Updates to business and travel expense reimbursement procedures

The university regularly conducts reviews of financial procedures to ensure alignment with current external rates and regulations. As part of the most recent review and after consultation with senior leaders, the university has made some minor changes to the procedures associated with Policy AD3.02 – Business and Travel Expenses Policy.

The Business and Travel Expenses Policy establishes the terms under which reimbursements may be made by Board members, faculty, staff, and others for reasonable, out-of-pocket expenditures while conducting university business.  

To increase clarity and ensure more consistency the university has made minor changes to the AD3.02 procedures to clarify when preapproval is required, as well as to put reasonable limits on some expenses. 
 
Expense categories that have been edited to enhance clarity of the procedures include air travel, alcohol, billing of home internet service, social events, and tokens of appreciation. The procedures also include a clearer definition of what constitutes an internal meeting and new advice to purchase travel disruption/cancellation insurance for any non-refundable flights.

The review also includes a provision for an annual kilometric rate adjustment for business travel by personal vehicle, aligned with the Canada Revenue Agency rate, updated each year on January 1.

To ensure your next event, trip or expense meets the criteria for full reimbursement by the university, please ensure that you are up-to-date with the updated procedures on the Policy Gazette website.  

Registration for the Business and Travel Expense Policy Info Sessions is via Surveymonkey, and the sessions take place:

• Thursday, June 20 – 9:30-11:30 am
• Thursday, June 20 – 1:30-3:30 pm
• Tuesday, June 25 – 2:00-4:00 pm

If you have questions about the updates to procedures associated with Policy AD3.02, please contact Mary Aylesworth, Director, Financial Operations at mayleswo@sfu.ca.

Thank you for your efforts to ensure SFU’s fiscal responsibility to best support our students, teaching, and research priorities.