Thank you, Minister Wilkinson.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and committee members.
My name is Jen O'Donoughue, and I'm the chief financial officer of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
We're pleased to be here today to provide an overview of the 2019-20 main estimates.
I prepared brief remarks allowing time for any questions the committee may have.
We are in the second year of the new estimates reform process and its purpose is to improve the alignment between the federal budget and estimates. The President of the Treasury Board tabled interim estimates back on January 28 to ensure departments were able to start the fiscal year.
The key change for estimates reform remains the timing of main estimates, which now follow budgets. The main estimates were tabled on April 11. As with all supply bills, they were referred to committee where the contents are studied before voting takes place, thus our presence here today.
Contrary to last year, itemized budget implementation votes are now included in the departmental vote hierarchies rather than in one single consolidated vote within the Treasury Board Secretariat. Specifically for DFO, items are included under votes 15 and 20. Similar to last year, budget 2019 items will only be made available to the regular expenditure vote of the department once they have gone through the scrutiny and due diligence of the Treasury Board Secretariat and are approved by Treasury Board ministers.
The department's 2019-20 main estimates totalled $2.994 billion, including statutory authorities. This represents an increase of $548 million when compared to the 2018-19 main estimates. As indicated by the minister, the biggest increase, $151 million, is related to the procurement of icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. Three icebreakers were purchased in August 2018 and due to timing this funding was not included in the 2018-19 main estimates. Funding was sought in-year via the 2018-19 supplementary estimates (A).
The next large increase in funding is for the renewal of Canada's network of small craft harbours. Budget 2018 announced $250 million, of which $150 million is included in these main estimates. Due to timing, as well, year one funding was not included in our 2018-19 main estimates.
We also have a $135-million increase in funding for the ongoing engineering work related to the Canadian Coast Guard's offshore oceanographic science vessel.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be here this afternoon to present our 2019-20 main estimates.