Departmental Results Report 2022-23

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, 2023.

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

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Departmental Results Report 2022-23

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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

From the Minister

It is our pleasure to present the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Over the past year, the Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Portfolio worked closely with other government departments and agencies following the pandemic to build a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive economy that benefits all Canadians.

SSHRC promotes and supports social sciences and humanities research and research training that develops talent, generates insights, builds connections and advances knowledge that benefits all Canadians. The agency also delivers programs that support interdisciplinary research and strengthen the overall research environment.

In 2022-23, SSHRC worked with other federal government organizations to deliver the inaugural Stage 1 of the Canada Biomedical Research Fund competition, contributing to 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 also continued in 2022-23 to work with its tri-agency partners to advance government priorities in research, including by continuing the implementation of the Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for 2018-25. SSHRC further delivered on the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priority areas in delivering the competitions of two large-scale, tri-agency programs— the Canada First Excellence Research Fund and the Canada Excellence Research Chairs. Through its engagement with international organizations and interdisciplinary initiatives, and dedicated support for the priorities of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, SSHRC is ensuring and promoting excellence in Canadian research and research training in the humanities and social sciences, and beyond.

We invite you to read this report to learn more about how the ISED Portfolio is working together with Canadians of all backgrounds and in all regions—urban and rural—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 pleased to present SSHRC’s 2022-23 Departmental Results Report. Through its various activities and initiatives, SSHRC ensures that Canadian research leads on the global stage, that Canada has a strong workforce of highly skilled talent in the social sciences and humanities to lead our economy, and that the research and knowledge generated are shared beyond academia for significant and lasting social, political and economic impact.

As a key component of pursuing research excellence and in line with government priorities, SSHRC promotes and advances reconciliation, along with equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across the research environment. Such advances also mean supporting a diverse population of students and postdoctoral fellows. This past year, SSHRC worked on initiatives such as the Tri-Agency Training Strategy to deliver an effective suite of scholarships and fellowships embedding EDI principles and worked to dismantle systemic barriers through targeted funding opportunities for both Black and Indigenous researchers and students. Along with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), SSHRC also launched the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research to help guide the implementation of the tri-agency’s strategic plan to support Indigenous-led research and training in Canada. In addition, it published its first Accessibility Plan to identify, remove and prevent barriers in its programs and policies, especially for persons with disabilities.

SSHRC continuously strives to fund initiatives that address the major societal challenges of today and tomorrow, both through its own programs and through forging partnerships with international funding organizations. In strong support of the objectives of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, SSHRC also delivers several tri-agency programs that position Canada as a leader on the world stage in critical research areas. Through its Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS), SSHRC launched a multi-agency international initiative for research on climate change adaptation and mitigation, and, in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and NSERC, the Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative. SSHRC and NSERC also joined forces with the National Science Foundation in the US and other global partners to launch the National Science Foundation Global Centres initiative to support international collaborative research on climate change and clean energy. These new collaborations are in addition to longstanding ones, such as the Trans-Atlantic Platform, which SSHRC continued to co-lead this past year to develop the next research call on Democracy, Governance and Trust.

Increasingly in partnership with government departments, SSHRC is committed to ensuring that the research and innovation developed through all our programming moves beyond academia and into action, to inform decision-making, policy, and to improve the lives of Canadians. SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative continues to lead the way in this regard with the Knowledge Synthesis Grants on critical future global challenges. The subsequent synthesis reports highlight gaps in knowledge, the national knowledge mobilization forums bring together cross-sector stakeholders, and the resulting evidence briefs available on SSHRC’s website ensure the knowledge is shared with the wider public. In collaboration with funding partners, Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunities were launched this past year on the Shifting Dynamics of Privilege and Marginalization and on Gender-Based Violence.

SSHRC also moved this year to a state-of-the-art, environmentally sustainable building, putting into action a long-planned flexible, hybrid work model, while fostering diversity, mobility and excellence in a modern, inclusive, healthy workplace. SSHRC staff have shown dedication, skill and resilience in continuing to deliver outstanding quality research support services during shifting circumstances.

I am extremely 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 and the world with the ideas and solutions to critical societal issues, giving hope for a more equitable, sustainable, healthier and prosperous 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 2022-23, 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 2022-23, SSHRC invested $125 million to directly support more than 4,800 students through scholarships and fellowships. An additional $431 million investment directly supported more than 11,000 researchers through grants at postsecondary institutions across Canada, which included $72 million that supported students indirectly.

SSHRC helped Canada sustain and enhance its globally competitive position as a producer of high-calibre research, in part by supporting international collaborations in its programs, by working with international funding partners, and delivering unique programs that strengthen Canada’s competitiveness in priority research areas.

• SSHRC continued to work with more than 10 global partners of the Trans-Atlantic Platform to launch international calls addressing major societal issues, with the latest call focused on Democracy, Governance, and Trust.
• The tri-agency New Frontiers in Research Fund saw three competitions delivered and launched two new initiatives, one of which is the International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. Led by Canada, this initiative involves nine international funding partners and will fund international projects tackling climate change.
• In collaboration with other government departments, Stage 1 of the Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) was completed with five research hubs selected.
• SSHRC delivered the 2022 competitions of both the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.

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 (EDI) across the research enterprise.

• SSHRC, along with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), began developing a Tri-Agency Training Strategy to deliver an equitable, accessible and effective suite of scholarships and fellowships that help support and prepare scholars for careers in research.
• The tri-agencies launched the Indigenous Leadership Circle to help guide the implementation of the tri-agency strategic plan, Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada. SSHRC also worked to support Indigenous research talent by implementing a pilot funding opportunity, the Indigenous Awards and Supplement Pilot Initiative.
• SSHRC continued to work with NSERC and CIHR on implementing the Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for 2018-2025, including by supporting EDI in research practice and design. SSHRC also published its first Accessibility Plan to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility in both its programs and policies.

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.

• Through the joint initiative agreement with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, SSHRC delivered the Partnership Engage Grants—Residential Schools Joint Initiative. It also launched the Reconciliation Network in Response to Call to Action 65 funding opportunity to support a network of researchers working to advance the collective understanding of reconciliation.
• Through its Imagining Canada’s Future initiative, SSHRC worked to implement a new 2022-25 action plan to address key future challenge areas that stakeholders deemed critical. In collaboration with funding partners, two new Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunities were launched: one on the Shifting Dynamics of Privilege and Marginalization, another on Gender-Based Violence.

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

The Research Support Fund (RSF) 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 2022-23, the Research Support Fund provided $369 million in grants to 143 postsecondary institutions to offset the indirect costs of managing the research funded by the three federal funding agencies. Through its Incremental Project Grants stream, the RSF provided an additional $58 million to support 162 projects at 32 institutions. Also, this past year, the RSF implemented the new funding announced in Budget 2022 with 48 institutions receiving grants to build their capacity to identify, assess and mitigate potential risks associated with research security: 143 projects were funded, totalling $24.7 million.

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

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. SSHRC also supports international collaborations that provide Canadian researchers with the opportunity to benefit from international knowledge while enhancing Canada’s reputation as a global centre for research excellence. In 2022-23, 57% of SSHRC-funded researchers reported being involved in collaborations with their international peers during their award period (refer to the results achieved section below for more details).

SSHRC continuously works 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. This past year, SSHRC developed an International Framework and Action Plan for 2023-25 to guide its investments and advance international engagements across SSHRC and the tri-agencies. SSHRC continued to work with more than 10 global partners of the Trans-Atlantic Platform to launch international calls addressing major societal issues. The latest call, focused on Democracy, Governance and Trust, is set to launch in 2023-24. SSHRC and NSERC also partnered with research organizations in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom to launch the Global Centres initiative―a joint initiative to encourage and support international collaborative research on climate change and clean energy. Finally, in 2022-23, results of the Open Research Area 7th Call for Proposals (ORA 7) were announced: SSHRC invested more than $2 million over three years to support six Canadian research teams in their collaborations with international partners.

The New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), a tri-agency interdisciplinary fund managed by SSHRC, delivered three competitions in 2022-23 (see text box) and launched two new initiatives: 1) the 2022 Horizon Global Platforms competition, which provides financial support to Canadian researchers participating in Horizon Europe-funded projects, and 2) the International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. Led by Canada, this initiative represents a multilateral collaboration involving nine international funding partners. It funds a portfolio of international projects tackling climate change by developing adaptation and mitigation strategies with groups that are most vulnerable. International funders in the consortium will contribute more than $30 million to this call, for a current total competition budget of more than $90 million.

SSHRC administers several other tri-agency programs that strengthen Canada’s ability to remain internationally competitive in research areas that create long-term social and economic advantages for Canada. The Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) is an essential component of Canada’s strategy to support the growth of a strong, competitive biomanufacturing and life sciences sector and to ensure Canada is prepared for future pandemics. In 2022-23, SSHRC worked with other federal government organizations to deliver Stage 1 of the competition with the creation of five research hubs. Led by a postsecondary institution, each hub is a coalition of research partners from across sectors. Hubs will accelerate the research and development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, while supporting training and development to expand the pipeline of skilled talent. Stage 2 of the competition, launched in March 2023, will fund research, talent development and infrastructure projects aligned with the hubs’ research program. Also in 2022-23, SSHRC delivered the fourth competition of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) program and the third competition of the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) program. CERC helps recruit the best global talent to Canada, while CFREF helps Canadian postsecondary institutions excel globally, both in the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation (ST&I) priority areas. New design elements in both programs were launched to, among other things, ensure that they meet their objectives, improve on their delivery and align with the government’s ST&I priorities.

Departmental result 2: Canada has a pool of diverse and 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 2022-23, SSHRC directly supported 4,882 research trainees through scholarships and fellowships. Another 5,902 were supported indirectly through grants. In addition, 62% of directly funded research trainees who reported being employed at the end of their award indicated that they were working in a research position, contributing to the growth of talent in the research ecosystem.

In 2022-23, under the direction of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC), SSHRC, along with NSERC and CIHR, began developing a Tri-Agency Training Strategy to deliver an equitable, accessible and effective suite of scholarships and fellowships that help support and prepare a diverse population of students and postdoctoral fellows for careers requiring strong research skills. Implementation of the strategy will be guided by an external advisory committee, with consultations scheduled to take place in 2023-24. This past year, SSHRC also worked on the report of the Talent Evaluation―a strategic evaluation of graduate student training opportunities across the three federal funding agencies, which is expected to inform the Training Strategy. The report will be published in 2023-24.

SSHRC is committed to actively supporting First Nations, Inuit and Métis research and research training, including by recognizing and respecting Indigenous Knowledge systems. In 2022-23, SSHRC, along with NSERC and CIHR, launched the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research, composed exclusively of First Nations, Inuit and Métis scholars and community members. The Leadership Circle, which convened on several occasions this past year, will help guide the implementation of the tri-agency strategic plan, Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada. Launched in 2020 in response to a CRCC priority, the strategy’s implementation is being coordinated through five working groups: the Indigenous Funding Opportunities Working Group, the Reference Group for the Appropriate Review of Indigenous Research, and three tri-agency working groups (Reducing Administrative Barriers, Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research, Indigenous Citizenship and Membership).

The internal tri-agency Indigenous Citizenship and Membership Working Group was launched this past year to analyze and understand different ways of affirming Indigenous citizenship and membership within the context of tri-agency programs and funding opportunities. Substantive engagement was undertaken with Indigenous leadership across the country, including Indigenous senior administrators in postsecondary institutions. In support of the same goals, tri-agency funding was provided for the 2023 National Indigenous Citizenship Forum, an Indigenous-only gathering for university campus members to discuss Indigenous citizenship within the Canadian postsecondary context.

Achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive research enterprise is essential to continue to generate excellent, innovative and impactful research. In 2022-23, 58.6% of newly funded recipients self-identified as women, 21.8% as members of visible minorities, 3.0% as Indigenous Peoples and 9.0% as persons with disabilities. 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 2022-23 to work with NSERC and CIHR on the implementation of the Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for 2018-2025, including by supporting equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in research practice and design (see text box). SSHRC also published its first Accessibility Plan to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility in both its programs and policies in compliance with the Accessible Canada Act (see the Gender-based analysis plus section for details).

Following the funding for Black scholars announced in Budget 2022, in 2022-23, the federal granting agencies worked to offer designated awards for Black students and postdoctoral researchers through the agencies’ existing funding opportunities. Funding will be awarded starting in 2023-24 and includes $40.9 million over five years and $9.7 million ongoing (total invested by all three agencies) to increase the number of awards available to highly qualified Black scholars.

Also in 2022-23, the tri-agency Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) launched the inaugural Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity. The award, valued at $100,000, honours the eight women who worked to increase the level of equity within the CRCP and Canada’s research ecosystem more broadly by way of the 2006 Canadian human rights complaints and the signing of its 2019 Addendum. Institutions were invited to submit nominations for bold projects that will challenge the status quo, spark change and address persistent systemic barriers in the research ecosystem and academia. The three winners of the 2022 competition will be announced in 2023-24.

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 2022-23, 75% of funded projects reported non-academic collaborations, including 771 non-academic partners and $37.7 million leveraged in financial contributions. Further, 79% of funded research projects reported socio-economic outcomes for Canadians. 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. For example, SSHRC continued to partner with The Conversation Canada to deliver a series of virtual public talks featuring winners of SSHRC Impact Awards. The talks bring engaging and enlightening dialogue with SSHRC-funded researchers to Canadians from coast to coast to coast, highlighting the value and importance of social sciences and humanities research.

Through its regular programming and numerous joint initiatives, SSHRC helps build stronger relationships across sectors, supporting the flow, exchange and use of research knowledge. The joint initiative agreement with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation led to two new funding opportunities in 2022-23. The Partnership Engage Grants—Residential Schools Joint Initiative awarded eight grants for a total investment of $373,460. The collaborative research that will emerge from this funding will provide critical knowledge and support to Indigenous communities continuing to experience the impacts of the residential school system. Another longer-term funding opportunity was launched to support a network of researchers working to advance the collective understanding of reconciliation. The Reconciliation Network in Response to Call to Action 65 funding opportunity will see SSHRC invest up to $6 million, with each grant valued at a maximum of $1 million over five years. The results will be announced in 2023-24.

SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative accelerates the exchange and use of research knowledge to better inform policy and respond to emerging economic and social challenges for Canada. Knowledge Synthesis Grants (KSGs) support researchers in producing knowledge synthesis reports, which analyze existing knowledge on a specific question or issue and work to identify knowledge gaps. After researchers funded through KSGs complete their projects, they are invited to share their findings in national knowledge mobilization forums and in evidence briefs (available on SSHRC’s website). The forums bring together researchers, diverse stakeholders and cross-sectoral policy-makers to present and discuss the findings, while the evidence briefs ensure the knowledge is more sustainably shared with the wider public.

This past year, SSHRC worked to implement a new 2022-25 action plan to address key future challenge areas that stakeholders deemed critical. In partnership with Genome Canada, SSHRC launched a new KSG competition in the Shifting Dynamics of Privilege and Marginalization challenge area: 30 grants were awarded. Also in 2022-23, in partnership with Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), SSHRC held a KSG competition on Gender-Based Violence, which funded 32 projects. Finally, SSHRC organized a virtual forum in partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) on The Emerging Asocial Society. The 30 evidence briefs associated with this KSG are being finalized for publication on SSHRC’s website.

A robust culture of responsible stewardship of research data strengthens the research enterprise. SSHRC’s Research Data Management Capacity Building Initiative continued to fund Connection Grants to support the research community’s development, adoption and dissemination of research data management standards and practices. Additional actions in 2022-23 included implementing the requirement for institutional research data management strategies: more than 150 institutions published their strategies and developed guidelines and program literature to pilot a requirement for data management plans in Stage 2 of SSHRC Partnership Grants, launching in 2023-24.

Gender-based analysis plus

To ensure inclusive outcomes for Canadians, SSHRC collects self-identification 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 on its website and through the Canadian Research Coordinating Committee annual progress report. SSHRC’s Accessibility Plan, developed and published in 2022-23, will further contribute to understanding barriers and ensuring inclusive outcomes for the research community (see text box).

SSHRC conducts program evaluations using a GBA Plus protocol that includes standardized sub-questions and data collection tools to identify any potential differential impacts of SSHRC’s programs with respect to research, research training and research careers. This protocol was used in 2022-23 in the evaluation of the Canada Research Chairs Program and in the Talent Evaluation (the tri-agency evaluation of funding for graduate student training).

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

SSHRC helps advance the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by delivering essential funding for research, training and knowledge mobilization through its core programs, as well as by developing and delivering innovative programs that often address complex global challenges. For instance, SSHRC contributes to SDG 4―Quality Education by offering valuable research training opportunities for students and postdoctoral fellows though grants, scholarships and fellowships. SSHRC’s work to advance EDI, including its support for Indigenous research and reconciliation, contributes to SDG 10―Reduced Inequalities by working to increase equitable and inclusive participation in the research ecosystem. SSHRC is also committed to greening its own operations and to funding science that will help identify solutions to the climate crisis, supporting goals 12―Responsible Consumption and Production, and 13―Climate Action.

This past year, SSHRC partnered in climate-related research initiatives, such as the 2023 International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation being delivered through the New Frontiers in Research Fund, and the Sustainable agriculture research initiative that supports the transformative science needed to transition the agricultural sector to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. Finally, many of the future global challenges identified through SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative, such as Building Better Lives Across the Gender Spectrum, Living Within Earth’s Carrying Capacity, and the Shifting Dynamic of Privilege and Marginalization, are the focus of SSHRC’s annual knowledge synthesis and mobilization activities and contribute to advancing the SDGs.

Innovation

In 2022-23, SSHRC launched the second pilot Imagining Canada’s Future (ICF) Ideas Lab funding opportunity dedicated to Global Health and Wellness for the 21st Century, in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Genome Canada. The Ideas Lab is designed to encourage innovative research partnerships and projects. It also helps break down methodological barriers and empower participants to explore new approaches to research. Stage 1 is an interactive workshop that will take place in 2023-24.

Building on their world-class peer review processes, the three research funding agencies are extending the pilot of the Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee for another year. The Committee, part of the tri-agency response to recommendations made in the final report of the Fundamental Science Review, provides an option for researchers working in interdisciplinary research to direct their applications to a committee composed of experts from across the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health sciences.

SSHRC is also finding new ways to support Indigenous scholars, with a pilot funding opportunity launched in 2022-23. In collaboration with CIHR, NSERC and Indigenous partners, SSHRC implemented the Indigenous Awards and Supplement Pilot Initiative to support Indigenous research talent. Qualifying Indigenous applicants will receive a $17,500 award, as well as a $5,000 supplement, as part of the 2022 competition of the Canada Graduate Scholarships–Master’s program offered by SSHRC and NSERC. Results of the competition will be announced in spring 2023. The initiative will provide dedicated funding to support promising graduate students, foster the mentorship of young researchers, and increase opportunities for Indigenous Peoples in Canadian postsecondary institutions.

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 2022-23, 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.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for Funding Social Sciences and Humanities Research and Training, budgetary spending for 2022-23, as well as actual spending for that year.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

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 2022-23.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

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) program, a tri-agency initiative administered by SSHRC, helps Canadian postsecondary institutions and their affiliated research hospitals and institutes with the indirect costs associated with managing the research funded by the three federal research granting agencies. The program provides institutions with an annual grant to help offset the costs of maintaining a world-class research environment, with modern facilities, equipment and essential resources.

The Incremental Project Grants (IPG) funding opportunity is a stream of the RSF that provides eligible institutions with additional support for projects that focus on priority areas. In Budget 2022, to further support institutions and the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships, the Government of Canada announced dedicated funding for research security as an IPG priority area. Every year, across Canada, research institutions face security threats that can compromise their research, innovation, collaborations and partnerships, both domestically and internationally. Launched in 2022-23, the investment provides an additional $125 million over five years, and $25 million ongoing per year, to support eligible institutions in building their capacity to identify, assess and mitigate potential research security risks.

In 2022-23, the RSF achieved the following results:

• The program invested $452.3 million:
  • RSF base program grants to postsecondary institutions equalled $369.4 million. This funding supported 143 institutions.
  • Grants to postsecondary institutions from the IPG stream equalled $58.2 million. This funding provided additional support to 32 institutions for 162 projects.
  • 48 institutions received funding to support capacity building related to research security, totalling $24.7 million for 143 projects.
• Applications to the 2022-23 RSF grant cycle showed the intended use of funds across eligible expenditure categories as follows: intellectual property and knowledge mobilization, 5%; research facilities, 29%; research resources, 22%; management and administration of the institution’s research enterprise, 35%; and regulatory requirements and accreditation, 9%.
• Applications to the 2022-23 IPG stream reflected the following distribution across eligible priority areas: innovation and commercialization activities, 16.7%; facilities renewal, 46%; information resources, 26%; and equity, diversity and faculty renewal (in the context of EDI), 11.3%.
• SSHRC continued to implement the management response to the 15th-year evaluation of the RSF. SSHRC developed a renewed reporting framework to help implement institutional reporting that is more in line with the contributory nature of the program, the risks associated with the program and the performance information needs of program management. This new proposed framework, which requires institutions to report on expense categories and to publicly share performance stories, has been approved by the program’s governance body and will be validated with stakeholders through engagement sessions in 2023-24. The program’s plan to improve the communication of its goals and highlight its results continued to be implemented.

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 2022-23, 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.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for the Institutional Support for the Indirect Costs of Research core responsibility, budgetary spending for 2022-23, as well as actual spending for that year.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

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 2022-23.

Financial, human resources and performance information for SSHRC’s program inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

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 refer 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 execute its mandate effectively and efficiently, 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. As SSHRC moves forward in post-pandemic times, 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 moved into its new, state of the art, head office. Focus was on ensuring the health and safety of staff as they returned to in-person work. SSHRC has adopted a flexible hybrid work model that fosters diversity, mobility and excellence in a modern, inclusive and healthy workplace. Change management practices were deployed to respond to employees’ evolving needs in interacting with the new GCworkplace environment, optimizing hybrid work, learning to work in open concept and shared workspaces, and tackling issues with technology readiness.

Supporting SSHRC’s workforce

This year, SSHRC continued to implement actions to support the four key priorities of its People Strategy:

1. To support building the workforce for future success, a Recruitment and Staffing plan was developed to leverage opportunities to modernize and enhance practices to attract top and diverse talent.
2. To promote a safe, respectful and healthy work environment, the Office of the Ombuds supported employees and management throughout the year and ensured Mental Health First Aiders were trained and deployed.
3. To support diversity and inclusion, upon receipt of the final report of the Cultural and Employment Systems Review, a strategy was developed to engage staff in prioritizing actions required to remove identified barriers to diversity and inclusion. Along with publishing its first Accessibility Plan, SSHRC has renewed its Accommodation policy and process.
4. SSHRC continued to modernize its operations and leverage technology to better meet the needs of employees and the agency in a hybrid work model.

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 2022-23, SSHRC continued to focus on increasing 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.

Implementing the tri-agency grants management solution

SSHRC continued to work with CIHR and NSERC and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to co-develop the Tri-Agency Grants Management Solution (TGMS). The project aims to replace the agencies’ existing grants management systems with a common solution that will better serve the needs of each agency’s respective research communities. The new system will modernize operations and enable the agencies to deliver on their mandates while optimizing their contributions to Canada's research excellence agenda. In 2022-23, the TGMS team launched and completed a competitive process to select a system provider to assist with the platform configuration (i.e., Microsoft Power Platform) and continued its work to obtain the proper authorities from Treasury Board to start the implementation phase.

Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

SSHRC is a Phase 2 organization and is aiming to achieve the minimum 5% target by the end of 2023-24. It has taken the following measures to ensure progress toward achieving this target:

• SSHRC is delivering information sessions to clients (i.e., employees in need of procurement services) and to procurement officers to educate them on the benefits and obligations of Indigenous procurement.
• Reference materials, such as a presentation on the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB) and links to the Indigenous Business Directory and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, are available to employees on the intranet.
• SSHRC has updated internal templates, such as the Statement of Work and the Request for Proposals templates, which include a section for consideration of the PSIB.
• PSIB evaluation criteria that favour Indigenous businesses have been created and will be included in Requests for Proposals when appropriate.
• Procurement officers will promote to clients the lists of Indigenous suppliers who are pre-qualified under the supply arrangements and standing offers. SSHRC is also ensuring early engagement with clients and including the PSIB as an element to consider at the outset of each procurement request.
• Business owners are also encouraged to consider contracting with an Indigenous vendor when planning a requirement.

Additional relevant information:

• 100% of procurement officers have completed the mandatory Indigenous Considerations in Procurement course from the Canada School of Public Service;
• 30% of procurement officers have completed the Procurement in the Nunavut Settlement Area course from the Canada School of Public Service. The target for fiscal year 2023-24 is 100%;
• SSHRC migrated to SAP financial system on April 1, 2023, which will allow for better, more accurate reporting of the PSIB.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for internal services, budgetary spending for 2022-23, 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 2022-23.

Spending and human resources

Spending

Spending 2020-21 to 2025-26

The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory spending) over time.

Spending increased in 2022-23, and planned spending is increasing in future years, mainly because of:

• funding received from Budget 2021 for the Race, Gender and Diversity Partnership and the new Canada Biomedical Research Fund;
• funding from Budget 2022 for research security and the Black scholars awards;
• funding received following the 2022 Canada First Research Excellence Fund competition.

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.

SSHRC received additional funding from Budget 2022 for the Research Support Fund to build capacity within postsecondary institutions to identify, assess and mitigate potential risks to research security.

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.

Actual spending in 2022-23 and future years planned spending are affected by the following:

• additional funding received from Budget 2021 for the Race, Gender and Diversity Initiative and for the new Canada Biomedical Research Fund;
• additional funding from Budget 2022 to support research security capacity building and activities, and to provide research training awards for Black scholars;
• funding received following the 2022 Canada First Research Excellence Fund competition;
• the reallocation of funds from the Canada Biomedical Research Fund to future years due to delays in the required approvals by the multidepartmental governance structure of the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy.

The result is an overall slight decrease in actual spending in 2022-23 compared to planned spending.

In addition, 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 temporary COVID-19 pandemic-related programs.

Human resources

The “Human resources summary for core responsibilities and internal services” table presents the full-time equivalents (FTEs) 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.

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.

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

SSHRC’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2023, are available on the departmental website.

Financial statement highlights

The 2022-23 planned results shown above represent amounts from the 2022-23 Future-Oriented Statement of Operations.

The increase in total expenses from previous years is mainly attributed to the increase in funding for the indirect costs of research from Budget 2022 in support of research security; and the increase in funding for the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) from Budget 2018, to support research that is international, interdisciplinary, high risk and fast breaking.

The decrease in total revenues from previous year is mainly due to a gain on disposal of capital assets recorded during 2021-22 for the sale of an organization’s vehicle.

The 2022-23 planned results shown above represent amounts from the 2022-23 Future-Oriented Statement of Operations.

The increase in net liabilities and decrease in net financial assets is mainly due to an increase in vacation pay and compensatory leave offset by a lower volume of payables at the end of March 2023 compared to March 2022. This is a result of a concerted effort to settle existing payables in preparation for the agency’s financial system transition to the new SAP system.

The decrease in non-financial assets is mainly due to a decrease in SSHRC’s prepaid expenses.

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 is available on SSHRC’s website.

For more information on the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter.

Operating context

Information on the operating context is available on SSHRC’s website.

Reporting framework

SSHRC’s departmental results framework and program inventory of record for 2022-23 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.

Supplementary information tables

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

• 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. 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 GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address:
125 Zaida Eddy Private, 2nd floor
Ottawa ON, K1R 0E3
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 three‑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.

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 can affect access to and experience of government programs.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the November 23, 2021, Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fighting harder for safer communities; standing up for diversity and inclusion; moving faster on the path to reconciliation; and fighting for a secure, just and equitable world.

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.

Indigenous business (enterprise autochtone)

For the purpose of the Directive on the Management of Procurement Appendix E: Mandatory Procedures for Contracts Awarded to Indigenous Businesses and the Government of Canada’s commitment that a mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses, an organization that meets the definition and requirements as defined by the Indigenous Business Directory.

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:

2023-11-09