Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended December 31, 2018

1. Introduction

This quarterly financial report has been prepared by management as required by section 65.1 of the Financial Administration Act and in the form and manner prescribed by the Treasury Board under the Treasury Board Directive on Accounting Standards: GC 4400 Departmental Quarterly Financial Report. It should be read in conjunction with the Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates for the current year.

The quarterly report has not been subject to an external audit or review.

1.1 Canadian Transportation Agency Mandate

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal and regulator which has, with respect to all matters necessary for the exercise of its jurisdiction, all the powers of a superior court.

We operate within the context of the large and complex Canadian transportation system.

The CTA exercises its powers through its Members, who are appointed by the Governor-in-Council.

What we do: our three mandates

• We help ensure that the national transportation system runs efficiently and smoothly in the interests of all Canadians, including those who work and invest in it; the producers, shippers, travellers and businesses who rely on it; and the communities where it operates.
• We protect the human right of persons with disabilities to an accessible transportation network.
• We provide consumer protection for air passengers.

How we do it: our tools

To help advance these mandates, we have three tools at our disposal:

• Rule-making: We develop and apply 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: We resolve disputes that arise between transportation 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: We provide information on the transportation system, the rights and responsibilities of transportation providers and users, and the CTA's legislation and services.

Further information on the CTA’s mandate, roles, responsibilities and programs can be found in Part III of the Estimates – Departmental Plan.

1.2 Basis of Presentation

This quarterly report has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the CTA's spending authorities granted by Parliament, and those used by the CTA consistent with the Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (as applicable) for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. This quarterly report has been prepared using a special purpose financial reporting framework designed to meet financial information needs with respect to the use of spending authorities.

The authority of Parliament is required before money can be spent by the Government. Approvals are given in the form of annually approved limits through appropriation acts, or through legislation in the form of statutory spending authority for specific purposes.

When Parliament is dissolved for the purposes of a general election, section 30 of the Financial Administration Act authorizes the Governor General, under certain conditions, to issue a special warrant authorizing the Government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. A special warrant is deemed to be an appropriation for the fiscal year in which it is issued.

The CTA uses the full accrual method of accounting to prepare and present its annual departmental financial statements that are part of the departmental results reporting process. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis.

2. Highlights of the Fiscal Quarter and the Fiscal Year-to-Date (YTD) Results

2.1 Statement of Authorities

The CTA’s total authorities available for use in 2018-2019, totalling $33,589,285, have increased by $3,948,851 when compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year as illustrated in the Statement of Authorities and in the Departmental Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object below. This increase is primarily attributable to the new funding received to support the CTA's modernization initiative, as announced in Budget 2018 ($2,414,177) and to implement legislative and regulatory changes related to Canada's freight rail system, as announced in the 2017 Fall Economic Statement ($1,937,411). This increase is partially offset by a negative adjustment ($125,791) to reflect the revised Employee Benefit Plans (EBP) rate and a reduction in the operating budget carry forward ($222,186).

2.2 Statement of Departmental Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object

Compared to the previous year, total budgetary expenditures recorded in the third quarter have increased by $427,435, from $7,337,683 to $7,765,118, as illustrated in the Departmental Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object below.  This increase is mainly attributable to an increase in the Personnel, Acquisition of Machinery and Equipment,  Transportation and communications, Information, and Professional and special services categories as explained below:

• The expenditures in the Personnel category have increase by $152,985 and is primarily due to the additional resources required to address the influx of air travel complaints.
• The expenditures in the Acquisition of Machinery and Equipment category have increased by $73,057 and is primarily due to the purchase of informatics equipment, such as servers, in order to replace outdated equipment and support the CTA's increasing workload and personnel.
• The expenditures in the Transportation and communications, Information and Professional and special services categories have increased by $53,646, $69,035 and $87,097, respectively, over the previous year. Following the coming into force of the Transportation Modernization Act on May 23, 2018, the CTA consulted broadly with the travelling public, the airline industry, consumer rights groups, and other interested parties to develop new air passenger protection regulations, which resulted in an increase of these expenditures. Although these consultations ended on August 28, 2018, several expenditures were settled during the third quarter.

With respect to all other budgetary expenditures by Standard Object, overall expenditures are similar to those of the previous fiscal year. Any difference is primarily attributable to the period in which the purchases were settled.

3. Risks and Uncertainties

As reported in previous quarters, the CTA continues to face increased demand for services, particularly those related to air travel complaints. The CTA will continue to monitor the allocation of resources to address operational pressures and ongoing priorities.

4. Significant Changes in Relation to Operations, Personnel and Programs

There have been no significant changes in the nature of the CTA's operations or programs over the last quarter.

Approval by Senior Officials

Statement of Authorities (unaudited)

Departmental Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)