Clone of Quarterly Financial Report ending June 30, 2018

Copyright Board of Canada Statement outlining results, risks and significant changes in operations, personnel and program for the Quarter Ended June 30, 2018

Introduction:

This quarterly report has been prepared by management as required by section 65.1 of the Financial Administration Act (FAA) and in the form and manner prescribed by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS). This quarterly report should be read in conjunction with the Main Estimates.

The Copyright Board of Canada (the Board) is an independent administrative agency that has been conferred department status for purposes of the FAA. Its mandate is set out in the Copyright Act (the "Act"). The Board is empowered to establish, either mandatorily or at the request of an interested party, the royalties to be paid for the use of copyrighted works when the administration of such works is entrusted to a collective administrative society.

The Board's program objective is to set royalties which are fair and equitable to both copyright owners and users of copyright-protected works. This includes setting fair and equitable terms and conditions so as to permit the use of works when the owner of the copyright cannot be located.

Basis of Presentation:

This quarterly report has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the Board's spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the Board, consistent with the Main Estimates for the 2018-19 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 moneys 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.

As part of the performance reporting process, the Board prepares its annual departmental financial statements on a full accrual basis in accordance with TBS accounting policies, which are based on Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis.

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

Highlights of Fiscal Quarter Results:

The total authorities used during the quarter ended June 30, 2018 were $735,000, a decrease of $91,000 when comparing to the same quarter last year. This decrease mostly reflects a corresponding decrease in net operating expenditures.

The decrease in net budgetary expenditures for the quarter ending June 30, 2018 is a result of several factors. Information expenditures decreased by $47,000, the expenditures in Professional and special services also decreased by $47,000, and those on rentals, by $11,000. This was only partially compensated by an increase of $13,000 in Acquisition of machinery and equipment expenditures. All of these changes in expenditures reflected changes in operational needs.

Risks and Uncertainties:

The Board is funded through annual appropriations. As a result, its operations are impacted by any changes in funding approved through Parliament.

The Board's most significant expenditure is personnel which represents about 60% of its planned expenditures. This implies that whenever an employee departs due to retirement or resignation or a new employee is hired to replace the departing one, there is a risk of substantial variation in quarterly expenditures.

In addition, the Board's expenditures are influenced by the number and complexity of tariffs that it has to establish. A significant increase in the number of hearings can result in resource pressures.

Significant Changes in Relation to Operations, Personnel and Programs:

There have been no significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and programs this fiscal year.

Approval by Senior Officials

Approved by,

Claude Majeau Deputy Head
Gilles McDougall Chief Financial Officer

Statement of Authorities (unaudited)

  Fiscal Year 2018-19
(in thousand of dollars) Total available for use for the year ending March 31, 2019* Used during the quarter ended June 30, 2018 Year to date used at quarter-end
Vote 45 - Net Operating expenditures 3,022 661 661
Budgetary statutory authorities      
Employee benefit plans 297 74 74
Total authorities 3,319 735 735
* Includes approved estimates documents as at quarter end.
       
  Fiscal Year 2017-18
(in thousand of dollars) Total available for use for the year ending March 31, 2018* Used during the quarter ended June 30, 2017 Year to date used at quarter-end
Vote 45 - Net Operating expenditures 3,002 758 758
Budgetary statutory authorities      
Employee benefit plans 272 68 68
Total authorities 3,274 826 826
* Includes approved estimates documents as at quarter end.
       

Table 1: Departmental budgetary expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)

  Fiscal Year 2018-19
(in thousand of dollars) Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2019* Expended during the quarter ended June 30, 2018 Year to date used at quarter-end
Expenditures      
Personnel 2,249 488 488
Transportation and communications 60 8 8
Information 185 102 102
Professional and special services 630 98 98
Rentals 95 8 8
Repair and maintenance 5 4 4
Utilities, materials and supplies 80 12 12
Acquisition of machinery and equipment 15 14 14
Other subsidies and payments - 1 1
Total net budgetary expenditures 3,319 735 735
* Includes approved estimates documents as at quarter end.
       
  Fiscal Year 2017-18
(in thousand of dollars) Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2018* Expended during the quarter ended June 30, 2017 Year to date used at quarter-end
Expenditures      
Personnel 2,205 485 485
Transportation and communications 50 14 14
Information 140 149 149
Professional and special services 639 145 145
Rentals 120 19 19
Repair and maintenance 30 3 3
Utilities, materials and supplies 60 6 6
Acquisition of machinery and equipment 30 1 1
Other subsidies and payments - 4 4
Total net budgetary expenditures 3,274 826 826
* Includes approved estimates documents as at quarter end.