Canadian Institutes of Health Research 2025-26 Departmental Plan: Gender-based analysis plus
Introduction
In 2018, Parliament passed the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act. The departmental plans and departmental results reports are being used to fulfill the President of the Treasury Board’s obligations to make public, every year, analysis on the impacts of expenditure programs on gender and diversity.
Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus governance and capacity
Governance
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has a Gender-based Analysis (GBA) Plus Framework to coordinate related work and operationalize commitments to the Health Portfolio and Department of Women and Gender Equality. The Framework seeks to build GBA Plus organizational capacity and sustain the practice of GBA Plus through three streams:
- GBA Plus in CIHR-Funded Research: Aims to ensure that GBA Plus is taken into account in research design, methods, analysis and interpretation, and dissemination of findings as well as in the research team and work environment.
- Operationalized through the CIHR Sex and Gender-Based Analysis in Research Action Plan, the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health Strategic Plan, the Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan, the CIHR Strategic Plan 2021-2031, the CIHR Accessibility Plan 2023-2026 and the related CIHR Anti-Ableism Action Plan.
- GBA Plus in CIHR's Funding System: Aims to ensure equitable access to CIHR funds across eligible individuals.
- Operationalized through an Equity Strategy, Gender Equity Framework, Official Languages and Minority Communities Action Plan, Action Plan: Building a healthier future for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan, CIHR Strategic Plan 2021-2031, the CIHR Accessibility Plan 2023-2026 and the related CIHR Anti-Ableism Action Plan.
- GBA Plus in CIHR's Workplace: Aims to ensure CIHR conducts its business in an equitable manner.
- Operationalized through the CIHR Accessibility Plan 2023-2026 and related CIHR Anti-Ableism Action Plan, and federal legislation (such as the Employment Equity Act, the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, the Official Languages Act, and the Accessible Canada Act), policies (Harassment in the Workplace Policy), and mandatory GBA Plus and EDI-related training commitments for employees and Governing Council members.
The CIHR GBA Plus Responsibility Centre leads, enhances, supports, and monitors implementation of CIHR's GBA Plus Framework and the actual practice of GBA Plus. It is comprised of the GBA Plus Focal Point and staff within the Equity Strategy Branch.
Since 2021-22, CIHR has implemented enhanced internal EDI governance to help guide its actions, which includes the implementation of the CIHR Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (CAREDIA) Committee that is co-chaired by CIHR's CAREDIA Champion (currently CIHR's Director General, Strategic Partnerships and International Relations) and is focused on enhancing EDIA in CIHR's workplace and its integration into a number of governance and advisory bodies to support the advancement of this agency-wide priority.
Strategic guidance on GBA Plus/EDI-related matters is also provided by CIHR's Science Council, while operational guidance and decision-making is provided by senior management. CIHR's Governing Council is responsible for developing and approving CIHR's strategic directions and applies an EDI lens to all deliberations.
CIHR will continue to work with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to implement the Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan. Work is coordinated through an Interagency Committee on EDI.
Capacity
All CIHR staff and members of CIHR’s Governing Council are required to complete the Department of Women and Gender Equality’s GBA Plus training module. As part of the onboarding for new employees, CIHR requires employees to complete a series of EDI related learning modules. Further, CIHR implements mandatory training commitments each fiscal year for employees and senior management on EDI and Indigenous cultural awareness. These training commitments comprise of courses provided by the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS). These courses are documented in each employee’s performance agreement and completion is tracked at year-end. In 2025-26, CIHR plans to support integration of GBA Plus/EDI into all stages of the research process and develop and publish new and enhanced training resources for peer reviewers to help mitigate bias in the peer review process.
Human resources (full-time equivalents) dedicated to GBA Plus
In 2025-26, a total of 11.25 full-time equivalents (FTEs) will be dedicated to working on GBA Plus.
GBA Plus Monitoring
To monitor GBA Plus in CIHR-funded research, CIHR tracks the proportion of funded research proposals that integrate sex and gender considerations, and reports on this in its Departmental Results Framework (DRF). To monitor GBA Plus in its funding system, CIHR tracks diversity in applicants and recipients of CIHR funding through the Tri-Agency Self-Identification Questionnaire. In 2022-23, CIHR implemented an expanded questionnaire with new questions and response options to collect information on eight identity dimensions (age, gender identity, sexual orientation, Indigenous identity, members of visible minorities, population group, disability, and language). The questionnaire was also extended to peer reviewers. This data allows CIHR to monitor diversity in applicants and recipients of funding, as well as peer reviewers.
In all ongoing and planned program evaluations, GBA Plus is included in data collection and analysis, where relevant and feasible. To monitor GBA Plus capacity in CIHR's workplace, the Agency tracks GBA Plus and EDI-related training completed by staff and participates in Health Portfolio-wide surveys to assess staff knowledge and application of GBA Plus. CIHR also monitors progress towards creating a diverse and inclusive workplace through several mechanisms including the Employee Self-Identification Survey, the Public Service Employee Survey, the Employee Exit Survey, Official Languages Consultations and Analyses, the Workplace Equity Information Management System (WEIMS) analysis, the Annual report on the operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and CIHR Demographic Analysis.
Section 2: Gender and diversity impacts, by program
Core responsibility: Funding Health Research and Training
Program name: Investigator-Initiated Research
Program goals: This program provides funding to conduct research in areas related to health aimed at the discovery and application of knowledge. Funding is provided to researchers and academic organizations to conduct research, translate knowledge, and build capacity through research training and salaries. CIHR’s Investigator-Initiated Research Program collects sufficient data to enable the monitoring and reporting of program impacts across different identify dimensions.
GBA Plus data collection plan
CIHR's Investigator-Initiated Research Program collects sufficient data to enable the monitoring and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity through the following initiatives:
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Monitoring Gender and Diversity in CIHR-funded Research
Biological (e.g., sex, age, etc.) and socio-cultural (e.g., gender, race, etc.) factors influence health risks, health services use, health system interaction and health outcomes. Across all program areas, CIHR requires applicants to integrate sex and gender considerations into all funding applications to ensure that CIHR-funded research is relevant, impactful, and culturally sensitive for the diverse population of Canada. In CIHR's Project Grant Program, reviewers are required to provide an assessment of the integration of sex and/or gender into research proposals. CIHR has developed training resources for both applicants and peer reviewers on the integration and assessment of sex and gender in health research. CIHR monitors integration of sex and gender in funded research through the Departmental Results Indicator (DRI) "percentage of research that addresses sex or gender considerations."
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Monitoring Gender and Diversity in CIHR's Funding System
Beginning in May 2018, applicants to all CIHR programs must complete the Tri-Agency Self-Identification Questionnaire. In 2022-23, CIHR launched an expanded Self-Identification Questionnaire for applicants and extended the questionnaire to peer reviewers. Using data collected from the questionnaire, CIHR monitors diversity in applicants and recipients of CIHR funding, as well as peer reviewers, across all funding programs. Aggregate results are reported internally as part of the Program Information Profiles and externally as part of the Canadian Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) progress reports. This data will help CIHR better understand where systemic barriers exist in its funding system, and to design equitable and inclusive programs that support the full and fair participation of all members of the health research community. CIHR reports on the proportion of newly funded recipients who self-identify as women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, and persons with disabilities in its DRF.
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Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan
In fall of 2018, CIHR, along with NSERC and SSHRC, developed a Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan that comprises initiatives relevant to enhancing EDI across all program areas. The objectives, and corresponding initiatives within the action plan aim to increase EDI amongst recipients of research funding, as well as teachers, researchers, and students at post-secondary institutions. Performance indicators have been developed to measure progress against the plan's overall objectives, as well as impacts of the agencies' influence over the longer term and are reported externally as part of the CRCC annual reports.
Program name: Research in Priority Areas
Program goals: This program provides funding for targeted grants and awards aimed at addressing priority areas identified by CIHR in consultation with other government departments and agencies, partners, and stakeholders. CIHR’s Research in Priority Areas Program collects sufficient data to enable the monitoring and reporting of program impacts across different identity dimensions.
GBA Plus data collection plan
CIHR's Research in Priority Areas Program collects sufficient data to enable monitoring and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity through the following initiatives:
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Monitoring Gender and Diversity in CIHR-funded Research
Please see description above in the Investigator-Initiated Research section. CIHR requires applicants to integrate sex and gender considerations in all funding applications, where appropriate, and has also been encouraging and promoting the integration of other considerations of diversity in some funding competitions. The DRI for this program is "percentage of research that addresses sex or gender considerations."
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Monitoring Gender and Diversity in CIHR's Funding System
Please see description above in the Investigator-Initiated Research section. CIHR reports on the proportion of newly funded recipients who self-identify as women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, and persons with disabilities in its DRF.
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Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan
Please see description above in the Investigator-Initiated Research section.
Program name: Training and Career Support
Program goals: This program provides funding directly to promising current and next generation researchers to support training or career development. CIHR’s Training and Carer Support Program collects sufficient data to enable the monitoring and reporting of program impacts across different identity dimensions.
GBA Plus data collection plan
CIHR's Training and Career Support Program collects sufficient data to enable monitoring and reporting of program impacts by gender and diversity through the following initiatives:
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Monitoring Gender and Diversity in CIHR-funded Research
Please see description above in the Investigator-Initiated Research section. The DRI for this program is "percentage of research that addresses sex or gender considerations."
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Monitoring Gender and Diversity in CIHR's Funding System
Please see description above in the Investigator-Initiated Research section. CIHR reports on the proportion of newly funded recipients who self-identify as women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, and persons with disabilities in its DRF.
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Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan
Please see description above in the Investigator-Initiated Research section.
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