This policy comes into effect November 29, 2004.
This policy applies to all departments listed in Schedules I,
I.1 and II of the Financial
Administration Act (FAA). It does not apply to interdepartmental fees
(i.e. fees charged by one department to another).
The government recognizes the importance of service quality,
and has made clear that this is a key responsibility in Results for Canadians: A
Management Framework for the Government of Canada and the TBS Management
Accountability Framework. Consistent with this, service standards
represent an important management tool for measuring, assessing, communicating
and improving service performance. Consultation is critical to service standard
development in order that government and stakeholders gain an understanding of
their respective needs and challenges.
Moreover, service standards represent the government's
commitment to those who use its services, in a framework of transparency and
accountability. This is particularly true when users are charged a fee.
This perspective is reinforced by the provisions of the User Fees Act,
which was given Royal Assent on March 31, 2004. The Act created a legal
framework within which departments are required to manage user fees, including
the establishment and reporting of standards.
It is the policy of the government that those who pay fees
for government services are entitled to fundamental information on the services
being provided and any associated service standards.
(i) The
provision of services external to the federal government, for which fees are
charged, must be accompanied with service standards that are:
(a) Measurable;
and
(b) Relevant
at the level of the paying stakeholder.
(ii) These
service standards must be developed in consultation with paying and non-paying
stakeholders.
(iii) These
service standards and a summary of stakeholder feedback from consultation must
be reported annually to Parliament, no later than the 2005-06 Departmental
Performance Reports, in a format to be determined by Treasury Board
Secretariat.
These requirements do not apply where the government and the
paying stakeholder have negotiated a contract or formal agreement stipulating
the service standard (or some equivalent provision).
Deputy Heads must identify an Assistant Deputy
Minister-equivalent or higher to oversee implementation of this policy.
Departments will establish monitoring mechanisms, to ensure
that all fee-related activities are subject to audit and evaluation practices.
Treasury Board Secretariat will monitor implementation of
this policy on a government-wide basis through review of the Departmental
Performance Reports.
A review of this policy will be initiated by Treasury Board
Secretariat within three years.
Enquiries related to the policy should be directed to the
official designated as responsible for overseeing the specific departmental fee
activities. When necessary, further questions or points of clarification can be
directed to the appropriate Treasury Board Secretariat program analyst.
Relevant Legislation:
User
Fees Act
Financial
Administration Act
Other:
Service
Standards: a Guide to the Initiative
Quality and
Affordable Service for Canadians: Establishing Service Standards in the Federal
Government – An Overview
Results
For Canadians – A Management Framework for the Government of Canada
TBS
Management Accountability Framework
|