Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Symbol of the Government of Canada
Skip to content   Skip to institutional links

Common menu bar links

Breadcrumb Trail

Home  > Expenditure Management  > Reports on Plans and Priorities  > 2006-07

Institutional links

Expenditure Management

Reports on Plans and Priorities

2006-07

Other Years

Related Documents


Versions


ARCHIVED - RPP 2006-2007
Office of the Chief Electoral Officer


Warning This page has been archived.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.


Section III – Supplementary Information

Elections Canada's Organization and Accountability

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, commonly known as Elections Canada, is headed by the Chief Electoral Officer, who is appointed by resolution of the House of Commons. Reporting directly to Parliament, the Chief Electoral Officer is independent of the federal government and political parties.

The Chief Electoral Officer appoints the Commissioner of Canada Elections and the Broadcasting Arbitrator. The Chief Electoral Officer is seconded by the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer and Chief Legal Counsel, and is supported by five directorates:

  • Operations, Register and Geography
  • Outreach, Communications and Research
  • Political Financing, Audit and Corporate Services
  • Legal Services
  • Information Technology

Returning officers, under the general direction of the Chief Electoral Officer, administer the electoral process in the 308 electoral districts. Elections Canada provides extensive technical expertise and services to federal electoral boundaries commissions and authorizes the amounts required to pay the commissions' expenses.

Elections Canada also retains the services of 28 field liaison officers. Field liaison officers support the work of returning officers in the field as functional leaders, quality enhancers and troubleshooters. They are also responsible for liaising with the media at the local level.

The figure on the next page illustrates the agency's organizational structure.

Organizational Structure

Elections Canada's Organizational Structure

Financial Information

Table 1: Agency Planned Spending and Full-Time Equivalents

($ thousands)

Forecast Spending 2005–2006

Planned Spending
2006–20071

Planned Spending 2007–20081

Planned Spending 2008–20091

Program Activity: Elections

83,839

87,226

87,226

87,226

Budgetary Main Estimates (gross)

83,839

87,226

87,226

87,226
 

Less: Respendable revenue

–

–

–

–
Total Main Estimates

83,839

87,226

87,226

87,226

Adjustments

 

 

 

 

Supplementary Estimates

–

–

–

–

GG Special Warrants

–

–

–

–

Other

230,548

–

–

–

Total Adjustments2

230,548

–

–

–

Total Planned Spending

314,387

87,226

87,226

87,226

 

Total Planned Spending

314,387

87,226

87,226

87,226

Less: Non-respendable revenue

–

–

–

–

Plus: Cost of services received without charge

5,283

5,346

5,349

5,369

Net Cost of Program

319,607

92,572

92,575

92,595
 

Full-time Equivalents

456

361

361

361
Notes:
 1.  Planned Spending for the three fiscal years does not include spending that will be required for the implementation of the upcoming Federal Accountability Act. Elections Canada is in the process of developing a business case and an implementation plan with respect to aspects of the Act that will affect the agency. The exact funding and resource requirements will not be known until the agency has concluded its internal analysis based on the final wording of the legislation and the coming into force dates.
 2.  Total adjustments reflect 2005–2006 actual expenditures, including spending related to the 39th general election. The statutory authority is adjusted in Public Accounts in accordance with Treasury Board directives.

 

Table 2: Program Activities

2006–2007

($ thousands)


Program Activity

Budgetary

Total Main Estimates

Adjustments (Planned Spending Not in Main Estimates)

Total Planned Spending

Operating

Contributions and Other Transfer Payments

Elections

60,951

26,275

87,226

–

87,226

Total

60,951

26,275

87,226

–

87,226

 

Table 3: Voted and Statutory Items Listed in Main Estimates

2006–2007

Vote or Statutory Item

Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording

Current
Main Estimates ($ thousands)

Previous
Main Estimates ($ thousands)

15

Program Expenditures

21,468

20,231

(S)

Salary of the Chief Electoral Officer

224

219

(S)

Expenses of Elections

61,455

59,343

(S)

Contributions to Employee Benefit Plans

4,079

4,046

 

Total Agency

87,226

83,839

 

Table 4: Services Received Without Charge

Service ($ thousands)

Total

Accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada

3,600

Contributions covering employer’s share of employees’ insurance premiums and expenditures paid by Treasury Board Secretariat (excluding revolving funds)

1,627

Worker’s compensation coverage provided by Social Development Canada

4

Salary and associated expenditures of legal services provided by the Department of Justice

11

Audit services provided for the annual audit by the Office of the Auditor General

104

 

5,346

 

Table 5: Summary of Transfer Payments

Over the next three years, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer will manage transfer payment programs in excess of $5 million.

Program Activity: Elections (Statutory)

Forecast Spending

Planned Spending

2005–2006

2006–2007

2007–2008

2008–2009

($ thousands)

Allowances to eligible political parties and auditors’ subsidies for electoral district associations (political financing provision under the Canada Elections Act)

25,468

26,275

26,275

26,275

Reimbursement of candidates’ and political parties’ election expenses as well as auditors’ subsidies

53,750

 

 

 

Total Transfer Payments

79,2181

26,275

26,275

26,275
Note:
1.  Total amount reflects 2005–2006 actual expenditures, including spending related to the 39th general election. The statutory authority is adjusted in Public Accounts in accordance with Treasury Board directives.

Table 6: Details of Transfer Payment Programs

Objective

Elections Canada’s role is to administer the Canada Elections Act, which has three main objectives: fairness, transparency and participation.

  • The Act provides for reimbursement of election expenses to candidates and parties as well as a subsidy for certain auditors’ fees.
    • A candidate who is elected or receives at least 10% of the valid votes cast at an election is entitled to a reimbursement of 60% of actual paid election expenses and paid personal expenses to a maximum of 60% of the election expenses limit.
    • A registered party is eligible for reimbursement of 50% of election expenses if the party obtains 2% or more of the total number of valid votes cast nationally or 5% of the valid votes cast in electoral districts where the party has endorsed candidates.
    • The Act provides for a subsidy equal to the lesser of $1,500 or 3% of the candidate’s election expenses, with a minimum of $250 to be paid out of public funds directly to the auditor.
  • The Act allows eligible political parties to be paid a quarterly allowance according to the following formula: registered political parties that obtain at least 2% of the total valid votes cast in a general election, or 5% of the valid votes cast in the ridings where they are presenting candidates, have the right to a quarterly allowance that is calculated as the product of $0.4375 multiplied by the number of valid votes cast in the most recent general election preceding that quarter and the inflation adjustment factor that is in effect for that quarter.

Expected results

Electoral events that are fair and accessible in the context of, and in accordance with, constitutional and legal requirements.

Outcomes for 2006–2007
  • Calculating quarterly allowances for eligible political parties and making payments of approximately $26 million by March 31, 2007.
  • Reimbursements of election expenses to candidates and parties regarding the January 2006 general election were recorded in fiscal year 2005–2006 in accordance with the Treasury Board’s Policy on Payable at Year-End. However, payments will be made in 2006–2007.

mouse/souris For further information on transfer payment programs, visit:
www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20062007/p308-eng.asp#Table2

 

Contacts for Further Information


Address:

  

Elections Canada
257 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M6

Telephone:

  

1-800-463-6868
toll-free in Canada and the United States

001-800-514-6868
toll-free in Mexico

613-993-2975
from anywhere in the world

For people who are deaf or hard of hearing:
TTY 1-800-361-8935
toll-free in Canada and the United States

Fax:

  

613-954-8584

Web site:

  

www.elections.ca

Media information

      

Telephone:

  

1-877-877-9515
613-993-2224
TTY 1-800-361-8935

Fax:

  

613-954-8584



Date Modified: 2006-09-26
 
Return to Top of Page
 Top of Page
Important Notices