2022–2023 Departmental Results Report – Supplementary information tables – Response to parliamentary committees and external audits

Response to parliamentary committees

1. Standing Committee on Public Accounts: Report 14, Protecting Canada’s Food System

In May 2022, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP) issued its fourteenth report entitled: Protecting Canada’s Food System. In response to growing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada announced several new food programs and additional funding to existing ones. Among these, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada examined three “initiatives aimed at reducing food insecurity for Canadians, including in vulnerable and isolated communities, and [two] initiatives aimed at supporting the resilience of Canada’s food-processing capacity.”

Of the seven recommendations in the report, PacifiCan was identified in recommendation 4. PACP recommended:

that, by 31 December 2022, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, and Pacific Economic Development Canada provide the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts with a joint report showing what progress has been made to standardize data collection, analysis, and reporting for future programs that are administered by more than one of these organizations.

The Government provided to PACP a response to address the recommendation. In compliance with recommendation 4, the Government Response provided information that served as the update on progress achieved that was requested by the PACP by 31 December 2022.

The full report can be accessed at: Report 14: Protecting Canada’s Food System

2. Standing Committee on Public Accounts: Report 17, Regional Relief and Recovery Fund

On May 6, 2022, the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) provided PACP information on the repayments, defaults, and ineligible expenses under the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF). Subsequently, PACP developed its seventeenth report. The scope of this report and its recommendations included the five COVID-19 recovery programs announced in Budget 2021, namely the Canada Community Revitalization Fund, Tourism Relief Fund, Jobs and Growth Fund, Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative, and the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative.

PACP recommended:

the RDAs should provide PACP with a joint progress report regarding the targets for support to under-represented groups under the five COVID-19 recovery programs announced in Budget 2021;
provide PACP with a joint report regarding the progress made toward improved coordination, fairness, and transparency in delivering the five COVID‑19 recovery programs announced in Budget 2021;
provide PACP with a joint report regarding the steps taken to ensure that program results reporting is harmonized and accurate for the five COVID-19 recovery programs announced in Budget 2021; and,
provide PACP with a joint report with the following information for the RRRF: 1) the number of files from recipients who were deemed ineligible or who had amounts that were deemed ineligible after the fact; 2) the amounts repaid for this reason; and, 3) the measures taken to encourage repayment. Reports on the default rate for repayable loans should also be provided.

The Government provided PACP with a joint RDA report on October 17, 2022, to address the four recommendations. In compliance with recommendations 1 and 2, the RDAs adopted common program parameters and eligibility criteria to ensure fairness and consistency in approach. As requested under recommendation 3, the RDAs provided a final report by May 31, 2023 on efforts to ensure that results reporting is harmonized and accurate. In accordance with recommendation 4, ongoing reports on default rates will also be provided to PACP at specified intervals indicated in the recommendation.

The full report can be accessed at: Report 17: Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.

Response to audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (including audits conducted by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

There were no audits in 2022–2023 requiring a response.

Response to audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages