They are not salaried employees.
Actually, consultants can be hired in a number of ways in the government. In terms of access to information, we hire them through a mechanism implemented by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), formerly Public Works. So we make a request through that system; we then conduct interviews and finally do the hiring.
The amount of $1.8 million we receive will help us hire them until March 31 of the next fiscal year.