Question Period Note: 2021-22 Public Accounts

The Public Accounts of Canada for the year ended March 31, 2022 will be tabled in Parliament by the President of the Treasury Board between on October 27th, 2022.

• Canadian Heritage’s 2021-22 Public Accounts were prepared in accordance with the Receiver General’s procedures.
• Within Canadian Heritage’s Public Accounts, financial information specific to my Sport portfolio is presented.
• While Canadian Heritage has provided increased support to many organizations, restrictions imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19 have continued to cause significant disruptions and delays in the delivery of some programs, including Sport-related programs. These delays are evidenced by surpluses in grants and contributions spending.

• The Department used $13.4 million in Vote 1 – Operating authorities in 2021 22 under the Sport core responsibility compared to $12 million in 2020-21, which represents an increase of $1.4 million
(11.7 percent).
• The Department used $272.5 million in Vote 5 – Grants and Contributions in 2021-22 under the Sport core responsibility compared to $309.3 million in 2020-21, which represents a decrease of
$36.8 million (11.9 percent).
• The Department’s total decrease in authorities used in 2021-22 compared to 2020-21 under the Sport core responsibility was $35.4 million (11 percent). This is largely explained by the sunset of the Emergency Support Fund which was partially compensated by temporary funding measures announced in Budget 2021 to support the cultural sector, including the two-year funding totaling
$500 million to support the recovery in the heritage, arts, culture, and sport sectors and the reopening for events and in-person experiences and by funding for the Indigenous Reconciliation and Strength for Indigenous Women and Girls through Sport for Social Development and Community Sport for All initiatives.
• Results at the departmental level included a lapse of $214.3 million in Grants and Contributions and is mainly explained by funds not being spent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the lapse for the Sport portfolio was $57.8 million and is mostly explained by the following items:
o $43.3 million for Sports Support Program of which $40.0 million are for the Community Sport for All Initiative and $3.3 million for Indigenous Youth and Sport due to the significant impact COVID-19 had on the sport system and sport participation in general and specially for Indigenous communities being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and in many cases, not being able to fully realize their projects funded in 2021-22.
o $11.2 million for the Sport Hosting program due to the postponing and rescheduling of major sports events to subsequent years.
• It is important to note that reprofile requests totaling $55.3 million out of the $57.8 million lapse were submitted to the Department of Finance in order to make as much Sports’ Grants and Contributions lapses available in future fiscal years.
• In terms of expenses reported for your office since October 26, 2021, a total of $391,542 (primarily salaries) of which $5,746 was for travel.

None