Report on annual expenditures for travel, hospitality and conferences for the year ended March 31, 2022
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, 2022.
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.
The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’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.
As ACOA head office is in Moncton, N.B., 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 are always considered.
As would be expected, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the Agency’s frequency of travel and hospitality expenses over the course of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. The following expenditures respect the Treasury Board guidelines.
Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Year ended March 31, 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
| Expenditure category | Expenditures for the year ended March 31, 2022 (a) |
Expenditures for the year ended March 31, 2021 (b) |
Variance (a-b) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | |||
| Operational activities | $184 | $82 | $102 |
| Key stakeholders | $36 | $10 | $26 |
| Internal governance | $8 | $5 | $3 |
| Training | $10 | $5 | $5 |
| Other | $43 | $15 | $28 |
| Total travel | $281 | $117 | $164 |
| Hospitality | $8 | $5 | $3 |
| Conference fees | $5 | $2 | $3 |
| TOTAL | $294 | $124 | $170 |
| International travel by Minister and Minister’s staff (included in travel) | $15 | - | $15 |
Significant variances compared to the previous fiscal year
TRAVEL: Compared with fiscal year 2020-2021, agency travel increased. This is due to the easing of travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
HOSPITALITY: Compared with fiscal year 2020-2021, the Agency hospitality increased slightly. This is due to the easing of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CONFERENCE FEES: Compared with fiscal year 2020-2021, the Agency’s conference fees increased slightly. This is due to the easing of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
MINISTER AND MINISTER’S STAFF: Expenditures related to International Travel by Minister and Minister’s staff are presented as nil for the year ended March 31, 2021, as such expenditures would have been reported by the department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.