Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures

Canadian Institutes of Health Research 2014 - 2015

As required by the Treasury Board Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures, this report provides information on travel, hospitality and conference expenditures for Canadian Institutes of Health Research for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015.

Travel, hospitality and conference expenditures incurred by a federal department or agency relate to activities that support the department or agency’s mandate and the government’s priorities.

Mandate:

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)'s travel, hospitality and conference expenditures support the delivery of the following core programs and services to Canadians:
• A mandate to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system.
• CIHR is the Government of Canada's health research funding agency. Peer review committees are used to determine which candidates are eligible to receive funding in the form of grants and awards. The committees are made up of external experts from across the country and around the world who contribute their time and expertise to adjudicate grants and awards applications, with the aim of funding excellence for the benefit of Canada. The vast majority of CIHR’s travel and hospitality expenses are to support this peer review process.
• Further details on CIHR’s authority, mandate and program activities can be found in the Report on Plans and Priorities (http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/37798.html) and the Departmental Performance Report (http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/37798.html).

Canadian Institutes of Health Research Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures for Year ending March 31, 2015

Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures

Expenditure category

Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2015 ($ thousands)

Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2014 ($ thousands)

Variance ($ thousands)

Travel

Public Servants

$672.00

$669.00

$3.00

Non-public Servants

$1,785.00

$2,789.00

$3.00

A. Total travel

$2,457.00

$669.00

-$1,004.00

B. Hospitality

$324.00

$439.00

-$115.00

C. Conference fees

$51.00

$55.00

-$4.00

Total [A+B+C]

$2,832.00

$3,952.00

-$1,120.00

International travel by minister and minister's staff (included in travel)

$0.00

$0.00

$0.00

Explanation of significant variances compared with previous fiscal year

Total travel:

Public Servants: Compared to fiscal year 2013-14, there was no significant variance in departmental travel expenditures by public servants (increase of $3K or 0.4%).

Non-Public Servants: Compared to fiscal year 2013-14, departmental travel expenditures by non-public servants decreased by $1,004K (or 36%) due primarily to transformational activities as a result of reforms.


Hospitality:

Compared to fiscal year 2013-14, departmental hospitality expenditures decreased by $115K (or 26%) due primarily to transformational activities as a result of reforms.

Conference fees:

Compared to fiscal year 2013-14, there was no significant variance in departmental conference fees expenditures (decrease of $4K or 7%).

Minister and minister’s exempt staff - International travel:

-