Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada 2021 - 2022
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 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.
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:
NSERC’s purpose is to help make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians, by supporting postsecondary students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies, promoting discovery by funding the research programs of academic researchers, and stimulating partnerships between academia and industry. Further information on the NSERC mandate and program activities can be found in NSERC’s 2021–22 Departmental Plan.
NSERC’s program delivery is centered on a peer review model. External experts from across the country and around the world contribute their time and expertise to adjudicate grant proposals as well as scholarship and fellowship applications, with the aim of funding excellence for the benefit of Canada. The vast majority of NSERC’s travel and hospitality expenses are to support this peer review process.
NSERC’s total annual expenditures for travel, hospitality and conferences are summarized below:
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures for Year ending March 31, 2022
Expenditure category |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2022 ($ thousands) |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2021 ($ thousands) |
Variance ($ thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | |||
Operational activities |
$13.00 |
-$92.00 |
$105.00 |
Key stakeholders |
$12.00 |
$17.00 |
-$5.00 |
Internal governance |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Training |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Other |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
| A. Total travel | $25.00 |
-$75.00 |
$100.00 |
| B. Hospitality | $0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
| C. Conference fees | $78.00 |
$34.00 |
$44.00 |
| Total [A+B+C] | $103.00 |
-$41.00 |
$144.00 |
| 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:
Compared with fiscal year 2020–21, departmental travel expenditures increased mainly due to the lifting of many COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions in Canada and around the world during during fiscal year 2021-22. This allowed for in-person government related activities to resume.
The negative balances in 2020-21 were a result of travel expenditures accrued in fiscal year 2019-20, but subsequently reversed during 2020-21 due to the cancellation of related activities given the pandemic environment.
Hospitality:
N/A
Conference fees:
Compared with fiscal year 2020–21, departmental conference expenditures increased during 2021-22 mainly due to the lifting of many COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions in Canada and around the world during fiscal year 2021-22. This allowed for in-person government related activities to resume.Minister and minister’s exempt staff - International travel:
N/A