Policies & Procedures

• Accountable Advance requests require the approval of a Principal, Dean, Director or Chair
• Accountable Advance requests should be made no more than 2 weeks prior to the requirement for funds
• Accountable Advances should only be issued to University employees
• Accountable Advances should only be used for the purposes for which they were requested

More information.

• Expense Reimbursements should only be used when other forms of payment are unavailable
• Reimbursements require the approval of the person to whom the claimant reports
• Expense Reimbursements should be used only for University faculty and staff
• Expenses must be personally incurred by the claimant
• Claims are due within 3 weeks of the completion of the expense-related activity and should always be claimed within the appropriate fiscal reporting period
• Payments to individuals for services rendered are not allowed as these are to be processed through the Payroll Department
• A signed explanation is required if the claimant has not complied with all policy requirements
• Claims should be supported with original receipts

More information.

• Expenses require the approval of the person to whom the traveler reports
• Expenses must meet all terms and conditions of the funding source (e.g. grants)
• The most economical travel options should be selected
• Kilometric rates for the use of a rental car or privately owned vehicle are normally ineligible for round trip journeys exceeding 500km
• The maximum rate for accommodation with friends or relatives while on University business is found here.
• A per diem meal allowance may only be claimed for expenses funded by external agencies (except agencies or ministries of the government of Ontario) or if provided under a collective agreement. Where a per diem allowance is claimed, it is not permitted to claim a full day per diem when at a conference if the conference fees include a meal component, or if travel begins in the middle of the day.
• Airfare should not exceed economy rates by the most direct route and where Business Class airfare is deemed appropriate, one-up approval should be obtained in advance
• Ineligible expenses include: parking/traffic fines, personal travel insurance and credit card service/late charges
• Expenses that can be claimed only if specifically incurred and necessary for authorized travel, include: passport or visa costs, traveler’s medical insurance and excess baggage costs

More information.

• Air travel within North America requires prior one-up approval
• Air travel outside North America requires prior written approval to be obtained by written request from a Principal, Director, Dean or Chair
• It is recommended that travel arrangements be made through Avenue Travel, the University’s preferred travel vendor
• Air travelers should request the lowest available fare at the time of booking
• Business class airfare is only permitted for flights over 4 hours in duration and requires one-up approval in advance of booking the flight
• Expense reimbursement claims for electronic airfare tickets should be supported with the email notification and the boarding pass as verification
• Where visitors are reimbursed for airfare and require their original ticket for return air travel, the ticket stub should indicate that it has been reimbursed by the University
• Entertainment expenses are reimbursable when incurred for a required, specific business purpose but require pre-approval if for other than the cost of meals in a hotel dining room or restaurant for the entertainment of a guest
• Meal and entertainment expenses must be paid by the most senior University attendee when entertaining other University employees
• Spousal travel expenses are only reimbursable if a specific business purpose is served
• When accompanied by a spouse, the reimbursable accommodation expense is the most economical rate charged by the establishment for a single occupancy

More information.

• Cash receipts should be deposited the sooner of weekly or when receipts amount to $500
• A receipt should be issued for all cash received, identifying the date, the amount and the payee
• A log book should be used to record all receipts and the subsequent deposit
• Cheques should be made payable to “University of Toronto”
• Cheques should be restrictively endorsed immediately upon receipt, stating “For Deposit Only, Governing Council of the University of Toronto”
• Receipts should be deposited intact and not used to finance expenditures or for any other use

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• Petty cash should be stored in a locked, metal cash box
• Petty cash funds should not be mixed with revenues or deposits
• Individual petty cash expenditures should not exceed $100
• Petty cash may not be used for loans, cashing personal cheques or payments for services (except for personal services that are very small, nonrecurring and where the recipient will not receive more than $500 from the University in the calendar year)
• Reimbursements should be processed in time to record expenses within the fiscal period in which they were incurred
• At any time, the cash on hand plus the vouchers (receipts/proof of payment) not reimbursed should equal the amount of the fund

More information.

• Access to unused cheques should be restricted
• Cheques require the signature of the custodian and one other designated signatory
• Cheques should not be pre-signed
• Deposits may only be made by the Financial Services Department
• Each payment should be supported with an original invoice or receipt
• Cheques may not be used for loans, expense reimbursements (e.g. for travel or hospitality costs), petty cash fund reimbursements or payments for services (except for personal services that are very small, nonrecurring and where the recipient will not receive more than $500 from the University in the calendar year)
• Reimbursements should be processed in time to record expenses within the fiscal period in which they were incurred
• The custodian should complete the Imprest Expenditure Bank Account Reconciliation Report monthly
• At any time, the bank balance plus the vouchers (receipts/proof of payment) not reimbursed should equal the amount of the fund

More information.

Business Board of the Governing Council approved revisions to the University of Toronto Procurement Policy on April 28, 2020. The Policy, which includes the Supply Chain Code of Ethics and Approval Authority Schedule governs the acquisition of goods and services, including construction, consulting services and information technology with University funds from all sources, including the operating, research, capital and ancillary funds and all other funds held in trust, at its disposal. In addition to applicable legislation, regulations, domestic and international trade agreements, the University is also bound by requirements of funding agencies, to the extent that those requirements comply with applicable legislation, regulations, domestic and international trade agreements.

More information about the procurement policy.

The PCard is a University authorized credit card assigned to authorized full-time faculty and staff responsible for the purchase of low value goods and services up to specified amounts, and for University business only. Charges are paid directly by the University on the assumption that purchases have been reconciled against monthly statements and have been approved for payment. The use of the PCard for personal purchases is not permitted.

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• The Travel Card may be used for University approved travel expenses only
• The Travel Card may only be used by the Cardmember
• The Travel Card may be issued to fulltime appointed academic or administrative staff members
• Issuance of a Travel Card requires the approval of a Principal, Dean, Academic Director or Chair (or higher)

More information.

The University of Toronto Income Tax Guide has been prepared for use as a quick reference to determine the correct classification for income tax purposes of payments made to individuals or business entities providing services to the University. It is intended to cover the majority of payment scenarios normally dealt with at the University but cannot include every possible situation that may arise. In those cases, assistance and advice should be sought from Human Resources & Equity.

Chapter 6 of the Guide includes a matrix which summarizes in table form the recommended tax treatment for a variety of situations combining types of service with types of legal forms*.

*Legal Forms:

Individual – is specifically identified with a social insurance number and receives payments which are reported on a T4 (if employment income) or a T4A (if other income).

Sole Proprietorship – is an unincorporated business wholly owned by an individual. A sole proprietorship can operate under an individual's name or a registered name. The business does not have separate legal status from the owner.

Partnership – is a relationship between two or more individuals who join together to carry on a business.

Corporation – is a legal entity separate and distinct from its owners or members. It will usually be identified by the words Limited, Ltd., Incorporated, or Inc.

More information.

• Academic Administrative Procedures Manual
• Contracts and Documents, Policy on Approval and Execution of
• Employment Policies & Collective Agreements
• Federal Research Funding: CIHR – Grants and Awards Guide
• Federal Research Funding: NSERC - Use of Grant Funds
• Federal Research Funding: SSHRC - Regulations
• Governing Council Policies
• Internal Audit Policy
• Investment Policy, University Funds
• Ontario Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive
• Ontario Broader Public Sector Expenses Directive
• Reporting Incidents of Suspected Financial Impropriety
• University of Toronto Name, Policy on the Use of the