Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2017 - 2018
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 Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.
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:
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) supports strong and sustainable economic growth in our marine and fisheries sectors and contributes to a prosperous economy through global commerce by supporting exports and advancing safe maritime trade. The Department supports the innovation needed for a knowledge-based economy through research in expanding sectors such as aquaculture and biotechnology. The Department contributes to a clean and healthy environment and sustainable aquatic ecosystems for Canadians through habitat protection, oceans management and ecosystems research.
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), as a Special Operating Agency within DFO, is responsible for services and programs that contribute to all three of the Department's strategic outcomes while also contributing significantly to the safety, security, and accessibility of Canada's waterways. The CCG also supports other government organizations by providing a civilian fleet and a broadly distributed shore-based infrastructure.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has the lead federal role in managing Canada's fisheries and safeguarding its waters.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures for Year ending March 31, 2018
Expenditure category |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2018 ($ thousands) |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2017 Note 1 ($ thousands) |
Variance ($ thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | |||
Operational activities |
$51,579.00 |
- | - |
Key stakeholders |
$2,333.00 |
- | - |
Internal governance |
$1,995.00 |
- | - |
Training |
$7,601.00 |
- | - |
Other |
$1,270.00 |
- | - |
| A. Total travel | $64,778.00 |
$49,265.00 |
$15,513.00 |
| B. Hospitality | $454.00 |
$281.00 |
$173.00 |
| C. Conference fees | $372.00 |
$314.00 |
$58.00 |
| Total [A+B+C] | $65,604.00 |
$49,860.00 |
$15,744.00 |
| International travel by minister and minister's staff (included in travel) | $114.00 |
$32.00 |
$82.00 |
Explanation of significant variances compared with previous fiscal year
Total travel:
Compared to fiscal year 2016-2017, total departmental travel expenditures increased by $15.5 million or 31.5% mainly due to increased core mandate activities in support of program delivery.
The increase in travel expenditures is due to activities related to the implementation of the Oceans Protection Plan (OPP), the development of Marine Conservation Targets (MCT) and work supporting Indigenous reconciliation.
In addition, there was a significant increase in department-wide training requiring travel, in particular, the Officer Cadet Training Program, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) program training and the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) cyclical recertification.
Hospitality:
Compared to fiscal year 2016-2017, departmental hospitality expenditures increased by $173 thousand primarily due to more frequent consultation meetings that resulted from the Health of the Oceans Initiative (HOTO), the Species at Risk Program and increased engagement with indigenous stakeholders, the hosting of the ISC Scientific International Tuna Conference, and various mental health awareness and wellness workshops for employees. There were also certain unforeseen events like flooding at the Prescott Coast Guard base that led to increased hospitality for employees involved in the emergency response.
Conference fees:
Compared to fiscal year 2016-2017, departmental conference fees expenditures increased by $58 thousand primarily due to a higher level of attendance at science related conferences and expositions on topics that pertain to the Oceans Protection Plan (OPP) including green ship technology and oil spills.Minister and minister’s exempt staff - International travel:
Compared to fiscal year 2016-2017, international travel expenditures increased by $82 thousand in 2017-2018 due to the Minister’s and Minister’s staff participation in more meetings and conferences this year.