ARCHIVED – National Energy Board – 2011-12 Departmental Performance Report – User Fees and Regulatory Charges/External Fees

User Fee: Fees charged for the issuance of operating licenses under the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act (COGO Act).

Fee Type: Regulatory (R)

Fee-Setting Authority: Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act, section 5(1)(a); Canada Oil and Gas Operations Regulations, section 3(2)(d)

Date Last Modified: 1992

Performance Standards:
Well drilling applications: 100 per cent of decisions rendered within 21 calendar days of receiving a complete application.

Geological and geophysical applications: 100 per cent of decisions rendered within 30 calendar days of receiving a complete application.

Performance Results:
Well drilling applications: 17 received: 82 per cent of decisions rendered within 21 calendar days.

Geological and geophysical applications:
4 received: 100 per cent of decisions rendered within 30 calendar days.

User Fees and Regulatory Charges (User Fees Act)

2011–12 ($ thousands)			Planning years ($ thousands)
Forecast revenue	Actual revenue	Full cost	Fiscal year	Forecast revenue	Estimated full cost
1.0	0.6	6,839.2	2012–13	1.0	7,167.7
			2013–14	1.0	7,385.3
			2014–15	1.0	7,385.3

Other information: Where the Board did not meet its performance standards, the processes and resource allocations were reviewed to ensure future success.

Under the COGO Act, the NEB regulates oil and gas activities on Frontier lands not subject to a federal/provincial accord.

User Fee: Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act.

Fee Type: Other Products and Services (O)

Fee-Setting Authority: Access to Information Act, section 11; Access to Information Regulations, section 7

Date Last Modified: 1992

Performance Standards: Response provided within 30 days following the receipt of request. The response time may be extended pursuant to section 9 of the Access to Information Act. Notice of extension to be sent within 30 days after receipt of request.

Performance Results: 47 requests were completed in 2011-12. 56 requests were received during the reporting period and 10 requests were carried forward from the previous period. 19 requests were carried forward into 2012-13. 39 requests (83 per cent) were completed in 30 days or a notice of extension was sent within 30 days. 16 requests were completed in 31-60 days and 2 requests were completed in 61-120 days.

User Fees and Regulatory Charges (User Fees Act)

2011–12 ($ thousands)			Planning years ($ thousands)
Forecast revenue	Actual revenue	Full cost	Fiscal year	Forecast revenue	Estimated full cost
1.0	1.0	363.4	2012–13	1.0	436.7
			2013–14	1.0	339.7
			2014–15	1.0	339.7

Other Information: The 2011-12 fiscal year was a record year for the NEB with respect to the number of requests received. The Board experienced a 160% increase in requests over the previous reporting period, a 622% increase over the number of requests received in 2009-10 and an 1120% increase over the number of requests received in 2008-09. Due to the unprecedented volume of requests, meeting prescribed timelines for responding to requests was a challenge. To address this, the NEB has invested in Access to Information with additional funding, training and mentoring. The NEB responded to more requests than ever in 2011–12, a 156% increase from the year before. The NEB also reduced its backlog of requests and prevented buildups from increasing. The Board continues to make a strong effort to keep up with the unprecedented number of requests.