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Annual Service Plan Reports 2004/05
CONTENTS
• Message from the Minister and Accountability Statement  
• Highlights of the Year  
• Ministry Role and Services  
• Report on Performance  
• Report on Resources  
• Appendix A: Glossary  
• Appendix B: Progress on New Era Commitments and Key Projects  
• Appendix C: Legislation Administered by the Ministry  
• Appendix D: Risk Identification and Ministry Response  
• Appendix E: Notes on Data Completeness, Reliability and Methodology  
• Appendix F: Ministry Office Locations  
OTHER LINKS

Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection  

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Report on Resources

Introduction

The ministry is committed to supporting the government's plan to balance the budget and achieve its fiscal targets outlined in the 2004/05 – 2006/07 Service Plan. The information below provides an overview of ministry funding and expenditures during 2004/05.

There has been a change this year in the way variance figures are calculated and displayed, so as to be consistent with the changes introduced in the Public Accounts. (See footnote 3 under the Resource Summary table.)

Ministry Funding

The total net funding available for ministry operations was $160.61 million. This funding was derived from the following sources:

  1. Voted appropriation. This is the largest source of ministry funding, which provided $112.44 million.
  2. Statutory appropriation. The Sustainable Environment Fund authorizes the collection of waste permit fees under the Environmental Management Act and revenue collection under the Social Services Tax Act (e.g., taxes collected for products such as children's disposable diapers, which are used for environmental protection programs). This funding source provided $35.70 million.
  3. Other authorizations. Contingency access provided $4.67 million and Supplementary Estimates provided $7.80 million.

Other funding sources available to the ministry for operational expenses not summarized above include:

  1. Internal recoveries. Recoveries within the government reporting entity excluding the Sustainable Environment Fund, which are estimated at $0.40 million. Actual internal recoveries for the year were $2.26 million.
  2. External recoveries. Recoveries from outside the government reporting entity, which are estimated at $6.17 million. Actual external recoveries were $6.75 million.

Ministry Expense Breakdown by Goal

Resources, strategies and results are linked in the Ministry Service Plan. Figure 6 demonstrates the percentage breakdown of the ministry's budget by goal and how goals are aligned with core business areas.

Figure 6. 2004/05 Ministry expense breakdown by goal

WLAP
2004/05 Expense Breakdown by Goal
Figure 6. 2004/05 Ministry expense breakdown by goal.

Goal 1: Protect the environment and human health and safety by ensuring clean and safe water, land and air. Core business area — Environmental Protection: 34% ($54.24 million). Included under this goal is the Sustainable Environment Fund special account.

Goal 2: Maintain and restore the ecological diversity of fish and wildlife species and their habitats. Core business area — Environmental Stewardship: 35% ($57.38 million).

Goal 3: Provide and enhance park, fish and wildlife recreational services and opportunities for British Columbians and others. Core business area — Environmental Stewardship: 17% ($27.12 million).

Goal 4: Provide effective and efficient planning and support for ministry programs. Core business area — Executive and Support Services: 14% ($21.87 million).

Ministry Expense

The largest expense for the ministry is salary and benefits ($67.43 million), which accounts for 40% of annual spending (see Figure 7). Operating costs ($64.52 million), which include professional services contracts, park operating contracts, payments to the B.C. Fresh Water Fisheries Society accounted for 38% of gross expenditures. Transfer payments ($28.78 million) total 17% and other expenses ($8.90 million) total 5%.

Figure 7. Gross expense for fiscal 2004/05

Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection
Fiscal 04/05
Classification Breakdown of Gross Expense
Figure 7. Gross expense for fiscal 2004/05.

Comparison of 2004/05 and 2003/04 Expense

Figure 8 shows that the gross expense in 2004/05 increased by $9.90 million from 2003/04.

Decreases included:

  • Salaries and benefits decreased by $5.83 million due to work force adjustment.
  • Operating costs, which include building occupancy costs, materials and supplies, decreased by $1.46 million.

Increases included:

  • Government transfers increased by $17.28 million, which included supplementary estimates approved in February 2004 of $7.80 million for one-time transfer payments to the B.C. Habitat Conservation Trust Fund ($6.50 million) and post-secondary institutions ($1.30 million) for conservation research grants. In addition a one-time transfer payment of $5 million went to the Living Rivers Foundation.
  • Investment in training increased from $447/FTE in 2003/04 to $567/FTE in 2004/05.

Figure 8. Three-year comparison of gross expense (Source: Public Accounts 2004 – 2005)

Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection
Comparison of Fiscal 02/03, 03/04 and 04/05
Account Classification Breakdown of Gross Expense

Figure 8. Three-year comparison of gross expense (Source: Public Accounts 2004 - 2005).

2004/05 Resource Summary

Estimated1 Other
Authori-
zations2 		Total Estimated Actual Variance
(Actual
minus Total
Estimated)3
Operating Expenses ($000)
Environmental Protection 51,375 1,370 52,745 54,243 1,498
Environmental Stewardship 45,080 10,927 56,007 57,377 1,370
Park, Fish and Wildlife Recreation 25,523 172 25,695 27,116 1,421
Executive and Support Services4 26,163 26,163 21,874 (4,289)
Total 148,141 12,469 160,610 160,610 0
Full-time Equivalents (Direct FTEs)
Environmental Protection 334 334 342 8
Environmental Stewardship 323 323 337 14
Park, Fish and Wildlife Recreation 151 151 162 11
Executive and Support Services 116 116 106 (10)
Total 924 924 947 23
Ministry Capital Expenditures (Consolidated Revenue Fund) ($000)5
Environmental Protection 222 222 598 376
Environmental Stewardship 7,206 1,389 8,595 16,952 8,357
Park, Fish and Wildlife Recreation 11,215 11,215 4,282 (6,933)
Executive and Support Services 2,500 2,500 700 (1,800)
Total 21,143 1,389 22,532 22,532 0
1  The "Estimated" amount corresponds to the Estimates as presented to the Legislative Assembly on February 17, 2004.
2  "Other Authorizations," Operating Expenses, include Supplementary Estimates and Contingencies. "Other Authorizations," Capital Expenditures, include Contingencies.
3  Variance display convention has been changed this year to be consistent with the change introduced in the Public Accounts. Variance is in all cases "Actual" minus "Total Estimates." If the actual is greater, then the variance will be displayed as a positive number.
4  Executive and Support Services include expenses for the Minister's Office, Deputy Minister's Office, Strategic Policy Division, Corporate Services Division (shared with the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management), and shared administrative staff in the regional offices. A core business area called Compliance Operations has been established for the 2005/06 fiscal year. In 2004/05, resources for Compliance Operations (approximately $13 million) was reported equally (50%/50%) between Environmental Protection and Environmental Stewardship. Savings in Executive and Support Services were redirected toward supporting priorities in other core business areas within the ministry.
5  Capital Expenditures in fiscal 2005 included $16 million on lands and tenure compensation acquired for Parks and Protected Areas and $4 million on park facilities in recreation areas.

 

     
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