CCA Bulletin 37/07

December 4, 2007

A Closer Look at Supplementary Estimates  A - Federal Fiscal Watch

Just the Facts

As reported by the CCA , the federal government has tabled Supplementary Estimates A announcing a total of $13.6 billion work of supplementary expenditures of which $8 billion were voted appropriations ( i.e. discretionary spending programs) and $5.5 billion were changes to statutory budget spending ( transfer payments, employment insurance, pensions etc.)

The Supplementary Estimates A allow us to have a closer look at the details of the Main Estimates and how announcements in the 2007 federal budget are being implemented. The Main Estimates were tabled before the federal budget, therefore the Supplementary Estimates A add another layer of detail to the picture of actual federal spending.

It is important to note that these figures do not include details regarding the billion dollar reallocation program underway within government which seeks to move money from lower priority areas to higher ones within the federal government. As previously reported , the Department of Canadian Heritage and several Canadian Heritage Portfolio Agencies are on the list of departments and agencies targeted in this year’s exercise.

For more details, the CCA has developed a four page Analysis of the Supplementary Estimates 2007-08 A.

What does this mean?

Of particular interest to those of us in the arts and culture sector are transactions that affect the Department of Canadian Heritage and its Portfolio Agencies such as the CBC, the Canada Council for the Arts, the National Museums, the National Arts Centre, etc. The CCA notes for the first time to our knowledge, the government has utilized the Supplementary Estimates to provide spending directly to specific projects – ordinarily the Supplementary Estimates provide new appropriations to general programs as opposed to specific projects.

Transfers out of the Department of Canadian Heritage included $671 000.00 to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to support departmental staff in missions abroad. The funding will partly support additional cultural representatives ($269 000.00) and existing commitments ($402 000.00) Others include $400 000 to Agriculture and Agrifood and $15 000 to Industry Canada for the development of Official Language Minority Communities.

Under the rationalization of programs, the Canada Council for the Arts will receive $230 000 from the Department of Canadian Heritage to support multilateral collaboration on French-language theatre and Canada’s participation in meetings of the Commission internationale du théâtre francophone, and another $250 000 to support the Canadian Musical Diversity Component of the Canada Music Fund. The Council has in turn transferred $24 000 to the Department for arts statistics.

As expected the CBC has received an additional $60 million to support French and English language programming,

Library and Archives Canada received $12.4 million in voted appropriations for a range of purposes including digital publications and record, improving access to information in multiple formats and for planning a facility to conserve Canada’s documentary heritage.  It also received $23.2 million for the establishment of the Portrait Gallery of Canada.  

Other portfolio agencies received funds for urgent capital repairs:

* National Arts Centre                                                                 $20.4 million

* National Gallery of Canada                                                       $4.7 million

* Museum of Civilization                                                              $400 000

* Museum of Nature                                                                    $ 720 000

* National Museum of Science and Technology                         $4.2 million

* National Aviation Museum                                                        $250 000

The Department of Canadian Heritage also transferred $550 000 to Telefilm Canada for the development of Official Language Minority Communities.

There were also new funding made available to programs within the Department of Canadian Heritage;

Games Hosting Program for the 2010 Olympics                        $50.5 million

Sports Support Program                                                            $ 490 000

Enhancement of Official Languages Program                           $ 3 million

Development of Official Languages Communities

Program                                                                                      $ 12 million

National Arts Training Contribution Program                               $ 5.9 million

Summer Museum Internships Program                                       $ 5 million

Arts Presentation Canada                                                          $ 199 000

Building Communities Through the Arts and                               $ 3.1 million

Heritage Program

What Next?

It is unclear when the government will release details regarding the current billion dollar reallocation program. The CCA will watch for this information and share it with you as soon as it is available.