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 year.
Planned spending
Departmental spending 2019-20 to 2024-25
The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.
| Spending | 2019-20 Actual |
2020-21 Actual |
2021-22 Forecast |
2022-23 Planned |
2023-24 Planned |
2024-25 Planned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory | 37 | 85 | 44 | 38 | 36 | 36 |
| Voted | 4,796 | 4,752 | 5,520 | 5,469 | 4,439 | 4,433 |
| Total | 4,832 | 4,837 | 5,564 | 5,507 | 4,475 | 4,469 |
Note: Some totals may not add up due to rounding.
Our budget changes each year because of the demand-driven nature of our programs and services, which are based on Veterans’ needs and entitlements. Annually, we update our client and expenditure forecast to ensure that all Veterans who come forward receive the benefits and services that they require.
In other words, a Veteran who is entitled to a benefit is paid that benefit, no matter how many Veterans come forward. Over 90% of our budget is allocated for expected payments to Veterans, their families and other program recipients.
Currently, planned spending is forecasted to decrease in the outer years. This decrease is attributed to the conclusion of temporary funding to address the backlog, as we are forecasting less spending as operational capacity normalizes. While planned spending is currently shown to decrease in the outer years, it is expected the Department will see increased demand for many of its programs and services. In the future, the budgets for Veteran benefits will be updated through the Estimates process to align with the latest forecast of client demand and expenditures.
Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)Footnote 14
The following table shows information on spending for each of our core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022-23 and other relevant fiscal years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2019-20 expenditures |
2020-21 expenditures |
2021-22 forecast spending |
2022-23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) |
2022-23 planned spending |
2023-24 planned spending |
2024-25 planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benefits, Services and Support | 4,625,183,299 | 4,660,494,971 | 5,393,668,226 | 5,358,759,533 | 5,358,759,533 | 4,336,186,036 | 4,331,177,587 |
| Commemoration | 81,485,684 | 42,205,327 | 44,436,179 | 42,775,123 | 42,775,123 | 38,148,297 | 37,648,297 |
| Veterans Ombudsperson | 4,115,574 | 5,193,514 | 4,467,605 | 4,481,326 | 4,481,326 | 4,511,059 | 4,511,058 |
| Subtotal | 4,710,784,557 | 4,707,893,812 | 5,442,572,010 | 5,406,015,982 | 5,406,015,982 | 4,378,845,392 | 4,373,336,942 |
| Internal services | 121,589,799 | 128,739,691 | 121,973,377 | 101,444,483 | 101,444,483 | 96,082,653 | 96,058,036 |
| Total | 4,832,374,356 | 4,836,633,503 | 5,564,545,387 | 5,507,460,465 | 5,507,460,465 | 4,474,928,045 | 4,469,394,978 |
With respect to each core responsibility; Benefits, Services and Support is a large piece of our budget. Planned spending will decrease in the future due to the conclusion of temporary funding to address the backlog as operational capacity returns to historical levels. While planned spending is currently shown to decrease in the outer years, it is expected the Department will see increased demand for many of its programs and services. Additional funding for this demand will be sought through future Estimates process to align with the latest forecast of client demand and expenditures (as previously discussed).
Planned spending for Commemoration will decrease as temporary funding ends from the Budget 2018 initiative to expedite repairs to graves cared for by Veterans Affairs concludes.
Planned spending for Veterans Ombudsman remains stable and is not expected to change.
Finally, approximately 2% of our total planned spending is allocated to internal services, to support program delivery and the corporate obligations of the organization. The planned spending for internal services is forecasted to decrease due to the conclusion of temporary funding related to our initiative to reduce the backlog and improve the delivery of services and programs, as mentioned above.
Planned human resources
The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for each of our core responsibilities and for its internal services for 2022-23 and the other relevant years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | 2019-20 actual FTEs |
2020-21 actual FTEs |
2021-22 forecast FTEs |
2022-23 planned FTEs |
2023-24 planned FTEs |
2024-25 planned FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benefits, Services and Support | 2,326.4 | 2,549.7 | 2,757.4 | 2,216.7 | 2,029.0 | 2,029.0 |
| Commemoration | 90.0 | 70.0 | 67.1 | 92.6 | 87.6 | 87.6 |
| Veterans Ombudsperson | 32.5 | 34.2 | 31.9 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 39.0 |
| Subtotal | 2,448.9 | 2,653.9 | 2,856.4 | 2,348.3 | 2,155.6 | 2,155.6 |
| Internal services | 749.1 | 801.3 | 815.5 | 757.6 | 747.6 | 747.6 |
| Total | 3,198.0 | 3,455.2 | 3,671.9 | 3,105.9 | 2,903.2 | 2,903.2 |
In 2022-23, we will be maintaining close to 200, of roughly 700 temporary Human Resources, related Service Excellence initiative, which was part of the Government’s Economic and Fiscal Snapshot in August 2020. The temporary increase in FTE resources were hired with the purpose of addressing the backlog of disability applications. These resources, also include 15 FTEs to support initiatives to improve automation and peer support. While planned human resource levels return to previous levels in 2023-24, we will continue to reassess our capacity as we move forward in improving service to Veterans and their families.
Estimates by vote
Information on our 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 our operations for 2021-22 to 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 our website.
| Financial information | 2021-22 forecast results |
2022-23 planned results |
Difference (2022-23 planned results minus 2021-22 Forecast results) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 5,576,648,263 | 5,527,435,387 | (49,212,876) |
| Total revenues | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 5,576,648,263 | 5,527,435,387 | (49,212,876) |
The estimated net cost of operations for fiscal year 2022-23 is $5.527 billion. Over 93% of the planned spending for fiscal year 2022-23 is paid directly to, or on behalf of, the people we serve, in the form of compensation, financial support, health care and commemoration. When comparing 2021-22 Forecast Results to 2022-23 Planned Results, the decrease is due to the conclusion of temporary funding to address the backlog as operational capacity returns to historical levels.