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Supplementary Estimates (C) 2016-17
Summary
The Supplementary Estimates (C) ask Parliament for $2.5 billion to spend in the last weeks of the fiscal year. This is partially offset by a $1.0 billion reduction in statutory spending. This brings total planned budgetary spending for the current fiscal year to $257.7 billion.
The single largest proposed spending increase stems from collective agreements with public service employees that may be ratified prior to the end of the fiscal year (+$545 million). There are also significant new outlays arising from the transfer of federal dams to the Government of Saskatchewan (+$350 million), student loan write-offs (+$178 million), humanitarian assistance (+$165 million), international development (+$155 million) and improved border security (+$93 million).
The PBO notes that while 33 Budget 2016 items with a total value of $6.0 billion were included in Supplementary Estimates (A), the inclusion of 73 Budget 2016 items in Supplementary Estimates (B) and (C) indicates that further work will be required to align the Budget and the Main Estimates.
The Government indicates that $3.0 billion of the money approved by Parliament has been administratively “frozen” and will not be spent this year as originally intended. Of this amount, $2.1 billion is related to deferring planned spending to future years.
Parliamentarians may wish to enquire about the reasons for delays in program implementation that have led to the reprofiling of funds.
