Report on Resources

Introduction

The annual budget is based on core business assumptions contained in the ministry's three-year Service Plan. The plan utilized forecasts of expenditure and caseload trends, plus anticipated impacts of legislative, policy and program changes. Ministry overall financial results were sensitive to fluctuations in caseload and program demand. The ministry manages its core businesses with the objective of achieving its overall budget.

Explanation of Variances

Employment Programs

The under-expenditure of $28.1 million or 25 per cent reflects a declining caseload in general. Many clients with employment obligations have been assisted through various ministry job training and placement services and programs.

Temporary Assistance

The under-expenditure of $70.5 million or 16 per cent is the result of:

• A decline in the Expected to Work category. The temporary assistance actual average caseload was just over 55,000, nine per cent lower than the budgeted average caseload of 61,000; and
• A change to case mix and costing used for the 2003/04 budget resulting in the ministry reallocating $47 million from temporary assistance to continuous assistance during the fiscal year.

Continuous Assistance

The over-expenditure of $100.3 million or 23 per cent is the result of:

• Higher than anticipated costs and rates of growth in the Persons with Disabilities and Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers caseloads. The Persons with Disabilities actual caseload average was just over 50,000, six per cent higher than the budgeted average caseload of 47,500. The Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers actual caseload was just over 10,600, six per cent higher than the budgeted average caseload of 10,000; and
• A change to case mix and costing used for the 2003/04 budget resulting in the ministry reallocating $47 million from temporary assistance to continuous assistance during the fiscal year.

Supplementary Assistance

The under-expenditure of $24.5 million or 12 per cent is the result of lower than anticipated expenditures in Health Assistance, Seniors Supplement, and other supplementary support services.

Employment and Assistance Appeals Tribunal

The under-expenditure of $0.9 million or 35 per cent is due to lower than anticipated operating costs.

Capital Expenditures

The ministry's capital budget was under spent by $8.9 million or 58 per cent due to changing priorities in the information technology capital plan.

		Resource Summary by Core Business Areas