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Departmental Results Report 2019-2020

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  • Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the President of the Treasury Board, 2020
  • Catalogue No.: SC100-10E-PDF
  • ISSN: 2561-1143

Table of contents


Minister's message

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos

As the Minister responsible for the Canada School of Public Service (the School), I am pleased to present the School's Departmental Results Report for the 2019–20 fiscal year. This report illustrates how the School has delivered on its mandate to provide modern learning opportunities and establish a culture of learning within the public service.

The School delivered its curriculum across five business lines to better meet the learning needs of public service employees and support the government's priorities. It also reviewed the content of its courses to ensure they were up to date and relevant.

The School extended the reach of its learning delivery and events to public service employees across Canada. It worked to enhance the quality of its learning products and make them accessible to all Canadians. It also piloted new products to respond to emerging learning needs on important topics such as Indigenous learning, innovation and digital services, and diversity and inclusion.

The School committed to making data-driven improvements to ensure innovative and digitally enabled learning. By enhancing its curriculum using evaluation data and leveraging website analytics to better serve learners, the School aimed to provide the user experience expected by public service employees in a digital age.

A renewed focus on partnerships allowed the School to access subject-matter expertise and to design and deliver course offerings, events and various other learning products in these areas. I am confident that the School will continue providing public service employees with the skills and knowledge they need to represent and serve Canadians well, today and into the future.          

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
President of the Treasury Board

Results at a glance and operating context

In 2019–20, the Canada School of Public Service (the School) provided relevant, responsive and accessible common learning to federal public service employees. Through courses, events, and resources, the School equipped them with the knowledge and skills they need to serve Canadians with excellence.

To fulfill its core responsibility of providing common public service learning, the School oversaw initiatives that led to achievements supporting four expected results:

  • 155,855
  • unique learners
  • 545,903
  • total registrations
  • 63,998
  • event participants
  • $81,380,256
  • in actual spending
  1. Common learning is responsive to learning needs

    With a continued emphasis on delivering learning through digital mediums, the School provided learning through approximately 550,000 registrations, representing an increase of almost 50,000 from 2018–19. The School also delivered learning events to over 60,000 participants on emerging and significant themes across government.

  2. Quality common learning is provided to the core public service

    The School reviewed over 300 courses for relevance and quality, updating them to reflect the government's priorities, changes in policy and feedback from users.

  3. Common learning is accessible to all employees of the core public service across Canada

    The School has been working with Shared Services Canada to migrate all of its technological infrastructure to cloud environments. Web connectivity has been optimized to allow for the use of modern collaborative tools by its employees, for greater user accessibility, and for high-quality delivery of learning.

  4. Strengthened capacity across the core public service to use innovative approaches

    The School introduced public service employees to the latest thinking, practices and tools to foster innovation across the Government of Canada through partnerships, demonstration projects, events, programs, and convening communities.

For more information on the School's plans, priorities and results achieved, see the "Results: what we achieved" section of this report.

Results: what we achieved

Core Responsibility

Common public service learning

Description

Through continual improvements in innovative learning products, delivery approaches and an online learning platform, the School provides public service employees with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies needed, now and in the future, to serve the evolving needs and priorities of Canadians.

Results
  1. Common learning is responsive to learning needs

    In 2019–20, the School delivered its curriculum across five business lines to better meet learning needs and support government and public service priorities. The School continued the curriculum baselining exercise it had begun in 2018–19 to ensure the relevance, responsiveness and alignment of its curriculum with the School's new business model.

    Alignment with government priorities

    In 2019–20, the School delivered curriculum and events across its business lines to meet learning needs and support government and public service priorities. The School delivered the following curriculum, ensuring equitable learning opportunities outside of the National Capital Region across business lines:

    • Government of Canada and Public Sector Skills (362,055 registrations for learning and events)
      • The School established partnerships with communities of practice and policy centres to identify learning needs, foster design thinking principles in the development of products, and ensure learning objectives aligned with common needs.
      • Building on the foundations of the core curriculum, six events were delivered, reaching 1,900 participants.
    • Transferable Skills (110,069 registrations for learning and events)
      • A suite of 16 new online courses was launched to respond to the need of public service employees for certified project management learning in spring 2019, resulting in 5,401 registrations.
      • Thirteen tailored learning courses were delivered to ten organizations (600 learners) on the topics of change management, coaching, and resilience.
    • Indigenous Learning (33,712 registrations for learning and events)
      • In 2019–20, Indigenous Learning saw a significant increase in registrations, jumping from 1,956 in 2018–19 to over 28,000 in 2019–20. The School worked with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) in the design and delivery of these courses.
      • In October 2019, the School launched a Premium learning course offering, a unique and transformational learning experience for the executive community. This four-day leadership development course is a cross‑cultural learning opportunity centered on the principles found in Indigenous traditional oral teachings and leadership development. To date, 25 departments have taken part in the program, with participants from across Canada.
    • Digital Academy (8,972 registrations for learning and events)
      • The School strengthened digital capacity and provided tools in support of increasing digital literacy in organizations. Learning products ranged from the two immersive Premium offerings, taking 170 learners through learning streams on data, artificial intelligence (AI), design, and DevOps; to the Discover series, providing foundational courses that introduce the culture, practices and technologies of the digital era to public service employees; to a suite of products for deputy ministers and senior leaders.
      • In 2019–20 the Digital Academy ran 16 events, with experts from across North America, to promote knowledge sharing and new paradigms of thinking relevant to the digital transformation of government services and policies.
    • Respectful and Inclusive Workplace (85,452 registrations for learning and events)
      • The School provided learning products and events on topics such as diversity and inclusion, accessibility, anti-racism, gender-based analysis plus (GBA+), and mental health awareness to help foster healthy and respectful workplaces across the public service.
      • Nine departments received tailored sessions on gender and sexual diversity; two on GBA+; and four on unconscious bias, together reaching over 500 participants.
      • The School created learning tools covering bias, GBA+ and how to apply GBA+ to the work of the Government of Canada.

    Across all business lines and subject-matters, executive learning and development remained a priority for the School in 2019–20. Relevant learning tools and experiences for executives were offered and delivered through outreach, engagement and agile design methods to meet their emerging needs. In 2019–20, courses targeting executives received 79,572 registrations, with an additional 27 events reaching 368 executive participants.

  2. Quality common learning is provided to the core public service

    In 2019–20, to maintain the quality of common learning for the core public service, the School reviewed over 300 learning products to ensure their relevance and accuracy. Additionally, the School delivered pilots for over 20 new learning products. This allowed the School to gather learner feedback and then adjust and enhance the quality of its products before fully implementing them.

    The School developed relationships with both internal and external stakeholders and subject-matter experts to design and deliver course offerings, learning events and other learning tools. For example:

    • The School consulted with Indigenous communities to inform the development of the Indigenous Learning stream, which offers opportunities for learners to better understand Canada's shared history and its impacts today. In collaboration with Indigenous partners and organizations, Elders and subject-matter experts, the School provided a wide range of learning products reflecting the diversity and complex realities of First Nations, Métis and Inuit to meet the needs of the public service.
    • In March 2020, the School and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) co-hosted a roundtable discussion with 20 representatives working towards reconciliation to discuss progress made on responding to the Call to Action 57. The conversation sparked a particularly strong interest on the part of municipalities to partner and establish contacts with Elders and local Métis and Inuit communities.
    • To evolve the mental health curriculum, the School engaged in five consultations across government with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace to leverage expertise from both inside and outside of government on workplace mental health.
    • Through the Digital Fellows program, internal and external specialists contributed to the design and implementation of learning products across the Digital Academy (DA). Fellows provided mentorship support to CSPS DA Premium learners' projects and offered advice on their areas of expertise to other departments within the Government of Canada.

    The School collaborated with subject-matter experts, academia, and other sectors to develop new learning opportunities, carry out research, and promote knowledge sharing. These collaborations led to the identification of innovative practices and sharing of resources and knowledge. For example:

    • The School partnered with York University to conduct a literature review on disability, inclusion, human rights and accessibility using an intersectional approach. The School reviewed a range of learning products to determine which could be adapted for federal public service employees.
    • The School engaged with Algonquin College on negotiations and business acumen competencies within procurement.
    • The School partnered with the University of Ottawa to host the second event in the Prime Ministers Series.
    • The School collaborated with external partners, including the Project Management Institute and the United Kingdom's Infrastructure and Projects Authority, as well as other government departments, to deliver an Investment Planning and Project Management Community of Practice Learning Day in spring 2019, as well as the Transformational Change in the Government of Canada executive project leadership event in fall 2019.

    The School continued to modernize its metrics on the quality and impact of the learning it provided. This involved experimenting with new learning methods and technologies to test their effectiveness:

    • The School has been working with partners to develop a curriculum focused on user-centric and agile digital methods. Examples include a four-day boot camp on digital technologies, and the development of the Discover Digital in-person classroom course.
    • The School developed and launched the Digital Academy Premium Cohort 2 for senior leaders, during which 100 learners were embedded in teams focused on the iterative development of solutions to real government problems.
    • The School hosted a week-long series of events focused on implementing a DevOps organization in government.
    • The School has been developing a data strategy to effectively capture input from minimal viable products (MVPs) and pilots as part of the iterative development of the Discover Series of foundational learning products on digital technologies.

    To modernize its metrics on the quality of learning provided, the School shared learning content across departments and agencies. The aim was to deliver learning more efficiently, reduce duplication, and foster collaboration.

    • The School worked with the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Public Services and Procurement Canada and a subset of the target audience to develop a three-part curriculum titled HR to Pay: Global Access View.
    • Through collaboration, the need for subject-matter experts from partner communities was identified. As a result, to better meet the needs of learners, subject-matter experts became engaged in course design, leading directly to the development of new learning products.

    Premium learning products allowed learners to develop more substantive skills via curriculum offerings that go beyond the basics. Four Premium learning products were delivered in 2019–20, with a total of 400 learners.

    Using data drawn from internationally recognized methods, the School revamped its survey methodology in collaboration with industry experts, and experimented with AI tools to mine learner feedback, along with client service feedback, to improve the design, development and delivery of learning and client services.

    • In 2019, the School sought expert advice and recommendations on improving the standardized evaluations used for classroom and online learning. In 2019–20, the School implemented the recommendations to remove bias from questions, streamline the questionnaire, adopt a 10-point scale for all questions, and lay the foundation for further analysis of data through machine learning and AI. This put the School in line with other organizations and global best practices with respect to learning evaluation data collection and analysis.
  3. Common learning is accessible to all employees of the core public service across Canada

    In 2019–20, the School grew its capacity to deliver learning and events to public service employees nationwide. The School reached 155,855 unique learners, 545,903 total registrations, and 63,998 event participants.

    Enhance access to in-class and online learning for core public service employees nationwide

    In 2019–20 the School offered a variety of learning opportunities to regional public service employees outside of the National Capital Region. Across 9 regional learning centres, 1,867 offerings were delivered to 545,903 registrants. Highlights of regional learning in 2019–20 include:

    • Collaborated with Veterans Affairs headquarters to bring the pilot of the Project Sponsor Workshop to its area office in Prince Edward Island.
    • Supported Atlantic Region Week, with the delivery of change management and resilience learning.
    • Delivered a resiliency and wellness workshop supporting a Mental Health for Leaders event sponsored by the British Columbia Federal Council.

    Additionally, the School collaborated with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Pilimmaksaivik (the Federal Centre of Excellence for Inuit Employment in Nunavut) to develop and deliver culturally competent recruitment, training and employment practices for Nunavut Inuit via the Sivuliqtiunirmut Ilinniarniq Program and the Inuit Leadership Development Program. The School also worked with the First Nations Public Service Secretariat in British Columbia to formalize and strengthen the relationship between the parties and demonstrate their commitment to collaborate on common initiatives.

    Data-driven improvements to user experience

    In 2019–20, the School implemented an open-source web analytics tool to examine how learners interact with its digital learning platforms and products. Based on the insights gained from this data, the School introduced a new, easier events registration process for learners.

    The School tracked page views of the virtual job aids hosted on its public website and reorganized the information by category as new resources were added. Enhancements were made to remove outdated materials and improve website navigation.

    The School launched its open learning platform, providing 18 different activities available to all Canadians and optimized for mobile users. Based on user insights, the School revitalized its website and added new features to improve the searchability of the content of its learning catalogue, including a mobile-responsive design.

  4. Strengthened capacity across the core public service to use innovative approaches

    The School expanded its support to senior officials on complex policy, research and innovation initiatives. This included a guide to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, a digital tool to assist with the potential transition of government, and a guide for deputy ministers on leading digital organizations.

    In 2019–20, the School made use of experimental projects and novel technologies and approaches to strengthen the capacity for innovation in the core public service. For example:

    • The School worked with 18 departments and agencies to explore the use of AI with federal regulations, such as the Rules as Code Discovery Project, which tested the viability of converting sections of the Canada Labour Code and Canada Labour Standard Regulations into machine-consumable computer code. The project validated the benefits of the Rules-as-Code method for developing better regulations, supporting increased compliance and improving service delivery to Canadians.
    • The School worked with partners to develop the Incorporation by Reference (IBR) prototype, which allows users to identify, find and manage references to standards in their regulations. This AI tool improves the speed and accuracy of this activity by federal regulators, departments and agencies.
    • The School explored innovative practices in public administration. The School convened regular meet-ups for GC innovation hubs and labs in partnership with departments across government, partnered with FWD50 and the Community of Federal Regulators to host the Regulatory Innovation Showcase, and partnered with the Department of National Defence to host the fourth annual Government of Canada Data Conference.

    Experimentation

    In 2019–20, the School continued to develop its capacity to undertake experiments. By examining how users interact with GCcampus, the School identified necessary improvements to the learning experience.

    The School experimented with applications to provide access to open learning to Canadians on a learning program called Learning Together for Better Public Engagement. This program was offered in partnership with the Privy Council Office (PCO) and attracted over 1000 learners from around the world. The results of this experiment provided information that will support future renewal of the School's learning platform.

    The School also experimented with user experience, agile and design thinking approaches to redesign the financial module of the Authority Delegation Training (ADT) program. Experimentation results, measured by user feedback, led to design adaptations and increased the satisfaction rating. Lessons learned from this experiment continue to inspire new learning design projects at the School.

    The School also experimented with using mobile devices in classrooms to gather immediate post-course feedback and researched a range of new tools to collect and manage learner feedback. By gathering feedback during the course, the response rate increased relative to post-learning evaluations, thus allowing for more timely improvements.

Results achieved
Departmental
results
Performance
indicators
Target Date
to achieve
target
2017–18
Actual
results
2018–19
Actual
results
2019–20
Actual
results
Common learning is responsive to learning needs % of learning priorities addressed annuallyNote1 80% March 31, 2020 Not available1 100% 90%
Common learning is responsive to learning needs % of learning products updated in accordance with the product life cycle planNote2 80% March 31, 2020 Not available1 89.5% 67.5%
Quality common learning is provided to the core public service % of learnersNote3 who reported that their common learning needs were met 90% to 93% March 31, 2020 84.3%

87.5%

87.3%
Quality common learning is provided to the core public service % of supervisors reporting improved performance of employees; in particular for those employees in management and leadership development programs 75% March 31, 2020 74.2% 73.7% 76.9%
Quality common learning is provided to the core public service % of learners who report that the facilitator/ instructor was effective 95% March 31, 2020 95.3% 95.2% 94.1%
Common learning is accessible to all employees of the core public service across Canada % of employees of the core public service who access common learning across Canada annually 65% March 31, 2020 57.0% 51.7% 58.0%
Common learning is accessible to all employees of the core public service across Canada

% of employees of the core public service in the National Capital Region who access common learning annually

65 % March 31, 2020 62.4% 58.3% 64.8%
Common learning is accessible to all employees of the core public service across Canada % of employees of the core public service in Canada outside of the National Capital Region who access common learning annually 55 % March 31, 2020 55.1% 46.6% 52.4%
Strengthened capacity across the core public service to use innovative approaches Number of demonstration and learning projects undertaken in collaboration with other departments and agencies each yearNote4 Not available Not available Not available Not available 26
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2019–20
Main Estimates
2019–20
Planned spending
2019–20
Total authorities
available for use
2019–20
Actual spending
(authorities used)
2019–20
Difference
(Actual spending minus
Planned spending)
65,758,318 65,758,318 65,909,251 61,097,922 -4,660,396

Under Section 18(2) of the Canada School of Public Service Act, any unspent revenue in a given fiscal year can be carried forward and spent in the following fiscal year. Part of this revenue carry-forward was spent to implement new activities in business lines, with the objective to develop a world-class public service that is equipped for the digital age.

Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2019–20
Planned full-time equivalents
2019–20
Actual full-time equivalents
2019–20
Difference
(Actual full-time equivalents minus
Planned full-time equivalents)
512 514 2

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Canada School of Public Service's Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Internal Services

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:

  • Acquisition Management Services
  • Communications Services
  • Financial Management Services
  • Human Resources Management Services
  • Information Management Services
  • Information Technology Services
  • Legal Services
  • Materiel Management Services
  • Management and Oversight Services
  • Real Property Management Services

Results

The School undertook the digitization of corporate services, implemented the use of digital signatures on all documents (letters of offer, job descriptions, organizational charts, pay documents, etc.), and completed the transfer of traditional paper-based filing to fully digital repositories.

To enhance its human resources (HR) functions, the School implemented an aggressive HR-to-Pay timeliness campaign to contribute to the government's pay-stabilization efforts. A performance target of 80% was established in the School's executive PMA commitments. Monthly Phoenix and timeliness reports are provided to senior management via EXCO.

The School also implemented innovative practices in recruitment, including proactively using GCconnex and social media, participating in speed staffing events at York University and the University of Winnipeg, hosting the Cross-Functional Policy Mobility program (XFN), and supporting the hiring of free agents, the Recruitment of Policy Leaders (RPL) and the Advanced Policy Analyst Program (APAP).

To create a more mobile and telework-friendly environment, the School invested in and modernized its information management and information technology services, including videoconferencing, and equipped its employees with mobile devices that are faster and easier to use to support employees across Canada.

The School revitalized its Communications Services to enhance the ways in which it informs and engages with both employees and learners:

  • The School's website has been optimized for an enhanced mobile experience and greater accessibility and usability, aligned with best practices within the government.
  • The School has enhanced the delivery of its learning by leveraging digital platforms for access to course content versus printing up materials, encouraging participants to bring their devices, and updating system-generated confirmation emails for better readability and accessibility.
  • In March 2020, the Communications team sent daily emails about COVID-19 for the first few days of transitioning to virtual work, and text messaging was also used when access to the internal internet system was limited.
Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2019–20
Main Estimates
2019–20
Planned spending
2019–20
Total authorities
available for use
2019–20
Actual spending
(authorities used)
2019–20
Difference
(Actual spending minus
Planned spending)
21,919,440 21,919,440 21,969,751 20,282,334 -1,637,106

The difference between "planned spending" and "actual spending" represents the amount that the School spent using its statutory authority to bring forward the unspent revenue from the previous year.

Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2019–20
Planned full-time
equivalents
2019–20
Actual full-time
equivalents
2019–20
Difference
(Actual full-time
equivalents minus
Planned full-time equivalents)
168 182 14

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

Departmental spending trend graph

The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory spending) over time.

Departmental spending trend graph
Text version

Departmental spending broken down by statutory programs, voted and total amounts, is presented in a bar graph for fiscal years 2017–2018 to 2022–2023. The amounts are as follows:

Departmental spending trend graph
Fiscal year Total Voted Statutory
2017–18 76,289,634 67,189,658 9,099,976
2018–19 85,235,139 67,457,841 17,777,298
2019–20 81,380,256 64,204,260 17,175,996
2020–21 79,687,920 64,350,979 15,336,941
2021–22 79,860,887 64,500,831 15,360,056
2022–23 80,042,368 64,664,873 15,377,495

Compared to 2018–19, actual spending decreased in 2019–20 due to the completion of significant investments in a modernized and diversified curriculum and the evergreening of information technology equipment. While the School will continue to invest in its learning platform and pursue the development of a digital platform and innovative services, planned spending is expected to remain stable starting in 2020–21.

Budgetary performance summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)
Core
responsibilities
and Internal
Services
2019–20
Main
Estimates
2019–20
Planned
spending
2020–21
Planned
spending
2021–22
Planned
spending
2019–20
Total
authorities
available
for use
2017–18
Actual
spending
(authorities
used)
2018–19
Actual
spending
(authorities
used)
2019–20
Actual
spending
(authorities
used)
Common public service learning 65,758,318 65,758,318 59,765,940 59,895,665 65,909,251 55,437,037 62,635,278 61,097,922
Subtotal 65,758,318 65,758,318 59,765,940 59,895,665 65,909,251 55,437,037 62,635,278 61,097,922
Internal Services 21,919,440 21,919,440 19,921,980 19,965,222 21,969,751 20,852,597 22,599,861 20,282,334
Total 87,677,758 87,677,758 79,687,820 79,860,887 87,879,002 76,289,634 85,235,139 81,380,256
2019–20 Budgetary actual gross spending summary (dollars)
Core responsibilities and
Internal Services
2019–20
Actual gross
spending
2019–20
Actual gross
spending for
specified purpose accounts
2019–20
Actual revenue
netted against
expenditures
2019–20
Actual net
spending
(authorities used)
Common public service learning N/A
Subtotal
Internal Services
Total        

Actual human resources

Human resources summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services (full time equivalents)
Core responsibilities
and Internal Services
2017–18
Actual
full time
equivalents
2018–19
Actual
full time
equivalents
2019–20
Planned
full time
equivalents
2019–20
Actual
full time
equivalents
2020–21
Planned
full time
equivalents
2021–22
Planned
full time
equivalents
Common public service learning 421 500 512 514 517 517
Subtotal 421 500 512 514 517 517
Internal Services 159 164 168 182 182 182
Total 580 664 680 696 699 699

The full-time equivalents (FTEs) count in the School's core responsibility and Internal Services have increased in recent years for the delivery and support of the School's business lines related to the Digital Academy and Indigenous Learning streams.

Expenditures by vote

For information on the Canada School of Public Service's organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2019–2020.

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of the Canada School of Public Service's spending with the Government of Canada's spending and activities is available in the GC InfoBase.

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

The Canada School of Public Service's financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2020, are available on the departmental website.

Financial statements highlights

Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2020 (dollars)
Financial
information
2019–20
Planned
results
2019–20
Actual
results
2018–19
Actual
results
Difference
(2019–20
Actual results
minus
2019–20
Planned results)
Difference
(2019–20
Actual results
minus
2018–19
Actual results)
Total expenses 99,696,082 97,560,841 95,149,135 -2,135,241 2,411,706
Total des revenues 15,460,524 6,912,390 6,425,784 -8,548,134 486,606
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 84,235,558 90,648,451 88,723,351 6,412,893 1,925,100

Actual spending increased in 2019–20 mainly due to higher salary expenses as a result of the increased number of FTEs.

The actual revenue decreased compared to the planned result, as opposed to the planned revenue; it does not include the unspent revenue brought forward from the previous year.

Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as of March 31, 2020 (dollars)
Financial Information 2019–20 2018–19 Difference
(2019–20 minus
2018–19)
Total net liabilities 17,026,305 15,613,325 1,412,980
Total net financial assets 9,880,729 9,978,412 -97,683
Departmental net debt 7,145,576 5,634,913 1,510,663
Total non financial assets 7,568,108 8,716,063 -1,147,955
Departmental net financial position 422,532 3,081,150 -2,658,618

The increase in "Departmental net debt," mainly due to the increase in accounts payable to other government departments which remained unpaid at the end of the fiscal year, combined with a decrease in "Total non-financial assets," in particular the decrease in tangible capital assets, resulted in a decrease in the overall departmental financial position in 2019–20.

Additional information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister: The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board

Institutional head: Taki Sarantakis, President

Ministerial portfolio: Treasury Board

Enabling instrument: Canada School of Public Service Act, S.C. 1991, c. 16

Year of incorporation/commencement: 2004

Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

"Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do" is available on the Canada School of Public Service's website.

Raison d'être

The primary responsibility of the Canada School of Public Service is to provide a broad range of learning opportunities and establish a culture of learning within the public service.

The School has one strategic outcome: Federal public service employees have the common knowledge, skills and competencies to fulfill their responsibilities in serving Canadians.

Mandate and role

The School has a legislative mandate to provide a range of learning activities to build individual and organizational capacity and management excellence within the public service. The School was created on April 1, 2004, when the legislative provisions of Part IV of the Public Service Modernization Act came into force.

The School was created from an amalgamation of the following three organizations: the Canadian Centre for Management Development, Training and Development Canada, and Language Training Canada. It has been part of the Treasury Board Portfolio since July 2004.

Under the Canada School of Public Service Act, the School, as a departmental corporation, is mandated to:

  • encourage pride and excellence in the public service
  • foster a common sense of the purposes, values and traditions of the public service
  • support the growth and development of public service employees
  • help ensure that public service employees have the knowledge, skills and competencies they need to do their jobs effectively
  • assist deputy heads in meeting the learning needs of their organization
  • pursue excellence in public management

In this regard, the School acts much like a corporate training and development institution for the federal public service. It supports common public service learning at all levels nationwide and over 90 federal departments and agencies, allowing them to focus on delivering mandate-specific training and development.

For more general information about the department, see the "Additional information" section of this report.

For more information on the department's organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister's mandate letter.

Reporting Framework

The Canada School of Public Service Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2019–20 are shown below.

Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory
Core
Responsibility
Common public service learning
The Canada School of Public Service provides common learning to all employees of the core public service to serve Canadians with excellence.
Departmental
Results
Common learning is responsive to learning needs Departmental
Results
Indicators

% of learning priorities addressed annually

% of learning products updated in accordance with the product life-cycle plan

Quality common learning is provided to the core public service

% of learners who reported that their common learning needs were met

% of supervisors reporting improved performance of employees, in particular for those employees in management and leadership development programs

% of learners who report that the facilitator/ instructor was effective

Common learning is accessible to all employees of the core public service across Canada

% of employees of the core public service who access common learning across Canada annually

% of employees of the core public service in the National Capital Region who access common learning annually

% of employees of the core public service in Canada outside of the National Capital Region who access common learning annually

Strengthened capacity across the core public service to use innovative approaches

Number of demonstration and learning projects undertaken in collaboration with other departments and agencies each year

Program
inventory
Learning
Using a broad ecosystem of innovative learning products, approaches, and an online learning platform, the Learning Program delivers the right mix of relevant, timely and accessible learning common to all employees of the core public service in both official languages. Four streams of learning work together to build a solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and competencies needed now and in the future, to serve Canadians with excellence: Values and Foundational, Functional and Specialized, Innovation and Transformation, and Leadership and Management at all levels.
Internal Services

Supporting information on the Program Inventory

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Canada School of Public Service's Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information table is available on the Canada School of Public Service's website:

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. Ce rapport donne aussi des renseignements généraux détaillés sur les dépenses fiscales, y compris les descriptions, les objectifs, les renseignements historiques et les renvois aux programmes des dépenses fédéraux connexes. Les mesures fiscales présentées dans ce rapport relèvent du ministre des Finances.

Organizational contact information

Canada School of Public Service
373 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario  K1N 6Z2
Canada

Telephone: 1-866-703-9598
Fax: 1-866-944-0454
Email: csps.registrar-registraire.efpc@canada.ca
Website: www.myschool-monecole.gc.ca

Appendix: 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, organizations 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 3 year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.
departmental priority (priorité ministérielle)
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.
experimentation (expérimentation)
The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.
full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person's collective agreement.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])
An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2019–20 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government's agenda in the 2019 Speech from the Throne, namely: Fighting climate change; Strengthening the Middle Class; Walking the road of reconciliation; Keeping Canadians safe and healthy; and Positioning Canada for success in an uncertain world.
horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative where two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
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 an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)
The process of communicating evidence based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.
plan (plan)
The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.
planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

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

program (programme)
Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
Identifies all the department's programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department's core responsibilities and results.
résultat (result)
A consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization's influence.
statutory expenditures(dépenses Statutory)
Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
target (cible)
A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

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