Raison d’être
Transport Canada i is responsible for the Government of Canada’s transportation policies and programs under the legislative authority of Parliament. We are required by the Canada Transportation Act ii to report on the state of the national transportation system. While not directly responsible for all aspects or modes of transportation, we play a leadership role to ensure that all parts of the transportation system across Canada work together effectively.
Responsibilities
Our mission is to serve the public interest through the promotion of a safe, secure, efficient and environmentally responsible transportation system in Canada, one that provides access to markets for natural resources, agricultural products and manufactured goods and supports service industries. It meets the challenges posed by topography and geography, linking communities and reducing the negative effects of the distance that separates people. These vital roles reflect transportation’s interdependent relationship with all sectors of the economy and society.
OUR VISION
A transportation system in Canada that is recognized worldwide as safe and secure, efficient and environmentally responsible.
Transport Canada’s departmental vision of a sustainable transportation system integrates and balances social, economic and environmental objectives. Our vision’s three guiding principles are to work towards the following objectives:
- the highest possible safety and security of life and property, supported by performance-based standards and regulations when necessary;
- the efficient movement of people and goods to support economic prosperity and a sustainable quality of life, based on competitive markets and targeted use of regulation and government funding; and
- respect of the environmental legacy of future generations of Canadians, guided by environmental assessment and planning processes in transportation decisions and selective use of regulation and government funding.
Many organizations at several levels of government, as well as transportation service providers and users, play their part in Canada’s transportation system. Transport Canada develops the federal government’s Canada-wide transportation policies and programs. We directly administer over 50 laws related to transportation iii and we also share the administration of many others. We use various policies, programs, legislative measures, regulations and guidelines to meet the expectations of Canadians and we ensure compliance through appropriate enforcement systems.
In areas for which Transport Canada does not have direct responsibility – for example, for building and maintaining road networks – we use strategic funding and partnerships to promote safe, efficient and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods into and across the country. In this way, we play a leadership role to ensure that all parts of the transportation system across Canada and world-wide work together effectively and efficiently. We also report on the state of transportation in Canada , as required under the Canada Transportation Act.
The Transport Canada portfolio 1 includes:
- 43 shared governance organizations, including 21 airport and 18 port authorities across Canada, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation iv, NAV CANADA v and the Buffalo and Fort Erie Bridge Authority vi;
- 11 Crown corporations, including four pilotage authorities, VIA Rail Canada vii, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority viii and the Canada Post Corporation ix; and
- three administrative tribunals/agencies - the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada x, the Canadian Transportation Agency xi, and the Ship-source Oil Pollution Fund xii.
Together, these organizations contribute to Canada’s competitiveness by ensuring an efficient transportation system to make the economy stronger; keeping our transportation system safe and secure; protecting the environment; and improving the quality of life in our cities and communities.
Strategic Outcomes and Program Alignment Architecture
In 2012-13, as illustrated in Figure 1, Transport Canada’s Program Alignment Architecture (PAA) includes 16 programs that contribute to achieving the four departmental strategic outcomes (SOs). The sixteenth program element, Internal Services 2, supports all four SOs. These SOs specifically contribute to five Government of Canada xiii outcomes. Section II of this report explains how Transport Canada’s strategic outcomes and programs contribute to these outcomes.
Figure 1: Transport Canada’s Program Alignment Architecture
Organizational Priorities
Transport Canada identified five organizational priorities for 2012-13. These priorities align with our Corporate Risk Profile. 3 Each priority relates to one or more of Transport Canada’s strategic outcomes, which collectively describe our mandate and core business. The 2012-13 organizational priorities align with Government of Canada commitments. We describe accomplishments in support of these departmental priorities in the following tables.
| Priority | Strategic Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Refine and strengthen Transport Canada’s oversight function to improve transportation safety and security |
|
| Summary of Progress | |
|
Transport Canada made significant progress toward meeting this priority, contributing to the strategic outcomes above by taking the following measures:
Work in Progress
|
|
| Priority | Strategic Outcome |
|---|---|
| Help make Canada’s critical transportation infrastructure safer and more efficient | An Efficient Transportation System |
| Summary of Progress | |
|
Transport Canada made significant progress toward meeting this priority, contributing to the strategic outcome above by:
Work in Progress
|
|
| Priority | Strategic Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Continue to renew Transport Canada’s policy framework to ensure its policies, programs and regulations will meet the needs of the transportation system over the next 10 to 15 years | All Strategic Outcomes |
| Summary of Progress | |
|
Transport Canada successfully addressed this priority, contributing to all strategic outcomes by:
Work in Progress
|
|
| Priority | Strategic Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Adopt people management strategies that support our workforce and workplace through transformational changes | All Strategic Outcomes |
| Summary of Progress | |
|
Transport Canada made significant progress towards meeting this priority, contributing to all strategic outcomes by:
Work in Progress
|
|
| Priority | Strategic Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Continue to strengthen Transport Canada’s management controls and practices | All Strategic Outcomes |
| Summary of Progress | |
|
Transport Canada successfully met this priority, contributing to all strategic outcomes by:
|
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Risk Analysis
Operating Environment
Transportation is one of Canada’s key economic enablers. It is the engine that drives the economy and is one of the largest economic sectors in Canada. Every year, the transportation system moves over $1 trillion worth of goods to market and some 1.8 billion urban transit commuters, 4 million commuter rail passengers and 70 million air passengers. It provides access to markets for natural resources, agricultural products and manufactured goods, supports service industries and links communities.
Canada’s transportation system is a shared responsibility between various levels of government and the private sector. Through its legislative and regulatory responsibilities, the federal government supports efficiency, safety, security and environmental responsibility of the national transportation system, and facilitates coordination with the global transportation networks. Risks are introduced into the transportation system because of its complex structure. Such complexity requires Transport Canada to manage risk effectively to identify and analyze risk to the extent possible and to develop suitable mitigation strategies in order to achieve its strategic outcomes.
Key Risk Areas and Risk Responses
Through an environmental scan that looked at changing socio-economic, technological and geopolitical elements and internal capacity as well as department-wide consultations, Transport Canada identified four key risk areas in our Corporate Risk Profile which provides a clear snapshot of our key risks. We assessed these risks based on the likelihood of occurrence, combined with their potential impact on our capacity or ability to achieve our strategic outcomes. We also identified, and implemented mitigation measures. The identification of risks and the development of risk responses contribute to making decisions related to setting departmental priorities, planning, allocating resources, developing policies, managing programs and reporting on performance. The four key risk areas are:
- Transportation System Efficiency
- Oversight Effectiveness
- Security Threat
- Change Management
Figure 2: Transport Canada’s Corporate Risk Profile 2012-13
The Corporate Risk Profile was reviewed in October 2012 in light of the progress made in implementing response activities and for changes in our environment. While the key risk areas are the same as those listed in the 2012-13 Report on Plans and Priorities, the risks have been refined to clearly articulate which activities could be affected by our risks, allowing for more targeted risk responses. We present the key elements of our risk response strategy in the table below.
| Risk | Risk Response Strategy | Link to Program Alignment Architecture | Link to Organizational Priorities |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Transportation System Efficiency: It is important that Transport Canada has adequate tools to influence the undertaking of strategic infrastructure improvements needed to support critical trade and resource development. |
We continued implementation of the Building Canada Plan and Gateways initiatives, as well as the Canada-United States Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan initiatives. We established the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority which will manage the procurement and operation of the new Windsor-Detroit Bridge Crossing, and we are in the process of establishing the international authority to oversee the construction and operation of the crossing. We finalized a renewed overarching policy framework to guide policy and program development within the department. |
An efficient transportation system A clean transportation system |
Help make Canada’s critical transportation infrastructure safer and more efficient. Continue to renew Transport Canada’s policy framework to ensure that its policies, programs and regulations will meet the needs of the transportation system over the next 10 to 15 years. |
|
Oversight Effectiveness: Ensure that efforts to strengthen systems, processes and functional direction to frontline staff are properly communicated to promote a consistent and rigorous oversight regime across all transportation modes. |
We made progress in developing a risk-based regulatory priority management system to improve the regulatory system and assessing compliance. We enhanced surveillance training for all inspectors in order to promote continuous improvement and modernizing tools, training and guidance materials across the modes. We enhanced the consistent application of national and modal risk-based inspection planning, reporting and enforcement regimes.
|
A safe transportation system A secure transportation system |
Refine and strengthen Transport Canada’s oversight function to improve transportation safety and security. Continue to renew Transport Canada’s policy framework to ensure that its policies, programs and regulations will meet the needs of the transportation system over the next 10 to 15 years. |
|
Security Threat: It is important to have in place robust systems and processes to respond to a major transportation security threat or incident in a coordinated, timely and adequate manner. |
We strengthened communication protocols to improve information sharing and security awareness. We enhanced departmental response plans and arrangements (e.g., Incident Management Team, Aviation Security Event Management Plan). We worked with key government partners and service providers to monitor cyber threats to the department’s mission critical infrastructure. To reduce likelihood of security incidents, we developed and implemented measures to strengthen security of transportation of dangerous goods and international bridges and tunnels. We increased security for air passengers, air cargo and airport workers by working to harmonize the security framework with those of our international partners, through implementation of the Beyond the Border Action Plan security initiatives. |
A secure transportation system |
Refine and strengthen Transport Canada’s oversight function to improve transportation safety and security. Continue to renew Transport Canada’s policy framework to ensure that its policies, programs and regulations will meet the needs of the transportation system over the next 10 to 15 years. |
|
Change Management: Effectively support internal change management initiatives. |
We enhanced our governance and capacity to optimize use of financial and non-financial resources and its performance measurement framework. We provided support and information to employees during transition and advised stakeholders on resulting impacts on operations, program and service delivery. We established comprehensive change management plans for key departmental initiatives/strategies. These included elements such as vision, required actions, costing, resourcing, risks and communication as well as monitoring and reporting strategies. |
Internal Services |
Refine and strengthen Transport Canada’s oversight function to improve transportation safety and security. Continue to renew Transport Canada’s policy framework to ensure that its policies, programs and regulations will meet the needs of the transportation system over the next 10 to 15 years. Adopt people management strategies that support our workforces and workplace through transformational changes. Continue to strengthen Transport Canada’s management controls and practices. |
Summary of Performance
Financial Resources–Total Departmental ($ millions)
To support our mandate, Transport Canada received and used the following resources:
| Total Budgetary Expenditures
(Main Estimates) 2012 – 13 |
Planned Spending
2012 – 13 |
Total Authorities
(available for use) 2012 – 13 |
Actual Spending
(authorities used) 2012 – 13 |
Difference (Planned vs. Actual Spending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,072 | 2,084 | 2,122 | 1,332 | 752 |
The variance between planned and actual spending is mainly attributed to delays in the approval and delivery of infrastructure projects under the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund, the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative (APGCI), as well as directed savings due to the implementation of Budget 2012 cost reduction measures. Note that the Budget 2012 cost reduction measures had not been established and were not reflected in the planned spending at the time of the preparation of the 2012-13 Report on Plans and Priorities. Please refer to the following pages for variance explanations provided by program, including Internal Services, which follows each Strategic Outcome Performance Summary table.
Human Resources - 2012-13 Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalents 5 – FTEs)
| Planned | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 5,487 | 4,957 | 530 |
The FTE variance is due largely to implementation of Budget 2012 cost saving measures to gain organizational efficiencies and minimize operational costs. Through the integrated planning and reporting approach and the renewed governance structure, the department is carefully identifying its current and future workforce needs, including staffing and training. Transport Canada employees remain dedicated to the promotion of a safe and secure, efficient and environmentally responsible transportation system in Canada.
Performance Summary Tables by Strategic Outcome ($ millions)
| Program | Total Budgetary Expenditures (Main Estimates 2012-13) | Planned Spending | Total Authorities (available for use) 2012–13 | Actual Spending (authorities used) | Alignment to Government
of Canada Outcomes xv |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2012–13 7 | 2011–12 | 2010–11 | ||||
| 1.1 Transportation Marketplace Frameworks |
9 |
9 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
9 |
10 |
10 |
A fair and secure marketplace |
| 1.2 Gateways and Corridors |
1,063 |
1,063 |
538 |
544 |
1,057 |
396 |
200 |
243 |
Strong economic growth |
| 1.3 Transportation Infrastructure |
309 |
309 |
321 |
264 |
331 |
310 |
366 |
282 |
Strong economic growth |
| 1.4 Transportation Innovation |
14 |
14 |
15 |
13 |
14 |
9 |
11 |
11 |
An innovative and knowledge-based economy |
| Sub-Total 8 |
1,395 |
1,395 9 |
886 |
833 |
1,411 |
724 |
587 |
545 |
|
Information on Significant Variances (between Planned and Actual Spending)
1.2 Gateways and Corridors: The variance of $667 million in Gateways and Corridors is mainly attributed to delays in the approval and delivery of infrastructure projects under the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund and the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative ($619 million). Also, delays in property acquisition, changes to schedule due to complex utility relocation, and due diligence activities in Michigan associated with the Detroit River International Crossing ($32 million) have contributed to the variance. In addition, $6 million associated with the planning activities related to the replacement of the new bridge for the St. Lawrence was not spent in 2012-13 due to changes to the schedule for undertaking preliminary engineering studies.
1.3 Transportation Infrastructure: The variance of $1 million in Transportation Infrastructure is mainly associated with revised costs, delays and re-phasing of capital projects at Transport Canada-owned airports, ports and ferry terminals, as well as re-phasing of contribution funding to third parties for infrastructure projects.
1.4 Transportation Innovation: The variance of $5 million is largely a reflection of directed savings due to the implementation of Budget 2012 cost reduction.
| Program | Total Budgetary Expenditures (Main Estimates 2012 –13) | Planned Spending | Total Authorities (available for use) 2012–13 | Actual Spending (authorities used) | Alignment to Government
of Canada Outcomes xvi |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2012–13 | 2011–12 | 2010–11 | ||||
|
25 |
25 |
37 |
34 |
25 |
19 |
14 |
17 |
A fair and secure marketplace |
|
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
8 |
Strong economic growth |
|
|
33 |
33 |
31 |
25 |
46 |
20 |
23 |
40 |
Strong economic growth |
|
|
Sub-Total 11 |
60 |
60 |
70 |
62 |
78 |
46 |
44 |
65 |
|
Information on Significant Variances (between Planned and Actual Spending)
2.1 Clean Air from Transportation: A variance of $3 million is linked to delays with a number of research and development projects under the Marine Sector Regulatory Initiative, savings associated with the acquisition plan for the ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles II Program (eTV II) and with the development of the Vehicle Management System.
Over $1 million of the surplus is linked to delays in the development of the Locomotive Emissions Information System (LEIS) project that will support the implementation of proposed Locomotive Emissions Regulations. This is due primarily due to in-depth options analysis that resulted in the LEIS project phasing over two years rather than one year.
2.2 Clean Water from Transportation: The variance of $5 million is explained by an increase in funding during the year to support the World-Class Tanker Safety System initiative.
2.3 Environmental Stewardship from Transportation: The variance of $13 million in Environmental Stewardship is primarily associated with schedule adjustments environmental remediation work at multiple sites.
| Program | Total Budgetary Expenditures (Main Estimates 2012 –13) | Planned Spending | Total Authorities (available for use) 2012–13 | Actual Spending (authorities used) | Alignment to Government
of Canada Outcomes xvii |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2012–13 | 2011–12 | 2010–11 | ||||
|
231 |
231 |
215 |
213 |
227 |
199 |
222 |
211 |
Safe and secure Canada |
|
|
62 |
62 |
58 |
51 |
65 |
57 |
76 |
83 |
Safe and secure Canada |
|
|
37 |
37 |
34 |
34 |
37 |
34 |
33 |
31 |
Safe and secure Canada |
|
|
23 |
23 |
25 |
20 |
24 |
23 |
24 |
42 |
Safe and secure Canada |
|
|
12 |
12 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
14 |
14 |
Safe and secure Canada |
|
|
Sub-Total 13 |
365 |
365 |
344 |
331 |
368 |
325 |
368 |
382 |
|
Information on Significant Variances (between Planned and Actual Spending)
3.1 Aviation Safety: The variance of $32 million is largely the result of an $11 million surplus in the Airports Capital Assistance sub-program partially due to the absence of a decree required in Quebec for projects at government-owned airports as well as delays around a few projects in the North. A further surplus of $13 million is due to lower-than-expected operating costs related to the transition of the Civil Aviation program, organizational efficiencies, un-ratified collective agreements and increased revenue. A capital surplus of $2 million is due to delays in the contracting process and changes in project requirements.
3.2 Marine Safety:The variance of $5 million is attributable to lower costs linked to reductions in spending, modernized and more efficient program delivery, funding set aside for human resources contingencies that were not required and associated reductions in spending.
3.3 Rail Safety: The variance of $3 million is attributable to several factors, including temporary staffing vacancies throughout the regions and headquarters, limited spending related to the passage of the amendments to the Railway Safety Act and reductions in travel and procurement throughout the program. Transport Canada continually analyzes its workforce and works on recruitment and retention of staff to ensure resources are concentrated where they will provide the greatest safety benefit. There was also a $1-million surplus in the Grade Crossing Improvement program and Grade Crossing Closure transfer program approved under the Railway Safety Act due to unused contingencies, changed cost estimates and some construction delays. Money earmarked for delayed projects will be spent in the next fiscal year.
| Program | Total Budgetary Expenditures (Main Estimates 2012–13) | Planned Spending | Total Authorities (available for use) 2012–13 | Actual Spending (authorities used) | Alignment to Government
of Canada Outcomes xviii |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2012–13 | 2011–12 | 2010–11 | ||||
|
46 |
46 |
33 |
32 |
37 |
34 |
43 |
43 |
Safe and secure Canada |
|
|
21 |
21 |
15 |
14 |
19 |
14 |
18 |
20 |
Safe and secure Canada |
|
|
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
7 |
Safe and secure Canada |
|
| 3.9 Multimodal Safety and Security 15 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Safe and secure Canada |
| Sub-Total 16 |
73 |
73 |
64 |
63 |
61 |
52 |
67 |
70 |
|
Information on Significant Variances (between Planned and Actual Spending)
4.1 Aviation Security: The majority of the $12 million variance relates to the transfer of resources to Internal Services in order to gain efficiencies and minimize operational costs with respect to security screening of employees and transportation workers at restricted access facilities.
4.2 Marine Security: The majority of the $7 million variance is attributable to changes to core program activities, staffing vacancies and lower than anticipated costs for Local Area Network support and printing.
4.3 Surface and Intermodal Security: The $2 million variance relates to reduced travel as a result of a more efficient inspection schedule, savings from the publication of documents in electronic format, and, staffing vacancies resulting from difficulties in hiring candidates with specialized qualifications.
| 5.1 Internal Services | Total Budgetary Expenditures (Main Estimates 2012 –13) | Planned Spending | Total Authorities (available for use) 2012 – 13 | Actual Spending (authorities used) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2012–13 | 2011–12 | 2010–11 | |||
|
Total 17 |
180 |
191 |
159 |
162 |
204 |
186 |
215 |
227 |
Information on Significant Variances (between Planned and Actual Spending)
The variance of $5 million is related to reduction in professional services, travel and training expenditures, staffing vacancies, lower than anticipated costs for the Transport Canada Automated Fingerprint Identification System and a delay in the ratification of the Finance Officers collective agreement.
| Strategic Outcomes and Internal Services | Total Budgetary Expenditures (Main Estimates 2012–13) | Planned Spending | Total Authorities (available for use) 2012–13 | Actual Spending (authorities used) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2012–13 18 | 2011–12 | 2010–11 | |||
|
2,072 |
2,084 |
1,523 |
1,450 |
2,122 |
1,332 |
1,281 |
1,288 |
|
Total |
2,072 |
2,084 |
1,523 |
1,450 |
2,122 |
1,332 |
1,281 |
1,288 |
Expenditure Profile
Figure 3: Departmental Spending Trend
Note: The trend line for ‘Total Spending ± Sunset Programs’ is equal to ‘Total Spending’ starting in 2013–14.
Figure 3 shows Transport Canada’s spending profile from 2010-11 to 2016-17. The profile shows expenditures of $1,288 million in 2010-11, $1,281 million in 2011-12, and $1,332 million in 2012-13. The increase is mostly attributable to the actuals spent for two of the department’s major initiatives, the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative and the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund. Increased spending on these initiatives was offset by reduced spending related to the implementation of Budget 2012 cost reduction measures.
Transport Canada’s planned spending increases to $1,476 million in 2013-14, then decreases to $1,450 million in 2014-15, $1,336 million in 2015-16 and $869 million in 2016-17. The decrease is attributable to a general reduction in Transport Canada’s planned spending, including the implementation of Budget 2012 cost reduction measures. In 2016-17, the reduction includes a planned decrease in spending of $353 million for the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund, which will complete its term by 2018.
Estimates by Vote
For information on Transport Canada’s organizational Votes and/or statutory expenditures, please see the Public Accounts of Canada 2013 (Volume II) xix. An electronic version of the Public Accounts 2013 is available on the Public Works and Government Services Canada website.
Transport Canada’s Contribution to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS)
The FSDS outlines the Government of Canada's commitment to improving the transparency of environmental decision-making by articulating its key strategic environmental goals and targets. Transport Canada ensures that consideration of these outcomes is an integral part of its decision-making processes.
We contributed to the following FSDS 2012-13 themes as denoted by the visual identifiers and associated programs below:
2.1: Clean Air from Transportation
Program 1.4: Transportation Innovation
Program 2.2: Clean Water from Transportation
Program 2.2: Clean Water from Transportation
Program 2.3: Environmental Stewardship of Transportation.
In 2012-13, Transport Canada considered the environmental effects of initiatives subject to the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals xx.
To learn more about Transport Canada's activities to support sustainable development and strategic environmental assessments, please visit our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy website. For complete information on the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy please visit Environment Canada's website.