Departmental Plan 2018 to 2019 report, Environment and Climate Change Canada, chapter 4

On this page

• Planned spending
• Planned human resources
• Estimates by vote
• Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations

Spending and human resources

Planned spending

This section of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) 2018–19 Departmental Plan describes the spending and human resources by Core Responsibilities and Internal Services through which the Department delivers its mandate.

Note: Environment and Climate Change Canada will seek ongoing funding for priority initiatives. Funding requests for such initiatives are subject to government decisions and will be reflected in future Budget exercises and Estimates documents.

For fiscal years 2015–16 and 2016–17, the amounts shown represent the actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts.

For fiscal year 2017–18, the forecast spending represents the planned budgetary and statutory expenditures as presented in the Estimates documents (Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates), the approved reprofiles of funds to future years, the compensation allocations from Treasury Board Secretariat for adjustments made to terms and conditions of service employment of the federal public administration for collective agreements, and other adjustments from central agencies.

For the period of 2018–19 to 2020–21, the planned spending reflects approved funding by Treasury Board to support departmental priorities.

ECCC's actual expenditures for 2016–17 were $1,005.9 million, a year-over-year increase of $54.9 million (5.8%) from the 2015–16 actual expenditures ($951.0 million). This increase is mainly due to increased spending for temporary initiatives to address priorities in support of the:

• Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology;
• International Climate Financing;
• Youth Employment Strategy;
• Contaminated Sediment Remediation Projects;
• Revitalize Canada’s Weather Radar Network; and,
• 2016 Federal Infrastructure.

The increase of $266.0 million from 2016–17 actual expenditures ($1,005.9 million) to 2017–18 forecast spending ($1,271.9 million) is mainly due to new funding announced in the Budgets 2016 and 2017 to address priorities in support of the:

• Clean Growth and Climate Change;
• Addressing Air Pollution;
• Youth Employment Strategy;
• Revitalize Canada's Weather Radar Network;
• Green Municipal Fund;
• Low Carbon Economy Fund; and
• Compensation allocations from Treasury Board Secretariat for adjustments made to terms and conditions of service employment of the federal public administration for collective agreements.

These increases are partially offset by the transfer of Sustainable Development Technology Fund to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

For explanation of the variance between 2017–18 forecast spending and 2020–21 planned spending, please see the Budgetary planning summary section below.

* 2018–19 Main Estimates exclude Budget 2018 items.

Budgetary planning summary

Excluding funding announced in Budget 2018, approximately $1,515.9 million in total funding is anticipated for 2018–19. The increase of $244.0 million from 2017–18 forecast spending to 2018–19 planned spending is mainly due to new funding announced in the Budgets 2016 and 2017 to address priorities in support of the Low Carbon Economy Fund. This increase is partially offset by reductions in planned spending for the following initiatives:

• Green Municipal Fund and Contaminated Sediment Remediation Projects, under the Preventing and Managing Pollution Core Responsibility;
• Species at Risk program, under the Conserving Nature Core Responsibility; and
• 2014 and 2016 Federal Infrastructure, under the Predicting Weather and Environmental Conditions Core Responsibility.

Overall, there is a decrease in planned spending over the 2018–19 to 2020–21 planning horizon presented in the summary table. This is the result of sunsetting initiatives with temporary funding. Funding requests for such initiatives are subject to government decisions and will be reflected in future Budget exercises and Estimates documents.

Major initiatives whose funding profile will decrease at the end of 2018–19 include:

• Youth Employment Strategy and Contaminated Sediment Remediation Project, under the Preventing and Managing Pollution Core Responsibility; and
• National Conservation Plan, under the Conserving Nature Core Responsibility.

Major initiative whose funding profile will decrease at the end 2019–20 include:

• Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, under the Preventing and Managing Pollution Core Responsibility.

Environment and Climate Change Canada's major sources of revenues netted against expenditures are the following:         

• NAVCAN to which Environment and Climate Change Canada provides aviation weather services;
• Canadian Coast Guard, which receives ice and marine monitoring forecasts and services;
• Provinces, which receive water quantity monitoring services;
• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, which funds the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands; and
• Department of National Defence, which receives detailed weather services in support of its military operations.

Planned human resources

*Totals may differ within and between tables due to rounding of figures. The FTE numbers throughout this document include students.

One FTE equals one person working a 37.5-hour work week full-time for the entire year, or any number of part-time employees whose combined hours of work equal one FTE. For fiscal years 2015–16 and 2016–17, the amounts shown represent the actual FTEs as reported in the Departmental Results Report. The total forecast and planned FTE for fiscal years 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20 and 2020–21 are calculated using average salary.

ECCC’s overall increase of 83 FTEs between the 2016–17 actual and the 2017–18 forecast FTEs is mainly due to new funding announced in the Budgets 2016 and 2017 to address priorities in support of the:

• Clean Growth and Climate Change;
• Addressing Air Pollution;
• Revitalize Canada's Weather Radar Network; and,
• Low Carbon Economy Fund.

The overall decrease of 140 FTEs between the 2017–18 forecast and the 2018–19 planned FTEs is mainly due to the reduction in funding profile related to the:

• Species at Risk program, under the Conserving Nature Core Responsibility;
• Revitalize Canada’s Weather Radar Network and World Class Oil Spill Regime, under the Predicting Weather and Environmental Conditions Core Responsibility.

This decrease is partially offset by the increase in funding to address priorities in support of Clean Growth and Climate Change.

Overall, there is a decreasing trend in planned FTEs over the 2018–19 to 2020–21 planning horizon. This is the result of sunsetting initiatives with temporary funding. Funding requests for such initiatives are subject to government decisions and will be reflected in future Budget exercises and Estimates documents.

The overall decrease of 142 FTEs between the 2018–19 and the 2019–20 planned FTEs is mainly due to the reduction in funding profile related to the:

• Oceans Protection Plan, under the Preventing and Managing Pollution Core Responsibility;
• National Conservation Plan, under the Conserving Nature Core Responsibility;
• Revitalize Canada’s Weather Radar Network and World Class Oil Spill Regime, under the Predicting Weather and Environmental Conditions Core Responsibility.

The overall decrease of 157 FTEs between the 2019–20 and the 2020–21 planned FTEs is mainly due to the reduction in funding profile related to the:

• Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, under the Preventing and Managing Pollution Core Responsibility.

Estimates by vote

For information on Environment and Climate Change Canada’s organizational appropriations, consult the 2018–19 Main Estimates.

Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations

The Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations provides a general overview of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s operation. The forecast of financial information on expenses and revenues is prepared on an accrual accounting basis to strengthen accountability and to improve transparency and financial management.

Because the Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations is prepared on an accrual accounting basis, and the forecast and planned spending amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan are prepared on an expenditure basis, amounts may differ.

A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, can be found on Environment and Climate Change Canada’s website.

Total expenses are expected to increase by $218.2 million in 2018–19 in comparison with the forecast results of 2017–18. The overall increase is mainly due to new funding announced in the Budgets 2016 and 2017 to address priorities in support of the Low Carbon Economy Fund. This increase is partially offset by reductions in planned spending for the following initiatives:

• Green Municipal Fund;
• Contaminated Sediment Remediation Projects;
• Species at Risk Program; and
• 2014 and 2016 Federal Infrastructure.

Based on fiscal year 2017–18, total revenues for 2018–19 are expected to increase by $1.5 million. The overall increase is mainly due to an increase in Vote Netted Revenue (VNR), part of which includes anticipated collections for the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring Activities.

For comparative purposes, planned results are based on historical data and trends, and include 2018–19 Main Estimates whereas 2017–18 forecast results give the reader information on 2017–18 estimated spending based on historical data and trends, the 2017–18 Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates A and B, anticipated Supplementary Estimates C and funding received from Treasury Board for retroactive compensation of collective agreements. Figures for the forecast and planned results do not include items such as carry-forward funding.