Question Period Note: Supplementary Estimates (B) 2020–21

As part of the business of supply, the President of the Treasury Board tabled the government-wide Supplementary Estimates (B) 2020-21 in Parliament on October 22, 2020.

• Canadians and the parliamentarians who represent them have the right to know how public funds are being spent, and to hold the government to account.
• The Supplementary Estimates B continue to report on spending authorized through COVID-19 Emergency Response Acts, providing transparency and accountability in the use of public funds to deliver programs and services to Canadians.
• These Estimates lay out spending plans that further address the health and economic impacts of COVID-19, including new voted spending of $5.4 billion for medical research and vaccine development, $2.2 billion for protective gear and medical equipment, and $1 billion for the Safe Return to Class Fund.
• Similarly, these Estimates also include more than $700 million for the Safe Restart Agreement and over $460 million for the Essential Workers Support Fund, to help ensure the safety and security of our essential workers and support measures for a strong economic recovery.

The 2020–21 Main Estimates were tabled on February 27, 2020, supporting the government’s request to Parliament for authority through annual appropriations to spend $125.1 billion in voted budgetary expenditures and $87.2 million in voted non-budgetary expenditures. The 2020–21 Main Estimates also presented information on statutory amounts of $179.5 billion in budgetary expenditures and $3.0 billion in loans, investments and advances.
The Main Estimates were tabled for a second time on September 30, 2020. Responding to the extraordinary circumstances of Parliament since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the House of Commons passed a motion on April 20, 2020 to temporarily modify Standing Order 81, which resulted in extending the study of the Main Estimates until December. Following the prorogation of Parliament and the opening of a new session, the Main Estimates were re-tabled in the House of Commons for Parliament’s continued consideration of voted spending for 2020-21.
The Supplementary Estimates (A), 2020–21, were tabled on June 2, 2020 and presented information in support of $6.0 billion in voted budgetary expenditures. Information was also presented on increases to statutory expenditures of $80.9 billion in budgetary expenditures and $200 million in loans, investments and advances.

• The Supplementary Estimates (B), 2020–21 include $79.2 billion in planned budgetary spending, of which $58.3 billion is already authorized through legislation.
• These estimates also provide information in support of voted budgetary expenditures in the amount of $20.9 billion for a total of $152.8 billion in 2020–21.
• Of these amounts, roughly $15 billion of the voted requirements and $57 billion of the additional statutory forecasts are for the Government’s response to the public health, social and economic impact on Canadians of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our Government has a responsibility to ensure Canadians have the support they need in this time of crisis, and to promote economic recovery and prosperity going forward. We do this by investing in critical health care and supporting the safe restart of our economy. Our spending plans will help Canada thrive and succeed.”

• The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board