Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Natural Resources 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 Natural Resources 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:
NRCan works to improve the quality of life of Canadians by ensuring that our natural resources are developed sustainably, providing a source of jobs, prosperity and opportunity, while preserving our environment and respecting our communities and Indigenous Peoples. The Minister of Natural Resources has responsibilities in relation to more than 30 acts of Parliament. The Minister’s core powers, duties and functions are set forth in the Department of Natural Resources Act, the Resources and Technical Surveys Act, the Forestry Act, the Energy Efficiency Act and the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act. The Department also works in areas of shared responsibilities with provinces, which includes the environment, public safety, economic development, science and technology, and consultations with Indigenous Peoples. To fulfil its responsibilities, the Department relies on a number of instruments (e.g. policy, regulation, statutory transfers, grants and contributions) and key activities (e.g. science and technology, partnerships and communications). NRCan has offices and laboratories across the country. About one-third of our employees are located in the National Capital Region, with the remainder working in regional offices: Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the Western and Pacific Regions and Northern Canada. For more information on NRCan’s results, see the 2018-19 Departmental Results Report.
Natural Resources 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 |
$9,438.00 |
$9,435.00 |
$3.00 |
Key stakeholders |
$2,684.00 |
$1,911.00 |
$773.00 |
Internal governance |
$382.00 |
$226.00 |
$156.00 |
Training |
$595.00 |
$396.00 |
$199.00 |
Other |
$728.00 |
$574.00 |
$154.00 |
| A. Total travel | $13,827.00 |
$12,542.00 |
$1,285.00 |
| B. Hospitality | $347.00 |
$460.00 |
-$113.00 |
| C. Conference fees | $715.00 |
$663.00 |
$52.00 |
| Total [A+B+C] | $14,889.00 |
$13,665.00 |
$1,224.00 |
| International travel by minister and minister's staff (included in travel) | $105.00 |
$167.00 |
-$62.00 |
Explanation of significant variances compared with previous fiscal year
Total travel:
Compared with fiscal year 2017-18, departmental travel expenditures increased by $1,285 thousand. This increase is mainly attributable to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, which was a new initiative started in 2018-19. Travel was required to engage in meaningful consultation with Indigenous communities affected by the pipeline expansion project. The increase is also due to travel required to support the development of the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan by engaging stakeholders in key markets through events that included the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada, China Mining, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. As well, the increase is due to the implementation of the First Nations Land Management Program for meetings to advance the operating agreements and recognition of the First Nation Land Management authorities to approve surveys; extensive fieldwork for the Enhancing Explosives Safety-Regulator Measures program; and preparatory activities necessary to organize the Clean Energy Ministerial event.
Hospitality:
Compared with fiscal year 2017-18, departmental hospitality expenditures decreased by $113 thousand, mainly due to events and activities that occurred in 2017-18 for Generation Energy, and to host the annual Canadian Council of Forest of Ministers meeting. This was offset by an increase related to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, which provided hospitality during meetings and workshops held as part of consultation with Indigenous communities affected by the pipeline expansion project. As well, there were increased expenditures for the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee, as it was the Committee’s first full year of operations.
Conference fees:
Compared with fiscal year 2017-18, departmental conference fee expenditures increased by $52 thousand. This increase was in support of the Green Infrastructure Program implementation, where conference participation provided NRCan employees access to academic research, industry advancements, and policy makers from other governments; participation in the World Gas Conference to promote changes to the National Energy Board; participation in the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium; and participation in Energy Summit 2018. There was also increased participation in conferences due to the growing demand for scientific knowledge sharing, as well as to support the departmental mandate in the dissemination of geoscience-related research results at various geoscience forums.Minister and minister’s exempt staff - International travel:
Compared with fiscal year 2017-18, departmental international travel expenditures by the Minister and his staff decreased by $62 thousand mainly due to a decrease in the number of international trips taken by the Minister and his staff, as they prioritized domestic responsibilities, including engaging directly with Indigenous communities as part of the re-initiated Phase III consultations on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.