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Annual Report 2006
Stewardship
In the early part of 2006, the Government of Canada accepted the Commission's request to reduce its annual budget allocation by some $760,000. This represents a reduction of almost one-fifth in the Commission's overall budget.
The Commission embarked on a formal program of technology renewal in 2006. Similar to technology management programs in place at many leading organizations, this “evergreen
” strategy involves upgrading or replacing the Commission's technological assets on a cyclical basis, allowing for more effective financial planning. Although the launch of this program required a larger-than-usual capital outlay in 2006, expenditures on technology in future years will be lower and more predictable.
The Commission completed an office and workspace redesign in 2006, resulting in lower accommodation costs, and achieved additional cost efficiencies by increasing its use of outsourcing to acquire skilled resources that are not required on a full-time basis. For example, the Commission regularly contracts for temporary assistance in investigations, human resources and staffing, financial management services, records management and informatics services.
| Fiscal Year | Allocation (Main Estimates) | Expenditures | Unspent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations | Salaries | Employee Benefit Plans | Total Expenditures | |||
| 2002-2003 | 4,278 | 1,654 | 1,655 | 332 | 3,641 | 636 |
| 2003-2004 | 4,126 | 1,380 | 1,831 | 334 | 3,545 | 560 |
| 2004-2005 | 4,064 | 1,346 | 1,391 | 248 | 2,985 | 1,079 |
| 2005-2006 | 4,176 | 1,195 | 1,270 | 238 | 2,703 | 1,456 |
| 2006-2007* | 3,416 | 1,722 | 1,180 | 297 | 3,199 | 217 |
* Planned spending for fiscal year ending March 31, 2007
2006-07 Expenditures - 2
(in thousands of dollars)
* Returned to federal treasury
** Planned spending for fiscal year ending March 31, 2007
Commission expenditures related to operations increased by approximately $500,000 in 2006 (final figures will be available at the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2007).
A number of factors contributed to this increase, including a doubling of the Commission's active cases, and the costs associated with the conduct of a public hearing (the Commission is required to reimburse witnesses for travel costs and other expenses related to their attendance at the hearing).
Also, as noted elsewhere in the report, the Commission now assigns both a lead and an assisting investigator to investigations and has changed other investigation policies to meet the highest investigative standards.
The increased expenses in these areas - partially offset by efficiencies in other parts of the organization - is reflected in the Commission's slightly higher total expenditures for 2006.
