ARCHIVED - Canadian Grain Commission

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SECTION IV - OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

Corporate Infrastructure and Government-Wide Initiatives

CGC corporate infrastructure includes support functions such as management of human resources, information technology, statistical services, legal counsel, communications, finance, policy and planning, administration, health and safety, and project management. These functions enable the CGC to deliver the activities necessary to achieve its strategic outcome and result in improved performance, increased employee productivity and effective communication with industry and producers. Success will be measured by evaluating the effectiveness of specific activities and using measurement tools for specific programs such as competent staff, number of accidents, meeting legislative requirements, and efficiency gains due to well-developed information technology.

Although the CGC is a small department with limited resources, it prides itself on the ability to implement government-wide initiatives. Sound agency management denotes not only cost efficiency, but signifies the CGC’s commitment to government-wide initiatives such as the Management Accountability Framework, providing services in both official languages, the Government On Line (GOL) initiative, and effective partnering with other government organizations to provide effective, efficient service to Canadians. Success in this area will be measured by tracking specific activities undertaken to achieve the goals of various government-wide initiatives and measuring program, unit, and individual performance against performance targets.

The CGC is committed to fulfilling its mandate in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible. The costs of both corporate infrastructure and implementation of government-wide initiatives are accounted for in the costs of delivering the CGC strategic outcome and program activities. The following provides a description of internal and government-wide CGC initiatives and activities.

Management of Human Resources

A skilled and motivated workforce is critical to the CGC in delivering its services to Canadians. The CGC is committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace that is representative of the citizens and communities served. The following activities and initiatives will contribute to the management of human resources in the planning period:

• Effectively communicating and integrating human resource goals, priorities, and business planning.
• Continuing to implement competency-based initiatives (performance management, training, and resourcing) to develop and sustain a capable workforce and fulfill departmental objectives.
• Continuing to integrate changes from the Public Service Modernization Act into CGC human resource policies and processes.
• Developing a succession strategy/process for CGC leadership.
• Implementing an informal conflict management system.
• Continuing to implement electronic or web-based tools.
• Implementing the CGC’s Employment Equity Plan.
• Developing a performance management tool to be piloted in the organization.

The expected results of these planned activities include:

• Collaborative relationships between management, employees, and employee representatives.
• Competent staff able to move/progress within the department and the public service.
• Continuous improvement of HR management skills by managers and supervisors.
• A workplace culture that encourages diversity and enables employees to learn and to progress within the department.
• A skilled workforce more representative of Canada’s population and in compliance with the Employment Equity Act.

Information Technology

• Developing and managing an information technology infrastructure that is responsive, secure, and provides support to enhance all aspects of CGC business.
• Developing, acquiring, and implementing advanced software applications and providing Information Technology operational support.
• Storing, handling, and providing operational data in a secure and timely manner to improve decision-making and reduce costs.

Statistical Services

• Providing concise and timely statistical support to all work groups.
• Providing support to Information Technology in maintaining the data-integrity, functioning and quality of Industry Services software.
• Providing extension support to industry and other government organizations on statistical related topics.

Communications

• Providing effective internal communications (e.g. Staff Net, bulletins, Chief Operating Officer communications, planning session information).
• Developing and implementing effective external communication tools (e.g. CGC web-site, news releases, and industry meetings, and conferences).
• Continuing to develop communication skills within the organization.
• Promoting and implementing the requirements of the Official Languages Act to provide improved services and information in both official languages.

Library Services

• Providing a holding library for all CGC publications and maintaining a collection in a variety of formats (books, reports, images, electronic resources) that specializes in grain research and all aspects of the grain trade for CGC staff, industry stakeholders, other government organizations, and the public.
• Providing reference and technical services that support the research needs of clients.

Finance

• Contributing to the success of the Federal Accountability Action Plan.
• Continuing the delivery of transactional and financial reporting requirements, as well as providing guidance to the organization.
• Responding to the requirements of the User Fees Act.

Policy and Planning

• Providing policy support to all work groups to aid in corporate decision making.

Legal Counsel

• Providing legal advice and support to all work groups to aid in corporate decision making and management of CGC activities.

Administration Services

• Managing national and regional administrative programs and policies in order to provide efficient and effective administrative support to all CGC divisions.
• Managing CGC facilities and telecommunications to secure rent and telecom savings and provide an efficient, safe and healthy work environment.
• Addressing CGC service accommodation needs.
• Testing business continuity and pandemic plans and training staff to ensure the delivery of services are more reliable and secure in case of a hazardous occurrence.

Health and Safety

• Managing the ongoing development of an effective health and safety program aimed at achieving a decreased accident rate and a healthy, productive workforce.
• Testing business continuity and pandemic plans and training staff to ensure the delivery of services are more reliable and secure in case of a hazardous occurrence.

Corporate Development

• Continuing to record and support the expanding list of activities to fulfil the mandate of the Management Accountability Framework.
• Continuing to improve performance measures by which unit and individual employee effort is evaluated for all CGC activities.
• Completing service standards for all fee-for-service CGC activities.

Partnering with Other Government Organizations

• Ongoing provision of phytosanitary inspection of grain elevators on behalf of the CFIA to eliminate the duplication of services.
• Ongoing provision of grain inspection on behalf of the U.S. Federal Grain Inspection Service in eastern Canada as per the Memorandum of Service to facilitate the movement of grain.

Project Management System

• Assisting project leads to utilize a formal process, supported by standardized documentation requirements, resulting in the project leads engaging in consultations and detailed planning prior to submitting proposed projects for approval by Executive Management Committee (EMC). The project approval document provides detail on the project’s objectives and linkage to strategic objectives and priorities, defines the scope, expected deliverables, estimated resources requirements and costs, timelines, dependencies, and risk management strategy.
• Facilitating the review and preliminary approval of proposed projects by the divisional director(s) responsible for sponsoring the project, and the review and formal project approval by EMC.
• Assisting project leads to provide appropriately scheduled milestone and/or update reports and project close-out reports using standardized documentation to formally report on project progress, results achieved, and analysis of any variances impacting cost, deliverables, schedule, risks, lesson learned, etc. to assist the director-sponsor and EMC in monitoring the progress and outcomes of the projects.
• Facilitating the review of these documents by the director-sponsor and EMC, and maintaining documentation on current and past projects.

CGC partnerships

The CGC and the GQAS are integral to the functioning of Canada’s grain industry. In our role as a neutral, third party regulator and arbiter, the CGC works in partnership with virtually every participant in the industry.

Key partners	Areas of cooperation
Industry
Producers and producers’ organizations Grain Dealers and Elevators Railways Processors Universities Plant Breeders Canola Council of Canada Flax Council of Canada Pulse Canada Instrument R&D and Manufacturing Companies Canadian Wheat Board Canadian International Grains Institute Canadian Seed Institute Canadian Soybean Exporters Association Grain Exporters Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board Western Grains Research Foundation	Setting grain quality standards Operation of the grain quality and quantity assurance system Provide grain shipment and unload data interchange Dispute resolution for quality and quantity issues Development and implementation of policies and regulations Sharing market information Market development and support Research and technology transfer Auditing and certifying industry IP systems Joint research projects Evaluation of new technologies being developed by private industry Provide information/training sessions on specific grain grading practices Support private industry’s development of private grain inspection staff
Portfolio Departments and Agencies
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Canadian Food Inspection Agency Canadian Dairy Commission Farm Credit Canada National Farm Products Council	Grain data co-ordination Sharing knowledge/expert opinion Research Strategic planning Meeting international tolerances for toxic contaminants in grain Shared quality and quantity assurance program delivery
Other government departments
International Trade Canada Statistics Canada Industry Canada Health Canada Canada Border Services Agency Transport Canada Justice Canada	Sharing knowledge and expert opinion Facilitating international trade Publication of grain statistics Market development and support Grain shipment and unload data interchange Inspection and certification of licensed terminal and transfer elevator scales Regulation of grain imports
Foreign
U.S. Department of Agriculture (Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration) Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan) Ministry of Commerce, Economic Control and Fraud Prevention Branch (Algeria) Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Australia) State Administration of Grain (China)	Shared knowledge and expert opinion Shared quality assurance program delivery Facilitating international trade Research Technology training

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