Summary of the Evaluation of the Grain Inspector Development Program
Final Report
This report presents the findings of the Evaluation of the Grain Inspector Development Program.
The Canadian Grain Commission was established by the Canada Grain Act in 1912 as the federal government agency mandated to, “in the interests of producers, establish and maintain standards of quality for Canadian grains and regulate grain handling in Canada to ensure a dependable commodity for domestic and export markets”.
About this evaluation
This report presents the results of a program evaluation of the Canadian Grain Commission’s Grain Inspector Development Program (GIDP). The Grain Inspector Development Program is an internal training program for grain inspectors. This program was selected for evaluation as it is considered a key control activity for the successful fulfillment of the Canadian Grain Commission’s mandate as set out in the Canada Grain Act and its Quality Assurance Program’s objectives.
The evaluation was conducted in accordance with the Treasury Board’s Policy on Results, which requires departments to measure and evaluate performance and use the resulting information to manage and improve programs, policies and services. The Audit and Evaluation Services team of the Canadian Grain Commission conducted this evaluation during the 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 fiscal years, as part of the Canadian Grain Commission’s Risk-Based Audit and Evaluation Plan.
Evaluation findings and recommendations are intended to inform current and future program and policy decisions. This is the first time this program has been evaluated independently by the Canadian Grain Commission’s Audit and Evaluation Services team.
About the program
The primary objective of the Grain Inspector Development Program is to ensure that that the Canadian Grain Commission attracts, develops and retains the talent necessary to meet its grain inspection duties and fulfill its mandate under the Canada Grain ActFootnote1. Staff enter the program through a competitive hiring process. The program is designed to graduate fully trained inspectors after 4 years of practical training.
Findings, recommendations and management action plans
The table below summarizes findings and recommendations identified during the program evaluation that require management action plans.
Appendix 1: Findings, recommendations and management action plans