Government Strengthens Canada's International Foreign Reserves by Issuing Global Bond

From: Department of Finance Canada

News release

January 17, 2019 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

Ensuring the long-term financial security of Canadians is a keystone of the Government of Canada's efforts to help protect the middle class and those working hard to join it. Today, the Government of Canada successfully issued a 3-year US$3 billion global bond.

Issuing a global bond provides funds to supplement and diversify Canada's foreign exchange reserves. Foreign exchange reserves provide a general source of prudential liquidity and support the promotion of orderly conditions for the Canadian dollar in foreign exchange markets.

The Government of Canada last issued a US-dollar bond in November 2017 worth US$3 billion. The investor base for the 3-year bond issue includes a wide range of central banks, other official institutions and foreign-based investment funds across a diverse geographical area.

The issuance of a global bond is in line with the commitment that the Government made in Budget 2018 to maintain liquid foreign reserves at or above 3 per cent of nominal gross domestic product.

Quick facts

  • Today, the Government issued a US$3 billion global bond that matures on January 25, 2022.

  • The issuance received strong demand from investors in North America, Europe and Asia. The deal was met by high investor demand as indicated by an order book that was in excess of US$8.2 billion. The demand enabled Canada to achieve best-in-class pricing relative to US Treasury securities.

  • This reflects Canada's strong economic and sound fiscal management, which supports the country's triple-A credit rating.

  • The bond transaction achieved all of the Government's objectives, including the provision of cost-effective and diversified funding for the foreign exchange reserves held in the Exchange Fund Account.

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Contacts

Media may contact:

Pierre-Olivier Herbert 
Acting Director of Communications 
Office of the Minister of Finance
pierre-olivier.herbert@canada.ca 
613-369-5696

Media Relations
Department of Finance Canada
fin.media-media.fin@canada.ca
613-369-4000

General Enquiries

Phone: 613-369-3710
Facsimile: 613-369-4065
TTY: 613-369-3230
E-mail: fin.financepublic-financepublique.fin@canada.ca

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