Global Affairs Canada’s 2024–25 Departmental plan at a glance
A departmental plan describes a department’s priorities, plans and associated costs for the upcoming three fiscal years.
Key priorities
- Shaping the rules-based international system and promoting democracy and human rights
- Continue to work with partners to foster a just, effective and accountable rules-based international system and defend its core principles, including sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states.
- Strengthen Canada’s engagement and presence in the UN system and work to advance common objectives within global and regional institutions.
- Promote democracy and human rights across all activities, and develop and expand collective responses to cyber threats, foreign interference and egregious violations of human rights, including through sanctions.
- Build on Canada’s constructive global leadership as a G20 member, top-ten provider of development assistance, and donor to UN funds and programs, and as G7 president in 2025.
- Contribute to and promote international peace and security, particularly through NATO and other engagement with allies, partners and international organizations, and continue to support UN peace operations, conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
- Advancing Canadian interests through deepened global engagement
- Further deepen Canada’s partnerships with its closest allies and continue to advance a broad range of relationships with both new and existing partners.
- This includes further strengthening Canada’s partnership with the United States, advancing ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific, supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and recovery and holding Russia to account, advancing Canada’s interest in the Arctic, deepening our strategic partnership with the EU, and engaging to promote conditions for peace and prosperity in the Middle East.
- Strengthen Canada’s diplomatic capacity, including through the Transforming GAC initiative, to address global challenges and advance Canada’s interests.
- Supporting Canadian exporters and rules-based trade
- Provide enhanced services and support to Canadian businesses and innovators seeking to take advantage of international opportunities and partnerships, including initiatives that advance diverse representation in the Canadian exporting community and promote responsible business conduct abroad.
- Pursue foreign direct investment attraction and an international education strategy that support the needs of the Canadian economy.
- Support the diversification of Canada’s economic and commercial relations, including by pursuing free trade agreements and their continued implementation in a manner that benefits Canadian consumers and businesses.
- Work with diverse international partners to promote open and rules-based trade and to combat protectionism, unfair trade practices and economic coercion around the world.
- Advance Canada’s global leadership and engagement on key issues, including the green transition, critical minerals and supply chain resilience.
- Eradicating poverty
- Continue efforts to eradicate poverty, uphold human rights and advance sustainable development in line with the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) and consistent with the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
- Deliver on Canada’s commitments on gender equality and on sub-Saharan Africa.
- Transform the department’s grants and contributions processes to improve how Canada’s international assistance is managed and delivered.
Refocusing Government Spending
In Budget 2023, the government committed to reducing spending by $14.1 billion over the next five years, starting in 2023–24, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.
As part of meeting this commitment, GAC is planning the following spending reductions.
| 2024–25 | 2025–26 | 2026–27 and after |
|---|---|---|
$118,718,936 | $179,214,936 | $243,374,436 annually |
GAC will achieve the majority of these reductions by doing the following:
- Reducing professional services and travel expenditures;
- Scaling back planned spending under the International Assistance Innovation Program and Sovereign Loans Program, to account for trends in these programs’ uptake in certain areas; and
- Sunsetting funding under the Middle East Strategy as of April 2025 (which was created originally to address the immediate threat presented by Daesh which, at the time, controlled significant territory in Iraq and Syria). Note that this reduction does not affect the Government’s level of commitment to responding to the crisis in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. All recent commitments in humanitarian assistance to the region, including Gaza specifically, will remain unchanged. The department will continue to monitor the volatile situation in the region and may adjust post-2025 plans accordingly.
Smaller reductions have also been identified to programs and activities which could absorb slight reductions without undermining their core tenets or affecting the priorities outlined in this departmental plan, namely:
- Scaling back funding under the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program, and the Canadian Police Deployments;
- Scaling back some funding under the intellectual property component of the CanExport Program; and
- Recalibrating marketing efforts aimed at promoting Canada as a study destination.
Finally, the department is also planning to undertake the following administrative measures:
- Modestly reducing the department’s senior management cadre in the context of the department’s broader transformation efforts.
The figures in this departmental plan reflect these reductions.
Highlights
A Departmental Results Framework consists of an organization’s core responsibilities, the results it plans to achieve, and the performance indicators that measure progress toward these results.
International Advocacy and Diplomacy
Departmental results:
- Canada builds and maintains constructive relationships that advance Canada’s interests.
- Canada’s leadership on global issues contributes to a just and inclusive world.
- Canada helps build strong international institutions and respect for international law.
- Canada’s global influence is expanded and strengthened.
Planned spending: $1,020,936,094
Planned human resources: 2,696
In this time of heightened global instability, countries are facing the complex challenge of trying to adapt to a rapidly changing global environment. Canada is no exception, and in this context, it remains a priority to make advances to support, defend and improve the international rules-based system in order to achieve common goals. Through the department’s prominent role in Canada’s international operations and with guidance from its feminist foreign policy, GAC will deliver its diplomacy and advocacy programming to uphold and advance democratic principles, human rights and gender equality; to dismantle persistent discriminatory practices and structural barriers that result in inequalities; to promote biodiversity and climate action; to support sustainable and inclusive economic growth; to uphold international law; and to build lasting peace and security. This will in turn contribute to greater prosperity and security for all Canadians.
In collaboration with its partners, GAC will continue its strong engagement in order to contribute to progress toward common global goals, including those in the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In 2024–25, GAC will strengthen Canada’s international influence and advance Canadian interests through the implementation of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, and the start of Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency.
More information about International Advocacy and Diplomacy can be found in the full departmental plan.
Trade and Investment
Departmental results:
- Canada helps to build and safeguard an open and inclusive rules-based global trading system.
- Canadian exporters and innovators are successful in their international business development efforts.
- Foreign direct investment is facilitated, expanded or retained.
Planned spending: $421,283,832
Planned human resources: 2,193
GAC supports an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system and is committed to continuing collaboration with national and international stakeholders to diversify trade and economic partnerships, strengthen critical supply chains, create good middle-class jobs at home and abroad, and enable long-term and inclusive growth. The department will continue to deepen and diversify Canada’s trade relationships, including through the Indo-Pacific Strategy, and increase opportunities for under-represented groups (women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized entrepreneurs, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and youth). In the year ahead, GAC will provide support to Canadian exporters to help them gain greater access to international opportunities, in addition to promoting Canada’s capabilities, innovation and inputs into global supply chains for critical commodities including those related to energy security and the net-zero emission. Through engagement with investors, GAC will continue to support enhanced competitiveness of Canadian exports and attract foreign investment.
More information about Trade and Investment can be found in the full departmental plan.
Development, Peace and Security Programming
Departmental results:
- Improved physical, social and economic well-being for the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly for women and girls, in countries where Canada engages.
- Enhanced empowerment and rights for women and girls in countries where Canada engages.
- Reduced suffering and increased human dignity in communities experiencing humanitarian crises.
- Improved peace and security in countries and regions where Canada engages.
- Canada’s international assistance is made more effective by leveraging diverse partnerships, innovation, and experimentation.
Planned spending: $5,619,469,815
Planned human resources: 1,212
Global poverty reduction and improved opportunities for all are essential to building a secure and sustainable future. Guided by the department’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada’s international assistance supports ongoing efforts to eradicate global poverty and contribute to a more peaceful, prosperous and inclusive world, including through gender-responsive humanitarian action. The launch of Canada’s next National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) will reinforce Canada’s work toward inclusive and sustainable peace and security efforts. Through action in areas such as global health and nutrition, education for refugees and absolute dedication to putting women and girls at the centre of all that we do, GAC will continue to make a difference in the lives of people living in poverty and vulnerable situations.
More information about Development, Peace and Security can be found in the full departmental plan.
Help for Canadians Abroad
Departmental results:
- Canadians have timely access to information and services that keeps them safer abroad.
- Canadians abroad receive timely and appropriate government services.
Planned spending: $73,892,140
Planned human resources: 511
Canadians looking to travel, live and do business around the world require current information and access to services that will help keep them safe. To support this, GAC provides information and advice, a range of consular services and emergency assistance around the clock. The increased number and complexity of international crises will continue to drive the department’s efforts to provide dedicated, compassionate and inclusive consular services, as well as services tailored to travellers in potentially vulnerable situations, including women, 2SLGBTQI+ and Indigenous Peoples. The year ahead will also see a greater focus on access to information about travel risks and available consular services abroad and continued Canadian leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations.
More information about Help for Canadians Abroad can be found in the full departmental plan.
Canada’s Presence Abroad
Departmental results:
- Sound management and delivery of resources, infrastructure, and services enables Canada’s presence abroad.
- Personnel are safe, missions are more secure and government and partner assets and information are protected.
Planned spending: $1,333,543,057
Planned human resources: 4,649
GAC will continue to ensure that Canadian missions have resources, infrastructure and staff to enable the provision of quality services to Canadians abroad. In 2024–25, the department will undertake to modernize and transform its human resources management abroad, implement its digital strategy and improve capacity to make sound decisions based on risk assessments and contextual information.
More information about Support for Canada’s Presence Abroad can be found in the full departmental plan.
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