Annual report on travel, hospitality and conferences expenditures

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 the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, except for information withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.

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.

ACOA’s travel, hospitality and conference expenditures support the delivery of the following core programs and services to Canadians:

The Agency works with businesses to help them become more competitive, innovative and productive. It works with communities to develop and diversify local economies, and it plays an important role in developing and supporting policies and programs that strengthen the region’s economy.

Descriptions of each of ACOA’s programs can be found in Section II of the Report on Plans and Priorities on the Agency’s website.

Travel, hospitality and conference fees cover a range of activities and events. Costs associated with these activities support statutory or regulatory requirements to deliver services to Canadians and to meet government priorities and the Agency’s mandate. These expenses are related to working with other levels of government, industry or public interest groups, as well as Agency business meetings and working sessions necessary to conduct government business and deliver on priorities.

As ACOA head office is located in Moncton, New Brunswick, senior Agency officials are often called upon to attend meetings and briefings in the National Capital Region. They must also travel throughout Atlantic Canada and internationally to ensure that Atlantic Canada’s economic interests are well represented in the global marketplace. In addition, there are travel costs related to training and conferences for which the primary purpose is to enable participants to maintain or acquire skills or knowledge.

The Agency manages travel, hospitality and conference fees with prudence and probity, in a manner that maximizes effectiveness in meeting ACOA’s mandate and priorities. The most economical and efficient alternatives for travel, hospitality, conference fees and associated expenditures have been considered. These expenditures respect the Treasury Board guidelines.

Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Year ended March 31, 2018

(in thousands of dollars)

  ⁽¹⁾ Starting with travel in 2017-18, travel categories were amended.

Significant variances compared to the previous fiscal year

TRAVEL: Compared with fiscal year 2016-2017, agency travel increased. This is due mainly to ACOA’s strengthened focus on client engagement, innovation and export development to boost business growth which included additional foreign trade activity. The increase also related to supporting the Atlantic Growth Strategy to advance inclusive growth in Atlantic Canada through enhanced federal and provincial collaboration.

HOSPITALITY: Compared with fiscal year 2016-2017, agency hospitality increased. This is due mainly to ACOA’s restructuring exercises within the Agency to better align to deliver on Government of Canada priorities and related to the creation of ACOA’s Champion files, including priorities such as Advanced Manufacturing.

CONFERENCE FEES: Compared with fiscal year 2016-2017, there was no significant variance in the departmental conference expenditures.

MINISTER AND MINISTER’S STAFF: There was no international travel expenditures by the minister and his staff for both fiscal years.