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| Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan |
| Type | Policy framework |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Jurisdiction | Canada |
| Stakeholders | Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council |
Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan The Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan is a coordinated policy framework developed to advance representation and fairness within Canadian research funding systems. It aligns priorities among the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, while intersecting with federal initiatives such as the Employment Equity Act, programs of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, and policies influenced by institutions like the Canada Research Chairs Program and the Royal Society of Canada.
The plan emerged amid national dialogues involving the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, reports from the House of Commons of Canada, and studies by the Institute for Research on Public Policy and the Canadian Federation of Students that highlighted disparities noted by bodies including the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It responds to findings from audits and reviews by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and consultations with universities such as the University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, and associations like the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (now Universities Canada). The purpose is to harmonize measures seen in programs like the Canada Foundation for Innovation and align with standards referenced by the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide.
Principles emphasize inclusion reflected in charters like the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and informed by case law such as decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada; goals include equitable participation comparable to initiatives at the National Institutes of Health, the European Research Council, and funding agencies like the Wellcome Trust. Specific objectives are to increase representation of groups identified under the Employment Equity Act—including women, Indigenous peoples represented by entities such as the Assembly of First Nations and the Métis National Council, persons with disabilities connected to organizations like the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work, and racialized researchers often represented by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation—and to address barriers noted in studies by the Canadian Association of University Teachers and the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Strategic actions build on practices from programs administered by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal, and international exemplars such as the National Science Foundation and the Australian Research Council. Policies include mandatory equity training similar to modules used by the Public Service Commission of Canada, collection of demographic data modeled on standards from Statistics Canada, use of bias mitigation frameworks inspired by research at Harvard University and the University of Oxford, and revisions to peer review processes paralleling reforms at the Gates Foundation. The plan mandates changes to eligibility and evaluation used by adjudication committees like those at the Canada Research Chairs Program and integrates intersectional approaches informed by scholarship from researchers affiliated with institutions such as York University, Concordia University, and Dalhousie University.
Implementation responsibilities are distributed among the three agencies—Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council—with oversight mechanisms drawing on models from the Privy Council Office and reporting lines similar to those used by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Governance structures include advisory bodies composed of representatives from major stakeholders such as Universities Canada, student groups like the Canadian Federation of Students, equity advocates from the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, and leaders from Indigenous organizations including the National Indigenous Organizations. Coordination is informed by agreements with provincial authorities such as the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (Ontario) and partners like the Canada School of Public Service.
Resource allocations draw on budgetary processes overseen by the Department of Finance Canada and funding envelopes that parallel investments from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and targeted grant streams modeled after awards from the Social Sciences Research Council (United Kingdom) and foundations such as the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. Accountability measures reference performance frameworks used by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and audit practices from institutions like the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. Funding prioritization includes targeted fellowships, equity supplements, and capacity grants coordinated with postsecondary administrators at McMaster University and policy units within the University of Alberta.
Monitoring systems adopt metrics inspired by Statistics Canada classifications, with regular reporting schedules analogous to those used by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and public reporting practices of the National Institutes of Health. Evaluation frameworks employ peer-reviewed methods referenced in journals produced by publishers like Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, and use external reviewers drawn from networks including the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and panels similar to those convened by the Royal Society. Transparency commitments align with access practices under the Access to Information Act and public accountability seen in annual reports to the Parliament of Canada.
Stakeholder engagement processes involve partnerships with student organizations such as the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, faculty associations like the Canadian Association of University Teachers, Indigenous governing entities including the Métis National Council and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and community groups such as the Urban Alliance on Race Relations. Capacity building leverages training providers including the Canada School of Public Service, partnerships with research centres at Simon Fraser University and Université de Montréal, and collaboration with philanthropic bodies like the Vancouver Foundation and the MacKenzie Foundation to support leadership development, mentorship programs, and inclusive research environments.