Details on Transfer Payment Programs of under $5 million

July 1972

Ongoing

Contribution

Appropriated annually through the Estimates

2016-17

Transport Canada manages its assets effectively

Transportation Infrastructure Program

To assist designated airports in financing eligible operating deficits to ensure essential operations and maintenance are completed at those airports.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

The immediate and intermediate outcomes are as follows:

• Airports remained open year round to provide air service to remote communities and to serve the medical airplane;
• The level of safety has been maintained or improved.

The end result is as follows:

• Airports remain certified operational.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

This Program was last evaluated in 2016-17. There are no immediate plans to evaluate as it is a low priority/risk to the department.

• Discuss with the beneficiaries to ensure that the terms of the contribution agreement are clear and understood;
• Complete an annual review of the budget by comparing the income and expenses from previous years for each of budgeted posts;
• Maintain a permanent dialogue with the beneficiaries;
• Follow up with the beneficiaries on project activities, funding requirements and reporting requirements.

The objective of this Program is to make supplemental pension payments to former employees of Newfoundland Railways, Steamships and Telecommunications Services who transferred to Canadian National Railway following the union of Newfoundland with Canada. Transport Canada assumed responsibility for the portion of pension costs not payable by Canadian National Railway or the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for the transferred employees.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

The overall objective of the Community Participation Funding Program (CPFP) is to encourage the effective participation of Indigenous and local communities (as well as increase the capacity of those communities) to engage and share their knowledge and expertise in the development and improvement of Canada’s marine transportation system, including area response planning activities.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, fewer than expected CPFP-related consultations took place. In 2020-2021, we funded 25 projects. Projects in 2020-2021 primarily focussed on:

• The Cumulative Effects of Marine Shipping initiative; and
• Oceans Protection Plan (OPP) Dialogue Forums. The Forums, which began in 2017, are an opportunity to receive information about, and get engaged in OPP initiatives.

In 2020-2021, we also looked at ways to streamline the CPFP. As a result of this analysis, starting in 2021-22, instead of grant recipients being required to submit invoices to us, recipients will receive a lump-sum payment of up to $5,000 per project* based upon their estimated consultation project costs. This change will allow us to:

• Improve client service as payments to project recipients will be, on average, faster;
• Better forecast CPFP grant expenditures;
• Reduce the administrative burden for both the recipient and for Transport Canada; and
• Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Program as lapsed (i.e., unclaimed) funding will largely be eliminated.

*Note: There is flexibility to fund projects that require more than $5,000, but these are treated on a case-by-case basis and only with a strong rationale.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

Officials responsible for this transfer payment program consult with applicants and recipients regarding the funding of CPFP grant program through:

• Open Call for Proposals; and
• Information sessions and various meetings.

Applicants and recipients also have access to a Program email inbox and Project Advisors are in place to ensure that the funding is used for its intended purposes.

The differences between actual activities undertaken and planned activities outlined in the 2020-2021 Departmental Plan are that activities/consultations have been reduced due to COVID restrictions and Indigenous capacity to engage due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

The goal of this Program, which is known publicly as the Boating Safety Contribution Program (BSCP), is to promote boating safety and advance boating safety among waterway users through education and awareness. The Program consists of three components:

• Recreational boating safety;
• Commercial fishing safety; and
• Small vessel safety.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the BSCP encountered many challenges throughout the fiscal year. In 2020-21, for the:

• Small vessel safety component, which is a new short-term (two fiscal years, $1 million per year from 2020-21 to 2021-22) component to the BSCP, we:
  • Received approval from the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) to amend the Program’s Terms and Conditions (Ts&Cs) to include Indigenous groups and communities as an eligible recipient; and
  • Delayed the 2020-21 Call for Proposals until late in the fiscal year to fund projects while awaiting TBS approval to amend the Ts&Cs. As a result, this component will now be delivered over one fiscal year only (2021-22). Nevertheless, the Call for Proposals under the small vessel safety component yielded 14 approved projects to begin in 2021-22; and
• Recreational boating safety component:
  • Eight new projects were approved;
  • A Call for Proposals under the recreational boating safety component was launched, and for which 10 projects were approved;
  • Nine out of 16 ongoing projects had to delay activities due to COVID-19 restrictions, with some funding being delayed until future fiscal years; and
  • Three one-year projects were completed.

In spite of project delays and other COVID-19 challenges, it is critical that we continue to fund boating safety activities, including recreational education and awareness initiatives. The number^{Footnote 1} of new/first-time recreational boaters has grown significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadians have sought to participate in leisure activities that are low-risk vis-à-vis COVID-19, of which recreational boating has been one of the few options.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

This Program was evaluated in 2015-16. There are no immediate plans to evaluate as it is a low priority/risk to the department.

Officials responsible for this transfer payment program consult with applicants and recipients through:

• Call for proposals;
• Information sessions to provide guidance on the Program and application process;
• Various meetings and committees; and
• Annual and final claims and project reports.

Applicants and recipients also have access to a Program email inbox and Project Advisors are in place to ensure project implementation, monitoring and progress reporting functions are available.

Consultations are also provided by the Office of Boating Safety for subject matter expert-related information.

The Outaouais Road Development Agreement (ORA) makes contributions to the Government of Quebec for highway efficiency and safety improvements in the Outaouais region, while encouraging regional and industrial development and tourism in the National Capital Region.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

This program provides funding to support major rehabilitation work on the Victoria Bridge related to the roadway, including the repair of structural elements and the improvement of its approaches and signalization. These activities will ensure the bridge remains safe and that commuters in the Montreal region can access its roadway.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

Officials monitor the progress of the works through meetings with the recipient.

CN was able to start construction work in April 2021.

To provide funding to projects that improve the safety of air transport operations in parts of the world that require assistance.

The projects under this Program involve cooperative agreements between defined groups of states, with the goal of achieving a safe, efficient and sustainable aviation system.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

This Program:

• Promotes a clean transportation system by reducing air pollutants and/or greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by measuring or improving the intensity of these emissions; and
• Encourages the transportation sector to innovate, develop and/or adopt technologies and practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or the emissions intensity of air pollutants.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

In 2020-21, this Program:

• Approved 8 projects for grant funding from a call for proposals that was launched in 2019-20
• Launched a new call for proposals to fund projects that advance new clean technology innovations, practices or research in the marine, rail or aviation transportation modes.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

The purpose of the Northern Transportation Adaptation Initiative is to provide federal support, in the form of grants or contributions, for a series of measures designed to develop and implement new innovative technologies, advance knowledge and ensure capacity-building, and enhance the resilience of existing and future northern transportation infrastructure to climate change.

The Program does not have repayable contributions

The initiative achieved to:

• Improve knowledge of the impacts of climate change to transportation infrastructure;
• Understand the future costs associated with maintenance of existing infrastructure in light of climate change impacts;
• Build new science-based capacity;
• Conduct research and development on the technical challenges of adapting transportation infrastructure;
• Support research to develop and test science-based technologies that address effects of climate change across northern transportation infrastructure; and,
• Ensure the necessary information, tools and guidance are available to strengthen decision-making.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

The overall objective of the Transportation Assets Risk Assessment Initiative Program is to provide funding for projects that focus on improving the understanding of climate change related-risks and vulnerabilities to federally-owned and/or federally-managed transportation assets. The program has the following specific objectives:

• Increase the resiliency of federally-owned and/or federally-managed transportation assets by giving decision-makers the information they need to make informed decisions; and,
• Support research and analysis that identifies and remedies gaps or barriers to assessing climate risk.

These objectives help to strengthen the resilience of Canada's transportation system and supports the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. 

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

In 2020-21, TC:

• Launched a new call for proposals to fund projects that focus on improving the understanding of climate change related risks and vulnerabilities to federally-owned and/or federally-managed transportation assets
• Approved 5 projects for contribution funding from the new call for proposals that was launched in 2020-21

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

To support the scale up of Canadian small businesses through early-stage, pre-commercial research and development. The objectives of the Program are to:

• Help develop a domestic market for early-stage, pre-commercial innovations;
• Provide a mechanism for government to partner with innovative small businesses on the creation of unique intellectual property and novel solutions challenges faced by participating departments/agencies; and
• Facilitate the subsequent testing and validation of prototypes, as well as prepare a pathway to commercialization and purchase of novel new products by government and non-government customers.

The Program does not have repayable contributions

In 2020-21, TC:

• Issued a call for proposals for three new challenges in partnership with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) that support innovation in the Canadian transportation sector and the scale-up of small Canadian businesses.
• Approved 5 projects for grant funding from a call for proposals that was launched in 2020-21

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

Objective: To fulfill the Government of Canada’s commitments under the 1982 Labrador Air/Marine Services Agreement with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador to support the restoration of airstrips along the Labrador coast.

This transfer payment ensures the operational capability of the airstrips are maintained at the level necessary to meet Transport Canada airport certification requirements.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

• Completion of restoration projects including those in response to Aerodrome Safety Certification Safety Reports.
• Airport infrastructure is maintained and restored to original operational capability, and also to meet TC Airport Certification Requirements.
• Labrador coastal communities continue to have air transportation that is safe, accessible and efficient year-round, with infrastructure that is viable in the long term.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

• Maintained an ongoing dialogue with recipient to assess change and progress via quarterly calls;
• Followed-up with recipient as required on project activities, funding requirements and reporting requirements.

To increase the safety of air transport operations by ensuring that funds are available to cover the operation and financing of facilities and services for the safety of international air traffic provided by Denmark and Iceland for civil aircraft flying across the North Atlantic.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

In 1963, an agreement was put in place with CN once tolls were no longer collected from owners or operators of vehicles using the bridge. The purpose of the agreement is to enable CN to continue to make the roadway facilities on the Victoria Bridge in Montreal available for public use. The agreement has not affected CN’s:

• Right of ownership of the bridge and the roadway facilities; nor
• Power to regulate and control the vehicular traffic allowed to use the bridge.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

The Ports Asset Transfer Program was developed to facilitate the transfer of the remaining Transport Canada administered local port facilities. Ports can be acquired through sales or divestiture of the facility. Divestitures can include grant or contribution funding for acquiring parties. As of March 30, 2020 there are 35 ports remaining in Transport Canada’s inventory.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

In 2020-21, this program:

• Advanced negotiations with parties for the ports of Baie-Comeau, QC, Les Mechins, QC and Pelee Island, ON.

The Program to Address Disturbances from Vessel Traffic (PADVT) provides federal funding to facilitate projects and activities that mitigate the impacts of navigation on the marine environment.

The Program includes two components. The first component includes two named recipients under the PADVT for which we have:

• A contribution agreement with the Port of Vancouver Authority to provide financial compensation to shipping companies for the added expense of seasonally slowing down vessels voluntarily when Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) are present in key shipping corridors; and
• A grant agreement with the Ocean Wise Coastal Ocean Research Institute (CORI), to develop and strengthen the Whale Report Alert System (WRAS).

The second component is a complete program called the Quiet Vessel Initiative (QVI) that includes two streams, one directed to Indigenous groups and the other to industry and academia to support the following activities:

• Research and development that aims to develop vessel noise reducing technologies; and
• Study the impacts of vessel noise on the marine environment and Indigenous coastal communities.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

In 2020-21, for the:

• Voluntary vessel slowdown, over 90% of vessels during summer 2020 participated, which was an increase from the prior season;
• WRAS, the third $100,000 grant installment was provided to the CORI to continue to make enhancements to the alert system; and
• QVI:
  • Under the industry and academia stream, one contribution agreement was signed with Université du Québec à Rimouski for the establishment of a marine acoustic research station in the St. Lawrence Estuary; and
  • One Call for Proposals was launched under the Indigenous groups’ stream. Six projects were approved and they will start in 2021-22.

Officials responsible for this transfer payment program consult with applicants and recipients regarding the funding of this Program through:

• Calls for Proposals;
• Information sessions;
• Various meetings and committees; and
• Progress/yearly reports.

Applicants and recipients also have access to a Program email inbox and Project Advisors are in place to ensure project implementation, monitoring and progress reporting functions are available.

Consultations are also provided by the Environmental Policy group for subject matter expert-related information.

The differences between actual activities undertaken and planned activities outlined in the 2020-21 Department Plan are that activities/consultations have been reduced/delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Indigenous Partnerships and Engagement and

Protecting Oceans and Waterways

The Program to Advance Indigenous Reconciliation advances reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples by encouraging effective Indigenous participation, knowledge sharing and collaboration regarding transportation-related policies, processes, regulations, legislation and directives. There are currently two separate initiatives under this Program, including:

• The Marine Safety Equipment and Training Program that provides funding for equipment and training to eligible Indigenous communities to improve vessel safety and build an understanding of safety on the water along the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX) marine shipping route; and
• The Indigenous Participant Funding Program, which provides:
  • Grants for short-term consultations with Indigenous groups regarding policies and potential projects that could impact the Canadian Navigable Waters Act (CNWA) and/or the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act (WAHVA); and
  • Contributions that seek to support ongoing (i.e., longer-term) dialogue with National Indigenous Organizations on the implementation of the CNWA and WHAVA.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

In 2020-21, under the:

• Marine Safety Equipment and Training Program, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the launch of the ongoing Call for Proposals was delayed. As a result, we were unable to sign any grant agreements with any of the 29 eligible recipients. We do however expect to sign agreements in 2021-22; and
• Indigenous Participant Funding Program:
  • Grants component: Provided funding for 55 short-term projects related to consultations with Indigenous groups regarding policies and potential projects that could impact the Canadian Navigable Waters Act (CNWA) and/or the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act (WAHVA); and
  • Contributions component: Provided funding for three new projects to support ongoing (i.e., longer-term) dialogue with National Indigenous Organizations on the implementation of the CNWA and WHAVA.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

Marine Safety Equipment and Training Program: Departmental officials work together to t to ensure that engagement activities are planned so as to not place undue pressure on eligible groups. As such, any engagement activities include all implicated groups to reduce the number of meetings and presentations, which have been done via different online platforms since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indigenous Participation Funding Program (IPFP): Program Officials consult with applicants and recipients regarding this funding Program through:

• Calls for Proposals;
• Information sessions;
• Various meetings and committees; and
• Progress/yearly reports.

Applicants and recipients also have access to a Program email inbox and Project Advisors are in place to ensure project implementation, monitoring and progress reporting functions are available.

IPFP consultations are also provided by the Indigenous Relations and Navigation Protection group for subject matter expert-related information.

For both programs under the Program to Advance Indigenous Reconciliation, the differences between actual activities undertaken and planned activities outlined in the 2020-21 Departmental Plan are due to the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Activities/consultations were reduced due to restrictions; and
• Indigenous groups’ capacity to engage was adversely affected.

The primary objective of the Program to Advance Transportation Innovation (known publicly as the Program to Advance Connectivity and Automation in the Transportation System) is to contribute to the competitiveness and productivity of Canada and its transportation system through investments in activities that promote and enable innovation in the transportation sector.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

In 2020-21, two contribution projects to advance transportation innovation were completed.

No additional projects will be started prior to the Program’s scheduled sunset (i.e., end) date of March 31, 2022. One grant and one contribution project will continue into the final fiscal year of the Program.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.

Officials responsible for this transfer payment program have consulted with applicants and recipients regarding the funding of this Program through:

• Calls for proposals;
• Information sessions;
• Various meetings and committees; and
• Progress/yearly reports.

Applicants and recipients also have access to a Program email inbox and Project Advisors are in place to ensure project implementation, monitoring and progress reporting functions are available.

Consultations are also provided by Transport Canada’s Innovation Centre team for subject matter expert-related information.

The differences between actual activities undertaken and planned activities outlined in the 2020-21 Departmental Plan are that activities/consultations have been reduced/delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

• A secure transportation system
• A safe transportation system
• A transportation system that supports innovation

The Program aims to improve roads, safety, environmental protection and a more efficient transportation system by:

• Identifying common interests;
• Developing and harmonizing best practices among jurisdictions; and
• Improving the knowledge base to produce better decisions and policies.

The Program does not have repayable contributions.

• Enhanced capacity and knowledge base facilitating decision-making, intergovernmental relations, and networking and partnership opportunities.
• Increased awareness of the role and importance of transportation in achieving Canada’s social and economic goals.
• Increase in the number and quality of trained transportation professionals and in partnerships and outreach for innovation and skills development.
• Guidelines and best practices incorporated into transportation policy and related design, operations, maintenance and practices for improved roads and safety.
• Transportation-related research projects and information is exchanged and/or supported by transportation professionals and municipalities.

An audit was not completed during the reporting year.