Bank of Canada assets and liabilities: Weekly (formerly B2)

View or download the latest weekly data. For metadata and background information, see the notes.

Typically published on Fridays by 14:30 ET. January data are typically published in February.

Weekly Series

Notes

Source: Bank of Canada

The Bank of Canada (The Bank) commenced operations in March 1935 under the terms of the Bank of Canada Act of 1934. Data for the month-end series (Bank of Canada assets and liabilities: Month-end (formerly B1)) are available from the commencement of operations and for the Wednesday series (Bank of Canada assets and liabilities: Weekly (formerly B2)), from December 1980. The statement of assets and liabilities presented in the tables follows in general the form presented in the Bank of Canada Act. In compliance with the 1991 Bank Act, the statutory requirement on chartered banks to hold reserves against certain of their deposit liabilities was reduced to zero in July 1994. 

The Bank’s financial statements and accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and are presented in Canadian dollars. The Bank transitioned to reporting under IFRS effective 1 January 2011.

Additional information about the Bank’s assets and liabilities, including significant accounting policies, can be found in the notes to the financial statements which are included in the Annual Reports and Quarterly Financial Reports.

Government of Canada direct and guaranteed securities held by the Bank are purchased in the open market from investment dealers and chartered banks, or directly from the Receiver General for Canada. Prior to 10 November 1999, this category includes the amount of securities held under purchase and resale agreements (PRAs).

Provincial Money Market Securities consist of holdings acquired under the Provincial Money Market Purchase Program, an asset purchase facility that acquires provincially-issued money market securities through the primary issuance market.

Provincial Bonds consist of holdings acquired under the Provincial Bond Purchase Program, an asset purchase facility that acquires provincial bonds through a tender process in the secondary market.

Bankers’ Acceptances consist of holdings acquired under the Bankers’ Acceptance Purchase Facility, an asset purchase facility that acquires Bankers’ Acceptances in the secondary market.

Commercial Paper consist of holdings acquired under the Commercial Paper Purchase Program, an asset purchase facility that acquires commercial paper in the primary and secondary market.

Corporate Bonds consist of holdings acquired under the Corporate Bond Purchase Program, an asset purchase facility that acquires corporate bonds through a tender process in the secondary market.

Advances consist of overnight and long-term advances outstanding with members of Payments Canada. Prior to 1 December 1980, these were made only to chartered banks and Quebec savings banks.

Securities purchased under resale agreements (PRAs) is composed of overnight repurchase (repo) operations and term repo operations, in which the Bank purchases securities from designated counterparties with an agreement to sell them back at a predetermined price on an agreed transaction date.

All other assets consist of investments in the shares of the Bank for International Settlements, bank note inventory (production materials, including the polymer substrate, ink and foil), property, plant and equipment, intangible assets, any net defined-benefit asset related to the Bank of Canada Pension Plan, and all other non-financial assets, including prepaid expenses. This category also includes other bills, advances to the Government of Canada, and investment in the IDB. Between 10 November 1999 and 27 December 2006, this category includes securities held under purchase and resale agreements (PRAs). Prior to 10 November 1999, PRAs are included in Government of Canada direct and guaranteed securities. Beginning 3 October 2007, PRAs are included in Securities purchased under resale agreements. Prior to 16 July 1986, this category includes cheques on other banks, Government of Canada items in transit (net) and accrued interest on investments.

Notes in circulation include notes held by the chartered banks and by the general public. The total includes a small amount of notes issued by governments and banks before the Bank of Canada became the sole issuer of notes in circulation in Canada and took over the liability for these early notes from their original issuers.

Canadian dollar deposits are composed of deposits by the Government of Canada, members of Payments Canada and other financial institutions, and includes unclaimed balances remitted to the Bank in accordance with governing legislation. The Bank ordinarily pays interest on the deposits for the Government of Canada, members of Payments Canada and some other financial institutions at short-term market rates. Effective May 16, 2022, Government of Canada deposits ceased accruing interest.

Government of Canada deposits consist of operational balances as well as balances held for the prudential liquidity-management plan. Receipts and disbursements made by the Bank of Canada in performing its fiscal agency functions for the government are handled through this account. The Receiver General for Canada also maintains deposit accounts with the participants in Lynx (Canada’s wholesale payments system) and the direct clearers of Payments Canada.

Members of Payments Canada deposits is composed of the settlement account balances of Payments Canada members who are direct participants of Lynx.

Other deposits is composed of deposits of other financial institutions, other organizations, and unclaimed balances remitted to the Bank in accordance with governing legislation. Unclaimed balances represent privately owned balances transferred by the chartered and savings banks because they have been unclaimed for 10 years. Other Deposit figures are included as part of All other liabilities and capital for all periods prior to March 25, 2020.

Securities sold under repurchase agreements is composed of overnight reverse repurchase (repo) operations in which the Bank sells securities to designated counterparties with an agreement to repurchase them back at a predetermined price on an agreed transaction date. Beginning 27 July 2020, this category includes amounts related to the Securities Repo Operations program.

Derivatives – Indemnity agreements with the Government of Canada were entered into to address market fluctuations resulting from the Bank’s operations under the Government of Canada Bond Purchase Program, Provincial Bond Purchase Program, and Corporate Bond Purchase Program. Losses resulting from the sale of assets within these programs will be indemnified by the Government of Canada, whereas gains will be remitted. These gains and losses are calculated as the difference between the fair value of these instruments and their amortized cost.

All other liabilities consist of the net defined-benefit liabilities for both the pension benefit plans and the other employee benefit plans, the lease liabilities, the surplus payable to the Receiver General for Canada, and all other liabilities. Prior to 25 March 2020, this category includes Other deposits.

Equity consists of paid-up capital ($5 million), statutory reserve, special reserve, investment revaluation reserve, actuarial gains reserve, and accumulated deficit. When the equity is negative, it is called accumulated deficiency in the financial statements. At 31 December 1955, the statutory reserve had reached the maximum permitted under the Bank of Canada Act of five times the paid-up capital. Since then, all of the net revenue has been remitted to the Receiver General for Canada. Following an amendment to section 27.1 of the Bank of Canada Act, the special reserve was created in 2007 to offset potential unrealized valuation losses due to changes in the fair value of the Bank’s investment portfolio. An initial amount of $100 million was established at that time, and the reserve is subject to a ceiling of $400 million. Effective 1 January 2010, based on an agreement with the Minister of Finance, the Bank deducts from its remittances any amount equal to unrealized losses on available-for-sale assets. The investment revaluation reserve represents the net unrealized fair value gains of the Bank’s financial assets classified and measured at FVOCI, which consist solely of the Bank’s investments in the BIS. The actuarial gains reserve was established in 2010 upon the Bank’s transition to IFRS and accumulates the net actuarial gains and losses recognized on the Bank’s post-employment defined benefit plans subsequent to transition.

In 2022 and 2023, after a period of higher-than-average income, the Bank incurred a net loss because the interest incurred on deposits was greater than the interest earned on assets. As a result, the Bank depleted its statutory reserve. Following a period of losses, the Bank will return to positive net income. Losses have no impact on the Bank’s ability to conduct monetary policy or on the Bank’s operations. The Bank’s policy actions are guided by its price stability and financial stability mandates.

All other liabilities and capital have been broken down into All other liabilities and Equity effective 1 January 2023.