Global Affairs Canada's 2024-25 Departmental Results Report

ISSN 2561-2182

Contents

• At a glance
• From the Ministers
• Results – what we achieved
  • Core responsibility 1: International Advocacy and Diplomacy
  • Core responsibility 2: Trade and Investment
  • Core responsibility 3: Development, Peace and Security Programming
  • Core responsibility 4: Help for Canadians Abroad
  • Core responsibility 5: Support for Canada's Presence Abroad
  • Internal services
• Spending and human resources
  • Spending
  • Funding
  • Financial statement highlights
  • Human resources
• Supplementary information tables
• Federal tax expenditures
• Corporate information
• Definitions

At a glance

This departmental results report details Global Affairs Canada’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results outlined in its 2024–25 Departmental Plan.

• Vision, mission, raison d’être and operating context

Key priorities

Global Affairs Canada identified the following key priorities for 2024-25:

1. Shaping the rules-based international system and promoting democracy and human rights
   • Continue to work with partners to foster a just, effective and accountable rules-based international system and defend its core principles, including sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states.
   • Strengthen Canada’s engagement and presence in the UN system and work to advance common objectives within global and regional institutions.
   • Promote democracy and human rights across all activities, and develop and expand collective responses to cyber threats, foreign interference and egregious violations of human rights, including through sanctions.
   • Build on Canada’s constructive global leadership as the G7 president in 2025, as a G20 member, a top-ten provider of development assistance, and donor to UN funds and programs, and as G7 president in 2025.
   • Contribute to and promote international peace and security, particularly through NATO and other engagement with allies, partners and international organizations, and continue to support UN peace operations, conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
2. Advancing Canadian interests through deepened global engagement
   • Further deepen Canada’s partnerships with its closest allies and continue to advance a broad range of relationships with both new and existing partners.
     • This includes further strengthening Canada’s partnership with the United States, advancing ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific, supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and recovery and holding Russia to account, advancing Canada’s interest in the Arctic, deepening our strategic partnership with the EU, and engaging to promote conditions for peace and prosperity in the Middle East.
   • Strengthen Canada’s diplomatic capacity, including through the Transforming GAC initiative, to address global challenges and advance Canada’s interests.
   • Enhance collaboration with Canadian partners, organizations, and businesses across the department’s diplomacy, trade, development and consular activities.
3. Supporting Canadian exporters and rules-based trade
   • Provide enhanced services and support to Canadian businesses and innovators seeking to take advantage of international opportunities and partnerships, including initiatives that advance diverse representation in the Canadian exporting community and promote responsible business conduct abroad.
   • Pursue foreign direct investment attraction and an international education strategy that support the needs of the Canadian economy.
   • Support the diversification of Canada’s economic and commercial relations, including by pursuing free trade agreements and their continued implementation in a manner that benefits Canadian consumers and businesses.
   • Work with diverse international partners to promote open and rules-based trade and to combat protectionism, unfair trade practices and economic coercion around the world.
   • Advance Canada’s global leadership and engagement on key issues, including the green transition, critical minerals and supply chain resilience.
4. Eradicating poverty
   • Continue efforts to eradicate poverty, uphold human rights and advance sustainable development in line with the Feminist International Assistance Policy and consistent with the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
   • Deliver on Canada’s commitments on gender equality.
   • Continue to support African-led solutions to peace and security through delivering on Canada’s commitments on sub-Saharan Africa. 
   • Transform the department’s grants and contributions processes to improve how Canada’s international assistance is managed and delivered.

Highlights for Global Affairs Canada in 2024-25

• Total actual spending (including internal services): 9,044,090,743
• Total full-time equivalent staff (including internal services): 13,185

For complete information on Global Affairs Canada’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 2024-25 under its main areas of activity, called “core responsibilities.”

Core responsibility 1: International Advocacy and Diplomacy

Actual spending: $1,076,218,617

Actual full-time equivalent staff: 2,616

Summary of the results achieved under this core responsibility:

• GAC launched Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency, using leadership and engagement to promote Canada’s values and interests around the world, and address concerns about the economic impacts of non-market policies and practices. More than 300 cross-Canada engagements with domestic partners and stakeholders helped refine Canada’s G7 priorities.
• GAC collaborated with international partners to respond to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia through coordinated sanctions, hosting and participating in peace summits and by supporting humanitarian efforts, including for the return and reintegration of displaced individuals. GAC contributed to international legal initiatives, such as the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, and deployed experts to assist Ukraine in documenting human rights violations.
• In response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Canada called for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, as well as imposed sanctions under the Special Economic Measures Act. GAC’s support for mine action activities in Gaza enabled explosives experts to be deployed to protect UN humanitarian convoys and ensure safe delivery of aid and to provide risk education to the local population.
• Following the United States’s general elections and the subsequent introduction of unjustified tariffs, GAC worked with partners and stakeholders to prepare a strong and measured response, which included counter-tariffs, targeted public engagement and the diversification of trading partners. GAC leveraged diplomatic channels by organizing more than 40 visits to the United States by Team Canada, and its participation in 105 media engagements allowed coordinated messages to reach millions of Americans and Canadians.
• GAC expanded its influence in the Indo-Pacific by securing key defence and intelligence agreements with Japan, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. The department also strengthened strategic partnerships in the region by co-chairing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) cyber-security discussions and advancing shared political and economic priorities through high-level engagement.

For more information on Global Affairs Canada’s International Advocacy and Diplomacy read the “Progress on results” section of its departmental results report.

Core responsibility 2: Trade and Investment

Actual spending: $377,020,446

Actual full-time equivalent staff: 2,127

Summary of the results achieved under this core responsibility:

• In response to complex trade challenges under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), GAC defended market access for key sectors such as steel, aluminum, automotive and softwood lumber, including by advancing legal challenges under CUSMA, before the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in U.S. courts.
• GAC continued to pursue trade diversification in response to shifting global trade dynamics and supply-chain disruptions, concluding negotiations on the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and advancing free-trade agreements with Ecuador, the European Union and Ukraine.
• GAC strengthened trade ties with the Indo-Pacific through Team Canada Trade Missions and an expanded CanExport program, resulting in connections for more than 450 Canadian companies with regional partners via 2,500 business-to-business meetings, $25 million in confirmed revenues and 104 strategic partnerships.
• To support Canadian exporters and innovators navigating a complex global landscape, GAC's Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) delivered over 59,000 services to more than 11,000 businesses, facilitated $6.1 billion in new deals, and helped over 1,700 small and medium enterprises expand into 113 new markets. The TCS also addressed barriers in global trade for underrepresented groups by supporting international business development initiatives in partnership with the Inuit Development Corporation Association, and helping over 900 women-owned businesses expand globally.
• Against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and evolving trade dynamics, Canada attracted $85.5 billion in foreign direct investment—the second-highest level in history—creating opportunities, stimulating economic development and introducing new ideas and innovations to Canada.

For more information on Global Affairs Canada’s Trade and Investment read the "Progress on results" section of its departmental results report.

Core responsibility 3: Development, Peace and Security Programming

Actual spending: $5,765,194,457

Actual full-time equivalent staff: 1,192

Summary of the results achieved under this core responsibility:

• GAC responded to humanitarian crises caused by conflicts and natural disasters, addressing forced displacement, food insecurity, malnutrition and limited access to basic necessities for vulnerable populations worldwide. This included helping the World Food Programme reach 124 million people, supporting UNICEF in treating over 109 million children for malnutrition and enabling emergency aid for millions of people in conflict- and disaster-affected regions. Through partnerships with organizations like the Red Cross and the International Organization for Migration, GAC delivered life-saving food, health care and shelter in places such as Bangladesh, the Caribbean, Haiti, Sudan and the West Bank and Gaza, helping contribute to a more secure and prosperous world and position Canada as a reliable partner in responding to global challenges.
• GAC helped tackle global health challenges, such as limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, malnutrition and the spread of infectious diseases, by supporting over 6 million at-risk and crisis-affected people in Myanmar and reaching nearly 190,000 beneficiaries in remote Afghan communities with essential health services. GAC also helped procure vaccines for 1.7 million children and 6.1 million women in Afghanistan, demonstrating its commitment to inclusive and gender-responsive global health programming.
• GAC advanced gender equality in unpaid and paid care work by supporting initiatives that trained over 1,500 domestic workers in Peru and engaged more than 2,600 people in Vietnam to promote shared caregiving responsibilities, while also reducing women’s unpaid care burden and boosting income opportunities. In Colombia, GAC contributed to the development and launch of the National Care Policy, which aims to reduce inequality and transform societal views on caregiving.
• The department continued to advance Canada’s efforts in international climate change mitigation and adaptation, including by helping launch Vietnam’s first private-sector-led floating solar energy project—powering 7,300 households annually—and expanding climate-risk insurance to 131,627 people in the Caribbean after Hurricane Beryl. In Haiti, GAC helped 5,450 farmers adopt climate-smart practices, boosting crop yields and sequestering 3,700 tons of carbon dioxide.
• The department supported interventions aimed at preventing, detecting and responding to crime and terrorism, including interventions conducted through the UN, G7 and G20, helping promote and protect Canadian interests in multilateral forums. In the Middle East and North Africa, GAC helped enhance effective terrorism investigations, border security and regional co-operation, which resulted in 28,000 million cross-checks against INTERPOL databases, 99 terrorism-related hits, 115 arrests, the seizure of over 3,000 kg of cocaine and the dismantling of multiple criminal networks linked to trafficking of illicit firearms, drugs and stolen vehicles.

For more information on Global Affairs Canada’s Development, Peace and Security Programming read the "Progress on results" section of its departmental results report.

Core responsibility 4: Help for Canadians Abroad

Actual spending: $115,256,540

Actual full-time equivalent staff: 587

Summary of the results achieved under this core responsibility:

• GAC strengthened travel safety by issuing 1,703 Travel Advice and Advisories and 320 messages through the Registration of Canadians Abroad service. GAC also launched campaigns targeting vulnerable groups, updated high-risk destination advice, published monthly safe-travel articles, distributed over 56,000 outreach materials and shared over 3,300 social media posts on travel risks and requirements.
• Through travel.gc.ca and the Emergency Watch and Response Centre, GAC provided real-time travel advice and emergency assistance, responding to over 232,000 public inquiries and receiving more than 27 million website visits—surpassing pre-pandemic levels. During global emergencies like the crisis in Lebanon, GAC enhanced outreach by publishing multilingual content, collaborating with other departments and attracting over 13,000 visits to its dedicated emergency webpage.
• The department provided high-quality consular services to Canadians abroad, delivering over 271,000 passports and routine services, as well as managing more than 7,200 urgent cases— including support for 255 assault victims, 740 cases involving children and families, 1,085 medical emergencies and 1,640 arrests and detentions. GAC also prioritized assistance to vulnerable groups, including women, children, Indigenous people and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
• GAC strengthened international security cooperation by signing memorandums of understanding with the Five Eyes and France to formalize collaboration on emergency planning, international crisis management and consular coordination. GAC also worked with partners such as the European Union, Norway and The Netherlands to share best practices and advance modernization in consular services.

For more information on Global Affairs Canada’s Help for Canadians Abroad read the "Progress on results" section of its departmental results report.

Core responsibility 5: Support for Canada's Presence Abroad

Actual spending: $1,327,570,601

Actual full-time equivalent staff: 4,681

Summary of the results achieved under this core responsibility

• GAC improved support for employees abroad by updating its policy framework and benefits for locally engaged staff (LES); it modernized 100% of medical plans in 24 countries and introduced a life insurance component into the African Medical Regional Plan to align with international health coverage standards. The department also implemented 3 new policy instruments to strengthen staffing practices and enhance its global competitiveness as an employer.
• GAC improved services to Canadians by implementing new digital tools—including a solution for processing authentication requests—and expanding the Virtual Mission Model to 123 international locations. The department also leveraged advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to boost operational efficiency, notably streamlining crisis response through an automated platform for managing departure transport payments.
• GAC improved its methodology for assessing the condition of Crown-owned real property and assessed approximately 697 assets across 50 missions to identify critical investment areas and support evidence-based decision making. The department also advanced its environmental sustainability goals through energy, water and waste audits, climate risk assessments and 14 green building certifications, which aim to optimize infrastructure for health and wellness.
• The department completed 46 vulnerability assessment visits across its global mission network to identify critical security risks and recommend targeted mitigation measures as part of its security-driven real property projects. It also upgraded information technology (IT) infrastructure and cybersecurity capabilities, improving reporting protocols, transitioning to cloud-based systems and enhancing protection of sensitive information and incident response times at critical- and high-risk missions.

For more information on Global Affairs Canada’s Support for Canada's Presence Abroad read the "Progress on results" section of its departmental results report.

From the Ministers

In fiscal year 2024 to 2025, Global Affairs Canada adopted a deliberate and principled approach to promote and protect Canada’s interests during a time of increased global instability and frequently changing circumstances around the world—including armed conflict, complex trade relationships and related diplomacy, and our humanitarian response to a range of crises. This approach ensured that Canada remained a reliable partner and a respected voice on the world stage.

In a more divided and dangerous world with rising geopolitical risks, we worked to strengthen our collaboration with allies and new trading partners. All eyes were on Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency, anchored in a strong foundation of leadership and engagement. GAC held more than 300 domestic engagements to direct our G7 priorities of protecting our communities and the world, building energy security and securing future partnerships. Peace and stability were at the top of our G7 agenda, and we led the call for a free, open and secure maritime domain based on the rule of law, in response to growing strategic competition in the Red Sea, the South and East China Seas, and in the Taiwan Strait. 

Throughout the year, we worked with our partners and stakeholders to deliver a strong and measured response to the unjustified tariffs put in place by the United States. In addition to counter-tariffs, the Government of Canada doubled down on targeted public engagement and trade diversification as part of our response. We responded to complex challenges of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement by defending market access for several key sectors, including steel, aluminum, automobiles and softwood lumber.

While rapidly changing trade dynamics and supply chain disruptions continue to present challenges, Canada advanced free-trade agreements with Ukraine, Ecuador and the European Union, and finalized negotiations on the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. These agreements expand opportunities for Canadian businesses while reinforcing our commitment to rules-based trade.

To support Canadian exporters and innovators, our Trade Commissioner Service supported more than 11,000 businesses and helped create new deals valued at $6.1 billion. Despite global challenges and uncertainty surrounding economics, geopolitical tensions and shifting trade dynamics, Canada attracted $85.5 billion worth of foreign direct investment—the second-highest level in history. This creates opportunities, stimulates economic development and introduces Canada to the latest innovations.

We continued our work with international partners in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, including through coordinated sanctions, humanitarian efforts and support for Prime Minister Carney’s visit to Kyiv on Ukraine Independence Day, during which he and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire. In addition, we supported Canada’s co-chairing—with Ukraine—of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, because no child should be a pawn in war.

Canada called for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, voicing our continued support for a two-state solution. We called for the unconditional release of all hostages, condemned the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the killing of humanitarian and health workers, and demanded unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. Canada committed more than $400 million in international assistance since the current conflict began, including more than $270 million in humanitarian assistance for urgent life-saving needs. Canada also imposed sanctions under the Special Economic Measures Act related to extremist settler violence against Palestinian civilians and their property.

Natural disasters and conflict continue to drive humanitarian crises around the world through forced displacement, food insecurity and other factors. Our partnerships with organizations such as the Red Cross, the UN Refugee Agency and the Humanitarian Coalition help provide life-saving food, health care and shelter in many regions. Canada also helped the World Food Programme provide support to nearly 125 million people and worked with UNICEF to treat more than 109 million children for malnutrition and deliver emergency aid to millions more in affected regions. Through our $5.3-billion climate finance commitment, Canada works with local communities, multilateral organizations and Canadian NGOs to strengthen climate action and protect biodiversity worldwide. 

The department remained committed to inclusive, gender-responsive global health programming and worked to address global health challenges, such as limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, nutrition and infectious disease prevention.

GAC increased travel safety for Canadians over the last fiscal year by issuing more than 1,700 travel advisories and more than 300 messages through the Registration of Canadians Abroad service. We provided real-time travel advice and emergency assistance through travel.gc.ca and the Emergency Watch and Response Centre. GAC responded to more than 232,000 public inquiries and had more than 27 million website visits, which surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

These efforts were supported by GAC’s 13,185 employees throughout the last fiscal year. To ensure our employees abroad had the support they needed to deliver on our ambitious efforts, we updated the policy framework and benefits for locally engaged staff and modernized medical plans in 24 countries. We also strengthened our staffing processes to improve GAC’s international competitiveness as an employer of choice.

Despite the challenges stemming from a frequently shifting international landscape, GAC is committed to a strong and constructive approach to meet them head-on to build an even stronger Canada.

For a more comprehensive review of our results over the last fiscal year, we invite you to read Global Affairs Canada’s latest Departmental Results Report.

The Honourable Anita Anand

Minister of Foreign Affairs

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 Maninder Sidhu

Minister of International Trade

The Honourable Randeep Sarai

Secretary of State (International Development)

Results – what we achieved

Core responsibilities and internal services

• Core responsibility 1: International Advocacy and Diplomacy
• Core responsibility 2: Trade and Investment
• Core responsibility 3: Development, Peace and Security Programming
• Core responsibility 4: Help for Canadians Abroad
• Core responsibility 5: Support for Canada's Presence Abroad
• Internal services

Core responsibility 1: International Advocacy and Diplomacy

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Progress on results
• Details on results
• Key risks
• Resources required to achieve results
• Related government priorities
• Program inventory

Description

Global Affairs Canada promotes Canada’s interests and values through policy development, diplomacy, advocacy, and effective engagement.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the “Confidence in institutions” and “Indigenous self-determination” indicators in the “Good governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada.

Progress on results

This section details the department’s performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility 1: International Advocacy and Diplomacy.

Table 1: Canada builds and maintains constructive relationships that advance Canada's interests

Table 1 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canada builds and maintains constructive relationships that advance Canada's interests” in the last three fiscal years.

Table 2: Canada's leadership on global issues contributes to a just and inclusive world

Table 2 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canada's leadership on global issues contributes to a just and inclusive world” in the last three fiscal years.

Table 3: Canada helps build strong international institutions and respect for international law

Table 3 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canada helps build strong international institutions and respect for international law” in the last three fiscal years.

Table 4: Canada’s global influence is expanded and strengthened

Table 4 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canada’s global influence is expanded and strengthened” in the last three fiscal years.

The Results section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada 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 International Advocacy and Diplomacy in 2024–25 compared with the planned results set out in Global Affairs Canada’s departmental plan for the year.

Canada builds and maintains constructive relationships that advance Canada's interests

Results achieved:

• In a year marked by geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, GAC remained a steady and principled actor on the global stage. Through diplomacy, partnerships and participation in multilateral forums, the department worked to protect and promote Canada’s prosperity and security.
• GAC launched Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency, using leadership and engagement to promote Canada’s values and interests around the world, and address concerns about the economic impacts of non-market policies and practices. More than 300 cross-Canada engagements with domestic partners and stakeholders helped refine Canada’s G7 priorities. GAC effectively navigated a rapidly changing dynamic among G7 countries, as well as the domestic uncertainty brought on by elections at home.
• The department also leveraged its engagement in multilateral forums to advance cooperation on key security and economic issues. This included issuing joint statements at the March 2025 G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Charlevoix, Quebec, in support of Ukraine in the face of Russia’s war of aggression, on the situation in the Middle East, on stability in the Indo-Pacific region, on crises in Haiti and Venezuela and on security challenges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan. Working with organizations such as the G20, ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and with partners in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), GAC made meaningful progress on security and economic matters. For example, at the ASEAN Summit in October 2024, leaders signed the ASEAN-Canada Joint Leaders’ Statement on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience, stating their intention to expand Canadian commercial engagement and digital cooperation.
• GAC built partnerships with global, multilateral and Canadian organizations to advance international assistance priorities that benefit security and prosperity at home and abroad. In 2024-25, the department supported approximately 75 multilateral and global organizations, promoting Canadian values and interests through active participation and decision making in their governance bodies, such as executive boards. GAC provided funding to more than 200 Canadian organizations and Indigenous Peoples involved in international assistance. It also fostered dialogue with these organizations on how best to advance Canadian development objectives through spaces such as Canada’s Civil Society Partnerships Policy Advisory Group and the Grants and Contributions Transformation Initiative Forum.
• Throughout 2024-25, GAC continued to bolster Canada’s ties with allies while using pragmatic diplomacy to engage with countries that hold different values or viewpoints, helping Canada more effectively navigate the swiftly changing global landscape.
• In North America, Canada’s relationship with the United States was tested and transformed over the course of the year. In the lead-up to the U.S. elections, GAC mobilized resources across government to proactively develop a strategy for early engagement with the new administration and worked with Canadian partners and stakeholders to support a Team Canada approach to advocacy across the United States. Following the elections and the introduction of unjustified tariffs, GAC continued to work with its network of partners and stakeholders to prepare a strong and measured response to the United States, which included counter-tariffs, targeted public media and diversifying trading partners. GAC leveraged diplomatic channels with the United States via over 350 meetings and visits in 2024-25. This included over 40 visits to the United States by the Prime Minister, ministers, premiers, provincial ministers and members of Parliament. Team Canada’s participation in 105 media engagements allowed coordinated messages to reach millions of Americans and Canadians.
• In November 2024, GAC hosted the 20th annual meeting of the Canada-Mexico Partnership, advancing joint activities with Mexico in areas including agribusiness, creativity and culture, the environment, forestry, human capital, mining and foreign policy. The department also supported the designation of transnational criminal organizations as foreign terrorist entities under the Criminal Code and maintained close diplomatic contacts to maintain and protect Canada’s strong relationship with Mexico.
• Elsewhere in the Americas, GAC promoted democracy and the rule of law. In response to the deepening crisis in Haiti, Canada became the largest donor to the United Nations Trust Fund for the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, which assisted in the deployment of over 1,000 police and military officers from over 6 countries and the establishment of medical evacuation capabilities. The department’s support also helped to establish a human rights compliance mechanism for the mission, notably for the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Canada co-led, with Chile and Argentina, the renewal of the mandates of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela and of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for an additional 2-year period, international mechanisms crucial in the promotion of human rights in Venezuela. Canada also led on the adoption of an Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly resolution on the situation in Nicaragua that promoted democracy and the advancement of human rights in the hemisphere. Through the OAS, Canada backed 5 electoral-observation missions and helped strengthen electoral systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• In the Middle East, in response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Canada called for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages and full, unimpeded humanitarian aid access to Gaza. In 2024-25, Canada also imposed sanctions under the Special Economic Measures Act on extremist Israeli settlers involved in acts of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and on individuals tied to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. In addition, GAC’s support for mine action activities in Gaza enabled explosives experts to be deployed to protect UN humanitarian convoys and ensure the safe delivery of aid, conduct explosive hazard assessments of priority humanitarian sites and deliver risk education to the local population.
• In Europe, Canada and the EU strengthened cooperation in responding to economic and security challenges, including launching an economic security dialogue and signing the agreement for Canada to become an associate member of Horizon Europe. Bilateral relations with the United Kingdom grew even stronger over the course of 2024-25 with enhanced cooperation on defence and security, including in support of Ukraine; strengthened cooperation on trade and investment; and intensified engagement through the newly established bilateral Economic Security Dialogue.
• GAC continued to work closely with international partners to develop and coordinate effective responses to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. For example, working in coordination with others, the department introduced sanctions packages to pressure Russia to end its illegal and unjustified aggression against Ukraine. GAC actively participated in over 10 Peace Formula meetings, such as the June 2024 Summit on Peace in Ukraine, hosted by Switzerland, which resulted in a joint communiqué signed by 84 states and Canada committing to host the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s Peace Formula. Subsequently, 54 states and international organizations committed to taking concrete measures to facilitate the return of prisoners of war, unlawfully detained civilians and deported children and support for their reintegration into daily life.
• Canada’s new Arctic Foreign Policy was developed in consultation with various stakeholders and partners, including territorial, provincial, Arctic and northern Indigenous governments. The policy adjusts Canada’s approach to the Arctic, given geopolitical shifts. GAC hosted the Canada-Nordic Strategic Dialogue in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and New York, during which countries discussed Arctic security, international law and inclusive engagement with Indigenous Peoples. In addition, the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) officially formed in July 2024 as a trilateral partnership between Canada, Finland and United States, and took important steps to bolster icebreaker shipbuilding and other polar capabilities, counter the influence of Russia and China in the Arctic region and support the United States’s Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet.
• GAC strengthened its presence, visibility and influence in the Indo-Pacific region by advancing peace and security, trade and economic growth, people-to-people ties and sustainable development. GAC supported negotiations on a status of visiting forces agreement between Canada and the Philippines and concluded a security of information agreement with Japan to enable the exchange of classified defence and intelligence information. Additionally, Canada and the Republic of Korea held their first Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting, resulting in shared commitments on intelligence sharing, joint exercises and defence industry collaboration. Canada’s strengthened bilateral cooperation reflects a dynamic, whole-of-society approach that will help guide long-term engagement with the region.
• In March 2025, GAC launched its new Africa Strategy following consultations with over 600 stakeholders. The strategy emphasizes stronger engagement with Africa and with African diaspora communities in Canada, as well as international assistance that supports economic development and youth employment. Canada signed a memorandum of understanding with the African Union Commission to formalize ongoing high-level engagement and, following the High-Level Dialogue with the Commission in November 2024, established the Africa Trade Hub and the Africa Trade and Development Program. In line with the strategy, in March 2025, Canada concluded its first Air Transport Agreement with Ghana and expanded its Air Transport Agreement with Senegal.
• GAC continued to support multilateral development bank partners to advance Canada’s priorities and push for reforms at these institutions to better meet the needs of developing countries. Canada demonstrated its leadership at and its commitment to the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) by hosting the 54th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in June 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. The meeting deepened Canada’s ties to the region and fostered linkages between CDB member countries.

Canada’s leadership on global issues contributes to a just and inclusive world

Results achieved

• Amid rising global threats to democratic principles and human rights, GAC continued to support global efforts to protect human rights and those who defend them and to advance democracy, stability and equality. Notably, GAC worked to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief as a human right, including through the prevention of religious persecution. For example, Canada leveraged its role as co-chair of the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief to advance global action against country-level violations of freedom of religion or belief, including through active engagement with Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states. In October 2024, the Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism published the Canadian Handbook on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism, which became recognized as an international model.
• GAC continued to support and amplify the voices of marginalized groups within the multilateral system. This included enhanced participation of Indigenous Peoples in decision making at the United Nations by co-facilitating groundbreaking intersessional meetings of the Human Rights Council and consultations with Indigenous Peoples at the UN General Assembly. In addition, Canada’s government-nominated candidate successfully secured a seat on the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, strengthening the voices of Indigenous Peoples from Canada in this important global body.
• The department supported Journalists for Human Rights, whose mission is to empower journalists and communities to report on human rights, democratic reform and climate action and combat misinformation in their communities. GAC’s support enabled the production of 160 in-depth stories—89 by independent Russian journalists and 71 by independent Belarusian journalists—covering women’s rights, 2SLGBTQI+ rights, Russia’s war against Ukraine and pro-democracy activism. These stories reached a combined audience of 4,782,499 people in Russia and Belarus, increasing public access to credible, rights-focused information in the face of severe censorship and repression.
• To safeguard Canada’s sovereignty and national security, the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) countered information threats and transnational repression. As the chair of the G7 RRM, Canada coordinated international efforts to expose Russian state-funded and state-directed covert information operations globally and disrupted them through sanctions. To raise public awareness, Canada published the 2024 G7 RRM Annual Report calling out foreign threat actors. The department supported the work of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, including through the collection and injury review of tens of thousands of electronic documents, as well as classified and public testimony. This inquiry has shed light on our government’s historic efforts to protect Canada from unprecedented threats to democratic institutions.
• GAC continued to play an important role in UN peace operations and promoted key initiatives like the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations and the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. For example, Canada’s Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security conducted a bilateral visit to Uruguay ahead of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial meeting, reinforcing Canadian leadership on women, peace and security and women’s meaningful participation in peace operations. GAC also supported the UN’s Action for Peacekeeping reform agenda through training that enhanced peacekeepers’ capacity in areas such as civilian protection; improvised explosive device threat reduction; women and medical care; and peace and security. Gender equality and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse were also strengthened in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti through the deployment of a Canadian gender adviser and specific funding for the Haitian National Police to help better integrate gender perspectives into operations, policies and training.

Canada helps build strong international institutions and respect for international law

Results achieved:

• GAC actively contributed to the development, promotion and application of international law. For example, in 2024-25, Canada participated in a core group of countries convened by Ukraine to examine the creation of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, helping to finalize draft legal instruments to establish a special tribunal in the Council of Europe framework. GAC also collaborated with allies and partners on upholding international law, including by intervening in cases against Myanmar and Russia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and using sanctions to address breaches of international peace, security and human rights in contexts such as Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, extremist Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and the Hamas attack on Israel since October 7, 2023, as well as in Belarus, China, Guatemala, Haiti, Iran, Myanmar, Sudan and Venezuela.
• In March 2025, Canada expanded authorities in its Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations, explicitly granting the ability to sanction not only senior Iranian officials and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members, but also proxy groups and entities involved in destabilizing activities, including procurement networks aiding Iran's military and its support of proxies across the Middle East and into Russia's war effort. Canada also continued efforts in its joint ICJ case with the Netherlands aimed at holding the Assad regime to account for the torture it committed in Syria. At the same time, Canada eased sanctions on Syria as it re-engaged with the Syrian government and provided humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.
• GAC supported the deployment to Ukraine of legal advisers and justice and gender experts to help draft a submission to the UN Committee Against Torture that represented 93 victims (61 men and 32 women). The exercise enhanced Ukrainian organizations’ capacity for pattern analysis, evidence-based and victim centred-reporting. The department also deployed justice experts to support accountability efforts in the Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, The Gambia, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Peru, Sudan, Uganda, Venezuela, the West Bank and Gaza. The department’s collaboration with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights resulted in the adoption of public policies and legislation supporting women’s rights and access to justice, such as an action plan to combat feminicide in Brazil and the Shelters for Women Victims-Survivors of Violence in Honduras Act.
• GAC reinforced and enhanced the global framework for non-proliferation and disarmament by actively supporting and engaging with various international organizations, including by preserving the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and advancing transparency and accountability in the implementation of its provisions. For example, the department successfully led the adoption of resolutions on nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine and on the implementation of non-proliferation treaty safeguards in North Korea during the 2024 International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference.
• GAC collaborated with several ASEAN member countries in support of international law in the South China Sea. GAC also engaged with the Philippines on its use of Canada’s dark vessel detection platform to support its efforts to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in its waters, including the joint aerial patrol of Philippine waters conducted in November 2024 to protect the Western Pacific region from these practices.
• GAC offered advice on the exercise of Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic, ensuring that the full range of related activities and measures are in line with Canada’s rights and jurisdiction under international law. The department continued to support the UN process to review states parties’ continental shelf submissions and led the development of the Canadian policy in response to the Arctic Ocean continental shelf delineations of the United States, Russia and Denmark (Greenland).
• The department extended its efforts to support the families and loved ones of the victims of Flight PS752 in holding Iran accountable for its violation of international law, including through the ICJ and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Canada worked with state members Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom as chair of the International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752. Significant milestones included the filing of the joint memorial at the ICJ alleging Iran's violation of the Montreal Convention, and the rejection of Iran’s preliminary objections in the case against it under the Chicago Convention, allowing the case to proceed to the next stage in the litigation process.

Canada’s global influence is expanded and strengthened

Results achieved

• GAC’s transformation agenda reinforced Canada’s ability to shape global discussions and project its influence across multiple domains. Targeted efforts to bolster expertise and coordination in key areas, such as critical minerals, and the establishment of the Open Insights Hub have strengthened GAC’s policy function and engagement with key partners. The transformation agenda also strengthened GAC’s capacity to deploy its resources and capacities with greater agility, when and where the needs are greatest, including in times of crisis.
• Canada continued to play a leadership role in the United Nations’ work on the governance of digital technology, including through the successful negotiation of the UN Global Digital Compact, the first inter-governmental agreement on digital cooperation at the UN. In addition, Canada signed the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, the first-ever international legally binding treaty in the world. In 2024-25, at the UN and other bodies, Canada continued to call out irresponsible state behaviour in cyberspace. It also deepened understanding of how international law applies in cyberspace, including through focused capacity-building efforts. Canada also assisted Colombia in finalizing their national position on the application of international law to cyberspace by providing capacity building and training for foreign public officials.
• In February 2025, Canada’s Prime Minister participated in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris. There, he reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to responsible and inclusive AI development, underscored Canada’s leadership in promoting global ethical AI standards and, together with the Prime Minister of France, emphasized the need for effective governance to ensure widespread benefits. In October 2024, Canada co-hosted the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Global Strategy Group meeting on the Futures of Global AI Governance. Under Canada’s leadership with Greece, OECD members, along with members of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (which includes emerging economies) agreed on several key issues, such as the importance of an inclusive and multistakeholder model of global AI governance.
• In the Indo-Pacific, Canada strengthened its strategic partnership with ASEAN by co-chairing the ASEAN Regional Forum Inter-sessional Meeting on Information and Communication Technology Security—alongside the Philippines—positioning GAC to help shape regional cyber stability discussions over a 2-year term. Canada demonstrated high-level commitment to ASEAN by having both the Prime Minister and Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development participate in the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience in October 2024. The summit marked the third consecutive year of leader-level engagement, further advancing shared political, economic and sociocultural priorities.
• GAC asserted the place of the French language in international organizations and broader foreign relations by working with La Francophonie and its member countries, highlighting French language as an important asset for all of Canada’s diplomatic and advocacy initiatives, foreign relations and representation. At the 19th Francophonie Summit, in Villers-Cotterêts, France, Canada’s Prime Minister endorsed the Villers-Cotterêts Call to digital platforms for a trustworthy and ethical digital space; adopted the Declaration of Solidarity with Lebanon and other crises-affected countries in the Francophone world; and signed a memorandum of understanding on the International City of the French Language.
• Canada engaged allies to cement its status as a trusted partner and convenor on the international stage on many issues, including international trade, global health, climate change, human rights, the Sustainable Development Goals and humanitarian responses. In July 2024, Canada added its signature to the Humanitarian Aid Donors’ Declaration on Climate and Environment, which aims to improve the humanitarian system’s ability to prevent, prepare for and respond to climate and environmental risks and impacts. As president of the UN’s Economic and Social Council, Canada helped advance global refugee protection, notably through a successful Special Meeting on Forced Displacement and Refugee Protection. The meeting brought together the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and representatives from refugee host countries, the United Nations, the private sector, refugee-led organizations, member states and civil society organizations.

Key risks

In 2024-25, GAC continued the implementation of its Enterprise Risk Management Strategy, ensuring the identification, management and monitoring of the department’s key strategic risks. You can find the description of risks that apply to all core responsibilities, as well as the risk management strategies, in the Key risks in 2024-25 section of this report.

Resources required to achieve results

Table 5: Snapshot of resources required for International Advocacy and Diplomacy

Table 5 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

The Finances section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Related government priorities

This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.

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

In 2024-25, Global Affairs Canada worked to advance the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the 2030 Agenda) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as highlighted in GAC’s 2024-25 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Progress Report. More information on GAC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan for the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our 2023-2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy. For additional information on GAC’s contributions to the 2030 Agenda and all 17 SDGs, please consult GAC’s Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance 2024-2025, Canada’s 2023 Voluntary National Reviews, and Taking Action Together: Canada’s 2024 Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Program inventory

International Advocacy and Diplomacy is supported by the following programs:

• International Policy Coordination
• Multilateral Policy
• International Law
• The Office of Protocol
• Europe, Arctic, Middle East and Maghreb Policy and Diplomacy
• Americas Policy and Diplomacy
• Asia Pacific Policy and Diplomacy
• Sub-Saharan Africa Policy & Diplomacy
• Geographic Coordination and Mission Support
• International Assistance Policy
• International Security Policy and Diplomacy

Additional information related to the program inventory for International Advocacy and Diplomacy is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Core responsibility 2: Trade and Investment

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Progress on results
• Details on results
• Key risks
• Resources required to achieve results
• Related government priorities
• Program inventory

Description

Global Affairs Canada supports increased and more diverse trade and investment to raise the standard of living for all Canadians and to enable Canadian businesses to grow internationally and to create economic opportunities.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the “Firm growth,” “GDP per capita” and other indicators in the “Prosperity” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada.

Progress on results

This section details the department’s performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core Responsibility 2: Trade and Investment.

Table 6: Canada helps to build and safeguard an open and inclusive rules-based global trading system.

Table 6 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canada helps to build and safeguard an open and inclusive rules-based global trading system” in the last three fiscal years.  

Table 7: Canadian exporters and innovators are successful in their international business development efforts.

Table 7 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canadian exporters and innovators are successful in their international business development efforts” in the last three fiscal years.  

Table 8: Foreign direct investment is facilitated, expanded or retained.

Table 8 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Foreign direct investment is facilitated, expanded or retained” in the last three fiscal years.  

The Results section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada 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 Trade and Investment in 2024–25 compared with the planned results set out in Global Affairs Canada’s departmental plan for the year.

Canada helps to build and safeguard an open and inclusive rules-based global trading system

Results achieved:

• In defence of Canada’s economic security, GAC managed complex trade relationships and policy issues, particularly with the United States and Mexico under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Canada defended market access for critical sectors such as steel, aluminum, automobiles and softwood lumber, including by advancing legal challenges under CUSMA, before the WTO and in U.S. courts.
• Canada made progress on its economic partnership with Indonesia, concluding negotiations on the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and signing a joint statement in December 2024 that committed both countries to signing the agreement in 2025. The CEPA is a comprehensive agreement that addresses market access for goods, services and investment and includes provisions on small and medium-sized enterprises, labour, environment and women’s economic empowerment.
• GAC advanced Canada’s export diversification strategy by implementing the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and concluding substantive negotiations toward a Canada-Ecuador FTA. The department also launched exploratory FTA discussions with the Philippines and initiated investment negotiations with Argentina, Pakistan and Uruguay, among others. Canada chaired the CPTPP Commission in 2024, re-affirming its growing economic ties with key partners across the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan. These efforts support long-term resilience amid global supply chain disruptions and shifting trade dependencies.
• Despite rising protectionism and geopolitical tensions, Canada remained a steadfast advocate for open, inclusive and rules-based trade. GAC continued to contribute pragmatically, where aligned with Canada’s interests, to the World Trade Organization (WTO) reform agenda, including dispute settlement reform. The department also engaged constructively in international trade law and investment reform through the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, advancing Canada’s interests in global trade governance rules at a time of increasing fragmentation.
• In 2024-25, GAC deepened trade relationships with the European Union and used the mechanisms established by the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to advance Canada’s priorities, including the adoption of the Mutual Recognition Agreement of Professional Qualifications for Architects. Bilateral merchandise trade has grown by over 65% since the 2017 provisional application of CETA, supported by ongoing advocacy for full ratification through high-level engagement with EU and member state counterparts.
• In 2024-25, GAC continued to promote an inclusive approach to trade by implementing the Global Trade and Gender Arrangement and the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement, as well as advancing broader inclusive trade initiatives through the Inclusive Trade Action Group. These efforts helped to ensure that the benefits of trade and investment were shared across all segments of society. To help realize this goal, Canada hosted an Indigenous Trade Symposium and an Inclusive Trade Symposium to foster dialogue and collaboration with groups traditionally under-represented in international trade.
• GAC also contributed to the successful conclusion of 2 multilateral treaties administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)—the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge and the Riyadh Design Law Treaty—as well as a landmark plurilateral agreement on E-commerce at the WTO, marking a first step toward global digital trade rules. The department also deepened innovation ties with France through a pilot project connecting Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with European investors.
• In response to growing concerns over dual-use technologies, GAC implemented export controls on quantum computing and semiconductor technologies with potential military applications. These measures reflect Canada’s commitment to responsible innovation and global security.

Canadian exporters and innovators are successful in their international business development efforts

Results achieved:

• In 2024-25, Canadian exporters and innovators navigated a complex global environment marked by modest economic growth, evolving trade dynamics and rising geopolitical uncertainty. The department, particularly through the support of the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), played a pivotal role in helping Canadian businesses succeed internationally. The TCS—both in Canada and in over 155 locations around the world—delivered over 59,000 services to more than 11,000 Canadian businesses, 93% of which were SMEs. Client surveys found that 92.3% of them were satisfied or very satisfied with the support provided. Working directly with these clients, the TCS facilitated over 1,350 new business deals for Canadian exporters, with a reported value of $6.1 billion.
• Many TCS programs and service offerings contributed to this success. For example, CanExport provided matching funding to a wide range of SMEs, innovators and national industry associations to support their efforts to seize new opportunities on a global scale, including in the dynamic and fast-growing Indo-Pacific region. Funding was approved for 1,731 Canadian SMEs wishing to expand their business into 113 new foreign markets, of which 18 were in the Indo-Pacific region. 84 Canadian innovators received financial support to pursue international research and development partnerships. In addition, CanExport supported 57 national industry associations and business organizations that were undertaking marketing and export promotion activities in 42 foreign markets.
• GAC intensified its efforts to strengthen trade ties with the Indo-Pacific—one of the world’s fastest-growing regions—through Team Canada trade missions and an expanded CanExport program. Trade missions to Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea connected over 450 Canadian companies with regional partners through more than 2,500 business-to-business meetings, resulting in $25 million in confirmed revenues and 104 strategic partnerships, and approximately $190 million in anticipated economic impact from ongoing deals and other outcomes reported by participating organizations. The Indo-Pacific Strategy’s Advancing International Clean Technology Demonstrations initiative also advanced cleantech partnerships, supporting Canadian firms in pilot and demonstration projects.
• The TCS supported Canadian entrepreneurs in driving innovation and expanding globally by facilitating 205 international partnerships valued at more than $163 million, including 22 venture capital deals that injected $48 million into Canada’s high-tech start-up ecosystem. These efforts boosted commercialization and global market access in priority sectors such as clean technology, life sciences and digital innovation.
• In 2024-25, the Canadian Technology Accelerator program enabled 164 Canadian companies to strengthen their global presence through tailored mentorship, market insights and access to international networks across 23 accelerators in 12 strategic markets. GAC helped federal science-based departments and agencies to collaborate on science and research with foreign partners, with a focus on enhancing global cooperation on Canadian priorities and safeguarding the integrity and security of Canada’s research ecosystem from external threats. For example, the TCS organized Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee meetings with the Republic of Korea, Japan and the European Union and hosted the inaugural meeting with Taiwan, culminating in joint action plans. In October 2024, the TCS also hosted Japan’s Cabinet Office National Security Secretariat for discussions on research integrity and security, an area in which both Canada and Japan have prioritized continued high-level engagement in co-innovation and collaborative research.
• The TCS helped increase international opportunities for Canadian firms by enhancing trade literacy and FTA use. Training was delivered to nearly 1,000 Canadian business stakeholders on leveraging Canada’s FTAs, including CETA, CPTPP and CUSMA. The TCS also promoted tools like the Canada Tariff Finder and hosted the third annual CUSMA SMEs Dialogue in Montréal, Quebec, which brought together 200 delegates from Canada, the United States and Mexico and fostered trilateral cooperation. Increased services in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia supported a surge in Canadian exports to the Gulf region, bolstered by an expanded air transport agreement with Qatar.
• The TCS promoted international business development aimed at groups under-represented in global trade, including women, Indigenous people, Black and racialized entrepreneurs, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and youths. For example, in 2024-25, the TCS partnered with the Inuit Development Corporation Association to support Indigenous businesses at the Future Greenland conference, explore Arctic-sector opportunities and help over 900 women-owned companies expand into international markets. Further, GAC led a delegation of approximately 30 Indigenous businesses from Canada and over 200 participants from Canada at the Reservation Economic Summit, in Las Vegas, resulting in commercial successes.

Foreign direct investment is facilitated, expanded or retained

Results achieved:

• In 2024-25, Canada experienced a significant surge in foreign direct investment (FDI) against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and evolving trade dynamics. Despite these challenges, Canada attracted a decade-high level of FDI with inflows reaching $85.5 billion, a 36% year-over-year increase, marking the second-highest level in history. This remarkable performance underscores Canada’s resilience and appeal as a stable, reliable and attractive destination for global investors. This influx of investment created opportunities, stimulated economic development and introduced new ideas and innovations to Canada, resulting in more high-quality jobs and a stronger and more sustainable economy.
• In collaboration with federal, provincial and municipal partners, the TCS facilitated 147 foreign investment projects worth over $21.9 billion across 53 municipalities, creating over 7,000 jobs and supporting low-carbon industry growth toward Canada’s climate goals. In addition, the TCS assisted 131 companies with site-selection visits for potential Canadian investments.
• As part of its business retention and expansion services, the department improved services for potential investors in priority sectors and markets and collaborated with them to address key irritants, boosting foreign investor interest in investment opportunities. For example, in 2024-25, the TCS network conducted over 4,400 investment-focused engagements, generating 856 high-potential leads referred to GAC’s investment partners. The department also enhanced Canada’s global investment appeal and competitiveness through 2 Investment and Innovation Roadshows and 6 FDI-focused signature events and by supporting over 200 mission-led initiatives, reinforcing Canada’s reputation as a responsive and investment-ready jurisdiction.
• GAC supported the administration of the Investment Canada Act’s national security provisions, which address potential risks of foreign investments to Canada’s national security. In 2024-25, GAC further advanced Canada’s national interests by integrating foreign policy, international security and business development considerations into transaction reviews and by raising stakeholder awareness of key national security issues related to FDI.

Key risks

In 2024-25, GAC continued the implementation of its Enterprise Risk Management Strategy, ensuring the identification, management and monitoring of the department’s key strategic risks. You can find the description of risks that apply to all core responsibilities, as well as the risk management strategies, in the Key risks in 2024-25 section of this report.

Resources required to achieve results

Table 9: Snapshot of resources required for Trade and Investment

Table 9 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

The Finances section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Related government priorities

This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.

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

In 2024-25, Global Affairs Canada worked to advance the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the 2030 Agenda) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as highlighted in GAC’s 2024-25 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Progress Report. More information on GAC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan for the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our 2023-2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy. For additional information on GAC’s contributions to the 2030 Agenda and all 17 SDGs, please consult GAC’s Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance 2024-2025, Canada’s 2023 Voluntary National Reviews, and Taking Action Together: Canada’s 2024 Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Program inventory

Trade and Investment is supported by the following programs:

• Trade Policy, Agreements, Negotiations, and Disputes
• Trade Controls
• International Business Development
• International Innovation and Investment
• Europe, Middle East and Maghreb Trade
• Americas Trade
• Asia Pacific Trade
• Sub-Saharan Africa Trade

Additional information related to the program inventory for Trade and Investment is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Core responsibility 3: Development, Peace and Security Programming

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Progress on results
• Details on results
• Key risks
• Resources required to achieve results
• Related government priorities
• Program inventory

Description

Global Affairs Canada programming contributes to reducing poverty, increasing opportunity for people around the world, alleviating suffering in humanitarian crises, and fostering peace and security, and in so doing, advances the Sustainable Development Goals.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the “Life satisfaction” and “Sense of meaning and purpose” indicators in the “Life satisfaction and sense of meaning and purpose” domain, and the “Sense of pride/belonging in Canada” and “Positive perceptions of diversity” indicators in the “Society” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada.

Progress on results

This section details the department’s performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility 3: Development, Peace and Security Programming.

Table 10: Improved physical, social and economic well-being for the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly for women and girls, in countries where Canada engages

Table 10 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Improved physical, social and economic well-being for the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly for women and girls, in countries where Canada engages” in the last three fiscal years.

Table 11: Enhanced empowerment and rights for women and girls in countries where Canada engages  

Table 11 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Enhanced empowerment and rights for women and girls in countries where Canada engages” in the last three fiscal years.

Table 12: Reduced suffering and increased human dignity in communities experiencing humanitarian crises

Table 12 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Reduced suffering and increased human dignity in communities experiencing humanitarian crises” in the last three fiscal years.

Table 13: Improved peace and security in countries and regions where Canada engages

Table 13 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Improved peace and security in countries and regions where Canada engages” in the last three fiscal years.

Table 14: Canada’s international assistance is made more effective by leveraging diverse partnerships, innovation, and experimentation.

Table 14 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canada’s international assistance is made more effective by leveraging diverse partnerships, innovation, and experimentation” in the last three fiscal years.

The Results section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada 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 Development, Peace and Security Programming in 2024–25 compared with the planned results set out in Global Affairs Canada’s departmental plan for the year.

Improved physical, social and economic well-being for the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly for women and girls, in countries where Canada engages

Results achieved:

• In 2024-25, escalating conflicts, climate disasters and economic instability deepened vulnerabilities in developing countries, straining their health, food and financial systems and highlighting the urgent need for resilient, locally driven development strategies. Amid declining global investments in international development, GAC continued to support Canadian and international organizations that contribute to improving the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable. Global poverty reduction and improved opportunities for all are essential for building a secure, sustainable and prosperous world, especially in areas where Canadian businesses operate and where Canadians travel, work and reside.
• The department’s efforts to strengthen global health systems helped to save lives around the world and safeguard Canadians. GAC actively contributed to multilateral negotiations of the World Health Organization Pandemic Agreement to enhance the international legal frameworks for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. As co-chair of the Lusaka Agenda Interim Working Group, Canada advanced domestically financed health systems for universal health coverage, supporting coordination across global health initiatives and helping develop a road map for the Lusaka Agenda’s implementation in Africa.
• GAC’s global health programming emphasized comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, nutrition, infectious disease prevention and pandemic preparedness and response. The department supported over 6 million at-risk and crisis-affected people in Myanmar, including Rohingya, through UN Office for Project Services-managed trust funds that deliver gender-responsive health, nutrition and livelihood services. In Afghanistan, GAC’s support enabled the delivery of essential reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services in remote communities, reaching nearly 190,000 beneficiaries—mainly women and children—through 105 family health houses. Additionally, the department’s contributions to the World Bank Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund helped procure medical supplies, including vaccines, that reached 1.7 million children and 6.1 million women. Essential services for the most vulnerable builds stability and resilience which support global stability.
• GAC’s support for global vaccination efforts in 2024-25 helped respond to over 50 infectious disease outbreaks. Through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, GAC contributed to the delivery of 37 million cholera vaccine doses, the launch of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in 5 countries and the rollout of malaria vaccines in 18 countries. Additional support through the Pan American Health Organization and Canada’s Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity strengthened routine immunization in Latin America and the Caribbean, expanded vaccine access, trained thousands of health workers and improved mpox response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Canada donated 200,000 vaccines and supported the World Health Organization in achieving a 23% increase in contact tracing and a 60% reduction in testing turnaround times.
• In 2024-25, GAC worked to reduce barriers to safe and inclusive quality education, including for refugees and displaced persons. For example, the department’s support for Education Cannot Wait helped reach 11.4 million crisis-affected children and adolescents—26% refugees and 14% internally displaced—by training 107,600 teachers, providing 335,000 school meals, distributing 374,000 learning materials and building or rehabilitating 13,000 classrooms in 32 countries. This resulted in 95% of programs improving access and attendance. GAC supported Jordan’s education system in improving access to quality education across all public schools, reaching nearly 1.6 million children annually, including 152,000 refugee students and children with disabilities.
• In 2024-25, GAC’s support helped improve agricultural systems and climate resistance, including through targeted programs for women smallholder farmers to increase food security, address malnutrition and contribute to economic growth, jobs and incomes. In Bolivia, 1,100 women gained the knowledge needed to diversify and increase their income through the cultivation of tara, a shrub that improves soil quality, promotes biodiversity and whose fruit is harvested and used in the leather, cosmetics and food industries. In Senegal, a Jane Goodall Institute project supported 975 women-led households to grow, process and market a drought-resistant fonio crop (a traditional, nutrient-dense grain native to West Africa) by introducing husking machines that reduced fonio-processing time from 40 hours per week to 20 minutes for 50 kg of fonio seed.
• GAC supported climate change programs to help developing countries transition their economies to low-carbon and climate-resilient pathways. For example, with support from the Canadian Climate Funds for the Private Sector in Asia, the first private-sector-led floating solar power project in Vietnam was able to produce enough energy to power an estimated 7,300 households a year, helping to advance the clean energy sector in the region. GAC also supported the expansion of climate and disaster risk insurance in the Caribbean Community, resulting in coverage for an additional 131,627 people across 4 countries following Hurricane Beryl. In Haiti, the department helped improve agricultural productivity and climate resilience; 5,450 Haitian farmers adopted climate-smart practices, boosting cacao and yam yields and sequestering 3,700 tons of carbon dioxide.
• The department supported initiatives with developing countries to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, in alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. In 2024-25, Canada became the largest donor to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund ($200 million), managed by the Global Environment Facility. GAC’s funding is contributing to the creation or improved management of 30.4 million hectares of terrestrial and marine protected areas, mitigation of 54.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, and enhanced biodiversity and protected areas that benefited 227,000 people in these communities. The department also supported marine biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource use in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru by using Canadian satellite technology and Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection platform to detect illegal fishing and protect coastal communities.
• GAC improved access to economic opportunities for people and businesses in developing countries and emerging markets, helping to foster stable and growth-oriented business environments, especially in areas where Canadian businesses operate. For example, support to Trade Facilitation Office Canada enabled Jute Land, an SME in Bangladesh, to build capacity for export readiness, which led to the creation of 300 new jobs, all filled by women.

Enhanced empowerment and rights for women and girls in countries where Canada engages

Results achieved:

• GAC worked to enhance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, as well as safeguard the rights of women and girls and prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). GAC’s overall international development assistance delivered outcomes that improved the health, prosperity and well-being of millions of women and girls, including through the Women’s Voice and Leadership Program and other initiatives that supported local and women-led organizations. Supporting women’s rights organizations builds more vibrant and inclusive civil societies and stronger democratic institutions, resulting in more stable global partnerships on which Canada relies.
• Amid the challenges of Russia’s war against Ukraine, GAC helped the project Achieving Municipal Breakthrough in Effective Response to SGBV (known as AMBER) strengthen protection against SGBV by making 30 cities and communities safer through survivor-centred SGBV prevention and response systems, and by engaging 4,500 participants directly and 240,000 through awareness campaigns . In Benin, the department advanced the rights and empowerment of women and girls by supporting initiatives on gender-based violence (GBV), education and economic inclusion, training 441 protection and health workers—including 136 women—and involving over 73,600 community members in awareness activities. In Nigeria, over 4,781 GBV survivors received critical support; sensitization efforts reached 306,000 women and girls and 472 community leaders; and 9 key policies were influenced, including an action plan on child trafficking, legal and advocacy support for students and gender policy reforms across 5 universities.
• In Central America, GAC funding to the International Organization for Migration enhanced the capacity of public and civil society organizations to protect migrant women and girls, enabling 5,103 women in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to access mental health services and psychosocial support. In Haiti, 4,232 GBV survivors received support. In addition, 27 women’s rights organizations received technical and financial assistance to advance advocacy, leading to the creation of an online platform to document GBV cases, the creation of GBV monitoring groups, legal aid for reporting rape cases by gangs, and a new legal obligation for authorities to provide free medical certificates to victims of sexual assault.
• Engaging and educating all parts of society is critical to ending GBV and discrimination. With GAC support, the RECAF-Jeu project in Senegal empowered over 6,500 girls through 84 safe-space clubs, sports and leadership training, engaged 3,100 boys in positive-masculinity education and trained 466 coaches to promote gender equality and menstrual hygiene. In Kenya, the department supported Journalists for Human Rights in launching national media campaigns and survivor-led forums that led to the government declaring femicide a national crisis and forming a 42-member presidential task force to combat GBV.
• GAC actively upheld women’s rights, removing barriers to equality and improving socio-economic outcomes, particularly in developing and crisis-affected regions. Canadian international assistance helped protect girls’ right to education in Afghanistan by enabling 620 girls to access online secondary schooling and supporting 50 women in continuing post-secondary studies at a regional university, despite Taliban-imposed bans. This initiative was critical as the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education beyond the primary level in Afghanistan has left 1.5 million girls without access to schooling. In Lebanon, 4 women’s rights organizations were empowered to deliver services and advocacy campaigns, which reached over 237,000 people nationwide, on issues such as online GBV, gender justice and women’s political participation.
• With GAC’s support, Women’s Voice and Leadership Ukraine supported 11 initiatives across 8 2SLGBTQI+ organizations, directly benefiting 1,103 2SLGBTQI+ individuals and helping 2 organizations develop long-term strategic plans. By partnering with Insight, the department helped to advance 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion in the women’s movement. The department also supported the World Bank’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Inclusion Data Generation and Policy Change project, which, in 2024-25, published research identifying legal and policy gaps in 64 countries, trained over 3,000 stakeholders, developed 28 country profiles and held 6 consultations with 2SLGBTQI+ civil society members.
• GAC continued to advocate for and support efforts to address gender equality in unpaid and paid care work in low- and middle-income countries. In Peru, GAC supported the International Labour Organization’s Opening Doors project, which improved the socio-economic conditions of over 1,500 domestic care workers by providing training that empowered them to negotiate better working conditions and understand their rights. In Vietnam, a GAC-funded initiative helped reduce women’s unpaid care burden by upgrading kindergartens to offer boarding services—saving mothers an average of 3 hours of unpaid care work per day. The project also reached over 2,600 people through events promoting shared care-giving responsibilities and boosted income-generating opportunities for 76% of women and 73% of men, with 81% of women reporting improved savings. In Colombia, GAC contributed to the development and launch of the National Care Policy, aimed at reducing inequality, enhancing quality of life and transforming how care is organized and valued in society.

Reduced suffering and increased human dignity in communities experiencing humanitarian crises

Results achieved:

• GAC worked to reduce the impact of humanitarian crises, including forced displacement, acute food insecurity and acute malnutrition saving lives and reducing suffering while also helping mitigate potential social unrest, instability and population displacement that can impact global security and prosperity. For example, the department’s humanitarian funding helped the World Food Programme reach an estimated 124 million food-insecure people, including 90 million with life-saving in-kind and cash assistance and supported the Canadian Foodgrains Bank in providing emergency food and nutrition aid to approximately 276,000 people. Additionally, GAC’s support for UNICEF contributed to reaching over 109-million children under 5 with early detection and treatment of wasting and other forms of malnutrition.
• GAC collaborated with Canadian, international and local partners to respond quickly to emergencies around the world, such as those in the West Bank and Gaza, Haiti and across Africa. For example, in 2024, the department worked with UN, Red Cross and NGO partners to respond to urgent needs arising from the escalating conflict and volatile conditions in West Bank and Gaza, adapting resources to the unpredictable operating environment. GAC also worked with partners in countries affected by the crisis in Sudan, enabling the delivery of emergency food and nutrition, health services and other supports. In response to the growing gang violence, forced displacement and collapse of essential services in Haiti, the department’s support enabled the treatment of 6,730 individuals for acute malnutrition and 92,000 children for malnutrition, food aid for 8,650 people and life-saving food assistance for 2 million people.
• GAC also worked with Canadian and international partners to provide humanitarian assistance to people impacted by natural disasters. For example, the department responded to the devastation caused by Cyclone Remal, which struck Bangladesh in May 2024, by helping the Canadian Red Cross supply relief items and emergency healthcare and protection services, the World Food Programme provide immediate food assistance and the International Organization for Migration deliver emergency shelter to the most vulnerable people affected by the cyclone. GAC also responded to Hurricane Beryl’s impact across the Caribbean by deploying 5,500 life-saving relief items to the Jamaica Red Cross; supporting Red Cross operations in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Jamaica; and funding the World Food Programme’s emergency response. Through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund, the department also provided immediate aid to over 96,000 people affected by natural disasters in Afghanistan, Chad, Colombia, Myanmar, Nepal and Nigeria.
• GAC engaged globally to influence the governance mechanisms of key humanitarian multilateral partners, aiming to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the international humanitarian system while also advancing humanitarian policy priorities such as gender-responsive humanitarian action, the protection of impartial organizations, worker safety and security, civilian protection and respect for international humanitarian law in armed conflicts. Canada advocated for the UN Protection of Civilians mandate, respect for humanitarian principles and compliance with international humanitarian law, including through its participation in the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in October 2024. Canada advanced key legal and policy positions by delivering a national statement and contributing to the negotiation and adoption of 5 resolutions aimed at strengthening compliance with international humanitarian law, safeguarding humanitarian space and enhancing the safety of humanitarian personnel.
• As president of the World Food Programme Executive Board in 2025, Canada prioritized duty of care, organizational reforms and inclusive board engagement. It also served as convenor of the traditional donor group. GAC helped facilitate the approval of organizational policies on resilience, climate change and school meals, and contributed to the development of the 2025-26 Management Plan.

Improved peace and security in countries and regions where Canada engages

Results achieved:

• GAC’s peace and stabilization operations programming reinforced global stability and advanced international assistance in fragile and conflict-affected settings, including Ukraine, Colombia, Haiti, the Middle East, Africa and the Indo-Pacific region. By helping to address the root causes of conflict abroad, GAC contributed to a more stable and predictable global economic landscape. For example, in Sudan, the department supported democratic transition efforts by facilitating civilian participation in the May 2024 founding convention of a coalition of Sudanese pro-democratic forces and the training of 120 Peace Committee and community members in mental health and trauma support, as well as equipping 96 civil society members in Darfur to document violence through a community-based early-warning network. In Iraq, GAC strengthened the response to conflict-related sexual violence by enhancing the capacity of medical, legal and law enforcement professionals to document such cases in line with international standards, through the development of forensic tools, pilot programs, advanced training and a new judicial training curriculum.
• In 2024-25, GAC supported interventions to prevent, detect and respond to crime and terrorism; counter the proliferation of nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological and conventional weapons; and improve compliance with non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament regimes, including at the UN, G7 and G20. For example, in the Middle East and North Africa, GAC’s Counter-terrorism Capacity Building Program supported efforts to enhance effective terrorism investigations, border security and regional co-operation, which resulted in 28,000 million cross-checks against Interpol databases, 99 terrorism-related hits, 115 arrests, the seizure of more than 3,000 kg cocaine and the dismantling of multiple criminal networks linked to trafficking of illicit firearms, drugs and stolen vehicles.
• GAC’s Anti-crime Capacity Building Program helped improve airport security in countries such as Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Egypt by strengthening the abilities of international airports to target and intercept high-risk passengers, cargo and mail. Across Latin America and the Caribbean, GAC’s efforts in countering the production and trafficking of illicit drugs resulted in 58,000 drug scans, the seizure of 88 kg of illicit substances, the identification of 92 new psychoactive substances and the adoption of new legislation in 5 countries to control 44 new synthetic drugs. In Ukraine, the department provided training and equipment to assist Ukrainian authorities respond to cyber attacks and defend critical infrastructure.
• GAC advanced capacity-building efforts in the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and worked to strengthen nuclear security. For example, the department helped build international capacity to identify and respond to North Korea’s attempts to evade UN Security Council sanctions related to its weapons of mass destruction and missile programs. As a result, over 250 North Korean vessels were identified as suspected participants of sanctions-evasion networks. GAC also led Canada’s efforts to prevent biological terrorism and proliferation, including through supporting the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the universalization and national implementation of conventional arms control regimes. For example, over 79,000 Ebola samples were secured or destroyed in Sierra Leone to prevent their acquisition by bioterrorists or state proliferators.
• Through the Canada-led Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations and the Women, Peace and Security Awards Program, GAC supported women peacebuilders and women’s rights organizations, promoted gender-responsive approaches in peace and security processes and advanced the meaningful participation of uniformed women in peace operations. In 2024-25, the department supported research, advocacy and partnerships with civil society, academia and security institutions in Ghana, Senegal and Zambia, resulting in greater awareness of barriers to women’s participation in UN peace operations and enhanced institutional capacity to recruit, train and deploy uniformed women peacekeepers.
• In 2024-25, GAC actively supported the launch of Colombia’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and chaired the International Cooperation Gender Working Group, which brought together 51 international partners to coordinate support. The department also contributed to the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund that supports the implementation of thematic and territorial priorities related to Colombia’s 2016 peace agreement and the government’s negotiation and dialogue processes with armed groups and criminal gangs, an important initiative aligned with the women, peace and security agenda.
• GAC enhanced its efforts to combat cybercrime and digital threats posed by malicious state and non-state actors to critical infrastructure and democracy worldwide. For example, the department strengthened global digital resilience by supporting Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline, which resolved over 92% of 2,221 digital security requests—many from women human rights defenders and 2SLGBTQI+ activists—and enhanced safety for civil society, while also contributing to international cyber deterrence efforts.

Canada’s international assistance is made more effective by leveraging diverse partnerships, innovation, and experimentation

Results achieved:

• In 2024-25, GAC advanced its Grants and Contributions Transformation Initiative to enhance how international assistance is managed and delivered. A key achievement was increased flexibility in the budgets for all current and future contribution agreements, which allows implementing organizations to better respond to unexpected crises and safeguard project activities. Other notable outcomes include process streamlining that could result in significant time savings when automated and the development and piloting of features of a new digital platform that aim to reduce project onboarding timelines from years to as little as 16 weeks, in some instances. These innovations will help accelerate program delivery, minimize duplication and enable faster and more impactful responses to changing global priorities.
• Through innovative financing, GAC was able to catalyze additional private sector investments toward sustainable development. The department collaborated with international donors and institutional investors to advance the Scaling Capital for Sustainable Development initiative, helping to mobilize private investment for sustainable development in emerging markets and developing countries by improving the efficiency and scalability of blended finance. Through the Impact Investment Readiness Vietnam project, 65 social impact businesses received training in gender-focused and environmentally sustainable investing. This resulted in significantly improved capital-raising knowledge and the mobilization of substantial new investment, including support for climate-smart agriculture benefiting ethnic minority communities.
• Through Canada’s partnership with the International Finance Corporation’s Advancing Gender Equality, Resilience, Opportunity and Inclusion Worldwide (GROW) Facility, GAC supported the creation of quality jobs for women at a Kenyan apparel company, with career advancement opportunities. Additionally, the department’s investment in the Aequitas Impact Investment Fund attracted a $15-million contribution from Desjardins, expanding access to financial products in developing countries and showcasing the potential of partnerships with Canadian private sector actors.
• GAC continued to support greater innovation and experimentation in international assistance through the Canadian Small and Medium Organizations for Impact and Innovation initiative. For example, through the Fund for Innovation and Transformation, GAC supported Fòs Feminista in piloting a project that addresses the unmet sexual- and reproductive-health needs of women, girls and gender-diverse people in remote and underserved areas of Colombia’s migrant corridor. The project introduced a financially sustainable model of AI-assisted telemedicine with ultrasound diagnostics, delivered during community health days. These sessions offered real-time consultations and imaging facilitated by trained nurses and health workers, enabling immediate assessments. AI tools streamlined administrative tasks such as scheduling and data collection, reducing costs and errors.
• Through long-term partners like Grand Challenges Canada, GAC continued to support health and humanitarian innovations and address barriers to the uptake, scaling and sustainability of proven innovations in partner countries. For example, the department supported Tiny Totos Kenya, in scaling a digital innovation that enabled 602 community daycares to track child development and engage parents, up from just 25 supported daycares in 2017.

Key risks

In 2024-25, GAC continued the implementation of its Enterprise Risk Management Strategy, ensuring the identification, management and monitoring of the department’s key strategic risks. You can find the description of risks that apply to all core responsibilities, as well as the risk management strategies, in the Key risks in 2024-25 section of this report.

Resources required to achieve results

Table 15: Snapshot of resources required for Development, Peace and Security Programming

Table 15 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

The Finances section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Related government priorities

This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.

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

In 2024-25, Global Affairs Canada worked to advance the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the 2030 Agenda) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as highlighted in GAC’s 2024-25 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Progress Report. More information on GAC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan for the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our 2023-2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy. For additional information on GAC’s contributions to the 2030 Agenda and all 17 SDGs, please consult GAC’s Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance 2024-2025, Canada’s 2023 Voluntary National Reviews, and Taking Action Together: Canada’s 2024 Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Program inventory

Development, Peace and Security Programming is supported by the following programs:

• International Assistance Operations
• Office of Human Rights, Freedom and Inclusion Programming
• Humanitarian Assistance
• Partnerships and Development Innovation
• Multilateral International Assistance
• Peace and Stabilization Operations
• Anti-Crime and Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building
• Weapons Threat Reduction
• Canada Fund for Local Initiatives
• Europe, Arctic, Middle East and Maghreb International Assistance
• Americas International Assistance
• Asia Pacific International Assistance
• Sub-Saharan Africa International Assistance
• Grants and Contributions Policy and Operations

Additional information related to the program inventory for Development, Peace and Security Programming is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Core responsibility 4: Help for Canadians Abroad

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Progress on results
• Details on results
• Key risks
• Resources required to achieve results
• Related government priorities
• Program inventory

Description

Global Affairs Canada provides timely and appropriate consular services for Canadians abroad, contributing to their safety and security.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the “Personal safety,” “Canada’s place in the world” and “Access to fair and equal justice” indicators in the “Good governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada.

Progress on results

This section details the department’s performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core Responsibility 4: Help for Canadians Abroad.

Table 16: Canadians have timely access to information and services that keeps them safer abroad

Table 16 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canadians have timely access to information and services that keeps them safer abroad” in the last three fiscal years.  

Table 17: Canadians abroad receive timely and appropriate government services

Table 17 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Canadians abroad receive timely and appropriate government services” in the last three fiscal years.

The Results section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada 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 Help for Canadians Abroad in 2024–25 compared with the planned results set out in Global Affairs Canada’s departmental plan for the year.

Canadians have timely access to information and services that keep them safer abroad

Results achieved:

• In an increasingly complex global environment shaped by geopolitical tensions, natural disasters and evolving travel risks, GAC provided Canadians with timely access to critical information and services to stay safe while travelling, working or living abroad.
• In 2024-25, the department provided enhanced outreach during emergencies. For example, during the crisis in Lebanon, GAC issued 12 media updates, published 41 social media posts (including content in Arabic), and collaborated with other departments to reach diaspora communities. A dedicated emergency-response webpage received over 13,000 visits, demonstrating the importance of centralized and accessible information during global crises.
• Through travel.gc.ca and the Emergency Watch and Response Centre (EWRC), GAC provided real-time travel advice and emergency assistance. In 2024-25, travel.gc.ca received over 27 million visits—including 16 million to destination-specific pages—while the EWRC responded to more than 232,000 public inquiries via email, phone, text and social media. The volume of inquiries and online visits was higher than pre-pandemic levels, reflecting Canadians’ sustained demand for reliable travel information.
• GAC issued 1,703 Travel Advice and Advisories (TAA) updates and 320 messages through the Registration of Canadians Abroad service. In Lebanon alone, 12 TAA updates and 27 targeted messages reached nearly 25,000 registered Canadians. The department also revamped travel advice on high-risk destinations and launched seasonal campaigns for specific groups, including 2SLGBTQI+ and older travellers, highlighting topics like travel insurance, dating abroad and responsible tourism. GAC launched a monthly “Focus on Safe Travel” article series, participated in 8 travel events across 6 cities and distributed nearly 56,000 safe-travel materials via outreach events and online orders. Over 3,300 social media posts covered destination-specific travel advice updates and issues like drug muling, misinformation and new travel requirements.

Canadians abroad receive timely and appropriate government services

Results achieved:

• Canadians travelling, working, studying and volunteering abroad face diverse challenges and risks. GAC has been at the forefront of providing critical support and information to enable the safety and well-being of Canadians abroad.
• The department provided high-quality consular services and emergency assistance to Canadians abroad, including those in potentially vulnerable situations, such as women, children and members of Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ communities. In 2024-25, GAC delivered over 271,000 passports and routine services and managed more than 7,200 urgent consular cases, which included over 255 victims of assault, 740 cases involving children and families, 1,085 individuals with medical needs and over 1,640 Canadians who were arrested or detained. Notably, in May 2024, GAC took extraordinary measures to repatriate 6 Canadian children from Northeast Syria, working with provincial authorities, NGOs and social services to facilitate their reception, accommodation and support services.
• GAC worked to prevent, deter and respond to the arbitrary detention of Canadians abroad, expanding the growing coalition of countries that endorse the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations and strengthening engagement with governments, academia, civil society and multilateral partners. Following Canada’s advocacy, Argentina, Jordan, Seychelles and Uruguay endorsed the declaration in 2024, and São Tomé and Principe endorsed it in 2025, bringing the number of endorsements to 81 states and entities. GAC also continued to support the work of the Independent International Panel on Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations, which will release a report in July 2025 to strengthen the international legal framework on this issue. At the Organization of American States, Canada’s leadership on arbitrary detention resulted in the adoption of a resolution placing this issue firmly on the organization’s agenda.
• Canada actively engaged with international partners, such as the European Union, the Five Eyes (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States), the Netherlands and Norway, to exchange best practices on complex consular issues, advance modernization efforts and strengthen Canada’s response to consular crises. In 2024-25, Canada signed memorandums of understanding with both the Five Eyes and France that promoted and strengthened cooperation in emergency planning and international crisis management. GAC collaborated with the Department of Justice on international parental child abduction cases and co-chaired the Hague Working Party on Cross-Border Family Mediation to improve dispute resolution mechanisms.
• To improve service delivery, GAC launched a secure online webform that allows Canadians and their families to request assistance, enabling structured information collection and reducing delays. A secure online cost-recovery system for assisted departures was also launched, streamlining payments from affected Canadians and reducing manual processing.
• GAC ensured Canadians could access consular assistance even in countries where Canada has limited presence. Honorary consuls helped extend Canada’s reach and, under the Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement, Canada and Australia provided reciprocal consular coverage in 40 locations worldwide. Canada also maintains several protecting power agreements—with Sweden in North Korea, Italy in Iran, Romania in Syria and the United Kingdom in Venezuela—enabling the provision of emergency consular assistance to Canadians in countries where Canada does not have a presence.

Key risks

In 2024-25, GAC continued the implementation of its Enterprise Risk Management Strategy, ensuring the identification, management and monitoring of the department’s key strategic risks. You can find the description of risks that apply to all core responsibilities, as well as the risk management strategies, in the Key risks in 2024-25 section of this report.

Resources required to achieve results

Table 18: Snapshot of resources required for Help for Canadians Abroad

Table 18 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

The Finances section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Related government priorities

This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.

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

In 2024-25, Global Affairs Canada worked to advance the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the 2030 Agenda) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as highlighted in GAC’s 2024-25 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Progress Report. More information on GAC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan for the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our 2023-2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy. For additional information on GAC’s contributions to the 2030 Agenda and all 17 SDGs, please consult GAC’s Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance 2024-2025, Canada’s 2023 Voluntary National Reviews, and Taking Action Together: Canada’s 2024 Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Program inventory

Help for Canadians Abroad is supported by the following programs:

• Consular Assistance and Services for Canadians Abroad
• Emergency Preparedness and Response

Additional information related to the program inventory for Help for Canadians Abroad is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Core responsibility 5: Support for Canada's Presence Abroad

In this section

• Description
• Quality of life impacts
• Progress on results
• Details on results
• Key risks
• Resources required to achieve results
• Related government priorities
• Program inventory

Description

Global Affairs Canada manages and delivers resources, infrastructure and services enabling Canada’s presence abroad, including at embassies, high commissions, and consulates.

Quality of life impacts

This core responsibility contributes to the “Canada’s place in the world” indicators in the “Good governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada.

Progress on results

This section details the department’s performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core Responsibility 5: Support for Canada's Presence Abroad.

Table 19: Sound management and delivery of resources, infrastructure and services enables Canada’s presence abroad

Table 19 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Sound management and delivery of resources, infrastructure and services enables Canada’s presence abroad” in the last three fiscal years.  

Table 20: Personnel are safe, missions are more secure and government and partner assets and information are protected

Table 20 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under “Personnel are safe, missions are more secure and government and partner assets and information are protected” in the last three fiscal years.

The Results section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada 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 Support for Canada's Presence Abroad in 2024–25 compared with the planned results set out in Global Affairs Canada’s departmental plan for the year.

Sound management and delivery of resources, infrastructure and services enables Canada’s presence abroad

Results achieved

• GAC’s network of missions abroad is essential to advancing Canada’s interests, values and influence on the world stage. These missions serve as vital platforms for diplomacy, international development, trade promotion and consular services, enabling Canada to respond to global challenges and support Canadians wherever they are.
• People are at the heart of GAC’s ability to deliver for Canadians, which is why the department updated the policy framework and modernized benefits for its locally engaged staff (LES), increasing the department’s competitiveness as an employer across the globe. In 2024-25, 100% of medical plans for phase 1 countries were modernized, covering 20 countries in Africa, 1 in the Middle East and 3 in Asia-Pacific, ensuring that LES health coverage better aligns with international standards. This included enhancements to the African Medical Regional Plan with the introduction of a life insurance component. In addition, 3 new policy instruments were implemented to enhance and strengthen staffing practices for LES.
• GAC addressed significant gaps in the rotational foreign service. In 2024-25, GAC staffed 318 foreign service rotational positions and launched a new collective staffing process to qualify up to 100 candidates for future appointments as foreign service managers and specialists.
• GAC successfully advocated for modernized Foreign Service Directives, a set of policies designed to provide a system of allowances, benefits and conditions of employment for Canadian government employees serving abroad. These changes will enhance the department’s ability to adapt to new challenges with greater efficiency and resilience. This includes better crisis response through increased discretionary authorities, more flexibility for relocating employees via the new Flexible Relocation Expenses Fund and a new Travel Bank mechanism to reduce transactional burdens.
• GAC implemented new and improved digital tools to enhance services to Canadians, improve efficiency, strengthen information technology asset management and support evidence-based decision making. In 2024-25, the department introduced a new digital solution for processing authentication requests for Canadian documents and expanded the Virtual Mission Model project to 123 international locations. GAC also used advanced analytics and artificial intelligence tools to increase the capacity of its employees. For example, in response to the crisis in Lebanon, GAC implemented an automated platform for processing departure transport payments, streamlining time-sensitive operations.
• In 2024-25, GAC effectively delivered common services to 181 missions in 112 countries, ensuring operational continuity and efficient support for Canada’s network of missions. This enabled 21 federal departments, 10 provincial and Crown corporation co-locators and 5 foreign government co-locators to deliver their programs abroad and advance Canadian interests globally. GAC improved operational efficiency by reducing its Common Service Delivery Points for missions from 7 to 4. This included consolidating human resources functions for the Americas and merging operations in Washington, D.C., and Mexico.
• GAC improved its building condition assessment methodology for Crown-owned real property, identifying critical investment areas and strengthening evidence-based decision making and reporting. A total of 697 Crown-owned real property assets were evaluated across 50 missions, generating data to inform investment planning decisions.
• GAC advanced the Greening Government Strategy and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to reduce its environmental footprint. In 2024-25, the department conducted 14 energy, water and waste audits; completed 6 climate risk and vulnerability assessments; and obtained 14 green building certifications at missions, optimizing building infrastructure for health and wellness.

Personnel are safe, missions are more secure and government and partner assets and information are protected

Results achieved:

• GAC ensured access to health care and critical support for Canadians working abroad and LES to foster physical and psychological safety. In 2024-25, GAC implemented a comprehensive approach to preventing and reporting incidents of harassment and violence in the workplace, ensuring confidentiality and protection under the Canada Labour Code. The department approved decompression leave for employees in high-risk zones and updated its intervention model for critical incidents. Additionally, GAC introduced new training for employees on their rights and responsibilities to ensure dignity and respect for all.
• GAC modernized security risk management systems, tools and technology to protect people, infrastructure and information at missions abroad. In 2024-25, GAC launched 3 security training courses: Introduction to Security, Cyber Security Essentials, and Fundamentals of Personal Security, achieving a 60% completion rate of these courses across the department. Key updates were made to the Security Information Management (IM) System, and a pilot project explored platforms integrating artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Improved use of the Emergency Management Risk Index refined Mission Emergency Plans for better emergency preparedness and resource allocation.
• GAC continued to upgrade its IT security and infrastructure in 2024-25. The department installed additional tools to strengthen monitoring, detection and response to cyber threats across all departmental devices. GAC made significant progress in maturing its cyber analytics platform and transitioning some IM/IT systems to cloud-based providers, which improved the department’s security resilience, accelerated incident response times and strengthened the protection of sensitive information. GAC also improved the identification, labelling and management of sensitive information, helping protect its assets through data loss prevention measures.
• GAC completed several security-driven real property projects at missions to ensure the safety and protection of personnel and mission assets. In 2024-25, GAC conducted 46 vulnerability assessment visits across its global mission network, identifying critical security risks and recommending targeted mitigation measures. Several assessments were carried out in high-threat environments, demonstrating GAC’s commitment to proactive security risk management.
• In 2024-25, GAC modernized its approach to managing major real property projects by streamlining funding processes, reallocating funds to workplace health and safety and launching a new performance framework. This ensured safer missions and smarter use of public funds.

Key risks

In 2024-25, GAC continued the implementation of its Enterprise Risk Management Strategy, ensuring the identification, management and monitoring of the department’s key strategic risks. You can find the description of risks that apply to all core responsibilities, as well as the risk management strategies, in the Key risks in 2024-25 section of this report.

Resources required to achieve results

Table 21: Snapshot of resources required for Support for Canada's Presence Abroad

Table 21 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

The Finances section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Related government priorities

This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.

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

In 2024-25, Global Affairs Canada worked to advance the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the 2030 Agenda) and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as highlighted in GAC’s 2024-25 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Progress Report. More information on GAC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan for the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our 2023-2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy. For additional information on GAC’s contributions to the 2030 Agenda and all 17 SDGs, please consult GAC’s Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance 2024-2025, Canada’s 2023 Voluntary National Reviews, and Taking Action Together: Canada’s 2024 Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Program inventory

Canada's Presence Abroad is supported by the following programs:

• Platform Corporate Services
• Foreign Service Directives
• Client Relations and Mission Operations
• Locally Engaged Staff Services
• Real Property Planning and Stewardship
• Real Property Project Delivery, Professional and Technical Services
• Mission Readiness and Security
• Mission Network Information Management / Information Technology

Additional information related to the program inventory for Development, Peace and Security Programming is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Internal services

In this section

• Description
• Progress on results
• Resources required to achieve results
• Key risks in 2024-25
• Contracts awarded to Indigenous business

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
• Material
• Acquisitions

Progress on results

This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.

In 2024-25, Internal Services played a central role in advancing GAC’s transformation agenda, delivering tangible results across all 5 pillars of the Transformation Implementation Plan. These achievements reflect GAC’s commitment to becoming a more agile, inclusive, and high-performing organization. 

1. Our organizational culture: Strengthening our foundation

GAC embedded the North Star Statement across departmental practices, reinforcing shared values and principles. It has been increasingly applied and integrated across the organization, and its translation into several Indigenous languages supports GAC’s action plan on reconciliation. GAC also updated its corporate visual identity to support its transformation and reflect its core values, using symbols like the maple leaf to express pride in serving Canadians and representing Canada globally.

GAC made significant structural and governance changes in 2024-25. The simpler organizational structure consolidates some functions and enhances coherence within the department, notably with a strong horizontal Pan-geographic Affairs Branch and a new Strategy, Policy and Public Affairs Branch as the departmental “central nervous system.” The launch of the Heads of Mission Council and Staff Advisory Council provided formal channels for input from colleagues and from the mission network. New mechanisms such as the Check-in survey, the “Tell Us What You Think” feedback button and GAC’s Dissent Channel aim to foster open dialogue and constructive feedback.

The department continued to advance equity and inclusion through the implementation of the Accessibility Action Plan (2023 to 2025), launched in November 2024, and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (2024 to 2027), launched in July 2024. It also piloted the Anti-racism, Diversity and Inclusion Assessment Tool ahead of its wider launch in 2025-26. The department supported diverse talent through coaching programs and expanded the Deputy Ministers’ Sponsorship Program. Reconciliation efforts were embedded through a dedicated unit, regional engagement, training initiatives and the establishment of the Circle for Reconciliation, made up of branch representatives from across the department.

2. Our people: Becoming an employer of choice in Canada and abroad

GAC enhanced employee support throughout the career cycle, including through standardized onboarding sessions, the Talent Management Program for non-executives and executive training-supported career development. To increase learning coherence, GAG created a centralized tracking tool for mandatory training and a department-wide learning and development plan. 

Foreign language training was expanded, and official language training was centralized. Recruitment and promotion processes were regularized with the qualification of over 270 new foreign services officers. To further support employees and their families abroad, GAC launched new and improved Foreign Service Directives April 1, 2025.

The department improved transparency in rotational planning and accelerated head of mission appointment timelines. Phase 1 of the Benefits Modernization Initiative for LES was completed. New training for LES, including in-Canada sessions, and steps taken toward electronic performance management modernized the employee experience.

3. Our global presence: Increasing our influence and engagement where it matters most

The Global Presence Assessment Tool was operationalized to guide strategic decisions on Canada’s international footprint. The integration of outreach and engagement functions into the Strategy, Policy and Public Affairs Branch enhanced advocacy efforts both domestically and abroad. GAC consolidated its presence at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City, and deployed targeted resources to counter disinformation through strategic communications campaigns.

4. Our policy: Leveraging our strengths to advance Canada’s national interests

The Open Insights Hub launched in 2024 set a new standard for external engagement, facilitating collaboration and knowledge-sharing and integrating cross-stream analysis of key issues affecting Canada’s national interests. In late 2024, the hub organized its first annual Open Insights Days Conference under the theme Canada Amid Shifting Global Dynamics. Over a 2-week period, more than 1,700 employees attended 14 events and engaged with 30 external experts on topics including great power competition, critical minerals, AI, climate change and the trade-development nexus.

The AI Talks Speaker Series and the appointment of a senior official for cyber, digital and emerging technology positioned GAC to better respond to technological change. GAC also enhanced the role of the chief data officer to strengthen data governance and engagement and hosted the first Data Decoded Week.

The crisis-response review led to the creation of the Agility Roster, with some 150 colleagues in its first cohort, and the expansion of the Standing Rapid Deployment Team.

5. Our processes and tools: Building a high-performing organization

GAC completed 65% of its more-than 50 red tape reduction projects, streamlining processes and reducing administrative burdens. Initiatives such as Tech for Life, procurement clarifications and Strategia improvements saved significant time and resources. Implementation of the Sphere project is underway and will contribute to creating a knowledge-sharing organization and modernizing GAC’s information management tools. AI pilots and solutions have been launched to support priorities, enhance and inform decision-making and to solve common challenges. The Better Briefings Campaign has improved briefing quality and efficiency across the department.

The department updated the Delegation of Financial Authorities instrument to support greater process efficiency and launched the Trade Commissioner Service Digital Experience Platform to modernize client engagement. The Virtual and Digital Mission models enhanced secure communications and IT support, including through regional digital centres in London and Paris.

Resources required to achieve results

Table 22: Resources required to achieve results for internal services this year

Table 22 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

The Finances section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Key risks in 2024-25

GAC has continued to implement its Enterprise Risk Management Strategy, which includes the identification, management and monitoring of the top strategic risks for the department. Strategic risks are those that cut across GAC’s mandate and could jeopardize multiple objectives if realized. They are presented in the biennial Enterprise Risk Profile.

For 2024-25, the top strategic risks were related to:

1. health, safety and well-being
2. policy, programs and service delivery
3. human resources (HR) and workforce capacity
4. cyber and digital security and resilience
5. IT infrastructure
6. management and security of real property and assets

In recent years, the world has experienced an unprecedented array of shocks, triggering cascading complications that GAC and its missions have had to address. Strategic risks are inherently complex and require long-term, whole-of-department efforts to mitigate. To aid in these efforts, the department has prioritized monitoring the effectiveness and impacts of the mitigation measures being used to manage the top risks. Senior management committees discuss the status of these measures on a semi-annual basis.

Below summarizes the top risks in 2024-25 and highlights the departmental measures to mitigate the impact of those risks either by increasing the department’s resilience to the risks or by addressing factors that could exacerbate them.

Risk 1: Health, safety and well-being

The cumulative effect of ongoing organizational change, increased workloads and the need to respond to multiple crises is placing sustained pressure on GAC’s workforce, potentially impacting employee well-being, retention, and the department’s ability to remain an employer of choice.

Risk statement: “Pressure on the workforce to continuously adapt to change and increased workloads could impede employee health, safety and well-being and retention, as well as GAC’s strategic goal of being an employer of choice.”

The department:

• delivered mental health and well-being training
• raised awareness of psychological health
• advocated for modernizing the Foreign Service Directives
• published the second annual report on misconduct and wrongdoing
• ran collective staffing processes
• continuously communicated and engaged with staff on transformational changes (for example, the reorganization of GAC)
• maintained staffing inventories and managed the unsolicited curriculum vitae database
• updated delegated authorities

Risk 2: Policy, programs and service delivery

The department’s ability to deliver on its mandate is increasingly being challenged by rising financial pressures, unpredictable global disruptions and the need to make difficult trade-off decisions across portfolios in a resource-constrained environment.

Risk statement: “The inability to forecast, anticipate risks, reallocate resources and make trade-off decisions across portfolios, combined with the expected rising costs in the coming year and increasing financial pressures, could impede the department’s ability to effectively deliver on its mandate.”

The department:

• led a reorganization of GAC’s structure and governance
• reviewed and modernized the HR service delivery model and existing positions for all employee groups and streams
• carried out a monitoring plan of internal budgetary controls
• updated delegation charts to accurately reflect roles, responsibilities and authorities
• enhanced collaboration between the Chief Data Officer and Chief Information Officer to identify and address critical data challenges
• enhanced the use of mission procurement authority

Risk 3: Human resources and workforce capacity

Persistent challenges in staffing, talent management and training are straining the department’s ability to maintain a high-performing, inclusive and resilient workforce capable of meeting evolving operational demands.

Risk statement: “Challenges related to staffing and retention; performance and talent management; and training and development may hinder productivity and performance, as well as the department’s ability to be an equitable and inclusive organization that supports its workforce.”

The department:

• communicated results on a regular basis (for example, regular collective pooled staffing) to clients, stakeholders, managers and employees
• ensured GAC-wide initiatives were equitable and inclusive, promoting a healthy workforce through frequent engagement
• developed staffing processes and exercises that upheld the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and did not create barriers for any group in Canada
• continued the 2024-25 Deputy Minister Sponsorship Program, a departmental initiative that supports efforts to increase representation of employment equity groups, including Black, Indigenous and disabled people, in the Executive Group
• launched targeted collective staffing processes for employment equity-seeking groups

Risk 4: Cyber and digital security and resilience

The rapid adoption of digital tools, coupled with an evolving cyber-threat landscape, is exposing vulnerabilities in GAC’s systems and processes, putting pressure on the department’s ability to safeguard its digital infrastructure and respond effectively to cyber incidents.

Risk statement: “An evolving cyber-security landscape and quick adoption of modern digital tools may increase cyber vulnerabilities and impact the department’s ability to respond to threats.”

The department:

• enhanced the Security Culture Improvement Plan to promote the cyber-hygiene culture among employees
• began advancing its cyber technology multi-year roadmap
• started collaboration between IT security and corporate security to update and modernize roles and responsibilities for digital departmental information security functions; work is ongoing to align with the Treasury Board Secretariat policy on cyber security
• initiated improvements to its Business Continuity Plans and is continuing to enhance them to ensure resilience in the event of a system outage

Risk 5: IT infrastructure

Aging and fragmented IT systems, coupled with limited investment and a reliance on legacy technologies, are undermining the department’s capacity to support modern, secure and efficient operations, both at Headquarters (HQ) and abroad.

Risk statement: “The department’s IT infrastructure may not be sufficient to support the effective functioning of the Canadian government abroad or at HQ.”

The department:

• initiated early planning as part of the Application Modernization Program to reduce technical debt by identifying low-business-value and non-vendor-supported applications for retirement, and exploring replacements with enterprise cloud solutions
• engaged in efforts to modernize its domestic networks and infrastructure by migrating applications and services from legacy data centres to Shared Services Canada’s Enterprise Data Centres
• engaged in efforts to improve performance and security across GAC’s missions, including high-risk missions, by modernizing its international networks and infrastructure through the deployment of cloud-enabled solutions

Risk 6: Management and security of real property and assets

Mounting financial pressures and the growing complexity of managing a global real-estate portfolio are threatening the sustainability of GAC’s mission network and its ability to meet its duty of care obligations for staff and operations. The department owns and manages real-property assets in roughly 191 missions in 116 countries.

Risk statement: “Current financial pressures and the increasing investments needed to maintain or recapitalize our buildings may negatively impact the sustainability of our mission network and impact of our duty of care obligations.”

The department:

• engaged in efforts to manage and oversee the implementation initiatives in the Duty of Care envelope (for example, the Mission Security Risk Management System and Framework of Accountability)
• engaged in efforts to adopt the Global Portfolio Strategy (for example, revise the overall costing approach for investments and refine the process to access project-related funding; implement standardized security check-ins throughout the site selection, design and implementation process)
• continued to sensitize deputy ministers (DMs), governance committees and senior management on investments needed for GAC’s Domestic Accommodation Real Estate Strategy
• continue to sensitize DMs, governance committees and senior management on funding requirements for GAC’s renovation project
• engaged in efforts to request permanent staffing dollars to address gaps as well as address Workforce Management Committee process for permission to proceed with staffing
• initiated steps to improve the demand management framework, aiming to identify and prioritize all demands over a 5-year horizon

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.  

Global Affairs Canada’s results for 2024-25:

Table 23: Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses¹

As shown in the Table 23, Global Affairs Canada awarded 5.06% of the total value of all contracts to Indigenous businesses for the fiscal year.

In its 2025–26 Departmental Plan, GAC estimated that it would award 5% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses by the end of 2024–25.

International procurement: The nature of GAC’s overseas operations means there were no opportunities in 2024-25 to engage with Canadian Indigenous businesses through contracting.

Emergency and crisis contracting: In situations involving unforeseen events—such as natural disasters, pandemics, conflicts, wars or evacuations—urgent action is required. As a result, normal contracting processes, including Indigenous considerations, could not feasibly be followed to meet the immediate requirements

Domestic procurement: Certain domestic procurement activities are subject to specific constraints, including:

• Legal services: Due to the sensitive nature of information involved, including the confidential testimonies of expert witnesses, Indigenous participation was not applicable in 2024-25
• Protection services: Guard services are governed by the Policy on Procurement of Guard Services, which grants the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires the right of first refusal. These services are typically procured via a standing offer managed by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). In such cases, GAC must follow the procurement instruments put in place by PSPC, which did not include Indigenous businesses in 2024-25
• Passenger light-duty vehicles: This is a mandatory commodity procured via a standing offer managed by PSPC. As with protection services, GAC is required to use the procurement instruments established by PPC, which did not include Indigenous businesses in 2024-25

To promote the practice of setting aside procurement requirements for Indigenous businesses, GAC’s Contracting and Material Management Policy team has developed an information sheet on Indigenous considerations in procurement. This information sheet is intended to guide and support clients and procurement officers in promoting the Indigenous set-aside and applying it effectively in the procurement process. Internal GAC broadcast messages sent in November 2024 and March 2025 communicated the importance of meeting or exceeding the 5% target of the total value of contracts awarded by the department to Indigenous businesses. Further, fund centre managers were advised to consider allocating at least 5% of their fiscal procurement budgets to Indigenous businesses and to purchase all office supplies through an Indigenous business standing offer.

Employees have also been asked to work with procurement officers to voluntarily set aside certain requirements for goods and services for Indigenous business competition under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business and assess Indigenous business capacity by using the Indigenous Business Directory.

Spending and human resources

In this section

• Spending
• Funding
• Financial statement highlights
• Human resources

Spending

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned expenditures from 2022–23 to 2027–28

Graph 1: Actual spending by core responsibility in 2024-25

Graph 1 presents how much the department spent in 2024–25 to carry out core responsibilities and internal services.   

Text version

Programs	Total (dollars)	Percentage
International Advocacy and Diplomacy	1,076,218,617	11.9%
Trade and Investment	377,020,446	4.17%
Development Peace and Security	5,765,194,457	63.75%
Help for Canadians Abroad	115,256,540	1.27%
Support for Canada’s Presence Abroad	1,327,570,601	14.68%
Internal Services	382,830,082	4.23%

Analysis of actual spending

In 2024-25, Global Affairs Canada spent a total of $9.04 billion, most of which was directed toward reducing poverty, increasing opportunities for people around the world, alleviating suffering in humanitarian crises and fostering peace and security. Further significant financial resources were directed toward managing and delivering resources, infrastructure and services that enable Canada to maintain its presence abroad, including at embassies, high commissions and consulates.

Refocusing Government Spending 

In Budget 2023, the government committed to reducing spending by $14.1 billion over five years, starting in 2023–24, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.  

As part of meeting this commitment, Global Affairs Canada identified the following spending reductions.  

• 2024-25: $118,718,936
• 2025-26: $179,214,936
• 2026-27 and after: $243,374,436 annually

During 2024-25, Global Affairs Canada worked to realize these reductions primarily through the following measures:  

• reducing professional services and travel expenditures
• scaling back planned spending under the International Assistance Innovation Program and Sovereign Loans Program
• scaling back some funding under the intellectual property component of the CanExport Program

Budgetary performance summary

Table 24: Actual three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 24 shows the money that Global Affairs Canada spent in each of the past three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.

Analysis of the past three years of spending

The decrease in actual spending of $210 million from 2022-23 to 2024-25 is mainly attributable to:

• responses to global crises and humanitarian assistance initiatives

This decrease was offset by an increase in spending for the following:

• global climate and biodiversity initiatives
• promotion and advancement of international policies (for example, Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy and the Indo-Pacific Strategy)

The Finances section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase offers more financial information from previous years. 

Table 25 - Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 25 shows Global Affairs Canada’s planned spending for each of the next three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.  

Analysis of the next three years of spending

The decrease of $982.8 million in planned spending between 2025-26 and 2027-28 is mainly attributable to the following:

• sunset of global climate, biodiversity and humanitarian assistance initiatives
• sunset of funding for Canada’s G7 presidency, including the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta
• reduction of the funding profile for duty of care initiatives
• budget 2023 reductions resulting from the government’s refocused spending priorities

The Finances section of the Infographic for Global Affairs Canada on GC Infobase offers more detailed financial information related to future years and the alignment of Global Affairs Canada’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. Consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures  for further information on funding authorities.

Graph 2: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a six-year period (dollars)

Graph 2 summarizes the department’s approved voted and statutory funding from 2022-23 to 2027-28.  

Text version

Fiscal year	Statutory	Voted	Total
2022-23	594,722,543	8,659,481,084	9,254,203,627
2023-24	452,472,431	8,005,606,868	8,458,079,299
2024-25	536,576,435	8,507,514,308	9,044,090,743
2025-26	407,774,945	8,029,315,130	8,437,090,075
2026-27	415,182,169	7,111,068,032	7,526,250,201
2027-28	413,434,317	7,040,809,606	7,454,243,923

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

The decrease in actual spending of $210 million from 2022-23 to 2024-25 is mainly attributable to:

• responses to global crises and humanitarian assistance initiatives

This decrease was offset by an increase in spending for the following:

• global climate and biodiversity initiatives
• promotion and advancement of international policies (for example, Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy and the Indo-Pacific Strategy)

The decrease in spending of $607 million from 2024-25 and 2025-26 is mainly attributable to the following:

• sunset of global climate and biodiversity initiatives
• return of funding to foster innovative approaches to international assistance

These decreases in funding were offset by an increase in planned spending for the presidency of the 2025 G7, including the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta.

The decrease of $982.8 million in planned spending between 2025-26 and 2027-28 is mainly attributable to the following:

• sunset of global climate, biodiversity and humanitarian assistance initiatives
• sunset of funding for Canada’s G7 presidency, including the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta
• reduction of the funding profile for duty of care initiatives
• budget 2023 reductions resulting from the government’s refocused spending priorities

Consult the Public Accounts of Canada for further information on Global Affairs Canada’s departmental voted and statutory expenditures.  

Financial statement highlights

Global Affairs Canada's Financial Statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2025.

Table 26 Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2025 (dollars)

Table 26 summarizes the expenses and revenues for 2024–25 which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.

Analysis of expenses and revenues for 2024-25

The 2024-25 planned results information is provided in the Department’s Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2024-25. The Department’s total expenses were lower than planned results while revenues were higher than planned results, which is explained by differences resulting from estimates and assumptions used for the preparation of the future-oriented statement of operations compared to actual results.

The 2024–25 planned results information is provided in Global Affairs Canada's Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2024–25.

Table 27: Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for 2023-24 and 2024-25 (dollars)

Table 27 summarizes actual expenses and revenues and shows the net cost of operations before government funding and transfers.

Analysis of differences in expenses and revenues between 2023-24 and 2024-25

The Department’s total expenses increased by $588 million or 8% compared to 2023-24, which is mainly explained by:

• increase of $505 million in grants paid mainly due to:
• increase of $369 million in grants from the International Development Assistance for Multilateral Programming funding. Significant increases to the following vendors, offset by a decrease of $40 million for Gavi:
  • International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ($296 million)
  • Green Climate Fund ($88 million)
  • Nutrition International ($57 million)
• increase of $123 million in grants in support of the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program funding. Significant increases to the following vendors:
  • United Nations ($100 million)
  • Mines Advisory Group ($12 million)
  • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ($4 million)
• remaining increase of $13 million due to increases of lesser value
• increase of $45 million in transportation due to an increase of charter flights paid for the evacuation of Canadians abroad due to overseas conflicts and political instability and due to an increase of relocation expenses as per the Foreign Service Directives
• increase of $42 million in salaries and employee benefits due to compensation adjustments for locally engaged staff
• remaining decrease of $4 million due to a combination of items of lesser value

The Department’s total revenues increased by $5 million or 8% compared to 2023-24, which is explained by a combination of items of lesser value.

Table 28 Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as of March 31, 2025 (dollars) 

Table 28 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.

Analysis of department’s liabilities and assets since last fiscal year

The Department’s total net liabilities decreased by $149 million or 14% compared to the previous fiscal year, which is mainly explained by:

• decrease of $176 million in accounts payable, as the Department is more efficient in signing and disbursing transfer payments during the first 10 months of the year
• increase of $22 million in accrued liabilities in the allowance for claims, and pending and threatened litigations after consultation with departmental legal counsel
• remaining increase of $5 million due to a combination of items of lesser value

The Department’s total net financial assets decreased by $156 million or 19% compared to the previous fiscal year, which is mainly explained by:

• decrease of $189 million in the Due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, mainly reflecting a decrease in accounts payable
• remaining increase of $33 million due to a combination of items of lesser value

The Department’s total non-financial assets increased by $136 million or 7% compared to the previous fiscal year, which is mainly explained by:

• acquisitions totaling $188 million with the most significant increase representing the retrofit project of the Lester B. Pearson building
• amortization expense of $43 million, which represents a slight decrease of $2 million compared to prior year
• remaining decrease of $9 million is due to disposals and write-offs during the year

Human resources

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2022–23 to 2027–28. 

Table 29: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 29 shows a summary in full-time equivalents of human resources for Global Affairs Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years.

Analysis of human resources over the last three years

From 2022-23 to 2024-25, the number of Global Affairs Canada’s total full-time equivalents (FTEs) increased by 625 (+5%) to deliver new funded programs and initiatives in support of department’s mandate and priorities.

The increase of FTEs from 2022-23 (12,560 FTEs) to 2024-25 (13,185 FTEs) reflects the anticipated FTEs for newly funded initiatives, as well as adjustments related to sunsetting initiatives.

The newly funded initiatives mainly aimed to:

• advance foreign priorities, including the Indo-Pacific Strategy and G7 presidency
• strengthen diplomatic and consular capabilities
• support peace, security and sanction enforcement
• participation at Expo 2025 Osaka
• enhance operational effectiveness (for example, GAC operations and the Grants and Contributions Transformation Initiative)

The number of FTEs for these new initiatives was offset by reductions related to decreased or sunsetting initiatives, such as:

• humanitarian and settlement support for displaced populations (for example, Ukrainians and Rohingya)
• United Nations peace operations and peacebuilding
• duty of care to ensure the safety and well-being of Canadian personnel abroad
• the Creative Export Strategy

Table 30: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 30 shows the planned full-time equivalents for each of Global Affairs Canada’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.   

Analysis of human resources for the next three years

From 2025-26 to 2027-28, the number of Global Affairs Canada FTEs decreased by 288 (-2%). The year-over-year variance in the number of FTEs is mainly attributable to the following:

• sunset of funding for the G7 presidency, including the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Canada
• sunset of Canada’s international biodiversity programs on March 31, 2026
• sunset of funding for United Nations peace operations and peacebuilding
• sunset of funding for the Climate Change Fund
• sunset of funding for Canada’s participation at 2025 Expo Osaka
• sunset of funding for protecting Canada’s next election
• reduced funding for the duty of care initiative
• reduced funding for Canada’s sanctions capacity and leadership

Supplementary information tables

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

• details on transfer payment programs
• gender‑based analysis plus
• horizontal initiatives
• response to parliamentary committees and external audits

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 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).

Institutional heads: 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. 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(s): Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, S.C. 2013, c. 33, s. 174x

Year of incorporation / commencement: 1909

Departmental contact information

Mailing address:

Global Affairs Canada
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa ON K1A 0G2
Canada

Telephone: 1-800-267-8376 (toll-free in Canada)
613-944-4000 (in the National Capital Region and outside Canada)

TTY: If you are deaf or hard of hearing, or if you have a speech impediment and use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time by calling 613-944-9136 (in Canada only)

Fax: 613-996-9709

Email: info@international.gc.ca

Website(s): http://www.international.gc.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 priority (priorité)

A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

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.

fulltime 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 fulltime 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])

An analytical tool used to assess support the development of responsive and inclusive how different groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and 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.

government 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.