Tabling of the 2008-09 Supplementary Estimates (A)

• Backgrounder - Overview of the 2008-09 Supplementary Estimates (A)
• Backgrounder - Estimates Process

For immediate release

May 13, 2008

Ottawa – The Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, today tabled in the House of Commons the 2008-09 Supplementary Estimates (A) totalling $4.1 billion.

"The Government of Canada is committed to sound fiscal management," said Minister Toews. "By tabling the 2008-09 Supplementary Estimates (A) in the spring, the Government is taking another step to enable Parliament to review the numbers earlier in the year and ensure the timely processing of budgetary commitments."

These Supplementary Estimates (A) provide information to Parliament and seek its authority to spend $4.1 billion in expenditures, including $3.6 billion in voted appropriations, that were not sufficiently developed or known at the time of the 2008-09 Main Estimates.

Through the 2008-09 Supplementary Estimates (A), the Government is moving forward with commitments and priorities announced in Budget 2008, including funding for National Defence, Canada's Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan and the Building Canada Infrastructure Plan. The combined total of approved Main Estimates ($221.5 billion) and Supplementary Estimates (A) is within the planned spending of $239.6 billion announced in the 2008 Budget.

The Government of Canada is committed to pursuing management excellence, and ensuring value for money to Canadians by providing an effective, transparent and accountable government. Consequently, the Government has improved parliamentary reporting in order to better meet the information needs of parliamentarians and support their oversight role in the use of public funds.

Please refer to the attached backgrounders for further details on the 2008-09 Supplementary Estimates (A) and information on the Estimates process. The Estimates and related documents are posted on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Web site at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca

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For more information, contact:

Mike Storeshaw Director of Communications Office of the President of the Treasury Board (613) 957-2666

Robert Makichuk Chief, Media Relations Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (613) 957-2391

If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the electronic version of this News Release, the electronic version will prevail.

TTY (Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired) - (613) 957-9090

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Backgrounder: Overview of the 2008-09 Supplementary Estimates (A)

The Government of Canada presented its overall spending priorities through the expense plan set out by the Minister of Finance in the February 2008 Budget. The plan is implemented through a series of legislative measures, including the Estimates and related Appropriation bills.

The 2008-09 Supplementary Estimates (A) provide information in support of $4.1 billion in supplementary expenditures that were not sufficiently developed or known at the time of the 2008-09 Main Estimates, including $3.6 billion in voted appropriations. An Appropriation Act reflecting these requirements will be tabled for Parliament's approval in June 2008.

This year, Supplementary Estimates (A) are being tabled in the spring, to support the Government's commitments to better align the Estimates with the Budget as early as possible in the fiscal year.

Moving the Government Agenda Forward

Included among the expenditures tabled for approval by Parliament in these Supplementary Estimates (A) are:

• $557.3 million for a major capital equipment project to ensure tactical airlift capability;
• $390.7 million for the Building Canada Fund, a component of the Building Canada Infrastructure plan;
• $137.2 million to implement the First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan to support continued access for safe drinking water and wastewater services;
• $120 million for operating and capital costs to address regulatory and health, safety, security and environmental requirements at the Chalk River Laboratories, Ontario; and
• $109 million to support the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The Supplementary Estimates (A) also include $443.5 millions in changes to statutory budgetary spending, for which parliamentary approval has already been provided. These adjustments to projected statutory spending are provided for information purposes only. This figure includes:

• $254.5 million for transfer payments to provincial and territorial governments;
• $180 million for provincial governments to eliminate capital taxes;

Total Supplementary Estimates (A) ($ millions)

	Budgetary**	Non-Budgetary	Total
Voted Appropriations*	$3,614.0	0	$3,614.0
Statutory Authorities	$443.5	0	443.5
Total	$4,057.5	0	$4,057.5

As a result of these Supplementary Estimates (A), total estimated expenditures for 2008-09 now stand at $225.6 billion; well within the Government's overall planned spending level of $239.6 billion for 2008-09 as set out in Budget 2008. This reflects the Government's commitment to controlling government spending and effectively managing taxpayers' dollars.

Increased Transparency in Accountability and Reporting

A number of improvements have been made to the form and content of the Supplementary Estimates in recent years to enhance transparency and accountability. The Treasury Board Secretariat has worked with departments and agencies to improve the quality of information presented for their individual requirements, resulting in better information describing the nature of transactions, including the offset of new spending requirements through the use of existing spending authorities. 

The Budget and the Estimates, in conjunction with the Economic and Fiscal Update, reflect the Government's annual resource planning and allocation priorities. The subsequent reporting of financial results in the Public Accounts of Canada, as well as the Departmental Performance Reports, assists Parliament in holding the Government to account for the allocation and management of public funds.

* Voted appropriations are those for which parliamentary authority is sought through an annual Appropriation bill.

** Budgetary expenditures include cost of servicing the public debt; operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

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Backgrounder: Estimates Process

The Government of Canada is committed to pursuing management excellence, and ensuring value for money to Canadians by providing an effective, transparent and accountable government. Consequently, the Government has improved parliamentary reporting in order to better meet the information needs of parliamentarians and support their oversight role in the use of public funds. It is important for parliamentarians—and through them all Canadians—to understand what the Government is doing, why it is doing it, how much each program or service costs and what results are being achieved.

Each year, the Government of Canada prepares Main Estimates, and Supplementary Estimatesas required, in support of its request to Parliament for authority to spend public funds. This request is formalized through the tabling of appropriation bills in Parliament.

In 2008-09, the Government of Canada is tabling the Supplementary Estimates (A) in the spring in order to align the Estimates with the Budget 2008 as early as possible in the fiscal year.  As a result, for fiscal year 2008-09, the Government will table three Supplementary Estimates.

The normal tabling dates of Estimates in Parliament are:

Document	Normal Tabling Dates
The Government Expenditure Plan (Part I)	On or before March 1
Main Estimates (Part II)	On or before March 1
Interim Supply for Main Estimates	Mid March
Reports on Plans and Priorities (Part III)	On or before March 31
Full Supply for Main Estimates	Mid June
Departmental Performance Reports (Part III)	Late October / early November
Supplementary Estimates (A)	Mid May
Supplementary Estimates (B)	Late October
Supplementary Estimates (C)	Late February

The Estimates, which are tabled in the House of Commons by the President of the Treasury Board, consist of three parts:

• Part I - The Government Expenditure Plan provides an overview of federal spending and summarises the relationship of the key elements of the Main Estimates to the current Expenditure Plan.
• Part II - The Main Estimates identify the spending authorities (votes) and amounts to be included in subsequent appropriation bills. Parliament will be asked to approve these votes to enable the Government to proceed with its spending plans.
• Part III - Departmental Expenditure Plans, which are divided into two components:
  1. Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPPs) are individual expenditure plans for each department and agency (excluding Crown Corporations). They describe departmental priorities and strategic outcomes, expected results and the associated resource requirements covering a three-year period.
  2. Departmental Performance Reports (DPRs) are individual department and agency accounts of accomplishments against plans and expected results set out in their RPP. DPRs provide information on how the department or agency is progressing towards its strategic outcomes.

The Budget and the Estimates, in conjunction with the Economic and Fiscal Update, reflect the Government's annual resource planning and allocation priorities. The subsequent reporting of financial results in the Public Accounts of Canada, as well as the Departmental Performance Reports, assists Parliament in holding the Government to account for the allocation and management of public funds.