CCA Bulletin 08/08

March 4, 2008

The Federal Government Releases the 2008-09 Main Estimates

Just the Facts

The federal government has released its Main Spending Estimates following the presentation of the 2008-09 federal budget by the Hon. James Flaherty, Minister of Finance, on February 26, 2008.

The release of the Main Estimates, following the federal budget, is a welcome return to the traditional manner in which the Main Estimates are presented. In recent years  the government has released the Main Estimates before tabling the budget, resulting in some scrambling to make sense of initiatives and measures announced in the budget and their impact on spending estimates until Supplementary Estimates were tabled, often several months after the budget had been presented.

Another positive development: this year the government has changed the manner in which Supplementary Estimates are presented in reducing the size and scope of them. This will make understanding federal budgetary measures somewhat easier and more transparent.

The Main Estimates are organized around a whole of government framework that includes four spending areas and thirteen outcome areas. They are as follows:

Economic Affairs

1. Income security and employment for Canadians;

2. Strong economic growth;

3. An innovative and knowledge based economy;

4. A clean and healthy environment;

5. A fair and secure marketplace

Social Affairs

6. Healthy Canadians;

7. Safe and secure communities;

8. A diverse society that promotes linguistic duality and social inclusion; and

9. A vibrant Canadian culture and heritage;

International Affairs

10. A safe and secure world through international cooperation;

11. Global poverty reduction through sustainable development

12. A strong and mutually beneficial North American partnership; and

13. A prosperous Canada though global commerce.

Government Affairs

The Main Estimates show that the federal government will spend just over $ 4 billion in 2008-09, i.e. 1.8 % of the total budget, on the pursuit of cultural and patrimonial objectives. This includes a 3.9% increase on Cultural programs between 2007-2008 Main Estimates ($ 3,867 million) and those for 2008-2009 ($ 4,018 million). As expected, the Main Estimates include the $30 million increase to the base budget of the Canada Council for the Arts and a number of other commitments previously announced, like funds for urgent repairs to national museums and to the National Arts Centre and the government participation in the Canadian Television Fund. What is new is the addition of $24, 5 million to the budget of Library and Archives Canada for the National Portrait Gallery, currently the object of a call for tenders from nine Canadian cities.

Tell Me More…

The Main Estimates detail an increase in program spending at the Department of Canadian Heritage by 2.1% on programs and initiatives such as;

The National Arts Centre, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Canada Science and Technology Museum and the Canadian Museum of Nature all receive additional increases to deal with urgent capital repairs. Some of these funds were announced in last year’s federal budget.

The CBC gets an increase of 6.8% bringing their Parliamentary Allocation to $1,115 million to meet additional operating costs, a part of which will be met by increased self-generated revenue. Telefilm Canada benefits from a modest increase of 2.4% from $ 104, 6 million to  $ 107, 2 million in support of the National Training Schools Program in the Film and Video Sector. The National Film Board of Canada sees a decrease of 3.1% from $67 million to $ 65 million due to a “reduction in operating budget requirements.”

Library and Archives Canada will receive an increase of 32.1% from $ 119 millions to     $ 157, 6 million, for a variety of programs and initiatives, including $ 24, 5 million for the Portrait Gallery of Canada, some funding to replace obsolete systems and provide the capacity to manage digital publications and records, and funding to support the construction of a preservation facility.

The CCA will be providing a more detailed analysis of the federal budget and Main Estimates for 2008-09 in the coming weeks.