Canada Energy Regulator – 2021–22 Departmental Plan

Spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the department’s planned spending and human resources for the next three consecutive fiscal years and compares planned spending for the upcoming year with the current and previous years’ actual spending.

Planned spending

Departmental Spending 2018–19 to 2023–24

The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory) spending over time.

Departmental spending 2017–18 to 2022–23

Description of this graph

This bar chart shows the Canada Energy Regulator’s six-year spending trend. It includes actual spending for the fiscal years 2018–19 and 2019–20, forecast spending for the year 2020–21 and planned spending for the years 2021–22 to 2023–24.

Actual Spending by period is as follows:

  • 2018–19: $ 108,106
  • 2019–20: $ 97,997

Forecast Spending by period is as follows:

  • 2020–21: $ 102,156

Planned Spending by period is as follows:

  • 2021–22: $108,093
  • 2022–23: $96,705
  • 2023–24: $83,625

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)

The following table shows actual, forecast and planned spending for each of the CER’s core responsibilities and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)
Core Responsibilities and Internal Services 2018–19
expendituresTable Note a		 2019–20
expendituresTable Note b		 2020–21
forecast spending		 2021–22 budgetary spending
(as indicated in Main Estimates)		 2021–22
planned spending		 2022–23
planned spending		 2023–24
planned spending
Energy Adjudication 23,372,250 21,550,144 22,911,490 19,419,562 19,419,562 18,914,053 15,443,089
Safety and Environment Oversight 22,648,545 24,588,408 22,728,489 25,473,425 25,473,425 24,081,579 22,146,529
Energy Information 9,554,137 9,235,424 5,404,829 8,112,706 8,112,706 5,335,109 5,013,595
Engagement 5,811,773 7,611,046 10,328,332 10,789,048 10,789,048 9,958,236 7,067,717
Subtotal 61,386,705 62,985,022 61,373,140 63,794,741 63,794,741 58,288,977 49,670,930
Internal Services 32,009,262 35,011,968 40,782,912 44,298,450 44,298,450 38,415,591 33,953,853
Internal Services – GIC Remission LevyTable Note c 14,710,000 – – – – – –
Total 108,105,967 97,996,990 102,156,052 108,093,191 108,093,191 96,704,568 83,624,783

Variance between 2018–19 expenditures and 2019–20 expenditures

2019–20 expenditures were $10.11 million lower than 2018–19 expenditures primarily due to the following:

  • a decrease of $14.71 million related to Governor in Council’s remission of levy to the Northern Gateway Pipelines Limited;
  • a decrease of $4.51 million related to Trans Mountain Expansion Project Reconsiderations;
  • a decrease of $2.43 million mainly related to compensation adjustments made to terms and conditions of service or employment of the federal public administration;
  • an increase of $2.35 million related to Budget 2019 Canada Energy Regulator Transition Costs; and
  • an increase of $9.19 million mainly related to Budget 2018 Transition to New Impact Assessment and Regulatory Processes.

Variance between 2019–20 expenditures and 2020–21 forecast spending

2020–21 forecasted spending is $4.16 million higher than 2019–20 expenditures primarily due to the following:

  • an increase of $2.81 million related to Budget 2020 Data and Information Innovation Initiative;
  • an increase of $22.3 million related to Budget 2020 Stabilize the Canadian Energy Regulator’s Operations;
  • an increase of $1.61 million mainly related to the employee benefit plan;
  • a decrease of $13.29 million related to Budget 2015 Energy Transportation Infrastructure;
  • a decrease of $5.83 million related to Budget 2017 Pipeline Safety Lifecycle Oversight, Communications and Access to Information Capacity;
  • a decrease of $2.35 million related to Budget 2019 Canada Energy Regulator Transition Costs;
  • a decrease of $0.87 million related to Budget 2018 Transition to New Impact Assessment and Regulatory Processes; and
  • a decrease of $0.22 million related to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project Reconsiderations.

Variance between 2020–21 forecast spending and 2021–22 planned spending

2021–22 planned spending is $5.94 million higher than 2020–21 forecast spending primarily due to the following:

  • an increase of $4.47 million related to Budget 2020 Data and Information Innovation Initiative;
  • an increase of $1.06 million related to funding for the collective agreement; and
  • an increase of $0.41 million related to the employee benefit plan.

Variance between 2021–22 planned spending and 2022–23 planned spending

2022–23 planned spending is $11.39 million lower than 2021–22 planned spending primarily due to the following:

  • a decrease of $1.04 million related to Budget 2018 Transition to New Impact Assessment and Regulatory Processes;
  • a decrease of $1.76 million related to Budget 2017 Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee;
  • a decrease of $7.28 million related to Budget 2020 Data and Information Innovation Initiative; and
  • a net decrease of $1.31 million mainly related to funding for the collective agreement.

Variance between 2022–23 planned spending and 2023–24 planned spending

2023–24 planned spending is $13.08 million lower than 2022–23 planned spending primarily due to the following:

  • a decrease of $9.98 million related to Budget 2018 Transition to New Impact Assessment and Regulatory Processes; and
  • a decrease of $3.1 million mainly related to funding for the collective agreement.

The CER will be seeking renewal of temporary funding in future budgets. If the funding is not renewed, the organization would need to make adjustments to its programs and expected results.

The CER is funded through parliamentary appropriations. The Government of Canada recovers approximately 99 percent of the appropriation from the industry the CER regulates. All collections from cost recovery invoices are deposited to the account of the Receiver General for Canada credited to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Pipeline and power line companies regulated by the CER (authorized under the CER Act) are subject to cost recovery. Applications before the CER or new facilities are not subject to cost recovery until the facility is placed into service, unless the company does not have any prior facilities regulated by the CER, in which case a one-time levy is assessed following the authorization of construction.

Cost recoveryFootnote 18 is carried out on a calendar year basis.

Planned human resources

The following table shows actual, forecast and planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) for each core responsibility in the CER’s departmental results framework and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services

Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services
Core Responsibilities and Internal Services 2018–19
actual
full-time equivalentsTable Note a		 2019–20
actual
full-time equivalentsTable Note b		 2020–21
forecast
full-time equivalents		 2021–22
planned
full-time equivalents		 2022–23
planned
full-time equivalents		 2023–24
planned
full time equivalents
Energy Adjudication 103.9 119.2 127.8 107 103.5 87.5
Safety and Environment Oversight 120.2 131.0 139.5 144.5 133.5 123
Energy Information 47.8 43.8 30.4 54.4 32.4 29.4
Engagement 34.0 37.8 56 47.6 43.6 26.6
Subtotal 305.9 331.8 353.7 353.5 313 266.5
Internal Services 170.6 162.2 158.7 191.5 173.5 158
Total 476.5 494.0 512.4 545 486.5 424.5

Variance between 2018–19 full-time equivalents and 2019–20 full-time equivalents

The increase of 17.5 full-time equivalents from 2018–19 actual to the 2019–20 actual is due to funding related to Budget 2018 Transition to New Impact Assessment and Regulatory Processes to assist the organization in implementing the transition to the Canada Energy Regulator.

Variance between 2019–20 full-time equivalents and 2020–21 forecast full-time equivalents

The increase of 18.4 full-time equivalents from 2019–20 actual to the 2020–21 forecast is mainly due to funding related to Budget 2020 Funding to Stabilize the Canada Energy Regulator’s Operations, and Data and Information Innovation Initiative.

Variance between 2020–21 forecast full-time equivalents and 2021–22 planned full-time equivalents

The increase of 32.6 full-time equivalents from 2020–21 forecast full-time equivalents to 2021–22 planned full-time equivalents is due to Budget 2020 Funding to Stabilize the Canada Energy Regulator’s Operations, and Data and Information Innovation Initiative.

Variance between 2021–22 planned full-time equivalents and 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents

The decrease of 58.5 full-time equivalents from 2021–22 planned full-time equivalents to 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents is mainly attributed to the following:

  • a decrease of 10 full-time equivalents related to Budget 2017 Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee;
  • a decrease of 6 full-time equivalents related to Budget 2018 Transition to New Impact Assessment and Regulatory Processes;
  • a decrease of 30 full-time equivalents related to Budget 2020 Data and Information Innovation Initiative; and
  • a decrease of 12.5 full-time equivalents related to changes in funding levels.

Variance between 2022–23 planned full-time equivalents and 2023–24 planned full-time equivalents

The decrease of 62 full-time equivalents from 2022–23 planned full-time to 2023–24 planned full-time equivalents is mainly attributed to the following:

  • a decrease of 44 full-time equivalents related to Budget 2018 Transition to New Impact Assessment and Regulatory Processes; and
  • a decrease of 18 full-time equivalents related to changes in funding levels.

Estimates by vote

Information on the CER’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2021–22 Main EstimatesFootnote 19.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the CER’s operations for 2020–21 to 2021–22.

The amounts for forecast and planned results in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The amounts for forecast and planned spending presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, are available on the CER’s websiteFootnote 20.

Future oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2022 (dollars)

Future oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2022 (dollars)
Financial information 2020–21
forecast results		 2021–22
planned results		 Difference
(2021–22 planned results
minus
2020–21 forecast results)
Total expenses 119,575,414 125,487,552 5,912,138
Total revenues – – –
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 119,575,414 125,487,552 5,912,138

Variance between 2020-21 forecast results and 2021-22 planned results

2021–22 planned results are $5.91 million higher than 2020–21 forecast results primarily due to the following:

  • an increase of $4.47 million related to Budget 2020 Data and Information Innovation Initiative;
  • an increase of $1.06 million related to funding for collective agreement; and
  • an increase of $0.38 million related to employee benefit plan.
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