Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Transportation Safety Board of Canada 2022 - 2023
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 Transportation Safety Board of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023.
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 TSB performs a key role within the Canadian transportation system. We provide Canadians with an organization entrusted to advance transportation safety by:
• conducting independent investigations, including, when necessary, public inquiries, into selected transportation occurrences in order to make findings as to their causes and contributing factors;
• identifying safety deficiencies as evidenced by transportation occurrences;
• making recommendations designed to reduce or eliminate any such safety deficiencies;
• reporting publicly on our investigations and related findings; and
• following-up with stakeholders to ensure that safety actions are taken to reduce risks and improve safety.
The TSB may also represent Canadian interests in foreign investigations of transportation accidents involving Canadian citizens or Canadian registered, licensed or manufactured aircraft, ships or railway rolling stock. In addition, the TSB carries out some of Canada's obligations related to transportation safety at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
As one of the world leaders in its field, the TSB regularly shares its investigation techniques, methodologies and tools with foreign safety organizations by inviting them to participate in in-house training programs in the areas of investigation methodology, and human and organizational factors. Under the terms of international agreements, the TSB also provides investigation assistance to foreign safety organizations, such as downloading and analyzing flight recorder data or overseeing engine teardowns. The TSB also shares data and reports with sister organizations, in addition to participating in international working groups and studies to advance transportation safety.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures for Year ending March 31, 2023
Expenditure category |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2023 ($ thousands) |
Expenditures for year ended March 31, 2022 ($ thousands) |
Variance ($ thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | |||
Operational activities |
$372.00 |
$159.00 |
$213.00 |
Key stakeholders |
$113.00 |
$5.00 |
$108.00 |
Internal governance |
$57.00 |
$10.00 |
$47.00 |
Training |
$203.00 |
$28.00 |
$175.00 |
Other |
$20.00 |
$4.00 |
$16.00 |
| A. Total travel | $765.00 |
$206.00 |
$559.00 |
| B. Hospitality | $11.00 |
$0.00 |
$11.00 |
| C. Conference fees | $22.00 |
$5.00 |
$17.00 |
| Total [A+B+C] | $798.00 |
$211.00 |
$587.00 |
| 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:
Departmental travel expenditures for Public Servants and Non-Public Servants are reported together under the categories identified in the above table. The total departmental travel expenditures have increased by $559K between years mainly due to a return to regular travel requirements following the Covid-19 pandemic. Operational activities to support program delivery, in-person engagement meetings with the industry and stakeholders, and in-person training have resumed however the amount spent remains below pre-pandemic annual travel costs.
Hospitality:
Typically, spending on hospitality expenditures is minimal; as a result, a single event can present a significant percentage variance between years. Comparatively to the fiscal year 2021-22 when the TSB did not host any significant events, hospitality expenditures increased by $11K. This increase is mainly due to the resumption of in-person meetings following the global pandemic.
Conference fees:
Spending in this category relates to conference fees incurred by TSB employees and Board Members who served as official TSB representatives to attend and/or speak at various conferences. When possible, the TSB tries to arrange for its representatives to participate in the conferences on a complimentary basis given their role as speakers on the conference program. However, host organizations are not always agreeable to such arrangements and may charge registration fees for participation in the program. The conference fees expenditures increased by $17K in comparison to the fiscal year 2021-22 mainly due to the easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and the resumption of normal activities.Minister and minister’s exempt staff - International travel:
Not Applicable. To instill public confidence in the TSB, it is essential that the agency be free of any conflict of interest when investigating accidents, identifying safety deficiencies, and making recommendations. That is why the TSB is independent and separate from other government departments. As of the publishing date of this report, the TSB reports to Parliament through the President of the King's Privy Council for Canada.