3% reduction to LAC Funding in Main Estimates 2015/16

The Main Estimates tabled in Parliament show total budgetary funding for Library and Archives Canada falling from $95,864,788 in 2014/15 to $93,011,489 in 2015/16.

LAC continues to be treated at poor man of the Heritage Portfolio. Minister Shelly Glover awards substantial increases to the Canadian Museum of History, the Museum of Science and Technology, for the construction of the National Holocaust Monument and the Victims of Communism Monument.

Looking at changes in emphasis within LAC, reflected in changes to expenditures by strategic outcome, gives a indication of the priorities of Librarian and Archivist of Canada Guy Berthiaume.

Increases go to Access to documentary heritage where funding goes from $28,589,912 to $29,762,349, a 4% increase reversing the previous year cut. Funding for Internal Services rises from $19,927,061 to $25,948,930, a 30% increase!

UPDATE: Guy Berthiaume informs that "Central agencies issued a new guide on how to allocate central services expenditure, which simplify our work and standardise practices across departments. As a result,  funds that were previously associated with the programs on a pro-rata basis are now considered internal services, especially in the area of communication and IT."

There are decreases for Stewardship of documentary heritage from $23,377,784 to $16,742,862 (29%), likely mainly due to the completion of a facility project; for documentation of Canadian society from $12,902,706 to $11,591,441 (7.4%); for Collaboration in the management of government records from $7,595,563 to $6,212,732 (18.3%) and; for Development of regulatory instruments and recordkeeping tools $3,471,762 to $2,753,175 (18.7%).