2019–20 Departmental Performance Report
Details on transfer payment programs of $5 million or more
Name of transfer payment program | Reimbursements to eligible candidates and political parties (election year 2019–20) and subsidies to auditors of candidates (2019–20), nomination contestants (2019–20), leadership contestants and registered associations (ongoing) |
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Start date | 1974 |
End date | Ongoing |
Type of transfer payment | Other (not grants or contributions) |
Type of appropriation | The program is appropriated through the Electoral Expenditures statutory authority. |
Fiscal year for terms and conditions | Not applicable |
Link to the agency’s program inventory | Electoral Integrity and Regulatory Compliance |
Description | Elections Canada’s role is to administer the Canada Elections Act (the Act), which has three main objectives: fairness, transparency and participation. To promote fairness and participation, the Act provides for partial reimbursement of paid election expenses, personal expenses of candidates, travel and living expenses of candidates and accessibility expenses (for by elections and general elections); partial reimbursement of paid election expenses of registered parties and paid accessibility expenses (for general elections only); and a subsidy for eligible political entities’ audit fees. To be eligible for partial reimbursement of election expenses, candidates must be elected or obtain at least 10% of the valid votes cast in their electoral district. Registered parties must obtain at least 2% of the valid votes cast nationally or 5% of the valid votes cast in electoral districts where the party has endorsed candidates. A subsidy not exceeding $2,143.50 is sent directly to the external auditors of eligible political entities (candidates, registered associations, nomination contestants and leadership contestants). To qualify for an audit subsidy, an eligible entity must have accepted contributions or incurred expenses totalling $10,000 or more during the year. This transfer payment program does not include any refundable contribution. |
Results achieved | Eligible political entities and auditors received statutory reimbursements and subsidies provided by law. |
Findings of audits completed in 2019–20 | Not applicable |
Findings of evaluations completed in 2019–20 | Not applicable |
Engagement of applicants and recipients in 2019–20 | Elections Canada provides targeted recipient groups with tools, detailed information and training that explain the terms and conditions for eligibility to statutory reimbursements and subsidies. |
Type of transfer payment | 2017–18 Actual spending |
2018–19 Actual spending |
2019–20 Planned spending |
2019–20 Total authorities available for use |
2019–20 Actual spending (authorities used) |
Variance (2019–20 actual minus 2019–20 planned) |
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Total grants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total contributions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total other types of transfer payments | $2,231,441 | $1,489,449 | $71,810,000 | $79,779,355 | $79,779,355 | $7,969,355 |
Total program | $2,231,441 | $1,489,449 | $71,810,000 | $79,779,355 | $79,779,355 | $7,969,355 |
Explanation of variances | The difference of $8.0 million is a result of the higher reimbursements to candidates and parties for the 43rd general election and is mainly due to the following two key factors:
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