionary letters to over 480 regulated entities.
- focused monitoring efforts on the federal public service and large businesses with more than 100 employees; and
- worked with organizations where non-compliance was identified to establish commitment dates and corrective measures that support timely implementation.
Key risks
There is a risk that insufficient data collection and inadequate systems to track workforce demographics would make it difficult to measure employment equity compliance or identify gaps and systemic issues. To address this risk, the Commission is taking steps to manage and analyze employment equity data, as well as auditing processes to allow for the collection of necessary data for compliance monitoring.
There is also a risk that increasing support needs for employers could limit resources available for auditing pay equity obligations. The Commission mitigated this risk by leveraging its Pay Equity Portal and online tools to simplify authorization requests, improving the Pay Equity Case Management System to assist with tracking, and reviewing and renewing internal dispute processes.
Lastly, there is a risk that many regulated entities are small private organizations with limited awareness of their obligations under the ACA, making non-compliance more likely. Without targeted outreach and tailored compliance supports, these organizations may continue to struggle with meeting their obligations, jeopardizing consistent progress toward accessibility. In 2024–2025, 2,038 notifications of the publication of required documents were received, highlighting both the scale of monitoring required and the need for sustained support for smaller organizations. Mitigation included ongoing compliance promotion, guidance, and distribution of templates to facilitate compliance.
Resources required to achieve results
Table 11: Snapshot of resources required for Proactive Compliance
Table 11 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $9,017,399 | $8,392,074 |
| Full-time equivalents | 60 | 54 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Program inventory
Proactive Compliance is supported by the following programs:
- Audit Program
Additional information related to the program inventory for Proactive Compliance is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.
Internal services
In this section
Description
Internal services refer to the activities and resources that support a department in its work to meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. The 10 categories of internal services are:
- Management and Oversight Services
- Communications Services
- Legal Services
- Human Resources Management
- Financial Management
- Information Management
- Information Technology
- Real Property
- Materiel
- Acquisitions
Progress on results
This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.
In 2024–2025, the Commission continued to face high demands on its internal services, as it supports mandates under the Pay Equity Act, the Accessible Canada Act and the National Housing Strategy Act, while also managing new responsibilities for program delivery. These demands continue to place pressure on internal services, requiring innovative solutions and careful planning to safeguard efficient and effective support.
Despite these challenges, the Commission successfully advanced its internal services initiatives in 2024–2025, laying the groundwork for continued modernization, digital service delivery, and workplace well-being in the coming years.
The Commission made significant progress in modernizing its digital service delivery. In 2024–2025, the Accessibility Inspection Database finalized development, with a plan to launch in the first quarter of 2025–2026. The Legal Service Case Management System (CMS), Amicus, was successfully launched, and the Pay Equity Annual Statement Submission Portal was introduced, providing employers with an accessible web-based solution for submitting annual statements. The Pay Equity CMS was further enhanced with additional processes and workflows, improving its ability to support program operations.
Infrastructure improvements were also a key focus. The Commission upgraded its wired and wireless network infrastructure, significantly enhancing network performance. Data backup capabilities were strengthened with the deployment of a cloud-based solution, while cybersecurity posture was improved through the introduction of several new tools and the finalization of the draft Cybersecurity Event Management Plan.
Planning and modernization efforts continued across other internal systems. The planning work for the new Human Rights CMS was finalized, and the legacy Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Management System was replaced with a modern, accessible web-based solution. Procurement processes were streamlined through the implementation of the Directive on Contracting Goods and Services, ensuring strategic acquisitions aligned with Commission and Government priorities, including accessibility, diversity, and sustainable development goals.
The Commission also advanced workplace health, safety, and security. Increased prescribed presence in the workplace was implemented, and a departmental Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policy was developed and implemented to promote workplace health and safety, ensure legislative compliance, and establish a framework for OHS activities.
Additionally, a departmental Asset Management Policy was drafted, and an asset clean-up process was initiated to strengthen accountability and lifecycle management. In partnership with the Mental Health at Work Committee, a two-year departmental Mental Health Action Plan was developed, demonstrating the Commission's commitment to employee well-being. Essential security program tools and instruments were identified, and foundational materials were drafted to support the development and implementation of the departmental security program.
In 2024–2025, the Commission continued to advance all actions outlined in its Anti-Racism Action Plan, completing 86% of the actions. Furthermore, as part of the Commission's implementation of the 2023–2025 Accessibility Plan, the Commission made significant progress by advancing accessibility in employment, the built environment, information and communication technologies, communication, procurement, and program delivery. The Commission strengthened inclusive hiring practices, expanded career development opportunities, and took steps to create workplaces that are accessible by design. Improvements were made to its website, digital tools, and internal systems to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards and enhance usability. The Commission increased accessible communication by producing American Sign Language and Langue des signes québécoise content, promoting accessibility resources, and the use of plain language. The Commission is in the process of drafting a new three-year Accessibility Plan, in which it will outline how it will continue to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility and measure its progress moving forward.
The Commission advanced its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Anti-Racism (IDEA-AR) priorities by investing in initiatives that strengthen diversity in leadership, remove barriers to advancement, and foster a more inclusive workplace. Key efforts included embedding IDEA-AR priorities in governance structures, performance management, and leadership development. The Commission established mentorship and sponsorship programs for equity-deserving groups, updated language training supports, and job-specific training on anti-racism, accessibility, and allyship. An agreement with the Office of the Ombuds for Small Departments and Agencies provided employees with a safe and confidential channel for feedback, reinforcing a culture of accountability, well-being, and respect. The Decolonization and Anti-Racism Consultation Committee continues to thrive as it provides a lived experience lens on internal operational guidelines and policies as well as external communications.
Resources required to achieve results
Table 12: Resources required to achieve results for internal services this year
Table 12 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.
| Resource | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Spending | $10,562,770 | $13,079,439 |
| Full-time equivalents | 99 | 100 |
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.
Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
Government of Canada departments are required to award at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses every year.
The Commission's results for 2024–2025
Table 13: Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businessesTable 13 note 1
As shown in Table 13, the Commission awarded 7.96% of the total value of all contracts to Indigenous businesses for the fiscal year.
| Contracting performance indicators | 2024–2025 Results |
|---|---|
| Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businessesTable 13 note 2 (A) | $290,167 |
| Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous and non‑Indigenous businesses (B) | $3,644,410 |
| Value of exceptions approved by deputy head (C) | $0.00 |
| Proportion of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses [A / (B−C) × 100] | 7.96% |
Key results for the contracting performance indicators for 2024–2025 with a focus on Indigenous businesses include:
- total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses: $290,167;
- total value of contracts awarded to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses: $3,644,410;
- no exceptions approved by the deputy head; and
- proportion of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses: 7.96%.
To achieve this result, the Commission has:
- increased Indigenous participation in departmental procurement through the issuance of task authorizations under a professional services contract awarded to an Indigenous business;
- expanded economic opportunities for Indigenous resellers by procuring IT hardware via Shared Services Canada's Standing Offer;
- enhanced supplier diversity by sourcing network software licenses and maintenance from Indigenous suppliers; and
- supported Indigenous businesses in the office furniture sector through purchases under the Furniture Supply Arrangement.
In its 2025–2026 Departmental Plan, the Commission estimated that it would award 6.3% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses by the end of 2024–2025.
The Commission monitors procurement performance throughout the year using a dedicated financial management system module to ensure progress remains on track.
Procurement is primarily conducted through Public Services and Procurement Canada tools, which include Indigenous procurement streams that the Commission leverages where appropriate.
The Commission has exceeded the minimum 5% for the last 4 years and has not identified any capacity gaps. To strengthen outcomes, the Commission engages early with business owners in procurement planning to identify and assess opportunities for Indigenous participation.
Spending and human resources
In this section
Spending
This section presents an overview of the department's actual and planned expenditures from 2022–2023 to 2027–2028.
Graph 1 presents how much the department spent in 2024–2025 to carry out core responsibilities and internal services.
Text version of graph 1
| Core responsibilities | Actual spending |
|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | $6,510,598 |
| Complaints | $13,582,070 |
| Proactive Compliance | $8,392,074 |
| Internal services | $13,079,439 |
Analysis of actual spending by core responsibility
Graph 1 shows expenditures across all core responsibilities during the last fiscal year, totalling approximately $41.6 million. The largest share was directed to Complaints ($13.6 million, 32.7%), closely followed by Internal Services ($13.1 million, 31.5%), highlighting that these two functions accounted for nearly two thirds of overall spending. Proactive Compliance ($8.4 million, 20.2%) represented a significant but smaller portion, while Engagement and Advocacy ($6.5 million, 15.7%) was the lowest area of expenditure. Overall, the trend shows a concentration of resources in reactive complaint management and internal operations, with comparatively fewer resources allocated to compliance and advocacy activities.
Refocusing Government Spending
In Budget 2023, the government committed to reducing spending by $14.1 billion over five years, starting in 2023–2024, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.
While not officially part of this spending reduction exercise, to respect the spirit of this exercise, the Commission undertook the following measures in 2024–2025:
- continued to manage its budget by pursuing efforts to reduce professional services contracts as well as spending on travel; and
- continued to identify efficiencies across its business lines.
Budgetary performance summary
Table 14: Actual three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Table 14 shows the money that the Commission spent in each of the past three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2024–2025 Main Estimates | 2024–2025 total authorities available for use | Actual spending over three years (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | $4,928,351 | $6,568,844 |
|
| Complaints | $13,248,610 | $13,703,579 |
|
| Proactive Compliance | $9,017,399 | $8,467,151 |
|
| Subtotal | $27,194,360 | $28,739,574 |
|
| Internal services | $10,562,770 | $13,196,360 |
|
| Total | $37,757,130 | $41,935,934 |
|
Analysis of the next three years of spending
The increase in spending from 2022–2023 to 2023–2024 in all program areas of the Commission corresponds with the increase in authorities that year. The Commission was committed to increase short-term staffing to make use of the increased budget; however, there was uncertainty surrounding the available authorities in 2024–2025. For that reason, the Commission was strategic in its hiring, thereby leading to a decrease in actual spending that year. In addition, the increase in employees on secondment and on parental leave also contributed to lower spending in 2024–2025.
The Finances section of the Commission on GC Infobase offers more financial information from previous years.
Table 15: Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
Table 15 shows the Commission's planned spending for each of the next three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–2026 planned spending | 2026–2027 planned spending | 2027–2028 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | $6,892,337 | $5,071,160 | $5,071,160 |
| Complaints | $16,092,950 | $13,734,342 | $13,734,342 |
| Proactive Compliance | $9,857,475 | $8,421,165 | $8,421,165 |
| Subtotal | $32,842,762 | $27,226,667 | $27,226,667 |
| Internal services | $14,014,575 | $10,981,602 | $10,981,602 |
| Total | $46,857,337 | $38,208,269 | $38,208,269 |
Analysis of the next three years of spending
Planned spending for the next three years is consistent, with an uptick in planned spending in human rights complaints. The reason for this increase is because the backlog of human rights complaints is increasing; therefore, the Commission is committing to spending to reduce the number of unresolved complaints.
The Finances section of the Commission on GC Infobase offers more financial information from previous years.
Table 16: Budgetary actual gross spending summary (dollars)
Table 16 reconciles gross planned spending with net spending for 2024–2025.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2024–2025 actual gross spending | 2024–2025 actual revenues netted against expenditures | 2024–25 actual net spending (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | $6,510,598 | $0 | $6,510,598 |
| Complaints | $13,582,070 | $0 | $13,582,070 |
| Proactive Compliance | $8,392,074 | $0 | $8,392,074 |
| Subtotal | $28,484,742 | $0 | $28,484,742 |
| Internal services | $15,064,371 | -$1,985,022 | $13,079,349 |
| Total | $43,549,114 | -$1,985,022 | $41,564,092 |
Analysis of budgetary actual gross spending summary
The Commission's gross spending and net spending in 2024–2025 are consistent.
The Finances section of the Infographic for the Commission on GC Infobase offers information on the alignment of the Commission's spending with Government of Canada's spending and activities.
Funding
This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.
Graph 2 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2022–2023 to 2027–2028.
Text version of graph 2
Graph 2 includes the following information in a bar graph:
| Fiscal year | Statutory | Voted | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | $4,262,079 | $39,280,451 | $43,542,530 |
| 2023-2024 | $4,982,108 | $41,270,000 | $46,252,108 |
| 2024-2025 | $4,602,569 | $36,896,644 | $41,499,213 |
| 2025-2026 | $5,029,910 | $34,461,588 | $39,491,498 |
| 2026-2027 | $4,862,863 | $33,345,406 | $38,208,269 |
| 2027-2028 | $4,862,863 | $33,345,406 | $38,208,269 |
Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period
The Commission's authorities increased in 2023–2024 due to a one-time payment of $3.4 million in salary adjustments related to new collective bargaining agreements and a maximized operating budget carryforward which declined by $845 000 in 2024–2025. Authorities in 2024–2025 include an Operating Budget carryforward of $1.04 million, but no carryforward is included in the projected authorities for 2025–2026 to 2027–2028. In 2026–2027, funding for the Federal Housing Advocate is expected to decline from $1.8 million to $0.35 million which is the only significant change in authorities that takes place after 2025–2026.
Consult the Public Accounts of Canada for further information on the Commission's departmental voted and statutory expenditures.
Financial statement highlights
The Commission's Financial Statements (Unaudited) for the Year Ended March 31, 2025.
Table 17: Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2025 (dollars)
Table 17 summarizes the expenses and revenues for 2024–2025 which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.
| Financial information | 2024–25 actual results | 2024–25 planned results | Difference (actual results minus planned) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $48,270,876 | $45,799,592 | $2,471,284 |
| Total revenues | -$1,985,032 | -$2,508,558 | $523,526 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | $46,285,844 | $43,291,034 | $2,994,810 |
Analysis of expenses and revenues for 2024–2025
The 2024–2025 actual results were nearly $3 million greater than the planned results mainly due to the uncertainty surrounding the budget last fiscal year. Over $500,000 in O&M funding was added to the budget due to the refocusing government spending exercise, while over $1.1 million in funding was received for the Housing Conciliated Estimates Authority, and over $1.2 million in funding was received for LP and LC compensation adjustments; therefore, actual expenses were greater than what was planned.
The 2024–2025 planned results information is provided in the Commission's Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2024–2025.
Table 18: Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 (dollars)
Table 18 summarizes actual expenses and revenues and shows the net cost of operations before government funding and transfers.
| Financial information | 2024–2025 actual results | 2023–2024 actual results | Difference (2024–2025 minus 2023–2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $48,270,876 | $51,988,716 | -$3,717,840 |
| Total revenues | -$1,985,032 | -$2,105,373 | $120,341 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | $46,285,844 | $49,883,343 | -$3,597,499 |
Analysis of differences in expenses and revenues between 2023–2024 and 2024–2025
The net cost of operations before government funding and transfers was nearly $3.6 million higher in 2023–2024 than in 2024–2025, the main reason being the increase of the Commission's authorities in 2023–2024 due to a one-time payment of $3.4 million in salary adjustments related to new collective bargaining agreements and a maximized operating budget carryforward which declined by $845 000 in 2024–2025. A greater availability of funds led to higher expenses in 2023–2024 than in 2024–2025. Furthermore, in 2024–2025, many of the planned staffing actions were delayed and did not proceed as planned; therefore, most of these positions were either not staffed or were staffed via internal acting positions, which reduced the Commission's overall spending.
Table 19: Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as of March 31, 2025 (dollars)
Table 19 provides a brief snapshot of the amounts the department owes or must spend (liabilities) and its available resources (assets), which helps to indicate its ability to carry out programs and services.
| Financial information | Actual fiscal year (2024–2025) | Previous fiscal year (2023–2024) | Difference (2024–2025 minus 2023–2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total net liabilities | $7,231,238 | $7,325,590 | -$94,352 |
| Total net financial assets | $4,603,933 | $4,636,767 | -$32,834 |
| Departmental net debt | $2,627,305 | $2,688,823 | -$61,518 |
| Total non-financial assets | $2,795,238 | $2,580,544 | $214,694 |
| Departmental net financial position | $167,933 | -$108,279 | $276,212 |
Analysis of department's liabilities and assets since last fiscal year
The Commission's liabilities and assets are at consistent levels from 2023–2024 to 2024–2025.
Human resources
This section presents an overview of the department's actual and planned human resources from 2022–2023 to 2027–2028.
Table 20: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
Table 20 shows a summary in full-time equivalents of human resources for the Commission's core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2022–2023 actual full-time equivalents | 2023–2024 actual full-time equivalents | 2024–2025 actual full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | 39 | 40 | 38 |
| Complaints | 94 | 97 | 91 |
| Proactive Compliance | 57 | 55 | 54 |
| Subtotal | 190 | 192 | 183 |
| Internal services | 98 | 107 | 100 |
| Total | 288 | 299 | 283 |
Analysis of human resources for the last three years
The increase in FTEs from 2022–2023 to 2023–2024 corresponds with the increased authorities the Commission had available to use. There was an increased effort to staff short-term positions to make use of the increased budget; however, in 2024–2025, there was more uncertainty surrounding the budget; therefore, the Commission was wary of hiring. This, coupled with an increase in employees on secondments and on parental leave, led to a large drop in FTEs.
Table 21: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
Table 21 shows the planned full-time equivalents for each of the Commission's core responsibilities and for its internal services for the next three years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecast based on year to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2025–2026 planned full-time equivalents | 2026–2027 planned full-time equivalents | 2027–2028 planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement & Advocacy | 30 | 29 | 28 |
| Complaints | 89 | 88 | 95 |
| Proactive Compliance | 58 | 57 | 59 |
| Subtotal | 176 | 174 | 182 |
| Internal services | 97 | 96 | 88 |
| Total | 273 | 270 | 270 |
Analysis of human resources for the next three years
Planned FTEs over the next three years are consistent, with a notable increase in human rights complaints to help deal with the backlog of complaints the Commission has yet to respond to. This increase will be offset by a decrease in Internal Services.
Supplementary information table
The 2024–2025 Supplementary Information Table on the Commission' website:
Federal tax expenditures
The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.
Corporate information
Departmental profile
Appropriate minister:
The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., M.P.
Institutional head:
(Interim Chief Commissioner) Deputy Chief Commissioner Charlotte-Anne Malischewski
Ministerial portfolio:
Justice
Enabling instruments: Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act
Jobs and Families
Enabling instrument: Pay Equity Act and Accessible Canada Act
Housing and Infrastructure
Enabling instrument: National Housing Strategy Act
Departmental contact information
Mailing address:
Canadian Human Rights Commission
344 Slater Street, 8th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1E1
Telephone:
613-995-1151
Toll Free: 1-888-214-1090
TTY:
1-888-643-3304
Fax:
613-996-9661
Website(s):
X (formerly Twitter): @CdnHumanRights
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianHumanRightsCommission
Bluesky: @CdnHumanRights.bsky.social
Definitions
List of terms
appropriation (crédit)
Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, departments or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
An enduring function or role of a department. The departmental results listed for a core responsibility reflect the outcomes that the department seeks to influence or achieve.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A report that outlines the anticipated activities and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3-year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament in spring.
departmental priority (priorité)
A plan, project or activity that a department focuses and reports on during a specific planning period. Priorities represent the most important things to be done or those to be addressed first to help achieve the desired departmental results.
departmental result (résultat ministériel)
A high-level outcome related to the core responsibilities of a department.
departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
A quantitative or qualitative measure that assesses progress toward a departmental result.
departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
A framework that connects the department's core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.
Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
A report outlining a department's accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
Full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
Measures the person years in a departmental budget. An employee's scheduled hours per week divided by the employer's hours for a full-time workweek calculates a full-time equivalent. For example, an employee who works 20 hours in a 40-hour standard workweek represents a 0.5 full-time equivalent.
Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])
An analytical tool that helps to understand the ways diverse individuals experience policies, programs and other initiatives. Applying GBA Plus to policies, programs and other initiatives helps to identify the different needs of the people affected, the ways to be more responsive and inclusive, and the methods to anticipate and mitigate potential barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus goes beyond biological (sex) and sociocultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2024–25 Departmental Results Report, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government's agenda as announced in the 2021 Speech from the Throne.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
A program, project or other initiative where two or more federal departments receive funding to work collaboratively on a shared outcome usually linked to a government priority, and where the ministers involved agree to designate it as horizontal. Specific reporting requirements apply, including that the lead department must report on combined expenditures and results.
Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)
For the purposes of a Departmental Result Report, this includes any entity that meets the Indigenous Services Canada's criteria of being owned and operated by Elders, band and tribal councils, registered in the Indigenous Business Directory or registered on a modern treaty beneficiary business list.
non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement)
What a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
A qualitative or quantitative measure that assesses progress toward a departmental-level or program-level result, or the expected outputs or outcomes of a program, policy or initiative.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to the amounts presented in Main Estimates. Departments must determine their planned spending and be able to defend the financial numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
program (programme)
An Individual, group, or combination of services and activities managed together within a department and focused on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
A listing that identifies all the department's programs and the resources that contribute to delivering on the department's core responsibilities and achieving its results.
result (résultat)
An outcome or output related to the activities of a department, policy, program or initiative.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
Spending approved through legislation passed in Parliament, other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose and the terms and conditions of the expenditures.
target (cible)
A quantitative or qualitative, measurable goal that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Spending approved annually through an appropriation act passed in Parliament. The vote also outlines the conditions that govern the spending.