Departmental Results Report 2021–22

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, 2022.

Cat. No. CR1-16E-PDF
ISSN 2561-1895

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Departmental Results Report 2021–22

(PDF, 419KB)

On this page

• From the Minister
• From the President
• Results at a glance
• Results: what we achieved
  • Core responsibilities
  • Internal Services
• Spending and human resources
  • Spending
  • Human resources
  • Expenditures by vote
  • Government of Canada spending and activities
  • Financial statements and financial statements highlights
• Corporate information
  • Organizational profile
  • Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
  • Operating context
  • Reporting Framework
• Supporting information on the program inventory
• Supplementary information tables
• Federal tax expenditures
• Organizational contact information
• Appendix: definitions
• Endnotes

From the Minister

It is our pleasure to present the 2021–22 Departmental Results Report for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Over the past year, the various organizations in the Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Portfolio have together worked hard to make Canada a global innovation leader and build an economy that works for everyone.

SSHRC supports postsecondary-based research and training in the social sciences and humanities, helping researchers create new knowledge and innovative solutions to improve the present and future for Canadians, communities and society.

In 2021–22, SSHRC continued to implement measures to offset the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the research enterprise, and supported large-scale, international and interdisciplinary research examining the pandemic’s wider societal and long-term impacts. As part of implementing Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy to grow a strong, competitive biomanufacturing and life sciences sector, and ensure Canada is prepared for future pandemics, SSHRC developed and launched the new Canada Biomedical Research Fund.

Through its programming and collaborations, SSHRC also addressed other global challenges, such as environmental issues and the crisis in Ukraine, while continuing to advance the Canada Research Coordinating Committee priorities. Among these, SSHRC led initiatives to encourage equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in the practice and design of research, worked to implement the Committee’s strategic plan to strengthen Indigenous research capacity, and rolled out efforts to increase understanding around systemic racism and discrimination.

We invite you to read this report to learn more about how SSHRC, like ISED and its portfolio partners, is working with and for Canadians to position Canada as a leader in the global economy.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

From the President

I am very pleased to present SSHRC’s 2021–22 Departmental Results Report. As a federal agency, SSHRC supports research excellence and innovative ideas in social sciences and humanities emanating from Canada’s largest research community, consisting of almost 25,000 full-time university professors and over 83,000 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers that together represent 43% of the national academic research ecosystem. In addition, SSHRC supports the full breadth of Canadian postsecondary research by administering a host of multidisciplinary funding programs that span the three federal research funding agencies.

Throughout 2021–22, SSHRC responded to a variety of both new and ongoing global challenges. These included not only pandemic recovery and preparedness for future health threats, but also the human elements of pressing environmental issues and climate change adaptation; equity, diversity and inclusion in the research ecosystem; and, of course, the crisis in Ukraine.

Of particular note, SSHRC this past year launched the Race, Gender and Diversity Initiative to support community-based and community-led research into the causes and persistence of systemic discrimination and racism; and created the Advisory Committee to Address Anti-Black Racism, to help break down barriers and ensure equitable access for Black scholars. SSHRC continued to lead the implementation of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee’s strategic plan to support Indigenous-led research and training. This included working to establish the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research and launching the Partnership Engage Grants—Residential Schools Joint Initiative in partnership with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Further to delivering our diverse suite of competitions and programming within Canada, SSHRC led the development and planning of a number of interdisciplinary and international research initiatives. These included the Open Research Area partnership, which this year involved three European research agencies in the partnership’s seventh call for proposals; the Trans-Atlantic Platform’s call on Recovery, Renewal and Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World in partnership with Europe, the Americas and South Africa; and, alongside our tri-agency partners, the launch of the Special Response Fund for Trainees (Ukraine) to aid research trainees directly impacted by the invasion.

SSHRC is also home to the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat, which this year launched the Canada Biomedical Research Fund to help build Canada’s talent pipeline and research systems in the biomanufacturing and life sciences sector. The Secretariat also worked to launch the International stream of the New Frontiers in Research Fund to support interdisciplinary research linking Canadian researchers to partners abroad, and issued two special calls for this program, funding research into postpandemic recovery and new approaches to research and data collection in a pandemic.

Through all of our programming, SSHRC helps put research results into action, promoting the sharing and use of research knowledge to inform decision-making and policy, including open access and stakeholder engagement. This year, our Imagining Canada’s Future initiative focused on synthesizing knowledge on critical topics, such as the emerging asocial society, and connected with stakeholders to prioritize future challenge areas for the next three years. SSHRC also launched a successful, new “In Conversation With” public talks series, with The Conversation Canada, sharing knowledge from 2021 SSHRC Impact Award winners with policy-makers and the public. We continued to support the development, adoption and dissemination of research data management standards and practices among the research community, including by conducting Research Data Management Capacity Building Initiative competitions and contributing to the Office of the Chief Science Advisor’s Open Science Dialogues.

I am immensely proud of SSHRC’s efforts in supporting the best in social sciences and humanities research, talent development, knowledge mobilization and innovation across the broader research community, both at home and abroad. The results are providing Canadians with the ideas and solutions to thrive, and to realize a better future for all.

Ted Hewitt, PhD

Results at a glance

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), through grants, fellowships and scholarships, promotes and supports research and research training in the social sciences and humanities to develop talent, generate insights and build connections to advance social, cultural and economic knowledge for the benefit of all Canadians. SSHRC also delivers several programs that support interdisciplinary research and strengthen the overall research environment. In 2021–22, SSHRC’s departmental results focused on two core responsibilities: (1) Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training; and (2) Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research.

Core Responsibility 1: Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training

In 2021–22, SSHRC invested $124 million to support more than 4,900 students directly through scholarships and fellowships. An additional $411-million investment directly supported over 11,000 researchers through grants at postsecondary institutions across Canada, which included $67 million that supported students indirectly.

SSHRC helped Canada sustain and enhance its globally competitive position as a producer of high-calibre research, by continuing to support research into questions uniquely addressed by the social sciences and humanities, particularly in the face of the Ukraine crisis and the continuing challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to global support to Ukraine, SSHRC—with the other two federal research funding agencies, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)—established a temporary tri-agency special fund to support graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who are directly affected by this crisis.
• In the context of the broader federal strategy to support the growth of a strong competitive biomanufacturing and life sciences sector and to ensure Canada is prepared for future pandemics, SSHRC worked on the design and launch of the first stage of the new Canada Biomedical Research Fund⁠^{Footnote 1}. This program will support high-risk, applied research, training and talent development in the biomanufacturing sector in Canada.
• The New Frontiers in Research Fund delivered the final phase of the inaugural Transformation funding opportunity, developed two special calls related to addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and worked to launch the first new joint initiative under the International stream.

To increase the pool of highly skilled people in the social sciences and humanities, SSHRC supported research training and initiatives that foster equity, diversity and inclusion across the research enterprise.

• SSHRC continued to implement the Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for 2018–2025,⁠^{Footnote 2} by including new requirements for some of its own and tri-agency programs to reflect the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion in research practice and research design.
• SSHRC, along with NSERC and CIHR, worked to establish the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research to help guide the implementation of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee strategic plan, Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada 2019-2022.⁠^{Footnote 3} SSHRC also launched the Partnership Engage Grants—Residential Schools Joint Initiative⁠^{Footnote 4} in collaboration with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to support Indigenous communities in their decision-making processes, research and actions regarding residential school sites in Canada.

SSHRC continued to seek opportunities to make the results of its funding accessible to Canadians and to organizations in all sectors, thus contributing to decision-making, policy-making and innovation, and helping to identify and address the challenges of today and tomorrow.

• SSHRC, in partnership with The Conversation Canada, launched a series of virtual public talks featuring winners of the 2021 SSHRC Impact Awards, highlighting the value and importance of social sciences and humanities research.
• Through its Imagining Canada’s Future initiative⁠^{Footnote 5} and in collaboration with funding partners,⁠ SSHRC launched a new Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunity on the Emerging Asocial Society, and held two virtual forums: Skills and Work in the Digital Economy; and Mobility and Public Transit.

Core Responsibility 2: Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research

The Research Support Fund⁠^{Footnote 6} reinforces the federal government’s research investment by helping institutions ensure that their federally funded research projects are conducted in world-class facilities with the best equipment and administrative support available. In 2021–22, the Research Support Fund provided $369 million in grants to 146 postsecondary institutions to offset part of the institutions’ indirect costs in managing research funded by the three federal research funding agencies. Through its Incremental Project Grants stream, the Research Support Fund provided an additional $58 million to support 162 projects at 31 institutions.

For more information on SSHRC’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.

Results: what we achieved

Core responsibilities

Core Responsibility 1: Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training

Description

SSHRC, through grants, fellowships and scholarships, promotes and supports research and research training in the social sciences and humanities to develop talent, generate insights and build connections in pursuit of social, cultural and economic outcomes for Canadians.

Results

Response to world events

The invasion of Ukraine is a stark reminder that social sciences and humanities research is needed to understand conflicts and their impacts, and 21st-century challenges more broadly. SSHRC-funded scholars working in areas such as European studies, history, philosophy, political sciences, literary studies, and other social sciences and humanities fields are contributing to our knowledge of the conflict, whether it be through combatting disinformation⁠^{Footnote 7} or examining European Union-Russia relations.⁠^{Footnote 8} As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to global support for Ukraine in the midst of the current crisis, SSHRC, along with NSERC and CIHR, established a temporary Special Response Fund for Trainees (Ukraine)⁠^{Footnote 9} to initiate or maintain the employment or financial support of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers directly affected by the crisis.

This past year was also marked by the persisting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on researchers and students, and on society at large. In 2021–22, SSHRC remained committed to its support for researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic, by continuing measures such as additional unfunded 12-month grant extensions and applications that permit applicants to include information about the impacts of COVID-19 on their research and careers. On a more global scale, SSHRC supported, among other initiatives, international and interdisciplinary research addressing the larger societal impact of the pandemic through collaborations such as the Trans-Atlantic Platform’s call for research on recovery, renewal and resilience in a postpandemic world,⁠^{Footnote 10} and through the New Frontiers in Research Fund’s special call for research for postpandemic recovery.⁠^{Footnote 11}

Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of domestic capacity to develop and produce vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. To support the growth of a strong competitive biomanufacturing and life sciences sector and to ensure Canada is prepared for future pandemics, the federal government released the Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. As part of the strategy, the Canada Biomedical Research Fund,⁠^{Footnote 12} a new program administered by SSHRC on behalf of the three federal research granting agencies (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC), was created to support high-risk, applied research, training and talent development in the biomanufacturing sector in Canada. In 2021–22, SSHRC worked with other federal government organizations to design and launch the first stage of the competition.

Departmental result 1: Canada’s social sciences and humanities research is internationally competitive

SSHRC supports world-class research by awarding highly competitive funding to scholars and students through rigorous, independent merit review aligned with international best practices.

Citation scores of scientific publications can be used as a measure of the impact of published research and an indication of the state of Canada’s social sciences and humanities research on the world stage, recognizing that this measure applies to the research ecosystem overall and not just that resulting from SSHRC funding. In 2021–22, SSHRC ranked 20th among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development nations on the citation score of social sciences and humanities research publications [indicator 1.1; please refer to the Results Achieved section for details on the indicators]. The target of being in the top 10 was not met; preliminary analysis indicates that the lower ranking is linked to an increase in citations for several other countries, even as Canada’s own citation numbers have been increasing.

International collaborations provide Canadian researchers with the opportunity to benefit from international knowledge while also enhancing Canada’s reputation as a global centre for research excellence. In 2021–22, 55% of SSHRC-funded researchers were involved in collaborations with their international peers during their award period [indicator 1.2]. This number has been decreasing over the last three years (from 68% to 54%), which can partly be explained by the impact of the pandemic. SSHRC will keep monitoring these indicators over the next few years to determine if specific actions are required. SSHRC is also continuously working to develop new collaborations with international funding partners, providing opportunities for Canadian researchers to collaborate with experts from around the world to respond to global challenges (see box).

In 2021–22, the New Frontiers in Research Fund ⁠^{Footnote 15} (the tri-agency interdisciplinary fund managed by SSHRC) delivered the final phase of the inaugural Transformation funding opportunity, with seven Canadian-led research teams receiving $144 million over six years. The grants support large-scale, interdisciplinary research projects that address major, well-defined problems or challenges, and have the potential to create transformative, lasting change. The second Transformation competition was launched in fall 2021. Recognizing the urgency of the subject, the Canada Research Coordinating Committee⁠^{Footnote 16} selected climate change as the theme for the first joint initiative under the program’s International stream. Outreach to partner organizations began in fall 2021. The multilateral call, led by the New Frontiers in Research Fund, will be developed with the partner organizations and launched in 2022–23.

Under the direction of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, two New Frontiers in Research Fund special calls were developed related to addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Innovative Approaches to Research in the Pandemic Context was launched and delivered in 2021–22, with 90 awards given, for a total value of $20 million. These grants provide an opportunity for researchers to explore new approaches to research and data collection for research projects that were interrupted by the pandemic. A second special call, Research for Postpandemic Recovery, aims to mobilize Canadian-led research efforts in support of a more equitable, sustainable and resilient postpandemic reality. The special call was launched in early 2022 and will support a diverse portfolio of projects that directly address one or more of the research priorities outlined in the UN Research Roadmap for COVID-19 Recovery.⁠^{Footnote 17}

Departmental result 2: Canada has a pool of highly skilled people in the social sciences and humanities

Producing impactful research requires developing, increasing and maintaining a talent pool of highly skilled researchers and innovative thinkers. SSHRC supports and trains researchers at all stages of their careers. In 2021–22, SSHRC supported 4,945 research trainees directly through scholarships and fellowships [indicator 2.6] and supported 4,390 [indicator 2.5] research trainees indirectly through grants. Indicator 2.5 is a more variable measure because it is based on the number of end-of-grant reports received in a year; that number has been lower for the last two years because of the 12-month extension provided to grant holders to lessen the impacts of the pandemic on research projects. In addition, 59% of directly funded research trainees who reported being employed at the end of their award indicated that they were working in a research position [indicator 2.7], contributing to growth of talent in the research ecosystem. To identify opportunities to strengthen the three federal research granting agencies’ collective efforts for student training and support strategic decisions about this funding, SSHRC, along with NSERC and CIHR, undertook a Talent Evaluation designed to examine funding across the agencies for graduate student training. The evaluation is expected to be completed by March 2023.

Achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive research enterprise is essential to continue to generate excellent, innovative and impactful research. In 2021–22, 58.5% of newly funded recipients self-identified as women [indicator 2.1], 20.6% as visible minorities [indicator 2.2], 3.5% as Indigenous Peoples [indicator 2.3] and 5.6% as persons with disabilities [indicator 2.4]. SSHRC is committed to further broadening and deepening Canada’s talent pool by ensuring that all researchers and research trainees have equitable access to research funding and by promoting a more inclusive research community.

SSHRC continued in 2021–22 to support the objectives of the Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for 2018–2025,⁠^{Footnote 20} by implementing new requirements related to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to reflect the importance of EDI in research practice and research design. Changes were made to both SSHRC and tri-agency programs (see box).

In addition, SSHRC continued to support research and mobilize knowledge on issues and challenges related to EDI in all sectors of society. For instance, SSHRC launched and delivered the Race, Gender and Diversity Initiative,⁠^{Footnote 21} a one-time funding opportunity to support community-based and community-led research partnerships with postsecondary institutions that are grounded in the lived experience of underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, and that analyze the causes and persistence of systemic racism and discrimination.

Research excellence also means ensuring that Canada appropriately supports First Nations, Inuit and Métis research and research training, including by recognizing and respecting Indigenous knowledge systems. In 2021–22, SSHRC, along with NSERC and CIHR, worked to establish the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research⁠^{Footnote 22} to help guide the implementation of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee’s strategic plan, Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada 2019-2022 .⁠^{Footnote 23} The Leadership Circle, composed exclusively of First Nations, Inuit and Métis scholars and community members, will ensure that the path to building new models for Indigenous research and research training will be guided by First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. SSHRC also signed a joint initiative agreement with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation⁠^{Footnote 24} to advance Indigenous-led research and understanding of reconciliation and launched the Partnership Engage Grants—Residential Schools Joint Initiative.⁠^{Footnote 25} This initiative will support Indigenous communities in their decision-making processes, research and actions regarding residential school sites in Canada. Finally, after engaging with national-level Indigenous organizations, advisory bodies, students, professors and university administrators, SSHRC developed the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative to offer additional financial support to Indigenous research trainees. The initiative will be launched in 2022–23.

Departmental result 3: Canada’s social sciences and humanities research knowledge is used

SSHRC partners and shares research results with communities, businesses and governments who use the new knowledge to innovate and improve people’s lives. In 2021–22, SSHRC surpassed its targets with 76% of funded projects reporting non-academic collaborations [indicator 3.3], including 929 non-academic partners [indicator 3.2] and $35.2 million leveraged in financial contributions [indicator 3.1]. Further, 76% of funded research projects reported socioeconomic outcomes for Canadians [indicator 3.4]. To ensure that the benefits of research and talent development are fully realized, SSHRC also aims to make researchers and research results accessible to Canadians (see box).

Through its regular programming and numerous joint initiatives, SSHRC is helping build stronger relationships across sectors. For example, SSHRC worked with Women and Gender Equality Canada to develop the Gender-Based Violence Research Initiative.⁠^{Footnote 29} This initiative supports research partnerships between postsecondary institutions and partners from all sectors, including community-based organizations, to advance knowledge on and analyze the causes and persistence of gender-based violence in Canada.

Through its Imagining Canada’s Future initiative,⁠^{Footnote 30}⁠ SSHRC mobilizes social sciences and humanities research to identify and respond to emerging economic and social challenges for Canada. In 2021–22, SSHRC, in partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada, launched a new Knowledge Synthesis Grants competition on the Emerging Asocial Society,⁠^{Footnote 31}⁠ with $860,000 in funding awarded through 30 awards. SSHRC also developed a new opportunity to collaborate with Women and Gender Equality Canada on a Knowledge Synthesis Grant on gender-based violence,⁠^{Footnote 32}⁠ which will be launched in 2022–23. After the researchers funded through this opportunity complete their projects, they are invited to share their findings in national knowledge mobilization forums, which bring together researchers and cross-sectoral stakeholders. In 2021–22, over 775 individuals participated in two virtual forums on Skills and Work in the Digital Economy, organized with the Future Skills Centre, and on Mobility and Public Transit, organized with Infrastructure Canada. In addition, SSHRC publishes evidence briefs on its website to share Knowledge Synthesis Grants findings with cross-sectoral policy-makers and the wider public. In 2021–22, SSHRC posted 71 evidence briefs related to three Knowledge Synthesis Grants competitions:⁠^{Footnote 33}⁠ Living Within the Earth’s Carrying Capacity; Skills and Work in the Digital Economy; and Mobility and Public Transit.

SSHRC continued to mobilize research knowledge on emerging federal priorities through its partnership with the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, based in Canadian Heritage. To help build greater understanding around systemic racism and discrimination, SSHRC and the Secretariat co-organized four roundtable sessions in 2021–22 on the following topics: Antisemitism, Anti-Asian racism, Anti-Indigenous racism and Islamophobia, in addition to one on Anti-Black racism in 2020–21. These roundtables involved a dozen scholars from across Canada, from diverse groups and disciplines, as well as over 500 attendees from across the federal government.

A robust culture of open access to research publications and responsible stewardship of research data strengthens the research enterprise. Since the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy⁠^{Footnote 34}⁠ was launched in March 2021, SSHRC has worked to help the Canadian research community incorporate data management considerations into research practices and implement the requirements of the new policy. In 2021–22, SSHRC’s Research Data Management Capacity Building Initiative⁠^{Footnote 35}⁠ continued to fund Connection Grants to support the research community’s development, adoption and dissemination of research data management standards and practices. SSHRC also engaged with the research community throughout 2021–22 through a variety of webinars and events on data management.

Gender-based analysis plus

In the effort to ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians, SSHRC collects self-identifying information from participants in most of its funding opportunities. This, along with data from Statistics Canada and other sources, provides valuable information for understanding application rates and award rates of specific subgroups within SSHRC’s funding opportunities, and helps SSHRC monitor the EDI performance of its programs.

SSHRC regularly reports on this data through various mechanisms, including a public EDI dashboard⁠^{Footnote 36}⁠ on its website. Among other activities in 2021–22, SSHRC monitored any changes in application rates and award rates of specific subgroups to identify any ongoing differential impacts of the pandemic. SSHRC also undertook a deeper analysis of the application rates and award rates for Black researchers and trainees in SSHRC’s funding opportunities, to support the work of the external Advisory Committee to Address Anti-Black Racism.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

In 2021–22, SSHRC continued to fund social sciences and humanities research and training that contributes to addressing the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).⁠^{Footnote 37} For instance, SSHRC funded projects examining inequities and gender disparities in education access, which support SDG 4—to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. As well, SSHRC mobilized social sciences and humanities research to address emerging economic, societal and knowledge needs for Canada in support of SDG 9—to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. For instance, the three federal research granting agencies partnered to fund the Implementing Smart Cities Interventions to Build Healthy Cities (SMART) Training Platform,⁠^{Footnote 38} an initiative that will generate cutting-edge knowledge, build capacity in implementation science—the understanding of which solutions work best for whom and why in different contexts—and maximize the health-promoting potential of cities.

Experimentation

SSHRC strives to continuously innovate in its programming. In 2021–22, SSHRC launched the Imagining Canada’s Future Ideas Lab on the topic of Canada and the Circular Economy,⁠^{Footnote 39} and awarded more than $680,000 to three multidisciplinary research teams following a two-stage review process. The Ideas Lab is a pilot initiative designed to experiment with a more iterative and collaborative approach than seen in traditional merit review processes to stimulate the development and adjudication of multidisciplinary research proposals. Award recipients have two years to complete their project. Teams are then encouraged to pursue support for their research projects through regular funding opportunities available from research agencies. A review of this pilot initiative is under way and will inform the next Imagining Canada’s Future Ideas Lab competition, on global health and wellness systems, to be launched in 2023–24.

Also in 2021–22, SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR launched the pilot Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee⁠^{Footnote 40} as part of their response to recommendations made in Canada’s Fundamental Science Review⁠^{Footnote 41} to review and support interdisciplinary research. This committee provides an option for researchers working in interdisciplinary research to direct their applications to a committee of experts from across the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health sciences. During the first year of the pilot, the committee reviewed 106 applications and awarded 24 grants. The pilot was well received by the community and has been renewed for another year.

Results achieved

The following table shows, for Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training, the results achieved, the performance indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2021–22, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.⁠^{Footnote 42}

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for the Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training core responsibility, budgetary spending for 2021–22, as well as actual spending for that year.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.⁠^{Footnote 43}

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full‑time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2021–22.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.⁠^{Footnote 44}

Core responsibility 2: Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research

Description

SSHRC, on behalf of CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC, provides financial support to universities, colleges and their affiliated research hospitals and institutes to reimburse a portion of indirect costs associated with the funded research.

Results

The Research Support Fund (RSF)⁠^{Footnote 45} program supports the achievement of SSHRC’s departmental result: Canada’s university and college research environments are strong. The RSF reinforces the investment made by the federal government to support research in the natural sciences and engineering, in the health sciences, and in the social sciences and humanities by helping institutions maintain the equipment, facilities and administrative support needed to foster a world-class research environment. Meanwhile, the Incremental Project Grants (IPG)⁠^{Footnote 46} funding stream of the RSF aligns with the program’s broader objectives, but directs funds to projects that focus on a set of priorities, including:

• innovation and commercialization activities;
• facilities renewal, including deferred maintenance;
• information resources, including digital resources, open access and databases; and
• equity, diversity and faculty renewal (in the context of EDI).

In 2021–22, the RSF achieved the following results:

• The RSF, including the IPG stream, invested $427.6 million in 2021–22. RSF grants to postsecondary institutions equalled $369.4 million. This funding supported 146 institutions to offset part of their indirect costs incurred when managing research funded by the three federal research funding agencies. Grants to postsecondary institutions from the IPG stream alone equalled $58.2 million in 2021–22. This funding provided additional support to 31 institutions for 162 projects.
• Applications to the 2021–22 RSF grant cycle, including the IPG stream, showed the intended use of funds across all five eligible expenditure categories as follows: intellectual property and knowledge mobilization, 5%; research facilities, 30%; research resources, 21%; management and administration of the institution’s research enterprise, 34%; and regulatory requirements and accreditation, 10%.
• Applications to the 2021–22 IPG stream reflected the following distribution across the four eligible priority areas: innovation and commercialization activities, 22.5%; facilities renewal, 32.1%; information resources, 30%; and equity, diversity and faculty renewal (in the context of EDI), 15.5%.
• Although the 15th-year program evaluation of RSF⁠^{Footnote 47} was completed in 2020–21, the COVID-19 pandemic caused some delays in the implementation of its recommendations. The management response action plan⁠^{Footnote 48} included implementing a communications plan and outreach activities to improve the communication of the program’s goals and highlight its results, as well as implementing a new outcome reporting tool that incorporates some of the suggested measures and improvements highlighted in the evaluation. The communications plan was completed in 2021–22 and its implementation has begun. SSHRC will continue to work on other aspects identified in the evaluation and its response in 2022–23.

Results achieved

The following table shows, for Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research, the results achieved, the performance indicators, the targets and the target dates for 2021–22, and the actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.⁠^{Footnote 49}

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for the Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research core responsibility, budgetary spending for 2021–22, as well as actual spending for that year.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.⁠^{Footnote 50}

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2021–22.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.⁠^{Footnote 51}

Internal services

Description

Internal services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the internal services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:

• acquisition management services
• communication services
• financial management services
• human resources management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• legal services
• material management services
• management and oversight services
• real property management services

Results

To effectively and efficiently execute its mandate, SSHRC must remain a nimble, responsive and adaptive organization, one that ensures the well-being and productivity of its employees in a changing work environment. After operating remotely for a second year, SSHRC continued to deliver its programming with minimal service disruptions. As SSHRC moves forward into the postpandemic environment, the necessary problem-solving and flexibility of the past years are now informing new standards of how the agency works and how it delivers programming. Major initiatives that began before the pandemic continued to be implemented:

Renewing the workplace. SSHRC was planning to move in 2021–22 to a new office location, shared with NSERC, that aligns with the GCworkplace standard. While the move has been delayed, the Workplace Renewal initiative remains at the forefront as agency staff plan to adopt a hybrid model at its new headquarters, composed of open physical and virtual environments. The new workplace will feature integrated technology and accessible work tools to support a productive mobile workforce. In 2021–22, SSHRC invested in modernizing work tools to ensure staff have technologies and foundational tools required to continue to do their work efficiently. SSHRC is committed to partnering with NSERC on the continuing development of a bi-agency digital transformation strategy. The strategyoutlines a multi-year roadmap and investment plan to ensure the agencies’ work tools remain current and to enable more flexibility for staff and stakeholders to access and navigate agency resources.

Supporting SSHRC’s workforce. Knowing that achieving results depends on talented and dedicated staff, SSHRC has multiple initiatives designed to create an environment where employees can thrive. The People Strategy launched in March 2022 maintains SSHRC’s commitment to a workforce that is talented and agile and meaningfully engaged in meeting SSHRC’s mandate, while continuing to foster a creative, collaborative, healthy and inclusive work culture. The strategy sets out strategic priorities and commitments in key areas such as attracting and retaining a diverse and skilled workforce, fostering a healthy and safe workplace, and modernizing grants and financial systems, as well as SSHRC’s infrastructure, to ensure an agile and responsive workforce.

Becoming more agile. Over the past few years, the pace and complexity of change in the Canadian research context, as well as in the global research landscape, has increased. In 2021–22, SSHRC focused on building its own flexibility and agility to respond to these changes. This included improving processes for allocation (and rapid reallocation) of resources, leveraging collaboration tools to support new and evolved virtual processes, and investments in upgrading its information management and information technology infrastructure.

Defining the tri-agency grants management solution.⁠^{Footnote 52} SSHRC continues to collaborate with CIHR and NSERC to improve the existing grants management systems, which operate on dated technology and limit the agencies in their ability to adapt to the changing needs of the research community and the agencies themselves. In November 2021, the three agencies obtained Treasury Board project approval and expenditure authority to undertake the project definition phase for the tri-agency grants management solution. This enabled the Tri-agency Grants Management Solution team to launch a competitive procurement process to select the new platform. In collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada, the team will issue a request for proposals in 2022–23 to select a vendor to help configure the new platform.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for internal services, budgetary spending for 2021–22, as well as spending for that year.

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to carry out its internal services for 2021–22.

Spending and human resources

Spending

Spending 2019–20 to 2024–25

The following graphs present planned (voted and statutory spending) over time.

Total spending authority is increasing over the next few years, primarily due to the new Canada Biomedical Research Fund from Budget 2021 and ramp-up of the New Frontiers in Research Fund from Budget 2018.

Funding was higher in 2020–21 due to a Budget 2021 announcement granting SSHRC access up to $500.7 million from the Public Health Events of National Concern Payments Act to administer two COVID-19 pandemic related programs.

Budget 2018 increased funding for the Research Support Fund gradually over five years, stabilizing in 2021–22. The final expenditures amount can vary slightly from year to year.

Budgetary performance summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

The “Budgetary performance summary for core responsibilities and internal services” table presents the budgetary financial resources allocated for SSHRC’s core responsibilities and for internal services.

During 2021–22, SSHRC’s total authorities available for use increased by $12.3 million over the 2021–22 Main Estimates, largely due to the new Canada Biomedical Research Fund announced in Budget 2021 and the ramp-up of the New Frontiers in Research Fund from Budget 2018.

Human resources

The “Human resources summary for core responsibilities and internal services” table presents the full-time equivalents allocated to each of SSHRC’s core responsibilities and to internal services.

Human resources summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Expenditures by vote

For information on SSHRC’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2021.⁠^{Footnote 53}

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of SSHRC’s spending with Government of Canada’s spending and activities is available in GC InfoBase.⁠^{Footnote 54}

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

SSHRC’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2022, are available on the departmental website.

Financial statement highlights

The large decrease in total expenses over the previous year is due to the previous year’s spending related to the Public Health Events of National Concern Payments Act to support students and youth, as well as research institutes and universities, impacted by COVID-19.

The increase in total revenues over the previous year is mainly due to an increase in SharePoint hosting revenues from other government departments.

The increase in net liabilities and net financial assets is mainly due to grants and scholarships recorded as liabilities at the end of March 2022 (fiscal year 2021–22) but paid in April 2022 (fiscal year 2022–23).

The increase in non-financial assets is mainly due to the increase in SSHRC’s tangible capital assets, where expenditures related to the Workplace Renewal project were recorded as construction-in-progress during 2021–22.

The 2021–22 planned results information is provided in SSHRC’s Unaudited Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2021–22.⁠^{Footnote 55}

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do⁠^{Footnote 57} is available on SSHRC’s website.

For more information on the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter.⁠^{Footnote 58}

Operating context

Information on the operating context⁠^{Footnote 59} is available on SSHRC’s website.

Reporting Framework

SSHRC’s Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2021–22 are shown below.

Supporting information on the program inventory

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.⁠^{Footnote 60}

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on SSHRC’s website:

• Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy/Reporting on Green Procurement
• Details on transfer payment programs
• Gender-based analysis plus

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.⁠^{Footnote 61} This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and gender-based analysis plus of tax expenditures.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address:
350 Albert Street
Ottawa, ON  K1P 6G4
Canada

Telephone: 1-855-275-2861
Email: corporate-performance@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Website: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3‑year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental priority (priorité)

A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

experimentation (expérimentation)

The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person‑year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full‑time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

An analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives; and understand how factors such as sex, race, national and ethnic origin, Indigenous origin or identity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic conditions, geography, culture and disability, impact experiences and outcomes, and can affect access to and experience of government programs.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2021–22 Departmental Results Report, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2020 Speech from the Throne, namely: Protecting Canadians from COVID-19; Helping Canadians through the pandemic; Building back better—a resiliency agenda for the middle class; The Canada we’re fighting for.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)

The process of communicating evidence‑based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

A consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

Date modified:

2022-12-14