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Supplementary Estimates (C) narratives: Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates—March 4, 2022

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Funding for planning activities to support capital projects

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Supplementary Estimates (C): $32,861,485 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 1: Funding for planning activities to support capital projects: Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022
Supplementary Estimates 32.9

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is seeking access to $32.9 million (vote 1—operating expenditures, special purpose allotment (SPA) entitled “Pre-planning for capital, fit-up and non-capital specific projects”) for 2021 to 2022 to pursue the planning and delivery of critical infrastructure projects.

The funding is sourced from the previous fiscal year’s unused funds which resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic’s health and safety responses hampering contractors’ operations and causing delays.

Purpose of the funding

The funding will enable PSPC to support pre-planning for capital, fit-up and non-capital specific expenditures of projects from the long-term capital fund.

These funds are required in order to assist PSPC in the delivery of critical infrastructure projects such as the Alexandra Bridge, interprovincial crossings and alternate fuel source, Place du Portage, and specific authorities of the SPA such as accessibility and zero plastic waste.

Background

In 2017 to 2018, PSPC implemented the new capital vote definition which stipulates that all expenditures of a capital nature are to be incurred from within capital vote. Other activities that do not meet the capitalization criteria should be recorded under the operating vote. Since pre-planning activities fall in the latter group, a new vote 1—special purpose allotment was created to record non-capital activities related to projects.

Since its creation, the SPA has evolved to include the non-capitalizable expenditures related to project inception, identification and delivery activities consistent with PSPC's National Project Management System (now replaced by Project Navigator), non-capitalizable expenditures related to refit and fit-up activities (for example swing space) and non-capital specific projects.

Pre-planning includes activities such as:

Budget 2019 announced PSPC’s transition towards accrual budgeting with the goal to have a stable capital funding to be used for PSPC’s existing and planned tangible capital assets over the long run. One of the key elements for ensuring successful delivery of capital projects is the pre-planning, planning and implementation phases, which supports the effective financial and risk management of the capital management plan.

Funding for e-procurement solution

Supplementary Estimates (C): $21,599,642 in 2021to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 2: Funding for e-procurement solution: Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022 [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]
Supplementary Estimates 21.6 [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]

[Redacted]

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking access to $21.6 million (vote 1—operating expenditures) for 2021 to 2022 to continue supporting the e-Procurement Solution Project.

Purpose of the funding

This funding is sourced from the previous year’s unused funds which resulted from delays due to COVID-19 and challenges related to system integration of SAP to the EPS cloud solution, thereby impacting milestone schedules.

The funding will be used to continue supporting EPS, an important initiative to modernize the government’s procurement function in support of PSPC’s legislated mandate to provide procurement services. The deployment of this modern, cloud-based solution will permit more accessible and less burdensome procurement practices, thereby making it easier for suppliers to do business with PSPC.

Background

PSPC is the largest buyer of goods and services in Canada; it manages more than 75% of all Government of Canada procurement spending, supporting federal government operations by ensuring the timely acquisition and delivery of approximately $22 billion worth of goods (43%), services (49%), and construction (8%) annually.

As a critical enabler of the government’s delivery of services to Canadians, the efficiency and effectiveness of the government’s procurement operations are paramount.

Building on lessons from around the globe and here in Canada, PSPC’s objective is to leverage industry leading business processes, enabled by state-of-the-art technologies to establish a viable and modern procurement program that supports the government’s service delivery to Canadians.

EPS is a key initiative that will modernize the government’s procurement function and improve efficiency and electronic access to users. Budget 2018 announced $196.8M for the EPS project to replace existing outdated information technology (IT) systems with a modern web-based e-procurement solution. Phase 1 of the EPS project (such as deployment of EPS within PSPC) is scheduled to be completed in July 2023.

Funding for the Long-Term Vision and Plan of the Parliamentary Precinct

Supplementary Estimates (C): $18,140,000 in 2021—2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 3: Funding for the Long-Term Vision and Plan of the Parliamentary Precinct: Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022 [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]
Supplementary Estimates 18.1 [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]

[Redacted]

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking access to $18.1 million (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 to support the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP) of the Parliamentary Precinct’s projects and program, as announced in Budget 2017.

Purpose of the funding

The funding will enable PSPC to support pre-planning and non-capital specific expenditures of LTVP projects, including ongoing planning activities for the redevelopment of block 2 and the Indigenous Peoples Space, as well as the restoration and modernization of block 1. This funding will continue to support the creation of a secure, accessible, sustainable and integrated parliamentary campus.

To successfully deliver on LTVP projects, pre-planning activities are important to ensure the efficient use of resources and the attainment of project timelines.

Pre-planning includes activities such as:

Background

The Parliamentary Precinct is comprised of 37 Crown-owned buildings, of which 28 are designated federal heritage properties, including the parliamentary triad (West Block, Centre Block and East Block), as well as several leased properties throughout the National Capital Area.

Approved in 2001, the LTVP is a multi-decade strategy for the restoration and modernization of the buildings and grounds on and around Parliament Hill. This long-term plan is designed to address health and safety risks and meet the accommodation needs of a 21st century Parliament, including modern information technology, material handling, movement of people and goods, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, accessibility, sustainability, and security enhancements.

Restoring the Centre Block is a core objective of the LTVP. Since the 2019 emptying and de-commissioning of the Centre Block, significant progress has been made, including the completion of a comprehensive assessment program, functional program, and a near-complete schematic design. Once completed, with its new Parliament Welcome Centre, Parliament Hill will be a more open, accessible, and inclusive environment.

PSPC is also advancing the redevelopment of the 3 city blocks (blocks 1, 2, and 3) across from Parliament Hill, between Sparks and Wellington streets. These redevelopment projects comprise a multitude of inter-related projects that aim to restore and modernize aging and underutilized Crown assets, while leveraging the remaining assets in the Parliamentary Precinct to create an integrated parliamentary campus that addresses parliament’s long-term requirements, as well as the needs of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Privy Council.

For the Block 2 Redevelopment Project, PSPC launched a design competition in 2021 to bolster innovative ideas and promote design excellence. In fact, the original Parliament buildings were the result of a design competition held in 1859. An independent jury of design professionals, members of civil society and parliamentarians is in place to review and recommend a design for block 2 that reflects the needs of parliament and showcases the significance of this site at the heart of the Parliamentary Precinct.

Further renewal projects include continuing the transformation of 100 Wellington and adjacent sites into a national space for Indigenous peoples. As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to renew relationships with Indigenous peoples and advance reconciliation, this project also includes the redevelopment of the former CIBC building located at 119 Sparks street and an infill space between the 2 buildings. PSPC is also leveraging the entire LTVP to create opportunities for Canadians, including youth and Indigenous peoples. PSPC has committed to include provisions in all of its major projects’ contracts that would subcontract at least 5% of work to Indigenous firms.

Parliament Hill draws millions of visitors annually and is a key driver of tourism that contributes significantly to the Ottawa economy. PSPC is committed to ensuring that a positive visitor and parliamentary experience resumes post-pandemic and during the completion of the rehabilitation program.

The Parliamentary Precinct will continue to be a model for accessibility. The ongoing work aspires to exceed the code where possible and to be a model for accessibility. This has been most recently exemplified in the West Block, Visitor Welcome Centre and Senate of Canada Building, which include barrier-free access and improved accessibility features in the chambers, public galleries, offices, meeting places, washrooms and corridors.

The LTVP is also reducing the government’s carbon footprint. As of 2020 to 2021, PSPC had successfully reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Parliamentary Precinct by 66% compared to the 2005 to 2006 baseline—exceeding the 2025 target of 40%. The Parliamentary Precinct is expected to achieve a 95% reduction in GHG emissions by 2040—exceeding the 2050 target of at least 90%. The department is also diverting more than 90% of demolition materials from landfills.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the department made significant progress in the ongoing efforts to restore and modernize Canada’s Parliamentary Precinct. PSPC has worked directly with the construction industry to develop and implement strict health and safety protocols to prevent the occurrence or spread of COVID-19 on site and to ensure workers are safe. PSPC will continue to work collaboratively with parliamentary partners and stakeholders to identify functional, flexible, integrated, and creative approaches to realize the full potential of the precinct campus and its important role in the nation's capital.

Funding for critical operating pressures related to the pandemic (Budget 2021) (COVID-19)

Supplementary Estimates (C): $17,366,451 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 4: Funding for critical operating pressures related to the pandemic (Budget 2021) (COVID-19): Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022
Supplementary Estimates 17.4

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking access to $17.4 million (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 to continue supporting the Government of Canada’s evolving pandemic response.

Purpose of the funding

Funding announced in Budget 2021 will support PSPC’s ongoing leadership role in the pandemic response. The COVID-19 response has generated pressures within PSPC in areas such as procurement, communications, human resources support and shared travel services, among others.

Background

Funding is required to ensure the maintenance of PSPC’s program integrity in the following areas:

Funding for eliminating the backlog of pay problems (Budget 2021)

Supplementary Estimates (C): $17,298,112 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 5: Funding for eliminating the backlog of pay problems (Budget 2021): Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022 [Redacted]
Supplementary Estimates 17.3 [Redacted]

[Redacted]

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking access to $17.3 million (vote 1—operating expenditures in the special purpose allotment (SPA) entitled “Post implementation of pay system”) for 2021 to 2022 to support pay stabilization and eliminate the backlog of pay transactions for the Government of Canada.

Purpose of the funding

Funding is required to maintain capacity to accelerate backlog elimination by maintaining the Backlog Reduction Strategy approach to close backlog cases, renewing a key pay processing memorandum of understanding (MOU), and implementing an overtime complement, as announced in Budget 2021.

Budget 2021 announced $46M of funding over 2 years.

Background

Since Phoenix was implemented in 2016, PSPC has requested additional funding every year in order to administer pay to public servants. This funding, when combined to the $271.3M announced through the 2020 Economic and Fiscal Snapshot, allows PSPC to continue efforts towards the stabilization of pay for public servants.

Under Section 12 of the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act and Order in Council (P.C.) 2011-1550, the Minister of PSPC is mandated to administer the disbursement of pay to employees of the federal public administration. PSPC administers the Phoenix pay processing system on behalf of the Government of Canada, generating payroll for nearly 400,000 active and inactive (such as on leave or retired) employees.

In 2009, Cabinet approved the initiative to fix the pay system, also known as the transformation of pay administration (TPA) initiative. The TPA initiative consisted of 2 components: the Consolidation of Pay Services Project (total cost of $118.6 million by project close), which merged the compensation workforce administering employee pay accounts from 46 organizations in a single Public Service Pay Centre in Miramichi, New Brunswick; and the Pay Modernization Project (total cost of $190.7 million by project close), which replaced the government’s 40-year old payroll system and processes with a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) pay and benefits solution (such as, PeopleSoft). The system, known as Phoenix, was rolled out in 2016 with limited functionalities.

To date, several audits and reviews have demonstrated that there were serious flaws in the planning and implementation of the TPA initiative. The Government of Canada failed to adequately test the system before it went live; underestimated the complexity of pay operations and the system capacity required to process transactions; and underestimated the time and effort that users across the Government of Canada would require to process human resources (HR) transactions and adapt to the new integrated HR-to-Pay systems environment. There were also issues with inadequate functionality and system performance. These issues, along with an inherited backlog of unresolved cases from the previous system, have resulted in a large volume of outstanding HR and pay transactions.

In addition, PSPC was not adequately resourced on an ongoing basis to deliver and stabilize pay. The department initially expected that starting in 2016 to 2017, the TPA initiative would generate annual savings of approximately $70 million that would then be harvested from pay centre client departments. After Phoenix was implemented, the government decided not to proceed with recouping these funds, as additional support was required for departments to support employees experiencing pay issues.

With regards to pay administration on an ongoing basis and post-stabilization, PSPC’s current permanent funding envelope of about $80M per year is not expected to be sufficient. This is equivalent to approximately 550 full-time equivalents (FTEs) in the Pay Centre and approximately 150 FTEs ensuring payroll integrity and supporting the compensation community enterprise-wide.

[Redacted]

Current status

Funding provided to date has allowed PSPC to implement multiple projects designed to improve pay processing capacity and productivity, reduce intake, and accelerate technology enhancements and fixes, one of which, described below, is directly linked to the requested funding.

The Backlog Reduction Strategy, launched in 2019, adopts a targeted approach to reducing the backlog: a dedicated team takes a department-by-department approach to close backlog cases for a number of common transaction sub-types, and an ongoing close collaboration is fostered between processing teams across pay branches (for example with pay centre pods) to process priority backlog cases. As of January 26, 2022, this initiative had already resulted in the closure of more than 117,000 in-scope cases.

However, intake has increased significantly since the beginning of the 2021 to 2022 fiscal year, in some cases exceeded pre-pandemic levels. As output has been unable to keep pace, newer cases have recently trickled into the backlog. Assumptions of the Backlog Reduction Strategy were always dependent on the ability to manage new cases. PSPC is carefully monitoring these trends. The additional funding provided through this proposal will allow to maintain in place compensation resources that play a critical role in supporting PSPC Minister’s mandate to eliminate the backlog.

Funding for the government’s pay system

Supplementary Estimates (C): $15,445,244 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 6: Funding for the government’s pay system: Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022
Supplementary Estimates 15.4

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking access to $15.4 million (vote 1—operating expenditures in the special purpose allotment entitled “Post implementation of pay system”) for 2021 to 2022 to continue delivering and stabilizing pay for the Government of Canada.

Purpose of the funding

This funding is sourced from prior years’ unused funds mainly due to delays in deliverables for technology and information technology support.

[Redacted]

Background

Since Phoenix was implemented in 2016, PSPC has requested additional funding every year in order to administer pay to public servants.

Resources are needed to:

In 2020 to 2021, delays in deliverables for technology and IT support occurred due to COVID-19. For example, the Pay Solutions Branch had significant delays in the delivery of servers leading to unused funds in that fiscal year. Moreover, other expected deliverables in certain vendor contracts were not complete (due to resources not being available), and have been deferred as well to 2021 to 2022.

Funding for leveraging procurement opportunities and modernizing the workforce (Budget 2021)

Supplementary Estimates (C): $10,491,240 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes total funding for fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 7: Funding for leveraging procurement opportunities and modernizing the workforce (Budget 2021): Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022
Supplementary Estimates 10.5

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking access to $10.5 million (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 to leverage procurement opportunities and modernize its workforce, as announced in Budget 2021.

Purpose of the funding

The funding will support the continued modernization of procurement and increased inclusivity in procurement through the creation of opportunities for specific communities by diversifying the federal supplier base. Some key initiatives include social procurement, accessible procurement, Indigenous procurement, procurement outreach and engagement with under-represented suppliers and vendor performance management.

Funding will also ensure sufficient workforce capacity to deliver procurements in serving federal departments and agencies as their central purchasing agent.

Background

Since the Government of Canada is one of the largest public buyers of goods and services in the country, purchasing approximately $22B per year, procurement policy is a fundamental lever to achieve social and economic objectives.

PSPC has been working on many key initiatives since 2015 to modernize procurement practices and increase supplier diversity. The funding requested in Budget 2021 will help advance the following initiatives included under the modernization and inclusivity agenda:

Ultimately, this funding will be used to continue to modernize federal procurement and create opportunities for specific communities by diversifying the federal supplier base, improving data capture, analytics, and reporting, incorporating accessibility considerations into federal procurement, and developing new tools, guidance, awareness, and training for federal departments.

Funding for accommodation costs related to pension administration

Supplementary Estimates (C): $9,892,934 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

Table 8: The Superannuation Account from 2017 to 2018 to 2021 to 2022: 13% accommodation (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2017 to 2018 2018 to 2019 2019 to 2020 2020 to 2021 2021 to 2022
Total authorities 7.9 8.0 8.1 9.2 9.9

Summary

Funding of $9.9 million (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 to Public Services and Procurement Canada for accommodation costs for employees who provide pension services relating to the:

Purpose of the funding

PSPC provides accommodation services to employees who administer the pension funds. The funding will be used to cover accommodation costs incurred for these employees.

As per Treasury Board Secretariat guidelines, the accommodation cost is established at 13% of the approved salary resources.

The $9.9 million is broken down as follows:

Background

By the nature of the pension funds, legislations require that expenditures for the operation and management of the pension funds be tracked and managed separately. Consequently, administration costs (including accommodation costs) are charged to the respective superannuation account as required by:

PSPC seeks Treasury Board (TB) authority once a year to access the accommodation funding from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF):

  1. revenues collected from the pension funds are deposited to the CRF
  2. PSPC seeks authority to access these funds
  3. an attestation and confirmation of proof of deposit is provided by chief financial officers (PSPC and DND)

Deposits are subject to annual review as part of the annual pension administration audit.

Funding for government translation and interpretation services (Budget 2021)

Supplementary Estimates (C): $9,000,000 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in 2021 to 2022.

Table 9: Funding for government translation and interpretation services (Budget 2021): Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022 [Redacted]
Supplementary Estimates 9.0 [Redacted]

[Redacted]

Summary

Funding of $9 million (vote 1—operating expenditures, special purpose allotment (SPA) entitled “Linguistic services”) for translation and interpretation services, as announced in Budget 2021.

Purpose of the funding

The funding will enable Public Services and Procurement Canada to respond to a higher volume of translation and interpretation requests while continuing to support a remote working environment due to COVID-19. This funding will also ensure that parliamentarians and Canadians receive timely translation and interpretation services in both official languages as well as in Indigenous and sign languages.

Background

Since the beginning of the pandemic, remote parliament has resulted in additional pressures on both interpretation and translation services. Remote simultaneous interpretation requires that assignments be shorter and that more interpreters be assigned in order to manage sound quality and cognitive load challenges. This means that more interpreters are needed in a virtual parliament setting. Furthermore, the Translation Bureau has received additional interpretation and translation requests due to an increase in the number of House of Commons committees as well as significant expenses for sign language interpretation at press conferences.

Funding to better equip our coast guard and military (Budget 2021)

Supplementary Estimates (C): $2,819,484 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 10: Funding to better equip our coast guard and military (Budget 2021): Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year Title 2021 to 2022
Supplementary Estimates Enabling Defence and Marine Procurement 2.0
Cost and Profit Assurance Program 0.8
Total Supplementary Estimates N/A 2.8

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking access to $2.8 million (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 to support defence and marine procurement as well as the Cost and Profit Assurance Program (CPAP), as announced in Budget 2021.

Purpose of the funding

Defence and Marine Procurement

Funding of $2.0 million for 2021 to 2022 to ensure PSPC’s efficient procurement of equipment and ships in support of Canada’s defence policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE), and the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).

Cost and Profit Assurance Program

Funding of $0.8 million for 2021 to 2022 to provide for 6 new staff who will conduct a higher volume of audits of high-value, complex contracts through enhanced cost profit analysis, thereby directly impacting the Government of Canada’s actions in sustaining its defence policy.

The continued audit and oversight of defence contracts enhances defence procurement efficiency and lowers costs, enabling the Government of Canada to negotiate better contracts.

Background

Defence and Marine Procurement

As a strategic partner in delivering on defence and marine procurement, the new funding will ensure that PSPC has sufficient capacity to deliver on key government priorities. In doing so, PSPC will match the pace of growth underway by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). The funding aligns with initiative 98 of the SSEFootnote 1 which commits to the growth of the defence procurement workforce given the 73% forecasted increase of SSE spending over the next 10 years, and provides sufficient resources to support NSS new commitments (for example, CCG fleet renewal, addition of a third Canadian shipyard).

Cost and Profit Assurance Program

As Canada's largest public purchasing organization, PSPC is accountable for managing procurement risks related to pricing and payments, and auditing contractor delivery of goods and services for compliance with the terms and conditions of their contract. Ensuring that costs charged to the Government of Canada are reasonable and profits earned by contractors are not excessive.

The benefits of this oversight is:

The CPAP ensures that procurement costs and government expenditures on defence are fair, transparent, and reasonable by performing assurance engagements early in the contracting process for both the Government of Canada and foreign governments. It provides audit services on domestic and international contracts, primarily for high-risk defence contracts. This results in contract cost savings through improved contract negotiations and better contract management while also supporting policy and procurement innovation. Ultimately, the CPAP supports the Minister of PSPC to deliver on her obligation to ensure fair pricing in defence contracts as outlined in section 24 of the Defence Production Act.

Funding for increases in non-discretionary expenses associated with Crown-owned buildings and leased space

Supplementary Estimates (C): $2,410,206 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

Table 11: Supplementary Estimates funding for non-discretionary expenses associated with Crown-owned buildings and leased space per fiscal year (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2017 to 2018 2018 to 2019 2019 to 2020 2020 to 2021 2021 to 2022
Supplementary Estimates 0.5 0.5 2.1 1.4 2.4

Summary

Funding of $2.4 million (vote 1—operating expenditures, federal accommodation and infrastructure SPA) in 2021 to 2022 to Public Services and Procurement Canada to protect for inflation (price) and variation in the number of public servants requiring accommodations (volume).

Purpose of the funding

Under the price and volume protection, PSPC’s funding is automatically reduced when accommodation costs are reduced such as when power and space savings occur due to data centre closures.

As per Price and Volume methodology, PSPC is the only one who can access the funding related to accommodation, and therefore, able to compensate Shared Services Canada of its space entitlement reduction.

In 2021 to 2022 PSPC is receiving funds to be transferred to Shared Services Canada for reduced accommodation requirements as a result of data centre consolidations. The $2.4 million represents savings of power ($0.9 million) and space ($1.5 million) as a result of closing data centres. Of this amount, $1.7 million will be transferred to Shared Services Canada.

The $0.7 million in net funding in 2021 to 2022 represents decommissioning costs related to data centre closures paid by PSPC.

Background

In late 2016, SSC and PSPC agreed to a more expedient process for closing and decommissioning the data centres. Under this agreement, when data centres are closed but not decommissioned, PSPC will fund and complete the decommissioning of former data centre space in PSPC custodial assets and recoup the costs from SSC through a reduction of the funding transfers for space. SSC will then release the space to PSPC for reassignment.

Data Centre Consolidation Project

Funding for government advertising programs (horizontal item)

Supplementary Estimates (C): $500,000 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes funding in Supplementary Estimates C for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 (in millions of dollars)

Table 12: Funding for government advertising programs (horizontal item): Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022 [Redacted]
Supplementary Estimates 0.5 [Redacted]

[Redacted]

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking access to $0.5 million (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 via a special purpose allotment entitled “Advertising initiatives”, for funding related to government advertising programs (horizontal item led by Privacy Council Office).

Purpose of the funding

Funding will allow PSPC to communicate with Canadians on emerging issues by running advertising for urgent and unforeseen issues on behalf of, and in collaboration with, other Government of Canada departments. Projects to be supported from this fund will be approved by the Privy Council Office.

The funds are for unforeseen requirements and may not be used. However, if accessed, the source of funds will be from the central advertising fund managed by the PCO. The funding includes estimated production and media costs.

Should there be no PCO-identified, emerging needs advertising campaigns, the funding shall be returned from the special purpose allotment to the fiscal framework.

Background

This initiative was originally established in 2013 to 2014 as the Digital Advertising Fund, allowing the Government of Canada to use digital advertising (such as internet, mobile devices and any other digital media) to rapidly communicate with Canadians about unforeseen priorities and emerging issues. The fund has evolved since its inception. For example, in 2018 to 2019, media other than digital was included (for example radio) to communicate with hard to reach groups in exceptional circumstances. There was no funding for this initiative in fiscal year 2020 to 2021. This year, in light of the current situation facing Canada and the world, the fund is being renamed the Emerging Needs Fund. It will allow for advertising resources to be available (managed by PSPC) in the event that some unforeseen issue or circumstance (identified by PCO) occurs.

The Emerging Needs Fund will support communications activities that:

Transfer from the Treasury Board Secretariat to various organizations to support projects which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in federal government operations

Supplementary Estimates (C): $350,000 in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

Table 13: Funding in fiscal year 2021 to 2022 from the Treasury Board Secretariat, Greening Government Fund (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022 [Redacted]
Supplementary Estimates 0.4 [Redacted]

[Redacted]

Summary

Under the Greening Government Fund, the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) is transferring $350 thousand (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 to Public Services and Procurement Canada to support projects which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in federal government operations.

Purpose of the funding

Funding will be used to develop science-based methodologies to quantify greenhouse gas emissions generated along the life-cycle of goods and services procured by the Government of Canada. Once developed, the methodologies will be used to assess the carbon footprint associated with three procurement categories:

This will support the Government of Canada’s mandate to implement GHG-reducing measures with an objective of net-zero GHG emissions in the future.

The overall project includes 3 phases:

  1. scanning current practices used in measuring green procurement and using life cycle assessment to measure embodied GHG emissions in goods and services
  2. developing methodologies and tools for measuring GHG emissions in 3 categories of goods and services
  3. implementing these methodologies and tools

Background

The Greening Government Strategy was established in 2017 with the goal of reducing GHG emissions from federal operations. The Greening Government Fund provides project funding to federal government departments and agencies (those that generate more than 1 kilotonne of GHGs per year from air travel or who voluntarily contribute).

The objective of the fund is to support and share the results of projects, which:

Transfer from various organizations to the Treasury Board Secretariat for financial community developmental programs and the inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility initiative

Supplementary Estimates (C): ($8,333) in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes total funding for fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 14: Transfer from various organizations to the Treasury Board Secretariat for financial community developmental programs and the inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility initiative: Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022 [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]
Total authorities (0.008) [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]

[Redacted]

Summary

Transfer of $8 thousand (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 from Public Services and Procurement Canada to the Treasury Board Secretariat for the Office of the Comptroller General’s (OCG) financial community developmental programs and the inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) initiative.

Purpose of the funding

The funding will allow for TBS to support and deliver enhanced and continuous development programs. TBS will also lead the financial management community on the IDEA initiative which has become a priority for the public service.

Background

Large departments and agencies (LDAs) contribute to funding the renewal and delivery of development programs. These development programs are delivered by the OCG on behalf of the financial management community. LDAs also contribute to an additional resource (FI-04) within OCG that will be responsible for leading the implementation of the IDEA strategic recruitment on behalf of the financial management community as well as the integration of required changes to existing development programs.

TBS will be responsible for:

Transfer from various organizations to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for law enforcement record checks

Supplementary Estimates (C): ($335,400) in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

The following table includes total funding for fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Table 15: Transfer from various organizations to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for law enforcement record checks: Funding profile (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022 [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]
Total authorities (0.3) [Redacted] [Redacted] [Redacted]

Total may not add up due to rounding.

[Redacted]

Summary

Transfer of $335 thousand (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 from Public Services and Procurement Canada to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for the costs related to conducting Law Enforcement Record Checks (LERCs).

Purpose of the funding

Under this 3-year Service Level agreement (SLA) PSPC transfers to the RCMP funding for costs incurred to process a maximum of 700 LERCs per year.

The funding will be used to perform LERCs as part of:

LERCs allow to flag whether the subject has a criminal record or is/has been subject to a police investigation.

Background

Security screening is at the core of the Policy on Government Security as a fundamental practice that establishes and maintains a foundation of trust within government, between government and Canadians, and between Canada and other countries. It involves the collection of personal information from individuals, with their informed consent, and information from law enforcement and intelligence sources and other sources and methods to assess an individual's reliability and loyalty to Canada.

Security screening is conducted according to a common standard for most duties or positions in the federal government and for other individuals external to government with whom there is a need to share sensitive or classified information. Enhanced security screening may be conducted when duties involve or directly support security and intelligence functions, or involve access to security and intelligence sources and methodologies.

The ISS under PSPC, is mandated, under the Treasury Board Policy on Government Security, to perform the necessary security screening of private sector individuals and organizations that have access to protected and classified information and assets. Ultimately, this enables the safeguarding of controlled goods in support of compliance with the Defence Production Act.

As part of PSPC-ISS’ responsibility in assessing a registration certificate application under the CGP, it may issue a written request for a LERC to the RCMP. Upon receipt of this request, the RCMP will undertake a LERC and provide the results in accordance with applicable legislation and policy. The RCMP will provide all relevant information regarding the applicant or personnel to the extent possible, but will not make recommendations to PSPC-ISS pertaining to the security assessment and screening of applicants or personnel. PSPC-ISS is responsible for the final assessment of a registration certificate application under the CGP.

Controlled Goods Program

The CGP was established in 2001 to regain, and since to maintain, the Canadian exemptions provided under the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to allow Canadian industry privileged license-free access to the U.S. defence market. This U.S. license exemption, unique to Canada, fosters economic growth by strengthening a shared industrial base which benefits the aerospace, defence, and security sectors of both countries.

Controlled goods are primarily unclassified sensitive items and technologies (for example, technical documentation and data, blueprints, etc.) that essentially have a military or national security significance, including ITAR controlled “defence articles” (for example, missiles, tanks, fighter jets, etc.). The controlled goods list contained in the schedule to the Defence Production Act details the specific controlled goods that are domestically controlled by PSPC.

Transfer from the Department of Public Works and Government Services to the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board related to the implementation and support of the Laboratories Canada initiative

Supplementary Estimates (C): ($614,599) in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

Table 16: Total funding for the implementation and support of a hub management office as part of the Laboratories Canada Initiative for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022
Total authorities (0.6)

Summary

Transfer of $0.6 million (vote 1—operating expenditures) in 2021 to 2022 from Public Services and Procurement Canada to the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board (CTAISB) for the implementation and support of a hub management office as part of the Laboratories Canada initiative. This transfer will continue to support the first phase of federal science and technology laboratory renewal announced in Budget 2018, which centres on replacing ailing critical infrastructure through the construction of collaborative 21st century platforms for science.

Purpose of the funding

Phase 1 of the Laboratories Canada initiative includes activities under the Transportation Safety and Technology Science (TSTS) hub within the CTAISB (commonly known as the Transportation Safety Board of Canada). The TSTS hub’s roles include the following:

The TSTS hub obtained funding only over two years (fiscal years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021), which was based on estimates from 2018. 

The funding will ensure sufficient resources for the CTAISB to conduct work in support of the Laboratories Canada Program initiative.

Background

Laboratories Canada is a long-term strategy that is part of the Government of Canada’s plan to strengthen federal science in Canada. This strategy aims to provide federal scientists with leading-edge facilities, modernized information management and information technology systems, greater access to common tools and reduced barriers to science and technology that facilitate collaboration and allows them to continue the important work they do on behalf of Canadians.

The Government of Canada allocated $2.8 billion in Budget 2018 to launch the first phase of a Long Term Vision and Plan to build world-class, collaborative, accessible, and sustainable science facilities. These facilities will support collaborative, multidisciplinary research and innovation, and evidence-based decision-making. The LTVP is influenced by 6 guiding principles:

The first phase of the LTVP focuses on:

Transfer from the Department of Public Services and Government Services to Shared Services Canada to reimburse for reduced accommodation requirements as a result of data centre consolidations

Supplementary Estimates (C): ($1,651,090) in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

Table 17: Total funding for the Data Centre Consolidation Project in fiscal year 2021 to 2022 (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022
Supplementary Estimates (1.7)

Summary

Transfer of $1.7 million (vote 1—operating expenditures, special purpose allotment entitled “Real Property Services”) in 2021 to 2022 to Shared Services Canada to reimburse for reduced accommodation requirements as a result of data centre consolidations.

Purpose of the funding

Under an agreement with SSC, Public Services and Procurement Canada transfers to SSC the amount for power and space savings achieved from the closure of data centres, less the identified decommissioning costs PSPC has forecasted it will incur for fiscal year 2021 to 2022.

Background

Created in 2011, SSC’s mandate is to deliver email, data centre and telecommunication services to 43 federal departments and agencies. One of SSC’s main objectives is to generate savings through information technology consolidation. This project involves the closing and decommissioning of data centres and to consolidate them into new locations. Furthermore, the closure of the data centres would result in power and space savings.

Prior to September 2014, an agreement was signed between PSPC and SSC for the transfer of the power and space savings to SSC upon cessation of data centre operations, decommissioning and release of the space to PSPC for reassignment. The agreement was modified later to have the transfer of funding made upon the closure of data centres in order to allow for a more expedient process for closing and decommissioning data centres.

Data Centre Consolidation Project

Public Service and Procurement Canada’s responsibility

PSPC provides federal departments and agencies with affordable office and common user accommodation that supports the delivery of their programs and services.

Decommissioning of data centres

Current status

Project completion date: SSC estimates that the project will end in fiscal year 2029 to 2030. This estimate relies on SSC funding being available to help data centre closures meet the objective. This end date is subject to change.

Risks: SSC identified the following risks that may impact the duration of the project:

Major accomplishments include:

Transfer from the Department of Public Works and Government Services to the National Capital Commission for its relocation to 80 Elgin street, Ottawa

Supplementary Estimates (C): ($32,000,000) in 2021 to 2022

Funding profile

Table 18: Total funding transferred to the National Capital Commission for the relocation and fit-up costs for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 (in millions of dollars)
Fiscal year 2021 to 2022
Total Authorities (32.0)

Summary

Public Services and Procurement Canada is seeking to transfer $32 million (vote 1—special purpose allotment Real Property Services) to the National Capital Commission (NCC) in 2021 to 2022 for the fit-up costs of new modernized office space and its relocation to 80 Elgin Street, Ottawa.

Purpose of the funding

This transfer will allow the NCC to fit-up 80 Elgin street, Ottawa and PSPC to secure the following swing spaces to advance the redevelopment of block 1 and block 2 as per the Long Term Vision and Plan in support of the parliamentary campus strategy:

80 Elgin street, Ottawa represents an important heritage asset acquisition within the centre business district on national interest land mass (NILM) property for the NCC. This will also right-size NCC accommodation and reduce spending over the next 10 years via program consolidation and modernization.

Background

The LTVP is a multi-decade strategy addressing health and safety risks and modernizing the Parliamentary Precinct to meet the accommodation needs of a 21st century Parliament, which includes, for example, enhancing security, universal accessibility and environmental sustainability.

The Parliamentary Precinct is comprised of 37 Crown-owned buildings, of which 28 are designated federal heritage properties, including the parliamentary triad (West Block, Centre Block, and East Block), as well as several leased properties throughout the National Capital Area.

One goal of the LTVP is to ensure adequate swing space is secured for government-owned and leased buildings. The limited property available within the required area has resulted in challenges identifying suitable swing space to support the rehabilitation of core buildings and meet client accommodation needs.

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