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 2017–18 to 2022–23

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

Statistics Canada's statutory spending, as indicated in the graph above, relates to the Employee Benefit Plan, which is a function of planned salary spending. Therefore, it fluctuates along with voted spending.

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and Internal Services

The following table shows actual, forecast and planned spending for each of Statistics Canada'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	2017–18 expenditures	2018–19 expenditures	2019–20 forecast spending	2020–21 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2020–21 planned spending	2021–22 planned spending	2022–23 planned spending
Statistical Information	585,363,802	559,559,344	603,165,156	661,506,812	661,506,812	833,218,102	560,266,271
Internal Services	72,064,636	72,385,465	78,138,770	73,941,885	73,941,885	67,571,191	67,736,536
Total gross expenditures	657,428,438	631,944,809	681,303,926	735,448,697	735,448,697	900,789,293	628,002,807
Respendable revenue	-111,657,283	-124,200,719	-119,982,728	-120,000,000	-120,000,000	-120,000,000	-120,000,000
Total net expenditures	545,771,155	507,744,090	561,321,198	615,448,697	615,448,697	780,789,293	508,002,807
Note: Main Estimates, planned spending and full-time equivalent figures do not include Budget 2020 announcements. More information will be provided in the 2020–21 Supplementary Estimates and Departmental Results Report, as applicable.

Statistics Canada is funded by two sources: direct parliamentary appropriations and cost-recovery activities. Statistics Canada has the authority to generate $120 million annually in respendable revenue, related to two streams: statistical surveys and related services, and custom requests and workshops. If exceeded, a request can be made to increase authority as was the case in 2018-19.

In recent years, respendable cost-recovery revenue has contributed between $112 million and $124 million annually to the agency's total resources. A large portion of this respendable revenue comes from federal departments to fund specific statistical projects.

Spending fluctuations between the years shown in the graph and table above were mainly caused by the Census Program. Voted spending decreased in 2017–18 and 2018–19 as the 2016 Census of Population and 2016 Census of Agriculture were winding down. This pattern is typical for the agency because of the cyclical nature of the Census Program. Spending will begin to ramp up and peak again in 2021–22 when the 2021 Census of Population and 2021 Census of Agriculture are conducted.

Internal Services' spending from 2018–19 to 2020–21 includes planned resources from temporary funding related to a new initiative approved in 2018–19 to migrate the agency's workload to the cloud.

For additional details on year-over-year variances between 2017–18 and 2018–19 expenditures, see the 2018–19 Departmental Results Report available on our Reports web page.

2020–21 Budgetary planned gross spending summary

The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net planned spending for 2020–21.

2020–21 Budgetary planned gross spending summary (dollars)

Core responsibilities and Internal Services	2020–21 planned gross spending	2020–21 planned gross spending for specified purpose accounts	2020–21 planned revenues netted against expenditures	2020–21 planned net spending
Statistical Information	661,506,812	0	-120,000,000	541,506,812
Internal Services	73,941,885	0	0	73,941,885
Total	735,448,697	0	-120,000,000	615,448,697
Note: Main Estimates, planned spending and full-time equivalent figures do not include Budget 2020 announcements. More information will be provided in the 2020–21 Supplementary Estimates and Departmental Results Report, as applicable.

Statistics Canada has the authority to generate $120 million annually in respendable revenue, which is reflected in the 2020–21 planned revenues netted against expenditures.

Planned human resources

The following table shows actual, forecast and planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) for each core responsibility in Statistics Canada'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

Core responsibilities and Internal Services	2017–18 actual full-time equivalents	2018–19 actual full-time equivalents	2019–20 forecast full-time equivalents	2020–21 planned full-time equivalents	2021–22 planned full-time equivalents	2022–23 planned full-time equivalents
Statistical Information	5,417	5,498	5,799	5,800	6,102	5,255
Internal Services	607	645	651	585	580	580
Total gross FTEs	6,024	6,143	6,450	6,385	6,682	5,835
Respendable revenue	-1,251	-1,380	-1,455	-1,251	-1,251	-1,261
Total net FTEs	4,773	4,763	4,995	5,134	5,431	4,574
Note: Main Estimates, planned spending and full-time equivalent figures do not include Budget 2020 announcements. More information will be provided in the 2020–21 Supplementary Estimates and Departmental Results Report, as applicable.

Similar to trends seen in planned spending, FTE changes from year to year are largely explained by the cyclical nature of the Census Program. Activity decreased in 2017–18 and 2018–19 as the 2016 Census of Population and 2016 Census of Agriculture were winding down. Activity will begin to ramp up and peak again in 2021–22 when the 2021 Census of Population and 2021 Census of Agriculture are conducted.

Included in net expenditure FTEs are approximately 210 public servant FTEs based across Canada outside the National Capital Region (NCR). Also included are approximately 950 interviewer FTEs (representing approximately 1,800 interviewers) outside the NCR. These interviewers are part-time workers whose assigned workweeks are determined by the volume of collection work available; they are hired under the Statistics Act, by the authority of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. Interviewers are covered by two separate collective agreements and are employed through Statistical Survey Operations. Many of Statistics Canada's main outputs rely heavily on data collection and the administration of these activities, which takes place in the regions.

Estimates by vote

Information on the Statistics Canada's organizational appropriations is available in the 2019–20 Main Estimates.

Condensed future-oriented statement of operations

The condensed future-oriented statement of operations provides an overview of the Statistics Canada's operations for 2019–20 to 2020–21.

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 Statistics Canada's website.

Condensed future-oriented statement of operations (unaudited) for the year ending March 31, 2021 (dollars)

Financial information	2019–20 forecast results	2020–21 planned results	Difference (2020–21 planned results minus 2019–20 forecast results)
Total expenses	763,525,982	848,569,377	85,043,395
Total revenues	119,982,728	120,000,000	17,272
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers	643,543,254	728,569,377	85,026,123

The increase in planned expenses for 2020–21 is mainly explained by the funding received for the 2021 Census of Population and 2021 Census of Agriculture.

Statistics Canada is expecting to maintain its capacity in future years for the delivery of cost-recovered statistical services, with no significant shifts in resources.