Global Affairs Canada’s 2026–27 Departmental Plan

ISSN 2371-7688

On this page

• At a glance
• From the Ministers
• Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
  • Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year
  • Core responsibility 1: Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges
  • Core responsibility 2: Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence
  • Internal services
• Department-wide considerations
  • Related government priorities
  • Key risks
• Planned spending and human resources
  • Spending
  • Funding
  • Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
  • Human resources
• Supplementary information tables
• Corporate information
• Definitions

At a glance

This departmental plan details Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC) priorities, plans, and associated costs for the upcoming three fiscal years.

These plans align with the priorities outlined in the mandate letter, as well as Global Affairs Canada’s Vision, mission, raison d’être and operating context.

Key priorities

GAC identified the following key priorities for 2026–27:

• Diversify and strengthen global partnerships to advance Canada’s economic, trade, and commercial interests.
• Deepen partnerships with trusted allies and partners to ensure greater strategic autonomy, protect Canada’s sovereignty, and promote global peace and security.
• Recalibrate Canada’s international assistance to advance shared economic priorities, promote global stability and uphold commitments to poverty reduction and gender equality.
• Significantly reduce spending on departmental operations and redirect existing departmental resources toward strategic priorities, with a focus on reducing overall costs for Canadians.

Comprehensive Expenditure Review 

The government is committed to restraining the growth of day-to-day operational spending to make investments that will grow the economy and benefit Canadians.

As part of meeting this commitment, GAC is planning the following spending reductions:

• 2026–27: $560,825,000
• 2027–28: $747,033,000
• 2028–29: $1,120,350,000

It is anticipated that these spending reductions will involve a decrease of approximately 1,240 full-time equivalents by 2028–29.

GAC will achieve these reductions by:

• refocusing Canada’s international presence in the areas of advocacy and diplomacy;
• implementing targeted reforms across the trade and investment portfolio;
• aligning development, peace, and security programming with current strategic priorities; and
• finding efficiencies across Canada’s mission network through a range of measures and cost saving strategies.

The figures in this departmental plan reflect these reductions.

Highlights for Global Affairs Canada in 2026–27

GAC will pursue its priorities, in collaboration with partners at home and abroad, through the following key initiatives:

• implementing the Trade Diversification Strategy to double Canada’s non-U.S. exports within the next decade through forging new beneficial economic partnerships,
• establishing a new economic and security relationship with the United States,
• strengthening Canada’s collaboration with reliable trading partners and allies around the world, and
• renewing Canada’s mission network, with government and non-government partners, to modernize the delivery of services and emergency preparedness.

In 2026–27, total planned spending (including internal services) for GAC is $7,224,120,822 and total planned full-time equivalent staff (including internal services) is 12,647.

Summary of planned results

The following provides a summary of the results the department plans to achieve in 2026–27 under its main areas of activity, called “core responsibilities.”

Core responsibility 1: Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges

GAC will engage strategically in international forums and deepen partnerships with trusted partners and allies that help advance Canada’s interests. The department will work to expand access to international markets and support businesses in diversifying exports, fostering economic growth, and reducing exposure to an increasingly volatile global environment. In addition, Canada will recalibrate its international assistance to better align it with economic and security priorities while continuing to address global poverty, fragility, and humanitarian needs. Together, these efforts aim to reinforce Canada’s security, prosperity, and influence in a rapidly evolving world.

Planned spending: $5,278,584,983

Planned human resources: 5,702

More information about Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges can be found later in the plan.

Core responsibility 2: Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence

GAC will provide timely, high‑quality consular services to Canadians abroad while strengthening the safety, security, and resilience of its global mission network through modernized tools, secure infrastructure, and enhanced emergency preparedness and security readiness. These coordinated efforts ensure that both Canadians and personnel overseas are protected and supported amid an increasingly complex global environment.

Planned spending: $1,527,952,573

Planned human resources: 4,928

More information about Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence can be found later in the plan.

For complete information on Global Affairs Canada’s total planned spending and human resources, read the Planned spending and human resources section of the plan.

From the Ministers

The Honourable Anita Anand
Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Honourable Maninder Sidhu
Minister of International Trade

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc
President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy

The Honourable Randeep Sarai
Secretary of State (International Development)

Canada and the world are at a pivotal moment—driven by geopolitical shifts, economic changes, and the rapid evolution of technology. The rules and norms that served as the foundation of Canada’s prosperity and security for decades can no longer be taken for granted. It is a moment for us to confront the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.

More than ever, Canada’s foreign engagements and domestic priorities are inextricably linked. In the year ahead, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) will continue to prioritize the prosperity and security of Canadians, while strengthening the country’s economic resilience, and defending and advancing its values.

The department will support the government’s efforts to establish a new economic and security relationship with the United States. It will also collaborate with trusted allies and partners, increase ties among middle powers to strengthen Canada’s strategic autonomy and protect Canadian sovereignty while promoting global peace, security and stability.

Through efforts in Canada and across the mission network abroad, the department will help diversify trade, cement new economic partnerships through strengthened economic diplomacy and attract business and investment. Canada’s trade diversification agenda aims to double Canada’s non-U.S. exports within the next decade through new and expanded economic partnerships and markets. At the same time, we will continue to help Canadian businesses navigate the U.S. market to maintain a strong cross-border trading relationship.

In fiscal year 2026 to 2027, our department will refocus its international assistance on building new economic partnerships founded on mutual benefit while maintaining Canada’s commitments to poverty reduction, gender equality and providing humanitarian assistance to those in need.

To meet today’s significant geopolitical demands, the country needs fiscal space for defence expenditures, major projects and other generational investments. GAC, like most federal departments, will implement savings under the Comprehensive Expenditure Review. Over the next three years, the department plans to reduce operational spending and redirect existing resources to advance the strategic priorities laid out in this plan. We will reduce costs at Headquarters, find efficiencies across Canada’s renewed mission network and modernize service delivery and emergency preparedness.

The department will adapt while staying focused on promoting and advancing Canada’s interests, at home and around the world. This work will enhance our country’s security, strengthen its sovereignty and drive its future prosperity. The world is changing—and Canada is ready to meet the moment.

Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibilities and internal services

• Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year
• Core responsibility 1: Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges
• Core responsibility 2: Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence
• Internal services

Summary of changes to reporting framework since last year

• The department streamlined its Departmental Results Framework (DRF), and corresponding program inventory indicators, to enhance the linkages to accountabilities of the new organizational structure and to move toward a neutral and flexible framework, supporting a clearer, more-integrated narrative and improving the ability to adapt to a rapidly evolving global context. This includes a refined set of indicators, with broad coverage in areas like trade, international assistance, and service to Canadians, which moves away from a collection of streams and toward a more integrated, flexible model.
• The DRF was streamlined from five core responsibilities, 16 departmental results, and 46 indicators to two core responsibilities, five departmental results, and 28 indicators that reflect Global Affairs Canada enduring mandate.

Core responsibility 1: Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges

Description

The advancement of Canada’s international strategic, security and economic interests, including through bilateral, regional and multilateral engagement.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the following indicators and domains of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada:

• “Confidence in institutions,” “Canada’s place in the world” and “Indigenous self-determination” indicators in the “Good governance” domain;
• “Productivity” and “Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita” in the “Prosperity” domain; and,
• “Sense of pride in Canada” and “Sense of belonging to Canada” indicators in the “Society” domain.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details of the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for “Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges.” Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 1: Canada’s strategic interests are advanced through meaningful diplomatic engagement, including by fostering and defending Canada’s national security and economic prosperity and helping to uphold fair and effective international rules.

Table 1 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under “Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges.”

Table 2: Canada’s economic prosperity is advanced by contributions to an open, rules-based global trading system, support for Canadian businesses internationally, and targeted foreign investment attraction.

Table 2 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under “Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges.”

Table 3: Canada contributes to improved physical, social and economic well-being around the world, including through international assistance.

Table 3 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under “Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges.” These targets are an estimate based on the information currently available and results are subject to change based on updates to the current funding and partner landscape.

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for Global Affairs Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for “Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges” in 2026–27.

Canada’s strategic interests are advanced through meaningful diplomatic engagement, including by fostering and defending Canada’s national security and economic prosperity and helping to uphold fair and effective international rules.

Results we plan to achieve

Forming and deepening strategic partnerships with other countries and working in plurilateral and multilateral forums to shape global rules, is essential to Canada’s and Canadian’s security, safety, and prosperity. To support this, the department will:

• Implement Canada’s foreign policy priorities, with a focus on strategic autonomy and economic resilience.
• Forge a renewed economic and security partnership with the United States.
• Focus Canada’s approach to multilateral engagement, by i) strengthening and leveraging the multilateral system in areas that have the most impact on the security and prosperity of Canadians at home and abroad; ii) increasing Canada’s influence in plurilateral groupings and norm-setting institutions that help advance Canada’s interests; and iii) upholding international rules and norms through the establishment of and participation in new coalitions of the willing.
• Leverage all diplomatic tools and programs and refocus international assistance, where appropriate, to promote and protect Canada’s economic interests.
• Deepen collaboration with trusted global allies and trading partners, particularly in Europe and in the Indo-Pacific.
• Position Canada as a recognized leader in Arctic security and global governance and advance Arctic defence priorities within NATO.
• Support Ukraine’s territorial integrity amid Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and reaffirm Canada’s support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, including through humanitarian and stabilization assistance.
• Continue to advance a Two State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, by supporting the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan through humanitarian, stabilisation and reconstruction efforts, and through support to the Palestinian Authority’s capacity building and reform.
• Leverage increased Canadian presence, visibility and influence in the Indo-Pacific to advance peace and security, secure trade and economic growth, and strengthen people-to-people ties and sustainable development made possible by the ongoing implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy.
• Implement Canada’s Africa Strategy through tailored engagement with African countries and institutions and the advancement of concrete, mutually beneficial, opportunities in key sectors.
• Support Haiti’s stability and security by advancing humanitarian and development initiatives, providing funding and technical expertise for the Gang Suppression Force, working with Haitian authorities and international partners for credible elections in 2026, and supporting efforts to strengthen regional maritime security to combat transnational organized crime.
• Advance national security efforts, including on governance frameworks and capacity-building in international law, notably in the areas of cyber crime and cyber security, foreign interference, state immunity and international law compliance.
• Pursue modernization of Canada’s sanctions system to enhance agility and effectiveness and work to strengthen enforcement mechanisms.
• Strengthen international partnerships and Canada’s profile by strategically leveraging Canada’s role as co-host of the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026.

Canada’s economic prosperity is advanced by contributions to an open, rules-based global trading system, support for Canadian businesses internationally, and targeted foreign investment attraction.

Results we plan to achieve

Expanding access to international markets creates jobs and drives economic growth at home. By supporting Canadian businesses—especially small and medium-sized enterprises—to succeed globally, Global Affairs Canada will diversify Canada’s export markets beyond the United States, reduce vulnerability to economic shocks, and promote sustainable practices that align with Canada’s climate commitments. To support this, the department will:

• Implement Canada’s new trade diversification strategy with the objective of doubling Canada’s non-U.S. exports within the next decade, by focusing on:
  • Opening markets for trade through a commercial driven approach to free trade agreements and targeting regional and sectoral opportunities;
  • Building new trade and commercial partnerships;
  • Capitalizing on existing partnerships and strengths;
  • Equipping Canadian businesses to succeed globally; and,
  • Enhancing foreign direct investment attraction efforts.
• Re-stabilize the Canada-U.S. trading relationship, including through a successful review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement to reflect national priorities, strengthen the Canadian economy, and create opportunities for businesses and workers across Canada.
• Advance a defence export strategy by leading a whole-of-government (with the Department of National Defence; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; Public Services and Procurement Canada; and, the Defence Investment Agency), including the international trade portfolio (with Export Development Canada and the Canadian Commercial Corporation), approach to advocacy and facilitation of transactions to expand, diversify, and grow defence exports to allies and trusted international partners.
• Conclude negotiations for a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and make significant progress on trade agreements with India, MERCOSUR, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, and Thailand, as well as on negotiations for the accession of Costa Rica, Uruguay to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
• Advance negotiations on foreign investment promotion and protection agreements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Zambia, Uruguay, Pakistan, and Argentina.
• Sign and ratify the concluded Canada-Ecuador free trade agreement.
• Continue to support and grow well-established trade and investment ties with China, while at the same time maintaining economic and national security guardrails.
• Implement a shift towards country-level programming that supports both Canadian and partner country economic and trade objectives.
• In Latin America and the Caribbean, focus support on fostering programming that will deliver trade-related technical assistance, build sectoral capacity in mining and agri-food, and foster business-enabling environments. These efforts will create new trade opportunities for Canada’s small and midsize enterprises including by strengthening institutions such as customs and regulatory bodies, facilitating bilateral trade, and supporting Small and Medium Enterprises to become reliable trade partners.
• Implement the new Africa Trade and Development Program, which will contribute over time to sustainable economic development and poverty reduction through initiatives that improve conditions for trade, support regional market integration, and strengthen the foundations for private sector activity.

Canada contributes to improved physical, social and economic well-being around the world, including through international assistance.

Results we plan to achieve

Canada will increasingly focus its international assistance on high impact initiatives that help strengthen economic partnerships and shared security interests with Global South countries. To support this, the department will:

• Refocus international development programming to better align with Canada’s economic and security interests while continuing to address poverty and promote human rights and gender equality, which includes, but is not limited to:
  • Directing resources towards sectors of mutual benefit that support Canada’s prosperity and that are critical to poverty reduction and economic growth in developing countries;
  • Continuing international assistance programming that improves global health, education and humanitarian action; and
  • Continuing Canada’s commitment to the empowerment of women and girls, achieving gender equality, condemning all forms of discrimination, and ending gender-based violence.
• Modernize the international assistance toolkit to use more innovative finance, including tools such as loans, guarantees and repayable contributions; approaches that leverage private sector funding for greater development impact; and, collaboration with FinDev Canada, particularly to mobilize capital for sustainable economic growth.
• Sharpen peace and security programming, maximize NATO investments, and focus on threats from multiple sources and methods, including foreign interference and transnational crime.
• Advance global stability and peace and address key global risks, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and infectious diseases, through high-impact partnerships, while promoting the health and rights of women and girls.
• Provide timely, principled, and needs-based humanitarian assistance to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity in response to conflict and natural disasters, and support reforms that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the humanitarian system.
• Ensure Canada’s international assistance remains effective, responsive, and aligned with strategic priorities, supported by improvements to the funding and programming These efforts aim to simplify program administration and strengthen Canada’s ability to respond effectively to global needs.

Gender-Based Analysis Plus for Core Responsibility 1

Global Affairs Canada applies Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) across the core responsibility “Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges” to ensure policies and programs take into consideration gender impacts and reduce systemic barriers. GBA Plus informs Canada’s positions on human rights and inclusive governance, supports inclusive trade policies, helps Canadian businesses access global markets equitably, and integrates a gender lens into its programming to advance gender equality and address intersecting vulnerabilities in partner countries. To support this work, the department will continue to advance its data collection methods for its programs under this core responsibility to further enable the monitoring and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity. For example, indicators for international assistance are often collected with data disaggregation in mind.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 4: Planned resources to achieve results for “Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges”.

Table 4 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for Global Affairs Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Program inventory

“Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges” is supported by the following programs:

• International Strategy and Engagement
• International Security and Political Affairs
• Trade Policy and Negotiations
• International Business Development, Investment Attraction and Innovation Support
• Development, Humanitarian and Peace and Security Programming

Additional information related to the program inventory for “Advancing Canada’s interests and addressing global challenges” is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Core responsibility 2: Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence

Description

Delivery of consular services that support the rights, safety and well-being of Canadians abroad, and a secure global presence enabling Canada to meet its strategic objectives.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the following indicators and domains of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada:

• “Victimization,” “Canada’s place in the world,” “Confidence in access to fair and equal justice (civil and criminal),” and “Discrimination and unfair treatment” indicators in the “Good governance” domain.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates for “Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence.” Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 5: Canadians abroad receive timely and appropriate consular services.

Table 5 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence.

Table 6: Personnel abroad are safe and supported through sound management and delivery of resources, and secure infrastructure and information.

Table 6 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under “Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence.”

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for Global Affairs Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for “Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence” in 2026–27.

Canadians abroad receive timely and appropriate consular services.

Results we plan to achieve

Consular services provide support for Canadians travelling, studying, or working abroad. By modernizing consular services, including emergency response, the department will leverage digital tools, adapt readiness approaches, and track evolving trends to continue to provide timely assistance. To support this, the department will implement a series of measures aimed at improving the efficiency of consular service delivery over the next three years, which includes:

• Invest in and adopt a digital-first but not digital only approach, reducing costs and improving efficiency by offering a convenient way to access and triage consular services, many of which are currently only provided in-person.
• Increase the department’s ability to anticipate and assess consular scenarios (including trends and risks) to share relevant safety and security information with Canadians, including Canadian businesses, through tailored travel advice and risk mitigation strategies.
• Focus resources on maintaining operational capacity to respond to all types of consular cases, including the most complex, in collaboration with partners to support coordinated advocacy where required, including in cases of arbitrary detention.
• Streamline routine functions such as Travel Advice and Advisory updates, registration of Canadians abroad messaging, call centre responses, and public information requests through technological solutions to continue serving Canadians abroad, including during emergency situations.
• Improving how to prepare for emergencies and security threats by using flexible, mission-focused emergency planning, data-driven predictions, and regular reviews of our policies, to reduce costs while maintaining a 24/7 response capability.

Personnel abroad are safe and supported through sound management and delivery of resources, and secure infrastructure and information.

Results we plan to achieve

A strong global network of missions enables Canada to deliver diplomacy, and trade promotion, effectively. Investments in infrastructure, security, and green initiatives ensure operational resilience and reflect Canadian values abroad, while supporting the well-being of staff who serve Canadians worldwide. To support this, the department will:

• Reshape the international platform to help improve services and increase transparency, through the implementation of the International Platform three-year strategy (2025–28) in support of Canada’s interests abroad. This includes modernizing and consolidating real property holdings to ensure that Canada maintains an effective and visible presence abroad while reducing expenditures, for example by consolidating embassies with multiple properties into fewer buildings.
• Advance a renewed Digital Strategy (2025–28), which will:
  • Guide the department in delivering smarter, faster, and more resilient services in an environment with limited resources; and,
  • Help identify the appropriate use of AI tools and resources, and where further support or guidance is needed, with a view of making GAC and missions abroad more efficient.
• Deepen collaboration with programs, missions, and partner organizations, strengthen whole-of-government approaches, and leverage data and AI for decision-making. These efforts will ensure operational integrity, fiscal discipline, and high-quality services across Canada’s global mission network.
• Revise physical and cyber security standards to meet the realities of an increasingly volatile world, with a focus on safeguarding Canada’s people, infrastructure, and information.
• Implement the Sustainable Development Strategic Framework for Canada’s Missions, aligned with the federal requirements and commitments.
• Implement Foreign Service Directives modernization, including through the deployment of AI-enabled tools and new digital platforms.
• Promote mental health and resilience for front-line teams responding to increasingly complex consular and security challenges by developing a common approach and strategy to the implementation of psychological supports.

Gender-Based Analysis Plus for Core Responsibility 2

Global Affairs Canada applies Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) across the core responsibility “Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence” to ensure policies and programs take into consideration diverse experiences and reduce systemic barriers, including accessibility to federal workplaces. Consular services apply GBA Plus to improve accessibility and tailor support for Canadians abroad, including vulnerable groups facing unique risks, such as women, seniors, and persons with disabilities. In managing Canada’s global presence, GBA Plus guides workforce planning and service delivery to foster equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion across missions worldwide. To support this work, the department will continue to advance its data collection methods for its programs under this core responsibility to further enable the monitoring and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 7: Planned resources to achieve results for “Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence.”

Table 7 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for Global Affairs Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Program inventory

“Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence” is supported by the following programs:

• Emergency Management, Consular Assistance and Services to Canadians Abroad
• International Platform
• People at Missions

Additional information related to the program inventory for “Assisting Canadians abroad and supporting Canada’s overseas presence” is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Internal services

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• acquisition management services
• communications services
• financial management services
• human resources management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• legal services
• material management services
• management and oversight services
• real property management services

Plans to achieve results

As the department wraps up the implementation of its Transformation Implementation Plan, which has a goal of modernizing the department and making it fit for purpose, it transitions to implement the cost-saving measures announced in the 2025 Federal Budget by readjusting and realigning to the Government of Canada’s priorities and achieve savings for Canadians. This work will drive efficiency by eliminating duplicative activities and low-value work. To support this, the department will:

• Advance the Grants & Contributions Transformation Initiative—AI analytics, policy standardization, and consolidation—into one centre of expertise.
• Modernize procurement: implement the Buy Canada Policy and reciprocal procurement to strengthen domestic supply chains.
• Deploy AI-enabled tools for Foreign Service Directives management, assignment management, recruitment, and language learning and optimize locally engaged staff programs with self-service portals and automation.
• Expand workforce training on AI, economic literacy, critical minerals, supply chain resilience, and strategic regions.
• Mainstream AI and Microsoft Copilot across operations: automate routine tasks, transform analyst workflows, and accelerate approvals.
• Rationalize applications, optimize network infrastructure, and integrate real property and digital investment governance.
• Reduce reliance on external consultants and strengthen internal expertise and resilience.
• Strengthen policy capacity, enhance evidence-based decision making, modernize communications, launch misinformation/disinformation strategy, increase usage of AI for media monitoring, translation and policy analysis.
• Accelerate AI use for resource allocation; build expertise on trade-development nexus; operationalize various strategies, including the Africa Strategy, with flexible programming and diaspora engagement.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 8: Planned resources to achieve results for internal services this year.

Table 8 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for Global Affairs Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

Global Affairs Canada remains committed to achieving its target on contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Quarterly, GAC will broadcast via its intranet the importance of:

• Meeting or exceeding the 5% target of departmental contracts to be awarded to Indigenous businesses.
• Fund center managers allocating at least 5% of their fiscal procurement budget toward procurement from Indigenous businesses.
• Engaging procurement officers as early as possible in planning to discuss Indigenous opportunities.
• Using the Indigenous Business Directory to conduct market research and assess the capacity of Indigenous businesses, in collaboration with procurement officers.
• Using the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business, where market and capacity exist, for both low-dollar value procurements and larger scale procurements.
• Including Indigenous suppliers, when possible, in all traditional (invitational) tenders.

Table 9: Percentage of contracts planned and awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Table 9 presents the current, actual results with forecasted and planned results for the total percentage of contracts the department awarded to Indigenous businesses.  

Department-wide considerations

Related government priorities

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

More information on Global Affairs Canada’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in GAC’s Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Key risks

At a time when Canada is facing multiple challenges, the department will have to take more risks and challenge traditional assumptions in its work and on what to focus its energy. Effective risk management is, therefore, critical to the department’s ability to deliver results for Canadians, especially in the context of an increasingly demanding global environment. To this end, GAC integrates risk management practices across the department at the corporate, operational, and project/program levels. GAC’s Enterprise Risk Profile (2024–27) identifies specific risks associated with the department’s unique mandate and geographically dispersed operations. For 2024–27, these include the five following top risks:

• Health, safety and well-being related to workload, constant change, and discrimination
• Resource reallocation related to policy, programs, and service delivery
• Staffing and retention related to workforce capacity
• Infrastructure and cyber/digital security and resilience
• Sustainability of Real Property assets abroad

To enhance support for the mitigation of these risks, the top enterprise risks will be monitored by senior governance committees in 2026–27. GAC recognizes that workforce adjustment measures will affect how the department manages corporate risk, and it will actively reassess investment and workplan priorities across several areas, including updates to risk identification and mitigation planning.

Planned spending and human resources 

This section provides an overview of Global Affairs Canada’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and of planned spending for 2026–27 with actual spending from previous years.

Spending

This section presents an overview of the department's planned expenditures from 2023–24 to 2028–29.

Budgetary performance summary

Table 10 Three-year spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 10 presents Global Affairs Canada’s spending over the past three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services. Amounts for the 2025–26 fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.

Analysis of the past three years of spending

From 2023–24 to 2025–26, Global Affairs Canada’s spending increased by $601 million (7%). This growth is largely driven by Canada’s presidency of the 2025 G7 Summit, expanded international humanitarian assistance, initiatives under the Indo-Pacific Strategy, Canada’s 2021–2026 International Climate Finance Commitment, and the International Biodiversity Program. These increases are partially offset by decreases in funding for global health investments under the International Assistance Envelope, Budget 2023 reductions aimed at Refocusing Government Spending, and the International Assistance Innovation Program (Budget 2024 return to the fiscal framework).  

More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC InfoBase. 

Table 11 Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 11 presents Global Affairs Canada’s planned spending over the next three years by core responsibilities and for internal services.

Analysis of the next three years of spending

From 2026-27 to 2028-29, Global Affairs Canada’s planned spending is projected to decrease by $669 million (-9%). This decline is primarily attributable to reduced funding associated with the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, a decrease in the funding profile for the Duty of Care initiative aimed at protecting personnel at Canadian missions abroad through infrastructure improvements, enhanced mission readiness, and strengthened information security, as well as a decrease in reinvestment of revenues from the sale or transfer of real property.

More detailed financial information on planned spending is available on the Finances section of GC InfoBase.

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 1: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a six-year period

Graph 1 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2023–24 to 2028–29.

Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period

From 2023-24 to 2028-29, Global Affairs Canada’s spending profile declines from $8.5 billion in 2023-24 to $6.6 billion in 2028-29, representing a decrease of $1.9 billion. This reduction is primarily driven by funding decreases as follows:

• $1.1 billion resulting from Budget 2025 reductions under the Comprehensive Expenditure Review; and
• $812 million resulting from a decrease in Canada’s 2021-2026 International Climate Finance Commitment sunsetting.

For further information on Global Affairs Canada’s departmental appropriations, consult the 2026–27 Main Estimates.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of Global Affairs Canada’s operations for 2025–26 to 2026–27.

Table 12 Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ended March 31, 2027 (dollars)

Table 12 summarizes the expenses and revenues which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers for 2025–26 to 2026–27. The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

Analysis of forecasted and planned results

The decrease of $1,239 million is mainly explained by a decrease in funding of grants and contributions to support several different programs.

A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated Notes for 2026–27, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, is available on GAC’s website.

Human resources

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2023–24 to 2028–29. 

Table 13: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 13 shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents, for Global Affairs Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Human resources for the 2025–26 fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date. 

Analysis of human resources over the last three years

From 2023–24 to 2025–26, Global Affairs Canada’s full-time equivalent (FTEs) had a negligible increase of 144 (+1%), primarily due to the increase in funding to support Canada’s Presidency of the 2025 G7 Summit and the implementation of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. These increases are partially offset by reductions associated with the sunset of time-limited funding for several initiatives, including Canada’s Middle East Strategy and Canada’s response to various crises.

Table 14: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 14 shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents, for each of Global Affairs Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next three years.

Analysis of human resources for the next three years

From 2026-27 to 2028-29, Global Affairs Canada’s full-time equivalents (FTEs) are projected to decrease by 887 FTEs (7%). This decline is primarily attributable to reduced funding resulting from Budget 2025 measures under the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, the sunset of funds supporting the internal reallocation of resources for the Grants and Contributions Transformation Initiative, Defence Export Strategy and UN Peace Operations and Peacebuilding activities.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Global Affairs Canada’s website:

• Details on transfer payment programs
• Horizontal Initiatives

Information on Global Affairs Canada’s departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on Global Affairs Canada’s website.

Federal tax expenditures

Global Affairs Canada’s Departmental Plan does not include information on 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 ministers: Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade; Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy; and Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development)

Institutional head: David Morrison, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Rob Stewart, Deputy Minister of International Trade; Christopher MacLennan, Deputy Minister of International Development

Ministerial portfolio: Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service. The following federal entities operate at arm’s length and report to Parliament through the Global Affairs Canada ministers: the Canadian Commercial Corporation, Export Development Canada, the International Development Research Centre and Invest in Canada.

Enabling instrument: Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, S.C. 2013, c. 33, s. 174

Year of incorporation / commencement: 1909

Departmental contact information

Global Affairs Canada
Tel.: 1-800-267-8376 (toll-free in Canada);
613-944-4000 (National Capital Region and outside Canada)
TTY: 1-800-394-3472 (toll-free from the U.S. and Canada only); 613-944-1310 (National Capital Region and outside Canada)
Fax: 613-996-9709
https://www.international.gc.ca/

Enquiries Services
Global Affairs Canada
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
Email: enqserv@international.gc.ca
Tel.: 1-800-267-8376 (toll-free in Canada);
613-944-4000 (National Capital Region and outside Canada)
Fax: 613-996-9709

Other Portfolio Related Contacts

Canadian Commercial Corporation
350 Albert Street, 7th Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0S6
Tel.: 1-800-748-8191 (toll-free in Canada)
613-996-0034 (National Capital Region and outside Canada)
Fax: 613-995-2121
www.ccc.ca

International Joint Commission (Canadian Section)
234 Laurier Avenue West, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K1P 6K6
Tel.: 613-995-2984
Fax: 613-993-5583
www.ijc.org

Export Development Canada
150 Slater Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 1K3
Tel.: 1-800-229-0575 (toll-free in North America);
613-598-2500 (local)
TTY: 1-866-574-0451
Fax: 613-598-3811
www.edc.ca

Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission
459 Route 774
Welshpool, NB E5E 1A4
Tel.: 1-877-851-6663 (toll-free)
506-752-2922 (local)
Fax: 506-752-6000
www.fdr.net

International Development Research Centre
150 Kent Street
Ottawa, ON K1P 0B2
Postal address: P.O. Box 8500
Ottawa, ON K1G 3H9
Tel.: 613-236-6163
Fax: 613-238-7230
www.idrc.ca

Invest in Canada
www.investcanada.ca

Definitions

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 performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative measure of progress on 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 on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full-time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

Is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Using GBA Plus involves taking a gender- and diversity-sensitive approach to our work. Considering all intersecting identity factors as part of GBA Plus, not only sex and gender, is a Government of Canada commitment.

government priorities (priorités gouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2026-27 Departmental Plan, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2025 Speech from the Throne.  

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)

Requirements for verifying Indigenous businesses for the purposes of the departmental result report are available through the Indigenous Services Canada Mandatory minimum 5% Indigenous procurement target website.

non‑budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Non-budgetary authorities that comprise assets and liabilities transactions for loans, investments and advances, or specified purpose accounts, that have been established under specific statutes or under non-statutory authorities in the Estimates and elsewhere. Non-budgetary transactions are those expenditures and receipts related to the government's financial claims on, and obligations to, outside parties. These consist of transactions in loans, investments and advances; in cash and accounts receivable; in public money received or collected for specified purposes; and in all other assets and liabilities. Other assets and liabilities, not specifically defined in G to P authority codes are to be recorded to an R authority code, which is the residual authority code for all other assets and liabilities.

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 means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of a department, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

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 those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

A consequence attributed, in part, to a department, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single department, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the department’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.