| Federal Organizational Types |
Departments |
Special Operating Agencies (SOA) |
Statutory and other Agencies |
Service Agencies |
Departmental Corporations |
Parent Crown Corporation (CC) |
Shared Governance Corporations |
| Non Commercial |
Commercial |
| Description |
Primary vehicles through which government policy and programs are delivered. Primary role is to support Ministers in delivering their mandates. |
Operating Unit in a department; TB approves Charter; results oriented business plan and business like approach. |
Agencies generally have more narrowly defined mandates than ministerial departments. |
Operating entity with tailored legislation. |
Specialized entity for research, supervisory, advisory or regulatory function. |
Corporate entity serving the public; corporate plan. |
Corporate entity serving the public; corporate plan. |
Generally corp. entity without share capital; Fed. gov’t appoints one or more board members; corporate plan. |
| Characteristics |
Generally have broad mandates. Departments organized in different ways to meet various policy and administrative needs. Serve Minister directly; act only for/on behalf of Minister. |
Very operational function focused on service to gov’t or public; its own corporate culture. |
The specific functions of Agencies vary widely but functions tend to be operational in nature - e.g. administrative, supervisory, advisory, regulatory, adjudicative. |
Very operational function focused on service. |
Little revenue - services not normally sold; admin. controls like a department. Must be a Corporate entity. |
Public Policy objectives; private sector form; not profitable or has a monopoly. |
Public Policy objectives; private sector form; profitable. |
Generally operates in regulatory environment; generally not profitable. |
| Number of Organizations |
21 |
17 |
64 |
3 |
15 |
43 |
3 |
144 |
| Examples |
Industry Justice Treasury Board Secretariat |
Canadian Coast Guard Passport Canada |
Canadian Human Rights Tribunal National Energy Board Public Health Agency of Canada |
Canada Revenue Agency Canadian Food Inspection Agency Parks Canada Agency |
Canada School of Public Service Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) National Research Council |
Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp. National Capital Commission VIA Rail |
Canada Development Investment Corp. Canada Post Royal Canadian Mint |
Canadian Energy Research Institute Vancouver Organizing Ctee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Authority |
| Legislation |
Required. |
Not required, not separate legal entities. |
Not required, separate legal entities. |
Required. |
Required. |
Required. FAA. Sched. III Part 1. |
Required. FAA Sched. III Part II. |
Required. |
| Degree of Autonomy |
Accountable to their Minister for operations and policy. Mandates are broad. |
Negotiated flexibilities and independence within parent department within Charter. |
More autonomy, distant from gov’t in delivering mandate (degree of autonomy varies by organization). |
Degree of independence specified in legislation. |
Generally indep. Policy function; perceived need to be distant from gov’t. |
Independent; arms-length from government; Gov’t not directly involved in day to day management. |
Independent; arms-length from government; Gov’t not directly involved in day to day management. |
Independent but some degree of federal influence through appointees and transfer payment agreements. |
| Accountability Framework |
The policy direction and management of departments are the responsibility of their Minister. |
Management contract and delegated authorities. |
Heads of Agencies are responsible for the operations in delivery of mandate, not Ministers. |
Tailored reporting framework. |
Management contract and delegated authorities. |
Generally FAA Part X, except the 9 CC’s generally not subject to the FAA Part X. |
Generally FAA Part X . |
Tailored reporting framework. |
| Organizational Structure |
Prime Minister appoints Parliamentary Secretaries, Ministers & Deputy Ministers (DM). DM’s are responsible for staff. |
TB approved formal structure within a department. |
Within a Ministerial portfolio-type management structure. |
Within a Ministerial portfolio-type management structure. |
Within a Ministerial portfolio-type management structure. |
Private sector form. |
Private sector form. |
Tailored management structure. |
| Advisory/ Mgt Boards |
Informal advisory boards but no Management Boards. |
No management board. Advisory board to the C.E.O optional, but is recommended. |
Generally, no advisory or management boards. |
Advisory board, Board of Directors or Management Board. |
Advisory Board or Board of Directors. |
Board of Directors. |
Board of Directors. |
Board of Directors, but may have advisory board as well. |
| Roles |
Minister directly accountable to Parliament. |
C.E.O. generally reports to D.M. |
Ministers are “answerable” or politically accountable to Parliament for all the activities of the organization, including those pertaining to day-to-day operations. |
Deputy Head reports to Minister. |
Deputy Head reports to Minister. |
Chairman of the Board reports to Minister. |
Chairman of the Board reports to Minister. |
CEO reports to Board of Directors. |
| Labour Code |
Public Service Staff Relations Act. |
Public Service Staff Relations Act (can be separate employer). |
Public Service Staff Relations Act (can be separate employer). |
Public Service Staff Relations Act (separate employer). |
Public Service Staff Relations Act (can be separate employer). |
Canada Labour Code (rarely provincial code or Public Service Staff Relations Act). |
Canada Labour Code. |
Canada Labour Code. |
| Financing |
Appropriations. |
Appropriations, user fees, some revolving funds. Revolving funds are usually associated with SOA’s. |
Appropriations. |
Appropriation (currently 2 year, non lapsing); user fees. |
Mainly appropriations; some fees. |
Appropriations; some revenues. |
Revenues. |
Revenues; funding agreement. |
| Competition /Market Forces |
No Competition. |
May have competition (i.e. Consulting and Audit Canada). Stable policy framework environment. |
No Competition. |
No Competition. |
No Competition. |
Sells outputs; may require subsidy and may have indirect competitors. |
Competition. |
Generally subsidized; no competitors. |
