Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Canadian Transportation Agency 2019 - 2020
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 Transportation Agency for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020.
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 CTA is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal and regulator that has, with respect to all matters necessary for the exercise of its jurisdiction, all the powers of a superior court. The CTA has three mandates:
• It helps ensure that the national transportation system runs efficiently and smoothly in the interests of all Canadians: those who work and invest in it; the producers, shippers, travellers and businesses who rely on it; and the communities where it operates.
• It protects the human right of persons with disabilities to an accessible transportation network.
• It provides consumer protection for air passengers.
Canadian Transportation Agency Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures for Year ending March 31, 2020
Expenditure category |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2020 ($ thousands) |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2019 ($ thousands) |
Variance ($ thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | |||
Operational activities |
$195.00 |
$219.00 |
-$24.00 |
Key stakeholders |
$87.00 |
$193.00 |
-$106.00 |
Internal governance |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Training |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Other |
$86.00 |
$91.00 |
-$5.00 |
| A. Total travel | $368.00 |
$503.00 |
-$135.00 |
| B. Hospitality | $11.00 |
$23.00 |
-$12.00 |
| C. Conference fees | $8.00 |
$18.00 |
-$10.00 |
| Total [A+B+C] | $387.00 |
$544.00 |
-$157.00 |
| 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 2018-19, the CTA's overall travel expenditures in 2019-20 decreased by $135K (26.8%), for several reasons.
First, in 2018-19, the CTA held several in-person consultations across Canada with the travelling public, the airline industry, consumer rights groups, and other interested parties to develop new air passenger protection regulations, following the coming into force of the Transportation Modernization Act on May 23, 2018. Public consultations on air passenger protection ended on August 28, 2018.
Second, in 2018-19 the CTA hosted an international forum in June 2018 in Toronto, Ontario in order to address issues related to the storage and transportation of mobility aids on aircrafts. The forum brought together airlines and their associations, aircraft manufacturers, mobility device manufacturers, disability rights organizations, regulators and other interested stakeholders.
Third, the CTA's Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) held two meetings in 2018-19, including a special meeting as part of a focused consultation on the draft Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR), and held only one in 2019-20.
Finally, the CTA held an oral hearing in 2018-19 in Vancouver following an investigation launched on its own motion into possible freight rail service issues in the Vancouver area.
Hospitality:
Compared with fiscal year 2018-19, the CTA's hospitality expenditures in 2019-20 decreased by $12K (52.1%) mainly due to the aforementioned international forum hosted by the CTA as well as the two AAC meetings in 2018-19.
Conference fees:
Compared with fiscal year 2018-19, the CTA's conference fee expenditures in 2019-20 decreased by $10K (55.5%). In 2018-19, the CTA increased its participation in conferences to engage with stakeholders and promote CTA initiatives, services and programs.Minister and minister’s exempt staff - International travel:
N/A