Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Environment and Climate Change Canada 2018 - 2019
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 Environment and Climate Change Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019.
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:
Environment and Climate Change Canada is the lead federal department for a wide range of environmental issues, including taking action on clean growth and climate change. The Department is also engaged in activities aimed at preventing and managing pollution, conserving nature, and predicting weather and environmental conditions. The Department addresses these issues through various actions including the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, engaging with our strategic partners including provinces, territories and indigenous peoples, monitoring, science-based research, policy and regulatory development, and through the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations.
The Department’s program focus reflects the interdependence between environmental sustainability and economic well-being.
Further information on the mandate, legislation, roles, priorities, responsibilities and strategic outcomes of Environment and Climate Change Canada can be found in the Departmental Results Reports: Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Environment and Climate Change Canada Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures for Year ending March 31, 2019
Expenditure category |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2019 ($ thousands) |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2018 ($ thousands) |
Variance ($ thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | |||
Operational activities |
$21,898.00 |
$19,789.00 |
$2,109.00 |
Key stakeholders |
$3,790.00 |
$1,784.00 |
$2,006.00 |
Internal governance |
$1,582.00 |
$1,054.00 |
$528.00 |
Training |
$3,719.00 |
$2,477.00 |
$1,242.00 |
Other |
$1,895.00 |
$1,139.00 |
$756.00 |
| A. Total travel | $32,884.00 |
$26,243.00 |
$6,641.00 |
| B. Hospitality | $736.00 |
$474.00 |
$262.00 |
| C. Conference fees | $861.00 |
$871.00 |
-$10.00 |
| Total [A+B+C] | $34,481.00 |
$27,588.00 |
$6,893.00 |
| International travel by minister and minister's staff (included in travel) | $178.00 |
$188.00 |
-$10.00 |
Explanation of significant variances compared with previous fiscal year
Total travel:
Compared to fiscal year 2017–18, departmental travel expenditures increased mainly due to an increase in travel for activities associated with funding announced in Budget 2018 for initiatives such as Nature Legacy, Adapting Canada’s Weather and Water services to Climate Change and Impact assessment and regulatory processes as well as for the Canadian Weather Radar replacement project.
Hospitality:
Compared to fiscal year 2017–18, departmental hospitality expenditures increased due to engagement activities and workshops held for initiatives announced in Budget 2018 such as Nature Legacy and Impact Assessment and regulatory processes as well as in support of the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Framework including the launch in October 2018 of the Canadian Centre for Climate Services. In addition, in 2018-19, ECCC hosted internationals events such as the 13th Scientific Group Meeting of London Protocol, the 13th Meeting of the Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Conference fees:
Compared to fiscal year 2017–18, departmental conference fee expenditures decreased by 1.2%.Minister and minister’s exempt staff - International travel:
Compared to fiscal year 2017–18, departmental expenditures for international travel by the Minister and the Minister’s exempt staff decrease is mainly explained by participation to the World Ocean Summit and a meeting with stakeholders in Dublin (Ireland) in 2017-18. This decrease is offset by increased costs to attend the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP).