Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended December 31, 2022

Statement outlining results, risks, and significant changes in operations, personnel, and program

1. Introduction

This Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) 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 of Canada Secretariat. This QFR should be read in conjunction with the Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates. It has not been subject to an external audit or review.

1.1 Mandate

The Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs (FJA) Canada was created in 1978 under the authority of the Judges Act to safeguard the independence of the judiciary and in order to put federally appointed judges at arm’s length from the administration of the Department of Justice. FJA’s mandate extends to promoting better administration of justice and providing support for the federal judiciary.

FJA administers three distinct and separate components that are funded from different sources. Statutory funding is allocated for the judges’ salaries, allowances and annuities, and surviving beneficiaries’ benefits. Voted appropriations are provided in two separate votes to support the administrative activities of FJA and the Canadian Judicial Council (CJC).

Under the Departmental Results Framework, the organization’s core responsibility is to provide support to federally appointed judges. In addition to Internal Services, the organization is broken down into three program activities: payments pursuant to the Judges Act, FJA, and CJC. 

Further details about FJA’s authority, mandate, and programs can be found below and in FJA’s Departmental Plan (DP), Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates located on FJA’s and the Treasury Board’s websites at www.fja-cmf.gc.ca and www.tbs-sct.gc.ca.

1.2 Basis of Presentation

This quarterly report has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes FJA’s spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the department consistent with the Main Estimates for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. 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.

When Parliament is dissolved for the purposes of a general election, section 30 of the Financial Administration Act authorizes the Governor General, under certain conditions, to issue a special warrant authorizing the Government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. A special warrant is deemed to be an appropriation for the fiscal year in which it is issued.

FJA uses the full accrual method of accounting to prepare and present its annual departmental financial statements that are part of the departmental results reporting process. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis.

2. Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year to date (YTD) results

FJA is financed by the Government through Parliamentary Appropriations (e.g. Statutory Votes for payments pursuant to the Judges Act and Employee Benefits Plans (EBP) and Budgetary Votes to support the administration of FJA and CJC).

Vote-netting is a means of funding selected programs or activities wherein Parliament authorizes FJA to apply revenues collected towards costs directly incurred for specific activities. FJA has the authority to spend revenues received during the year arising from the provision of administrative services.

Changes to Departmental Authorities

As at December 31, 2022, the total authorities available to FJA are $25 million higher compared with the same quarter last fiscal year. This net increase is comprised of:

  • An increase of $24.6 million in statutory authorities for judges’ salaries, allowances and annuities, as well as for contributions to employee benefit plans.
  • An increase of $0.4 million in voted authorities for the department`s operating budget.

Changes to Budgetary Expenditures

As at December 31, 2022 the department’s total net budgetary expenditures increased by $28.9 million compared with the same quarter last fiscal year. This variance is comprised of:

  • A year-to date net increase of $14.5 million in personnel expenditures (including EBP and judges’ salaries, allowances, annuities, and surviving beneficiaries’ benefits issued pursuant to the Judges Act).
  • A year-to date net increase of $8.3 million in transportation and telecommunications expenditures.
  • A year-to date net increase of $4.8 million in professional services expenditures.
  • A year-to date net increase of $1.2 million in other subsidies and payments expenditures.
  • An overall net increase of $0.1 million for all other non-salary expenditures.

 

Figure 1: Comparison of Authorities Granted and Used

The chart illustrates the variation in thousands of dollars of the annual budgetary authorities granted and used as at December 31, 2021 and 2022.

As at December 31, 2021 and 2022, FJA planned to spend $682,926,066 in 2021-22 and $707,899,488 in 2022-23. Authorities used as at the third quarter totalled $494,897,684 in 2021-22 and $523,845,746 in 2022-23.

3. Risks and Uncertainties

FJA’s environment is complex due to the range of services it provides and the large number of clients served. Recognizing this context, FJA has developed a risk profile and actively monitors internal and external risks through its management team. Concise information about significant financial risks and uncertainties, the potential impact to FJA’s 2022-23 financial plan and the strategies adopted to manage these financial risks and uncertainties are briefly outlined below. Further detail about FJA’s internal and external risks can be found in FJA’s 2022-23 DP.

This QFR reflects the results of the current fiscal period in relation to the authorities available as at December 31, 2022.

FJA continues agile management of its resources to shift and reallocate resources to adapt to emerging needs as required.

4. Significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and programs

As at December 31, 2022, significant increase in expenses related to transportation is primarily attributable to increases in airfare, hotel rates and other such travel-related costs. This has also resulted in an increase to the number of conferences attended by judges, which contributes to the significant increase in professional services expenses.

5. Approval by Senior Officials


Original signed by:

Marc A. Giroux
Commissioner
Ottawa (Canada)
Date: February 28, 2023

Original signed by:

Errolyn Humphreys
Chief Financial Officer
Ottawa (Canada)
Date: February 28, 2023

Statement of Authorities (unaudited)

Fiscal year 2022-2023 (in thousands of dollars)

 

Total available for use for the year ending
March 31, 2023*

Used during the quarter ended
December 31, 2022

Year- to-date used at quarter-end

Vote 1 – FJA – Operating expenditures

10,807

2,673

7,902

Vote 5 – CJC – Operating expenditures

2,314

595

1,373

Less: Vote 1 – FJA – Revenues

(275)

(10)

(10)

Net Operating expenditures

12,846

3,258

9,265

Statutory authorities - EBP

1,037

259

778

Statutory authorities – Judges salaries, allowances and annuities

694,016

174,932

513,803

Total Budgetary Authorities

 $ 707,899

 $ 178,449

 $ 523,846

*Includes only Authorities available for use and granted by Parliament at quarter-end.

Fiscal year 2021-2022 (in thousands of dollars)

 

Total available for use for the year ending
March 31, 2022*

Used during the quarter ended
December 31, 2021

Year- to-date used at quarter-end

Vote 1 – FJA – Operating expenditures

10,523

2,539

7,384

Vote 5 – CJC – Operating expenditures

2,221

540

1,863

Less: Vote 1 – FJA – Revenues

(275)

(10)

(20)

Net Operating expenditures

12,469

3,069

9,227

Statutory authorities - EBP

1,015

254

761

Statutory authorities – Judges salaries, allowances and annuities

669,442

164,117

484,910

Total Budgetary Authorities

 $ 682,926

 $ 167,440

 $ 494,898

*Includes only Authorities available for use and granted by Parliament at quarter-end.

Departmental budgetary expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)

Fiscal year 2022-2023 (in thousands of dollars)

 

Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2023

Expended during the quarter ended December 31, 2022

Year-to-date used at quarter-end

Expenditures

Personnel -including EBP

659,641

165,895

489,621

Transportation and Telecommunications

20,762

5,719

13,671

Information

183

31

83

Professional Services

19,284

4,809

14,134

Rentals

1,534

189

808

Purchased Repair and Maintenance

110

24

29

Utilities, materials and supplies

42

1

12

Acquisition of Machinery & Equipment

72

11

11

Other subsidies and payments*

6,546

1,771

5,487

Total Gross Budgetary Expenditures

708,174

178,459

523,856

Less Revenues netted against Expenditures

Revenues

(275)

(10)

(10)

Total net budgetary expenditures

$ 707,899

$ 178,449

$ 523,846

Fiscal year 2021-2022 (in thousands of dollars)

 

Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2022

Expended during the quarter ended December 31, 2022

Year-to-date used at quarter-end

Expenditures

Personnel -including EBP

635,890

160,480

475,143

Transportation and Telecommunications

15,543

2,478

5,366

Information

152

25

66

Professional Services

23,895

3,020

9,398

Rentals

784

238

530

Purchased Repair and Maintenance

40

14

16

Utilities, materials and supplies

31

4

7

Acquisition of Machinery & Equipment

259

67

122

Other subsidies and payments*

6,607

1,124

4,270

Total Gross Budgetary Expenditures

683,201

167,450

494,918

Less Revenues netted against Expenditures

Revenues

(275)

(10)

(20)

Total net budgetary expenditures

$ 682,926

$ 167,440

$ 494,898