Public Health Agency of Canada 2013–14 Departmental Performance Report

Foreward

Departmental Performance Reports are part of the Estimates family of documents. Estimates documents support appropriation acts, which specify the amounts and broad purposes for which funds can be spent by the government. The Estimates document family has three parts.

Part I (Government Expenditure Plan) provides an overview of federal spending.

Part II (Main Estimates) lists the financial resources required by individual departments, agencies and Crown corporations for the upcoming fiscal year.

Part III (Departmental Expenditure Plans) consists of two documents. Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPPs) are expenditure plans for each appropriated department and agency (excluding Crown corporations). They describe departmental priorities, strategic outcomes, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three-year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Performance Reports (DPRs) are individual department and agency accounts of actual performance, for the most recently completed fiscal year, against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in their respective RPPs. DPRs inform parliamentarians and Canadians of the results achieved by government organizations for Canadians.

Additionally, Supplementary Estimates documents present information on spending requirements that were either not sufficiently developed in time for inclusion in the Main Estimates or were subsequently refined to account for developments in particular programs and services.

The financial information in DPRs is drawn directly from authorities presented in the Main Estimates and the planned spending information in RPPs. The financial information in DPRs is also consistent with information in the Public Accounts of Canada. The Public Accounts of Canada include the Government of Canada Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Deficit, the Consolidated Statement of Change in Net Debt, and the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow, as well as details of financial operations segregated by ministerial portfolio for a given fiscal year. For the DPR, two types of financial information are drawn from the Public Accounts of Canada: authorities available for use by an appropriated organization for the fiscal year, and authorities used for that same fiscal year. The latter corresponds to actual spending as presented in the DPR.

The Treasury Board Policy on Management, Resources and Results Structures further strengthens the alignment of the performance information presented in DPRs, other Estimates documents and the Public Accounts of Canada. The policy establishes the Program Alignment Architecture of appropriated organizations as the structure against which financial and non-financial performance information is provided for Estimates and parliamentary reporting. The same reporting structure applies irrespective of whether the organization is reporting in the Main Estimates, the RPP, the DPR or the Public Accounts of Canada.

A number of changes have been made to DPRs for 2013–14 to better support decisions on appropriations. Where applicable, DPRs now provide financial, human resources and performance information in Section II at the lowest level of the organization's Program Alignment Architecture.

In addition, the format and terminology of the DPR have been revised to provide greater clarity, consistency and a strengthened emphasis on Estimates and Public Accounts information. As well, departmental reporting on the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy has been consolidated into a new supplementary information table posted on departmental websites. This new table brings together all of the components of the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy formerly presented in DPRs and on departmental websites, including reporting on the Greening of Government Operations and Strategic Environmental Assessments. Section III of the report provides a link to the new table on the organization's website. Finally, definitions of terminology are now provided in an appendix.

Minister’s Message

In 2013–14, the Agency strengthened emergency preparedness and response capacity by enhancing border health security, and taking steps to ensure safer laboratory use of pathogens and toxins. In collaboration with provincial and territorial partners, the Agency continued to undertake surveillance on diseases of highest risk to Canadians.

To support Canadians in improving their health and reducing their risks for chronic disease or injury, the Agency established new partnerships and funded projects that support child, youth and family mental health, wellness, and healthy living. The Play Exchange was launched at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in partnership with the Canadian Tire Corporation, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and LIFT Philanthropy Partners to involve Canadians in developing ways to promote healthy living across Canada. As a public health priority, the Agency initiated work with the health sector to equip health professionals with the information they need to support Canadians who are experiencing family violence.

To strengthen Canada's public health infrastructure, the Agency officially opened the JC Wilt Infectious Diseases Research Centre in Winnipeg in 2014. This facility expands and advances Canada's capacity to counteract a range of infectious diseases. In support of global public health, the Agency also deployed mobile laboratories to assist international partners in responding to outbreaks to help save lives.

These are only a few of the Agency's successes over the past year. As Minister of Health, I am very satisfied with the Agency's accomplishments in 2013–14. The Agency continues to be a leader and effective partner in achieving a vision of healthy Canadians and communities in a healthier world.