ARCHIVED - Human Resources and Social Development Canada

Name of Recipient: The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation

Start Date: Royal Assent June 18, 1998

End Date: 2010

Total Funding: $2.5 billion

Description: The endowment is managed in accordance with the Funding Agreement between the Foundation and the Government of Canada, as represented by the Ministers of Finance and Human Resources and Skills Development.

The objective of the foundation is to increase access to post-secondary education so that Canadians can acquire the skills needed to participate in a changing economy and society by granting scholarships to students who are in financial need and who demonstrate merit.

Strategic Outcome(s): Enhanced Canadian productivity and participation through efficient and inclusive labour markets, competitive workplaces and access to learning.

Summary of Results Achieved by the Recipient:

• Awarded 88,858 bursaries averaging $3,000 to post-secondary students based on financial need.
• In 2008, 3,198 millennium excellence entrance and national in-course excellence awards were awarded, valued at $4,000 or $5,000, depending on the type of award.
• Continued implementation of program improvements recommended as a result of the Foundation's mid-term review. In 2008, some 28,688 access bursaries were awarded with a cumulative value of $50.4 million.
• Research program into the determinants of access to higher education and the effect of current student financial assistance programs on students' behaviour - completed the following in 2008:
  • Continuation of Millennium Research Series and other publications;
  • Implementation of seven Millennium Pilot Projects (longitudinal research projects on means to improve access and persistence).

Note: Results and figures are based on the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation's fiscal year which runs from January 1 to December 31.

Program Activity:
($ millions)

	Actual Spending 2006-2007	Actual Spending 2007-2008	a) Planned Spending 2008-2009	Total Authorities 2008-2009	b) Actual Spending 2008-2009	Variance(s) between a) and b)
Conditional Grants	330.1	358.0	345.0	N/A	341.2	3.8
Administration	22.5	24.8	26.0	N/A	29.3	(3.3)

Comments on Variance(s): The majority of the conditional grant variance is accounted for by withdrawals of students in the bursary program and some under spending in access. The balances are transferred to the following year’s program allocations.

Significant Evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year and future plan: N/A

Significant Audit findings by the recipient during the reporting year and future plan:
The Foundation's annual audit was conducted in the first quarter of 2009.
The Office of the Auditor General conducted an audit of the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation and of the Canada Student Loans Program in 2007. They found that the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation's bursary programs are well managed and that the Foundation has the necessary controls in place to ensure that eligibility for bursaries is assessed correctly and that payments are issued in the right amounts to the right people. They also found that the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation obtains reasonable assurance that the provinces and territories are fulfilling their responsibilities in delivering the programs. Furthermore, the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation was found to collect adequate information to report its achievements against objectives and meet its obligation to report the results of its activities to Parliament.
URL to Auditor General:
http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_lpf_e_19300.html
URL to Treasury Board Evaluation of Foundations:
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/orp/2007/ef-fe/ef-fe_e.asp

URL to Recipient’s Site:
http://www.millenniumscholarships.ca
http://www.millenniumscholarships.ca/en/aboutus/AnnualReport.asp
Comment: Figures based on calendar year.

Name of Recipient: Canadian Council on Learning

Start Date: March 30, 2004

End Date: March 31, 2010¹

Total Funding: $85 million ¹

¹ A one-time grant was provided to CCL in fiscal year 2004-2005. All funds are to be dispersed by March 31, 2009. The mandate was extended to March 31, 2010 with no additional funding.

Description: To promote and support evidence-based decision making in all areas of lifelong learning by informing Canadians regularly on Canada's progress on learning outcomes, and promoting knowledge and information exchange among learning partners.

Strategic Outcome(s): Policies and programs that meet the human capital and social development needs of Canadians.

Summary of Results Achieved by the Recipient: In support of its mandate to promote knowledge exchange and inform Canadians on learning issues and outcomes, the Canadian Council on Learning in 2008/09 accomplished the following:

Informing Canadians

• Released its third “State of Learning Report”, encompassing chapters on learning in early childhood, secondary and post-secondary school, through adulthood, in the workplace and for Aboriginal Peoples, with a special feature on literacy.
• Published an extensive survey of Canadian Attitudes Towards Learning (SCAL).
• Released the third edition of the internationally recognized pan-Canadian Composite Learning Index (CLI), which tracks progress in learning at the community and national levels.
• Released the third issue of their comprehensive report on the Post Secondary Education (PSE) sector.
• Increased the accessibility of information on learning through innovative use of new media technologies, such as a regular electronic publication, Lessons in Learning, as well as an e-bulletin (The Learning Link), serving a rapidly growing audience as measured by internet traffic and document downloads from the Canadian Council on Learning website.

Knowledge Mobilization and Exchange

• Supported the five national Knowledge Centres, which brings together leading academics, practitioners and stakeholders to engage in knowledge exchange and dissemination of exemplary practices in the following areas: Aboriginal Learning, Adult Learning, Early Childhood Learning; Health and Learning; and Work and Learning.
• Sponsored national and provincial knowledge exchange initiatives (symposia, conferences, roundtables, workshops) on key learning issues.
• Maintained the on-line peer-reviewed journal: Journal of Applied Research on Learning (JARL). [ URL: http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/Journal/Journal.htm ]
• Released the ECHO - a new online application that allows users to create and store cognitive assessments (including literacy and problem-solving) and survey information. (Used by Ontario as part of CCL’s evaluation of the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Student Success/Learning to 18 Strategy.)
• Fostered the development of knowledge on learning through its adjudication and support of research projects, the establishment of a research-in-residence program, and publication of a catalogue of provincial/territorial data on learning as a resource for research.

Program Activity: Policy, Research and Communication
($ millions)

Actual Spending 2006-2007	Actual Spending 2007-2008	a) Planned Spending 2008-2009	Total Authorities 2008-2009	b) Actual Spending 2008-2009	Variance(s) between a) and b)
Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil

Comments on Variance(s): N/A

Significant Evaluation findings by the recipient during the reporting year and future plan: In accordance with CCL's funding agreement with the Department, CCL engaged an independent external agency to conduct a summative evaluation of CCL’s achievements since its inception in 2004. The evaluation found that: CCL has successfully identified knowledge gaps, creating knowledge exchange networks, created partnerships, and improved the volume, quality and relevance of research and information on learning; and that CCL operates in a cost-effective manner, complementing the work of other organizations. The evaluations also noted a number of challenges to CCL’s success such as effectively engaging various stakeholders such as provincial and territorial governments as well as clearly articulating its mandate, role and responsibilities to stakeholders and Canadians. A full copy of the evaluation is available at: http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/AboutCCL/CorporateReports/SummativeEvaluation.htm

Significant Audit findings by the recipient during the reporting year and future plan: No audit was performed in 2008-2009

URL to Recipient’s Site:
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/AboutCCL/CorporateReports?Language=EN