Canada Health Transfer, Canada Social Transfer and Wait Times Reduction Transfer Regulations

4 (1) In respect of each fiscal year,

• (a) the Minister shall make an estimate of the amount, if any, of the transfer payment to a province for the fiscal year

  • (i) before April 16 of that fiscal year,

  • (ii) during the period beginning on September 1 and ending on October 12 of that fiscal year,

  • (iii) during the period beginning on January 12 and ending on the last day of February of that fiscal year,

  • (iv) during the period beginning on September 1 and ending on October 12 of the first fiscal year following the end of that fiscal year,

  • (v) during the period beginning on January 12 and ending on the last day of February of the first fiscal year following the end of that fiscal year,

  • (vi) during the period beginning on September 1 and ending on October 12 of the second fiscal year following the end of that fiscal year, and

  • (vii) during the period beginning on January 12 and ending on the last day of February of the second fiscal year following the end of that fiscal year; and

• (b) if, in the opinion of the Minister, there is new information available that may have a significant effect on the amount of the transfer payment to one or more provinces, the Minister may alter an estimate of the amount, if any, of the transfer payment to be made for the fiscal year to a province

  • (i) during the second quarter of that fiscal year,

  • (ii) during March of that fiscal year, and

  • (iii) during any period beginning on the first day of the final month of a quarter and ending on the twelfth day of the subsequent quarter, other than the periods specified in paragraph (a), following the end of the fiscal year, until such time as the final computation under subsection 5(2) is completed.

(2) If an estimate made under subparagraph (1)(a)(i) establishes that a transfer payment is to be made to a province for a fiscal year, the Minister shall pay to the province, on account of the final payment in respect of the fiscal year, an amount equal to one twenty-fourth of the amount so estimated on the first and third working days following the fifteenth calendar day of each month in that fiscal year.

(3) If an estimate made under subparagraph (1)(a)(ii) or (iii) or (b)(i) establishes that the amount payable to the province under the immediately preceding estimate in respect of that fiscal year should be revised, the Minister shall

• (a) if any amount remains payable to the province, adjust the remaining payments referred to in subsection (2) in respect of that fiscal year in accordance with the new estimate, beginning with the first payment in the month following the month during which that estimate was calculated; and

• (b) if an overpayment has been made to the province, recover the amount of the overpayment before the end of the fiscal year.

(4) If an estimate made under any of subparagraphs (1)(a)(iv) to (vii) or (b)(iii) establishes that

• (a) an underpayment has been made to the province, the Minister shall pay the amount of the underpayment to the province within the four months following the month during which the estimate was made; and

• (b) an overpayment has been made to the province, the Minister shall recover the amount of the overpayment within the four months following the month during which the estimate was made.

(5) If an estimate made under subparagraph (1)(b)(ii) establishes that the amount payable to the province under the immediately preceding estimate in respect of that fiscal year should be revised, the Minister shall

• (a) if any amount remains payable to the province, pay to the province the amount in the month during which the estimate was made or, if the province so requests, pay the province that amount within the four months following the month during which the estimate was made; and

• (b) if an overpayment has been made to the province, recover the amount of the overpayment in the month during which the estimate was made or, if the province so requests, recover the amount within the four months following that month.

(6) If an estimate establishes that an overpayment has been made to a province in respect of a fiscal year, the Minister may, subject to paragraph (3)(b), (4)(b) or (5)(b), recover the amount of the overpayment

• (a) from any amount payable to the province under the Act; or

• (b) from the province as a debt due to Her Majesty in right of Canada.

(7) For the purpose of making an estimate under subsection (1), the population of a province for a fiscal year is the population of that province on June 1 of that fiscal year as estimated by the Minister on the basis of population statistics made available to the Minister by the Chief Statistician of Canada.