2016-17 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 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017. 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 conference fees incurred by federal departments and agencies are related to activities that support a departmental or agency mandate and the government’s priorities.

In particular, for Parks Canada, 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.

Parks Canada’s mandate and programs

Parks Canada 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.

Canada’s national urban park, national parks, national historic sites, heritage canals and national marine conservation areas, of which Parks Canada is the proud steward, offer Canadians opportunities to visit, experience and personally connect with these heritage places. In 2016–17, Parks Canada welcomed more than 24.7 million people to the heritage places it administers with a focus on enabling visitors to enjoy these places and learn about Parks Canada’s unique mandate of conserving Canada’s natural and cultural heritage.

Further information on Parks Canada's mandate and programs can be found in the Departmental Plan (DP) and in the Departmental Results Report (DRR).

Annual expenditures for travel, hospitality and conferences of Parks Canada

(in thousands of dollars)

Expenditure category	Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2017 (a)	Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2016 (b)	Variance (a - b)
	Travel - public servants	$11,839	$10,482	$1,357
Travel - non-public servants	$936	$809	$127
Total travel	$12,775	$11,291	$1,484
Hospitality	$254	$202	$52
Conference fees	$343	$259	$84
Total	$13,372	$11,752	$1,620
International travel by minister and minister's staff (also included in non-public servant travel)	$0	$0	$0
Totals may differ due to rounding

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

At the end of fiscal year 2016-17, the Agency’s expenditures for travel increased by 13 percent compared to 2015-16. The increase is related to the Agency’s core mandate activities. For example, travel costs have increased due to new national parks, new national marine conservation areas and new national historic sites that have recently been established/designated or are in the process of being established/designated.

1. Public servants: Compared with fiscal year 2015-16, travel expenditures by public servants have increased by $1.4 million or 13 percent.
2. Non-public servants: Compared with fiscal year 2015-16, travel expenditures by non-public servants have increased by $0.1 million or 16 percent.
3. Minister and minister’s staff: Expenditures by the Minister and her staff do not apply for Parks Canada as these expenditures are covered by Environment and Climate Change Canada’s budget.

Hospitality

Compared with fiscal year 2015-16, the Agency’s hospitality expenditures have increased by $52 thousand. The increase is related to the Agency’s core mandate activities. For example, hospitality costs have increased due to new national parks, new national marine conservation areas and new national historic sites that have recently been established/designated or are in the process of being established/designated.

Conference fees

Compared with fiscal year 2015-16, the Agency’s conferences fees expenditures have increased by $84 thousand. Since 2013-14, Parks Canada has been increasing its participation at conferences in support of its core mandate activities.