Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages 2024 - 2025
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 Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.
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 mandate of the Commissioner of Official Languages is to oversee the full implementation of the Official Languages Act, protect the language rights of Canadians, and promote linguistic duality and bilingualism in Canada.
To achieve its mandate, OCOL is required to travel across Canada, hold hospitality events and participate in conferences in order to promote linguistic duality in official language communities and investigate complaints filed by citizens who believe their language rights have not been respected.
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures for Year ending March 31, 2025
Expenditure category |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2025 ($ thousands) |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2024 ($ thousands) |
Variance ($ thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | |||
Operational activities |
$59.48 |
$55.37 |
$4.11 |
Key stakeholders |
$37.04 |
$12.82 |
$24.21 |
Internal governance |
$70.30 |
$59.31 |
$10.99 |
Training |
$12.80 |
$6.54 |
$6.26 |
Other |
$4.45 |
$0.77 |
$3.68 |
| A. Total travel | $184.06 |
$134.81 |
$49.26 |
| B. Hospitality | $16.87 |
$11.99 |
$4.88 |
| C. Conference fees | $8.76 |
$5.09 |
$3.67 |
| Total [A+B+C] | $209.70 |
$151.89 |
$57.81 |
| 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 2023-2024, OCOL's total travel expenses increased by $49,256. The increase in travel-related costs in 2024–2025 is primarily attributable to several key factors:
Expanded stakeholder engagement efforts: There was a notable rise in both the number and geographic diversity of stakeholder engagement activities. Travel was
conducted across a broader range of provinces and territories, including the Yukon and Nunavut, regions not visited in 2023-2024. These remote areas typically incur higher transportation and accommodation costs due to logistical constraints.Growth in training-related travel: The volume of travel associated with employee training sessions increased during this period, contributing to the overall rise in
expenditures.Higher participation in organizational events: A greater number of employees required travel to attend the Annual General Assembly and the Strategic Planning Session, further elevating total travel costs.
Hospitality:
Compared to fiscal year 2023–2024, OCOL’s hospitality expenses increased by $4,881 in 2024-2025, primarily due to an expanded provision of refreshments, both in quantity and variety, during the Annual General Assembly.
Conference fees:
Compared with fiscal year 2024-2025, conference expenses have increased by $3,671, mainly due to 2 conferences that lasted more than one day.Minister and minister’s exempt staff - International travel:
N.A.