Question Period Note: TBS’ Departmental Plan 2025-26

What kind of performance targets are in the Treasury Board Secretariat’s 2025-26 Departmental Plan?

• As part of its 2025–26 priorities, TBS will continue to advance digital government, green government operations, foster, build and support a diverse workforce, and modernize the federal regulatory system.
• We will support the government by continuing to review spending across all government organizations, including our own, to reallocate funds to the priorities that matter most to Canadians.
• TBS is helping the government improve secure service delivery through the effective use of modern technology and the implementation of the Government of Canada’s Enterprise Cyber Security Strategy.
• TBS maintains its commitment to reach its 80% target regarding high-volume Government of Canada services that meet service standards.

• To boost sustainable economic growth, TBS will continue building a modern regulatory system that is more responsive, easier to navigate, and promotes trade and innovation while still protecting Canadians’ health, safety, security, and the environment.

TBS’s 2025-26 Departmental Plan highlights the oversight and leadership TBS will provide to help federal departments and agencies deliver program and service results to Canadians.
The Plan includes the following indicators and targets that may attract attention:

Departmental result indicators
1. Percentage of high-volume Government of Canada services that meet service standards
a. Actual Results
i. 2021–22: 46%
ii. 2022–23: 40%
iii. 2023–24: 55%
b. Target: At least 80%
c. Target Date: March 2026
2. Percentage of Government of Canada business applications assessed as healthy
a. Actual Results
i. 2021–22: 37%
ii. 2022–23: 38%
iii. 2023–24: 35%
b. Target: At least 37%
c. Target Date: March 2027
3. Percentage of employees who believe their workplace is psychologically healthy
a. Actual Results
i. 2021–22: 68%
ii. 2022–23: 68%
iii. 2023–24: 68%
b. Target: More than 68%
c. Target Date: March 2027

1. The target of 80% reflects Canadians’ expectations of simple, secure and efficient delivery of services and benefits. Parliamentary Committees have previously questioned why the target is not 100%. While the 80% target is not likely to be achieved in the next year, it is important for TBS to be consistent in saying that 80% is what we expect from departments.

TBS is helping the government drive sustainable improvements in providing secure service delivery through the effective use of modern technology and the implementation of the Government of Canada’s Enterprise Cyber Security Strategy.

1. The target of 37% considers departments financial and technological ability to sustain and manage IT applications through their asset lifecycle.
   Historical data indicates slow to no progress with current strategies to sustain business value of the systems, and the business continuity / disaster recovery plans for each application. The former application modernization program showed a brief improvement in application health, but program funding ended in 2023-2024 and results were not sustained.

The launch of a Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy could provide TBS with an opportunity to explore improvements to the technological efficiency and quality of program and service delivery for Canadians, while respecting the fiscal priorities Canadians expect.
3. The target, “more than 68%”, reflects an objective of continuous improvement. While the
number of employees who would describe their workplace as being psychologically healthy

has held steady at 68% in both the 2020 and 2022 Public Service Employee Survey, there was a 7 percentage point increase (from 61% to 68%) from 2019 to 2020.
As part of the Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Strategy, TBS provides guidance and support to departments in developing and implementing action plans to support employee psychological health, safety and well-being.

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