User Fees and Regulatory Charges/External Fees
- User Fees and Regulatory Charges
- Aviation Safety Regulatory Fees
- Marine Safety Regulatory Fees (inspections, surveys, services, etc.)
- Marine Safety — Ship Radio Inspection Program
- Airport Fees — Air Services Charges Regulations
- Airport Fees — Annual Registration of Mobile Equipment
- section 2 of the Ministerial Regulations Authorization Order, Airport Vehicle Parking Charges Regulations
- Public Port Fees (Wharfage & Transfer, Berthage, Storage, Harbour Dues, Utilities and Other Services)
- Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act
- User Fees Totals
- Policy on Service Standards for External Fees
User Fees and Regulatory Charges (User Fees Act)
User fee: Aviation Safety Regulatory Fees
Fee type: Regulatory Service (R)
Fee-setting authority:
Year last modified: 2000
Subsequent amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions, if any, did not trigger the User Fees Act.
Performance standards:
Performance results:
In 2013–14, Civil Aviation completed the national implementation of its Activity Tracking System (ATS) designed to track program-related activities including services with regulatory fees. As a result, Civil Aviation is only able to generate partial performance results at a national level for fiscal year 2013–14.
Civil Aviation aimed at delivering its services 60 percent of the time within the established service standards during fiscal year 2013–14. Based on data collected, the performance target was exceeded with a year-end global performance of 83 percent.
| Forecast revenue | Actual revenue | Full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 8,803 | 7,555 | 60,306 |
| Fiscal year | Forecast revenue | Estimated full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 8,010 | 53,019 |
| 2015–16 | 8,010 | 53,880 |
| 2016–17 | 8,010 | 54,792 |
Other information:
Civil Aviation's enduring communications and engagement strategies continue to foster awareness and understanding amongst stakeholders and Transport Canada Civil Aviation employees. Communications Centre representatives continue to address telephone and email enquiries from the general public on numerous subjects like the Civil Aviation Program and its services and regulations. The Civil Aviation Issues Reporting System [CAIRS] continues to be a vehicle through which stakeholders can raise issues, concerns, compliments and suggestions for improvement to the Civil Aviation Program of Transport Canada, including service standards related to the Canadian Aviation Regulations 104 charges.
User fee: Marine Safety Regulatory Fees (inspections, surveys, services, etc.)
Fee type: Regulatory Service (R)
Fee-setting authority:
- Canada Shipping Act, 2001
- Various regulations such as the Board of Steamship Inspection Scale of Fees; Vessels Registry Fees Tariff; etc.
Year last modified: 2002
The last modifications of regulations pertaining to user fees was May 1, 2002. This did not trigger the User Fees Act as that Act was not yet in force. Marine Safety recently increased its revenue due to the more consistent application of its stand by fees pursuant to section 29 of the Board of Steamship Inspection Scale of Fees Regulations. This did not trigger the User Fees Act since no regulatory provisions pertaining to user fees were amended.
Performance standards: Marine Safety completed a consultation and review process to revise Service Standards for its Fees. Details are provided at the following link: Service Standards for Marine Safety's Fees
Performance results:
- Large Ship Registry Tariff: 2013–14 Performance results are available for the Vessels Registry Fees Tariff. Performance for each of the 10 large vessel standards is over 90 percent.
- Other performance results are under development: The Marine Safety Dispatch and Tracking System (MSDTS) has been developed. The system was released in April 2013. While MSDTS currently measures the performance of vessel inspection and certification services, the system is being enhanced to be able to track the performance results of other marine safety related services as well as compliance monitoring inspections.
| Forecast revenue | Actual revenue | Full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 10,368 | 11,130 | 50,371 |
| Fiscal year | Forecast revenue | Estimated full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 10,429 | 55,363 |
| 2015–16 | 10,319 | 54,816 |
| 2016–17 | 10,319 | 54,816 |
Other Information:
A complaint mechanism policy, "Handling of complaints related to Marine Safety User Fees and applicable service standards," is available on Transport Canada's website.
Full or partial costs of services such as monitoring compliance, enforcing safety operational standards, establishing legislation, regulations and standards, pollution prevention, etc. were considered to benefit the general taxpayer and are not subject to user fees.
User fee: Marine Safety — Ship Radio Inspection Program
Fee type: Regulatory Service (R)
Fee-setting authority:
Year last modified: 1978
Subsequent amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions did not trigger the User Fees Act.
Performance standards: Consistent with the Fisheries and Oceans Canada publication, Part IV of Radio Aids to Marine Navigation, a ship radio inspection service will be provided within three working days following a request from a client.
Performance results:
In 2013–14, Radio inspection services were provided more than 90 percent of the time within three working days following such a request. As some clients' ships operate on a fixed schedule, such a request may be made a week or more in advance of the requested inspection date.
| Forecast revenue | Actual revenue | Full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 58 | 795 |
| Fiscal year | Forecast revenue | Estimated full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 48 | 827 |
| 2015–16 | 48 | 827 |
| 2016–17 | 48 | 827 |
Other information:
Variance in revenue is due to a higher than forecasted level of inspections.
A complaint mechanism policy, "Handling of complaints related to Marine Safety User Fees and applicable service standards," is available on Transport Canada's website.
Funding of the Ship Radio Inspection Program is covered by a memorandum of understanding between Transport Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Revenues from user fees currently represent cost recovery of overtime and travel costs and do not represent the full costs of the program. Full Costs include also the costs for the program manager, a share of internal services costs and amortization costs of the ship radio inspection equipment.
User fee: Airport Fees — Air Services Charges Regulations
(General Terminal Fees, Landing Fees, Aircraft Parking Charges, Emergency Response Services Charges)
Fee type: Other Products and Services (O)
Fee-setting authority:
- Paragraph 4.4(2) of the Aeronautics Act
- Section 2 of the Ministerial Regulations Authorization Order — Air Services Charges Regulations
Year last modified: 2003
Subsequent amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions, if any, did not trigger the User Fees Act.
Performance standards: Airports National Service Standards are available on the Transport Canada website.
Performance results: Performance met the standards more than 90 percent of the time.
| Forecast revenue | Actual revenue | Full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 7,945 | 7,289 | 21,290 |
| Fiscal year | Forecast revenue | Estimated full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 7,590 | 19,919 |
| 2015–16 | 7,621 | 19,519 |
| 2016–17 | 7,652 | 19,622 |
Other information:
Data includes TC-owned and operated airports only.
Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard, and are included on the Transport Canada website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf.
User fee: Airport Fees — Annual Registration of Mobile Equipment
Fee type: Other Products and Services (O)
Fee-setting authority:
Year last modified: 2004
Subsequent amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions, if any, did not trigger the User Fees Act.
Performance standards: Airports National Service Standards are available on the Transport Canada website.
Performance results: Performance met the standards more than 90 percent of the time.
| Forecast revenue | Actual revenue | Full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 7 |
| Fiscal year | Forecast revenue | Estimated full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 3 | 7 |
| 2015–16 | 3 | 7 |
| 2016–17 | 3 | 7 |
Other information:
Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard, and are included on the Transport Canada website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf.
User fee: Airport Vehicle Parking Charges
Fee type: Other Products and Services (O)
Fee-setting authority:
- paragraph 4.4(2) of the Aeronautics Act
- section 2 of the Ministerial Regulations Authorization Order, Airport Vehicle Parking Charges Regulations
Year last modified: 2012
Subsequent amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions, if any, did not trigger the User Fees Act.
Performance standards: Airports National Service Standards are available on the Transport Canada website.
Performance results: Performance met the standards more than 90 percent of the time.
| Forecast revenue | Actual revenue | Full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 349 | 406 | 1,188 |
| Fiscal year | Forecast revenue | Estimated full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 351 | 1,148 |
| 2015–16 | 352 | 1,126 |
| 2016–17 | 354 | 1,132 |
Other information:
Data includes TC owned and operated airports only.
A Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard, and are included on the Transport Canada website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf.
User fee: Public Port Fees (Wharfage & Transfers, Berthage, Storage, Harbour Dues, Utilities and Other Services)
Fee type: Other Products and Services (O)
Fee-setting authority:
Year last modified: 2004
Performance standards: Public Ports and Public Port Facilities National Service Standards are posted on Transport Canada's website
Performance results: Performance met the standards more than 90 percent of the time.
| Forecast revenue | Actual revenue | Full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 7,089 | 7,504 | 25,013 |
| Fiscal year | Forecast revenue | Estimated full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 6,639 | 24,440 |
| 2015–16 | 6,639 | 24,385 |
| 2016–17 | 6,639 | 22,830 |
Other information:
Data includes TC owned and operated airports only.
A complaint mechanism has been implemented through feedback on Transport Canada's website for service standards related to public ports and public port facilities. Other dispute mechanisms are in place and built into each service standard.
User fee: Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act
Fee type: Other Products and Services (O)
Fee-setting authority: Access to Information Act
Year last modified: 1992
Subsequent amendments to the Act and regulations did not trigger the User Fees Act.
Performance standards: Service Standards are included in the Access to Information Act, section 7. Response provided within 30 days following receipt of request; the response time may be extended pursuant to Section 9 of the Act. Notice of extension is to be sent within 30 days after receipt of request.
Performance results: Transport Canada's Access to Information (ATI) on-time response rate in 2013–14 was 92.7 percent (a "B" level rating), an improvement from 87.9 percent (a "C" level rating) the previous year, and 49.1 percent (an "F" rating) in 2011–12. On-time response rate to Privacy requests in 2013–14 was 71 percent, 17 percent higher than the previous year.
| Forecast revenue | Actual revenue | Full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 | 3,034 |
| Fiscal year | Forecast revenue | Estimated full cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 6 | 3,034 |
| 2015–16 | 6 | 3,034 |
| 2016–17 | 6 | 3,034 |
Other information:
The estimated full cost for fiscal year 2014–15 and 2016–17 includes an estimated potential cost of $400K for managing increased Access to Information (ATI) demands associated with the Lac Mégantic tragedy.
Cost information is based on the Statistical Reports on the Access to Information Act. User Fee financial information includes adjustments to a full cost base in accordance with the Treasury Board Secretariat's Guide to Costing.
User Fees Totals Footnote 1 Footnote 5
| 2013–14 ($ thousands) | Planning years ($ thousands) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forecast revenue
Footnote 3 |
Actual revenue
Footnote 3 |
Full cost
Footnote 2 |
Fiscal year | Forecast revenue
Footnote 3 Footnote 4 |
Estimated full cost
Footnote 2 |
|
| Subtotal regulatory (R) | 19,186 | 18,743 | 111,472 | 2014–15 | 18,487 | 109,209 |
| 2015–16 | 18,377 | 109,523 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 18,377 | 110,436 | ||||
| Subtotal other products and services (O) | 15,391 | 15,208 | 51,327 | 2014–15 | 14,589 | 48,548 |
| 2015–16 | 14,621 | 48,071 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 14,654 | 46,624 | ||||
| Total | 34,577 | 33,951 | 162,799 | 2014–15 | 33,076 | 157,757 |
| 2015–16 | 32,998 | 157,594 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 33,031 | 157,060 | ||||
Due to rounding, columns may not add to totals shown.
External Fees
(Policy on Service Standards for External Fees)
| External fee | Service standard Footnote 1 | Performance results Footnote 2 | Stakeholder consultation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Aviation Safety — Regulatory Fees |
In 2013–14, Civil Aviation completed the national implementation of its Activity Tracking System (ATS) designed to track program-related activities including services with regulatory fees. As a result, Civil Aviation is only able to generate partial performance results at a national level for fiscal year 2013–14. Civil Aviation aimed at delivering its services 60% of the time within the established service standards during fiscal year 2013–14. Based on data collected, the performance target was exceeded with a year-end global performance of 83 percent. |
Civil Aviation continues to raise awareness and understanding of stakeholders through Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council meetings and Transport Canada Civil Aviation employees through training sessions and other communication channels. Ongoing feedback (and consultations as required) is done through the Council meetings and Transport Canada's website for service standards related to the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR) 104 charges using the Civil Aviation Issues Reporting System feedback application. A review of the Canadian Aviation Regulations Part 104 is currently underway to determine whether the fees remain in line with current operating costs. |
|
|
Marine Safety — Regulatory Fees for inspections, surveys, services, etc. |
|
In the Spring 2014 Canadian Marine Advisory Council meetings, Marine Safety provided an update on its review of user fees to stakeholders. |
|
| Marine Safety — Ship Radio Inspection Program | Consistent with Fisheries and Oceans Canada publication, Part IV of Radio Aids to Marine Navigation, a ship radio inspection service will be provided within three working days following a request from a client.
|
For 2013–14, radio inspection services are provided more than 90 percent of the time within three working days following such a request. As some clients' ships operate on a fixed schedule, such a request may be made a week or more in advance of the requested inspection date. |
|
| Airports — Air Services Charges Regulations (ASCR) fees: General Terminal Fees, Landing Fees, Aircraft Parking Charges, Emergency Response Services Charges | Airports National Service Standards | Performance met standards more than 90 percent of the time. |
Ongoing stakeholder consultations and feedback are managed through existing channels (e.g. tenant meetings, comment cards, etc.) at the various sites and on Transport Canada's web site. Reviews of 2013–14 feedback have been satisfactory and no outstanding issues have been reported. In 2014–15, ongoing feedback will continue to be managed through the existing channels. Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard, and are included on the Transport Canada website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf. |
| Airports — Annual Registration of Mobile Equipment used at Airports | Airports National Service Standards | Performance met standards more than 90 percent of the time. |
Ongoing stakeholder consultations and feedback are managed through existing channels (e.g. tenant meetings, comment cards, etc.) at the various sites and on Transport Canada's web site. Reviews of 2013–14 feedback have been satisfactory and no outstanding issues have been reported. In 2014–15, ongoing feedback will continue to be managed through the existing channels. Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard, and are included on the Transport Canada website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf. |
| Airports — Vehicle Parking Charges | Airports National Service Standards | Performance met standards more than 90 percent of the time. |
Ongoing stakeholder consultations and feedback are managed through existing channels (e.g. tenant meetings, comment cards, etc.) at the various sites and on Transport Canada's web site. Reviews of 2013–14 feedback have been satisfactory and no outstanding issues have been reported. In 2014-15, ongoing feedback will continue to be managed through the existing channels. Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard, and are included on the Transport Canada website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf. |
| Ports — Public Port Revenues: Wharfage & transfers, Berthage, Storage, Harbour Dues, Utilities and Other Services | Public Ports National Service Standards | Performance met standards more than 90 percent of the time. |
Ongoing feedback is possible through on-site representation, by contacting the regional offices and through Transport Canada's website (Ports section). Reviews of 2013–14 feedback have been satisfactory and there are no outstanding issues reported. In 2014–15, stakeholder feedback will continue to be managed through the existing channels. A complaint mechanism has been implemented through feedback on Transport Canada's website for service standards related to public ports and public port facilities. Other dispute mechanisms are in place and built into each service standard. |
Other Information:
Note: The Internet links for User Fees and External Fees may change following publication of the Departmental Performance Report since the various websites are updated regularly.
As established pursuant to the Policy on Service Standards for External Fees if the fee introduction or most recent modification occurred prior to March 31, 2004:
- service standards may not have received parliamentary review; and
- service standards may not respect all performance standard establishment requirements under the User Fees Act (e.g. international comparison; independent complaint address).
- Performance results are not legally subject to section 5.1 of the User Fees Act regarding fee reductions for unachieved performance.
Main achievement in improving service and client satisfaction across the Department to ensure Citizen-Focused Services as assessed under the Management Accountability Framework process:
- Service standards for services with fees have been developed, performance is tracked and reported annually to comply with the User Fees Act and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Policy on Service Standards for External Fees. These instruments do not include any specific requirement for measuring client satisfaction other than the need for service standards to be developed in consultation with paying and non-paying stakeholders, and the reporting of performance.
- To provide more opportunities for stakeholders to provide feedback, recommendations or raise issues, Transport Canada has established ongoing feedback and consultations through the internet for all its user fees and external fees, as reported in the respective tables of the Departmental Performance Report. This initiative ensures that stakeholders' recommendations, concerns and complaints are considered and handled by the various groups with redress mechanisms undertaken, as appropriate. Efforts are being taken to enhance the level of details and the reporting on stakeholders' feedback and complaints.
- Service standards, performance reporting and client satisfaction are also reviewed as part of the departmental Service Improvement Team initiative as a result of the TBS Service Policy and the Management Accountability Framework assessment area on Citizen-Focused Service. In 2008, Transport Canada established a Service Improvement Team composed of senior management from all modes and is responsible for recommending and supporting the implementation of service standards across the department. An external service inventory was produced in 2009.
- Specific service standards already exist for services subject to the User Fees Act and the TBS Policy on Service Standards for External Fees. As a next step, a departmental-wide service charter was launched in 2010 as a pledge to the level of service clients can expect from the department. For easy access, all service standard information has been regrouped under one web page as "Services for Canadians". To strengthen service delivery and professionalism, a customized Service Excellence in the Regulatory Sector training course is being developed in partnership with the Canada School of Public Service for the inspectorate community.