Gender-based analysis Plus
Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus governance and capacity
Governance
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has several committees in place, at different levels, that support the advancement of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). SSHRC maintains an Executive Coordination Committee on EDI, which was established in 2020. The committee’s mandate regarding the implementation of GBA Plus governance in the department includes guiding SSHRC’s implementation of the Tri-agency EDI Action Plan (a plan developed by the three federal research funding agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research [CIHR], the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council [NSERC], and SSHRC); endorsing a SSHRC EDI implementation plan; and ensuring alignment between external- and internal-facing GBA Plus and EDI initiatives. The committee is composed of seven SSHRC executive directors and directors representing SSHRC’s four directorates. Furthermore, the agency is a member of the Interagency EDI Policy Group and Interagency Committee on EDI to support coordination of EDI priorities across SSHRC and other federal research funding agencies. SSHRC also maintains a GBA Plus Focal Point as a first point of contact and internal resource for expertise on GBA Plus on behalf of the agency.
SSHRC also maintains a standing external advisory committee, the Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, to better understand differential impacts of our programs, as well as inform program design and other actions implemented to advance EDI. This committee focuses on the tri-agency institutional programs that SSHRC administers on behalf of the three federal research funding agencies.
SSHRC has and continues to engage with historically underrepresented groups to better understand barriers and collect input on program initiatives through the following internal groups:
- The Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Advisory Committee (EDIA-AC) is an internal joint NSERC-SSHRC committee that serves as the principal consultation forum, informing and supporting the implementation and advancement of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) initiatives.
- The Accessibility Steering Committee (ASC), composed of representatives from all mandatory areas covered under the Accessible Canada Act (e.g., built environment, information technology, programs and services), is a joint NSERC-SSHRC committee that provides a forum for discussion, guidance and endorsement of SSHRC and NSERC’s accessibility plans and annual progress reports before approval.
In addition to EDIA-AC, there are five internal bi-agency (NSERC-SSHRC) employee-led equity groups:
- the Black Employee Network
- the Persons with Disabilities Network
- the Indigenous Employee Network
- the Visible Minority Professional Network
- the 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride Action Network
As well, SSHRC’s ongoing external engagement with historically underrepresented groups strengthens the agency’s capacity to conduct GBA Plus analyses and to understand differential outcomes and impacts of SSHRC programs.
Capacity
SSHRC continues to advance departmental GBA Plus capacity through multiple ongoing initiatives.
As it has done since 2018, SSHRC collects self-identification data from all funding applicants, co-applicants and adjudication committee members through the tri-agency self-identification questionnaire. The availability of disaggregated data through the self-identification questionnaire allows SSHRC to undertake GBA Plus and intersectional analyses of its funding opportunities and broader research community. SSHRC publishes these data (aggregated by funding opportunity) in an EDI dashboard for SSHRC funding, as part of the Program representation statistics for the Canada Research Chairs Program and through other channels, such as the New Frontiers in Research Dashboard. In 2025-26, SSHRC’s EDI dashboard will be updated to also present data on Black scholars and intersectional data in an interactive format.
SSHRC has integrated performance objectives and indicators about the participation of historically underrepresented groups in the Departmental Results Framework (at the organization level) and is now integrating them in its Performance Information Profiles (at the program level). Further, SSHRC’s Evaluation Division has developed an integrated EDI framework to be applied in all program evaluations. This ensures that program evaluations will include valuable information for GBA Plus analyses to identify existing barriers, measure progress and inform future decision making.
In 2025-26, SSHRC will continue to implement the following mandatory training for all staff: Introduction to GBA Plus; Diversity and Inclusion; and Addressing Disability and Inclusion and Barriers to Accessibility. Additionally, Bias in Peer Review is a mandatory training for program-delivery staff. Staff members who handle self-identification data must take the Introduction to Security Awareness course and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Data and Privacy Protection course.
SSHRC also provides equity training for all members of its tri-agency executive management and steering governance committees.
Human resources (full-time equivalents) dedicated to GBA Plus
SSHRC has integrated the collection of disaggregated data from participants in all its external-facing programs and has developed other channels to qualitatively understand barriers to participation experienced by historically underrepresented groups. All this contributes to SSHRC’s ability to implement GBA Plus. This capacity exists throughout the organization, although very few positions use the term “GBA Plus” to describe their function. In 2025-26, six full-time equivalents (FTEs) will be dedicated to working on GBA Plus.
Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program
Does this program collect sufficient data to enable it to monitor and/or report program impacts by gender and diversity (GBA Plus)?
| Core responsibility: Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training | |
|---|---|
| Canada Biomedical Research Fund | Yes—This program has collected self-identification information as part of the application process for the second stage of the competition. The Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) collects, through a self-identification questionnaire, sufficient data on research participants and reviewers to monitor for potential biases in its merit review processes (i.e., application rates and award rates) and to report on representation within the program in terms of participation of individuals from the four designated groups (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of visible minorities). During stage 1 of the competition (Research Hubs Selection), and stage 2 (research, talent development and infrastructure projects aligned with the hubs), applicants were required to demonstrate active and rigorous measures implemented to support early career researchers and eliminate or prevent systemic barriers that may result in individuals from underrepresented groups having unequal access to, or being excluded from, participating in activities. For both CBRF Stage 1 and CBRF Stage 2, grant recipients will be asked to report on the impact of their EDI measures, as well as the participation of individuals from underrepresented groups both at the midterm and end-of-term grant periods. This information contributes to SSHRC’s ability to understand participation in the program and potential differential impacts of the program. |
| Insight Research | Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire completed by applicants and merit review committee members, the Insight Research program collects sufficient data for monitoring and formal and informal reporting of the program’s impacts (i.e., application rates and award rates) by different identity factors. In 2025-26, SSHRC will engage researchers and students with disabilities to inform the renewal of the Agency’s Accessibility Plan (December 2025). This engagement will support understanding of the barriers affecting access to, and participation in, agency-administered programs by persons with disabilities. Canada Research Chair Program:
Canada Excellence Research Chairs:
Canada First Research Excellence Fund:
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| New Frontiers in Research Fund | Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire the New Frontiers in Research Fund collects sufficient data for monitoring for potential biases in its merit review process and for formal and informal reporting on representation of individuals from the four designated groups in the program (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and members of visible minorities) and other groups. In 2025-26, SSHRC will engage researchers and students with disabilities to inform the renewal of the Agency’s Accessibility Plan (December 2025). This engagement will support understanding of the barriers affecting access to, and participation in, agency-administered programs by persons with disabilities. |
| Research Partnerships | Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire, the Research Partnerships program collects sufficient data for monitoring and formal and informal reporting on the program’s impacts (i.e., application rates and award rates) by gender and diversity (persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, members of visible minorities and other groups). In 2025-26, SSHRC will engage researchers and students with disabilities to inform the renewal of the Agency’s Accessibility Plan (December 2025). This engagement will support understanding of the barriers affecting access to, and participation in, agency-administered programs by persons with disabilities. |
| Research Training and Talent Development | Yes—Through a self-identification questionnaire, the Research Training and Talent Development program collects sufficient data for monitoring and formal and informal reporting on its impacts (i.e., application rates and award rates) by gender and diversity (persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, members of visible minorities and other groups). In 2025-26, SSHRC will engage researchers and students with disabilities to inform the renewal of the Agency’s Accessibility Plan (December 2025). This engagement will support understanding of the barriers affecting access to, and participation in, agency-administered programs by persons with disabilities. |
| Core Responsibility: Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research | |
| Research Support Fund | No—Due to the nature of the program, self-identification data are not collected for the Research Support Fund as applicants are institutions, not individuals. |