Canada Border Services Agency's 2024 to 2025 Departmental results report: Supplementary information tables

Program goals: The Anti-dumping and Countervailing Program supports Canadian producers from unfair foreign competition in the domestic marketplace, including the dumping and subsidizing of imported goods. A survey was developed to enable data collection for impact analysis, facilitate inclusive service delivery, and promote effective integration of GBA Plus considerations throughout the program.

Target population: Canadian producers (e.g., steel producers) is the specific sector of the target population affected by the program.

Distribution of benefits: Canadian producers benefit by being protected from border-related risks, specifically those related to unfairly dumped and subsidized imports, and by being assured that importers are compliant with Special Import Measures Act measures. The program directly helps to protect Canadian jobs and production levels.

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: The specific demographic groups are Canadian enterprises that face unfair foreign competition in the domestic marketplace. The CBSA conducts anti-dumping and countervailing investigations through its administration of the Special Import Measures Act to guard against unfair trade practices, defend domestic producers, and protect Canadian jobs. These investigations are conducted in parallel with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal's investigations into injury to Canadian industry caused by dumping and subsidizing. Refer to their Anti-dumping and Countervailing Injury Inquiries Guide for more information.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: Not available. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate has not obtained sufficient data to be able to analyze and identify key program impacts on gender/diversity.

GBA Plus data collection plan: The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate continues to monitor its GBA Plus data collection strategy, which was implemented in fiscal year 2023 to 2024. The strategy aims to enable the directorate to identify and address gaps related to gender/diversity (e.g., improve education and promotion in specific demographics such as gender, ethnicity, culture, age, language, and geographical areas where gaps have been identified).

The data collection plan detailed below is based largely on the implementation of a customized survey developed for the target population to provide program feedback related to direct and indirect interactions. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate has invited 100% of regular users of the anti-dumping program to participate, such as steel producers (represented by the Canadian Steel Producers Association) and members of other industry-based producers. While participation is voluntary, the directorate continues to base the analysis on a response rate of 30% to be relevant. To date, insufficient data has been collected due to a lack of survey respondents, although the directorate intends to disseminate the survey more broadly, as outlined in the data collection plan. Once sufficient data has been received and analyzed, the results will enable the Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate to work to address previously undetected barriers to ensure access to information and inclusivity of program benefits.

The GBA Plus data collection plan was developed with the initial focus on the Trade Facilitation and Compliance Program, which also falls under the Trade and Anti-Dumping Programs Directorate. To optimize efficiency, the data collection tasks that are applicable to the Anti-dumping and Countervailing Program will be implemented in parallel where possible. In summary, the plan and updates incorporating both programs are as follows:

2024 to 2025 – Data Collection Plan – Notable actions taken:

1. Survey implementation – planned for May 2024, delayed to October 2024
   1. Electronic dissemination (i.e., support / accompany email correspondence)
      Note: There was a five-week pause of the survey between April 2025 and May 2025 as per the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity whereby all public opinion research must be suspended when an election is called.
2. Finalize results of key impact analysis regarding areas of improvement for the next Departmental Results Report Supplementary Information Table – The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate will share initial results when available in fiscal years 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027.
3. Survey data collection – Ongoing with monthly review and analysis.
4. Additional survey dissemination – August 2025 and October 2025
   1. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate is planning to disseminate the survey to the Border Commercial Consultative Committees – August 2025.
   2. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate is planning to include an article regarding its GBA Plus survey in the fall of 2025. The survey is sent to all Trusted Trader members, which will hopefully increase survey results – October 2025.
5. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate will monitor results and develop program GBA Plus indicators – October 2025.
   1. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate is monitoring results on a quarterly basis – Ongoing.
   2. Initial indicator development will be based on results received and best practices from other Government of Canada programs collecting GBA Plus data – October 2025.
6. Conduct survey analysis and produce a report with a recommended action plan – planned for November 2026.
7. Senior management from the Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate to review and approve the GBA Plus action plan – planned for January 2026.

The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate is gathering both qualitative and quantitative data as part of the data collection plan. The qualitative data is providing the directorate with written and descriptive responses to answer "why?" and "how?" questions within the survey, which will be analyzed and grouped into categories or themes, and used to determine where program improvements can potentially be made. The quantitative data being collected is providing the directorate with numerical statistics on GBA Plus-related questions. The responses are being statistically analyzed, and the directorate will identify areas where improvements are to be made (e.g., small enterprises, rural areas, etc.).

Program goals: The Buildings and Equipment Program oversees infrastructure and equipment maintenance activities as well as capital investments delivered at air, land, rail and marine ports of entry, at the CBSA College, at Immigration Holding Centres, and at staff housing units. GBA Plus considerations are integrated into the CBSA Design Guide for replacements and constructions, ensuring barrier-free access as well as comprehensive evaluations of current standards for accessibility and inclusivity.

Target population: CBSA employees and the travelling public.

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: Sociodemographic groups that may be impacted directly by the program include persons with disabilities or health issues or their caregivers, women, men, and members of the 2SLGBTIQI+ community.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: In order to measure impacts on gender and diversity, the Buildings and Equipment Program has shifted its approach from examining building condition data to accessibility audits that identify how infrastructure meets current accessibility standards compared to the time of original construction. Due to this shift and the scope of the accessibility audits, data collection is ongoing and there are no impacts to report at this time.

GBA Plus data collection plan: In the previous Departmental Results Report Supplementary Information Table, the program identified that it would focus on two streams of work to improve data collection:

1. Building Condition Reports
2. Performance Measurement Strategy:
   • The CBSA committed to formalizing its Performance Measurement Strategy for the Buildings and Equipment Program to systematically track progress against key performance indicators and fully report on the implementation of GBA Plus performance information.
   • In 2023, the program was comprehensively evaluated and committed through a Management Response Action Plan to address the need for a GBA Plus-related performance indicator.
   • The program is working to develop a performance indicator to measure GBA Plus impacts, specifically around accessibility standards in the CBSA's custodial built environment. The indicator will be included in the program's Performance Information Profile in Q2 of 2025.

Through initial work in these areas, in fiscal year 2024 to 2025, the Agency determined that a more robust set of data could be established through accessibility audits of the CBSA custodial infrastructure portfolio. As such, the program pivoted to using the audits to identify infrastructure barriers, and they will serve as the foundation for effective planning, providing the data needed to prioritize future investments.

Infrastructure barriers can include a wide variety of obstacles such as narrow doorways, steep ramps, high service counters, inadequate restroom facilities, lack of automatic doors, etc. These obstacles not only limit physical access, but also hinder full participation in CBSA services, potentially compromising both the quality of service and the dignity of those affected.

The GBA Plus lens looks at how people of different genders, abilities and ages experience CBSA facilities and services. Using the GBA Plus lens ensures that when the Agency addresses barriers, the solutions consider how those barriers affect target groups. For example, people with mobility devices, older travellers, and employees with chronic conditions could face barriers to accessibility, and each group may require a different solution or one that collectively addresses their distinct challenges.

Moreover, the data collected through the accessibility audits will be used to inform investment planning to ensure that new or renovated CBSA workspaces meet Government of Canada accessibility standards and support employees and travellers of diverse abilities, genders and ages. Investment planning determines what gets built or renovated, and therefore, when GBA Plus is integrated, investment planning decisions can address inequities in target populations (e.g., planning for accessible signage and barrier-free counters).

Sixteen accessibility audits were undertaken in fiscal year 2024 to 2025, which marked the second year of coordinating audits of CBSA custodial infrastructure. The following base building elements were reviewed as part of the accessibility audits: walkways, parking, building entrances, vertical movement, interior doors and corridors, washrooms, drinking fountains, tactile signage, kitchens, and meeting rooms. Data included measures for disability, gender and geolocation. The CBSA is committed to collecting more data in order to fully evaluate how the Buildings and Equipment Program will support meeting current federal accessibility standards.

2024 to 2025 – Data Collection Plan – Notable actions taken:

• Accessibility audits – The program completed 16 audits at custodial land border crossings by the end of fiscal year 2024 to 2025, comprising six audits in the Pacific Region, two audits in the Prairies Region, one audit in the Quebec Region, one audit in the Northern Ontario Region, and six audits in the Atlantic Region.
• Dashboard with preliminary results – A dashboard is being developed with preliminary data collected from the audits, focused on base building elements, including walkways and washrooms. This data will be updated as the audits continue.
• Ongoing accessibility audits – 47,308 square metres of audits have been completed (39,502 square metres in 2023 plus 7,806 square metres in 2024), out of a total portfolio of 58,931 square metres at CBSA custodial land border crossings. This marks a 67% completion rate of accessibility audits for the land border crossings, with more audits planned at the remaining land border crossings, pending funding availability.

The Buildings and Equipment Program is using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Quantitative methods will allow the CBSA to track progress on audits completed, set key performance indicators, and use the data to inform investment planning. For example, the program will use audit assessments of the spaces and compare them against current federal accessibility standards. This analysis will be used to update investment planning for fiscal year 2025 to 2026. Qualitative data will be used to add descriptive content (e.g., the audit reports provide a written description of the spaces, as well as photos taken to further enrich the data).

Program goals: The Commercial Facilitation and Compliance Program contributes to overall border management and assists in the interdiction of risks associated with the free flow of commercial goods into, through and out of Canada. This includes using a risk-based approach, leveraging data analytics, ensuring the consistent application of compliance methods, and using education and industry cooperation to promote fairness and facilitation. Through the integration of a GBA Plus lens, the program considers how different groups (such as small businesses, newcomer entrepreneurs, and equity-seeking communities) may be differently affected by policies, and seeks to ensure that communication products and policy instruments are inclusive, accessible and equitable.

Target population: Without targeting a specific population, the program impacts all Canadians from various socio-demographic groups involved in the sending or receiving of electronic or paper communications from the CBSA. The program also impacts a wide range of industry partners across the globe seeking to conduct commercial-based business transactions with the Agency through the import or export, or both, of goods into and out of Canada.

Distribution of benefits: The program has benefits on both a national and global scale by reaching its facilitation and compliance objectives, and aiding in the assurance that commercial goods and conveyances are not considered a health, safety or security threat to Canada and Canadians or to the global population when exiting Canada. The program benefits all Canadians by offering them a diversity of goods and preventing dangerous or inadmissible goods from entering Canada, as well as by providing a global advantage on Canadian exports and aligning with international and partnering customs organizations.

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: The Commercial Facilitation and Compliance Program has potential direct positive impacts on business owners who seek to import and/or export legitimate goods into, through or out of Canada. This group may represent small business owners in rural or remote communities, newcomer entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities, etc. Our GBA Plus plan strives to revise existing written material with plain language and provide accessible information that is easy to read for all economic and ethnic groups, as well as all ages and educational levels. Plain language involves techniques to write in a clear, simple and structured way that specifically addresses the audience's needs.

The Commercial Facilitation and Compliance Program has potential indirect impacts on individuals accessing CBSA commercial information. One potential positive impact may be observed if an individual is considering opening a business to import or export goods, and they find our information to be accessible and easy to understand. By ensuring that our policies and programs are written in plain language, we are assisting those who may have linguistic or educational barriers.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: Not available.

GBA Plus data collection plan:

Notable actions and progress in 2024 to 2025

In 2024, surveyed clients identified that the most challenging aspects of their experience with the program were interpreting the policies, the availability of information in both official languages, and the ability to speak to someone over the phone or in person. They indicated difficulties in being able to understand the policies due to the high-level language used, making it challenging to come to the correct conclusions. The program has not identified any particular challenges based on gender identity factors. As a result, the goal of the program's GBA Plus plan is to ensure that policies are readily available and easy to understand for all levels of language proficiency, educational background and socio-economic status by adapting written policies using plain language.

The program appointed a full-time employee to work collaboratively with the Communications and Accessibility offices, as well as the Border Information Services (BIS) team, to revise existing documents using plain language and to develop a communication strategy to include GBA Plus considerations. This ensures inclusion for the wide range of demographics of our stakeholders, such as customs brokers, importers, exporters, couriers, and shipping companies.

In the fall of 2024, the program consulted with the BIS offices in Winnipeg and Montreal, who then provided a list of D-memos, Customs Notices, and Customs Tariff information that may be difficult to understand or require review and revision through a GBA Plus lens. The program also engaged with internal stakeholders to discuss communication strategies and consulted with the Accessibility Office to establish a plan that aligns with the CBSA Accessibility Plan. The program has actively been reviewing and revising the items identified by BIS and is committed to work with relevant program owners to ensure that plain language updates are published on the CBSA website.

With regard to BIS scripts, the program confirmed that BIS has already established a large number of scripts that are used daily to reply to Contact Us emails received from CBSA clients. The scripts are an evergreen document of templated responses that are continually updated as policies, regulations and trends change. BIS responds to thousands of emails providing clear, accurate and consistent responses to client enquiries.

In addition, progress continued regarding Electronic Longrooms across Canada. To reduce accessibly barriers as a result of current requirements to submit paper requests in person, the CBSA has actively supported the expansion and deployment of E-Longroom services, with 106 CBSA offices to date that have voluntarily permitted the submission of requests electronically.

The program explored the use of audio-visual technology with the Communications team, however it was determined that this approach is not currently feasible, as producing content on a policy-by-policy basis would require significant resources, and offering audio-visual versions for selected policies could inadvertently create inconsistencies in accessibility.

In early 2025, the program actively reviewed a list of D-memos, Customs Notices and Customs Tariff information identified as being difficult to understand and requiring revision. To date, 35 Commercial Program D-memos have been reviewed and plain language suggestions have been sent to the relevant program owners.

Future deliverables

In May 2025, the Commercial Facilitation and Compliance Program created an internal GBA Plus action plan to address identified gaps based on the results of the analysis conducted in 2024. To address challenges related to understanding CBSA policies due to complex language, the program worked collaboratively with CBSA Communication Services and relevant program owners to ensure that policies, D-memos and standard operating procedures are using plain language for inclusivity of internal and external clients of various demographics, including age, education and socio-economic status.

Plain language recommendations have been provided to program owners to support the development of more accessible D-memos for clients, and follow-ups will be done to ensure that updates are reflected on the CBSA website. Internally, the program is reviewing standard operating procedures and will work with partners to revise them using plain language to improve clarity for employees.

The program is exploring potential ways to promote and increase visibility of BIS and is examining internal communication channels with those responsible for responding to public enquiries. This could include providing BIS managers a direct contact to CBSA Headquarters so that they can obtain support when clarification is needed on complex issues.

It is important to recognize that measuring progress requires a nuanced approach. GBA Plus work is about ongoing improvement, lived experiences and sustained cultural change. As part of the GBA Plus data collection plan, the quantitative method used to track progress will consider tangible deliverables such as the number of documents updated on the CBSA website using plain language with a GBA Plus lens; the number of internal procedures updated with a GBA Plus lens; and the number of policies flagged with GBA Plus improvements for future updates. The qualitative approach includes communication of GBA Plus commitments to enrich awareness and encourage program managers to consider how GBA Plus can be better integrated throughout CBSA programs and policies to ensure that a more inclusive environment can be fostered and sustained for everyone.

Program goals: The Field Technology Support Program is the scientific authority leading the CBSA in using science and engineering for border operations and decision-making. It conducts analytical and forensic analysis to support program legislation; equips frontline operations with tools to safely conduct examinations; and pilots new technological solutions to address evolving threats and business challenges in border management. The program is in the process of identifying barriers that could prevent CBSA employees from leveraging its tools.

Target population: The target population is all Canadians as the program supports public safety.

Distribution of benefits:

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: The program is directly responsible for supporting the health and safety of the scientists who use laboratory instruments to perform analysis; the field technicians who are responsible for repairing and maintaining the deployed equipment in the field; and the border service officers who operate the detection technology equipment at the various ports of entry across Canada. The program indirectly impacts the wellbeing of the Canadian public by providing expert analysis, advice, equipment and tools to conduct business and allow the free flow of people and goods safely into Canada.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: In September 2024, the program collected data to determine whether barriers exist in an effort to increase the functionality and/or accessibility of laboratory instruments to perform analysis and detection technology equipment to conduct examinations.

The survey results show that the laboratory instruments used in the employees' working environment are highly functional. The presence of some barriers to using or accessing the equipment was noted but not defined. Furthermore, the data collected from users of detection equipment deployed on the frontlines were not as functional and presented more barriers.

Key program impact statistics:

Other key program impacts: Overall, survey respondents and program staff were unaware of GBA Plus. To make progress in this regard, it is recommended that greater awareness be provided about the objectives of GBA Plus.

GBA Plus data collection plan: Surveys were the most appropriate tools to collect user feedback and gather quantitative data. The results of the program's first GBA Plus survey were a good start but need to be refined. For instance, there was no space provided for respondents to name the barrier they encountered. Furthermore, it seems the respondents might not have understood the goal of the survey based on some of the comments collected. For example, survey respondents requested additional detection tools and others questioned the purpose of the survey.

Next steps to improve the GBA Plus components of the Field Technology Support Program include using lessons learned from the survey and engaging program managers to ensure that the questions asked in the next survey are aligned with the goals of this initiative. The program will also work on a communication strategy, in collaboration with the GBA Plus COE, to effectively communicate the purpose of the survey and the objectives of GBA Plus to program users.

Program goals: The Officer Induction Model is a comprehensive approach to recruiting, training and developing CBSA officers suited for service in an armed law enforcement agency. The model comprises three components: Officer Trainee Selection Process, Officer Induction Training Program, and Officer Induction Development Program. GBA Plus considerations are integrated into the program where applicable.

Target population: All Canadians. Specifically, the Force Generation Program seeks to attract qualified applicants residing in Canada, Canadian citizens and permanent residents abroad, who are interested in a career in law enforcement at the CBSA as a Border Services Officer.

Distribution of benefits:

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: The demographic groups directly impacted by the program include applicants residing in Canada, Canadian citizens and permanent residents abroad who are interested in a career at the CBSA. While the CBSA is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to recruit and attract diverse candidates that reflect Canada's population, it recognizes that certain demographic groups may face employment barriers.

The recruitment and development process imposes a number of costs on candidates such as participating in and/or travelling for assessments and obtaining certificates to meet conditions of employment. Once selected, individuals participate in an 18-week training program, where there is a weekly stipend of $125. They are required to participate in four weeks of facilitated distance learning from home and 14 weeks of on-site training at the CBSA College in Rigaud, Quebec, where they live for the remainder of their training. Once successful in the program, recruits are assigned to a pre-determined location, which may be different from their existing home location.

Some of the program factors identified above may create barriers for numerous Employment Equity groups including Indigenous persons, women, racialized people, and persons with disabilities.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Key program impact statistics: In fiscal year 2024 to 2025, the National Officer Recruitment Program adopted a different approach by launching an inventory job poster (2024-EA-OIM-FB-02-009). This inventory is open for an extended period of time and candidates may apply at any time for consideration. This flexibility allows for ongoing recruitment, ensuring a steady pool of qualified applicants destined for the CBSA College without the constraint of an application date limit, as this was identified as a barrier for candidates, including those within Employment Equity groups. In total for the fiscal year, 28,758 applications were received and screened in using the automation feature embedded within the Government's hiring system. Given the volume of candidates who apply to the Officer Trainee Development Process, the National Officer Recruitment Program only pulls a percentage of screened-in applicants to be assessed in the various stages of the assessment process. The National Officer Recruitment Program continues to assess candidates from this selection process.

A pull methodology is in place to ensure that Officer Induction Training Program intakes are aligned with output, based on the Officer Induction Development Program's seat allocation, as well as the unit's workforce availability targets, historical attrition rates, and average processing times. This methodology determines not only how many candidates to activate per pull, but also the demographics and operational assets of those candidates. A certain percentage of candidates from each key group is pulled from the inventory of candidates for assessment, which is based on the overall strategy identified in the job advertisement (e.g., self-declared applicants belonging to one or more Employment Equity groups). However, operational requirements (e.g., small, remote and/or difficult-to-staff ports of entry, bilingual needs, new port of entry at the Gordie Howe International Bridge, etc.) also play a key role in which candidates are pulled ahead of others. The Force Generation Program must be able to fill vacant positions at ports of entry across Canada, including ports that are small, remote and/or difficult to staff, in addition to bilingual positions in bilingual regions, and these varied vacancy needs can impact the pull methodology.

The Force Generation Program collects Employment Equity data through the self-declaration process, which is a voluntary process used to understand the diversity of candidates. Data is currently limited to the four designated Employment Equity groups as per the Employment Equity Act. The four groups are: women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities. The self-declaration process is led by the Public Service Commission, which is the body centrally responsible for recruitment and staffing programs within the public service. Self-identification data is collected once a candidate becomes an employee and is also collected voluntarily. The Treasury Board Secretariat's Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer is currently modernizing the self-identification process to enable a broader collection of data related to religious affiliation, gender and sexual identities. The anticipated implementation date of these changes is still to be confirmed; however, data availability will be contingent on the stabilization of the collection of data at the public service level. In the interim, the CBSA uses the data that it collects through its current processes to assess and understand barriers.

Other key program impacts: The Force Generation Program implemented the activities identified in year three of the National Officer Recruitment and Outreach Strategy and Action Plan (2022 to 2025) which strives to strengthen the diversity of its frontline workforce. The strategy specifically aims to reduce and eliminate barriers for recruitment and retention of qualified individuals within four demographic groups: Indigenous Peoples, women, persons with disabilities, and bilingual persons. Until 2SLGBTQI+ and Black people are included in the Employment Equity Act and data collection becomes possible, these groups are included as equity-deserving groups within the strategy where the main goals are building knowledge and awareness of the program's impacts. Finally, the strategy also considers intersectionality to ensure that efforts and processes do not result in unintended discrimination or disadvantage.

Intersectionality is considered among employment groups (i.e., Indigenous women) but is also considered in other ways. For example:

• Indigenous people, who may have lower income, may experience higher cost of living due to where they live, along with different norms than in other parts of Canada (i.e., not needing a driver's license in the northern territories given that people typically commute on snowmobiles).
• Candidates whose first language is neither French nor English.
• Single parents who have full-time childcare responsibilities (i.e., ability to reach assessments and do shift work).

In February 2025, the National Officer Recruitment Program created an Indigenous Engagement Working Forum that meets on a bimonthly basis as an ongoing consultative body to aid in responding to barriers facing Indigenous Peoples within the Officer Induction Model. This encompasses outreach efforts, the Officer Trainee Selection Process, the Officer Induction Training Program, and the Officer Induction Development Program. Moving forward, the CBSA wants to ensure that it has an Indigenous lens on every aspect of the Officer Induction Model, including intersectionality considerations.

The key impacts of this work to date are summarized below:

• Inclusive mindset: All employees who participate in the recruitment and training of officers are required to complete mandatory diversity and equity training, which includes Anti-Racism training, GBA Plus training, and Indigenous-related training. Notably, according to the 2024 Public Service Employee Survey Results for the CBSA, a majority of CBSA employees indicated that they feel safe to speak about racism in the workplace without fear of reprisal or negative impact on their career (67% positive response for the CBSA versus 72% for the public service as a whole).
• Inclusive hiring process: Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations are embedded throughout the process. The CBSA has a diverse group of recruiters and interview board members. It has completed a review of the language used in the selection process to ensure that it is more inclusive (e.g., preferred pronouns during interviews) and has consulted with individuals from communities who have faced barriers (e.g., Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, etc.) in the development of communications, recruitment initiatives, etc.
  • This has resulted in more targeted events and activities, such as recruitment in Indigenous communities and the ongoing success of the Indigenous Candidate Mentorship initiative. This initiative connects Indigenous candidates with an Indigenous mentor to provide ongoing support through the various stages of the hiring process.
  • Notably, the attrition rates of mentees in the Indigenous Candidate Mentorship initiative are lower than those of all Indigenous candidates, particularly where other forms of attrition are concerned (i.e., forms of attrition where candidates become inactive for reasons other than failure, such as withdrawals, no-responses, and no-shows for assessments).
  • Indigenous Candidate Mentorship mentees who applied in fiscal year 2024 to 2025 had a higher overall success rate (13.4%) than Indigenous candidates who applied during the same time period and did not have a mentor (5.9%).
  • Furthermore, Indigenous Candidate Mentorship mentees who applied in fiscal year 2024 to 2025 had an average other attrition rate of 17.3% at the interview stage compared to 29.3% among Indigenous candidates without a mentor; and 2.4% at the psychological assessment compared to 2.0% among Indigenous candidates without a mentor. Both groups reported 0% for other forms of attrition at the additional requirements and Officer Induction Training Program stages.
• Indigenous recruitment: Focused recruitment events are tailored to the intended audience. For example, during Indigenous events at the main campus of the CBSA College in Rigaud, Quebec, Indigenous spaces and artefacts are featured, such as the Elder's Room available to all Indigenous candidates; the tipi raising ceremony each spring; and Indigenous carvings and artwork including a reflective bench and totem pole. Furthermore, the CBSA is committed to respecting the unique position of Canada's Indigenous Peoples and their territory. As such, efforts are made to offer candidates a placement at a port of entry near their community if there is a vacancy available in their language profile.
• Workforce planning: The CBSA conducts detailed workforce planning, diving further into the regional level, recognizing that the frontline workforce falls short on key designated Employment Equity groups. The CBSA prioritizes the hiring of qualified candidates within the four designated Employment Equity groups and takes Employment Equity goals into account when considering the preferences of candidates for their placement at ports of entry across Canada.
• Student hiring: The CBSA has a robust student employment program to attract and recruit Student Border Services Officers. The Agency works closely with the Federal Student Work Experience Program and Human Resources Operations in the regions to ensure that it attracts and recruits a diverse and talented pool of candidates. In line with the priorities set out in the Agency's Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (2024 to 2027), all regions are instructed to first pull candidates who self-declare as Employment Equity before considering other candidates. It should be noted that Student Border Services Officers work in the region where they are recruited and have shorter training periods.
• Community partnerships and engagement: Continuous research is conducted on intersectional organizations that can be partnered with to help identify barriers and mitigation strategies within the selection process for various identity groups (e.g., the Native Women's Association of Canada, which is a national Indigenous organization representing the political voice of Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people in Canada).
• Inclusive workplace: An information package is shared with all candidates in the Officer Trainee Selection Process to provide valuable information, notably on efforts being made to support various identity groups and accommodations throughout the assessment process. Beyond the recruitment process, the CBSA continues to explore and research different defensive equipment and tools to better meet diverse employee needs. This includes the introduction of light-weight equipment, such as defensive batons, to support officers and reduce the weight of equipment on duty belts. The Firearm Modernization Strategy will also seek to reduce barriers for employees as the CBSA seeks to reduce trigger pull weight and introduce optical sighting systems for more inclusive and accessible duty firearm platforms.
• Addressing attrition among recruits: In an effort to address increasing withdrawals, long-term leave and accommodation requests among recruits, significant progress has been made in alignment between the geographic distribution of recruit invitations and the regional seat allocation. This alignment is expected to reduce the number of training deferrals and withdrawals, as it is generally accepted that the preference of candidates is to remain closer to their residence.

GBA Plus data collection plan:

During fiscal year 2024 to 2025, the CBSA continued and broadened its regular reporting on Employment Equity goals in relation to key Agency strategies and initiatives. Reports are available on a monthly and quarterly basis, allowing for adjustments and corrective actions should deficiencies be found. Additionally, weekly updates are provided to senior management on inventory statistics for applications received and Employment Equity goals of recruits.

For every Officer Trainee process, the National Officer Recruitment Program tracks self-declaration data and measures the attrition rate of candidates against the data provided during the various assessment phases. In addition, the Force Generation Program has started to further analyze data from candidate feedback surveys to better understand their experiences. This includes reviewing data collected from Indigenous candidates through the Indigenous Candidate Form, as well as an exit survey for candidates who withdraw from the process, to identify trends and potential solutions. Data is currently consolidated and analyzed on a periodic basis.

It should be noted that self-declaration is a voluntary process and therefore data may not be accurate as not all candidates submit a self-declaration form. For example, in the 2024-EA-OIM-FB-02-009 selection process (BSF24J-019776-000020), 11,907 candidates self-declared (46%), of which 10,379 wished to have their self-declaration used for recruitment purposes and the remaining 1,528 wished to have it used for statistical purposes only.

Steps are being taken to try to increase the rate of self-declaration, such as:

• During recruitment information sessions and throughout the selection process, the National Officer Recruitment Program encourages potential applicants and candidates to self-declare and request accommodations, if needed. Information is shared on the confidentiality of the data and the benefits of self-declaration.
• Information is provided in the job advertisement on how to self-declare and the value of doing so, further indicating that candidates who choose to self-declare may be prioritized for assessment.

In addition, steps are being taken to enable better reporting on program impacts on gender and diversity, and to gain feedback on the barriers faced by various intersectional identities:

• The National Officer Recruitment Program launched the new national CBSA Officer Trainee Developmental Program inventory selection process to meet organizational priorities and operational needs. A four-pronged approach was developed to prioritize candidates, one of which being applicants who self-declare as belonging to one or more Employment Equity groups. Data on program impacts is collected, analyzed and reported on a quarterly basis.
• Analyzing candidate attrition data on a quarterly basis will help to identify selection process stages where certain groups experienced higher levels of attrition than others, and to implement steps to better support candidates where possible.
  • As the Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation is no longer included as an assessment step in the Officer Trainee Selection Process, attrition data at the additional requirements stage will be compared between the 008 process, which included the Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation, and the 2024-EA-OIM-FB-02-009 process, which excludes the Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation, in order to determine if there is a change in the overall candidate success at this stage.
  • The additional requirements stage also includes security clearance, category III health assessment, firearms safety courses, and second language evaluations for candidates who indicated an interest in a bilingual position.
• Analyzing Indigenous candidates' experience who undergo the selection process:
  • Indigenous Feedback Form – Conducted a year-end assessment in Q4 2024 to 2025 and identified notable trends and potential solutions to improve data collection and the candidate experience, in addition to assessing the future of the form and more viable options.
• Producing regular Employment Equity reports:
  • Produced weekly updates to senior management on inventory statistics for applications received and Employment Equity goals of recruits;
  • Cohort composition;
  • Separate report summarizing progress toward meeting Agency priorities and operational needs in staffing the new port of entry at the Gordie Howe International Bridge;
  • Produced ad-hoc and quarterly reports for senior management to provide a snapshot of candidate progress and representation in the assessment process.
• Once available, the modernized self-identification process will be launched to collect a broader array of information and data. Timeline to be confirmed once the launch date is confirmed by the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer. Actions will include:
  • Announcing launch and communicating information to employees on the new self-identification process;
  • Hosting information sessions for managers and employees to explain the value of self-identification in supporting program design and improvement;
  • Reporting data provided by the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer;
  • Expanding data collection plan to include data that was not previously collected.

Rationale for qualitative and/or quantitative data collection methods used:

The National Officer Recruitment Program continuously analyzes available data within the program to bring forward innovative changes and improvements. Using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods offers a more comprehensive and reliable assessment of the applicant pool. Each method serves different purposes and complements the other. Quantitative data collected during the entire selection process (i.e., inventory applicant statistics and attrition rates at various assessment stages) ensures objectivity and standardization to compare candidates' performance using measurable indicators, and allows the program to efficiently predict successful output projections ensuring a constant replenishment of the front line.

During preparation of the National Officer Recruitment and Outreach Strategy and Action Plan, a lack was identified in relation to collecting and analyzing qualitative data. As such, by Q4 2025 to 2026, the National Officer Recruitment Program is working to analyze qualitative data from candidates and recruits who participate in the selection process with an inclusive lens to identify trends/barriers and implement mitigating strategies where possible:

• Create and implement a recruit exit questionnaire for those who withdraw during the Officer Induction Training Program stage (online and in-residence training);
• Begin collecting the reasons why candidates withdraw during the selection process at various stages;
• Create and implement an informal satisfaction questionnaire for graduating recruits on their experience within the selection process.

We anticipate that the collection and analysis of this qualitative data will provide a depth of understanding as to why we are losing candidates and perhaps further explain some of the quantitative data collected. The combined approach of using both quantitative and qualitative data will provide the CBSA with a balanced evaluation of the program, improve fairness by minimizing the overreliance on quantitative data, and help to reduce systemic bias. Diverse data sources will support a more holistic view, thereby improving hiring practices for border services officers.

Program goals: The Intelligence Collection and Analysis Program collects, analyzes and produces border-related intelligence on people, goods and/or conveyances that may pose a threat to the security of Canada. The program completed a GBA Plus analysis on its Confidential Human Source Program and created a report highlighting its impacts, which was presented to management for consideration.

Target population: All persons in Canada benefit from the activities carried out by the Intelligence Collection and Analysis Program, which are to protect Canada's prosperity and security, and contribute to the public safety and security of Canada.

Distribution of benefits: The program contributes to making Canadian society safer and therefore benefits Canadian society at large.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: A report was created to highlight observations and impacts based on analysis. Since the information was concerning the Confidential Human Source Program, all information is considered classified and cannot be reported publicly.

GBA Plus data collection plan: Given that current GBA Plus efforts cannot be publicly reported, the efforts of the program are now shifting to a new initiative related to the analysis of current policies and procedures. A qualitative approach is being used based on a review of relevant documents. The program will be looking at internal intelligence-specific policies and procedures to ensure that they include appropriate direction related to GBA Plus. In particular, intelligence-specific documentation will be reviewed for appropriate GBA Plus language, and any directional documentation will include guidance for consideration by the intelligence writer to ensure an inclusive product (e.g., "Is this sentence identifying a cultural background and is that necessary for the overall context?" "Is the gender of this individual relevant to the overall threat assessment?").

Planned actions:

• Identify the scope of products to be analyzed (Q1 2025 to 2026) – Identify intelligence-specific products that will require analysis. The Intelligence and Enforcement Branch Wellness and Culture Unit has already collected an inventory of all policies and Operational Bulletins that require updating for accessibility purposes, so this inventory will be leveraged.
• Prioritize products to be analyzed (Q2 2025 to 2026) – From the existing list of intelligence-specific products requiring analysis, prioritize their analysis and identify timeline.
• Begin analysis (Q3 2025 to 2026) – Analyze data based on prioritized material and associated timeline.

Program goals: The Recourse Program is responsible for providing clients with an impartial review of decisions and actions taken by the CBSA under border-related legislation and regulations. The Recourse Program also instructs the Department of Justice and represents the CBSA in civil matters before various courts and tribunals, and provides a harmonized national litigation management function. Additionally, on behalf of the CBSA, the Recourse Program manages public comments, complaints and compliments on service/program-related issues and employee conduct.

In the context of the Recourse Program, the term "client" refers to individuals (e.g., travellers) and the import/export community (e.g., businesses and casual importers). Under various federal legislation and international free trade agreements, clients have the right to request a review of CBSA decisions related to enforcement actions (e.g., seizures, penalties) or commercial and trade decisions (e.g., anti-dumping and countervailing subjectivity, tariff classification, origin, value for duty, marking).

GBA Plus is incorporated in the formal feedback to internal stakeholders following the conclusion of ministerial reviews, ligation and complaints, which is used to support CBSA policies, program and initiatives.

Target population: General public.

Distribution of benefits: Individuals and businesses that interact with the CBSA.

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: No notable characteristics. Any individuals or businesses that have had interactions with the CBSA may submit feedback (comments, complaints or compliments) or request a review of certain CBSA decisions or enforcement actions.

The Recourse Program is governed by the principles of transparency, accessibility, consistency, impartiality and timeliness. As such, the program strives to ensure that no barriers exist in seeking redress. The various redress provisions in border-related legislation allow for a reasonable time to request a review, and there are no fees to request a review. In addition, guidelines are provided on the CBSA website on how to submit appeals or complaints. These are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are as comprehensive and simple as possible, and to avoid creating barriers for any group. The program accepts feedback and appeals electronically or by regular mail.

The CBSA also has the Border Information Service telephone line and text to voice line, plus multiple web and social media channels that clients can use to request clarification of any program, including appeals, compliments and complaints.

There are additional communication channels beyond Recourse that CBSA clients can use to provide feedback. For example, the Agency is working toward reducing, removing and preventing barriers for its employees and clients through its Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process. The CBSA's Accessibility Office, through ongoing consultation and collaboration with the Persons with Disabilities community, has recently published its inaugural three-year plan and Accessibility Feedback Process. Feedback submitted on the plan or to report a barrier will be incorporated into future planning and implementation strategies. The CBSA is committed to developing an equitable and accessible environment for all Canadians.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: As part of Recourse's commitment to GBA Plus, the program has updated all its communication templates to ensure that all communication with clients is gender-neutral. Employees have also received training and guidance on ensuring that any non-templated communication with clients is respectful of GBA Plus principles, such as using gender-inclusive language and avoiding gendered pronouns.

At the conclusion of ministerial reviews, litigation and complaints investigations, formal feedback is provided to internal stakeholders. The feedback includes key messages to support the Agency in incorporating GBA Plus into its policies, programs and initiatives. The feedback is based on the findings of the review and may include suggestions for program improvements or identify service or policy-related gaps. For example, at the outcome of a Human Rights complaint, Recourse provides qualitative feedback such as reminding personnel to be mindful when engaging in conversations with travellers and to ask questions in line with the performance of their duties during processing and examinations (e.g., it is not necessary to ask a traveller about their religious beliefs, unless there is a specific reason for the line of questioning). Recourse also provides the Agency with raw data and qualitative feedback, which allows deeper analysis by program owners to improve training and service delivery, or to identify policy gaps where applicable.

As part of the Recourse mandate, the Public Complaints Unit is responsible for the intake of every public complaint, which involves validating client information, confirming that the complaint is within scope, creating a case number, and capturing the complaint data in the Complaints Information Processing system. The Public Complaints Unit is also responsible for identifying the type of allegations found within the complaint and then assigning the complaint to the Office of Primary Interest responsible for each allegation found in a complaint. The Office of Primary Interest of each allegation is responsible for investigating the allegations, which includes contacting the client, looking at all available information, and responding to the client. The Offices of Primary Interest have access to documentation and support on how to process complaints from the Public Complaint Unit, ensuring a consistent approach across the Agency.

The CBSA established two main Service Level Performance Indicators for the public complaints process:

• First contact within 14 days: The Office of Primary Interest contacts the client to attempt informal resolution and/or gather additional information within 14 calendar days from receipt of the original complaint.
• Final response within 40 days: The Office of Primary Interest will send a letter of disposition to the complainant and the Complaints Information Processing system file will be marked completed.

The allegations identified by the Public Complaint Unit based on the content found in a public complaint can help the Office Primary Interest identify issues and considerations in the current application of their program. The Public Complaint Unit can provide support to the Offices of Primary Interest wishing to explore the allegations found in the complaints filed against their program through an intersectional lens. However, these intersectional considerations are not related to the Public Complaint Unit's performance, but rather to the Office of Primary Interest's execution of their program. The following statistics are on allegations that are considered intersectional indicators that inform GBA Plus considerations. They also form part of the service standards mentioned above.

GBA Plus data collection plan: In 2025, the Recourse Program launched a Power BI dashboard to provide regional operations and program areas with daily refreshed data on public complaints broken down by allegation type, including both discrimination and accessibility. Quantitative data collection methods were used to identify patterns and trends of allegations found in complaints filed against the CBSA.

The Recourse Program can provide a series of insights related to GBA Plus and intersectionality as well as support the development of programs by leveraging allegations that are captured in the Complaints Information Processing system as an additional categorization of the complaint. Allegations are a rich source of information, but require caution to ensure that the findings are correctly interpreted and contextualized. They can be used in many ways as an exploration tool to uncover underlying trends in the data on complaints received by specific programs.

Allegations are extracted during intake to determine which specific program or region will be responsible for investigating each allegation.

Intersectional indicators that support GBA Plus requirements: The Recourse Program collects complaint data by region, type of allegation, and service standard performance. This information is shared across the Agency through a Power BI dashboard and is updated on a daily basis. The dashboard is available to all CBSA employees, including all levels of management. The data is used by CBSA programs to assess their performance from an intersectional standpoint.

• The "Accessibility" type of allegation pertains to any complaint allegation related to the lack of accessibility of CBSA services. Programs can use this to assess the performance of their program and service delivery from an accessibility perspective, despite this information not reflecting the full population of interest.
  • For example, evolution over time of the number of accessibility allegations for a program or product. This could be broken down further, for instance by the location of the incident, to uncover challenges specific to certain regions.
• The "Discrimination" type of allegation pertains to any complaint allegations of acts of discrimination based on the 13 prohibited grounds for discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act (race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability, pardoned conviction or record suspension). Programs can use this to assess the performance of their program and service delivery from the perspective of different equity-deserving groups, despite this information not reflecting the full population of interest.
  • For example, evolution over time of the number and the type of discrimination allegations received for a program or product. This could be broken down further, for instance by the location of the incident, to uncover challenges specific to certain regions.

The data collected is insightful and can be utilized in establishing and reporting against key performance indicators.

Additional background: The Recourse Program mandate is to provide an accessible mechanism for individuals and businesses to seek impartial reviews of CBSA decisions or to voice any feedback/complaints in accordance with legislation and policies administered by the Agency. To ensure that additional biases are not introduced at the redress stage, the collection of information is limited to what is strictly necessary for the program to be administered and does not require additional or specific data elements to be provided beyond what the client shares as part of their service request. The program collects data that clients choose to share as part of the appeals process or through their feedback/complaints to the Agency (e.g., race, gender, socio-economic status, etc.).

Following a complete and impartial review of Agency actions and decisions, as well as following complaint investigations, Recourse provides qualitative feedback to CBSA program owners and frontline operations. Case-specific analyses are conducted to identify gaps in policies, procedures or operational processes, which may highlight the need to update written polices that are not aligned with legislation or include reminders to be mindful of the questions posed to travellers and to be sensitive to their needs. The information provided by clients, subject to information sharing practices, also contributes to the understanding of diverse client experiences at the border and allows the Agency to adjust and mitigate impacts on diverse population groups. For example, dashboards are provided to internal stakeholders providing the number and type of complaints received. When individuals provide feedback to Recourse about their interactions with the CBSA, this offers valuable insights on areas for improvement. The scope of the feedback, which ultimately contributes to improving training and service delivery, will vary depending on the legislative framework of the case/proceedings.

It should be noted that the Traveller Facilitation and Compliance Program is establishing a GBA Plus Data Collection Plan that, once in place, could enable further GBA Plus analysis of Recourse outcomes as needed.

Program goals: The Centre for Immigration National Security Screening conducts comprehensive immigration national security screening when foreign nationals, who are seeking temporary or permanent resident status in Canada as part of their immigration application, are referred by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) immigration visa officers. The program also performs immigration national security screening of all adult asylum claimants in Canada.

Temporary resident and permanent resident applications are referred by IRCC on a discretionary basis using tools such as thematic indicators, which are owned by the CBSA and jointly developed with public safety partners. The Centre for Immigration National Security Screening, alongside public safety partners, provides training to immigration visa officers on the use of thematic indicators to assist in assessing the admissibility of foreign nationals. The Centre for Immigration National Security Screening integrates GBA Plus principles into all activities and assesses gender/diversity impacts across key internal activities within the CBSA's control, including in conducting comprehensive immigration national security screening, and in developing and training on thematic indicators.

Target population: All persons in Canada benefit from the activities carried out by the Security Screening Program as it contributes to the safety, security and prosperity of Canada by conducting comprehensive immigration national security screening on foreign nationals (above the age of 14) who have been referred as part of their immigration application for temporary or permanent resident status in Canada, as well as on all adult asylum claimants in Canada.

Distribution of benefits:

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: In fiscal year 2024 to 2025, the Centre for Immigration National Security Screening implemented a GBA Plus data collection plan to evaluate the impacts of thematic indicators on gender/diversity and identify opportunities to improve the incorporation of GBA Plus principles in the development of, and training on, thematic indicators. Thematic indicators are jointly developed with public safety partners as a tool to assist IRCC immigration visa officers in assessing the admissibility of applicants and in determining whether an applicant should be referred to the Centre for Immigration National Security Screening for comprehensive immigration national security screening. The Centre for Immigration National Security Screening and public safety partners deliver training to IRCC immigration visa officers on thematic indicators.

Given the classified and sensitive nature of the CBSA's National Security Screening Program, results from the 2024 to 2025 GBA Plus analysis cannot be reported publicly. A classified report has been completed. The Centre for Immigration National Security Screening has identified key program impacts on gender/diversity and assessed the alignment of thematic indicator development and training with GBA Plus principles.

The CBSA's National Security Screening Program contributes to the safety, security and prosperity of all Canadians through improved border security. All Canadians benefit indirectly as the intended outcome of the program is to provide recommendations to delegated officials to support the identification of inadmissible persons and to facilitate admissible persons to establish status in Canada, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (sections 34, 35 and 37). However, program activities directly affect foreign nationals seeking temporary or permanent resident status in Canada, and all adult asylum claimants in Canada.

The 2024 to 2025 GBA Plus analysis demonstrated that the thematic indicators and associated training are aligned with GBA Plus principles and contribute to equitable, objective and inclusive decision-making in the multi-departmental Immigration National Security Screening Program.

The content of thematic indicators is sourced from credible intelligence that is supported by valid internal historical trend analysis, jurisprudence, and robust research that is validated by public safety partners. The CBSA's immigration national security screening officers analyze information on a wide range of GBA Plus identity factors, including socio-economic, demographic, behavioral and geopolitical factors, to conduct comprehensive screening and to inform the development of thematic indicators. The development of thematic indicators follows a systematic research and evidence-based approach to ensure alignment with intended outcomes and national security priorities.

The language used in the thematic indicators is clear, neutral and based on national security and intelligence terminology, ensuring that thematic indicators are presented in an objective and standardized manner to mitigate against bias or subjective interpretation.

The structure of thematic indicators emphasizes intersectionality and ensures that multiple contextual factors are considered within broad themes aligned to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (sections 34, 35 and 37). This structure assists IRCC immigration visa officers in applying intersecting factors equitably and consistently across geographic regions. Thematic indicators do not make reference to gender and they ensure that references to sex, age and other key GBA Plus identity factors are only included when historically and operationally justified, and in alignment with the expectations of public safety partners.

Thematic indicator training provided to IRCC immigration visa officers consistently reflects the principles of GBA Plus, including diversity, equity, inclusion and bias mitigation. The training is designed to ensure that thematic indicators are consistently and equitably applied across applications.

GBA Plus data collection plan: A mixed research methods approach was used in the 2024 to 2025 GBA Plus data collection plan, which combined a quantitative review of historical data from the program's case management system across regions and time with a qualitative review of the thematic indicator packages. The 2025 to 2026 GBA Plus data collection plan will use quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and will focus on internal activities associated with the immigration national security screening process, specifically those conducted by immigration national security screening officers at the Centre for Immigration National Security Screening in providing recommendations to delegated officials to support the identification of inadmissible persons and to facilitate admissible persons to establish status in Canada. The rationale for using the mixed approach is based on the early stage of the data collection plan as well as the data currently available.

The program intends to apply a GBA Plus lens to internal activities over which the CBSA has control to ensure that internal policies, procedures and processes effectively incorporate GBA Plus principles and considerations; that impacts on gender/diversity are systematically assessed and addressed; and that GBA Plus identity factors are taken into consideration throughout the program where the CBSA has control.

The program has developed a plan to apply a GBA Plus lens to assess internal activities:

Program goals: The CBSA receives advance information from commercial air carriers to identify people for pre-arrival risk assessment purposes. The data is screened through scenario-based targeting rules known as scenarios, enabling the CBSA to identify travellers who may pose a risk to national security or who may be involved in illicit migration or the smuggling of contraband. The scenario-based targeting program is undergoing GBA Plus.

Target population: The target population falls under all Canadians as scenario-based targeting ensures that high-risk individuals are identified prior to arriving at the border to ensure the safety and security of the Canadian population as a whole.

Distribution of benefits: All Canadians benefit from scenario-based targeting by improving public safety for Canada as a whole.

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: All Canadians benefit indirectly from scenario-based targeting as it ensures that high-risk individuals are identified prior to arriving at the border. Travellers could experience negative impacts such as wait times or secondary examinations should they be referred for examination due to scenario-based targeting. The CBSA is actively working to apply GBA Plus to its scenario-based targeting program.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: The scenario-based targeting program considers a wide range of GBA Plus identity factors. There is a requirement for commercial air carriers to provide Advance Passenger Information and all available Passenger Name Record data (concerning all travellers including crew) to the CBSA before a flight's departure. This requirement comes from section 5(a)-(f) of the Passenger Information Customs Regulations and section 269(1)(a)-(f) of the Immigration Refugee Protection Regulations. Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record data enables the CBSA to identify, in advance, people who may pose a risk to national security or who may be involved in illicit migration or the smuggling of contraband. Domestic law and international agreements restrict Canada's use of Passenger Name Record data to preventing and detecting terrorism offences or serious transnational crime, while limiting the impact on privacy, civil liberties and human rights.

Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record data is automatically screened through pre-determined scenario-based targeting rules known as scenarios within the CBSA Passenger Information System. Scenarios are generated based upon intelligence, emerging threats, and comparative enforcement analysis associated to terrorism offences or serious transnational crime including contraband or illicit migration.

When Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record data is received by the CBSA, it is processed through all active scenarios. If the traveller's information matches all criteria of a scenario, the traveller is placed on the "Scenario Work List" in the CBSA Passenger Information System. Targeting Officers at the National Targeting Centre will conduct comprehensive reviews on travellers who have matched scenarios in order to confirm or negate the potential risk. In addition to the scenario match, the traveller's information is processed through a number of queries to various internal and external databases either automatically or manually, in order to provide supplemental information for use during the review by the Targeting Officer. If the risk is determined to be valid, a target will be issued which will enable interception of the traveller for further processing upon arrival in Canada.

The goal of this data collection plan is to assess the percentage decrease of the use of identity factors gathered for pre-arrival assessment. Scenarios are added, deleted and updated daily, and are reviewed for operational impacts as well as human rights and GBA Plus. The program was able to identify a baseline and collect data by analyzing and comparing scenarios from fiscal year 2022 to 2023 against fiscal year 2023 to 2024. This year's results were analyzed by comparing the 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 fiscal year scenarios.

Other key program impacts:

• The National Targeting Centre uses "they" instead of "he" or "she" in order to challenge gender-based assumptions when developing and reporting within standard operating procedures and other internal communications.
• Written products use generic language when referring to an individual (e.g., subject, associate, etc.) and care is taken in written and oral communications to use proper spelling and pronunciation of foreign countries and cities.
• Scenario-based targeting development procedures will include a challenge function that requires analysts to confirm that human rights and civil liberties are respected, and that GBA Plus considerations are applied.

GBA Plus data collection plan: The program will continue to collect data related to scenario-based targeting development on an annual basis. The rationale for using a quantitative approach is based on the early stage of the data collection plan as well as the data currently available. The program is dedicated to applying a GBA Plus lens on these activities to ensure that controls are respected and to reinforce that biases toward GBA Plus identity factors are not being included in scenario development.

As mentioned above, the scenarios are created based on current intelligence, emerging threats, and comparative enforcement analyses; however, the CBSA would like to ensure that GBA Plus identity factors (e.g., gender and age) that could be included in scenario criteria are indeed required and that GBA Plus is being considered as often as possible.

Program goals: The Trade Facilitation and Compliance Program ensures that importers comply with revenue requirements, and that duties and taxes owed to the Government of Canada are collected. A survey was developed to enable data collection for impact analysis, facilitate inclusive service delivery, and promote effective integration of GBA Plus considerations throughout the program.

Target population: The trading community (specifically commercial importers) is the sector of the target population affected by the program.

Distribution of benefits: The target population benefits from having the means to voluntarily comply with revenue requirements.

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: The specific demographic group is comprised of importers, exporters, and people or companies that transact with importers or exporters that must comply with trade rules.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: Not available. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate has not obtained sufficient data to be able to analyze and identify key program impacts on gender/diversity.

GBA Plus data collection plan: The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate continues to monitor its GBA Plus data collection strategy, which was implemented in fiscal year 2023 to 2024. The strategy aims to enable the directorate to identify and address gaps related to gender/diversity (e.g., improve education and promotion in specific demographics such as gender, ethnicity, culture, age, language, and geographical areas where gaps have been identified).

The data collection plan detailed below is based largely on the implementation of a customized survey developed for the Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate target population to provide program feedback related to direct and indirect interactions. The directorate will invite 100% of regular users of the Trade Facilitation and Compliance Program to participate, specifically the commercial importers and enterprises that must comply with trade rules. While participation is voluntary, the directorate aims to base the analysis on a response rate of 30% to be relevant. To date, insufficient data has been collected due to a lack of survey respondents, although the directorate intends to disseminate the survey more broadly, as outlined in the data collection plan. Once sufficient data has been received and analyzed, the results will enable the Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate to work to address previously undetected barriers to ensure access to information and inclusivity of program benefits.

The GBA Plus data collection plan was developed with the initial focus on the Trade Facilitation and Compliance Program. To optimize efficiency, data collection tasks that are applicable to the Anti-dumping and Countervailing Program will be implemented in parallel because that program also falls under the Trade and Anti-Dumping Programs Directorate. In summary, the data collection plan and updates incorporating both programs are as follows:

GBA Plus data collection plan:

• 2024 to 2025 – Data Collection – Notable actions taken:
  1. Survey implementation – planned for May 2024, released in October 2024
     1. Electronic dissemination (i.e., support / accompany email correspondence)
        

        Note: There was a five-week pause of the survey between April 2025 and May 2025 as per the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity whereby all public opinion research must be suspended when an election is called.

  2. Share initial results of key impact analysis regarding areas of improvement for the next Departmental Results Report Supplementary Information Table – The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate will share initial results when available in fiscal years 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027.
  3. Survey data collection – Ongoing with monthly review and analysis.
  4. Additional survey dissemination – August 2025 and October 2025
     1. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate is planning to disseminate the survey to the Border Commercial Consultative Committees – August 2025.
     2. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate is planning to include an article regarding its GBA Plus survey in the fall of 2025. The survey is sent to all Trusted Trader members, which will hopefully increase survey results – October 2025.
  5. The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate will monitor results and develop program GBA Plus indicators– October 2025
     1. The directorate is monitoring results on a quarterly basis – Ongoing.
     2. Initial indicator development will be based on results received and best practices from other Government of Canada programs collecting GBA Plus data – October 2025.
  6. Conduct survey analysis and produce a report with a recommended action plan – planned for November 2026.
  7. Senior management from the Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate to review and approve the GBA Plus action plan – planned for January 2026.

The Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate is gathering both qualitative and quantitative data as part of the data collection plan. The qualitative data is providing the directorate with written and descriptive responses to answer "why?" and "how?" questions within the survey, which will be analyzed and grouped into categories or themes, and used to determine where program improvements can potentially be made. The quantitative data being collected is providing the directorate with numerical statistics on GBA Plus-related questions. The responses are being statistically analyzed, and the directorate will identify areas where improvements are to be made (e.g., small enterprises, rural areas, etc.).

Program goals: The Traveller Facilitation and Compliance Program supports the facilitation of travellers and goods and the protection of Canada's population from border-related risks. The program is responsible for administering the laws and program requirements (including customs and immigration laws) that apply to travellers and their goods crossing the border. The program is working to integrate a GBA Plus lens and improve its data capacity.

Target population: All Canadians, permanent residents, and foreign nationals bound for Canada.

Distribution of benefits:

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored: The demographic groups monitored have no identifiable characteristics beyond all populations travelling to Canada. All travellers, regardless of socioeconomic factors, are intended to be processed in an equitable manner, even where mode-specific processes might vary. This includes Canadians and permanent residents, who enter Canada by right, and foreign nationals.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: The program does not systematically measure its impact on gender/diversity, but is currently developing more data collection tools aimed at improving this capability. The breadth of the program and the size of the dataset make comprehensive data collection and analysis difficult, although the CBSA is working to incorporate these reporting schemas in its Traveller Modernization initiative. Current data collection efforts are further complicated by the fact that the data resides in different CBSA systems where the platforms are not compatible for the purposes of integrated data reporting.

Key program impact statistics: A quantitative analysis was performed in the fall of 2024 to review traveller data to establish a baseline for the CBSA's Traveller Modernization initiative. Two years of traveller data were reviewed with data points focused on traveller nationality, age range, and gender (note that systems and information limitations prevented a more informed GBA Plus intersectionality analysis). Findings were analyzed with respect to travellers processed and referred, as well as travellers processed without referral, both when seeing an officer and when using a Primary Inspection Device.

Other key program impacts: To continue ensuring consistent program delivery, the CBSA advanced work on a number of GBA Plus activities during fiscal year 2024 to 2025:

• Developed and implemented CBSA signage at airports and terminals to ensure they are accessible, in compliance with the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations. The CBSA received a three-year extension for implementing accessible signage and, as such, developed an alternate format of signage in the form of a tactile (Braille) booklet for use by persons with visual impairment. These have been procured for use at eight major airports by July 2025. A community of practice was also established with the accessible advocacy community to explore broader tools to address client needs.
• Participated in the Inclusive Airports research project with Université Laval under the umbrella of the Accessibility Canada Act. This research project provides scientific evidence, identifies barriers, and finds solutions to assist in the review of the Agency's policies and programs, and the implementation of actions and tools using an accessibility lens. It also provides ability for frontline officers to deliver inclusive services at points of entry. The project's final report will be delivered in 2026.
• Completed all recommended deliverables from the Traveller Processing through a GBA Plus Lens evaluation. This formalized a data collection strategy within the CBSA's enterprise-wide Data Strategy 2.0, along with training for officers on GBA Plus-related topics, and a reporting mechanism for officers who have witnessed discrimination or mistreatment of travellers.

GBA Plus data collection plan: Processing at the border involves the compulsory collection of certain information in the administration of CBSA program legislation, including customs and immigration law. Expanding data collection beyond legally required information could only be done on a voluntary basis, in a manner clearly differentiated from the traveller's legal obligations. This would also need to be conducted in a manner that would ensure that processing times and service standards for travellers would not be compromised.

While there are constraints on what GBA Plus data elements the CBSA may collect, the program has existing data points that would enable it to conduct some analysis on impacts by gender/diversity. Working collaboratively with internal performance reporting areas, the program is developing manual reports using existing data points to identify whether there are any trends or differential impacts based on GBA Plus identity factors. These reports will not only highlight any data gaps, but they will also shape future reporting needs that could be addressed through the broader data strategy led by the Chief Data Office. This data strategy will, on an enterprise level, improve the availability of GBA Plus data elements either through analytical tools or through updates that the CBSA is making to many of its legacy information technology traveller systems under the Traveller Modernization initiative.

A preliminary analysis has been performed on Customs and Immigration referrals to identify trends related to gender, age, language and nationality. These analysis activities align closely with the logic model around traveller information and intelligence collection, risk assessments prior to entry in Canada, and primary and secondary inspections. Although the findings provided high-level insight into passenger demographics and referrals to establish a program baseline, there were critical elements absent that would have provided a more informed evaluation of potential barriers and challenges faced by travellers along the socio-economic spectrum.

To further advance the Traveller Facilitation and Compliance Program's data collection work, the following actions have been planned for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year:

• July 2025: Review the Memorandum of Understanding with Statistics Canada and consult to see whether there are plans for current frontier survey efforts to expand into GBA Plus data elements for future enhancement of the data collection plan.
• September 2025: Brief senior management on the potential for future enhancement of the data collection plan and anticipated reporting in the next GBA Plus Supplementary Information Table.
• December 2025: Report on key program impacts on gender/diversity in the next GBA Plus Supplementary Information Table, including any interim results from the Université Laval study.
• February 2026: Conduct a survey of tactile booklet use at airports and obtain qualitative feedback through direct consultation with accessibility communities to assess program impacts and future areas of opportunity for creating barrier-free border processes.

Program goals: The Trusted Trader Program aims to facilitate the legitimate movement of goods. As part of GBA Plus considerations, the program also aims to understand whether the program inadvertently creates barriers to participation for Canadian businesses.

Target population: Trusted Trader Program members (i.e., members of the Partners in Protection and Customs Self-Assessment programs). These are mostly Canadian carrier and importer private businesses, but also include exporters, warehouse operators, customs brokers, and freight forwarders.

Distribution of benefits:

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored:

• Women-owned/operated businesses – this group is severely underrepresented in the Trusted Trader membership.
• Immigrant-owned businesses – this group makes up a large proportion of Trusted Trader carrier members. Officers have noted that this group can be affected by language barriers and cultural differences in their perception of authority.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity: The program's impact on gender was assessed by interviewing women-owned/operated businesses and by conducting interviews with our newest Senior Trusted Trader Officers to ask officers whether they would benefit from training on navigating cultural and language barriers.

In the fall of 2024, we interviewed women-owned/operated businesses to explore whether the gender, language ability, disability status, business size, location, Indigenous status, and immigrant status of the people behind Trusted Trader businesses have impacted how they received our services:

• The interviews highlighted that limited time and staffing resources mean that small and rural businesses would benefit from more tailored attention from Trusted Trader Officers. Plain language instructions on how to apply to Trusted Trader programs and how to remain in good standing would benefit many businesses in our program. In response, we have planned to develop plain language user guides.
• It was also highlighted that women would benefit from networking and awareness sessions to build connections because there are still limitations for women in trucking.

In the spring of 2025, we interviewed our newest Senior Trusted Trader Officers on whether they would benefit from training on navigating cultural and language barriers. This has highlighted that the current training provided to new Senior Trusted Trader Officers is generally considered adequate. Based on their experience, formal soft skills training does not need to be incorporated into the Senior Trusted Trader Officer training curriculum. Instead, new Senior Trusted Trader Officers should continue to receive guidance from mentors and build these skills organically though hands-on learning as soft skills are most effectively developed through on-the-job experience.

GBA Plus data collection plan: The program is working to finalize a plain language guide for highway carriers on how to apply to the Partners in Protection program and make the guide available on the CBSA website as well as through our monitored program inbox by Q3 2025 to 2026. This will reduce the need for applicants to hire consultants and improve officer-client communication.

GBA Plus-specific questions will be included in a Partners in Protection program survey which will be sent to all members (Q4 2025 to 2026). We will also begin work on a questionnaire that newly approved members can use to voluntarily self-identify the GBA Plus factors that affect them (ownership by gender, Indigenous identity, immigrant identity, employee ability or disability status, business size, geographic location) when they apply to this program (Q4 2025 to 2026). This questionnaire will allow for the ongoing, scalable and standardized data collection of GBA Plus information directly from participants in the Trusted Trader program.

Program goals: The CBSA's Trusted Traveller programs seek to simplify and expedite the border clearance process for pre-approved, low-risk travellers entering Canada. Although GBA Plus considerations have been made, participation in these programs is voluntary and so no changes are being sought.

Target population: Pre-approved, low-risk travellers who meet program eligibility criteria.

Distribution of benefits: Canadian society at large benefits from Trusted Traveller programs, which support the facilitation of travellers and goods and the protection of Canada's population from border-related risks.

Specific demographic group(s) to be monitored:

NEXUS

Benefiting groups: With 78% membership, Canadian citizens benefit from the NEXUS program's popularity and effectiveness. Both males (52%) and females (48%) have balanced representation, indicating the program's wide appeal. Significant participation from various age groups suggests the program caters to travellers of all ages. High membership from Ontario and British Columbia residents reflects their active role in cross-border travel. The program appears equitable, with no specific group disproportionately impacted negatively.

Barriers to access or participation: Application fees ($120 USD) and travel for interviews may be barriers for low-income individuals. Remote area residents or those living far from enrollment centers may face difficulties in accessing the program, since an in-person interview at an enrollment centre is required. They may also lack the need for the program as it is intended for frequent cross-border travellers, hence the very low membership rate among Canada's northern territories (0.07%). The location of NEXUS highway lanes may also impact the program's appeal.

Free and Secure Trade

Benefiting groups: The program's focus on commercial shipments benefits primarily Canadian commercial drivers (making up 68% of the membership, with an additional 25% being Canadian permanent residents).

Barriers to access or participation: With only 4% female membership, there is a significant gender disparity, reflecting broader issues in the trucking industry with female representation. Skewed age distribution toward older drivers may indicate barriers for younger or less experienced drivers.

Commercial Driver Registration program

Benefiting groups: With 78% Canadian members, the program effectively supports Canadian freight transporters. The predominantly male membership (97%) indicates benefits for men in the commercial freight industry.

Barriers to access or participation: Similar to the Free and Secure Trade program, a significant gender disparity (3% female) suggests barriers for women in this field, indicating broader systemic issues within the industries these programs serve.

CANPASS Private Aircraft program

Benefiting Groups: Both Canadian (52%) and U.S. citizens (48%) benefit from this program. The program serves individuals across all ages, but especially those aged 50 and above, with a high participation rate of members from Ontario (20%). This program appeals to those who can afford a private aircraft, are experienced operators, or are established business persons or owners.

Barriers to access or participation: The gender disparity (71% male, 29% female) suggests a lack of female representation in the aviation community.

The program likely does not appeal to those in the lower income bracket, nor to those who do not fit within the niche that the program serves.

CANPASS Corporate Aircraft program

Benefiting groups: Both Canadian (63%) and U.S. citizens (37%) benefit from this program designed for company owners or operators of corporate aircraft. It predominantly serves individuals aged 40 to 69, who are likely to be experienced operators or established business owners. High concentration of members in Ontario (18.9%), reflecting its role as a major transportation and trade hub.

Barriers to access or participation: Significant gender disparity with 83% male and 17% female membership, reflecting broader trends in business ownership and corporate aviation.

Pilot Project for Travellers in Remote Areas - Quebec

Benefiting groups: Specific regions and travellers in remote areas benefit from this program, specifically in the Quebec region, which the program serves. The program offers bilingual application processing due to high likelihood of the Francophone population applying.

Barriers to access or participation: Despite equal availability of program membership to both genders, the significant majority of members being males (82%) suggests an underrepresentation of females in the commercial freight transport industry.

Quebec has the highest program membership in Canada, constituting 69% of the total membership, while those living in the U.S. (30%) constitute the majority of the remaining membership. This may be due to geographic restrictions of this program.

Key program impacts on gender and diversity:

Analysis of Trusted Traveller programs has focused on quantitative data collection and analysis as citizenship, gender, age and location are the data elements collected and available through the relevant membership databases.

If qualitative data were to be collected in the future, voluntary surveys could serve as one approach to gaining insight into the lived experience of target populations when accessing the program. This approach could allow us to assess how our delivery model has affected program outcomes related to gender/diversity.

GBA Plus data collection plan: Voluntary programs offer distinct services tailored to specific travel or work needs. On an ongoing basis, Trusted Traveller program members and applicants submit their information to the CBSA for the purposes of administering the programs. Currently, there are 2,093,153 active members across the Trusted Traveller programs.

The CBSA conducted an analysis of GBA Plus data pulled from the CBSA's trusted traveller membership, including NEXUS, Free and Secure Trade, Commercial Driver Registration Program, Pilot Project for Travellers in Remote Areas - Quebec, CANPASS Corporate Aircraft, and CANPASS Private Aircraft.

The analysis of the trusted traveller membership demographic involved gathering data on the citizenship, gender, age and geographic representation of program participants, without indicating any need for program modifications as these programs are voluntary and tailored to specific travel or work needs.

Membership data was retrieved from the Global Enrolment Component system and the Canadian Processing Centre System. The data reflects all membership currently in the system (as of May 2025).

Since participation in these programs is voluntary, no changes are being sought based on data retrieved as these programs were designed to meet the specialized needs of certain populations and currently fulfill their intended purpose effectively.

Last year, it was reported that the CBSA would transition to collecting Gender X data for NEXUS. However, as of February 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection removed the Gender X option from the NEXUS application, following a policy shift by the new U.S. administration. Since the program is jointly administered and the application system is managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the CBSA is no longer able to report on Gender X for NEXUS applications.

Of note, in June 2024, the GBA Plus analysis included the Remote Area Border Crossing Program, which facilitates the border clearance process for certain travellers who wish to cross the border into Canada in certain remote areas. However, no such analysis is provided this year as the Remote Area Border Crossing program was suspended in the fall of 2024, pausing new applications and renewals pending a program review.