Tabling of the 2001-2002 Main Estimates

[Backgrounder] [ Main Estimates ]

February 27, 2001

OTTAWA - The Honourable Lucienne Robillard, President of the Treasury Board of Canada, Minister responsible for Infrastructure and Member of Parliament for Westmount - Ville-Marie, tabled today, in the House of Commons, the 2001-2002 Main Estimates amounting to $165.2 billion, which are consistent with total planned spending levels set out in the October 2000 Economic Statement and Budget Update.

The Main Estimates support the Government's request to Parliament for authority to spend public funds. They include information on both budgetary and non-budgetary spending authorities. The Main Estimates also provide information to Parliament about adjustments to projected statutory spending that had been previously authorized by Parliament.

"The Government of Canada remains committed to continuous management improvement, the rigorous stewardship of public resources and accountability for results," said Minister Robillard. "These Estimates are consistent with total planned spending levels set out in the October 2000 Economic Statement and Budget Update and reflect the Government of Canada's commitments," added Madame Robillard.

The tabling of Parts I and II of the Main Estimates represent the bulk of the expenditure plan set out in the Minister of Finance's October 2000 Economic Statement and Budget Update. Parliament will subsequently consider appropriation bills to authorize the spending. Additional spending authority will be sought from Parliament through Supplementary Estimates during the fiscal year.

The final stage in the presentation of the Main Estimates to Parliament is the tabling of the Reports on Plans and Priorities. These reports, scheduled to be tabled in late March 2001, are comprehensive departmental documents that provide detailed expenditure plans, over a three-year period.

Please refer to the attached backgrounder for further details on the 2001-2002 Main Estimates. The Main Estimates and related documents are posted on the Treasury Board Secretariat Web site at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Russell Milon
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
of Canada and Minister responsible for
Infrastructure
(613) 957-2666

Chantal Scarlett
Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
(613) 957-2391

TTY (Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired) -- (613) 957-9090

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Backgrounder

Overview of the 2001-2002 Main Estimates

Introduction

The 2001-2002 Main Estimates total $165.2 billion, including $1.9 billion in non budgetary expenditures for loans and investments and $163.4 billion in budgetary spending. These expenditures are consistent with and reflect the bulk of the $166.3 billion expenditure plan for 2001-2002 set out in the Minister of Finance's October 2000 Economic Statement and Budget Update. The balance includes provisions for further spending under statutory programs or for authorities that will be sought through Supplementary Estimates. The Budget Update also provided for the revaluation of the Government's assets and liabilities, and makes allowance for the anticipated lapse of spending authority.

Spending Authority

The Government submits the Estimates to Parliament in support of its request for authority to spend public funds. They include information on both budgetary and non-budgetary spending authorities. Parliament will subsequently consider appropriation bills to authorize spending.

Budgetary expenditures include the cost of servicing the public debt; operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations. Non-budgetary expenditures include loans, investments and advances, representing changes in the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

These Main Estimates support the government's request for Parliament's authority to spend $52.4 billion under program authorities, for which annual approval is required. The remaining $112.8 billion, or 69.0 per cent of the total, is statutory and those forecasts are provided for information purposes only.

Estimates Documents

The Main Estimates consist of three parts. Parts I and II, which are published in a single volume, must be tabled on or before March 1^st of the immediately preceding fiscal year. Part I situates the Main Estimates in the context of the Government's overall expenditure plan as presented in the October 2000 Economic Statement and Budget Update. Part II of the Main Estimates is the traditional "blue book" that provides details on statutory and voted items within each departmental and agency program.

In April 1997, Parliament agreed to split the traditional Part III documents, which are individual department and agency spending plans, into two parts:

• Departmental Performance Reports, which are normally tabled in the Fall, report individual departmental accomplishments against performance objectives, and
• Reports on Plans and Priorities, which will be tabled by the end of March 2001, provide detailed multi-year expenditure plans, as set out in the October 2000 Economic Statement and Budget Update.