Current Budget

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is a Departmental Corporation listed in Schedule II of the Financial Administration Act. As an arms length agency of government, it is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Health. In fiscal year 2008-2009, CIHR is planning to invest over $960 million in research projects and personnel support across the full spectrum of health sciences research.

Expenditure Management System

As a Departmental Corporation, the CIHR operates within the expenditure management system of the federal government. It must comply with the government’s accounting and financial polices, which includes the annual cycle of planning and reporting to Parliament in respect to priorities and performance. Two annual documents presented to Parliament are of particular importance:

• Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPPs) are individual expenditure plans for each department and agency (such as CIHR). These reports provide information on objectives, initiatives, planned results, and links to related resource requirements over a three-year time horizon. The RPPs are tabled in Parliament on or before March 31 of each year.

• Department Performance Reports (DPRs) are individual department and agency accounts of accomplishments achieved against planned performance expectations as set in respective RPPs. The reports cover the most recently finished fiscal year ending March 31, and are tabled in the House each fall usually at the end of October.

These reports can be found on the Reports to Parliament page. See also CIHR’s Annual Reports.

Funds are appropriated by Parliament to CIHR through a system of lapsing financial authorities. Funds can be spent only for the purpose for which they were voted by Parliament. Grants and Awards not spent in a current fiscal year lapse and cannot be carried over. Only a small portion of Operating Expenditures (up to 5% of Main Estimates) can be carried over to the next fiscal year if unspent in the current fiscal year.

Main Estimates (in millions)

1. CIHR's budget derives its authority from two Parliamentary Votes: one for Grants and one for Operating Expenditures. Any transfer of funds between these votes requires Parliamentary authority.
2. The $34 Million in fiscal 2008-2009 is expected to be voted to CIHR by Parliament through Supplementary Estimates in the fall of 2008.
3. Funding provided to the Networks of Centres of Excellences and the Canada Research Chairs are specifically earmarked for these programs and cannot be transferred to other initiatives.

CIHR Budget 2008-2009

CIHR’s budget for 2008-2009 is $963M. The budgeted is allocated to various types of initiatives under grants and awards and to the administration of these initiatives.