The Government of Canada committed nearly $50M through Budget 2022 and 2023 to create career development programs and mental health supports for Black public servants. In June 2023, the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO) established the Task Force for Black Public Servants (Task Force) to lead this work through the development and implementation of the Action Plan for Black Public Servants (Action Plan).
This Action Plan, guided by lived experiences, focuses on increasing opportunities for career mobility and improving the psychological health and safety of Black public servants. It includes the following initiatives:
Black-Centric Enhancements to the Employee Assistance Program
Health Canada received nearly $6 million to implement Black-Centric enhancements to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides support to more than 90 federal departments and agencies.
These enhancements include:
- ensuring a sufficient roster of Black counsellors in its network to provide culturally competent and trauma-informed, short-term mental health supports to Black public servants and their immediate family members
- collecting self-identity data for counsellors to respond to client requests for specific counsellor identity factors, training and/or experience
- increasing awareness about Health Canada's EAP for Black employees and their immediate families.
As of December 2024, Health Canada has almost 100 mental health professionals in its network who self-identify as Black to ensure that Black public servants have access to the support they need.
Executive Leadership Development Program
Following a successful pilot in 2023, the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) established dedicated cohorts of its government-wide Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP) specifically to support the career development of Black executives. The CSPS is receiving nearly $7 million in funding to further enhance the learning of Black executives at the EX-01, EX-02, or EX-03 levels.
The purpose of this initiative is to:
- advance the development of key leadership skills, deepen understanding of the fundamentals of government decision-making, and share lived experience in a trusted and well-integrated community of Black peers
- expand networks
- foster mentorship opportunities
- integrate talent management and career progression goals
- offer ongoing learning and development opportunities through the school
This program was launched in fall 2024 with 2 cohorts, and the call-out for the next 2 cohorts was issued in February 2025 for a fall 2025 program start. Together, this represents 100 Black public servants who are benefiting from this program, which complements efforts already undertaken to increase the number of Black participants in existing executive leadership development programs.
Career Counselling and Coaching for Black Public Servants
As part of its current services, the Public Service Commission (PSC) is supporting the career and leadership development of public servants, including those from equity-seeking groups, by providing individualized assessment, counselling and coaching services.
PSC worked collaboratively with OCHRO on a successful pilot in 2024 to provide individualized assessment, counselling and coaching services for Black public servants. Through additional funding of $1.5 million, PSC is expanding these services to 100 Black public servants, which will be launched in spring 2025.
Second Official Language Training Initiative for Black Public Servants
The Second Official Language Training Initiative for Black Public Servants, led by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS), is launching in winter 2025. This initiative offers online self-directed learning programs, enhanced access to departmental official languages training programs, and part-time online instructor-led group sessions to more than 500 Black public servants.
Additionally, this program will incorporate mental health and wellness support, including access to counsellors, workshops on linguistic insecurity, and coaching.
The Aspiring Directors Program
The Aspiring Directors Program, through the CSPS, is designed to equip Black managers to explore what it means to be an executive in the federal public service. Participants will develop the knowledge, skills, competencies and mindsets required to transition effectively into executive roles. This structured program will provide participants with training, job shadowing, and career development resources.
Once fully launched, the program will support up to 100 Black public servants in 2025-26 ensuring greater representation of Black professionals at the executive level.
The Leadership Development Program for Black Supervisors and Managers
The Leadership Development Program for Black Supervisors and Managers, also delivered through the CSPS, will equip participants with key skills, mindsets and behaviours essential for leading high-performing teams within the federal public service. The program will offer leadership training, mentoring and peer networking opportunities to enhance participants readiness for leadership positions across the federal public service.
Following its full implementation in 2025-26, the program will support up to 300 participants, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse leadership landscape.
Ongoing engagement on the Action Plan
The views and voices of Black public servants will continue to shape current and future initiatives. In the coming weeks and months, the Task Force will engage through check-ins with employee networks, surveys, and discussions with Black public servants. Ongoing engagement will enable continuous improvement on these and future initiatives to best meet the needs of Black employees.
The action plan builds on other work undertaken to support equity-seeking groups.
TBS launched government-wide initiatives 4 years ago to support equity-seeking groups and these initiatives are producing concrete results.
The Mentorship Plus Program pairs members of underrepresented groups with executives and provides them with an executive sponsorship component for more equitable access to career development opportunities. To date, there are 55 departments and agencies taking part in the program across the federal public service and 900 sponsorship relationships established across government.
The Mosaic Leadership Development Program addresses key issues of under-representation in EX positions. The first cohort included 38 participants.
Of the 38 participants, Cohort One had 36 graduates, 25 of whom have already been appointed or are acting in EX-01 or equivalent positions. Seven participants or 18% of Cohort 1 identified as Black. Cohort 2 of the Mosaic Leadership Development Program was launched on September 13, 2023, with 50 participants, 15 of whom identify as Black.
The government committed $6.9 million over 2 years in Budget 2023 to TBS to advance a restorative engagement program (REP) for public service employees. In 2024, the Report on Written Submissions was published and TBS has submitted the Recommendations Report for the design of a restorative engagement program.
In addition to new initiatives under the Action Plan, existing leadership and career development programs will continue to remain open for participation from Black public servants.
The government has also made important changes to the Public Service Employment Act to address systemic barriers for equity-seeking groups. The Government of Canada has also made strides in providing more disaggregated data to better inform analysis, programs and policies.
TBS will be working with other government organizations to support the government's response to the recommendations of the Employment Equity Act Review Task Force, which include creating a new designated group for Black people under the act.
