Staffers in former prime minister Stephen Harper's office tended toward thriftiness in their moving expenses, although one unnamed official charged more than $93,000, according to figures released Friday by the federal government.

Harper’s Prime Minister’s Office staff charged $324,800.15 over 10 years, not much more than what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's staff have claimed in moving expenses over several months. Five staffers in Trudeau's PMO, including Chief of Staff Katie Telford and Principal Secretary Gerry Butts, were reimbursed $220,564.11 for their moves to Ottawa.

A civil servant in the Privy Council Office, the bureaucratic wing of the PMO, released the numbers after Government House Leader Bardish Chagger referred to them during question period in the House of Commons on Friday.

The highest single-year total claimed under Harper was $133,054.00, which was split among five people, in 2009-10. The least amount claimed in a single year was $2,066.90 in 2006-07, with no claims made in 2007-08.

According to the numbers released by PCO:

  • 2005-06 Three staffers claimed $4,004.84
  • 2006-07 One staffer claimed $2,066.90
  • 2007-08 No claims were submitted
  • 2008-09 Three staffers claimed $80,621.82*
  • 2009-10 Five staffers claimed $133,054.00*
  • 2010-11 One staffer claimed $48,238.08*
  • 2011-12 One staffer claimed $32,102.08
  • 2012-13 Six staffers claimed $10,310.10
  • 2013-14 Three staffers claimed $9,402.33
  • 2014-15 One staffer claimed $5,000

*One file extended over 2008-2011, a PCO spokesman said.

No further breakdown was provided.

Correction: This story has been changed from an earlier version to correct the total spent under the Harper PMO. An earlier version included the 2015-16 total, which was actually incurred under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.