Resource Allocation in Canada Evaluation, Accountability and Control

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Resource Allocation in Canada Evaluation,
Accountability and Control

• Brian Pagan
• Expenditure Operations and Estimates
• Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

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Budgetary Main Estimates by Type of Payment
(220.6 B)
Departmental Operating Costs
51.6b
Transfers to Persons
90.1b
Transfers to Other levels of Government
Grants Contributions 27b
45.3b
Public Debt
33.6b
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Funding Instruments for RD

• In 2007, the Government of Canada provided
  approximately 5.4 B in direct funding in support
  of RD
• Performance based federal programs and granting
  councils
• Cooperation with universities and the private
  sector
• Centers of Excellence
• Public Foundations (e.g. 4 B Canada Foundation
  for Innovation)
• Problem-oriented research programs (e.g. Canadian
  Institute of Health Research)
• In addition, Canadas Scientific Research and
  Economic Development tax incentive provided over
  4B in tax assistance for business investment in
  RD

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Managing and Decision-Making for Results
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Building the Foundation - MRRS

• The Management, Resources and Results Structure
  (MRRS) is the common, government-wide approach to
  the comprehensive collection, analysis,
  management and reporting of financial and
  non-financial performance information.
• It provides a detailed whole-of-government
  understanding of the ongoing program base that is
  implemented, i.e.,
• An up-to-date inventory of all federal government
  programs about 3,000
• How programs align to each other within an
  organization
• Funding and performance measures for each program
• How departments allocate and manage the resources
  under their control
• Current status
• Performance measures for each program are
  expected to be available by spring-fall 2008, at
  which point, departments are to use this
  information for decision-making

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Building the Foundation - Evaluation

• Evaluation is central to the governments agenda
  to focus on accountability, results and value for
  money.
• Successful implementation of the renewed EMS,
  particularly Strategic Reviews, requires
  comprehensive, credible, timely information on
  the relevance and performance of government
  programs and evaluation is a key source of such
  information
• However, a comprehensive diagnostic of the
  current evaluation function found serious
  weaknesses in coverage, credibility, quality,
  timeliness and the capacity of evaluators
• Objectives of evaluation policy renewal
• Improve the information base for Strategic
  Reviews through expanded evaluation coverage and
  an increased focus on value for money (relevance
  and program performance)
• Comprehensive coverage of programs through a
  regular and systematic cycle as a normal part of
  doing business
• Improved credibility through agreed upon
  standards, flexible tools for evaluation and
  neutrality of the evaluation function
• Improved quality by having the right capacities,
  people and systems in place
• Continuous learning and improvement through a
  strengthened TBS capacity to lead, monitor and
  use evaluation information

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Reforming the Administration of Grants and
Contributions
Grants and Contributions 27B

• Largest component of discretionary federal
  spending
• Used to further objectives in all areas of
  government activity not to acquire gods or
  services
• Key link between federal government and its
  citizens provides results that Canadians can
  see and touch

3.0B
4.9B
2.9B
1.0B
1.9B
2.2B
1.5B
4.8B
1.8B
3.0B
Grants and Contributions play a critical role in
the realization of the Governments strategic
objectives
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An Action Plan for Improved Responsiveness and
Accountability
The proposed government action plan will lead to
changes
From To
One size fits all reporting and oversight Risk based monitoring and accountability leading to reduction in reporting burden
Multiple audits of same recipient Audits rationalized, risk based, deliberate and coordinated
Duplicative information requirements Streamlined and standardized reports, forms and applications
Focus on process and paperwork Focus on achieving results
Difficulty for recipient groups to collaborate with government Recipients better able to serve clients and trust in government is restored
The intended changes address what recipients
expect and need in order to best serve the needs
of Canadians.
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Our Vision for Public Reporting

• CONTENT
• Improvements to the Evaluation Function along
  with the implementation of the MRRS Policy will
  help ensure that we have credible performance
  information
• Assessments of reporting through the MAF process
  will help ensure that generally accepted
  reporting principles are followed it is also a
  way of getting Senior Managers engaged in these
  reports
• FORM
• Strategic Outcomes and Program Activities will
  provide the consistent architecture for all
  reports
• Layered reporting will be a way of helping
  users to navigate through the vast quantity of
  information
• Whole of Government-level
• Departmental-level
• Electronic-level
• A major challenge in moving forward on improving
  public reporting is the tension between
  Parliamentarians requirement for more
  information and the drive to produce more concise
  and readable reports.

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The Government of Canada Planning and Performance
Gateway Online Demonstration