Question Period Note: Grants and Contributions Surplus - Public Accounts

The 2019-2020 Public Accounts show a surplus which can be attributed to the International Development Assistance Program.

• In 2019-2020, the Department had a parliamentary spending authority of $5,221.0 million in the Grants and Contributions statutory and voted budgets.
• The Department spent $4,925.0 million and accounted for a surplus of $296.0 million (6%). Such figures are comparable to previous years; for example, the Department had presented a surplus of 283.0 million in 2018-2019.

• Most of these unused funds are re-profiled to be used for departmental priorities in the following fiscal year.

This lapse of $296.0 million mainly relates to budget categories that offer very limited flexibility, notably frozen allotments and assessed contributions. For example, the Crisis Pool Quick Release Mechanism ($178.5 million) was re-profiled to the next fiscal year and is planned to be used for International Assistance projects related COVID-19 as announced by the Prime Minister.

Further funding showing as surplus in 2019-20 has been reprofiled to 2020-21 will be available to be used for departmental priorities, namely:
· Financial Institutions Contributions ($18.2 million);
· Amazon Wild Fires ($12.6 million);
· Canadian International Innovation Program ($1.3 million); and
· Surplus under Assessed Contributions mainly due to gains on exchange rates ($17.6 million).

The flexible balance which could be attributed to International Development Assistance accounts for 1.3% of the Departmental spending authority, it is comprised of:
· Grants ($2.2 million);
· Non Assessed Contributions ($65.6 million).

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