2025-2028 Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan

State of the Canadian Space Sector Report

The Canadian space sector is organizations (private, public and academic) whose activities include the development and use of space assets and/or space data, as defined in the 2021 and 2022 State of the Canadian Space Sector Report.

The State of the Canadian Space Sector Report 2023 provides an overview of the industry's composition, impact, and trends. In 2022, the sector employed 12,624 individuals, with 69% identifying as men, 31% as women, and 0.2% as non-binary. This gender distribution reflects a workforce with a larger proportion of men, while women make up just under a third of employees. The sector includes a variety of occupations, with notable participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) roles, which account for 67% of the workforce.

Additionally, the report provides insights into the gender distribution of ownership, noting that in 2020, 82% of primary owners of space sector companies were men, while 18% were women. These figures suggest a gender difference in both the workforce composition and ownership within the Canadian space sector, reflecting the presence of gender disparities across diverse roles in engineering, science, management, and other fields. This points to areas for potential further examination and improvement.

Employment Equity Act

All sectors of the core public administration are expected to uphold the Employment Equity Act. As such, the CSA must carry out the following activities:

• Collect workforce information related to designated groups through a self-identification questionnaire;
• Conduct a workforce analysis;
• Complete an employment systems review;
• Develop an employment equity plan in accordance with section 10 of the Employment Equity Act.

Modernization of the Employment Equity Act

In July 2021, the Government of Canada launched a Task Force to review the Employment Equity Act. In December 2023, the Minister of Labour announced the Employment Equity Act Review Task Force's final report: A Transformative Framework to Achieve and Sustain Employment Equity, including the report's executive summary. The report provides wide-ranging recommendations on how to modernize and strengthen employment equity in the federal jurisdiction.

In collaboration with its Equity networks, the CSA provided input to the Consultation Paper created by the Labour Program, which aimed to gather feedback on the status of the EEA and explore potential improvements such as;

• purpose of the EEA;
• designated groups (for example, definitions, terminology);
• collection of survey data;
• support provided to employees and employers;
• accountability, compliance, and enforcement;
• public reporting.

In response to the Task Force recommendations, particularly that the Government of Canada announced the intended commitment of creating two new designated groups under the Act: Black People and 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, as well as individuals who are part of sexual and gender diversity communities and who use different terminology) people, the CSA has taken a proactive approach to promoting equal participation of these equity-seeking groups in the workforce. To promote inclusivity through concrete action items, we have updated our internal Self-Declaration form to enable employees to self-declare as members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and as Black employees for Human Resources (HR)-related opportunities.

Accessible Canada Act

The Accessible Canada Act came into force in July 2019. The purpose of the Act is to benefit all persons through the realization of a Canada without barriers by 2040 in the following areas:

1. Employment;
2. The built environment;
3. Information and communication technologies;
4. Communication, other than information and communication technologies;
5. The procurement of goods, services, and facilities;
6. The design and delivery of programs and services;
7. Transportation.

In response, the Government of Canada launched the Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada, also known as "Nothing Without Us," to make the public service a model of accessibility. The strategy focuses on five goals: improving recruitment and retention of persons with disabilities, enhancing accessibility in built environments, ensuring accessible information and technology, equipping public servants to deliver accessible programs, and building an accessibility-confident public service. Key principles include involving persons with disabilities, fostering collaboration, ensuring sustainability, and maintaining transparency in progress and challenges.

The (CSA) developed Progress Reports for 2023 and 2024 to ensure consistency in implementing its Accessibility Plan (2023-2025).

Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service

On January 22, 2021, the Clerk of the Privy Council shared a Message to deputy ministers, heads of separate agencies, and heads of federal agencies on action to combat racism. This call to action illustrates concrete actions to end discrimination and aligns with the Many Voices One Mind: a Pathway to Reconciliation strategy, which has been adopted to remove barriers to Indigenous representativeness in the Federal Public Service.

To achieve this, the Public Service leaders were called to appoint, sponsor, support and recruit Indigenous Peoples, Black and other racialized communities.

In addition, Public Service leaders are asked to invest in developing inclusive leadership skills and in establishing a sense of belonging and trust for all public servants, as well as those joining us now and, in the future, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender expression.

Action Plan to Support Black Public Servants

The Government of Canada committed approximately $50M through Budgets 2022 and 2023 to creating career development programs and a mental health fund for Black public servants. In June 2023, the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer established the Task Force for Black Public Servants to oversee the development and implementation of the Action Plan for Black Public Servants (Action Plan).

This Action Plan, focused on increasing opportunities for career mobility and improving the psychological health and safety of Black public servants, was guided by lived experiences and is a result of the invaluable work of several Black public servants' networks accomplished in 2022.

The Government of Canada's initiatives to support Black public servants, including career development and mental health programs, mark a key step in promoting equity and inclusion.

Study on the Black Executive Community in the Federal Public Service

In November 2024, results from a Study on the Black Executive Community in the Federal Public Service were publicly released, which focused on qualitative and quantitative investigations of the career experiences of the nation's Black leaders in public service.

Deputy Heads have been directed to take immediate action in response to the report's findings, which outline numerous challenges that highlight a pattern of systemic anti-Black discrimination experienced throughout their careers in the Federal Public Service.

The CSA has identified and commenced implementing strategies to address the recommendations in the table below. We plan to implement strategies to enhance representation of Black executives, focus on identifying and dismantling systemic barriers, expand on training and development programs, strengthen accountability and monitoring, and continue collaboration and host two-way dialogues with the Black Executive Community to ensure that the initiatives align with their needs, concerns, while creating meaningful and lasting change.

Self-identification Modernization Project

The Research, Planning, and Renewal Sector of the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer piloted a self-identification modernization project, updating the questionnaire's wording and adding diverse groups beyond those outlined in the Employment Equity Act. We monitored progress and adjusted our practices based on the recommendations.

While 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals (encompassing Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual identities) are not formally recognized as designated groups in the Employment Equity Act, the CSA is committed to fostering their equal participation in the workforce and have updated the internal self-declaration form to allow employees of this group to self-declare.

Open Letter to Deputy Ministers to Take Action to Support Transgender, Non-binary, and Gender-diverse Colleagues in the Federal Public Service

In May 2023, the Public Service Pride Network (PSPN) issued an open letter that highlighted the unique challenges these individuals from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community face and called for a collaborative effort to foster a safer, more inclusive environment in the federal public service, ensuring that all who serve Canada feel respected, valued, and supported in their identity.

To achieve this, the letter highlighted several key actions to be taken. The PSPN's call to action outlines steps for creating a more inclusive federal public service, urging deputy ministers to engage with gender-diverse employees, enhance career development, and implement inclusive policies. The CSA is committed to incorporating these actions into all EE initiatives, with a strong focus on prioritizing diversity, inclusion, and respect within the public service. As part of this commitment, provided we have appropriate representation, we are committed to prioritizing members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in our initiatives.

Building Gender-Inclusive Services

The Government of Canada is advancing gender diversity and inclusion through the Policy Direction to Modernize Sex and Gender Information Practices, promoting a whole-of-government approach to gender-inclusive service design. The policy aims to:

• Promote the respect, inclusion, and personal safety of gender-diverse people;
• Support the collection of accurate sex and gender data for government operations, analysis, and evidence-based decision-making; and
• Protect the personal information of individuals.

Departments and agencies must review their information practices to ensure sex and gender data collected is relevant to operational programs, in line with the Privacy Act.

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

As mentioned in the Government of Canada's approach on Gender-based Analysis Plus, Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) isn't only about sex and gender, and groups of people are not homogenous. Our experiences are affected by the intersectionality of parts our identity, the context we are in and our lived realities.

The CSA aligns with the Government of Canada's GBA Plus approach, requiring all activities (policies, grants, projects, etc.) to undergo a GBA Plus assessment to ensure equitable access to opportunities in the Canadian space sector. In June 2024, the CSA renewed its GBA Plus Policy, aiming to:

Increase access to opportunities for equity-deserving groups, including women, Indigenous peoples, Black and racialized communities, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ members;

• Ensure GBA Plus is informed by diverse groups' needs through evidence-based decision-making.
• Enhance understanding of the Agency's gender and diversity impacts.

The implementation of the policy will be monitored regularly and reviewed every five years.

Audits by the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Public Service Commission

In summer of 2020, an Employment equity audit was conducted to look at representation of racialized people in management and executive positions across Canada's federal public service. In winter 2024, the Canadian Human Rights Commission conducted a follow-up to the horizontal audit, requesting an analysis of the CSA's corrective actions from the 2021-2024 Employment Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan. In response, the CSA updated the assigned management actions and confirmed that all additional requirements had been met.

Governance

At the date of this Action Plan, the Head of Human Resources is the senior official responsible for employment equity, diversity and inclusion at the CSA and ensures that the organization adheres to its obligations and commitments.

An equity, diversity and inclusion champion and co-champion are appointed in consultation with the Executive Committee (EC). The champion is a member of the EC while the co-champion is an executive (director level).

The CSA has also organized a variety of committees to support senior management in the building of a diverse and inclusive workplace. These include:

• Advisory Committee on Employment Equity and Diversity (ACEED)
• Women in Science, Technology and Management Committee (STM)
• Visible Minorities Network
• Indigenous Peoples Community of Practice
• Accessibility Network
• Mental Health and Wellness Committee
• Positive Space Network

These committees focus on providing a platform for employees to connect, share best practices, experiences, and ongoing issues, and advocate for the interests of designated groups under the Employment Equity Act.

Commitments Demonstrated by Management

Diversity and inclusion start with management, as leadership sets the tone for an inclusive workplace. The activities outlined below detail how the CSA Management Community is expected to demonstrate its commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). These actions are integral to fostering a work environment that is both inclusive and anti-racist, with a specific focus on advancing opportunities for Black employees and other equity-seeking groups within the organization.

1. Set Clear Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (Focusing on Black Employees) Goals and Metrics in Performance Management Agreements (PMA) for Vice Presidents (VPs), Director Generals (DGs), Executives:

   Mandatory Performance Indicators at this date:

   • Support and participate in the Mentorship+ program by acting as a mentor / sponsor (prioritizing members of the transgender, non-binary, or gender-diverse community, and Black employees) or encouraging employees to register as participants or mentors / sponsor.
   • Monitor progress regarding the representation of employees from Employment Equity groups throughout processes under their responsibility, from the presentation of applications to retention, including integration, and achieve the sectoral employment equity recruitment targets set.
   • Prioritize official language training for Indigenous, Black, and other racialized employees who have a talent management plan.
   • Ensure that selection processes (including tools and administration) are free of bias or obstacles that disadvantage individuals from any equity-seeking group, and where applicable, take reasonable steps to eliminate or mitigate their effects on these individuals.
   • Promote a diverse and inclusive workplace by taking a leadership role in activities that contribute to valuing and increasing the social and cultural diversity of the CSA (e.g., attending training and participating in discussions related to reconciliation, workshops, webinars, committees, and networks; learning about significant religious and cultural periods to avoid scheduling meetings and events during these times).
   • Ensure that employees under their responsibility are made aware of the fight against discrimination and anti-Black harassment by reviewing the Study on Black Employees in the Federal Public Service and reporting any racist behavior in the workplace.
   • Follow a training on anti-racism, recognizing biases and cultural differences, and implementing strategies to foster an inclusive environment within the federal public service for Executives and Managers. The mandatory trainings are:
     • Advancing the Conversation on Systemic Racism (INC117) (executives only)
     • Moving from Bias to Inclusion (INC123)
     • Reflecting on Cultural Bias: Indigenous Perspectives (IRA101)
     • Unconscious bias (COR120)
   • Expected Results:
     • Close organizational gaps related to equity, diversity, and inclusion by March 31 each year.
     • Actively support the career progression of these employees towards executive positions.
     • Ensure that these trainings become a mandatory component within a set period, with follow-up actions to ensure compliance.
   • Timeline: Annual reviews and assessments.
2. Continue to implement and Advocate for Staffing Practices That Prioritize Employment Equity and Diversity (for all managers):
   • Key Performance Indicator: Investigate how self-identification (self-ID) and self-declaration data of Black employees can be integrated into staffing processes. This will equip managers with real-time decision-making and review mechanisms. Managers will use staffing actions to close representation gaps for EE groups. Additionally, appoint Indigenous employees, Black, and other racialized employees to the Executive Group. Establish assessment boards that reflect the diversity of the Canadian population, and if necessary, engage members from other departments.
   • Expected Result:
     • Eliminate organizational gaps by March 31 each year.
     • Ensure that each assessment board includes at least one member from a designated group.
   • Timeline: Ongoing, with annual reviews.

Recent Achievements

While we recognize that the journey toward diversity and inclusion is ongoing, the CSA has made significant strides in advancing employment equity and fostering a more inclusive and diverse workforce through efforts in key areas, such as:

Committees and Networks:

• Established a process for nominating and appointing champions/co-champions for EE groups (women in STM, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and Communities, accessibility, mental health, positive space).
• Advisory Committee on Employment Equity and Diversity meets monthly to share initiatives, best practices, and identify synergies.
• HR supports Diversity Champions and networks to foster collaboration and strengthen diversity and inclusion efforts.

Recruitment and Staffing:

• Developed and implemented a recruitment strategy in collaboration with EDI network representatives.
• Conducted four targeted EE selection processes across various groups (IT, AS, PE, EX).
• CSA workforce surpasses representativeness in almost all EE groups:
  • Women: 48.8% (+10.1% above workforce availability).
  • Persons with disabilities: 15.0% (+3.1% above workforce availability).
  • Indigenous Peoples: 1.8% (+0.9% above workforce availability).
• Created a student interview guide addressing barriers and biases.

Training and Awareness:

• Introduced mandatory training for managers on evaluating biases and barriers in assessments.
• Encouraged selection boards have at least one member from an EE group and reviewed evaluation materials for biases.

Talent Development:

• Established a Talent Management Initiative for EE participants in succession planning.
• Participated in the Mosaic Leadership Development Program with one candidate, in 2022.
• Implemented a Professional Development Targeted Initiative for members of EE groups, identifying five potential future executives from the first cohort of 9 participants, at EX minus 1 level, in 2023.
• Implemented an Action Plan under the Targeted Professional Development initiative for members of EE groups, Visible Minorities, and Indigenous Peoples. For the second cohort of 30 participants, at EX minus 2 level in 2023.
• Publication of a Directory of Recommended Courses by the CFPC, presenting courses on topics identified in the survey (Communication, coaching/mentoring, change management, strategic leadership, skill development, etc.).
• Publication of a Toolbox – Employment and Professional Development, integrated into the new MentorDev platform of the Mentorship Plus under the "Diversity and Inclusion" tab, exclusively for participants in the Targeted EE Initiative. The topics in the Toolbox cover training and learning, development programs, key leadership skills, practical references for language training, and advice on CVs, interview preparation, etc.
• Participation in the Mentorship Plus Program - 2022-23 cohort of 4 mentees from under-represented groups; and 7 protégés (at EX minus 1 and EX minus 2 levels) out of the 11 auto-declared members of the four EE groups.
• Participation in the Mentorship Plus Program 2024-25 cohort of 11 mentees as visible minorities out of the 28 auto-declared members of the four EEE groups; and 8 protégés (at EX minus 1 and EX minus 2 levels) out of the 12 auto-declared members of the four EE groups.

Reviewing Appointment Processes Through an Employment Equity Lens

A comprehensive review was conducted of three external appointment processes, evaluated through an employment equity lens. The objectives were to identify any potential negative impacts of assessment tools on candidates from employment equity groups, examine merit criteria and job advertisements for barriers, and assess changes in employment equity representation throughout the process.

Based on the following findings, actions have been taken to address these recommendations, aiming to create more equitable and accessible appointment processes for designated employment equity groups.

Implementing strategies to reach persons with disabilities and Indigenous Peoples more effectively:

• Launched selection processes focused on the 4 designated Employment Equity (EE) groups, where appointments have been made.
• Encourage managers to consider qualified EE group members first, when hiring from a pool.
• Established online and automated staffing tools (online exams, interview time slot selection, pre-recorded interviews, reference checks), enabling candidates to complete assessments at their convenience from home or their community.
• Introduced Indigenous student cohorts in partnership with the Indigenous Communities of Practice (ICOP). A new cohort will be launched in summer 2025.

Enhancing focus on job advertisements, merit criteria, assessment tools, and volume management.

• Implemented the bias and barrier mitigation tool, used for all applicable staffing actions, and integrated into the guidance provided to management during the planning and implementation of staffing activities.

Evaluating the success rates of candidates from designated groups and making necessary adjustments.

• A study was conducted for EX and non-EX processes, where the results were shared with HR advisors for consideration when providing advice and guidance to their clients.

Workforce Data

As of March 31, 2025, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) consisted of 988 term and indeterminate employees, appointed under the Public Service Employment Act or the Canadian Space Agency Act, with substantive positions within the CSA. The new workforce availability (WFA) rates received in March 2025 from Treasury Board Secretariat were used in this section to reflect the most recent data.

Women make up 48.8% of active CSA employees. Their representativeness is above their workforce availability (WFA) across all occupational categories, with the exception of the Administrative Support category.

Members of visible minorities account for 23.1% of active employees, which is lower that their new WFA (27.5%). They are under-represented in the Executive, in the Scientific and professional and in the Administration and Foreign Service categories.

Persons with disabilities account for 15.0% of active employees, which is higher than their WFA (11.9%). They are well represented in Executive, Administration and Foreign Service and Administrative Support categories. The increase in employees with disabilities at CSA as of March 31, 2025, follows the self-identification campaign that expanded the definition to include all types of disabilitiesunder the Accessible Canada Act.

Indigenous Peoples account for 1.8% of active employees, which is higher than their WFA (0.9%). However, they are under-represented in the Executive and Administrative categories.

In terms of hires and departures, the CSA hired over three years between 2022-2023 and 2024-2025, 468 new employees; however, 225 employees left the CSA during the same period.

The breakdown of the 468 new employees hired over three years is as follows: 171 are in the Scientific and Professional category; 213 in the Administrative and Foreign Service category; 71 in the Administrative Support category; 6 in the Technical category; and 7 in the Executive category. There were no new hires in the Operations category. In terms of employment equity, of the 468 new hires over the past three years, 261 are women (55.8%), 124 are members of a visible minority (26.5%), 46 are persons with disabilities (9.8%) and 12 are Indigenous Peoples (2.6%).

As depicted in the following diagram, the ratio of hires over three years in the Administrative Support category is lower than its representativeness, but higher for the CSA overall for this designated group. For all other groups in all occupational categories and for the CSA, the ratio is higher than their representativeness.

Of the 225 employees who left the CSA over three years, 114 are women (50.7%), 31 are members of visible minorities (MVM) (13.8%), there are 25 persons with disabilities (11.1%) and 7 Indigenous (3.1%).

The ratio of exiting women over three years is greater than their representativeness in the Administration and Foreign Service category (1.01), in the Administrative Support category (1.15) and across the CSA (1.05). The ratio of exiting MVM over a three-year period is greater than 1.00 all categories. The ratio of departures is higher than their representativeness for persons with disabilities (1.84) and Indigenous Peoples (1.74).

CSA has modified its approach to calculating hiring objectives for 2024-2025, adding objectives for Supervisor and Manager positions in addition to hiring objectives by professional category, to ensure that designated groups are well represented at all levels. In addition, in October 2024, in anticipation of receiving new workforce availability rates from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the CSA has included a projected 4% increase in the calculation of its objectives for members of visible minorities in order to minimize the impact of the new workforce availability rates on hiring objectives until the new rates are released. The following table shows the hiring objectives for members of designated groups with the new workforce availability (WFA) rates received in March 2025.

It is therefore important to ensure that employees who are members of designated groups have the same advancement opportunities as other employees. For the past three years, women have been promoted at a ratio greater than or equal to their WFA in all categories and across the CSA (ratio greater than or equal to 1.00). Members of visible minorities had a ratio below their WFA for the Scientific and Professional category (0.83) and for the CSA (0.93). People with disabilities had a ratio higher than 1.00 (1.33), while Indigenous Peoples had a 3-year ratio lower than 1.00 (0.93).

Due to the low number of promotions (less than 6), data for people with disabilities and Indigenous Peoples are not captured by occupational categories.

Despite promotion ratios equal to or greater than their representativeness for most designated groups, the representativeness of these groups is lower in management and supervisory positions. As demonstrated in the following graph, all designated groups are under-represented in management positions, and for supervisory positions, visible minorities and women are under-represented. By incorporating hiring objectives tailored to these job profiles, the CSA acknowledges the importance of ensuring that its workforce is well represented at all levels of the organization.

Stakeholder Consultations: What We Heard

Over the span of several months, consultations were conducted with the different internal equity-seeking group networks and stakeholders to better understand the CSA's efforts in promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within its programs and initiatives. By engaging with these stakeholders, as well as various Human Resources disciplines, valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities related to EDI were gained, which informed the development of strategies aimed at fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment within the CSA.

The four (4) common goals identified to further enhance the CSA's efforts are as follows:

1. Enhance the representativeness of designated groups: While increasing representation for all groups, primarily focus on members of visible minorities and women in science, in the executive group. The CSA will also ensure the representativeness of designated groups in governance bodies.
2. Promote awareness and employee engagement: Beginning with leaders and executives, the CSA is committed to fostering a culture that is inclusive and celebrates diversity, and acknowledges the importance of intersectionality, through educational and interact workshops, panels, activities, and celebrations. This also includes integration of new employees who identify to a designated group.
3. Career/skill development and training: Mentorship and sponsorship programs were put in place to target designated group members. Monitor the progress and efficiency of the programs, particularly focusing on EE-targeted cohorts.
4. Reduce barriers and biases: Following an Employment Systems Review conducted in 2023, continue to identify and implement strategies to reduce barriers potentially found in staffing processes.

Implementing the Strategic Objectives

To align our efforts with What We Heard and to further enhance the agency's efforts to support the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan, two key strategic objectives were identified:

1. Enhance the representation and diversification of all employment equity groups across all positions, including management level, within the CSA while fostering their professional development.
2. Continue our efforts in creating an equitable workplace for everyone and fostering an inclusive organizational culture.

The following tables outline the action items to support the strategic objectives identified through our consultations, as well as Legislative Requirements, and are in addition to Government-wide initiatives related to Employment Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Strategic Objective 1: Enhance the representation and diversification of all employment equity groups across all positions, including management level, within the CSA while fostering their professional development.

Strategic Objective 2: Continue our efforts in creating an equitable workplace for everyone and fostering an inclusive organizational culture.