open Secondary menu

2020–21 Annual Report on Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures

As required by the Treasury Board Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures, this report provides information on travel, hospitality and conference expenditures for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, except for information withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.

Travel, hospitality and conference expenditures incurred by a federal department or agency relate to activities that support the department or agency's mandate and the government's priorities.

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer is an independent, non-partisan agency that reports directly to Parliament. Its mandate is to:

  • be prepared to conduct a federal general election, by-election or referendum
  • administer the political financing provisions of the Canada Elections Act
  • monitor compliance with electoral legislation
  • conduct public information campaigns on voter registration, voting and becoming a candidate
  • conduct education programs for students on the electoral process
  • provide support to the independent commissions in charge of adjusting the boundaries of federal electoral districts following each decennial census
  • carry out studies on alternative voting methods and, with the approval of parliamentarians, test alternative voting processes for future use during electoral events
  • provide assistance and co-operation in electoral matters to electoral agencies in other countries or to international organizations

A summary description of the agency's programs can be found in the 2020-21 Departmental Results Report.


Travel, Hospitality and Conference Expenditures Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Year ended March 31, 2021
Expenditure category Expenditures for the year ended March 31, 2021
($ thousands)
Expenditures for the year ended March 31, 2020
($ thousands)
Variance
($ thousands)
Travel
Operational activities 52 6,071 (6,019)
Key stakeholders 44 49 (5)
Internal governance - 6 (6)
Training 0 51 (51)
Other (22)1 28 (50)
A. Total travel 74 6,205 (6,131)
B. Hospitality 0 205 (205)
C. Conference fees 2 15 (13)
Total [A+B+C] 76 6,425 (6,349)
International travel by minister and minister's staff (also included in travel) n/a n/a n/a

1 Represents a credit related to overestimation of a payable which should have been assigned as an "Operational activities".

Significant variances compared with the previous fiscal year

Compared with fiscal year 2019–20, expenditures for travel, hospitality and conferences decreased by $6,349 thousand (99%). This decrease is mainly due to the travel expenses incurred in the fall of 2019 (fiscal year 2019–20) by thousands of election workers and administrators for the 43rd general election in the 338 electoral districts across the country.