The Honourable Kent Hehr, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
ISSN 2368-2698
How to Access Portable Document Format (PDF)
Table of Contents
Chair's Message
I am pleased to report against the plans and priorities of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board for 2014-15.
The Board's mission is to provide timely, respectful hearings and fair, plain-language decisions to Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) members, and their families who turn to the Board for redress of their disability benefits decisions. This independent appeal process is essential to fairness in the adjudication of disability benefits and important to the well-being of Veterans and their families.
This Departmental Performance Report outlines the Board’s progress towards its strategic priorities, which are to hear cases, improve the hearing process, communicate more, and manage with accountability. We remain focussed on these priorities while continuously looking for ways to serve Veterans better.
In 2014-15, the Board took more steps to improve and modernize the appeal process. We built on the great progress made in addressing important recommendations from the Veterans Ombudsman and parliamentarians; in February 2015, the Ombudsman praised these efforts in his follow-up report. We also improved the hearing documentation used by the Board, Veterans, and their representatives; released our first Annual Report; published more decisions and decision-making resources on our website; and continued to support our staff and members through training and cultural awareness activities with serving personnel.
The Board was pleased to welcome seven new members in 2014-15, all of whom have military, medical, policing or legal experience. As a result, more than three-quarters of our Board members have these backgrounds in recognition of the nature of our work and the people we serve.
We continued to receive positive feedback from applicants about their hearing experience, and from our staff about their satisfaction in the workplace through the 2014 Public Service Employee Survey. This is reflective of the changes we have made and our strong commitment to a common goal: showing just and due appreciation for Veterans’ service to Canada through the delivery of a fair appeal program.
Thomas Jarmyn
Acting Chair
Section I: Organizational Expenditure Overview
Organizational Profile
Appropriate Minister: Kent Hehr
Erin O'Toole (responsible Minister for 2014-15)
Institutional Head: Thomas Jarmyn
Ministerial Portfolio: Veterans Affairs
Enabling Instruments: Veterans Review and Appeal Board Actii, Veterans Review and Appeal Board Regulationsiii
Year of Incorporation / Commencement: 1995
Other: Applications for review and appeal can be made to the Board under the following legislation:
- Pension Activ;
- Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act- Part 3v (New Veterans Charter);
- War Veterans Allowance Actvi;
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pension Continuation Actvii; and
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Actviii
The Board also adjudicates applications for compassionate awards made under section 34 of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Act.
Organizational Context
Raison d’être
The Veterans Review and Appeal Board (the Board) is an independent, administrative tribunal created in 1995. The Board provides an appeal program for service-related disability decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada. This program gives applicants two levels of redress for disability pension and disability award decisions and the final level of appeal for War Veterans Allowance claims.
The Board’s objective is to ensure that Canada’s traditional Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans, Royal Canadian Mounted Police applicants, qualified civilians and their families receive the disability pensions, disability awards and other benefits to which they are entitled under the law. The Minister of Veterans Affairs is responsible for this organization.
Responsibilities
What does the Board do for ill and injured Veterans?
The Board offers two levels of redress for those who are dissatisfied with disability benefits decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC, the Department). It operates at arm’s-length from VAC to provide an independent appeal process. Learn more about the Board.
Hearings
Hearings are conducted by Board Members, who are independent, impartial adjudicators. Their job is to decide whether the evidence meets the requirements of the legislation to award new or increased levels of disability benefits. They are not bound by previous decisions and will change them to benefit Veterans if there is relevant, credible evidence to support the change. Learn more about Board Members.
Review hearings are conducted by panels of two Board Members. Veterans have the opportunity to give oral testimony and bring new evidence and witnesses in support of their case. Appeal hearings are conducted by panels of three Board Members who did not hear the case at Review. The appeal hearing provides a further opportunity for applicants, through their representative, to submit new information and make arguments. All hearings are non-adversarial, which means no one argues against the Veteran. Learn more about the Board’s hearings.
What kind of cases does the Board hear?
Decisions appealed to the Board represent the most complex and challenging cases. Many applicants are satisfied with their departmental decisions and only a small percentage - about 9% - come to the Board for an independent appeal. The top six medical conditions are:
- lower back conditions
- knee conditions
- tinnitus
- neck conditions
- hearing loss
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- neck conditions
Workload and Outcomes
The Board issued approximately 3,900 decisions in 2014-15, of which 70% were reviews and 30% were appeals. The Board ruled favourably in approximately 49% of reviews and 43% of appeals awarding almost 1,800 applicants new or increased disability benefits. These favourability rates are due, in part, to the Board’s ability to give applications a fresh review, receive new evidence and hear testimony from the Veteran and witnesses. Learn more about the Board’s workload statistics.
Strategic Outcome and Program Alignment Architecture
Strategic Outcome: An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada
Program: Review and Appeal
Internal Services
Organizational Priorities
Organizational Priorities
| Priority | Type1 | Strategic Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Program Delivery | Ongoing | An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada |
| Summary of Progress | ||
What progress has been made towards this priority?
|
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| Priority | Type | Strategic Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Improved Program Delivery | Ongoing | An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada |
| Summary of Progress | ||
What progress has been made towards this priority?
|
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- Type is defined as follows: previously committed to—committed to in the first or second fiscal year prior to the subject year of the report; ongoing—committed to at least three fiscal years prior to the subject year of the report; and new—newly committed to in the reporting year of the Report on Plans and Priorities or the Departmental Performance Report.
| Priority | Type | Strategic Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | Ongoing | An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada |
| Summary of Progress | ||
What progress has been made towards this priority?
|
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| Priority | Type | Strategic Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Accountable Management | Ongoing | An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada |
| Summary of Progress | ||
What progress has been made towards this priority?
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Risk Analysis
Key Risks
| Risk | Risk Response Strategy | Link to Program Alignment Architecture |
|---|---|---|
| Fluctuating volume of applications and evolving nature of medical conditions |
|
An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada |
| Limited capacity to meet and respond to increasing corporate commitments |
|
Operating Environment and Program Delivery The Board’s operating environment is directly influenced by the unpredictability of both the nature and volume of applications. The main factor affecting the Board’s capacity to conduct hearings is the time required by applicants and representatives to prepare their cases and to request a hearing. As the geographical distribution of Veterans applying for a hearing can vary annually, the Board must be flexible to meet the evolving demand. For timely hearings in locations where the demand for hearings is low, the Board introduced a “split-hearing week” which involves a Review Panel travelling to two sites in the same week to hold hearings.
Communications The Board continued to highlight ongoing positive actions taken to improve the appeal process. In February 2015, the Ombudsman recognized these efforts, namely that the Board had made significant progress in implementing the recommendations from his 2012 report on judicial reviews. The Board continues to demonstrate and communicate its commitment to providing timely, respectful hearings and fair, plain-language decisions. To improve understanding of decision-making, the Board focused on giving applicants helpful information about the hearing process, and stakeholders and Canadians accurate information about its work. It published its inaugural Annual Report and begain planning for the establishment of a Twitter account to broaden its outreach.
Accountable Management Responding to audits and reporting to central agencies on new requirements continued to be a challenge with the Board’s existing resources. To address the additional demands, the Board strategically identified priorities, allocated personnel, and liaised with central agencies on how to meet the requirements. As part of its ongoing commitment to enhance program delivery, the Board initiated a program evaluation which will identify opportunities for improvement and provide information for future decision-making.
Actual Expenditures
| 2014-15 Main Estimates |
2014-15 Planned Spending |
2014-15 (Total Authorities Available for Use |
2014-15 Actual Spending (authorities used) |
Difference (actual minus planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,887,938 | 10,887,938 | 11,471,927 | 11,423,299 | 535,361 |
| 2014-15 Planned |
2014-15 Actual |
2014-15 Difference (actual minus planned) |
|---|---|---|
| 110 | 95 | (15) |
| Strategic Outcome, Program and Internal Services | 2014-15 Main Estimates | 2014-15 Planned Spending | 2014-15 Planned Spending | 2016-17 Planned Spending | 2014-15 Total Authorities Available for Use | 2014-15 Actual Spending (authorities used) | 2013-14 Actual Spending (authorities used) | 2012-13 Actual Spending (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic Outcome: An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada | ||||||||
| Review and Appeal | 10,887,938 | 10,887,938 | 10,886,563 | 10,886,963 | 11,471,927 | 11,423,299 | 11,458,088 | 11,963,471 |
| Internal Services | Internal Services to support the operations of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board are provided under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Veterans Affairs Canada. See Section II. | |||||||
| Total | 10,887,938 | 10,887,938 | 10,896,563 | 10,886,963 | 11,471,927 | 11,423,299 | 11,458,088 | 11,963,471 |
In 2014-15, the Board’s actual spending remained relatively stable at $11.4 million due to the nature of the Board's operations. A small variance of 4.9% from the total planned spending of $10.9 million reported in the 2014-15 Report on Plans and Priorities relates to a one-time transition payment for implementing salary payments in arrears by the Government of Canada as well as statutory budget items.
During the 2015-16 to 2016-17 planning period, the Board’s planned spending is expected to remain relatively stable. This will allow the Board to maintain the same high level of service to Veterans.
Alignment of Spending With the Whole-of-Government Framework
Alignment of 2014-15 Actual Spending With the Whole-of-Government Framework (dollars)
| Strategic Outcome | Program | Spending Area | Government of Canada Outcome |
2014-15 Actual Spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada |
Review and appeal | Economic Affairs | Income Security and Employment for Canadians |
11,423,299 |
Total Spending by Spending Area (dollars)
| Spending Area | Total Planned Spending | Total Actual Spending |
|---|---|---|
| Economic affairs | 10,887,938 | 11,423,299 |
| Social affairs | --- | --- |
| International affairs | --- | --- |
| Government affairs | --- | --- |
Departmental Spending Trend
Text Version
The figure illustrates VRAB's spending trend from 2012-2013 to 2017-2018
The image is a bar graph. It shows the spending trend by fiscal years from 2012-13 to 2017-18. The fiscal years are divided into three sections:
- Sunset Programs - Anticipated
- Statutory
- Voted
All amounts are in millions of dollars.
The following are the numbers by fiscal year for the Sunset Programs:
- For fiscal year 2012-13 the amount is 0.
- For fiscal year 2013-14 the amount is 0.
- For fiscal year 2014-15 the amount is 0.
- For the fiscal year 2015-16 the amount is 0.
- For the fiscal year 2016-17 the amount is 0.
- For the fiscal year 2017-18 the amount is 0.
The following are the numbers by fiscal year for the Statutory section:
- For fiscal year 2012-13 the amount is 1.6.
- For fiscal year 2013-14 the amount is 1.4.
- For fiscal year 2014-15 the amount is 1.3.
- For the fiscal year 2015-16 the amount is 1.4.
- For the fiscal year 2016-17 the amount is 1.4.
- For the fiscal year 2017-18 the amount is 1.4.
The following are the numbers by fiscal year for the Voted section:
- For fiscal year 2012-13 the amount is 10.4.
- For fiscal year 2013-14 the amount is 10.0.
- For fiscal year 2014-15 the amount is 10.1.
- For the fiscal year 2015-16 the amount is 9.5.
- For the fiscal year 2016-17 the amount is 9.5.
- For the fiscal year 2017-18 the amount is 9.5.
Expenditures by Vote
For information on the Veterans Review and Appeal Board’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2015 on the Public Works and Government Services Canada website.
Section II: Analysis of Program(s) by Strategic Outcome
Strategic Outcome: An independent and fair appeal process for disability pension, award and allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada
Performance Measurement
| Performance Indicators | Targets | Actual Results |
| Percentage of Board decisions overturned by the Federal Court | Less than 2% of Board decisions are overturned by the Federal Court | The Board met its performance target, with less than 0.2% of its decisions overturned by the Federal Court. |
An applicant who has exhausted all redress options with the Board and remains dissatisfied has the right to apply to the Federal Court for a judicial review of the decision. In 2014-15, the Federal Court / Federal Court of Appeal issued six rulings: four upheld the Board’s decision while two returned cases to the Board to be reheard. In 2014-15, 17 applicants requested a judicial review by the Federal Court which represented 1.5% of VRAB’s 1,148 appeal and reconsideration decisions that were eligible to be reviewed.
Program: Review and Appeal
Description
The Veterans Review and Appeal Board's program delivers the independent review and appeal process for disability pension and disability award decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada. It provides two levels of appeal for Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, Royal Canadian Mounted Police applicants, and their families who are dissatisfied with their disability pension and disability award decisions. The Board conducts hearings and issues written decisions. The Board's other key functions include hearing reviews and appeals of special award decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada relating to attendance allowances, exceptional incapacity allowances and clothing allowances; hearing the final level of appeal for War Veterans Allowance decisions; and adjudicating compassionate award applications.
| 2014-15 Main Estimates |
2014-15 Planned Spending |
2014-15 Total Authorities Available for Use |
2014-15 Actual Spending (authorities used) |
2014-15 Difference (actual minus planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,887,938 | 10,887,938 | 11,471,927 | 11,423,299 | 535,361 |
| 2014-15 Planned |
2014-15 Actual |
2014-15 Difference (actual minus planned) |
|---|---|---|
| 110 | 95 | (15) |
| Expected Result | Performance Indicators | Targets | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicants are provided with a fair appeal process | Average score of cases measured against criteria for fair hearings and quality decisions on a 1-to-3 scale. | 2 | 2 |
| Percentage of decisions issued within the published service standard. | 80% | 79% of 2,729 review decisions; 84% of 1,039 appeal decisions |
Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned
The Board’s priority is to provide applicants with respectful, timely hearings and fair decisions written in plain language. In 2014-15, the Board finalized 2,729 reviews, 1,039 appeals, 105 reconsiderations, and 4 War Veterans Allowance decisions. The Board focussed on addressing hearing and workload challenges by maximizing the scheduling of Members, and achieved an average processing time for applications (from registration to decision) of 198 days at review and 127 days at appeal. From the time an application is registered with the Board until the hearing is held, some of the preparation time is shared with the representative and Veteran, and therefore not within the Board’s control. Veterans were awarded new or increased benefits in 49% of review decisions and 43% of appeal decisions based on new evidence, their oral testimony, arguments by representatives, and the benefit of the doubt provision.
The performance results for decisions within the published service standard of six weeks were at 79% for reviews, slightly below the 80% target, and at 84% for appeals, exceeding the target. Recognizing a need for improvement, the Board focussed on identifying opportunities to increase productivity and issue timely decisions. The Board determined the need to enhance its pre-hearing support to help Members better prepare for hearings which, in turn, will reduce decision time frames.
The Board implemented a number of initiatives to ensure that applicants have the best possible experience with the appeal program. The Board:
- Implemented improvements and efficiencies identified in the Business Process Redesign of the Review and Appeal Hearing Process.
- Adjusted the annual hearing calendar and strategically scheduled cases to provide more timely hearings.
- Developed an information video for the Second Career Assistant Network (SCAN) seminars to help the CAF better understand VRAB’s program.
- Reviewed and clarified best practices for conducting a hearing, to build on positive feedback from applicants and improve the hearing experience.
- Initiated a program evaluation to identify opportunities to improve program delivery and inform decision-making.
Internal Services
Description
Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are Management and Oversight Services, Communications Services, Legal Services, Human Resources Management Services, Financial Management Services, Information Management Services, Information Technology Services, Real Property Services, Materiel Services, Acquisition Services, and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not those provided to a specific program.
The majority of the internal services to support the operations of the Board are provided under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by Veterans Affairs Canada through its Vote 1 – Operating Expenditures. This service relationship has been in place since the Board was created in 1995 and continues to capitalize on the efficiencies presented by the Portfolio Department providing internal services to a small Portfolio member. The MOU has been updated to ensure clarity in roles and responsibilities and to preserve the Board’s independence. These services are provided without charge to the Board’s appropriations, with the exception of certain services that are more appropriate for the Board to deliver itself. The Board has responsibility for the administration of requests made under the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act as well as management of information collected and retained by the Board.
| 2014-15 Main Estimates |
2014-15 Planned Spending |
2014-15 Total Authorities Available for Use |
2014-15 Actual Spending (authorities used) |
2014-15 Difference (actual minus planned) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Services to support the operations of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board are provided under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Veterans Affairs Canada. | ||||
| 2014-15 Planned |
2014-15 Actual |
2014-15 Difference (actual minus planned) |
|---|---|---|
| Internal Services to support the operations of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board are provided under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Veterans Affairs Canada. | ||
Performance Analysis and Lessons Learned
The Board worked within the MOU for Internal Services developed with Veterans Affairs Canada.
Section III: Supplementary Information
Financial Statements Highlights
Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited)
For the Year Ended March 31, 2015
(dollars)
| Financial Information | 2014-15 Planned Results | 2014-15 Actual | 2013-14 Actual | Difference (2014-15 actual minus 2014-15 planned) | Difference (2014-15 actual minus 2013-14 actual) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 12,263,655 | 12,541,339 | 12,101,140 | 277,684 | 440,199 |
| Total revenues | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 12,263,655 | 12,541,339 | 12,101,140 | 277,684 | 440,199 |
The expenses of the Board for 2014-15 were relatively consistent in comparison to those in 2013-14. Overall spending from continuing operations increased by $ 0.4 million (4%) in comparison to those in 2013-14. This is mainly attributable to the increase in allowance for employee severance.
Condenses Statement of Financial Position (unaudited)
As at March 31, 2015
(dollars)
| Financial Information | 2014-15 | 2013-14 | Difference (2014-15 minus 2013-14) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total net liabilities | 1,534,534 | 1,141,774 | 392,760 |
| Total net financial assets | 760,165 | 465,916 | 294,249 |
| Departmental net debt | 774,369 | 675,858 | 98,511 |
| Total non-financial assets | --- | --- | --- |
| Departmental net financial position |
(774,369) | (675,858) | (98,511) |
Net liabilities increased by approximately $400 thousand in 2015. This is mainly attributable to the increase in accrued liabilities and employee severance liability. Net financial assets increased by $294 thousand which is attributable to an increase in the amount due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to discharge existing liabilities.
Financial Statements
The Board’s financial statements are available on the Veterans Review and Appeal Board’s Web site.
Supplementary Information Tables
The supplementary information tables listed in the 2014–15 Departmental Performance Report can be found on the Veterans Review and Appeal Board’s website.
Tax Expenditures and Evaluations
The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures annually in the Tax Expenditures and Evaluations publication. The tax measures presented in the Tax Expenditures and Evaluations publication are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.
Section IV: Organizational Contact Information
Veterans Review and Appeal Board
161 Grafton Street
PO Box 9900
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 8V7
Canada
website: http://www-vrab-tacra.gc.ca
Appendix: Definitions
appropriation (crédit): Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires): Include operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
Departmental Performance Report (rapport ministériel sur le rendement): Reports on an appropriated organization’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Reports on Plans and Priorities. These reports are tabled in Parliament in the fall.
full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein): Is a measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
Government of Canada outcomes (résultats du gouvernement du Canada): A set of 16 high-level objectives defined for the government as a whole, grouped in four spending areas: economic affairs, social affairs, international affairs and government affairs.
Management, Resources and Results Structure (Structure de la gestion, des ressources et des résultats): A comprehensive framework that consists of an organization’s inventory of programs, resources, results, performance indicators and governance information. Programs and results are depicted in their hierarchical relationship to each other and to the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute. The Management, Resources and Results Structure is developed from the Program Alignment Architecture.
non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires): Include net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
performance (rendement): What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve and how well lessons learned have been identified.
performance indicator (indicateur de rendement): A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement): The process of communicating evidence-based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.
planned spending (dépenses prévues): For Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPPs) and Departmental Performance Reports (DPRs), planned spending refers to those amounts that receive Treasury Board approval by February 1. Therefore, planned spending may include amounts incremental to planned expenditures presented in the Main Estimates.
A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their RPPs and DPRs.
plan (plan): The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.
priorities (priorité): Plans or projects that an organization has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired Strategic Outcome(s).
program (programme): A group of related resource inputs and activities that are managed to meet specific needs and to achieve intended results and that are treated as a budgetary unit.
Program Alignment Architecture (architecture d’alignement des programmes): A structured inventory of an organization’s programs depicting the hierarchical relationship between programs and the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute.
Report on Plans and Priorities (rapport sur les plans et les priorités): Provides information on the plans and expected performance of appropriated organizations over a three-year period. These reports are tabled in Parliament each spring.
result (résultat): An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.
statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives): Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
Strategic Outcome (résultat stratégique): A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.
sunset program (programme temporisé): A time-limited program that does not have an ongoing funding and policy authority. When the program is set to expire, a decision must be made whether to continue the program. In the case of a renewal, the decision specifies the scope, funding level and duration.
target (cible): A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
voted expenditures (dépenses votées): Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The Vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.
whole-of-government framework (cadre pangouvernemental): Maps the financial contributions of federal organizations receiving appropriations by aligning their Programs to a set of 16 government-wide, high-level outcome areas, grouped under four spending areas.