Directed 2020-21 Spring Supplementary Estimates “A” Overview Explanation Note

Unclassified

Directed 2020-21 Spring Supplementary Estimates “A” (SEA) will be tabled in the House of Commons soon after the re-opening of the Parliamentary session on May 25th, 2020. This streamlined Supplementary Estimates process is intended for Covid-19 related, urgent and non-controversial items that have already received Treasury Board approval.

On a portfolio-wide basis, total authorities sought in SEA would result in a net increase of $321.2M or 3.3% over current estimates. The approval of these Estimates would result in Public Safety (PS) Portfolio total authorities increasing to $10.0B.

I. Explanation of Total Authorities To-Date

• To date, Parliament has approved $9.7B in estimates for the PS Portfolio in 2020-21 through Main Estimates.
• In these directed SEA, PS Portfolio organizations are requesting adjustments that would result in a net increase of $321.2M in authorities, a change of 3.3% over current estimates.
• Approval of these Estimates would result in PS Portfolio total authorities increasing to $10.0B.
• Three (3) PS Portfolio organizations are seeking increased authorities through the current directed SEA process: Public Safety Canada (PS), Correctional Services Canada (CSC), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). 

II. Department/Agency Overview

i) Public Safety Canada (PS)

The SEA total amount for PS is $100.0M, or 13.7% of estimates to-date.

PS is anticipating to receive Treasury Board authority to increase its appropriations by $100.0M for the following increases:

• $59.3M in funding for the Canadian Red Cross to deliver emergency response measures to Canadians (Covid-19); and
• $40.7M for payments to the Canadian Red Cross pursuant to the Public Health Events of National Concern Payments Act.
  • Given the urgent need to provide funding to the CRC stemming from the COVID-19 crisis, it was determined that the $100 million should be provided through a two-step approach. While this amount ($40.7M) is being presented in the Supplementary Estimates A, it is essentially done so for reporting purposes as it is being received as statutory funding and does not require further parliamentary approval.

ii) Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)

The SEA total amount for the CSC is $1, or 0.0% of estimates to-date.

CSC is anticipating to receive Treasury Board authority to increase its appropriations by $1 for the following increase:

• $1 of funding to authorize the inclusion and adjustment of an authority embedded in vote wording;
• This item is a wording change related to the CORCAN revolving fund. CORCAN operates a revolving fund with authority to spend its revenues.
• Due to measures around Covid-19, CORCAN was not able to deliver finished goods by year-end due to lowered production and delivery capacity.  The wording change will allow CORCAN to increase from $5,000,000 to $20,000,000 the amount by which the aggregate of expenditures made for the purposes of the CORCAN Revolving Fund, may exceed the Fund’s revenues. A $1 adjustment appears in CSC’s page proofs in order to include the wording change for Parliamentary approval.

iii) Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

The SEA total amount for the RCMP is $221.2M, or 6.3% of estimates to-date.

The RCMP is anticipating to receive Treasury Board authority to increase its appropriations by $221.2M for the following new programs:

• $203.1M for funding to compensate members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for injuries received in the performance of their duty; and
• $18.1M for funding to strengthen Royal Canadian Mounted Police policing operations.

Contacts:

Prepared by:
Damira Kedik
Tel. no. 613-725-7848

Approved by all Portfolio Chief Financial Officers

Attested by:
Patrick Amyot
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Security Officer & Assistant Deputy Minister,
Corporate Management Branch
Tel. no. 613-990-2615

Date modified:

2020-10-21