Public Safety Canada Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended December 31, 2021
Press Release
1.0 Introduction
This quarterly financial report for the period ending December 31, 2021 has been prepared by management as required by section 65.1 of the Financial Administration Act, in the form and manner prescribed by Treasury Board. The report should be read in conjunction with the Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates (A) and Supplementary Estimates (B).
This quarterly financial report has not been subject to an external audit or review. However, it has been reviewed by the Departmental Audit Committee prior to approval by the Deputy Minister.
Information on the mandate, roles, responsibilities and programs of Public Safety Canada can be found in the 2021-22 Departmental Plan and the 2021-22 Main Estimates.
1.1 Basis of Presentation
This quarterly report has been prepared using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities table includes the Department’s spending authorities granted by Parliament, or received from Treasury Board Central Votes, and those used by the Department consistent with the Main Estimates, the Supplementary Estimates (A) and the Supplementary Estimates (B) for the 2021-22 fiscal year. This quarterly report has been prepared using a special purpose financial reporting framework designed to meet the information needs concerning the use of spending authorities.
The authority of Parliament is required before funds can be spent by the Government. Approvals are given in the form of annually approved limits through Appropriation Acts or through legislation in the form of statutory spending authority for specific purposes.
Public Safety Canada uses the full accrual method of accounting to prepare and present its annual departmental financial statements that are part of the departmental performance reporting process. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis, as do the expenditures presented in this report.
2.0 Highlights of Fiscal Quarter and Fiscal Year-to-Date (YTD) Results
The following graph provides a comparison of the net budgetary authorities and expenditures as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 for the Department’s combined:
- Vote 1: Operating Expenditures;
- Vote 5 and Statutory: Grants and Contributions;
- Statutory Votes:
- Employee Benefit Plans; and
- Minister’s Salary and Car Allowance.
Comparison of Budgetary Authorities, Year to Date Expenditures and Quarterly Expenditures as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020
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Note: (1) Public Safety Canada’s appropriations have increased to $1,279M as of December 31, 2021. (2) The increase in TB Central Votes funding is primarily attributable to the $27.6M Public Safety received through TB Vote 15 to cover the increase in salary expenditures for First Nations and Inuit Policing Program following the signing of the recent collective agreement. These funds will be transferred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the fourth quarter.
2.1 Significant Changes to Authorities
For the period ending December 31, 2021, the authorities provided to the Department include the Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates (A), Supplementary Estimates (B) and TB Central Vote transfers. The 2020-21 authorities for the same period included the Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates (A), Supplementary Estimates (B), Statutory Contribution and TB Central Vote transfers. The Statement of Authorities table presents a net increase of $495.1 million (63.2 percent) compared to those of the same period of the previous year (from $783.8 million to $1,278.9 million).
Operating Expenditures authorities have increased by $53.7 million (35.0 percent) (from $153.2 million to $206.9 million), which is primarily attributable to:
- An increase of $30.5 million for relocation and accommodations for the Government Operations Center (Budget 2016); and
- An increase of $8.8 million to develop a buy-back program for assault-style firearms and its associated national social marketing campaign.
Grants and Contributions (G&C) authoritieshave increased by $439.4 million (71.5 percent) (from $614.6 million to $1,054.0 million), which is primarily attributable to:
- An increase of $240.8 million for the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program based on forecasts from provinces and territories for expected disbursements under the DFAA for 2021-22;
- An increase of $91.0 million for the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program, mainly due to the timing of a transfer to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) through the Supplementary Estimates;
- An increase of $83.2 million in new funding to create a humanitarian workforce to respond to the pandemic and other large-scale emergencies (COVID-19);
- An increase of $20.0 million for the renewal of the National Disaster Mitigation Program;
- An increase of $15.0 million in funding levels for the Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence initiative; and
- An increase of $15.0 million for the Building Safer Communities Fund.
These increases are primarily offset by the following decrease:
- A decrease of $39.5 million for a one-time statutory contribution in 2020-2021 to the Canadian Red Cross pursuant to the Public Health Events of National Concern Payments Act.
Budgetary Statutory authorities have increased by $2.0 million (13.2 percent) in 2021-22 primarily attributable to the Employee Benefits Plan associated with new salary funding received.
2.2 Significant Variances from Previous Year Expenditures
Year-to-Date Expenditures
For the period ending December 31, 2021, the Departmental Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object table presents a net decrease of $51.7 million (11.7 percent) in Public Safety’s year-to-date (YTD) expenditures compared to the previous year (from $443.0 million to $391.3 million). This decrease is primarily attributable to:
- A decrease of $97.4 million due to the timing of payments for the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program; and
- An decrease of $39.5 million for a one-time statutory contribution in 2020-21 to the Canadian Red Cross pursuant to the Public Health Events of National Concern Payments Act.
These decreases are primarily offset by the following increases:
- An increase of $25.0 million due to the timing of payments in support of the Canadian Red Cross’s urgent relief efforts related to COVID-19, floods and wildfires;
- An increase of $20.1 million due to the timing of payments relating to the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program;
- An increase of $12.9 million due to the timing of payments for the Memorial Grant Program for First Responders;
- An increase of $10.1 million primarily attributable to an increase in salary funding received to support the department’s initiatives; and
- An increase of $9.8 million due to the timing of payments for the Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence initiative.
Third Quarter Expenditures
Compared to the previous year, expenditures used during the quarter ended December 31, 2021 have decreased by $93.7 million (41.8 percent) (from $224.2 million to $130.5 million) as reflected in the Departmental Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object table.
- Personnel expenditures have increased by $4.3 million, primarily attributable to an increase in salary funding received to support the department’s initiatives.
- Transfer payments expenditures have decreased by $97.4 million (52.7 percent) primarily attributable to:
- A decrease of $91.3 million due to the timing of payments for the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program; and
- A decrease of $10.7 million due to the timing of payments in support of the Canadian Red Cross’s urgent relief efforts related to COVID-19, floods and wildfires.
3.0 Risks and Uncertainty
Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements
The Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) contribution program presents a greater level of uncertainty than other PS grants and contributions programs given that it represents a significant portion of the PS budget and that it is subject to unforeseen events. The DFAA contribution program was established in 1970 to provide a consistent and equitable mechanism for federal sharing of provincial and territorial costs for natural disaster response and recovery where such costs would place an undue burden on a provincial or territorial economy.
There are currently 63 active natural disasters for which Orders in Council (OiC) have been approved, authorizing the provision of federal financial assistance under the DFAA, and for which final payments have not yet been made. Public Safety’s total outstanding share of liability under the DFAA in regards to these 63 events is $2.67 billion, the majority of which is expected to be paid out over the next five years.
DFAA liability has increased by $72 million from $2.60 billion in the second quarter of 2021-22 to $2.67 billion in the third quarter of 2021-22. Variations in the DFAA liability are mainly attributable to:
- Changes in the estimates of the existing natural disasters; and
- Changes for payments issued under the existing obligation.
The following are the most significant events within Public Safety Canada’s DFAA liability:
- Manitoba 2011 Spring Flood ($569 million);
- Alberta 2013 June Flood ($500 million);
- British Columbia 2017 July Wildfires ($212 million);
- Quebec 2019 Spring Flood ($199 million);
- British Columbia 2018 Spring Flood ($151 million); and
- Quebec 2017 Spring Flood ($109 million).
This increase in funding is based on forecasts from provinces and territories for expected disbursements under the DFAA for 2021-22. Updates to the DFAA liability, as a result of changes in the estimates of the existing natural disasters, are completed and approved twice a year with the last one having been conducted in Summer 2021-22 and is reflected in the current Quarterly Financial Report.
4.0 Significant Changes in Relation to Operations, Programs and Personnel
On December 13, 2021, Christine Moran was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister for the Task Force on Indigenous Policing.
5.0 Approval by Senior Officials
Approved as required by the Policy on Financial Resource Management, Information and Reporting:
Rob Stewart, Deputy Minister
Public Safety Canada
Ottawa (Canada)
Date: February 20th 2022
Patrick Amyot, CPA, CMA
Chief Financial Officer
Public Safety Canada
Ottawa (Canada)
Read More: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/qrtrl-fnncl-rprt-20211231/index-en.aspx
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