2017 to 2018 Fees Report: Environment and Climate Change Canada

Document information

2017 to 2018 Fees Report

Issued also in French under title:
Rapport sur les frais de 2017 à 2018

Cat. No.: En1-79E-PDF
ISBN: 2562-3389

Unless otherwise specified, you may not reproduce materials in this publication, in whole or in part, for the purposes of commercial redistribution without prior written permission from Environment and Climate Change Canada's copyright administrator. To obtain permission to reproduce Government of Canada materials for commercial purposes, apply for Crown Copyright Clearance by contacting:

Environment and Climate Change Canada
Public Inquiries Centre
7th Floor, Fontaine Building
200 Sacré-Coeur Boulevard
Gatineau QC  K1A 0H3
Telephone: 819-997-2800
Toll Free: 1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)
Email: ec.enviroinfo.ec@canada.ca

Cover photo: © GettyImages.ca
Inside photos: © Environment and Climate Change Canada

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 2017

Aussi disponible en français

Minister’s message

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, P.C., M.P.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change

On behalf of Environment and Climate Change Canada, I am pleased to present the 2017 to 2018 Report on Fees.

On June 22, 2017, the Service Fees Act received royal assent, thereby repealing the User Fees Act.

The Service Fees Act introduces a modern legislative framework that enables cost-effective delivery of services and, through enhanced reporting to Parliament, improved transparency and oversight. The act provides for:

  • a streamlined approach to consultation and the approval of new or modified fees
  • a requirement for services to have service standards and reporting against these standards, along with a policy to remit fees to fee payers when standards are not met
  • an automatic annual fee adjustment by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to ensure that fees keep pace with inflation
  • annual detailed reporting to Parliament in order to increase transparency

This 2017 to 2018 Fees Report is the first report to be prepared under the Service Fees Act. The report includes new information such as a detailed listing of all fees along with future year fee amounts. Additional fee information will be included starting next fiscal year, once Environment and Climate Change Canada fully transitions to the Service Fees Act regime.

I welcome the increased transparency and oversight that the Service Fees Act’s reporting regime embodies, and I am fully committed to transitioning my department to this modern framework.

General fees information

The tables that follow provide information on each category of fees, including:

  • the name of the fee category
  • the date that the fee (or fee category) was introduced and last amended (if applicable)
  • service standards
  • performance results against these standards 
  • financial information regarding total costs, total revenues and remissions

In addition to the information presented by fee category, there is a summary of the financial information for all fees as well as a listing of fees under the department’s authority. This listing includes the existing fee dollar amounts and the adjusted dollar fee amount for a future year.

General and financial information by fee category

Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act

General information
Fee-setting authority Access to Information Act (ATIP)
Year introduced 1983
Year last amended 1992
Service standard A response is provided within 30 calendar days following the receipt of a request. The response time may be extended pursuant to section 9 of the Access to Information Act. A notice of extension must be sent within 30 days after the receipt of a request.
Performance results

Environment and Climate Change Canada received 1,999 requests in 2017–18.  The Department processed 2,022 requests, including some carried over from previous years, and carried 449 requests forward to 2018–19.

The Department was able to complete 67% of requests within 30 days or less. 86% of requests were completed within the legislated deadlines.

Other information During the course of fiscal year 2015-2016, Environment and Climate Change Canada ceased charging search fees. In addition, under the Access to Information Act, fees may be waived when deemed to be in the public interest. Fees waived during 2017–18 totaled $1,030. The search fees collected and waived represent requests where the fees had been collected in the previous reporting periods but were closed in 2017-2018. No other fees were charged for production, preparation or reproduction.
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
7,985 8,925 2,149,280 Not applicable

* The amount includes direct and indirect costs, where such costs are identifiable and material.

** A remission is a partial or full return of a fee paid. Under the Service Fees Act, departments are required to develop policies that determine when fees will be remitted to fee payers should service standards not be met. The requirement for departments to remit is anticipated to come into effect on March 31, 2020. This effective date allows departments time to develop remissions policies and adjust service standard tracking and remittance systems. During fiscal year 2017 to 2018, some departments may have issued remissions, in accordance with the authority of their enabling legislation or regulation, as opposed to the authority given by the Service Fees Act. It is remissions issued under enabling legislations or regulations that are shown above.

New Substances Fees Regulations

General information
Fee-setting authority
Year introduced 2033
Year last amended 2005
Service standard

All new substances notification submissions receipts are acknowledged by letter, email or facsimile within 10 days.

All new substances notification submissions are reviewed (assessed) for their potential to adversely affect human health or the environment and decisions are taken, within the regulatory deadline, to minimize such effects.

88 of the 120 substances that have met their listing criteria were published on the Domestic Substances List within 120 days.

Performance results

All of the 424 new substances notification submissions received in 2017–18 were acknowledged by letter, email or facsimile within 10 days of their receipt.

389 of the 424 new substances notification submissions received in 2017–18 were triaged within the established period. Out of the 424 new substances notification submissions, 79 were assessed as substances of concern. The New Substances program published, in the Canada Gazette, 9 ministerial conditions and 9 significant new activity notices.

88 of the 120 substances eligible for the Domestic Substances List were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, within 120 days.

Other information

Fees are shared with Health Canada as follows:

  • two thirds for Environment and Climate Change Canada; and
  • one third for Health Canada.
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
492,013 395,099 3,812,000 Not applicable

Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area – Admission Fees

General information
Fee-setting authority
Year introduced 1985
Year last amended 2003
Service standard

The public has access to facilities, including an interpretation centre and a 20 km hiking trail network. The public also has access to high-quality services, information on the Wildlife Area Regulations, the activities offered, and interpretation services.

The service standards for entry into the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area are that fees are processed and entry is granted into the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area within 30 minutes of arrival at the main entrance.

Performance results In 2017–18, all visitors (62,804) received access to services within minutes of entering the National Wildlife Area. A survey of 500 visitors was conducted in July 2013 and October 2014 to assess the service standards and to obtain results on program performance. The results demonstrate a high-level of satisfaction with the quality of visitor and interpretation services as 96% of participants were “extremely satisfied” with the services offered.
Other information In 2017-18, from April to December 2017, access to the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area was free in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation, but from January to March 2018, there were access fees to the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area.
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
129,578 4,617 622,500 Not applicable

Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area – Hunting Permits

General information
Fee-setting authority
Year introduced 1972
Year last amended 2001
Service standard

The public has access to high-quality controlled hunting activities, including hunting site preparation, decoys, training sessions supervised by qualified staff, and safe facilities. To access the activities, Canadian residents must pay a non refundable application fee. If they are chosen by lot, they are issued a non refundable hunting permit.

In the case of the permits for the controlled fall hunt for greater snow goose issued through a lottery system, the following service standards apply:

  • hunters will be informed of whether or not they have been selected to take place in the controlled fall hunt for Greater Snow Goose by May 31st at the latest;
  • if selected to take part in the hunt, hunters will receive their permit by mail by no later than July 31st.
Performance results In 2017–18, 895 applications were submitted and 512 hunters participated in the program (128 permits for 4 hunters each were drawn). Informal comments received confirm that hunters continue to be satisfied by the services received. In 2013–14, a survey on the hunting program was conducted with 166 hunters to assess the service standards and obtain performance results. The results demonstrated high overall satisfaction with the quality of the site and equipment (81% were satisfied) and services (86% were satisfied). The satisfaction is also demonstrated by the steady number of hunting permit applications (800-950 per year) and the 128 hunting packages sold every year.
Other information Not applicable
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
54,634 54,098 249,500 Not applicable

Migratory Bird Program – Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit

General information
Fee-setting authority
Year introduced 1966
Year last amended 1998 – SOR/98-314
Service standard

The cost of a migratory game bird hunting permit is $8.50. A Canadian wildlife habitat conservation stamp must be affixed to the permit to make it valid. The fee for the stamp is separate (see user fee on Migratory Bird Program - Wildlife habitat conservation stamp). Migratory game bird hunting permits are available for sale as of August 1 at Canada Post offices, from select provincial and private vendors and directly from Environment and Climate Change Canada through an online ordering system launched in August 2014.

The performance standards are as follows: a) an adequate number of permits are available for distribution for the open hunting season, and b) Canadian citizens or other individuals acquiring a permit can obtain one within a reasonable time.

Performance results Migratory game bird hunting physical permits were available for distribution in time for sale on August 1, 2017, at Canada Post offices, provincial partners and independent vendors. Since August 4, 2015, hunters can also purchase their permits online and receive them by email, 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. Migratory game bird hunting electronic permits were available online on August 31, 2017. The permits were available within minutes after transactions were completed.
Other information The full cost includes only the development, printing and distribution of the permit and hunting summaries (which are one-page summaries of the bi-annual hunting regulations for each province and territory, including season dates and bag limits); and the National Harvest Survey (which is a voluntary survey that provides data to help to assess the status of migratory game bird populations in Canada, their productivity, survival rates and amount of harvest they can sustain). It does not capture costs related to regulatory revisions, the Crop Damage Prevention Program, the Waterfowl Surveys, nor Enforcement.
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
1,775,485 1,707,823 4,713,110 Not applicable

Migratory Bird Program – Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp

General information
Fee-setting authority
Year introduced 1985
Year last amended 1991
Service standard

The fee for the Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation stamp is $8.50. For a Migratory Game Bird Hunting permit to be valid, the stamp must be affixed to it. Stamps pre-affixed to the Migratory Game Bird Hunting permits are available for sale as of August 1 at Canada Post offices and from select provincial and private vendors. The online Migratory Game Bird Hunting e-Permitting system, which is available on the Environment and Climate Change Canada website, was launched in August 2014, and allowed hunters to receive their permit by mail, and as of August 2015, to receive a PDF of the permit by email with a printed image of a stamp. The stamp is also available in philatelic form for collectors.

The performance standards are as follows: a) Permits are available at select Canada Post outlets and select independent vendors, during normal business hours, and  b)The printable permits and the Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation stamp can be purchased online through the Migratory Game Bird Hunting e-Permitting system, which is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week during hunting season.

Performance results

Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation stamps were available in the numbers required for the Migratory Game Bird Hunting permits and for predicted philatelic purposes. The permits were available for purchase through independent vendors and Canada Post outlets within minutes after transactions were completed.

As of August 4, 2015, hunters who chose to purchase their permit online received it by email, with the option of receiving a physical stamp by mail. The physical stamp was delivered directly to the applicant’s address within 21 days. Environment and Climate Change Canada also ensured sufficient philatelic products were transferred to Wildlife Habitat Canada for sale through Rousseau Collections.

Other information Not applicable
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
1,775,485 1,707,823 1,729,928 Not applicable

Aviculture, Taxidermy or Eiderdown Permits

General information
Fee-setting authority
Year introduced Taxidermy 1946; Aviculture and Eiderdown 1976
Year last amended 1973
Service standard

The permits are issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada regional offices for a fee of $10. To be successful, applicants must meet certain requirements. Each region can attach specific conditions to each permit. Permits generally expire on December 31 of the year issued.

Environment and Climate Change Canada established service standards and performance indicators for permits issued under the Migratory Birds Regulations for aviculture, eiderdown, and taxidermy in March 2014. The current service standard for a decision to issue or refuse a permit is set at 14 calendar days for eiderdown and 35 calendar days for aviculture and taxidermy after receipt of completed application. Performance targets for taxidermy and aviculture permits are 90% and eiderdown permits are at 100% from 2017–18 onward.

Where a permit application made under the Migratory Birds Regulations involves activities that may affect a species protected by the Species at Risk Act, a 90-day service standard will apply in order to ensure consistency with the Permits Authorizing an Activity Affecting Listed Wildlife Species Regulations under Species at Risk Act.

Performance results

Taxidermy: All permits were issued within 35 days.

Aviculture: 98% of permits were issued within 35 days.

Eiderdown: 100% of permits were issued in 14 days.

Performance results for all permit types issued under the Migratory Birds Regulations are posted annually on the departmental website, no later than June 1, for the preceding fiscal year.

Other information Not applicable
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
9,380 9,385 37,658 Not applicable

Disposal at Sea Permit Application Fee

General information
Fee-setting authority
Year introduced 2001 (SOR/2001-275)
Year last amended Regulations (service standards) were amended in 2014 but not the fees.
Service standard Under the application fee, each application is reviewed according to Schedule 6 of Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Disposal at Sea Regulations. This involves public notice, an application that provides detailed data, scientific review, and the payment of fees. Each permit is published on the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 Environmental Registry and issued to the permit holder. The service standard is to reach a permit decision within 90 days after the applicant has been advised that their application is complete. This standard is subject to some conditions under which the 90 days is suspended or does not apply, for example, if the applicant asks for a later date.
Performance results All permits were delivered within timelines with the exception of two permits that were delivered outside the 90 day window because the 90 days were suspended as per Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 regulations.
For further details on Disposal at sea legislation and regulations, please visit the Environment and Climate Change Canada website.
Other information Not applicable
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
185,000 184,110 2,835,609 Not applicable

Disposal at Sea Permit Fee

General information
Fee-setting authority
Year introduced 1999  (SOR/99-114)
Year last amended Regulations have been amended in 2010 but not the fees.
Service standard

The permit holder has access to a permitted site and the ability to dispose of 1,000 m3 of dredged or excavated material for each $470 paid. Refunds are issued for units that are not disposed of.

The service standards, effective as of July 2, 2015 are as follows:

  1. For the Disposal at Sea Permit Fee payments, Environment and Climate Change Canada will issue the permit holder or applicant an acknowledgment of receipt within 10 business days of receipt of that payment.
  2. For refunds associated with the Disposal at Sea permit fee, Environment and Climate Change Canada will, within 15 business days of receiving a complete request for a refund, confirm the amount of refund to be expected.
Performance results

For the period from April 1, 2017 to March 30, 2018 Service Standard #1 was met in 57% of cases. Note that payments transferred between Federal departments are acknowledged automatically by the financial system and are included in these statistics. The Standard #1 is met less frequently as the acknowledgment of payment is often sent with the acknowledgement of complete application, rather than as a separate notice and as the application may have delays getting complete information, the notice is delayed rather than send multiple notices.

For the same period, Service Standard #2 was met in 90% of cases.

For further details on Disposal at sea legislation and regulations, visit the Environment and Climate Change Canada website.

Other information Not applicable
Financial information (dollars)
2016 to 2017
revenue
2017 to 2018
revenue
2017 to 2018
cost*
2017 to 2018
remissions**
1,468,042 1,252,160 1,419,973 Not applicable

Financial totals for all fee categories

Total revenues, cost and remissions (dollars)
2016 to 2017
total revenue
2017 to 2018
total revenue
2017 to 2018
total cost
2017 to 2018
total remissions
5,897,602 5,324,040 17,569,558 Not applicable

Note: the totals are the sums of the revenues, costs and remissions reported for all fee categories in the “Financial information” tables.

Fees under the department’s authority

Fee amounts for 2017 to 2018, 2019 to 2020, and a future fiscal year, as applicable (dollars)

New Substances Fee Regulations
Name of fee 2017 to 2018
fee amount
2019 to 2020
adjusted fee amount*
Future fee amount and fiscal year***
Assessment Fees – Schedule 1
Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
Item 4
Item 5
Item 6
Item 7
Item 8
From 500 to 2,000
From 500 to 2,000
From 50 to 200
From 500 to 2,000
From 875 to 3,500
From 125 to 500
From 875 to 3,500
From 875 to 3,500
From 511 to 2,044
From 511 to 2,044
From 51.10 to 204.40
From 511 to 2,044
From 894.25 to 3,577
From 127.75 to 511
From 894.25 to 3,577
From 894.25 to 3,577
Not applicable
Assessment Fees – Schedule 2
Item 1
Item 2
From 750 to 3,000
From 375 to 1500
From 766.50 to 3,066
From 383.25 to 1,533
Not applicable
Fees for other services – Schedule 3
Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
From 62.50 to 250
From 150 to 600
From 500 to 2,000
From 63.88 to 255.50
From 153.30 to 613.20
From 511 to 2,044
Not applicable
Section 6 200 204.40 Not applicable
Section 7
250 255.50 Not applicable
Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area
Name of fee 2017 to 2018
fee amount
2019 to 2020
adjusted fee amount*
Future fee amount and fiscal year***
Admission fee** No admission fees requested in 2017-18 for Cap-Tourmente due to Canada 150 From 4.45 to 5.33 Not applicable
Winter access fee** 3.48 3.56 Not applicable
Private naturalist service fee**
52.19 53.34 Not applicable
Hunting permits registration** 6.96 7.11 Not applicable
Hunting permits** 373.90 382.13 Not applicable
Migratory Bird Program
Name of fee 2017 to 2018
fee amount
2019 to 2020
adjusted fee amount*
Future fee amount and fiscal year***
Migratory Bird Program – Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit** 8.50 8.69 Not applicable
Migratory Game Bird – Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp** 8.50 8.69 Not applicable
Aviculture, Taxidermy or Eiderdown Permits** 10 10.22 Not applicable
Disposal at Sea
Name of fee 2017 to 2018
fee amount
2019 to 2020
adjusted fee amount*
Future fee amount and fiscal year***
Disposal at Sea Permit application fees 2,500 2,555 Not applicable
Disposal at Sea Permit fees – per 1,000 cubic meters of dredged or inert material 470 480.34 Not applicable

* Fees are adjusted annually in one of two ways: (1) Under the Service Fees Act, fees are adjusted in each fiscal year by the percentage change over 12 months in the April All-Items Consumer Price Index for Canada, as published by Statistics Canada for the previous fiscal year. The Consumer Price Index rate for this report is 2.2%. (2) The fee is subject to a periodic adjustment at a predetermined rate, in accordance with another authority in legislation or regulation.

** Some of the fees identified in the “2019-20 adjusted fee amount” column may not be adjusted as indicated if Treasury Board makes regulations with regard to low materiality fees before the fee’s adjustment date and the fee is considered to be a low materiality fee pursuant to those regulations.  The regulations, currently under development, are targeted to come into force sometime between from April 1 2019 to March 31 2020.

*** The “Future fee amount and fiscal year” is the new amount of the fee, in a future fiscal year other than 2019 to 2020, adjusted by a predetermined rate, in accordance with the authority in legislation or regulation.

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