Proactive Disclosure
— Travel and Hospitality Expenses
— Travel and Hospitality Expenses
Why must we disclose travel and hospitality expenses?
The Government of Canada has implemented a series of measures to strengthen public sector management by enhancing transparency and oversight of public resources in the federal government.
One of these measures includes the proactive disclosure of financial and human resources related information by departments and agencies. By making this information rapidly available on departmental websites, Canadians and Parliament are better able to hold the Government and public sector officials to account.
On December 12, 2003, the Prime Minister announced a new policy on the mandatory publication of travel and hospitality expenses incurred for the department by the Minister, Parliamentary Secretary, and their exempt staff, and by Senior Level employees at the Deputy Minister, Associate Deputy Minister, Assistant Deputy Minister, and equivalent levels, which came into effect on March 31st, 2004.
Who do we report on?
All travel and hospitality expenses incurred for the department by the Minister, Parliamentary Secretary, and their exempt staff, and by Senior Level employees at the Deputy Minister, Associate Deputy Minister, Assistant Deputy Minister, and equivalent levels. Individuals who act in these positions and incur travel or hospitality expenses in that capacity are also subject to this requirement.
The rules and principles governing travel are outlined in the Policies for Minister's offices and in Treasury Board's Travel Directive and Special Travel Authorities. The purpose of these directives is to provide for the reimbursement of reasonable expenses necessarily incurred during travel on government business.
The Government of Canada extends hospitality in accordance with the rules and principles outlined in the Guidelines for Ministers' Offices and the Treasury Board Hospitality Policy. The objective of the policy is to ensure that hospitality is extended in an economical and affordable way when it facilitates government business or is considered desirable as a matter of courtesy and protocol. The Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures came into effect April 1st, 2017 detailing the requirements.
What information should be disclosed?
All travel expenses incurred during the reporting period must be included for disclosure.
All hospitality expenditures charged to the budget of a designated official must be disclosed, whether or not he or she was in attendance.
The onus is on the affected official to ensure the information being disclosed is accurate, complete and disclosed in a timely fashion.
Note: The total amount disclosed includes all applicable taxes.
Please note that information that would normally be withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act does not appear on the Open Canada web site.
When is the reporting period?
The department must disclose hospitality and travel expenses within thirty (30) days following the end of a quarterly reporting period, for all reimbursements that have been issued in the financial system. Senior officials are responsible to ensure all transactions are reported and that the information being disclosed is accurate, complete and disclosed in a timely fashion for each reporting period. Once Bill C-58 receives royal assent, the reporting frequency will change from quarterly to monthly.
Current Process
(Prior to Bill C-58 Royal Assent)
| Quarterly disclosing Process | Q1 Mar. 2 to June 1 | Q2 June 2 to Sept. 1 | Q3 Sept. 2, to Dec. 1 | Q4 Dec. 2 to Mar. 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post information on Canada.caFootnote * | End of June | End of September | End of December | End of March |
Future Process
(Once Bill C-58 receives Royal Assent)
| Q1 | Post information on Canada.caFootnote * | Q2 | Post information on Canada.caFootnote * | Q3 | Post information on Canada.caFootnote * | Q4 | Post information on Canada.caFootnote * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | End of April | June | End of July | September | End of October | December | End of January |
| April | End of May | July | End of August | October | End of November | January | End of February |
| May | End of June | August | End of September | November | End of December | February | End of March |
Exceptions
Taxi Chits - Under no circumstances, should taxi chits be used during travel status, therefore there is no need for them to be disclosed. All travelers must pay for their taxi expenses during official government travel and claim these expenses upon their return. Designated senior officials are required to disclose any taxi expense incurred during their travel in the "other transportation" section of the template.
For additional information, please contact the proactive disclosure unit at the following email address: NC-PROACTIVE-FINANCIAL-REPORTING-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/transparency.html#h2.2