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Other Items of Interest

In this section:

• Legal Framework
• Canadian Coast Guard
• Species At Risk Management
• Internal Services/Program Enablers
• Contacts for Further Information

Legal Framework

The legal authority for DFO's programs and activities is found in the following statutes and their respective regulations. These statutes set out DFO's legal mandate, powers and duties.

• Atlantic Fisheries Restructuring Act,¹ R.S.C. 1985, c. A-14
• Canada Marine Act, S.C., 1998, c. 10
• Canada Shipping Act, ² 2001,3 S.C., 2001, c. 26
• Coastal Fisheries Protection Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-33
• Department of Fisheries and Oceans Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-15
• Fisheries Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-14
• Fishing and Recreational Harbours Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-24
• Fisheries Development Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-21
• Fisheries Improvement Loans Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-22
• Freshwater Fish Marketing Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-13
• Great Lakes Fisheries Convention Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-17
• Oceans Act, S.C. 1996, c. 31
• Resources and Technical Surveys Act,³ R.S.C. 1985, c. R-7
• Species at Risk Act, ⁴ S.C. 2002, c. 29

¹ Certain sections of this Act are also the responsibility of the Ministers of Industry, Finance and State (Privatization and Regulatory Affairs).

² The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has some responsibilities under this Act. The majority of the Act is administered by the Minister of Transport.

³ The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has some powers under this Act. However, those powers also exist under the Oceans Act.

⁴ The Minister of the Environment is the responsible Minister for the Act, but the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is a competent Minister with respect to aquatic species.

 

In addition, DFO is required to comply with constitutional statutes and laws of general application, such as:

• the Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
• the Access to Information Act
• the Canada School of Public Service Act
• the Federal Accountability Act;
• the Financial Administration Act;
• the Official Languages Act;
• the Public Service Employment Act;
• the Public Service Labour Relations Act;
• the Public Service Modernization Act;
• the Privacy Act; and
• the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

Canadian Coast Guard

Changes to the Program Activity Architecture

In the 2007-2008 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP), Coast Guard proposed two important amendments to its Program Activity Architecture (PAA) at the sub-activity level, both of which have since been fully implemented for planning, reporting and internal management. These amendments are intended to enhance transparency and accountability to clients and stakeholders, to Parliamentarians and to the Canadian public at large.

First, the concept of Coast Guard Fleet Operational Readiness has been adopted by the Agency to replace Fleet Services as a sub-activity in the Program Activity Architecture. It is defined as "the means and ability to respond to and manage the on-water and related needs of Canadians and the Government of Canada in a safe, timely and effective manner". The Agency wishes to openly and transparently communicate to its clients and stakeholders all of the fixed costs associated with maintaining a marine response capability (defined as vessels and helicopters) and its ability to respond to Government of Canada requirements - both planned and unplanned. Specifically, these costs are the resources for fleet management, fleet acquisition, refit and maintenance, and fleet personnel.

Similarly, Lifecycle Asset Management Services was added as a new sub-activity to better reflect investment and activities pertaining to lifecycle management of Coast Guard physical assets that support both the fleet and on-shore operations.

Two other significant changes occurred between the publication of the 2007-2008 Report on Plans and Priorities and the final PAA revisions. First, what was Aids and Waterways Services under the old PAA was split into Aids to Navigation Services and Waterways Management Services. This change was made in recognition of the distinctiveness of each program.

The second change was the removal of the Support to Other Government Objectives sub-activity. This sub-activity was mainly used for capturing costs incurred in support of other government objectives that were not recovered from other government departments by the end of a fiscal year. There was never any planned spending associated with this sub-activity. The majority of these expenditures are related to the fleet, and under the Fleet Operational Readiness model, they will be reported under the Fleet Operational Readiness sub-activity. Any remaining expenditures that would have been allocated to the original old sub-activity have been deemed immaterial, and a separate sub-activity is no longer warranted.

The following tables display resources in terms of the old and new Coast Guard PAA structure. Under the old PAA, resources for operating the fleet, as well as the investment and activities pertaining to the life cycle management of the Coast Guard's physical assets that support the fleet and shore-based operations, are spread out among various CCG and DFO sub-activities.

Under the new PAA structure, Coast Guard will make the costs of having an operationally ready fleet transparent by bringing together all the fixed costs and related vote-netted revenue of operating the fleet under one sub-activity, Fleet Operational Readiness, which now represents approximately 58% of Coast Guard's total budget. This includes fixed funding that is currently reported under the Science and Fisheries and Aquaculture Management program activities. This has been completed for CCG resources, but the resource transfer is still under negotiation for Science and Fisheries and Aquaculture Management. CCG and DFO continue to work toward completing this final stage in the implementation of the Fleet Operational Readiness concept.

Also under the new PAA structure, the Agency has centralized the costs and related vote-netted revenue pertaining to the lifecycle management of fleet and shore-based assets under Lifecycle Asset Management Services, which now represents 22% of the total Coast Guard budget.

Planned Spending under the Old Program Activity Architecture (millions of dollars)

	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011
Aids and Waterways Services	90.0	90.1	90.1
Marine Communications and Traffic Services	91.2	94.3	85.8
Icebreaking Services	55.0	55.0	55.0
Search and Rescue Services	102.9	102.8	102.8
Environmental Response Services	12.0	12.0	11.2
Coast Guard College	7.6	7.6	7.6
Maritime Security	5.9	0.7	0.7
Contribution to Other Government Objectives	—	—	—
Coast Guard Fleet Services	279.3	288.8	280.4
Total	643.9	651.3	633.6

Note: Because of rounding, figures may not add to the totals shown.

 

Planned Spending under the New Program Activity Architecture (millions of dollars)

	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011
Aids to Navigation Services	22.2	22.4	22.4
Waterways Management Services	4.3	4.3	4.3
Marine Communications and Traffic Services	44.7	44.8	45.2
Icebreaking Services	17.2	17.3	17.3
Search and Rescue Services	32.1	32.0	32.0
Environmental Response Services	10.2	10.2	10.1
Coast Guard College	7.4	7.4	7.4
Maritime Security	8.9	2.8	2.8
Lifecycle Asset Management Services	127.4	130.4	120.7
Fleet Operational Readiness	369.3	379.8	371.3
Total	643.9	651.3	633.6

Note: Because of rounding, figures may not add to the totals shown.

 

The fleet and other assets are integral to delivering the objectives of CCG, Science and Fisheries and Aquaculture Management activities. In the interest of transparency and accountability to our stakeholders, the Coast Guard will report on how Fleet Operational Readiness and Lifecycle Asset Management support those activities. The following table estimates how our planned spending for 2008-2009 under these two sub-activities supports other sub-activities. Support to Science and Fisheries and Aquaculture Management has not been included, as those transfers have not yet occurred.

 

Fleet Operational Readiness and Lifecycle Asset Management Support to Other Sub-activities for 2008-2009 Planned Spending (millions of dollars)

	Lifecycle Asset Management	Fleet Operational Readiness	Total
Aids to Navigation Services	29.8	27.1	56.9
Waterways Management Services	0.8	1.0	1.8
Marine Communications and Traffic Services	19.2	1.4	20.6
Icebreaking Services	9.2	32.1	41.3
Search and Rescue Services	19.7	90.6	110.3
Environmental Response Services	0.8	0.9	1.7
Coast Guard College	0.2	—	0.2
Maritime Security	3.1	15.3	18.4
Science1	—	—	—
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management	—	—	—
Major Capital	44.5	200.9	245.4
Total	127.4	369.3	496.7

Note: Because of rounding, figures may not add to the totals shown.

¹ Planned spending for support to Science and Conservation and Protection is reported in Other Program Activities in DFO.

Performance Measurement Framework

Canadian Coast Guard's Performance Measurement Framework, including Outputs

Sub-activity	Expected Outputs	Performance Indicators
Aids to Navigation Services	Operational aids to navigation systems Navigation safety information	Reliability of short-range and long-range aids to navigation (signal availability of DGPS) within the Levels of Service and Service Standards Timely publication of Notice to Mariners within the Levels of Service and Service Standards
Waterways Management Services	Dredging of the Canadian portions of the Great Lakes Connecting Channels and St. Lawrence River maintained and managed (within Levels of Service and Service Standards) Main commercial shipping channel bottoms surveyed (within Levels of Service and Service Standards) Water Level Forecasts (within Levels of Service and Service Standards)	Percentage and actual number of kilometres of channel dredged versus planned Actual number of kilometres of channels surveyed versus planned Timely provision of water level forecast
Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS)	Responses to distress and safety communications (within Levels of Service and Service Standards) Screening and issuance of vessel/traffic clearances to ships of 500 tons — gross tonnage — or more entering Canadian waters (Great Lakes not included, within Levels of Service and Service Standards) Marine safety information	Availability of operations at MCTS centres ; Note: radio channels are continuously monitored Number of clearances Number of Notices to Shipping issued
Icebreaking Services	Icebreaking Services Ice-related information during ice seasons	Percentage of icebreaking services provided within Levels of Service and Service Standards Number of ice charts produced (within Levels of Service and Service Standards)
Search and Rescue Services (SAR)	SAR co-ordination and response Capacity to respond to SAR taskings	Percentage of primary SAR vessels meeting reaction time of 30 minutes or less for maritime incidents Number of CCGA members Number of CCGA vessels
Environmental Response Services	CCG-managed spill responses Monitoring of private-sector response Provision of expertise and resources to other government departments (OGDs) and organizations	Number of CCG responses to marine pollution incidents as On-scene Commander (South of 60, Arctic Coverage Area; North of 60) Number of CCG responses to marine pollution incidents as Federal Monitoring Officer Number of CCG responses as Resource Agency
Maritime Security	Provision of CCG maritime traffic information to Maritime Security Operations Centres Effective and efficient provision of CCG fleet services for security purposes	Reliability of CCG maritime vessel traffic information for usage at Marine Security Operations Centres (proportion of year information is fully available) Percentage of service delivered versus service planned (active vessels)
Coast Guard Fleet Operational Readiness	Fleet operational days delivered for: Delivery of CCG marine services; DFO Science and Conservation and Protection Programs Other federal government needs	Total number of fleet operational days Total number of fleet operational days for CCG Total number of fleet operational days for DFO Science Total number of fleet operational days for DFO Conservation and Protection Total number of fleet operational days for OGDs Total number of fleet operational days for the vessels supporting the joint RCMP/CCG Marine Security Enforcement Teams program and any other vessels delivering maritime security support
Lifecycle Asset Management Services	CCG major capital asset acquisition Fleet Renewal initiative major CCG fleet asset acquisition CCG assets maintenance	Percentage of major capital projects completed on schedule Percentage of major Crown project completed on schedule, budget and performance Percentage of maintenance (by cost) that is unplanned, by class
Coast Guard College	Trained personnel Qualified personnel	Percentage of courses delivered versus planned course delivery Number of students completing their courses and programs

Species at Risk Management

The Department's Species at Risk Secretariat was recently renamed the Species at Risk Management Program and integrated into the Oceans and Habitat Sector. Further work toward integration will be undertaken in fiscal year 2008-2009, for example, the inclusion of the Species at Risk Program in DFO's Program Activity Architecture and Corporate Risk Profile will be addressed.

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for administering, through the activities of the Species at Risk Management Program, the provisions of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) related to all aquatic species (freshwater and marine), including the implementation of the necessary conservation and protection measures under SARA for aquatic species on the list of wildlife species at risk. Aquatic species include marine mammals, fish and marine plant species as defined under the federal Fisheries Act.

Species at Risk Management involves developing recovery strategies, action plans and management plans for all aquatic species; promoting recovery implementation and monitoring marine and anadromous (moves between fresh and salt water) species over which the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction; and promoting freshwater species for which certain provinces have specific delegated responsibilities related to fisheries management through regulations under the Fisheries Act.

Species at risk protection and conservation is a joint responsibility of the federal, provincial and territorial governments. As a result, the capacity and level of co-operation and support within each of the provinces and territories can have a significant impact on the implementation of SARA. In addition, land claim agreements in the territories have established wildlife management boards, which share responsibilities with governments on the management of species at risk. Co-operation between and among jurisdictions is critical for the successful implementation of recovery strategies and action plans.

Species at Risk Management — Expected Results and Performance Indicators

Description from Main Estimates	Expected Results	Performance Indicators
Aquatic species at risk are managed to provide for the recovery of extirpated, endangered and threatened species; and the management of special concerned species to prevent them becoming at risk.	SARA legislated timelines and requirements are met Federal policies and departmental guidelines on implementation of the Act are developed	Recovery Strategies are published according to SARA timelines; Action Plans are published in accordance to Recovery Strategy timelines; Management Plans are published according to SARA timelines; Critical habitat is protected Policies and Guidelines are prepared

Sub-activities

Three sub-activities are associated with the management of species at risk:

• Protection of Species at Risk — Involves formally identifying, on the basis of science, species that are at risk or trending toward risk identification so that appropriate steps for protection or recovery may be developed and implemented. The result is an assessment of the status of wildlife species, which classifies them as extinct, extirpated, endangered, threatened, of special concern, data deficient, or not at risk. Protection of species at risk and their habitat from further harm involves the development of protection measures, followed by plans or strategies that outline the recovery goals and objectives, as well as the actions needed to reach these objectives.
• Recovery of Species at Risk — Involves the development of goals, objectives and approaches for recovery, as well as the identification of appropriate measures and actions to effectively achieve those goals. Species recovery includes a wide range of measures to restore populations of species at risk such, as recovery strategies and action plans to address extirpated, endangered or threatened species; management plans for species of special concern; and recovery implementation plans. Recovery implementation ensures that actions identified in the planning stage are carried out to achieve recovery goals, objectives and strategies identified in both action plans and management plans, as well as the protection of critical habitat identified in those plans.
• Monitoring and Evaluation — Involves detecting changes in the status of species; determining the effectiveness of protection and recovery measures; measuring progress toward achieving set recovery goals; and evaluating the effectiveness of SARA to ensure continual improvement of the Species at Risk Program. Because the Department is still developing recovery documents, work on implementing this sub-activity is in its initial phase.

Species at Risk Management — Sub-activity

Sub-activity/Plans	Expected Results	Performance Indicators
Protection of Species at Risk
Provide input, data and analyses to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada Establish and maintain federal species at risk assessment policies and guidelines	Listing consultations undertaken with partners and stakeholders Clear set of federal policies and departmental guidelines are developed	Legal obligations are met Stakeholders are engaged and support the development of species at risk assessment and protection activities
Recovery of Species at Risk
Develop recovery strategies, action plans and management plans, including the identification of critical habitat Establish and maintain federal species at risk recovery policies and guidelines Implement priority recovery actions (on federal lands) for federal species as identified in recovery strategies, action plans and management plans	Recovery strategies, action plans and management plans are posted on SARA public registry Governments and stakeholders start implementing recovery actions A clear set of federal policies and departmental guidelines is developed	Legislated timelines are met for recovery strategies, action plans and management plans Critical habitat is protected on federal, Aboriginal and provincial lands Governments and partners implement recovery priorities
Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitor actions identified in recovery strategies, action plans and management plans, and compare results to expected progress	Monitoring and evaluation plans are developed for species with posted action plans	Species are monitored and results are analyzed

Internal Services/Program Enablers

The Management, Resources and Results Structure (MRRS) policy, which came into effect on April 1, 2005, is designed to improve reporting to Parliament; provide the basis to support improved decision-making by departments, central agencies and Parliament; and support the horizontal management of government priorities. A department's MRRS comprises three components: its strategic outcomes, its Program Activity Architecture (PAA), and its governance structure.

One component of the PAA is a program activity called Internal Services, which provides a common government view and reference point for Government of Canada internal services and supports a common basis for the planning, budgeting, design and communication of internal services across government.

When developing its 2008-2009 PAA, DFO adopted TBS's standard categories of Internal Services. As illustrated in the table below, there are some significant differences between this new structure and the structure previously used by DFO.

DFO's Corporate Service under the 2007-2008 PAA and the 2008-2009 PAA

DFO's 2007-2008 PAA Program Enablers	DFO's 2008-2009 PAA Internal Services
Executive Direction Strategic Policy Communications Legal Services Human Resources Corporate Services	Management and Oversight Services Public Policy Services Human Resources Management Services Financial Management Services Supply Chain Management Services Facilities/Lifecycle Asset Management Services Information Management Services Information Technology Services Legal Services Public Affairs/Communications Services Evaluation Services Internal Audit Services

DFO is a member of the TBS Internal Services working group, lead by the TBS Chief Information Officer Branch. This working group is working towards further defining and developing the Profile of Government of Canada Internal Services and related definitions and performance indicators. At the same time, DFO will continue to work internally toward reporting according to the new structure. In this RPP, however, information on internal services is presented below in terms of DFO's 2007-2008 PAA.

In DFO, Program Enablers represent approximately 17.4% of total employees and 19.7% of financial resources; this activity is delivered through six sub-activities.

Executive Direction plans to achieve improved management practices, policies and internal control systems in DFO through the audits, evaluations and follow-up audits carried out according to the Annual Audit and Evaluation Workplan. In particular, Executive Direction:

• Provides leadership and direction to the Department to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of the Department's mandate and achievement of its strategic outcomes;
• Provides timely and informed advice to the Minister;
• Implements the audit and evaluation policies, programs and initiatives of the Government of Canada and DFO;
• Develops and implements DFO's integrated risk management initiatives;
• Ensures adherence to the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act; and
• Delivers quality services on values, ethics, disclosure and conflict resolution in compliance with legislative requirements, to build an open and fair culture where public service values, ethical behaviour and employee engagement are promoted.

DFO's Program Enablers, Expected Results

Program Enabler	Expected Results
Strategic Policy
Provides strategic advice, services and policies to ensure the sustainable development and safe use of Canada's oceans and aquatic resources Provides strategic advice and co-ordination for the legislative and regulatory priorities of DFO	Senior management, including the Deputy Minister and Minister, properly prepared to make departmental policy decisions and representations Enhanced capacity within DFO to conduct complex economic research and analysis Improved information and analytical base upon which decisions on departmental programs and policies (evidence-based policy-making) are made Increased credibility of the Department's policies, program and approaches to natural resource management Effective Canadian participation in international meetings Enhanced capacity within DFO for legislative and regulatory initiatives
Communications
Works with program and policy leads across the Department to guide communications activities that support the goals and priorities of the Department and are consistent with the Government of Canada Communications Policy	Citizens, stakeholders and media well informed about DFO priorities, programs and activities
Legal Services
Provides legal services and counsel to the Department in support of policy development, program implementation, legislative and regulatory drafting, regulatory prosecutions and civil litigation Designs and implements programs, reports and materials that enhance legal awareness	Provision of legal advice Legal risk anticipated and mitigated Programs, reports and materials that enhance legal awareness
Human Resources
Delivers policy and procedural advice, services and training to managers and employees on organization and classification, human resource planning, succession planning, learning and career development, performance management, staffing and recruitment, employment equity and diversity, official languages, labour relations, compensation, human resource management systems, awards and recognition, and management trainee/career assignment programs	A workplace that is well structured, fair, enabling, healthy and safe A workforce that is productive, principled, sustainable and adaptable
Corporate Services
Provides support to the Department's core areas of corporate review, finance and administration; real property management, safety and security; environment; and information management and technology services	Departmental finances managed according to government policies and regulations Appropriate and safe real property infrastructure that supports the delivery of DFO programs Financial, structural and organizational sustainability of real property management Improved environmental compliance Reduced liability related to contaminated sites A safe and secure workplace Efficient management of government information Sustainable, reliable, secure and responsive information technology infrastructure Departmental staff with the tools and information required to manage effectively

 

The financial and human resources for each sub-activity of the 2007-2008 PAA are shown below.

Program Enablers — Planned Spending and Full-Time Equivalents

Financial Resources (millions of dollars)	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011
Executive Direction	49.4	49.7	49.9
Strategic Policy	24.0	23.8	23.6
Communications	9.7	9.7	9.7
Legal Services	5.4	5.4	5.4
Human Resources	27.7	26.0	25.9
Corporate Services	225.5	211.6	198.5
Total	341.8	326.2	312.9
Human Resources (number of FTEs)	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011
Executive Direction	229	229	229
Strategic Policy	231	231	231
Communications	95	95	95
Legal Services	24	24	24
Human Resources	337	290	288
Corporate Services	909	1,008	1,009
Total	1,826	1,877	1,876

Note: Because of rounding, figures may not add to the totals shown.

 

DFO will update its system to present information on Internal Services in the 2009-2010 RPP in terms of its 2009-2010 PAA. Furthermore, DFO, through its Internal Services, will continue to follow the government direction and work with central agencies on the renewal of the government policy suite, particularly with respect to Corporate Administrative Shared Services - DFO is one of five potential early adopting departments- the Chief Financial Officer model, and audited financial statements.

 

Contacts for Further Information

Communications Sector Contacts by Region

Region	Name	Telephone
Newfoundland and Labrador	Jan Woodford	(709) 772-7622
Maritimes	Kathleen Kieley	(902) 426-3550
Gulf	Terrance Boucher	(506) 851-7757
Quebec	Caroline Hilt	(418) 648-7316
Central and Arctic	Lawrence Swift	(519) 383-1830
Pacific	Terry Davis	(604) 666-3855
Headquarters	Anne Lamar	(613) 990-0219

 

 

List of Acronyms

In this section:

• List of Acronyms

 

List of Acronyms

CCG	Canadian Coast Guard
CCGA	Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary
CEAA	Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
CHS	Canadian Hydrographic Service
COE	Centres of Expertise
DFO	Fisheries and Oceans Canada
DGPS	Differential Global Positioning System
DMC	Departmental Management Committee
EBM	Ecosystem Based Management
EPMP	Environmental Process Modernization Plan
FTE	Full-time Equivalent
HA	Harbour Authority
HMP	Habitat Management Program
IFMP	Integrated Fisheries Management Plan
IM	Information Management
IPY	International Polar Year
ISP	IT Sustainability Project
ITIL	Information Technology Infrastructure Library
IUU	Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated
LOMA	Large Ocean Management Area
LORAN	Long Range Aids to Navigation
MAF	Management Accountability Framework
MCTS	Marine Communications and Traffic Services
MPA	Marine Protected Area
NAFO	Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization
NAVAREAS	Navigational Areas
OGD	Other Government Departments
PAA	Program Activity Architecture
PSMA	Public Service Modernization Act
RCMP	Royal Canadian Mounted Police
RDG	Regional Director General
RFMO	Regional Fisheries Management Organization
RPP	Report on Plans and Priorities
SARA	Species at Risk Act
SCH	Small Craft Harbours
SDS	Sustainable Development Strategy
SEP	Salmon Enhancement Program
TBS	Treasury Board Secretariat
UNCLOS	United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Footnotes

[1]	The Species at Risk Secretariat has recently been relocated to the Oceans and Habitat Sector. Work toward integrating the three directorates is ongoing and will be finalized by the end of this fiscal year.
[2]	Development proposals, referrals, are submitted to the Program for review of their impact on fish and fish habitat and confirmation of their compliance with the habitat protection provisions of the Fisheries Act.

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