For immediate release
May 14, 2009
Backgrounder - Supplementary Estimates (A)
Ottawa – The Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, today tabled the 2009-10 Supplementary Estimates (A) in the House of Commons.
"Within two months of tabling our Economic Action Plan, we have received nearly all the necessary authorities for funds to flow, including $10 billion through the Budget Implementation Act which was introduced and passed in record time," said Minister Toews.
"Through these Supplementary Estimates, the Government continues to move forward with our priorities announced in Budget 2009 including our Economic Action Plan," he added. "Our Economic Action Plan is our plan to help Canadians weather the global economic recession, to stimulate our economy and to invest in our long-term prosperity."
The 2009-10 Supplementary Estimates (A) seek parliamentary authority to spend $5 billion in voted budgetary expenditures of which $1.6 billion is in direct support of the implementation of the Economic Action Plan and $3.4 billion is for other government priorities, such as the Canadian mission in Afghanistan and support to Canadians farmers.
They also provide information related to $53.8 billion in statutory expenditures that have been authorized by Parliament through enabling legislation. Of this amount, $50 billion is an increase to the Insured Mortgage Purchase Program of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, as announced in Budget 2009. This will provide lenders with stable long-term financing so that they can continue lending to Canadian consumers and businesses, which in turn will help to create jobs and stimulate the economy.
The Government is also reporting on the use of Vote 35, a funding mechanism made available through 2009-10 Main Estimates. These Supplementary Estimates include information related to nearly $2 billion in allocations from Vote 35 to provide bridge funding to Economic Action Plan initiatives that were ready to move forward in advance of the usual supply process schedule. Vote 35 is available to departments until June 30th 2009.
Please refer to the attached backgrounder for more details on the 2009-10 Supplementary Estimates (A). The Supplementary Estimates and related documents are posted on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Web site.
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For more information, contact:
Christine Csversko
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
(613) 957-2666
Robert Makichuk
Chief, Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
(613) 957-2391
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Overview
For the second year in a row, Supplementary Estimates (A) are being introduced in the spring, instead of the fall, to provide funding earlier in support of budget priorities.
This allows the Government of Canada to move forward quickly on priorities from Budget 2009 and on initiatives outlined in the Economic Action Plan.
The 2009-10 Supplementary Estimates (A) seek Parliament's approval of $5.3 billion in budgetary and non-budgetary expenditures that were already planned for in Budget 2009, but were not sufficiently developed or advanced in approvals to be included in the 2009-10 Main Estimates. They do not represent an increase to spending included in that plan.
They also provide information to Parliament about an increase of $53.8 billion in statutory spending (expenditures that have been authorized by Parliament through enabling legislation). This includes a $50 billion increase to the Insured Mortgage Purchase Program of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation announced in Budget 2009 and includes $3.8B for other statutory increases.
In total, Supplementary Estimates (A) provide information on $59.1 billion in expenditures.
Budgetary Expenditures
Budgetary expenditures include cost of servicing the public debt; operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
Non-Budgetary Expenditures
Non-budgetary expenditures (loans, investments and advances) are expenditures that represent changes in the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
Table 1 provides a financial overview of these Supplementary Estimates.
Table 1 – Total Supplementary Estimates ($ millions)
Spending in the Supplementary Estimates is consistent with the fiscal framework established in the January 2009 Budget.
Economic Action Plan Funding ($ billions)
The Estimates Process
These 2009-10 Supplementary Estimates (A) are fully consistent with Budget 2009 and other decisions confirmed and approved by Cabinet. Supplementary Estimates are part of the normal parliamentary approval process to ensure previously planned government initiatives receive the necessary funding to move forward and meet the needs of Canadians.
Supplementary Estimates documents present information to Parliament on the Government of Canada's spending requirements which were not sufficiently developed in time for inclusion in the Main Estimates. They are tabled in Parliament approximately one month in advance of the related Appropriation Act which authorizes the actual release of funds. This period is intended to provide the various Standing Committees of Parliament with sufficient time to review proposed spending plans before introduction of the Appropriation Act.
Supplementary Estimates are published each year; each is identified alphabetically (A, B, C, etc.). This is the second year in a row that the government is tabling Supplementary Estimates (A) in mid-May to provide federal organizations with the funding they need earlier in the year. Supplementary Estimates (B) follow in late October and Supplementary Estimates (C) in mid-February if required.
The Estimates are part of the yearly Reporting Cycle on government spending. 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 in Departmental Performance Reports, help Parliament hold the Government of Canada to account for the allocation and management of public funds.
