For immediate release
February 8, 2011
Backgrounder
Ottawa – The Honourable Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia–Pacific Gateway, today tabled the 2010–11 Supplementary Estimates (C) in the House of Commons.
"These supplementary estimates show that the Government is clearly on the right course to bringing Canada's finances back to balance," said Minister Day.
As presented in the 2010–11 Supplementary Estimates (C), the Government is seeking Parliament's authority to spend $920 million this fiscal year. The spending will be for items that were part of Budget 2010 expenditure plans and are now fully developed and approved to receive funding.
"We are focussed on reducing the rate of growth of Government spending, as was committed in Budget 2010, to return to a balanced budget by 2015–16," added Minister Day.
Please refer to the attached backgrounder for more details on the 2010–11 Supplementary Estimates (C). The Supplementary Estimates and related documents are posted on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat website.
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For more information, contact:
Jay Denney
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
613-952-5051
Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
613-957-2640
If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the electronic version of this news release, the electronic version will prevail.
TTY (Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired) - (613) 957-9090
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 are also required to transfer funds, approved in the Main Estimates, from one organization to another or within organizations.
The Government typically tables supplementary estimates three times a year, in May or June, in November and toward the end of the fiscal year in February.
The supplementary estimates are also used to inform Parliament of changes in the estimated cost of programs that are authorized by existing legislation.
The 2010-11 Supplementary Estimates (C) document supports the request for Parliament's approval of $920 million worth of expenditures in 48 organizations. This amount is within the spending levels specified in Budget 2010.
Table 1 provides an overview of these supplementary estimates.
Budgetary expenditures refer to the 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 (for loans, investments and advances) are expenditures that result in changes in the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
Voted Appropriations are those for which parliamentary authority is sought through an Appropriation bill.
Statutory Expenditures are those authorized by Parliament through separate enabling legislation.
The Estimates Process
The Government seeks Parliamentary approval for annual expenditures through two processes:
- The Budget identifies the broad spending priorities of the Government and details how the Government plans to collect and invest taxpayers' money.
- The Estimates (Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates A, B and C) seek approval for the details of the spending levels planned for in the Budget.
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.
For more information on the reporting cycle, please visit the Tools and Resources site.
