2022-23 Departmental Plan
Planned Spending and Human Resources
This section provides an overview of the Department’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2022-23 with actual spending for the current year and the previous years.
Planned Spending
Departmental Spending 2019-20 to 2024-25
The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.
Departmental Spending Trend Graph 2019-20 to 2024-25
Departmental Spending Trend Graph 2019-20 to 2024-25 – Text version
Departmental Spending Trend Graph 2019-20 to 2024-25
This vertical stacked column graph represents departmental spending trends for six fiscal years for the Department of Justice Canada. The graph presents a timeline (in fiscal years) on the horizontal axis and the amount of dollars (in millions of dollars) on the vertical axis. The timeline on the horizontal axis shows six columns; one for each fiscal year from 2019-20 on the left through to 2024-25. The columns for fiscal years 2019-20 and 2020-21 show actual spending, while the column for fiscal year 2021-22 shows forecast spending, and the columns for fiscal years 2022-23 to 2024-25 show planned spending.
The amount of millions of dollars on the vertical axis ranges from 0 on the bottom to 1,000.0 on the top. Each column displays an accumulated total of departmental spending for two categories of funding: statutory and voted. These two categories of funding are also displayed numerically below each column to indicate the precise amount of spending (in millions of dollars) for each of the six fiscal years presented.
The first column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2019-20, displays $77.2 million in statutory spending and $735.5 million in voted spending, for a total actual spending of $812.7 million.
The second column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2020-21, displays $85.6 million in statutory spending and $747.3 million in voted spending, for a total actual spending of $832.9 million.
The third column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2021-22, displays $88.4 million in statutory spending and $829.9 million in voted spending, for a total forecast spending of $918.2 million.
The fourth column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2022-23, displays $85.4 million in statutory spending and $836.4 million in voted spending, for a total planned spending of $921.8 million.
The fifth column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2023-24, displays $85.0 million in statutory spending and $791.3 million in voted spending, for a total planned spending of $876.3 million.
The sixth and final column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2024-25, displays $84.4 million in statutory spending and $754.9 million in voted spending, for a total planned spending of $839.2 million.
The Department of Justice Canada’s total planned spending for 2022-23 is $921.8 million:
- $219.1 million for Legal Services (24%)
- $621.3 million for Justice System Support (67%)
- $81.4 million for Internal Services (9%)
As the primary provider of legal services to federal government departments and agencies, the Department of Justice Canada has a Vote-Netted Revenue (VNR) authority to collect and spend revenue received from the provision of such services (respendable revenue). For the purpose of departmental reporting, this respendable revenue reduces total departmental authorities and operating expenditures. For comparability purposes, “planned spending” is net of respendable revenues.
Variance between 2021-22 Forecast Spending and 2022-23 Planned Spending
The Department’s planned spending for 2022-23 ($921.8 million) projects a net increase of $3.6 million when compared with forecast spending for 2021-22 ($918.2 million). This increase is mainly attributable to a projected increase of $27.3 million in funding under the Justice System Support core responsibility for 2022-23, for the following initiatives:
- Increased federal government criminal legal aid support to provinces and territories throughout the COVID-19 pandemic (2020 Fall Economic Statement)
- National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence (Budget 2021)
- Gladue Principles - Systemic and Community-led Responses to Address Overrepresentation of Indigenous People in the Criminal Justice System (2020 Fall Economic Statement)
- Improved access to justice for Indigenous people and addressing systemic barriers in the criminal justice system (Budget 2021)
- Community Justice Centres (2020 Fall Economic Statement)
- Legal Services and Supports for Racialized Communities (Budget 2021)
The increases in funding for the above initiatives are partially offset by a decrease under the Immigration and Refugee Legal Aid Program, due to the sunsetting of temporary funding from Budget 2019 and Budget 2021; and a decrease under Internal Services. The decrease under Internal Services is attributable to funding the Department received in 2021-22 from Treasury Board Central Votes (such as the Operating Budget Carry Forward), which was not included in 2022-23 planned spending. The planned spending for 2022-23 and future years reflects only funds already approved through the Main Estimates.
Variance between 2022-23 Planned Spending and 2023-24 Planned Spending
The Department’s planned spending projects a decrease from 2022-23 ($921.8 million) to 2023-24 ($876.3 million). This $45.5 million overall reduction is mainly attributable to decreases in funding under the Justice System Support core responsibility for various programs.
Variance between 2023-24 Planned Spending and 2024-25 Planned Spending
The Department’s planned spending projects a decrease from 2023-24 ($876.3 million) to 2024-25 ($839.2 million). This $37.1 million overall reduction is mainly attributable to the sunsetting of funding for various initiatives under the Justice System Support core responsibility.
Budgetary Planning Summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)
The following table shows information on spending for each of the Department of Justice Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022-23 and other relevant fiscal years.
| Core Responsibilities and Internal Services | 2019-20 Actual Expenditures |
2020-21 Actual Expenditures |
2021-22 Forecast SpendingFootnote * of Table |
2022-23 Budgetary Spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) | 2022-23 Planned SpendingFootnote ** of Table |
2023-24 Planned SpendingFootnote ** of Table |
2024-25 Planned SpendingFootnote ** of Table |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services | 223,737,181 | 228,106,265 | 219,270,235 | 219,037,730 | 219,037,730 | 218,414,091 | 215,947,262 |
| Justice System Support | 485,250,753 | 497,598,856 | 593,949,947 | 621,285,285 | 621,285,285 | 576,876,579 | 542,931,520 |
| Subtotal | 708,987,934 | 725,705,121 | 813,220,182 | 840,323,015 | 840,323,015 | 795,290,670 | 758,878,782 |
| Internal Services | 103,733,100 | 107,148,024 | 105,025,021 | 81,434,060 | 81,434,060 | 81,031,518 | 80,361,131 |
| Total | 812,721,034 | 832,853,145 | 918,245,203 | 921,757,075 | 921,757,075 | 876,322,188 | 839,239,913 |
In the table above, the Legal Services core responsibility shows a decrease in net spending from 2020-21 to 2021-22. This is due to the fact that revenues collected under Legal Services, which act to offset expenditures, were lower in 2020-21, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Justice System Support core responsibility shows an increasing trend from 2019-20 to 2021-22, which is mainly attributable to an increase in spending in Grants and Contributions for the following programs:
- Youth Justice Services Funding Program
- Criminal Legal Aid Program
- Justice Partnership and Innovation Program
- Indigenous Justice Program
- Canadian Family Justice Fund
- Legal Advice for Complainants of Workplace Sexual Harassment
- Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund
- Indigenous Courtwork Program
The decreasing trend in Justice System Support planned spending for future years is mainly explained by the sunsetting of temporary contributions funding for the Criminal Legal Aid Program.
Internal Services spending from 2019-20 to 2021-22 has remained relatively stable; the small fluctuations are mainly explained by the increased workforce to manage the increase in demand for legal services and to advance and maintain information technology (IT) infrastructure. The decrease in planned spending in Internal Services for 2022-23 and future years is because future years’ planned spending does not include funds received from Treasury Board Central Votes (such as the Operating Budget Carry Forward).
2022-23 Budgetary Gross and Net Planned Spending Summary (dollars)
The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net planned spending for 2022-23.
| Core Responsibilities and Internal Services | 2022-23 Planned Gross Spending |
2022-23 Planned Revenues netted against Spending |
2022-23 Planned Net Spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services | 526,119,730 | 307,082,000 | 219,037,730 |
| Justice System Support | 621,285,285 | 0 | 621,285,285 |
| Subtotal | 1,147,405,015 | 307,082,000 | 840,323,015 |
| Internal Services | 141,152,060 | 59,718,000 | 81,434,060 |
| Total | 1,288,557,075 | 366,800,000 | 921,757,075 |
The table above reflects the Department’s planned gross spending for 2022-23, which includes the VNR authority of $366.8 million. The Department’s VNR authority is notionally distributed between the Legal Services core responsibility and Internal Services. The actual revenues distributed between programs could vary depending on numerous factors such as legal service rates approved periodically by Treasury Board, fluctuation in client departments’ demand for legal services, and the actual amount of revenues collected in excess of or less than the authority.
Departmental Vote-Netted Revenue Trend Graph (millions of dollars)
Departmental Vote-Netted Revenue Trend Graph (millions of dollars)
Departmental Vote-Netted Revenue Trend Graph (millions of dollars) – Text version
Departmental Vote-Netted Revenue Trend Graph (millions of dollars)
This vertical column graph represents departmental vote-netted revenue trends for six fiscal years for the Department of Justice Canada. The graph presents a timeline (in fiscal years) on the horizontal axis and the amount of dollars (in millions of dollars) on the vertical axis. The timeline on the horizontal axis shows six columns; one for each fiscal year from 2019-20 on the left through to 2024-25. The columns for fiscal years 2019-20 and 2020-21 show actual vote-netted revenue, while the column for fiscal year 2021-22 shows forecasted vote-netted revenue and the columns for fiscal years 2022-23 to 2024-25 show planned vote-netted revenue.
The amount of millions of dollars on the vertical axis ranges from 310.0 on the bottom to 410.0 on the top. Each column displays the amount of vote-netted revenue per fiscal year. This information is also displayed numerically below each column to indicate the precise amount of vote-netted revenue (in millions of dollars) for each of the six fiscal years presented.
The first column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2019-20, displays $345.2 million in actual vote-netted revenue.
The second column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2020-21, displays $360.1 million in actual vote-netted revenue.
The third column of the timeline, representing fiscal year 2021-22, displays $404.2 million in forecasted vote-netted revenue.
The fourth, fifth and sixth columns of the timeline, representing fiscal years 2022-23 to 2024-25, each display $366.8 million in planned vote-netted revenue.
As shown in the graph above, the forecasted amount of VNR for the Department, as of November 30, 2021, is expected to reach $404.2 million in 2021-22. This forecast is higher than actual VNR for 2020-21 ($360.1 million) due to higher demand for legal services for a broad variety of client departments and agencies in such areas as tax, Indigenous, and immigration matters.
Planned Human Resources
The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for each of the Department of Justice Canada’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022-23 and the other relevant years.
Human Resources Planning Summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services
| Core Responsibilities and Internal Services | 2019-20 Actual Full-Time Equivalents |
2020-21 Actual Full-Time Equivalents |
2021-22 Forecast Full-Time EquivalentsFootnote * of Table |
2022-23 Planned Full-Time Equivalents |
2023-24 Planned Full-Time Equivalents |
2024-25 Planned Full-Time Equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services | 3,243 | 3,361 | 3,535 | 3,535 | 3,535 | 3,535 |
| Justice System Support | 284 | 308 | 332 | 342 | 342 | 342 |
| Subtotal | 3,527 | 3,669 | 3,867 | 3,877 | 3,877 | 3,877 |
| Internal Services | 1,043 | 1,053 | 1,094 | 1,094 | 1,094 | 1,094 |
| Total | 4,570 | 4,722 | 4,961 | 4,971 | 4,971 | 4,971 |
Overall, there is an increasing trend in FTEs over the three-year period from 2019-20 to 2021-22. The Legal Services core responsibility shows an increase of 292 FTEs; this is largely explained by an increase of the workforce to meet the increased demand for legal services.
The Justice System Support core responsibility shows an increase of 48 FTEs; this is mainly explained by an increase of the workforce to support the delivery of new initiatives for which new funding was approved in Budget 2021 and in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement.
Internal Services shows an increase of 51 FTEs; this is mainly explained by an increase of the corporate support workforce to meet the needs of the Department as a result of the increased demand for legal services. There is also an increase of the workforce to support the IT service desk as well as advance and maintain the organization’s IT infrastructure to ensure employees are able to work effectively, securely and safely from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Estimates by Vote
Information on the Department of Justice Canada’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2022-23 Main Estimates.
Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations
The Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations provides an overview of the Department of Justice Canada’s operations for 2021-22 and 2022-23.
The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.
A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, are available on the Department of Justice Canada’s website.
Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations for the Year Ending March 31, 2023 (thousands of dollars)
| Financial Information | 2021-22 Forecast Results |
2022-23 Planned Results |
Difference (2022-23 Planned Results minus 2021-22 Forecast Results) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenses | 1,423,784 | 1,382,547 | (41,237) |
| Total Revenues | 404,188 | 366,800 | (37,388) |
| Net Cost of Operations Before Government Funding and Transfers | 1,019,596 | 1,015,747 | (3,849) |
Total expenses are forecasted to decrease from $1,423.8 million in 2021-22 to $1,382.5 million as planned in 2022-23 (a decrease of $41.2 million). A portion of this net decrease ($33.9 million) is due to:
- a decrease in operating expenditures, primarily explained by funding received in 2021-22 from Treasury Board Central Votes (Operating Budget Carry-Forward) being included in the 2021-22 forecast, but excluded from 2022-23 planned spending; offset by
- an increase in grants and contributions expenditures for various initiatives as announced in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement and Budget 2021, including Criminal Legal Aid and Enhancing the Federal Response to Address Gender-Based Violence and Advancing the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
The variance in revenues from $404.2 million to $366.8 million (a decrease of $37.4 million) is attributable to the difference between the latest revenue forecast for 2021-22 and the approved VNR authority for 2022-23.
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