Canadian Space Agency's Quarterly Financial Report for the Quarter Ended
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ISSN 2564-4262
Management Statement for the Quarter Ended
1. Introduction
In this section
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. This quarterly financial report should be read in conjunction with the - Main EstimatesFootnote 1.
1.1 Mandate and Program Activities
The Canadian Space Agency's (CSA) mandate is to promote the peaceful use and development of space, to advance the knowledge of space through science and to ensure that space science and technologies provide social and economic benefits for Canadians.
More information is available on the CSA's mandate and on the departmental results framework in the - Departmental PlanFootnote 1.
1.2 Basis of Presentation
This quarterly financial report (QFR) has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The Statement of Authorities annexed to this report includes the CSA's spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the CSA, consistent with the Main Estimates and Supplementary estimates voted as at , for fiscal year - compared to -. This QFR 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.
The CSA uses the full accrual method of accounting to prepare and present its annual financial statements, which are part of the departmental performance reporting process. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis, which is, a partial accrual method of accounting. The partial accrual method of accounting includes disbursements as well as some accruals for salaries and salary allowances.
This QFR report has not been subject to an external audit. However, it was reviewed by the members of the CSA Audit Committee, who are satisfied with its presentation and content.
2. Highlights of the Quarterly Financial Results
In this section
This section highlights the significant elements that contributed to the changes to the authorities available for the fiscal year, as well as to the quarterly and year-to-date expenditures for the quarter ended .
The following graph provides an overview of the variations in the available authorities and the expenditures. Additional details on these variations are provided in sections 2.1 and 2.2 as well as in the appended annexes.
| Authorities | Quarterly Expenditures |
Year to Date Expenditures |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year - | 441.3 | 80.6 | 194.5 |
| Fiscal Year - | 449.6 | 62.4 | 173.5 |
Totals may not add up due to rounding.
2.1 Significant Changes in the Authorities (Total Votes Available for Use) between fiscal years - and -.
The total votes available for use as at , is $441.3 million, which represents an increase of $8.3 million compared to the same period in the previous year.
| Authorities (in thousands of dollars) | - | - | Variance | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote 1 - Operating expenditures | 232,089 | 202,886 | 29,203 | 14% |
| Vote 5 - Capital expenditures | 103,443 | 155,522 | (52,079) | (33%) |
| Vote 10 - Grants and contributions | 94,630 | 80,294 | 14,336 | 18% |
| Contributions to employee benefit plans | 11,086 | 10,821 | 265 | 2% |
| Spending of proceeds from the disposal of surplus Crown assets | 55 | 33 | 22 | 67% |
| Total budgetary authorities | 441,303 | 449,556 | (8,253) | (2%) |
The increase of $29.2 million in Vote 1 – Operating expenditures is mainly explained by the following items:
- An increase of $19.9 million for Canadarm3 project related activities.
- An increase of $12.4 million for International Space Station (ISS) related activities.
- An increase of $8.6 million for Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM) related activities.
- An increase of $3.3 million for Stimulus-related activities, related to the downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. A decrease of $6.1 million resulting from a budgetary transfer from the Operating Vote to the Grants and Contributions Vote.
- A decrease of $3.2 million related to the amount of operating budget carryover in -22 lower than that received in -21.
- A decrease of $2.5 million for activities related to the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP).
- The residual difference consists of multiple variations inherent to the Canadian Space Program (CSP) Resource Management. They result from the fact that budgetary requirements by vote are not linear from one year to the next, requiring vote transfers or fund carry forwards to another fiscal year.
The decrease of $52.1 million in Vote 5 – Capital expenditures is mainly explained by the following items:
- A decrease of $72.8 million for Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM) project-related activities.
- A decrease of $5.9 million for activities related to the Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) project.
- A decrease of $5.5 million related to the amount of capital budget carryover in -22 lower than that received in 2020-21.
- A decrease of $3.4 million resulting from a budgetary transfer from the Capital Vote to the Grants and Contribution Vote.
- An increase of $19.9 million for activities related to the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP).
- An increase of $16.5 million for International Space Station (ISS) related activities.
The increase of $14.3 million in Vote 10 – Grants and Contributions expenditures is mainly explained by the following items:
- An increase of $9.5 million resulting from a budgetary transfer from the Operating and Capital Votes to the Grants and Contributions Vote for, among other things, the LEAP project, the Smart Earth Utiliterre program and the Space Technology Development program.
- An increase of $1.4 million for activities related to the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP).
- A decrease of $3.3 million for Stimulus-related activities, related to the slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The residual difference consists of multiple variations inherent to the Canadian Space Program (CSP) Resource Management. They result from the fact that budgetary requirements by vote are not linear from one year to the next, requiring vote transfers or fund carry forwards to another fiscal year.
2.2 Significant Changes in the Quarterly and Year-to-Date Expenditures (Votes Used) between fiscal years - and -.
Cumulative expenditures for the three months ended are $194.5 million and represent a cumulative increase of $21 million over the same period last year. Quarterly expenditures are $80.6 million and represent an increase of $18.2 million from the same quarter last year.
| Expenditures by Vote (in thousands of dollars) |
- | - | Variance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | Year to date | Quarterly | Year to date | Quarterly | Year to date | |
| Vote 1 - Operating expenditures | 53,284 | 129,219 | 43,508 | 107,801 | 9,776 | 21,418 |
| Vote 5 - Capital expenditures | 7,696 | 15,232 | 12,670 | 25,620 | (4,974) | (10,388) |
| Vote 10 - Grants and contributions | 16,853 | 41,729 | 3,587 | 32,216 | 13,266 | 9,513 |
| Contributions to employee benefit plans | 2,771 | 8,314 | 2,617 | 7,852 | 154 | 462 |
| Spending of proceeds from the disposal of surplus Crown assets | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total budgetary expenditures by Vote | 80,604 | 194,494 | 62,382 | 173,489 | 18,222 | 21,005 |
The increase of $9.8 million in quarterly expenditures and $21.4 million in year-to-date expenditures in Vote 1 – Operating Expenses, is primarily due to:
- An increase in personnel, the ratification of collective agreements, as well as an increase in non-capitalizable salary expenses mainly related to the Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM), and the payment schedule related to the Canadarm3 project.
The $5 million decrease in quarterly expenditures and $10.4 million decrease in cumulative expenditures in Vote 5 – Capital Expenditures are primarily due to:
- A decrease in the payment schedule for the Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM) and for activities related to the Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) project.
The increase of $13.3 million in quarterly expenditures and $9.5 million in cumulative expenditures in Vote 10 - Grants and Contributions is primarily due to:
- The variations in the payment schedule to the European Space Agency (ESA).
| Expenditures by Standard Object (in thousands of dollars) | - | - | Variance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | Year to date | Quarterly | Year to date | Quarterly | Year to date | |
| Personnel | 17,259 | 60,678 | 20,773 | 60,593 | (3,514) | 85 |
| Transportation and communications | 2,282 | 3,006 | 268 | 813 | 2,014 | 2,193 |
| Information | 455 | 959 | 355 | 1,231 | 100 | (272) |
| Professional and special services | 40,107 | 77,605 | 28,805 | 59,784 | 11,302 | 17,821 |
| Rentals | 773 | 1,983 | 1,050 | 2,056 | (277) | (73) |
| Repair and maintenance | 413 | 1,113 | 1,737 | 2,454 | (1,324) | (1,341) |
| Utilities, materials and supplies | 293 | 779 | 239 | 1,026 | 54 | (247) |
| Acquisition of land, buildings and works | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Acquisition of machinery and equipment | 1,987 | 4,490 | 4,824 | 10,721 | (2,837) | (6,231) |
| Transfer payments | 16,853 | 41,729 | 3,587 | 32,216 | 13,266 | 9,513 |
| Other subsidies and payments | 181 | 2,152 | 744 | 2,595 | (563) | (443) |
| Total budgetary expenditures by Standard Object | 80,603 | 194,494 | 62,382 | 173,489 | 18,221 | 21,005 |
The $3.5 million decrease in quarterly expenditures for the personal line item is primarily due to:
- A change in the timing of salary payments.
The $2 million increase in quarterly expenditures and $2,2 million increase in year-to-date expenditures for the transportation and communication standard object are primarily causes by:
- Variations in the payment schedule of the Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM).
The $11.3 million increase in quarterly expenditures and $17.8 million increase in year-to-date expenditures for the Professional and Special Services standard object are primarily caused by:
- Variations in the payment schedule for the Canadarm3 project, Gateway External Robotic Interfaces (GERI), the Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM) and the Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) project.
The $1.3 million decrease in quarterly expenditures and in year-to-date expenditures for the repair and maintenance standard object are primarily causes by:
- Variation in the payment schedule related to the David Florida Laboratory (DFL) Capital Infrastructure Maintenance Project.
The $2.9 million decrease in quarterly expenditures and $6.2 million decrease in year-to-date expenditures for the standard Acquisition of Machinery and Equipment line item are primarily due to:
- A decrease in the payment schedule for the Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM) and International Space Station (ISS) related maintenance activities.
The increase of $13.3 million in quarterly expenditures and $9.5 million in year-to-date expenditures for the Transfer Payments standard object is primarily due to:
- The variations in the payment schedule to the European Space Agency (ESA).
3. Risks and Uncertainties
The year-to-date expenditures for the 3rd quarter of - represent 44% of the planned expenditures for the year ending , whereas 75% of the fiscal year has passed. The level of expenditures is higher than it was in the - fiscal year (39%) and lower than the - fiscal year (50%). The situation presents no concerns since the cumulative expenditures will be restored at year-end when the accruals are recorded, in accordance with the full accrual method of accounting, combined with the deferral of budgets to the following year.
COVID-19, declared a pandemic in , had an impact on our financial performance. The pandemic has resulted in governments worldwide enacting emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus. The Government of Canada has announced a set of economic measures to help stabilize the economy during this challenging period. In this context, the future impact on the Canadian and global economies, including our business, for the rest of - and thereafter remains uncertain.
The specific nature of the Canadian Space Program confronts the CSA with issues related to the advanced technologies used in space missions as well as the international aspect of some projects. For Canada, activities in space must be carried out in partnership with other spacefaring nations, using innovative and cost-efficient technologies. The international nature and technical challenges associated with developing and implementing disruptive technologies, in collaboration with multiple partners, generate risks in the delivery of projects. Also, the possibility of a disruption of services or unauthorized disclosure of information resulting from a cybersecurity event poses an additional risk to the agency's operations. These elements translate into financial risks associated with the use of funds such as the deferral of funds and costs increases.
Risks also arise from the Canada / European Space Agency (ESA) Cooperation Agreement. They include variations in amounts payable resulting from changes in the Gross National Product (GNP) statistics, the fluctuation of the Canadian dollar against the euro (exchange rate), inflation and the enforcement of the ESA's industrial policy. These risks have an impact on both costs and cash flow profiles.
To mitigate these risks, the CSA regularly reviews its project portfolio, activity plans, schedules and financial management strategies to adjust to changes brought on by the space programs of its key partners (National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), ESA and other space agencies). In addition, rigorous project management practices are in place, as well as cybersecurity risk mitigation measures. These initiatives allow the CSA to track and report on the progress of its commitments, to assess the effectiveness of its work, and to align its resources with its priorities.
Furthermore, the CSA manages its financial risks and uncertainties related to Phoenix by adopting risk mitigating strategies. There are a number of actions that the CSA has taken to date to help stabilize the pay system, and to ensure that the employees are being paid accurately and on time. As one of the departments whose accounts have not been migrated to the Pay Centre, the CSA continues to offer on-site compensation services. The compensation team, whose size fluctuates to meet demand, monitors closely for payroll inaccuracies and communicates directly with employees to provide clarifications and to take, when needed, swift actions to rectify issues. The team also participates actively in various working groups and other forums led by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and/or Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). Beyond this, the staff in Finance regularly performs salary reconciliations to monitor and correct expense variances.
4. Significant Changes in Relation to Operations, Personnel and Programs
During the three first quarter of -, the majority of CSA employees continued to work remotely to maintain the department's operations in the context of the pandemic. Presence on site is reserved to personnel identified to support a critical service impossible to perform remotely.
Approval by Senior Officials
Approved by,
The original version was signed by Lisa Campbell, President, in Longueuil, Quebec, on .
The original version was signed by Jean-Claude Piedboeuf, B. Ing., Ph.D., Chief Financial Officer and General Manager, Corporate Services in Longueuil, Quebec, on .
Annex 1
| Fiscal Year - | Fiscal Year - | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total available for use for the year ending Footnote * $ |
Used during the quarter ended $ |
Year to date used at quarter-end $ |
Total available for use for the year ending Footnote * $ |
Used during the quarter ended $ |
Year to date used at quarter-end $ |
|
| Vote 1: Operating expenditures | 232,089 | 53,284 | 129,219 | 202,886 | 43,508 | 107,801 |
| Vote 5: Capital expenditures | 103,443 | 7,695 | 15,232 | 155,522 | 12,670 | 25,620 |
| Vote 10: Grants and contributions | 94,630 | 16,853 | 41,729 | 80,294 | 3,587 | 32,216 |
| Contributions to employee benefit plans |
11,086 | 2,771 | 8,314 | 10,821 | 2,617 | 7,852 |
| Spending of proceeds from the disposal of surplus Crown assets |
55 | - | - | 33 | - | - |
| Total budgetary authorities | 441,303 | 80,603 | 194,494 | 449,556 | 62,382 | 173,489 |
Annex 2
| Expenditures: | Fiscal Year - | Fiscal Year - | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned expenditures for the year ending $ |
Expended during the quarter ended $ |
Year to date used at quarter-end $ |
Planned expenditures for the year ending $ |
Expended during the quarter ended $ |
Year to date used at quarter-end $ |
|
| Personnel | 88,432 | 17,259 | 60,678 | 82,865 | 20,773 | 60,593 |
| Transportation and communications | 10,453 | 2,282 | 3,006 | 4,330 | 268 | 813 |
| Information | 1,781 | 455 | 959 | 1,486 | 355 | 1,231 |
| Professional and special services | 227,657 | 40,107 | 77,605 | 244,831 | 28,805 | 59,784 |
| Rentals | 4,614 | 773 | 1,983 | 2,972 | 1,050 | 2,056 |
| Repair and maintenance | 5,465 | 413 | 1,113 | 2,102 | 1,737 | 2,454 |
| Utilities, materials and supplies | 1,410 | 293 | 779 | 3,631 | 239 | 1,026 |
| Acquisition of land, buildings and works | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Acquisition of machinery and equipment | 4,212 | 1,987 | 4,490 | 24,313 | 4,824 | 10,721 |
| Transfer payments | 94,630 | 16,853 | 41,729 | 80,294 | 3,587 | 32,216 |
| Other subsidies and payments | 2,649 | 181 | 2,152 | 2,732 | 744 | 2,595 |
| Total budgetary expenditures | 441,303 | 80,603 | 194,494 | 449,556 | 62,382 | 173,489 |
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