Standing Committee on Estimates Fiscal Policy — Report (58th Legislature, 2nd Session, Estimates(Firstreport2016May17))
58-2 Estimates(Firstreport2016May17)
New Brunswick — Committees
FIRST REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES AND FISCAL POLICY Second Session Fifty-eighth Legislative Assembly of the Province of New Brunswick May 17, 2016 MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE Mr. Bernard LeBlanc, Chair Mr. Bourque, Vice-Chair Mr. Albert Mr. Bertrand LeBlanc Ms. LeBlanc Mr. Roussel Mr. Chiasson Mr. Jody Carr Mr. Crossman Mr. Higgs Mr. Wetmore
May 17, 2016 To The Honourable The Legislative Assembly of The Province of New Brunswick Mr. Speaker: Your Standing Committee on Estimates and Fiscal Policy begs leave to submit this, their First Report. Your Committee met in the Legislative Assembly Chamber on February 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, March 1, 2, 3, 4, 22, 23, April 20 and 21, 2016, to consider the estimates referred to your Committee by resolution of the House adopted February 12, 2016. Your Committee wishes to report that they have passed all remaining estimates referred to them and outlined in this report. Your Committee recommends that these estimates be concurred in by the House. Bernard LeBlanc, MLA Chair
2 The following are the items that were passed by the Committee: MAIN ESTIMATES, 2016-2017 RESOLVED, that there be granted to Her Majesty sums not exceeding the following to defray the expenses of the following program allocations for the fiscal year ending the 31 st of March, 2017: Voted ($) ORDINARY ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES Management Services ........................................................................ 3,254,000 Industry Programs and Policy ............................................................ 19,360,000 Regional Development....................................................................... 14,595,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 37,162,000 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Corporate and Other Education Services ........................................... 65,624,000 School Districts .................................................................................. 987,663,000 Early Childhood Development .......................................................... 84,599,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,137,839,000 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND MINES Administration ................................................................................... 616,000 Policy Management and Business Development ............................... 2,646,000 Resource Exploration, Development and Management ..................... 5,057,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 8,272,000 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Corporate Services ............................................................................. 3,950,000 Local Government ............................................................................. 121,134,000 Environment ....................................................................................... 12,927,000 Assessment and Planning Appeal Board ........................................... 318,000 Community Funding .......................................................................... 152,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 138,434,000 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OFFICE Executive Council Secretariat ............................................................ 2,437,000 Corporate Communications ............................................................... 3,974,000 Office of the Lieutenant-Governor .................................................... 340,000 Women’s Equality Branch ................................................................. 2,818,000 Intergovernmental Affairs .................................................................. 2,381,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 11,950,000
3 DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE Financial Resource Management ....................................................... 13,887,000 Office of the Comptroller ................................................................... 3,106,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 16,946,000 GENERAL GOVERNMENT Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat ............................................................ 2,538,000 Commissions Paid to Collectors of Pari-Mutuel Taxes ..................... 350,000 Equal Employment Opportunity Program ......................................... 363,000 Jobs Board Secretariat........................................................................ 1,030,000 Legislated Pension Plans, Benefit Accruals, Subsidies, and Supplementary Allowances ................................................. 153,263,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 164,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 153,099,000 Office of the Clerk and Head of the Public Service ........................... 6,668,000 Pension and Employee Benefits Plan ................................................ 314,563,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 2,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 314,561,000 Provision for Losses ........................................................................... 12,200,000 Revenue Sharing Agreements with First Nations .............................. 47,200,000 Service New Brunswick ..................................................................... 141,505,000 Supplementary Funding Provision ..................................................... 110,063,000 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Corporate and Other Health Services ................................................ 267,084,000 Medicare ............................................................................................ 606,956,000 Drug Programs ................................................................................... 198,935,000 Regional Health Authorities .............................................................. 1,507,797,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 2,580,725,000 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES Human Resource Management .......................................................... 3,594,000 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Administration and Planning ............................................................. 3,369,000 Court Services .................................................................................... 33,758,000 Legal Aid ........................................................................................... 7,830,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 44,957,000
4 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Members’ Allowances, Committees and Operations......................... 8,012,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 4,272,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 3,740,000 Office of the Legislative Assembly ................................................... 3,564,000 Office of the Auditor General ............................................................ 2,109,000 Offices of Leaders and Members of Registered Political Parties ...... 1,603,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 90,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,513,000 Elections New Brunswick .................................................................. 7,313,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 668,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 6,645,000 Office of the Ombudsman .................................................................. 917,000 Office of the Child and Youth Advocate ........................................... 916,000 Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages ........................... 514,000 Office of the Consumer Advocate for Insurance ............................... 476,000 Office of the Access to Information and Privacy Commissioner ...... 606,000 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Administration ................................................................................... 6,663,000 Forest Management and Protection ................................................... 60,872,000 Fish and Wildlife Management .......................................................... 2,229,000 Land Management ............................................................................. 4,590,000 Regional Operations........................................................................... 17,343,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 91,650,000 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL Attorney General ................................................................................ 17,641,000 OFFICE OF THE PREMIER Administration ................................................................................... 1,598,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 67,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,531,000 OPPORTUNITIES NEW BRUNSWICK Administration and Business Development Services ........................ 16,308,000 Financial Assistance........................................................................... 30,184,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 46,492,000
5 OTHER AGENCIES Consolidated Entities ......................................................................... 258,455,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 258,455,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 0 Council of Atlantic Premiers ............................................................. 642,000 Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation ..................................... 2,799,000 Labour and Employment Board ......................................................... 629,000 New Brunswick Police Commission ................................................. 361,000 Premier’s Council on the Status of Disabled Persons ........................ 287,000 Voices of New Brunswick Women Consensus-Building Forum ...... 421,000 DEPARTMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR Corporate Services ............................................................................. 5,591,000 NB Public Libraries ........................................................................... 17,201,000 Post-Secondary Education ................................................................. 161,636,000 Adult Learning ................................................................................... 11,125,000 Labour and Policy .............................................................................. 7,891,000 Employment Development ................................................................ 27,712,000 Canada-New Brunswick Job Fund Agreement .................................. 10,682,000 Labour Market Development ............................................................. 89,148,000 Population Growth ............................................................................. 5,775,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 336,714,000 DEPARTMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission ......................... 273,224,000 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY Community, Corrections and Corporate Services ............................. 49,258,000 Public Security and Emergency Services .......................................... 99,851,000 Safety Services ................................................................................... 30,075,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 179,137,000 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Development Projects and Operations ............................................... 79,922,000 SERVICE OF THE PUBLIC DEBT Service of the Public Debt ................................................................. 700,000,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 694,474,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 5,526,000 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Corporate and Other Services ............................................................ 11,695,000 Child Welfare and Youth Services .................................................... 123,483,000 Long Term Care ................................................................................. 656,891,000
6 Income Security ................................................................................. 241,127,000 Housing Services ............................................................................... 88,220,000 Wellness ............................................................................................. 7,307,000 Other Benefits .................................................................................... 35,700,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,164,376,000 DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM, HERITAGE AND CULTURE Administration ................................................................................... 2,829,000 Sport and Recreation .......................................................................... 6,583,000 Culture................................................................................................ 16,154,000 Tourism and Parks ............................................................................. 25,948,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 51,467,000 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Administration ................................................................................... 14,360,000 Policy, Planning and Strategic Development..................................... 1,709,000 Maintenance ....................................................................................... 59,395,000 Winter Maintenance ........................................................................... 69,069,000 Bridge and Highway Construction..................................................... 1,628,000 Buildings Group ................................................................................. 127,020,000 New Brunswick Highway Corporation .............................................. 19,719,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 19,101,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 273,799,000 CAPITAL ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES Capital Equipment ............................................................................. 100,000 Strategic Infrastructure....................................................................... 1,000,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,100,000 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Public Schools – Capital Equipment.................................................. 2,060,000 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Local Service Districts ....................................................................... 1,000,000 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Public Hospitals – Capital Equipment ............................................... 19,000,000 DEPARTMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission Deferred Maintenance Program ................................................. 2,000,000
7 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Canada-New Brunswick New Building Canada Fund- Small Communities Fund ........................................................... 9,500,000 Economic Development, Innovation and Infrastructure .................... 2,707,000 Strategic Economic Infrastructure Fund ............................................ 35,000,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 47,207,000 SERVICE NEW BRUNSWICK Laundry Services – Capital Equipment ............................................. 3,411,000 DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM, HERITAGE AND CULTURE Capital Improvements ........................................................................ 2,295,000 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Bridges ............................................................................................... 75,910,000 Highways ........................................................................................... 227,540,000 Municipal Designated Highway Program .......................................... 25,000,000 Federal-Provincial Cost-Shared Program .......................................... 48,860,000 Vehicle Management Agency ............................................................ 14,000,000 Public Works and Infrastructure ........................................................ 186,717,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 67,236,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 510,791,000 LOANS AND ADVANCES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES New Brunswick Agricultural Insurance Commission ....................... 1,600,000 Loan Programs ................................................................................... 9,500,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 11,100,000 OPPORTUNITIES NEW BRUNSWICK Financial Assistance to Industry ........................................................ 60,000,000 DEPARTMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR Student Loan Advances ..................................................................... 62,900,000 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Financial assistance to community based infrastructure .................... 8,400,000 Northern New Brunswick Economic Development and Innovation Fund Loan Program ................................................. 4,000,000 Miramichi Regional Economic Development and Innovation Fund Loan Program ................................................. 1,000,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 13,400,000 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Housing .............................................................................................. 3,224,000
8 WORKING CAPITAL – MAXIMUM BALANCES WORKING CAPITAL ADVANCES Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries ............................................. 1,100,000 Education and Early Childhood Development .................................. 350,000 General Government .......................................................................... 100,000 Health ................................................................................................. 1,225,000 Justice ................................................................................................. 10,000 Office of the Attorney General .......................................................... 5,000 Social Development ........................................................................... 1,900,000 Tourism, Heritage and Culture .......................................................... 500,000 Transportation and Infrastructure ...................................................... 3,000,000 WorkSafeNB Finance ....................................................................................... 360,000 Education and Early Childhood Development ........................... 160,000 Health ......................................................................................... 515,000 Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour ....................... 30,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,065,000 PETTY CASH ADVANCES Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries ............................................. 24,000 Education and Early Childhood Development .................................. 122,000 Environment and Local Government ................................................. 5,000 Health ................................................................................................. 2,000 Justice ................................................................................................. 20,000 Natural Resources .............................................................................. 26,000 Office of the Attorney General .......................................................... 4,000 Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour .............................. 20,000 Public Safety ...................................................................................... 22,000 Social Development ........................................................................... 24,000 Tourism, Heritage and Culture .......................................................... 100,000 Transportation and Infrastructure ...................................................... 23,000 Other (small advances) ...................................................................... 40,000 INVENTORIES Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries ............................................. 2,000,000 General Government .......................................................................... 2,000,000 Health ................................................................................................. 8,830,000 Natural Resources .............................................................................. 510,000 Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour .............................. 200,000 Public Safety ...................................................................................... 575,000 Social Development ........................................................................... 100,000 Tourism, Heritage and Culture .......................................................... 500,000 Transportation and Infrastructure ...................................................... 23,000,000
9 SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES, 2014-2015, VOLUME I RESOLVED, that there be granted to Her Majesty sums not exceeding the following to defray the expenses of the following program allocations for the fiscal year ending the 31 st of March, 2015: Voted ($) ORDINARY ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Regional Development Corporation .................................................. 32,929,181.22 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Elementary and Secondary Education ............................................... 26,301,037.66 GENERAL GOVERNMENT Legislated Pension Plans, Benefit Accruals, Subsidies, and Supplementary Allowances ................................................. 211,769,213.06 New Brunswick Police Commission ................................................. 81,904.97 Provision for Losses ........................................................................... 662,844.09 DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES New Brunswick Internal Services Agency (NBISA)......................... 3,084,381.30 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Elections New Brunswick .................................................................. 1,021,909.16 DEPARTMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR Post-Secondary Education ................................................................. 11,958,736.47 Adult Learning ................................................................................... 144,241.95 Canada-New Brunswick Labour Market Agreement ........................ 4,186,993.16 Voted .................................................................................................. 16,289,971.58 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY Safety Services ................................................................................... 1,071,572.27 Public Security and Corrections......................................................... 21,814,613.32 Voted .................................................................................................. 22,886,185.59 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Long Term Care ................................................................................. 1,399,188.00 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Administration ................................................................................... 108,937.40 Maintenance ....................................................................................... 3,303,424.45 Winter Maintenance ........................................................................... 20,210,317.47 Voted .................................................................................................. 23,622,679.32
10 CAPITAL ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Permanent Highways ......................................................................... 17,182,081.43 LOANS AND ADVANCES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Loans and Advances Program ........................................................... 313.73