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Internal Services2020–21 Departmental Results Report

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of Programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct services that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are:

  • Management and Oversight Services
  • Communications Services
  • Legal Services
  • Human Resources Management Services
  • Financial Management Services
  • Information Management Services
  • Information Technology Services
  • Real Property Management Services
  • Materiel Management Services
  • Acquisition Management Services

Results

To support the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer in achieving its agency-level results, Internal Services provided essential support and oversight to election administrators and election workers. As the operational arm of the agency remained focused on preparing for the next general election and ensuring integrity in electoral democracy, Internal Services provided transparent, effective, and efficient activities to support electoral needs such as by:

  • procuring and acquiring goods and services;
  • supplying technology and telecommunications products and services;
  • transforming existing facilities and securing new office spaces to promote the health and safety of employees working on-site;
  • establishing budgets; and
  • processing payments.

Internal Services played a key role in supporting IT-enabled projects. A proof of concept was undertaken to better understand the opportunities and challenges related to implementing a new solution for electronic financial returns that would facilitate reporting on expenses incurred during general elections and by-elections.

In addition to supporting the preparations for the next general election, Internal Services began providing the tools and resources to actualize commitments in the 2020–28 Strategic Plan.xxxi The initiatives undertaken included:

  • renewing the internal audit function;
  • establishing an evaluation function;
  • developing the Workforce Innovation Strategy; and
  • developing the Digital Transformation Strategy, which outlines the business vision and digital principles intended to guide the transformation within the agency.

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer also completed the migration of its financial systems to a modern and reliable Government of Canada solution. This work was performed collaboratively with the host of the standard solution, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Above and beyond the technical efforts required to perform the migration, this work included the review of existing data, extensive training of financial management employees, and change management and awareness sessions for Elections Canada and the Office of Commissioner of Canada Elections users.

Planned Budgetary Financial Resources for Internal Services
2020–21
Main Estimates
2020–21
Planned spending1
2020–21
Total authorities available for use2
2020–21
Actual spending (authorities used)
2020–21
Difference (Actual spending minus Planned spending)
44,188,889 44,188,889 58,228,280 57,501,257 13,312,368

The difference of $13.3 million is primarily a result of preparation costs for the 44th general election, as well as investments in asset renewal projects such as the replacement of the financial systems being incurred sooner than planned and the informatic equipment required for employees teleworking due to the pandemic.

Note 1: Planned spending is the amount the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer planned to spend in a given fiscal year, as set out in the Main Estimates and in the Departmental Plan for that year.

Note 2: Total authorities available for use refer to the authorities available for spending in a given fiscal year, including those granted after Main Estimates and adjustments for statutory spending.

Planned Human Resources for Internal Services
2020–21
Planned full-time equivalents
2020–21
Actual full-time equivalents
2020–21
Difference (Actual full-time equivalents minus Planned full-time equivalents)
244 262 18

The difference of 18 full-time equivalents is mainly a result of the requirement to hire additional temporary employees to prepare for the 44th general election.

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer's Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.xxxii

Footnotes

Footnote xxxi 2020–28 Strategic Plan, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=abo&dir=stra&document=index&lang=e

Footnote xxxii GC InfoBase, https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html