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Download complete report in .PDF format (size 301 KB) Appendix A: Government-Wide Appendix A: Crown Corporations

Building Better Reports: Our Assessment of the 2003/04 Annual Service Plan Reports of Government

Appendix A: Annual Service Plan Reports Assessed

Ministries

July 2005

Ministry of Children and Family Development
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. Core business areas, programs and services are described, and the report clearly identifies the ministry’s clients and stakeholders. The report has begun to describe how the ministry’s values guide its operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how it delivers programs and services through others and explain how it ensures others deliver what it wants. The ministry should also describe key accountability and reporting relationships and clearly explain how the delivery of its programs and services are guided by public sector values.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

There are clear linkages between the goals and objectives, and they are consistent with the ministry’s mission and public purpose. The report explains why performance measures are relevant to the to the ministry’s goals and objectives. Variance between planned and actual results are identified and explained for some measures.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures. Performance measures should be provided for each objective and should focus on the full range of issues that concern the public and the legislators. The ministry should also fully explain the variances between planned and actual results.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on the goals and objectives that are critical to the organization’s stakeholders and to achieving it’s purpose or vision. A wider array of performance information is presented than in start up. Key results are clear and readily apparent.

To improve in this area of reporting the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The ministry should also explain what is critical in achieving its goals and objectives and the few critical aspects of performance. What is important to the government at the overall corporate level, as reflected in the government’s strategic plan, should also be addressed.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

Some current capacity information is presented with explanation as to the ministry’s ability to deliver on its goals and objectives. The report explains how capacity affected some of the results achieved.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The ministry should explain how risk management strategies affected results. Key areas of capacity, including the capacity of partner, and the impact of capacity on the results achieved, should also be described.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

Planned and actual costs are provided by core business area and key financial variances are explained.

To improve in this area of reporting the ministry should… provide key financial trend information and explain how current funding compares to past and forecast funding. The ministry should also link financial and non-financial information and identify critical measures of efficiency.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

Actual performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. The report contains relevant economic, social or demographic information to put results into context. The report has begun to compare performance results against benchmark information and there is sufficient information to judge the organization’s performance relative to past performance.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

The report identifies sources of information and describes why the ministry chose its goals, objectives, performance measures and targets.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide interpretations of its results. Management should describe why it is confident that the data is relevant and reliable. Where data limitations are presented, the ministry should describe the steps taken to validate the data.

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Ministry of Transportation
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. The report describes the ministry’s core business areas, programs and services. Clients and key stakeholders are also described. The report has begun to describe how public sector values guide the Ministry’s operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly describe the governance structure under which it operates and its accountability relationships with key partners. How the ministry delivers programs through others and how it ensures others deliver what it wants should also be explained. The ministry should also clearly describe how it is guided by its values in delivering its programs and services.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

There are clear linkages between the ministry’s goals and objective and they are consistent with the ministry's mission and purpose. The report provides measures for each of its objectives and explains why performance measures are relevant. Variances between planned and actual results are explained.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on the goals and objectives that are critical to the ministry’s stakeholders and to achieving its purpose or vision. The report contains a wider array of performance information than in start-up and key results are clear and readily apparent. The report explains how the ministry’s performance is linked to government wide direction.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives, and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The ministry should also explain what is critical in achieving its goals and objectives and the few critical aspects of performance.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report identifies some risks in the ministry’s operating environment.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The report should explain how risk management strategies affected results. Key areas of capacity, including the capacity of partners, and the impact of capacity on the results achieved, should also be described.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report explains planned and actual costs in terms of core business areas and explains key financial variances. Any changes in funding that affected the achievement of planned performance targets are explained. The report identifies critical measures of efficiency.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide financial trend information for expenditures.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

Actual performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. The report has one year of baseline information for most measures to compare results against. The report has begun to compare performance results against benchmark information.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide trend information for its performance measures so that the reader is able to judge the its performance relative to past performance. Any year over year data inconsistencies should be fully explained. Where available and relevant, the report should include benchmark information of similar organizations or best practices. Relevant economic, social or demographic information should also be presented to put the ministry’s results into context.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

The report identifies sources of information and provides a rationale for choosing the performance measures. The period of data reported is provided for most measures. Management publicly affirms its responsibility for the contents of the report and has provided some interpretations of its results.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should…explain how each of its performance targets have been selected and explain how measures are compiled and identify the period of data reported. The ministry should provide full interpretations of its results and explain why readers should have confidence in the reliability of the information presented.

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Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. The report describes the ministry’s core business areas, programs and services and identifies clients and key stakeholders. The report has begun to describe how public sector values guide its operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain how services and programs are delivered, how programs and services are delivered through others and how it ensures others deliver what it wants. The ministry also needs to describe key accountability and reporting relationships and explain how the delivery of its programs and services are guided by public sector values.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

There are clear linkages between the goals and objectives and they are consistent with the mission and public purpose. The report provides measures for each of its objectives and explains why the measures are relevant to the ministry’s goals and objectives. Variances have been identified and explained for most measures.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures. The report should also focus on the full range of issues that concern the public and legislators. Variances between planned and actual results should be fully explained.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on goals and objectives that are critical to the ministry’s stakeholders and to achieving its purpose and mission. The report explains what is critical to the organization in achieving its goals and objectives. The report contains a wider array of performance information than in start-up and explains how the ministry’s performance is linked to government wide direction.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives, and measures are important and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The report should also explain the few critical aspects of performance and ensure results are clear and readily apparent. What’s important to the government at the overall corporate level, as reflected in the government’s strategic plan, should also be addressed.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report describes key risks in the internal and external operating environment and their expected impact on the ministry. The report describes existing resources.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The ministry should explain how risk management strategies affected results. Key areas of capacity, including the capacity of partners and the impact of capacity on the results achieved, should also be described.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report provides planned and actual costs in terms of core business areas. Current funding is compared to past and forecast funding. Key financial variances are identified and the nature of funding is described. The report begins to makes linkages between financial and other performance information by linking resources to some programs and objectives.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain key financial variances and identify critical measures of efficiency.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

Actual performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. The report has begun to compare performance results against benchmark information. Future performance targets are presented.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… include relevant economic, social or demographic information to put its results into context. The ministry should also provide trend information for its performance measures so that readers are able to judge the ministry’s performance relative to past performance. Where available and relevant, the report should include additional benchmark information of similar organizations or best practices.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

The report identifies sources of information and the period of data reported. The report describes why the organization chose its goals, objectives and performance measures. Where information is incomplete, the report provides baseline or additional information.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how measures are compiled and how performance targets were selected. The ministry should also provide full interpretations of its results and explain why the reader should have confidence in the reliability of the information presented.

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Ministry of Forests
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. The report provides an overview of the programs and services the ministry delivers and it lists the values that guide the ministry’s operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully describe its core business areas and the programs and services that it provides. The ministry should also clearly identify clients and key stakeholders. How it delivers programs through others and how it ensures others deliver what it wants should also be explained. The ministry also should describe key accountability and reporting relationships and explain how the delivery of its programs and services are guided by public sector values.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

The report identifies the ministry’s goals and objective and they are consistent with the ministry's mission and purpose. The report provides measures for each of its objectives. Variances between planned and actual results are explained.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures and explain why performance measures are relevant to the ministry’s goals and objectives. The report should also focus on the full range of issues that concern the public and the legislators. Variances from performance targets should also be explained.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on the goals and objectives that are critical to the ministry’s stakeholders and to achieving its purpose or vision. The report explains what is critical to the ministry in achieving its goals and objectives. The report addresses what is important to the government at the overall corporate level, as reflected in the government’s strategic plan. Key results are clear and readily apparent.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives, and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report identifies some risks in the ministry’s internal and external operating environments, and also discusses how capacity affected the results achieved.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The ministry should explain how risk management strategies affected results. Key areas of capacity including the capacity of partners should also be described.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report explains planned and actual costs in terms of core business areas, and variances are identified. Changes in funding that affected the achievement of planned performance targets are explained. The report makes clear the nature of funding and explains key revenue generating activities.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide key financial trend information for expenditures and fully explain key financial variances. Explanations of how current funding compares to past and forecast funding should also be provided. The report should also explain the linkage between financial and other performance information and identify critical measures of efficiency.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

Actual performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. Any year-over-year data inconsistencies that could impact a reader’s understanding of trends comparisons are fully explained. The report also contains relevant economic, social or demographic information to put the ministry’s results into context. The report has one year of baseline information for most measures to compare results against.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide sufficient information to allow the reader to judge its performance relative to past performance. Where available and relevant, the report should include benchmark information of similar organizations or best practices.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

The report identifies sources of information and describes why the ministry chose its goals, objectives and performance measures. The period of data reported is provided for most measures. The report indicates when incomplete information will be available. The report clearly explains the reasons for changes to goals, objectives, or performance measures from the prior year. Management publicly affirms its responsibility for the contents of the report and has provided some interpretations of its results.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how each of its performance targets have been selected, explain how measures are compiled, and disclose the period of data reported. The report should also provide full interpretations of results and explain why the reader should have confidence in the reliability of the information presented.

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Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. The ministry’s core business areas and its programs and services are also described. The report identifies clients and key stakeholders. The report lists the values that guide the ministry’s operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how it delivers programs, products or services through others, and how it ensures others deliver what it wants. The ministry should also describe key accountability and reporting relationships and explain how the delivery of its programs and services are guided by public sector values.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

There are clear linkages between the goals and objectives, and they are consistent with the ministry's mission and public purpose. The report provides measures for each of its objectives and explains why the measures are relevant to the ministry’s objectives. Variances between planned and actual results are identified.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures. The ministry should also focus on the full range of issues that concern the public and the legislators. Variances from performance targets should also be explained.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on the goals and objectives that are critical to the ministry’s stakeholders and to achieving its purpose or vision. Key results are clear and readily apparent.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The report should also explain what is critical to the ministry in achieving its goals and objectives, and address what is important to the government at the overall corporate level, as reflected in the government’s strategic plan.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report identifies some risks in the ministry’s internal and external operating environments. The report also describes the current status of key areas of capacity and explains when capacity affected the results achieved.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces, and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The report should also explain how risk management affected the results achieved.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report explains planned and actual costs in terms of core business areas and explains key financial variances. Any changes in funding that affected the achievement of planned performance targets are explained. The report identifies critical measures of efficiency.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide financial trend information for expenditures.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

The report has one year of baseline information for most measures to compare results against.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… ensure performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. Where goals, objectives, measures or targets are not reported as planned, full explanations must be provided. Relevant economic, social or demographic information should be presented to put the ministry’s results into context. The ministry should also provide trend information for its performance measures so that readers are able to judge its performance relative to past performance. Where available and relevant, the report should include benchmark information of similar organizations or best practices.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

Management publicly affirms its responsibility for the contents of the report. The report identifies sources of information and describes management’s confidence in the reliability of the results. Where information is incomplete the report provides either a baseline or indicates when the information will be available.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide a concise explanation of how measures are derived and disclose the period of data reported. An explanation of how performance targets were selected should also be provided. The ministry also should present full interpretations of its results.

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Ministry of Finance
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. The ministry ’s core business areas, clients and key stakeholders are also clearly described. The report has begun to describe how public sector values guide the organization’s operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… describe key accountability and reporting relationships and explain how the delivery of its programs and services are guided by public sector values.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

There are clear linkages between the goals and objectives, and they are consistent with the ministry’s mission and public purpose. The report explains why the measures are relevant to the ministry’s goals and objectives. Performance measures go beyond just inputs and simple outputs towards including more informative outputs, and variances between planned and actual results are identified.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures. Variances between planned and actual results should be fully explained.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on the goals and objectives that are critical to the ministry’s stakeholders and to achieving its purpose or vision. The report contains a wider array of performance information than in start–up. The report explains how the ministry’s performance is linked to government wide direction.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The ministry should also explain what is critical in achieving its goals and objectives and the few critical aspects of performance. Key results should be clear and readily apparent. What is important to the government at the overall corporate level as reflected in the government’s strategic plan should also be addressed.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report identifies key risks in the internal and external operating environment and discusses the impact of some risks. The report also describes some risk management strategies.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should…clearly describe the key risks faced by the ministry, and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The ministry should explain how risk management affected results. The current status of key areas of capacity should also be described, including an explanation of how capacity affected the results achieved.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report explains planned and actual costs in terms of core business areas.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide financial trend information and describe key cost recovery activities. Variances between planned and actual results should also be explained. Explanations of how current funding compares to past and forecast funding should be provided. The ministry should also explain the linkage between financial and other performance information and identify critical measures of efficiency.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

Actual performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. The report contains sufficient information to judge the ministry’s performance relative to past performance and future performance targets are presented for most measures.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide relevant economic, social or demographic information to put its results into context. The ministry should also include benchmark information from other jurisdictions or similar organizations. Year-over-year data inconsistencies in reporting performance measures should also be explained.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

The report identifies sources of information and describes why the organization chose its goals, objectives and performance measures. Where information is incomplete, the report indicates when the information will be available. In addition, management publicly affirms its responsibility for the contents of the report and discloses some limitations in the information presented.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how its performance targets have been selected and disclose the reporting period of performance data. The ministry should provide full interpretations of its results, and explain why the reader should have confidence in the reliability of the information presented.

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Ministry of Human Resources
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. The ministry’s core business area and its programs and services are also described. The report identifies the ministry’s clients and it begins to describe accountability relationships with partners. The report has begun to describe how the ministry’s values guide its operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how it delivers programs and services through others and explain how it ensures others deliver what it wants. The ministry should also describe key accountability and reporting relationships and clearly explain how the delivery of its programs and services is guided by public sector values.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

There are clear linkages between the goals, objectives, and strategies and they are consistent with the ministry’s mission and public purpose. The report identifies and explains some variances.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures and explain why performance measures are relevant to its goals and objectives. The report should also focus on the full range of issues that concern the public and the legislators, and fully explain variances between planned and actual results.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on the goals and objectives that are critical to the ministry’s stakeholders and to achieving its purpose or vision. The report explains what is critical to the ministry in achieving its goals and objectives. Key results are clear and readily apparent. The report explains how the ministry’s performance is linked to government-wide direction.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The ministry should also explain what is critical in achieving its goals and objectives and the few critical aspects of performance. What is important to the government at the overall corporate level, as reflected in the government’s strategic plan, should also be addressed.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report identifies some risks in the organization’s operating environments and also describes existing resources.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The report should explain how risk management strategies affected results. Key areas of capacity, including the capacity of partners, and the impact of capacity on the results achieved, should also be described.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report explains planned and actual costs in terms of core business areas. Key financial variances are identified and explained.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide key financial trend information and explain how current funding compares to past and forecast funding. The report should also link financial and non-financial information and identify critical measures of efficiency.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

Actual performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. The report contains some demographic information which puts its results into context. Historical information is included for most measures and there is sufficient information to judge the organization’s performance relative to past performance.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… where available and relevant, include benchmark information of similar organizations or best practices.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

The report begins to explain why performance measures were chosen. Management publicly affirms its responsibility for the contents of the report and provides interpretations for its results.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how measures are compiled and identify the sources of information and the period of data reported. The ministry should also explain how performance targets were selected and explain why the reader should have confidence in the reliability of the information presented.

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Ministry of Attorney General
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report describes the ministry’s core business areas and its programs and services. The ministry’s clients and key stakeholders have been clearly identified. The report links the ministry’s services to system indicators within the provincial justice system. The report makes clear that the ministry is guided by public sector values in delivering its programs and services.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly explain the governance structure under which it operates and its key reporting relationships. How the ministry delivers programs through others and how it ensures others deliver what it wants should also be explained.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

The report provides measures for each of its objectives and explains why measures are relevant to the ministry’s goals and objectives. Performance measures go beyond just inputs and simple outputs towards including more informative outputs. The report explains variances between planned and actual results.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures. The ministry should also focus on the full range of issues that concern the public and the legislators.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on the goals and objectives that are critical to the ministry’s stakeholders and to achieving its purpose or vision.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The ministry should also explain what is critical in achieving its goals and objectives and the few critical aspects of performance. What is important to the government at the overall corporate level, as reflected in the government’s strategic plan, should also be addressed.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report identifies some risks in the ministry’s internal and external operating environments. Existing resources are described.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The ministry should explain how risk management strategies affected results. The current status of key areas of capacity including the capacity of partners should also be described.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report contains basic financial information and has begun to make linkages between financial and other performance information by reporting on some measures of output efficiency. Variances have been identified.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide key financial trend information and fully explain key financial variances. The ministry should also identify critical measures of efficiency. Explanations of how current funding compares to past and forecast funding should be provided in addition to how any changes in funding affected the achievement of planned performance targets.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

The report has one year of baseline information for most measures to compare results against.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… ensure performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. Results should be reported in relation to the goals, objectives and performance measures outlined in the plan. Where goals, objectives, measures or targets are not reported as planned, full explanations must be provided. The ministry should also provide trend information for its performance measures so that readers are able to judge the organization’s performance relative to past performance. Where available and relevant, it should include benchmark information of similar organizations or best practices. The report should also contain relevant economic, social, or demographic information to its results into context.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

Management publicly affirms its responsibility for the contents of the report. The report identifies the sources of information, including a concise explanation of how measures are derived and the period of data reported. Where changes have been made since the prior year, the report clearly explains the reasons for changes to goals, objectives, or performance measures.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how each of its performance targets have been selected. The ministry should also present full interpretations of its results, and explain why readers should have confidence in the reliability of the information presented. Management should further disclose any limitations or uncertainties in the information presented and describe the steps taken to validate the data.

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Ministry of Management Services
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. The report describes the ministry’s core business areas, programs and services. Clients and key stakeholders are also identified. The report has begun to describe how public sector values guide the ministry’s operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how it delivers programs and services through others and ensures others deliver what it wants. The ministry should also describe key accountability and reporting relationships and explain how the delivery of its programs and services are guided by public sector values.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

There are clear linkages between the goals and objectives, and they are consistent with the ministry’s mission and purpose. The report provides measures for each of its objectives. Performance measures go beyond just inputs and simple outputs towards including more informative outputs. Variances between planned and actual results are identified.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures and explain why performance measures are relevant to its goals and objectives. The report should also focus on the full range of issues that concern the public and the legislators. Variances from performance targets should also be explained.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report explains how the organization’s performance is linked to government-wide direction.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives, and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The report should explain what’s critical to the ministry in achieving its goals and objectives, and explain what is important to the government at the overall corporate level as reflected in the government’s strategic plan. Key performance results should be clear and readily apparent.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report identifies some risks in the organization’s internal and external operating environments.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The ministry should explain how risk management strategies affected results. The current status of key areas of capacity, including the capacity of partners, and how capacity affected results should also be described.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report explains planned and actual costs in terms of core business areas and variances are identified. The report identifies critical measures of efficiency.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should … explain key financial variances and provide financial trend information for expenditures.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

Actual performance is clearly reported in relation to the service plan. The report has at least one year of baseline information for most measures and is beginning to compare performance results against benchmark information.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… provide sufficient information to allow the reader to judge its performance relative to past performance. Where available and relevant, the report should include benchmark information of similar organizations or best practices. Relevant economic, social or demographic information should also be presented to put the ministry’s results into context.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

The report identifies the sources of information, including a concise explanation of how measures are derived and the period that data applies to. Where information is incomplete, the report indicates when the information will be available. In addition, management publicly affirms its responsibility for the contents of the report and discloses some limitations in the information presented.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain why it has chosen the measures it has and how performance targets were selected. The ministry should present full interpretations of its results and explain and why readers should have confidence in the reliability of the information.

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Ministry of Health Services
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Principle 1: Public Purpose Served

The report explains the ministry’s public purpose and its mission. An overview of the programs and services is provided. The report lists the values that guide the ministry’s operations.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… describe how it delivers its programs and services, how it delivers programs through others and how it ensures others deliver what it wants. Key accountability and reporting relationships should also be described. The ministry should also clearly describe how it is guided by its values in delivering its programs and services.

Principle 2: Link Goals and Results

There are clear linkages between the goals and objectives, and they are consistent with the ministry’s mission and public purpose. The report provides performance measures for each objective and these measures go beyond just inputs and simple outputs towards including more informative outputs. The report explains why performance measures are relevant to the organization’s goals and objectives for most measures. Variances between planned and actual results are identified. There are references to plans for the future for some measures.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly explain the linkages between its mission, goals, objectives, strategies and performance measures. The report should also focus on the full range of issues that concern the public and the legislators. Variances between planned and actual results should be fully explained.

Principle 3: Few Critical Aspects

The report has begun to focus on the goals and objectives that are critical to the organization’s stakeholders and to achieving its purpose or vision.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… clearly state why goals, objectives and measures are important, and what achieving them means to the public and legislators. The ministry should also explain what is critical in achieving its goals and objectives and explain the few critical aspects of performance. What is important to the government at the overall corporate level as reflected in the government’s strategic plan should also be addressed.

Principle 4: Risk and Capacity

The report describes key capacity risks and their expected impact on the organization. The report also describes existing resources.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… summarize the key risks it faces and the strategies for prioritizing and dealing with them. The ministry should explain how risk management strategies affected results. Key areas of capacity, including the capacity of partners, and the impact of capacity on the results achieved, should also be described.

Principle 5: Link Resources, Strategies and Results

The report contains basic financial information. Key financial variances are identified and explained by core business areas.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… fully explain planned and actual costs for each core business area and provide key financial trend information. Key revenue generating activities should be fully described. The report should also fully explain the linkage between financial and other performance information and identify critical measures of efficiency.

Principle 6: Comparative Information

Actual performance is reported in relation to the service plan. Year-over-year data inconsistencies that could impact a reader’s understanding of trend comparisons are fully explained.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… include relevant economic, social or demographic information to put its results into context. The report should also provide sufficient trend information for performance measures so that readers able to judge the ministry’s performance relative to past performance. Where available and relevant, the ministry should include benchmark information of similar organizations or best practices.

Principle 8: Disclose the Basis for Key Reporting Judgements

The report identifies some sources of information and describes why the organization chose its objectives and performance measures. Management publicly affirms its responsibility for the contents of the report and provides interpretations for some of its results. Where information is incomplete, the report for the most part provides baseline information and indicates when the information will be available. Limitations in the information presented are disclosed.

To improve in this area of reporting, the ministry should… explain how measures are compiled and identify the sources of information and the period of data reported. The report should also describe how performance targets were selected. The ministry should provide full interpretations of its results, and explain why readers should have confidence in the reliability of the information presented.

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Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management
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