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SECTION III: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Organizational Information

CNSC Organization Chart

CNSC Organization Chart

Mandate

Under legislation enacted by Parliament, policies and international commitments of the federal government, the CNSC performs the following functions:

  • regulates the development, production and use of nuclear energy in Canada;
  • regulates the production, possession, use and transport of nuclear substances, and the production, possession and use of prescribed equipment and prescribed information;
  • implements measures respecting international control of the development, production, transport and use of nuclear energy and nuclear substances, including measures respecting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear explosive devices; and
  • disseminates scientific, technical and regulatory information concerning the activities of the CNSC and the effects on the environment and on the health and safety of persons, of the development, production, possession, transport and use of nuclear substances.

The CNSC consists of two independent organizations:

(i)         Commission

The Commission, supported by the Secretariat, is a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal. It sets regulatory policy direction on matters relating to health, safety, security and environmental issues affecting the Canadian nuclear industry; makes independent decisions on the licensing of nuclear-related activities in Canada; and establishes legally binding regulations. The Commission takes into account the views, concerns and opinions of interested stakeholders. The Commission also assigns to Designated Officers the authority to render licensing decisions for certain categories of nuclear facilities and activities in accordance with the requirements of the NSCA and its associated regulations.

The NSCA provides for the appointment of up to seven Commission members by the Governor in Council serving at good behaviour. Six members serve as permanent members for a term not exceeding five years. One member of the Commission is designated as the President of the Commission. This position is currently held by Linda J. Keen.

(ii)        CNSC Staff

The CNSC staff consists of a headquarters in Ottawa, site offices located at each of the five nuclear generating stations in Canada, a site office at Atomic Energy of Canada’s Chalk River Laboratories and five regional offices. CNSC staff is permanently located at each nuclear generating station in Canada and at Chalk River to assess performance against regulations and specific conditions of operating licences. Regional offices conduct compliance activities for nuclear substances, transportation, radiation devices and equipment containing nuclear substances. They also respond to unusual events involving nuclear substances.

CNSC staff supports the Commission by developing proposals for regulatory development and recommending regulatory policies, carrying out licensing, certification, compliance inspections and enforcement actions, coordinating the CNSC’s international undertakings, developing CNSC-wide programs in support of regulatory effectiveness, maintaining relations with stakeholders and providing administrative support to the organization.

In addition, staff prepares recommendations on licensing decisions, presents them to the Commission for consideration during public hearings and subsequently administers the Commission’s decisions. Where authority has been given, staff who are Designated Officers render licensing decisions.

 Financial Summary Overview

The following financial summary tables represent an overview of the CNSC’s financial performance for 2006-07.  The financial information presented incorporates the following:

  • Main Estimates, which represents the reference level in CNSC’s 2006-2007 Main Estimates;
  • Planned Spending, which represents the CNSC’s appropriations on April 1, 2006, plus any anticipated funding adjustments;
  • Total Authorities, which represents total resources approved for the year. These include, the Main Estimates approved by Parliament, additional funding received from Treasury Board through Supplementary Estimates and Vote Transfers, and proceeds from the disposal of surplus crown assets; and
  • Actual Spending, which represents the total expenditures incurred by the CNSC for the year and published in the Public Accounts of Canada for 2006-07.

The CNSC’s planned spending for 2006-07 was $86.5 million, which comprised an operating budget of $86.3 million, (including statutory employee benefits of $8.4 million), and a transfer payment budget (grants and contributions) of $0.2 million. 

In 2006-07, the CNSC’s Total Authorities of $92.2 million was comprised of the Main Estimates of $78.7 million and supplementary funding received from the Treasury Board of $13.5 million, (inclusive of a reduction in statutory employee benefits of $0.3 million). The supplementary funding was comprised of: $3.8 million for increased workload pressures; $3.3 million for the Advanced CANDU Reactor Project; $3.0 million for compensation; $2.5 million carry forward from fiscal year 2005-06; $1.3 million for new nuclear power plants; and a reduction of $0.4 million for the PWGSC procurement cut.

The CNSC recovered $60.0 million in non-respendable revenue in 2006-07. This revenue represents 62% of the $96.3 million of full cost expenditures.  Full cost expenditures include costs directly incurred by the CNSC and the cost of services provided without charge by other government departments. The statement of operations within the audited financial statements provides further details of the Commission’s revenue and expenditures.

Table 1: Comparison of Planned to Actual Spending (including Full-time Equivalents)

 


($ millions )

2004-05
Actual

2005-06
Actual

2006-07

Main
Estimates

Planned
Spending

Total
Authorities

Total Actual

Nuclear Regulation

73.2

75.5

78.7

86.5

92.2

85.3

Total

73.2

75.5

78.7

86.5

92.2

85.3

Less: Non‑respendable revenue

(48.8) 

(52.6) 

N/A

(61.6)

N/A

(60.0) 

Plus: Cost of services received without charge

8.1 

8.2 

N/A

8.0

N/A

8.6 

Total Departmental Spending *

32.5 

31.2 

N/A

32.9

N/A

33.9 

 

Full-Time Equivalents

516.8 

516.8 

N/A

651

N/A

569 


* may not balance due to rounding

 

Table 2: Resources by Program Activity


2006-07

($ millions )

Program
Activity

Budgetary

Plus: Non-
budgetary

  Total  

Operating

Grants

Contributions and Other Transfer Payments

Total: Gross Budgetary Expenditures

Less:
Respendable
Revenue

Total: Net Budgetary
Expenditures

Loans,
Investments,
and 
Advances

Nuclear regulation

               

Main Estimates

78.5

0.1

0.1

78.7

0

78.7

0

78.7

Planned Spending

86.3

0.1

0.1

86.5

0

86.5

0

86.5

Total Authorities

92.0

0.1

0.1

92.2

0

92.2

0

92.2

Actual Spending

85.1

0.1

0.1

85.3

0

85.3

0

85.3


Table 3: Voted and Statutory Items

($ millions )

Vote or
Statutory Item

Truncated Vote 
or Statutory Wording

2006-07

Main 
Estimates

Planned 
Spending

Total 
Authorities

Total Actual

20

Program expenditures

70.1 

77.9 

83.8 

76.9 

20

Grants and contributions

0.2 

0.2 

0.2 

0.2 

(S)Statutory

Contributions to employee benefit plans

8.4 

8.4 

8.2 

8.2 

 

Total

78.7 

86.5 

92.2 

85.3 


In 2006-07, the CNSC’s Total Authorities of $92.2 million was comprised of the Main Estimates of $78.7 million and supplementary funding received from the Treasury Board of $13.5 million, (inclusive of a reduction in statutory employee benefits of $0.3 million). The supplementary funding was comprised of: $3.8 million for increased workload pressures; $3.3 million for the Advanced CANDU Reactor Project; $3.0 million for compensation; $2.5 million carry forward from fiscal year 2005-06; $1.3 million for new nuclear power plants; and a reduction of $0.4 million for expenditure review procurement savings.

Due to the timing of funding approval, the CNSC did not expend approximately $2.9 million of the funding for workload pressures and received approval to re-profile these funds into 2007-08.  The Advanced CANDU Reactor Project was terminated, resulting in approximately $2.0 million of unused funding.  Initial delays in commencing the project for new nuclear power plants resulted in the CNSC not utilizing approximately $1.0 million.

 

Table 4: Services Received Without Charge


 

2006-07
Actual Spending
($ millions )

Accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada

4.6 

Contributions covering the employer’s share of employees’ insurance premiums and expenditures paid by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (excluding revolving funds); employer's contribution to employees’ insured benefits plans and associated expenditures paid by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

3.8 

Salary and associated expenditures provided by the Department of Justice Canada, audit services provided by the Auditor General of Canada and others.

0.2 

Total 2006-07 Services Received Without Charge

8.6 


Table 5: Sources of Respendable and Non-respendable Revenue

Respendable Revenue

n/a

Non-respendable Revenue ($ millions)


 

Actual
2004-05

Actual
2005-06

2006-07

Main
Estimates

Planned
Revenue

Total
Authorities

Actual

Nuclear Regulation

           

Licence Fees

           

 - Regulatory Plan Activity Fees

40.6 

45.1 

53.5 

53.6 

 - Formula Fees

3.4 

3.8 

4.0 

4.1 

 - Fixed Fees

0.3 

0.4 

0.4 

0.6 

Special Projects

4.5 

3.2 

3.7 

1.7 

Total Non-respendable Revenue*

48.8 

52.6 

61.6 

60.0 


* may not balance due to rounding

Table 6-A: User Fees Act


 

2006-07

Planning Years

A. User Fee

Fee Type

Fee-setting

Authority

Date Last Modified

Forecast Revenue ($000)

Actual Revenue ($000)

Full Cost ($000)**

Performance Standard

Performance Results

Fiscal Year

Forecast Revenue ($000)

Estimated Full Cost ($000) ***

CNSC Cost Recovery Fees Regulations* - regulate the use of nuclear energy and substances in Canada

Regulatory Services

(R)

Nuclear Safety and Control Act

CNSC Cost Recovery Fees Regulations

July 1, 2003

61,618

59,980

96,285

See Section II – External Performance Standards

See Section II – External Performance Standards

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

61,415

56,208

56,208

104,267

95,003

95,003

Fees charged for the processing of access requests filled under the Access to Information Act (ATIA)

Other products and services

(O)

Access to Information Act

1992

0

3

3

Response provided within 30 days following receipt of request; the response time may be extended pursuant to section 9 of the ATIA.  Notice of extension to be sent within 30 days after receipt of request.

The ATIA provides fuller details: http://laws.justice.gc.ca./en/A-1/218072.html

84% of ATIA requests closed during the reporting period were closed within the legislated time lines.

100% of Privacy Act requests closed during the reporting period were closed within the legislated time lines

     

     

Sub-total

(R)

61,618

Subtotal

(O)

0

Total

61,618

Sub-total

(R)

59,980

Subtotal

(O)

3

Total

59,983

Sub-total

(R)

96,285

Subtotal

(O)

3

Total

96,288

   

Subtotal

Subtotal

Subtotal

2007-08

61,415

2008-09

56,208

2009-10

56,208

Total

173,831

2007-08

104,267

2008-09

95,003

2009-10

95,003

Total

294,273



B. Date Last Modified

Extensive consultations with licensees and other key stakeholders took place prior to publication of the new CNSC Cost Recovery Fees Regulations in the Canada Gazette.  On July 1, 2003, new CNSC Cost Recovery Fees Regulations were implemented, which replaced the former AECB Cost Recovery Fees Regulations  (1996).  The Cost Recovery Advisory Group (CRAG) met in October 2003 to discuss the CNSC’s Cost Recovery Program.  CRAG members viewed the forum as a positive mechanism for information sharing.  The agenda and minutes of the meeting are available on the CNSC’s Web site at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca.

C. Other Information

* Additional information may be found at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca

** Calculation of full cost is based on CNSC audited financial statements

*** Includes services provided without charge from other government departments

Please refer to the CNSC audited financial statements for additional detailed information as follows:

  1. Auditors report: This report states that the CNSC has complied with the CNSC Cost Recovery Fees Regulations for 2006-07.
  2. Details on revenue charged and the associated cost of operations by fee category.

The CNSC has established two internal dispute resolution mechanisms.  The first addresses disputes over the administration of fees and the other over regulatory activity assignments.  Details regarding the process and contact information are available on the CNSC Web site.  During the 2006-07 fiscal year, two disputes over the administration of fees were brought forward by licensees.  All complaints were resolved at the first level of grievance through the dispute resolution mechanism for fee administration.


 

Table 6–B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees

Supplementary information on Service Standards for External Fees can be found at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr3/06-07/index_e.asp

Table 7: Progress Against the Department’s Regulatory Plan

Supplementary information on the Progress Against the Department’s Regulatory Plan can be found at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr3/06-07/index_e.asp

Table 8: Audited Financial Statements of the CNSC

Financial statements are prepared in accordance with accrual accounting principles. The unaudited supplementary information presented in the financial tables in this report is prepared on a modified cash basis of accounting in order to be consistent with appropriations-based reporting.

Financial statements are available online: http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/resource/reports/cnsc/annual_reports/Ar06-07.cfm

Table 9: Response to Parliamentary Committees, and Audits and Evaluations


Response to Parliamentary Committees

No responses, audits or evaluations for 2006-07 were provided to Parliamentary Committees by the Office of Audit, Evaluation and Ethics.


 


Response to the Auditor General (including the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) performed its annual audit of the CNSC's financial statements.  The OAG concluded that the CNSC's “financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Commission as at March 31, 2007 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles.” Further, OAG stated that the Commission “has complied, in all significant respects with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Cost Recovery Fees Regulations pursuant to the Nuclear Safety and Control Act.”


 


External Audits (Note: These refer to other external audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages)

No external audits were conducted during 2006-07.


 


Internal Audit

The CNSC’s Office of Audit, Evaluation and Ethics (OAEE) completed an Internal Audit of CNSC hospitality expenses for official and work-related events and approved the final report in January 2007. The audit assessed whether hospitality expenses were incurred in accordance with the CNSC Directive – Hospitality for Official and Work Related Events and whether they were being reviewed and recorded consistently and appropriately. The audit concluded that the controls supporting the implementation of the CNSC hospitality directive were generally adequate and effective in ensuring the appropriateness, proper authorization and accurate recording of hospitality expenses. Some opportunities to strengthen controls were noted. Management agreed with the recommendations and developed an action plan to implement improvements.


 


Internal Audit

The OAEE completed an internal audit of the CNSC Uranium Mines and Mills Division and approved the final report in June 2007. The audit assessed the adequacy and effectiveness of division’s management control framework. The audit concluded that the framework was generally adequate and identified some opportunities for improvement. Management agreed with the recommendations and developed an action plan to implement improvements.


 


Evaluation

The OAEE completed an evaluation of the Nuclear Emergency Management (NEM) Program and approved the final report in June 2007. The evaluation was designed to provide information and analysis for the future management of the NEM Program, as well as to satisfy reporting commitments under the Public Security and Anti-Terrorism initiatives. The evaluation found that the program supports the CNSC’s corporate mission and desired outcomes, that there is a continued need for a focus on nuclear emergency management, and that the program was effective and efficient. Recommendations for improvements were made. Management agreed with the recommendations and developed an action plan to implement improvements.


 


Evaluation

The OAEE completed an evaluation of the Nuclear Security Program (NSP). The final report was approved by the Audit and Evaluation Committee in June 2007. The objectives of the evaluation were to determine the following:

  • the ongoing relevance of the NSP in the current environment;
  • the extent to which the NSP’s objectives are being met;
  • the effectiveness of the program’s management structures and processes, including governance, accountability and funding; and
  • the nature and extent of opportunities that exist to improve NSP efficiency and effectiveness.

The evaluation concluded that the basic regime for effective nuclear security is now largely in place. Moreover, that regime is significantly stronger, both in scope and depth, than that which existed before September 11, 2001. The evaluation also concluded that though much has been done and achieved in the past four years, more remains to be done. Management agreed with the recommendations and developed an action plan to implement improvements.


 


Internal Audits or Evaluations

The OAEE is developing a three-year risk-based audit and evaluation plan for the CNSC. The plan will address CNSC and Government of Canada (GoC) priorities. Audits and evaluations that were previously planned, but not yet started, will be reassessed to determine if they still address CNSC and GoC priorities.

The following audit and evaluation projects that were planned for 2006-07 were not conducted due to other CNSC priorities. These projects will be reassessed as part of the development of the three-year audit and evaluation plan:

  • audit of domestic safeguards; and
  • evaluation of the CNSC’s outreach program.

Table 10: Travel Policies

Supplementary information on travel policies can be found at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr3/06-07/index_e.asp.