2024-25 Department Plan: Full Plan

The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s 2024–25 Departmental Plan The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., K.C., M.P. Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs On this page From the Institutional Head Plans to deliver on core responsibility and internal services Intergovernmental Conference Services Internal services Planned spending and human resources Spending Funding Future-oriented condensed statement of operations Human resources Corporate information Supplementary information tables Federal tax expenditures Definitions From the Institutional Head As Secretary of the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS), I am pleased to present the Agency’s 2024–25 Departmental Plan. This plan provides parliamentarians and Canadians with information on our mandate and objectives for the upcoming year. Through its sole program, the Secretariat provides professional administrative support services required for the planning and conduct of federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences of First Ministers, Ministers, and Deputy Ministers across Canada. These multilateral meetings are a key component of Canadian federalism supporting the whole of government to collaborate, consult and coordinate policy making while complying with the Canadian political and constitutional framework. CICS facilitates these conferences and maintains the records of proceedings confidentially. From 2020, the conference model has been progressively shifting towards virtual and hybrid conferences; This trend continued in 2023–2024. The focus of the Secretariat is on aligning the business operating model to these changes, including complex logistical and technical requirements. CICS has started key initiatives to ensure longer term sustainability while supporting government-wide shifting toward hybrid and virtual conferences in a cost-effective manner. Key initiatives started are program evaluation and institutional development, to build and maintain a healthy, strong workforce and inclusive human resources team, which will be pursued in part in consultation with the federal, provincial and territorial governments. We have also started to systematically identify and plan for conferences for the next 3 years, ensuring that staff deployment and training is aligned to emerging conference models and that we do not leave conferences and departments unsupported and work more collaboratively in planning for resources. These initiatives will help us build out a strategy for 2025–2027 and make pragmatic recommendations on a longer term and sustainable cost allocation and recovery structure for conference services. Our expectations is that these core re-evaluations will result into a contemporary conference services model, based on evidence of conferences through an integrated conference policy, closer attention to conference costs and incorporating these into the conference policy and recommendation of more sustainable conference services models and cost allocation and recovery mechanisms that will support longer term system sustainability across government. Lastly, the changes integrate how best to build and transform our program and framework in order to maintain a diversified and inclusive staff across provinces and territories, and for inclusive agency reform, development, and evaluation. Focusing on these aspects will ensure that CICS provides value to Canadians through continued and increasingly more relevant assurance of economies of scale, inclusive and accountable governance, inclusive use and development of Canada’s human resources, and continued service to all levels of government as mandated. CICS is also committed […]


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Future-Oriented Statement of Operations 2024-25

CANADIAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT Future-Oriented Statement of Operations (unaudited) For the Year Ended March 31 (in dollars) Forecast Results for 2023-24 Planned Results for 2024-25 Expenses Intergovernmental Conference Services Internal Services   6,532,878 2,177,710   6,591,490 2,221,683 Total expenses 8,710,588 8,813,173 Revenues Sharing cost agreement – Transfers received from the provincial governments Revenues earned on behalf of government   1,521,200 (1,521,200)   1,521,200 (1,521,200) Total revenues 0 0 Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 8,710,588 8,813,173 1. Methodology and significant assumptions The future-oriented statement of operations has been prepared on the basis of government priorities and departmental plans as described in the Departmental Plan. The information in the forecast results for fiscal year 2023−24 is based on actual results as at January 5, 2024 and on forecasts for the remainder of the fiscal year. Forecasts have been made for the planned results for the 2024−25 fiscal year. The main assumptions underlying the forecasts are as follows: The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s (the Secretariat) activities will remain substantially the same as the previous. The Secretariat expects that in fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25, in person conferences will increase. This will result in higher operating and maintenance costs as they relate to program delivery. Expenses and revenues, including the determination of amounts internal and external to the government, are based on historical experience. The general historical pattern is expected to continue. These assumptions are made as at January 5, 2024. 2. Variations and changes to the forecast financial information Although every attempt has been made to forecast final results for the remainder of 2023-24 and for 2024-25, actual results achieved for both years are likely to differ from the forecast information presented, and this variation could be material. In preparing this Future-Oriented Statement of Operations, the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) has made estimates and assumptions concerning the future. These estimates and assumptions may differ from the subsequent actual results. Estimates and assumptions are based on past experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, and are continually evaluated. Factors that could lead to material differences between the Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and the historical statement of operations include: The timing and the amount of equipment acquisitions or disposals which may affect gains, losses and amortization expense. Implementation of new collective. Intergovernmental influences may affect the volume and complexity of conferences supported and managed by Conference. Other changes to the operating budget, such as new initiatives or technical adjustments later in the fiscal. After the Departmental Plan is tabled in Parliament, the CICS will not be updating the forecasts for any changes in financial resources made in ensuing supplementary estimates. Variances will be explained in the Departmental Results Report. 3. Summary of significant accounting policies The Future-Oriented Statement of Operations has been prepared using the Government of Canada’s accounting policies in effect for fiscal year 2023−24 and is based on Canadian public sector accounting standards. The presentation and results […]


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Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended December 31, 2023

ISSN 2817-3473 View as: Statement outlining results, risks and significant changes in operations, personnel and program 1. Introduction This quarterly report has been prepared by management as required by section 65.1 of the Financial Administration Act and in the form and manner prescribed by the Treasury Board Directive on Accounting Standards. This report should be read in conjunction with the 2023-24 Main Estimates. The mandate of the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) is to support federal, provincial, and territorial governments in the planning and conduct of senior level intergovernmental conferences held across Canada. The primary objective of CICS is to relieve client departments of the numerous technical and administrative tasks associated with the planning and conduct of multilateral conferences, thereby enabling participants to concentrate on substantive intergovernmental policy issues. CICS provides continuous, effective, and impartial administrative services to these meetings. This quarterly report has not been subject to an external audit or review. Basis of Presentation This quarterly report has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the department’s spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the department consistent with the 2023-24 Main Estimates. This quarterly report has been prepared using a special purpose financial reporting framework designed to meet financial information needs with respect to the use of spending authorities. The authority of Parliament is required before money can be spent by the Government. Approvals are given in the form of annually approved limits through appropriation acts or through legislation in the form of statutory spending authority for specific purposes. As part of the departmental performance reporting process, CICS prepares its annual departmental financial statements on a full accrual basis in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies, which are based on the Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for the public sector. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis. 2. Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year to date (YTD) results Operating expenses from October 1 to December 31, 2023, increased noticeably (by $413,000) in this third quarter compared with the same period in 2022-23. These increases are mainly due to the staffing of new positions and the high cost of Acquisition of machinery and equipment to support conference services. To date, CICS has supported 33 in-person conferences and 38 videoconferences, compared with 31 in-person conferences and 35 videoconferences over the same period in 2022-23.  2.1 Statement of Authorities CICS’ authorities for 2023-24 as of the third quarter are approximately $1.7 million higher than last year (an increase of $1.6 million in voted authorities and an increase of $183,000 in statutory authorities) as CICS received additional funding via Budget 2023. The 3-year funding started in fiscal year 2023-24.  2.2 Statement of Department Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object Year to date operating expenses to December 31, 2023, are $5.1 million, approximately $670,000 higher than for the same period in 2022-23. The observed increase is largely attributable to the following factors: Personnel: an increase of $514,000 […]


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