2012-13 Report on Annual Expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences
As required by the Treasury Board Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Events Expenditures, this report provides information on the total annual expenditures for each of travel, hospitality and conferences for the Parks Canada Agency (PCA) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. It also provides the variance explanations from the previous fiscal year in each of these areas.
This information is updated annually and does not contain information withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.
Expenditures on travel, hospitality and conferences incurred by federal departments and agencies are for the most part directly related to supporting departmental mandate(s) and the government’s priorities.
In particular, for Parks Canada Agency this includes managing national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas on behalf of Canadians. Parks Canada is a proud steward of these heritage places and protects and presents them for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations of Canadians.
PCA’s Mandate and Programs
Parks Canada Agency has the mandate to protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure the ecological and commemorative integrity of these places for present and future generations.
The programs that support Parks Canada’s mandate include:
- Heritage Places Establishment,
- Heritage Resources Conservation,
- Public Appreciation and Understanding,
- Visitor Experience and
- Townsite and Throughway Infrastructure.
Further information on Parks Canada’s mandate and programs can be found in the Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPP) and in the Departmental Performance Report (DPR).
PCA’s Annual Expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences
In line with the Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Events Expenditures, Parks Canada adopted a plan to manage these expenditures with prudence and probity. Enhanced controls and procedures were put into place to ensure that travel, hospitality and conference related expenses were reasonable, appropriate and supported the Agency objectives and priorities.
The Agency has reduced its travel, hospitality and conferences expenditures by 41% since 2009-2010 as a result of pro-active management of travel, hospitality and conference expenditures and will continue to monitor the rate of spending as part of its regular internal reporting process.
Total annual expenditures for travel, hospitality and conferences of Parks Canada Agency are summarized below:
| Expenditure Category | Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2013 (a) | Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2012 (b) | Variance(a-b) |
|---|---|---|---|
(in thousands of dollars) | |||
| Travel - Public Servants | $8 633 | $11,505 | ($2,872) |
| Travel - Non public Servants | $683 | $933 | ($251) |
| International Travel by Minister and Minister's Staff* | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Travel | $9,316 | $12,438 | ($3,122) |
| Hospitalitiy | $208 | $321 | ($113) |
| Conference Fees | $124 | $153 | ($29) |
| Total | $9,648 | $12,912 | ($3,264) |
| (*) Includes international travel that is part of a department's program. | |||
Significant variances compared to the previous fiscal year
This section provides a brief explanation of significant variances from the previous year’s annual expenditures for each category.
Travel, Hospitality and Conferences expenditure trend
from 2009-2010 to 2012-2013 
Travel
At the end of fiscal year 2012-2013, expenditures for travel decreased by 25% compared to 2011-2012. Since 2009-2010, the Agency has maintained a downward trend in travel expenditures of over 40%. The reduction is a result of pro-active expenditure reduction strategies implemented in 2008-2009 and a direct consequence of the Agency’s commitment to cost containment.- Public Servants : Compared to fiscal year 2011-2012, travel expenditures by public servants have decreased by $2.9 million or 25%.
- Non-Public Servants : Compared to fiscal year 2011-2012, travel expenditures by non-public servants have decreased by $251 thousand or 27%.
- Minister and Minister’s Staff : Expenditures by the Minister and his staff do not apply for Parks Canada as these expenditures are covered by Environment Canada’s budget.
Hospitality
Compared to fiscal year 2011-2012, the Agency’s hospitality expenditures have decreased by $113 thousand or 35 %. The reduction is a result of pro-active expenditure reduction strategies implemented in 2008-2009 and a direct consequence of the Agency’s commitment to cost containment.
Conference Fees
Compared to fiscal year 2011-2012, the Agency’s conferences fees expenditures have decreased by $29 thousand or 19%.
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