Service performance reporting for grants and contributions
On this page
- Context
- Service standards targets for grants and contributions programs in fiscal year 2026-27
- Grants and contributions programs exemptions
- Other programs
- Service performance from previous years
Context
Service standards for our grants and contributions programs state the level of performance funding applicants and recipients can reasonably expect under normal circumstances.
The Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) service standards are:
- Timely acknowledgement of the Department’s receipt of an application, a proposal, an e-mail, or any other type of request for transfer payment funding
- Notification of funding decisions (i.e., informing the applicant whether their activity or project will be funded)
- Requisition for payment—Maximum amount of time between receipt of the final document(s) from the funding recipient (e.g., signed agreement, report, receipts, etc.) and the time the requisition for payment is sent for processing and payment
Service standards achievement targets are set at 90% across the department. Programs can submit their standards and results in calendar days or business days.
Achieving these service standards is a shared responsibility between funding applicants and recipients and DFO.
Funding applicants and recipients must:
- complete all required documentation
- submit this documentation according to each program’s instructions (please note different programs may require different documentation)
If DFO programs are unable to meet their service standard timelines, they will inform funding applicants and recipients about the delay.
Service standard reporting is done by fiscal year. A fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31.
Service standards performance targets for grants and contributions programs in fiscal year 2026-27
The following are the reported 2026-27 service standards which DFO programs aim to achieve at a 90% success rate.
Notice: Beginning in 2026-27, all service standard targets will be measured in calendar days rather than business days. This transition is intended to standardize service delivery days across programs and enhance the overall efficiency and comparability of performance reporting.
Programs are expected to begin tracking performance standards using the new targets starting March 31, 2026. These targets will not appear in official performance reporting until the 2026–27 results cycle. This phased approach is designed to give programs adequate time to update internal processes in preparation for the change.
| Terms and Conditions | Transfer Payment Program name | Service Standard #1 Acknowledgement of the receipt of an application or proposal | Service Standard #2 Notification of the funding decision | Service Standard #3 Requisition for payment | Calendar (C) days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terms and Conditions for Salmon Enhancement Programming | Grants in support of Salmon Enhancement Programming | 14 | 42 | 63 | (C) | |
| Contributions in support of the Salmon Enhancement Programming | 14 | 42 | 63 | (C) | ||
| Terms and Conditions for the Departmental Grants and Contributions to Support Indigenous Reconciliation Priorities | Indigenous Reconciliation Transfer Payment Program | Indigenous Reconciliation Transfer Payment Program – Grants | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) |
| Indigenous Reconciliation Transfer Payment Program – Contributions | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | ||
| Integrated Aboriginal Contribution Management Framework Terms and Conditions | Aboriginal Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management Program (AAROM) | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | |
| Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy *This includes the Negotiation And Implementation of Fisheries Agreements (AFS / NIFA) and the Allocation Transfer Program (ATP) |
7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | ||
| Atlantic Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (AICFI) | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | ||
| Pacific Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (PICFI) | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | ||
| Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (NICFI) | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | ||
| Aboriginal Funds For Species At Risk (AFSAR) | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | ||
| Treaty Related Measures (TRM) | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | ||
| Certification and Market Access Program for Seals (CMAPS) | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) | ||
| Terms and Conditions to Support of Asset Disposal Programming | Small Craft Harbour (SCH) Class Grant Program | 4 | 7 | 63 | (C) | |
| Terms and Conditions for the Small Craft Harbours Class Contribution Program | Small Craft Harbours (SCH) Class Contribution Program | 7 | 70 | 49 | (C) | |
| Sustainable Management of Canadas Fisheries Integrated Terms and Conditions | Marine Mammal Protection Program | 7 | 84 | 42 | (C) | |
| Pacific Salmon Commercial Transition Program | 9 | 126 | 42 | (C) | ||
| Sustainable Fisheries Contribution Program *This also includes projects funded under the Shared Ocean Fund |
21 | 189 | 168 | (C) | ||
| Aquatic Species and Aquatic Habitat Integrated Terms and Conditions | Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species At Risk (CNFASAR)—Grants | 7 | 18 | 42 | (C) | |
| Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species At Risk Contribution | 7 | 18 | 42 | (C) | ||
| Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) | 7 | 126 | 42 | (C) | ||
| Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Fund | 7 | 18 | 42 | (C) | ||
| Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Fund *This includes results from projects funded under the Asian Carp program delivered in the Ontario and Prairies Region |
7 | 42 | 42 | (C) | ||
| Aquatic Habitat Restoration Fund (AHRF) | 7 | 18 | 42 | (C) | ||
| Oceans Management Program | Grants in support of Indigenous Groups in the Development and Implementation of Oceans Conservation and Management Activities | 21 | 42 | 63 | (C) | |
| Contributions in support of the development and implementation of oceans conservation and management activities *This also includes projects funded under the Marine Conservation Target |
21 | 42 | 63 | (C) | ||
| Pacific Salmon Conservation and Stewardship Partnerships Program | 7 | 30 | 30 | (C) | ||
| Ecosystems and Oceans Science Contribution Framework Terms and Conditions | Ocean and Freshwater Science Contribution Program | 7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | |
| Freshwater Research Contribution Program | 7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | ||
| National Contaminants Advisory Group Contribution Program | 7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | ||
| Whale Protection and Recovery Initiative Contribution Program | 7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | ||
| Coastal Environmental Baseline Contribution Program | 7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | ||
| Reducing the Threat of Vessel Traffic on Marine Mammals Contribution Program | 7 | 45 | 15 | (C) | ||
| Marine Environmental Quality Regulatory / Non-Regulatory Measures Contribution Program | 7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | ||
| Ocean and Climate Change Science Contribution Program | 7 | 45 | 15 | (C) | ||
| Marine Spatial Planning Contribution Program | 7 | 45 | 15 | (C) | ||
| Freshwater Habitat Science Contribution Program | 7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | ||
| Sustainable Fisheries Science Fund Contribution Program | 7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | ||
| Commonwealth Blue Charter Champion Contribution Program *This also includes projects funded under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) |
7 | 63 | 21 | (C) | ||
Grants and contributions programs exemptions
Some factors may influence the decision to not implement service standards such as Programs with one recipient with whom the program is in contact regularly or Programs that are sun-setting.
As a result, the following Programs are not required to report on service standards:
| Terms and Conditions | Program name |
|---|---|
| Terms and Conditions for Contribution Program with the Pacific Salmon Foundation | Pacific Salmon Foundation |
| Terms and Conditions for Contribution Program with T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation | Contribution Program for the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation |
| Terms and Conditions for Contributions for Salmon Sub-Committee | Contribution Program For Salmon Sub-Committee |
| Terms and Conditions for Grants to Support Organizations Associated with Research, Development, Management and Promotion of Fisheries and Oceans-related Issues | “Class” Grants - Grants to support organizations associated with research, development, management, and promotion of fisheries and oceans-related issues |
| Terms and Conditions for the Program Contributions to Support Organizations Associated with Research, Development, Management and Promotion of Fisheries and Oceans-related Issues | “Class” Contributions - Contributions to support organizations associated with research, development, management, and promotion of fisheries and oceans-related issues |
Other programs
DFO is also delivering the Indigenous Marine Servicing Initiative (IMSI) with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)’s Strategic Partnership Initiatives, along with DFO’s Indigenous Commercial Programs. For the component of the services provided by DFO, the 2026-27 service standard commitment metrics are:
| Service Standard #1 Acknowledgement of the receipt of an application or proposal |
Service Standard #2 Notification of the funding decision |
Service Standard #3 Request for requisition for payment |
Business (C) / Calendar (C) days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indigenous Marine Servicing Initiative (IMSI) | 7 | 30 | 25 | (C) |
Service performance from previous years
- Service performance targets for fiscal year 2025-26
- Service performance results for fiscal year 2024-25
- Service performance targets for fiscal year 2024-25
- Service performance results for fiscal year 2023-24
- Service performance targets for fiscal year 2023-24
- Service performance results for fiscal year 2022-23
- Service performance targets for fiscal year 2022-23
- Service performance results for fiscal year 2021-22
- Date modified: