2012-13 Strategic Outcomes and Program Activity Architecture

The Strategic Outcomes and the PAA depict the department’s major activities and, through a diagram, explain how these activities work together to achieve results for Canadians. Together, they consist of 3 layers: the Strategic Outcomes, the Program Activities, and the Sub-activities.

A Strategic Outcome is a long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that stems from a department’s mandate and vision. It represents the difference a department intends to make for Canadians. NRCan has 3 Strategic Outcomes.

A Program Activity (PA) is a grouping or category of activities that are related and work together to achieve the same goal. The title of the PA reflects this goal. For example, PA 1.1, Market Access and Diversification, is titled just that because all the activities within this category aim to increase market access and diversification for natural resource products. This PA is depicted below Strategic Outcome 1 because by increasing market access and diversification, NRCan ensures that Canada’s natural resource sectors are globally competitive. NRCan has 9 Program Activities (listed below), plus one for Internal Services.

Sub-activities are the department’s major activities. Similarly to a Program Activity, the title reflects the goal achieved by these activities.

NRCan updated its Strategic Outcomes and Program Activity Architecture for 2012-13 in order to explain better what it does for Canadians and to measure results. For example, programs supporting market access and diversification were regrouped together under one Program Activity that supports the first Strategic Outcome.