Backgrounder: Estimates Process
March 29, 2007
Ottawa - The Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, today tabled the 2007-2008 Reports on Plans and Priorities in the House of Commons on behalf of 91 federal departments and agencies.
The 2007-2008 Reports on Plans and Priorities are departmental expenditure plans that elaborate on, and supplement, the information contained in the 2007-2008 Main Estimates. In these reports, departments and agencies outline their strategic outcomes, plans and priorities,
performance measurement and expected results over a three-year period.
The tabling of the 2007-2008 Reports on Plans and Priorities supports the 2007-2008 Estimates process. These reports constitute a component of Part III of the Estimates. Parts I and II of the Estimates were tabled on February 27, 2007. Taken together, the
Main Estimates, the Reports on Plans and Priorities, the Budget and the Economic and Fiscal Update reflect the Government's annual resource planning and allocation priorities.
To coincide with this tabling, the Treasury Board Secretariat Web site will be featuring an RPP Overview for Parliamentarians, which is available at www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/parl. The RPP Overview for Parliamentarians links information in each
of the 91 Reports on Plans and Priorities to provide a whole-of-government view of planned spending, and shows how departments and agencies contribute to broad government outcomes in four areas: economic, social, international and government affairs.
Please refer to the accompanying backgrounder for further details on the Estimates process. The 2007-2008 Reports on Plans and Priorities and related documents are posted on the Treasury Board Web site at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Mike Storeshaw
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
(613) 952-5051
Robert Makichuk
Chief, Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
(613) 957-2391
If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the
electronic version of this news release, the electronic version will prevail.
Backgrounder: Estimates Process
Each year, the Government of Canada prepares Estimates in support of its request to Parliament for authority to spend public funds. This request is formalized through the tabling of appropriation bills in Parliament. The normal tabling dates in Parliament are:
Document
Normal Tabling Dates
The Government Expenditure Plan (Part I)
On or before March 1
Main Estimates (Part II)
On or before March 1
Interim Supply for Main Estimates
Mid March
Reports on Plans and Priorities (Part III)
On or before March 31
Full Supply for Main Estimates
Mid June
Departmental Performance Reports (Part III)
Late October
Supplementary Estimates (A)
Early November
Supplementary Estimates (B)
Early March
The Estimates, which are tabled in the House of Commons by the President of the Treasury Board, consist of three parts:
Part I - The Government Expenditure Plan provides an overview of federal spending and summarises the key elements of the Main Estimates.
Part II - The Main Estimates directly support the Appropriation Act. The Main Estimates identify the spending authorities (votes) and amounts to be included in subsequent
appropriation bills. Parliament will be asked to approve these votes to enable the Government to proceed with its spending plans.
Part III - Departmental Expenditure Plans, which are divided into two components:
Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPPs) are individual expenditure plans for each department and agency (excluding Crown corporations). These reports provide increased levels of detail over a
three-year period on an organization's main priorities by strategic outcome(s), program activity(ies) and expected results, including links to related resource requirements.
Departmental Performance Reports (DPRs) are individual department and agency accounts of results achieved against planned performance expectations, as set out in respective RPPs. These Performance Reports cover the most recently completed
fiscal year.
In addition, Supplementary Estimates can be tabled during the fiscal year in support of an Appropriation Act seeking new spending authorities or adjustments to appropriations previously approved by Parliament.
The Budget and the Estimates, in conjunction with the Economic and Fiscal Update, reflect the Government's annual resource planning and allocation priorities. The subsequent reporting of financial results in the Public Accounts of Canada, as well as the Departmental
Performance Reports (DPR's), assists Parliament in holding the Government to account for the allocation and management of public funds.
