In 2022–23, NSERC will continue to advance implementation of the Tri-agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan, working closely with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and other agencies and institutions. The action plan seeks to provide equitable and inclusive access for all researchers to NSERC funding opportunities, and to influence the achievement of an inclusive post-secondary research system and culture in Canada.

As part of implementation, NSERC is committed to continuing the integration of GBA Plus/EDI considerations into its policies, plans, programs and processes, indicators of research excellence, evaluation criteria, and departmental decision-making processes in order to eliminate systemic biases that hinder equitable access to its programs.

In 2021, NSERC reviewed and enhanced internal governance structures to coordinate the agency’s implementation of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee’s (CRCC) strategic plan, Setting new directions to support indigenous research and research training in Canada 2019-22.

Various NSERC and inter-agency committees and working groups support GBA Plus/EDI objectives and implementation, including the following: NSERC Council’s Standing Committee on EDI; Inter-Agency Committee on EDI; Inter-Agency EDI Policy Group; NSERC Working Group on EDI; NSERC GBA Plus Community of Practice; and various other internal working groups focusing on the development of tools and resources to advance a comprehensive understanding of research excellence and the inclusion of EDI considerations in research, teams and training. NSERC also participates in federal initiatives such as interdepartmental networks of Gender Focal Points and GBA Plus Champions coordinated by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE).

In 2021, NSERC updated its guidelines governing membership of peer review committees, aiming to achieve a more equitable, diverse and inclusive committee recruitment and nomination process and to extend diversity considerations beyond gender.

Furthermore, in 2020 the federal research granting agencies established the Reference Group for the Appropriate Review of Indigenous Research to provide advice and guidance on the development and implementation of culturally appropriate review approaches and practices for research conducted by and with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

Mandatory GBA Plus and EDI training for all staff will continue in 2022–23. Staff are required to complete the following training: introduction to GBA Plus; training on diversity and inclusion; civility and respect; harassment and violence prevention; EDI data and privacy protection training (for staff who access and use self-identification data); inclusive leadership for an anti-racist workplace (for executives). Peer reviewers are provided with training on recognizing and mitigating unconscious bias, with updates to the "Bias in Peer Review" training module planned for 2022–23.

In support of NSERC’s GBA Plus capacity, the agency started collecting self-identification data from stakeholders engaging in NSERC funding opportunities in 2018, with a revised and expanded self-identification questionnaire implemented in 2021. These data enable NSERC staff to undertake GBA Plus and other EDI-focused analyses, taking an intersectional approach, in support of enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion in research funding and in the broader Canadian research enterprise.

NSERC is committed to analyzing, reporting and using disaggregated data to help identify inequities and inform decisions. Each year the funding agencies publish disaggregated data for tri-agency and agency-specific major funding opportunities in the Canada Research Coordinating Committee annual progress reports. In 2021–22, NSERC published new competition statistics dashboards for Discovery Grants, Research Tools and Instruments Grants, and Subatomic Physics Grants, including retroactive data from previous years. NSERC is also conducting a comprehensive intersectional analysis of all identity factors for all programs, and will continue to expand the use of dashboards and explore other dynamic ways to share information on program results and funding allocation including application and award rates.

The Dimensions program seeks to facilitate post-secondary transformation to increase equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within the research ecosystem. Currently being piloted, a key application requirement will be the need for institutions to present qualitative and quantitative evidence relative to women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities/racialized groups and members of LGBTQ2+ communities to develop better EDI practices.

The Discovery Research Program has impacts that support the pillars and goals of the Gender Results Framework, namely Economic Participation and Prosperity, and its objectives of increasing labour market opportunities for women and achieving a better balance of gender across occupations. Through its emphasis on training, this program also supports the pillar of Education and Skills Development.

At each competition cycle, the program collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and report program impacts by multiple identity factors. The revised self-identification questionnaire introduced in 2021 will enable more intersectional analyses. Since 2021, the Discovery EDI Dashboard has been a platform where disaggregated data on different identity factors are presented. The dashboard will be regularly updated in order to help facilitate monitoring and reporting during 2022-23.

NSERC will continue to work with those involved in the research system to develop the inclusive culture needed for research excellence and to achieve outcomes that are rigorous, relevant and accessible to diverse populations.

The Research Training and Talent Development Program has impacts that support the pillars and goals of the Gender Results Framework, most notably under Education and Skills Development, aiming at providing more diversified educational paths and career choices across genders and increasing Indigenous students’ access to post-secondary scholarships.

At each competition cycle, the program collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and report program impacts by multiple identity factors. The revised self-identification questionnaire introduced in 2021 will enable more intersectional analyses. The most recent disaggregated data on different identity factors are published in the Competition Statistics report. A Talent EDI Dashboard, similar to the Discovery EDI Dashboard will be developed and published in 2022-23.

NSERC will continue to work with those involved in the research system to develop the inclusive culture needed for research excellence and to achieve outcomes that are rigorous, relevant and accessible to diverse populations.

The Research Partnerships Program has impacts that support the pillars and goals of the Gender Results Framework, namely: Economic Participation and Prosperity, particularly the provision of increased labour market opportunities for women and a better gender balance across occupations.

The program collects sufficient data to enable it to monitor and report program impacts by multiple identity factors. In 2022-23 NSERC will continue to expand analysis and publication of disaggregated data on different identity factors.

NSERC will continue to work with those involved in the research system to develop the inclusive culture needed for research excellence and to achieve outcomes that are rigorous, relevant and accessible to diverse populations.

Internal Services has impacts that support the pillars and goals of the Gender Results Framework, namely: Economic Participation and Prosperity, Leadership and Democratic Participation. Under these pillars, Internal Services has an impact on the objectives of equal sharing of parenting roles and responsibilities, more women in permanent and well-paid jobs, and more diversity in senior leadership positions and on boards.

In 2022-23 NSERC will continue to develop and implement aspects of its People Strategy, including pay equity, EDI culture and system review, corporate recruitment and outreach, and accessibility, diversity, bilingualism and inclusiveness in the workplace.