2017-2021

The Funding Agreement with the Government of Canada requires the Centre to carry out an external evaluation of its activities and projects at least once every five years. This includes an evaluation of progress toward achieving the outcomes set out in the Funding Agreement and a value-for-money audit to assess the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which funds have been used. The evaluation and audit cover the period between 2017-2021.

The 2017 to 2021 evaluation affirmed the Centre’s framing of pluralism and the relevance of its approach. “The Centre plays a unique role in addressing the increasingly pressing need for pluralist attitudes and institutions in Canada and around the world.”

The reports found that the Centre’s programs are well-designed, well-executed and mutually complementary, and benefit from a strong staff team and leadership. “The program portfolio aligns strongly with the Centre’s mission, and the complementarity of the program design adds significant value.”

Concerning effectiveness, the reports state, “The pace of program implementation has been remarkable considering the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic and the small number of staff. […] short-term changes in perspective and practice, as well as steps relevant to policy change, are gathering pace sooner than staff expected.”