Departmental Results Report 2017-2018
Table of contents
Message from the Chair and Chief Executive Officer
The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) had an exceptionally productive year in 2017-18. One of our key projects, the Regulatory Modernization Initiative, made excellent progress. Consultations on new and updated regulations in the areas of accessible transportation and of air licencing, charters, and insurance wrapped up, and preparation of the regulations began. On accessibility, the CTA continues to be guided by the ambitious goal of helping to make Canada's national transportation system the most accessible in the world.
Meanwhile, the Government tabled proposed legislation (Bill C-49) giving the CTA the authority to make regulations that set out minimum airline obligations to passengers in a number of areas, creating a new mechanism called long-haul interswitching for shippers that rely on freight rail services, and enhancing other shipper-focused remedies. The Bill was debated through much of the fiscal year and received Royal Assent shortly after it ended, leading to stakeholder and public consultations on new air passenger protection regulations and updated rail-related regulations.
The public's interest in air travel issues was reflected in the attention garnered by the hearing into the July 2017 tarmac delays of two Air Transat flights, and in the continued surge in air travel complaints, which numbered an unprecedented 5,500 in 2017-18 – an eight-fold increase since 2014-15. About 95 per cent of those complaints were resolved through the informal processes of facilitation and mediation; the remainder through adjudication.
Finally, work on a data-driven, risk-based Compliance Assurance Program – which will help the CTA direct finite monitoring and enforcement resources to areas where the likelihood and/or impact of non-compliance are highest – advanced well.
The CTA was grateful that in recognition of its expanded mandates and growing workloads, the Government proposed, and Parliament approved, its first funding increase in two decades.
The ability of the CTA to deliver so many initiatives and services is a credit to its people: the Cabinet-appointed Members who make adjudicative decisions and regulatory determinations, and the public servants who provide them with support and advice. The CTA's Members and staff work hard every day to discharge their responsibilities with professionalism and impartiality – and in so doing, to foster a competitive, efficient, accessible national transportation system that contributes to the economic and social well-being of all Canadians.
Scott Streiner
Chair and Chief Executive Officer
Results at a glance
For more information on the CTA’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.
In 2017-2018, the CTA:
Advanced the Regulatory Modernization Initiative by completing public and stakeholder consultations for two of four phases -- accessible transportation and airline licensing, charters and insurance – and beginning the preparation of the regulations.
Continued to manage a rising number of air travel complaints where the CTA received 5,500 complaints in 2017-2018 as compared to an average of 700 complaints annually for the years 2012 to 2016.
Continued to pilot a new risk-based, data-driven Compliance Assurance Program.
Undertook targeted outreach activities to raise public awareness of the CTA's services.
Held a high-profile public hearing into tarmac delays affecting Air Transat flights in July 2017.
What funds were used?
29,147,817
Actual Spending
Who was involved?
226
Actual FTEs
Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
Raison d’être
The CTA is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal and regulator that has, with respect to all matters necessary for the exercise of its jurisdiction, all the powers of a superior court.
We oversee the very large and complex Canadian transportation system, which is essential to the economic and social well-being of Canadians.
Mandate and role
The CTA has three mandates:
- It helps ensure that the national transportation system runs efficiently and smoothly in the interests of all Canadians: those who work and invest in it; the producers, shippers, travellers and businesses who rely on it; and the communities where it operates.
- It protects the human right of persons with disabilities to an accessible transportation network.
- It provides consumer protection for air passengers.
To help advance these mandates, the CTA has three tools at its disposal:
- Rule-making: It develops and applies ground rules that establish the rights and responsibilities of transportation service providers and users and that level the playing field among competitors. These rules can take the form of binding regulations or less formal guidelines, codes of practice or interpretation notes.
- Dispute resolution: It resolves disputes that arise between transportation service providers on the one hand and their clients and neighbours on the other, using a range of tools from facilitation and mediation to arbitration and adjudication.
- Information provision: It provides information on the transportation system, the rights and responsibilities of transportation service providers and users, as well as its legislation and services.
For more general information about the organization, see the “Supplementary information” section of this report.
Operating context and key risks
Operating context
Canada's transportation system is a complex, rapidly-evolving network that is vital to the county's prosperity and social cohesion.
As an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal and regulator that makes decisions on a wide range of matters involving federally-regulated modes of transportation, the CTA has seen its legislated mandates and demand for its services grow over the last decade.
The Transportation Modernization Act (Bill C-49), which was tabled in May 2017 and passed a year later, gave the CTA new responsibilities, including the making of air passenger protection regulations and the adjudication of applications from shippers reliant on freight rail service for access to a new mechanism called long-haul interswitching.
The CTA also continued to advance its Regulatory Modernization Initiative (RMI) with the goal of ensuring that the regulations it administers, as well as related guidance material and tools, keep pace with current and emerging business models, user expectations, and best practices in the regulatory field. The regulations will be written to maximize clarity and predictability, minimize unnecessary regulatory burdens, and facilitate the identification and correction of non-compliance.
Air travel
A record number of Canadians turned to the CTA for assistance with air travel issues over the reporting period, with the CTA receiving over 5,500 air travel complaints. Between 2012 and 2016, the CTA received about 700 complaints annually.
One air travel proceeding drew significant attention: the public hearing into the delays on the tarmac of two Air Transat flights on July 31, 2017, which was held on August 30 and 31, 2017 as part of an inquiry the CTA initiated on its own motion. On November 30, 2017, the CTA issued its decision in the case, finding that although the chain of events leading to the tarmac delays was sparked by weather conditions and that various actors had a role in how the events unfolded, the airline had not respected its obligations to passengers, as outlined in its tariff (the written document outlining terms and conditions of carriage), and that some of its tariff terms were not reasonable. The CTA ordered changes to the tariff and better training for staff, and one of its enforcement officers levied a fine of $295,000.
The new air passenger protection regulations that the CTA will make pursuant to Bill C-49 will help improve the clarity and consistency of airline obligations to passengers with respect to tarmac delays over three hours, as well as a number of other areas: communication, flight delays and cancellations, denied boarding, the seating of children, and the transportation of musical instruments.
Rail
The 2017-18 grain crop was the third-largest in Canadian history. Challenges on the western rail network began to be evident in late 2017 and had an impact on many commodities, including grain, forestry, and energy. Similar issues emerged in the United States.
The introduction through Bill C-49 of a new mechanism called long-haul interswitching – which the CTA will implement − will help increase the freight rail options available to some shippers. The Bill also adjusted a number of other CTA-administered provisions aimed at giving shippers access to remedies when they have concerns about rail service and rates.
Accessibility
Accessible transportation is a fundamental right, and the CTA's work in the area is guided by the ambitious, but attainable goal of helping make Canada's national transportation system the most accessible in the world.
The number of Canadians with disabilities bringing issues to the CTA has been increasing. In 2017-18, the CTA received 123 complaints on matters related to accessibility of transportation services, almost double what was received in 2015-16.
Accessible transportation was the focus of the RMI's first phase. Based on public and stakeholder consultations, the CTA is moving to integrate existing accessible transportation rules and guidelines into a modern, comprehensive accessible transportation regulation.
In the course of RMI consultations, it became clear that challenges with the storage and transportation of mobility aids on aircraft have become more serious as these devices have increased in size and technological complexity. To help spur dialogue and innovation on this issue, the CTA organized an international forum on mobility aids and air travel that brought together airlines and their associations, aircraft manufacturers, mobility device manufacturers, disability rights organizations, regulators, and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
New funding to deliver a broader mandate
The Fall Economic Statement 2017 and Budget 2018 announced new funding for the CTA to implement legislative and regulatory changes related to Canada’s freight rail system. These changes will help support rail customers and deliver continued investments in the freight rail system to help it be more competitive and efficient in the long term. The new funding will also support the agency in its modernization initiative.
Key risks
| Risks | Mitigating strategy and effectiveness | Link to the CTA’s Programs |
|---|---|---|
|
Over-extended resources as a result of increases in CTA mandates and workload |
Mitigation Strategies: The CTA:
Effectiveness:
|
Economic Regulation Adjudication and Alternative Dispute Resolution Internal Services |
|
Insufficient public and stakeholder awareness |
Mitigation Strategies: The CTA:
Effectiveness:
|
Economic Regulation Adjudication and Alternative Dispute Resolution |
|
Out-of-date regulatory framework |
Mitigation Strategies: The CTA:
Effectiveness
|
Economic Regulation Adjudication and Alternative Dispute Resolution |
Results: what we achieved
Programs
Economic Regulation
Description
The CTA supports an efficient and accessible federal transportation system for users, service providers and other stakeholders through regulation of federal air, rail and marine transportation. It regulates air transportation by enforcing the Canada Transportation Act and related regulations, administering a licensing and charter permit system, authorizing code share and wet lease arrangements, supporting the negotiation of air bilateral agreements, and ensuring that terms and conditions of carriage of air carriers are consistent with Canadian legislation. It develops regulations and codes of practice to remove undue obstacles to the mobility of persons with disabilities from the federal transportation network. It regulates rail transportation by issuing certificates of fitness and enforcing compliance with minimum insurance requirements consistent with Canadian legislation and regulations. It determines railway costs, approves rail line construction, oversees the discontinuance of service, establishes the net salvage value of rail lines, and determines interswitching rates and the maximum revenue entitlement for the movement of Western grain. It regulates marine transportation by determining whether suitable Canadian vessels are available when applications are made to use foreign vessels.
Results
In 2017-2018, the CTA:
- Advanced the RMI by completing public and stakeholder consultations for two of four phases − accessible transportation and airline licensing, charters and insurance – and beginning the preparation of the regulations.
- Continued to pilot a new risk-based, data-driven Compliance Assurance Program.
- Undertook targeted outreach activities to raise public awareness of the CTA's services.
- Held a high-profile public hearing into tarmac delays affecting Air Transat flights in July 2017.
| Expected Results | Performance indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | 2017‑18 Actual results | 2016‑17 Actual results | 2015‑16 Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service providers (air, rail and marine) comply with legislative requirements | Percentage of non-compliant air carriers and facility operators that are remedied within 70 days | 90% | Ongoing | 92% | 95% | N/AFootnote 2 |
| Percentage of air carriers and facility operators complying with regulatory requirements | 80% | Ongoing | 81% | 95% | N/AFootnote 2 | |
| Level of compliance with targetedFootnote 1 accessibility provisions in regulations | 85% | April 2017 | 94% | 95% | 100% | |
| Level of compliance with targetedFootnote 1 accessibility provisions in voluntary codes of practice | 75% | April 2017 | 86% | 75% | 75% | |
| Percentage of air carriers that amended their International Terms and Conditions of Carriage for passenger services as a result of CTA actions | 80% | April 2017 | 93% | 100% | N/AFootnote 2 | |
| Percentage of air and rail carriers complying with the minimum insurance coverage levels within CTA timelines | 95% | April 2017 | 98% | 95% | N/AFootnote 2 | |
| CN and CP are provided with the information required to ensure they do not exceed the Maximum Revenue Entitlement for the shipment of Western Grain | Number of times that either CN or CP has not exceeded their respective Maximum Revenue Entitlement by more than 1% over the last three years | Five times out of six times | April 2017 | Maximum Revenue Entitlements not exceeded by more than 1% in past three years | Maximum Revenue Entitlements not exceeded by more than 1% in past three years | Maximum Revenue Entitlements not exceeded by more than 1% in past three years |
| 2017‑18 Main Estimates | 2017‑18 Planned spending | 2017‑18 Total authorities available for use | 2017‑18 Actual spending (authorities used) | 2017‑18 Difference (Actual spending minus planned spending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11,532,859 | 11,532,859 | 12,639,547 | 11,270,040 | -262,819 |
| 2017‑18 Planned full‑time equivalents | 2017‑18 Actual full‑time equivalents | 2017‑18 Difference (Actual full‑time equivalents minus planned full‑time equivalents) |
|---|---|---|
| 98 | 91 | -7 |
Actual spending was 2.3% less than planned spending, while actual full-time equivalents were 7% less than planned full-time equivalents for 2017-2018 in the Economic Regulation program. Both differences mainly resulted from temporary resource re-allocation in order to manage an unprecedented increase in air travel complaints.
Adjudication and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Description
The CTA provides formal and informal dispute resolution services to users, service providers and others affected by the federal transportation network, including facilitation, mediation, arbitration, and adjudication. As a quasi-judicial tribunal, the CTA has the authority to issue adjudicative decisions and orders on matters within its jurisdiction over federally-regulated air, rail and marine modes of transportation and, in respect of the CTA's accessibility mandate, interprovincial bus operations. It resolves disputes between: air travellers and air carriers regarding terms and conditions of air carriage; persons with disabilities and service providers regarding the accessibility of the federal transportation network; railway companies, shippers, provinces, municipalities and neighbors regarding a wide range of matters including railway level of service, infrastructure, crossings, interswitching, and noise and vibration.
Results
In 2017-2018, the CTA:
- Implemented targeted strategies to raise awareness of the CTA's services through activities such as a strengthened online presence, keynote speeches by the Chair and CEO, and media engagement.
- Continued to manage a rising number of air travel complaints where the CTA received 5,500 complaints in 2017-2018 as compared to an average of 700 complaints annually for the years 2012 to 2016. Despite efficiency gained through process improvement and temporary resource re-allocation, the backlog of travel complaints awaiting facilitation continued to grow.
| Expected results | Performance indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | 2017‑18 Actual results | 2016‑17 Actual results | 2015‑16 Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized transportation dispute resolution that is transparent, fair and timely | Percentage of rail, air, marine, and accessible disputes facilitated that meet service standards | 80% | April 2017 | 68% | 74% | N/AFootnote 3 |
| Percentage of rail disputes arbitrated within statutory deadlines (45-65 days or longer, as agreed to by parties) | 100% | April 2017 | 100% | 100% | N/AFootnote 3 | |
| Percentage of rail, air, marine, and accessible disputes mediated within statutory deadline (30 days or longer, as agreed to by parties) | 100% | April 2017 | 100% | 100% | N/AFootnote 3 | |
| Percentage of rail, air, marine, and accessible disputes adjudicated that meet service standards | 80% | April 2017 | 67% | 71% | N/AFootnote 3 | |
| Percentage of undisputed coasting trade applications processed prior to the requested date of service commencement | 95% | April 2017 | 100% | 97% | N/AFootnote 3 |
The volume of air travel complaints continued to increase significantly. Although the CTA dealt with much of this increase through temporarily pausing or slowing activity in other areas and reallocating resources, the result was some decline in the percentage of cases resolved within service standards and statutory timelines, and a growing backlog of air travel complaints in the queue for facilitation.
| 2017‑18 Main Estimates | 2017‑18 Planned spending | 2017‑18 Total authorities available for use | 2017‑18 Actual spending (authorities used) | 2017‑18 Difference (Actual spending minus Planned spending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,703,153 | 8,703,153 | 9,516,208 | 9,891,185 | 1,188,032 |
| 2017‑18 Planned full‑time equivalents | 2017‑18 Actual full‑time equivalents | Difference (Actual full‑time equivalents minus Planned full‑time equivalents) |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | 80 | 14 |
Actual spending was 13.6% above planned spending and actual full-time equivalents were 21.2% above planned full-time equivalents for 2017-2018 in the Adjudication and Alternate Dispute Resolution program, due mainly to the temporary resource re-allocation required to manage the increase in the number of air travel complaints.
Information on the CTA's lower-level programs is available in the GC InfoBase.
Internal Services
Description
Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services.
Results
In 2017-2018, the CTA:
- Improved people management through CTA's On the Move Action Plan, including development and implementation of an Onboarding program.
- Achieved the largest reduction of any federal organization in the harassment reported in the 2014 versus the 2017 Public Service Employee Survey from 24% to 10%.
- Targeted actions were taken to improve workplace mental health such as increasing promotion an informal peer support network, developing toolkits to support employees and holding a series of events to reinforce employee mental health at the workplace through a senior level champion mandated with the role.
- Created a dedicated Organizational Effectiveness Team to help foster a healthy, high-performing organization during a period of significant change and rising workloads.
- Implemented human resource and technology solutions to address new requirements to support resource growth resulting from the Fall Economic Statement and Budget 2018.
| 2017‑18 Main Estimates | 2017‑18 Planned spending | 2017‑18 Total authorities available for use | 2017‑18 Actual spending (authorities used) | 2017‑18 Difference (Actual spending minus Planned spending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,678,154 | 10,678,154 | 11,552,559 | 7,986,592 | -2,691,562 |
| 2017‑18 Planned full‑time equivalents | 2017‑18 Actual full‑time equivalents | 2017‑18 Difference (Actual full-time equivalents minus Planned full-time equivalents) |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | 55 | -7 |
Actual spending was 25.2% lower than planned spending, while actual full-time equivalents were 11.3% less than planned full-time equivalents for 2017-2018 in the Internal Service program. The variance in spending was due to reprofiling funds into the future related to the Government of Canada Workplace Fit-up Standards project, led by Public Services and Procurement Canada. The CTA reprofiles the funds year by year based on requirements as the project evolves. The variance in human resources was due to a temporary resource re-allocation done in order to manage an unprecedented increase in air travel complaints.
Analysis of trends in spending and human resources
Actual expenditures
Departmental spending trend graph
-
Details
Departmental Spending Trend Graph ($ thousands) 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 Sunset Programs - Anticipated - - - - - - Statutory 3,231 3,079 3,160 3,173 3,173 3,173 Voted 25,023 23,869 25,988 28,215 24,458 24,458 Total 28,254 26,948 29,148 31,388 27,631 27,631
For fiscal years 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18, the amounts shown represent the actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts.
For fiscal year 2018-19, the planned spending reflects funding of $3.5 million approved through the Main Estimates to pay for the costs related to the Government of Canada Workplace 2.0 Fit-up Standards. This amount has been reprofiled from 2017-18 to 2018-19 and is reflected under the Internal Services Program. It will be reimbursed over a period of 15 years.
For the period 2019-20 to 2020-21, the planned spending reflects approved funding by Treasury Board to support the CTA's Strategic Outcome and Programs. These expenditures vary slightly in previous years since they do not include the reimbursement of eligible paylist expenditures and operating budget carry forwards as these cannot be estimated with certainty.
| Programs and Internal Services | 2017‑18 Main Estimates |
2017‑18 Planned spending |
2018‑19 Planned spending |
2019‑20 Planned spending |
2017‑18 Total authorities available for use |
2017‑18 Actual spending (authorities used) |
2016‑17 Actual spending (authorities used) |
2015‑16 Actual spending (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independant regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users | 0 | 0 | 20,217,970 | 20,046,417 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Economic Regulation | 11,532,859 | 11,532,859 | 0 | 0 | 12,639,547 | 11,270,040 | 10,569,836 | 11,099,602 |
| Adjudication and Alternative Dispute Resolution | 8,703,153 | 8,703,153 | 0 | 0 | 9,516,208 | 9,891,185 | 8,969,209 | 10,334,836 |
| Subtotal | 20,236,012 | 20,236,012 | 20,217,970 | 20,046,417 | 22,155,755 | 21,161,225 | 19,539,045 | 21,434,438 |
| Internal Services | 10,678,154 | 10,678,154 | 11,170,150 | 7,584,757 | 11,552,559 | 7,986,592 | 7,409,032 | 6,819,794 |
| Total | 30,914,166 | 30,914,166 | 31,388,120 | 27,631,174 | 33,708,314 | 29,147,817 | 26,948,077 | 28,254,232 |
The 2017–18 variances between Main Estimates, planned spending, total authorities available for use and actual spending are largely attributable to the timing of the authorization of key elements of the fiscal cycle. The 2017-18 total authorities available for use ($33.7 million) represent the Main Estimates ($30.9 million), which include funding of $3.5 million to pay for the costs related to the Government of Canada Workplace 2.0 Fit-up Standards, plus adjustments to authorities approved by the Treasury Board, such as the Operating Budget Carry-Forward and compensation adjustments arising from the renewal of collective agreements.
Total authorities available for use in 2017-18 ($33.7 million) were greater than the actual spending in 2017-18 ($29.1 million). The variance of $4.6 million is primarily due to the delays in the implementation of the Government of Canada Workplace 2.0 Fit-up Standards. As a result, expenditures were not incurred for this project in 2017-18 and the $3.5 million funding has been reprofiled from 2017-18 to 2018-19.
Total actual spending for 2017-18 ($29.1 million) was greater than 2016-17 ($26.9 million). This variance is primarily due to the retroactive payments and increased rates of pay stemming from the renewal of collective agreements, as well as the increase in resources to address the workload associated with the increase in air travel complaints.
Finally, the 2018-19 planned spending demonstrates a slight increase from the 2017-18 planned spending as it includes additional compensation adjustments arising from the renewal of collective agreements.
Actual human resources
| Programs and Internal Services | 2015‑16 Actual full-time equivalents | 2016‑17 Actual full-time equivalents | 2017‑18 Planned full-time equivalents | 2017‑18 Actual full-time equivalents | 2018‑19 Planned full-time equivalents | 2019‑20 Planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 168 | 168 |
| Economic Regulation | 91 | 90 | 98 | 91 | 0 | 0 |
| Adjudication and Alternative Dispute Resolution | 74 | 72 | 66 | 80 | 0 | 0 |
| Subtotal | 165 | 162 | 164 | 171 | 168 | 168 |
| Internal Services | 64 | 58 | 62 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| Total | 229 | 220 | 226 | 226 | 223 | 223 |
On average, the full-time equivalents have remained consistent over the last three years. However, the CTA has streamlined the proportion of its human resources expenditures allocated to back-office operations, enabling it to re-allocate resources to the Adjudication and Alternative Dispute Resolution Program in order to address the workload associated with the increase in air travel complaints.
Expenditures by vote
For information on the CTA’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2017-2018.
Government of Canada spending and activities
Information on the alignment of the CTA’s spending with the Government of Canada’s spending and activities is available in the GC InfoBase.
Financial statements and financial statements highlights
Financial statements
The CTA’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2018 are available on the CTA's website.
Financial statements highlights
| Financial information | 2017‑18 Planned results | 2017‑18 Actual results | 2016‑17 Actual results | Difference (2017‑18 Actual results minus 2017‑18 Planned results) | Difference (2017‑18 Actual results minus 2016‑17 Actual results) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 31,649,727 | 33,413,731 | 30,884,378 | 1,764,004 | 2,529,353 |
| Total revenues | - | 10 | - | 10 | 10 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 31,649,727 | 33,413,721 | 30,884,378 | 1,763,994 | 2,529,343 |
| Financial information | 2017‑18 | 2016‑17 | Difference (2017‑18 minus 2016‑17) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total net liabilities | 5,528,243 | 4,664,878 | 863,365 |
| Total net financial assets | 3,131,516 | 2,679,830 | 451,686 |
| Department net debt | 2,396,727 | 1,985,048 | 411,679 |
| Total non-financial assets | 1,034,493 | 654,929 | 379,564 |
| Departmental net financial position | -1,362,234 | -1,330,119 | -32,115 |
Total liabilities were $5.5 million at the end of 2017–2018, an increase of $0.8 million (17%) over the previous year's total liabilities of $4.7 million. This increase in liabilities is primarily related to an increase in the salary accrual due to the increased rates of pay stemming from the renewal of collective agreements, an increase in vacation and compensatory leave balances, an increase in payables recorded at year-end as well as an increase to the accrued severance benefit obligation. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities as well as vacation pay and compensatory leave represented the largest portion of total liabilities at $3.0 million and $1.4 million, respectively.
Total financial and non-financial assets were $4.2 million at the end of 2017–2018, which represent an increase of $0.9 million (27%) over the previous year's total financial and non-financial assets of $3.3 million. This increase is mainly due to an increase in the Due from Consolidated Revenue Fund (the result of the increase in liabilities) reported under the category "Financial Assets" as well as an increase in tangible capital assets following the acquisition of videoconference equipment. Financial assets represented $3.1 million (74%), tangible capital assets represented $0.9 million (21%), while prepaid expenses and inventory represented 5% of total assets.
The CTA's total expenses were $33.4 million in 2017–2018, an increase of $2.5 million (8%) over the previous year's total expenses. This variance is primarily due to the retroactive payments and increased rates of pay stemming from the renewal of collective agreements, as well as the increase in resources to address the workload associated with the increase in air travel complaints. The majority of funds, $28.1 million (84%), were spent on salaries and employee benefits, 6% on accommodation, 3% on professional and special services, 2% on rentals and the remaining 5% going towards transportation and telecommunication, machinery and equipment, information, amortization of tangible capital assets, utilities, materials and supplies and repair and maintenance.
Supplementary information
Corporate information
Organizational profile
Appropriate minister: The Honourable Marc Garneau, P.C, M.P., Minister of Transport
Institutional head: Scott Streiner, Chair and Chief Executive Officer
Ministerial portfolio: Transport
Enabling instrument: Canada Transportation Act, S.C. 1996, c. 10, as amended
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1904
Other:
The CTA shares responsibility for the following Acts:
- Access to Information Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. A-1
- Canada Marine Act, S.C., 1998, c. 10
- Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act, S.C., 1996, c. 20
- Coasting Trade Act, S.C., 1992, c. 31
- Energy Supplies Emergency Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. E-9
- Financial Administration Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. F-11
- Official Languages Act, R.S.C, 1985, c. 31 (4th Supp.)
- Pilotage Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. P-14
- Privacy Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. P-21
- Public Service Modernization Act, S.C., 2003, c. 22
- Railway Relocation and Crossing Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. R-4
- Railway Safety Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. 32 (4th Supp.)
- Shipping Conferences Exemption Act, 1987, R.S.C., 1985, c. 17 (3rd Supp.)
The CTA has sole responsibility for the following regulations:
- Air Transportation Regulations, SOR/88-58, as amended
- Canadian Transportation Agency Designated Provisions Regulations, SOR/99-244
- Regulations on Operational Terms for Rail Level of Service Arbitration, SOR/2014-192
- Personnel Training for the Assistance of Persons with Disabilities Regulations, SOR/94-42
- Railway Costing Regulations, SOR /80-310
- Railway Interswitching Regulations, SOR/88-41
- Railway Third Party Liability Insurance Coverage Regulations, SOR/96-337
- Railway Traffic and Passenger Tariffs Regulations, SOR/96-338
- Railway Traffic Liability Regulations, SOR/91-448
The CTA has promulgated the following Rules:
- Canadian Transportation Agency Rules (Dispute Proceedings and Certain Rules Applicable to All Proceedings), SOR/2014-104
- Rules of Procedure for Rail Level of Service Arbitration, SOR/2014-94
The CTA shares responsibility for the following regulations:
- Transportation Information Regulations, SOR/96-334
- Railway Company Pay Out of Excess Revenue for the Movement of Grain Regulations, SOR/2001-207
- The Jacques-Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. Regulations, SOR/98-568
- The Seaway International Bridge Corporation, Ltd. Regulations, SOR/98-569
These Acts and Regulations are available on the Department of Justice website, and are accessible through the Acts and Regulations section of the CTA website.
Reporting framework
The CTA's Strategic Outcome and Program Alignment Architecture of record for 2017–2018 are shown below.
1. Strategic Outcome: Transparent, fair and timely dispute resolution and economic regulation of the national transportation system
1.1 Program: Economic Regulation
1.2 Program: Adjudication and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Internal Services
Supporting information on lower-level programs
Supporting information on lower-level programs is available on the GC InfoBase.
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information tables are available on the CTA's website:
Federal tax expenditures
The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs. The tax measures presented in this report are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.
Organizational contact information
For more information, please visit the CTA’s website or contact the CTA at:
Canadian Transportation Agency
60 Laval Street, Unit 01
Gatineau, QC
J8X 3G9
Tel: 1-888-222-2592
Fax: 819-997-6727
TTY: 1-800-669-5575
Email: info@otc-cta.gc.ca
Appendix: definitions
- appropriation (crédit)
- Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
- Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
- Departemental Plan (plan ministériel)
- A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a three year period. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
- Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultat ministériel)
- A report on an appropriated department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
- evaluation (évaluation)
- In the Government of Canada, the systematic and neutral collection and analysis of evidence to judge merit, worth or value. Evaluation informs decision making, improvements, innovation and accountability. Evaluations typically focus on programs, policies and priorities and examine questions related to relevance, effectiveness and efficiency. Depending on user needs, however, evaluations can also examine other units, themes and issues, including alternatives to existing interventions. Evaluations generally employ social science research methods.
- experimentation (expérimentation)
- Activities that seek to explore, test and compare the effects and impacts of policies, interventions and approaches, to inform evidence-based decision-making, by learning what works and what does not.
- full time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
- A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. Full time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
- gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])
- An analytical approach used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The “plus” in GBA+ acknowledges that the gender-based analysis goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ considers many other identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability. Examples of GBA+ processes include using data disaggregated by sex, gender and other intersecting identity factors in performance analysis, and identifying any impacts of the program on diverse groups of people, with a view to adjusting these initiatives to make them more inclusive.
- government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
- For the purpose of the 2017–18 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2015 Speech from the Throne, namely: Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and a Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada’s Strength; and Security and Opportunity.
- horizontal initiatives (initiative horizontale)
- An initiative where two or more departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
- Management, Resources and Results Structure (Structure de la gestion, des ressources et des résultats)
- A comprehensive framework that consists of an organization’s inventory of programs, resources, results, performance indicators and governance information. Programs and results are depicted in their hierarchical relationship to each other and to the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute. The Management, Resources and Results Structure is developed from the Program Alignment Architecture.
- non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
- Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
- performance (rendement)
- What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
- performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
- A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
- performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)
- The process of communicating evidence based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.
- plan (plan)
- The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.
- planned spending (dépenses prévues)
- For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts that receive Treasury Board approval by February 1. Therefore, planned spending may include amounts incremental to planned expenditures presented in the Main Estimates.
- A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
- priority (priorité)
- A plan or project that an organization has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired Strategic Outcome(s) or Departmental Results.
- program (programme)
- A group of related resource inputs and activities that are managed to meet specific needs and to achieve intended results and that are treated as a budgetary unit.
- Program Alignment Architecture (architecture d’alignement des programmes)
- A structured inventory of an organization’s programs depicting the hierarchical relationship between programs and the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute.
- result (résultat)
- An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.
- statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
- Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
- Strategic Outcome (résultat stratégique)
- A long term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.
- sunset program (programme temporisé)
- A time limited program that does not have an ongoing funding and policy authority. When the program is set to expire, a decision must be made whether to continue the program. In the case of a renewal, the decision specifies the scope, funding level and duration.
- target (cible)
- A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
- voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
- Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The Vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.
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