Archived - The Fiscal Monitor A publication of the Department of Finance: 2014-10

RSS

October 2014: budgetary deficit of $3.2 billion

There was a budgetary deficit of $3.2 billion in October 2014, compared to a deficit of $2.5 billion in October 2013. The October 2014 results include a $1.6-billion adjustment to revenues to include the year-to-date costs of personal income tax measures announced in October 2014 and effective for the 2014 taxation year. These measures consist of the introduction of the Family Tax Cut and the doubling of the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit. Absent this adjustment, there would have been a deficit of $1.6 billion in October 2014.

Revenues decreased by $0.2 billion, or 0.9 per cent, as the impact of the year-to-date costs of the Family Tax Cut and the doubling of the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit was partially offset by gains in corporate income tax revenues. Program expenses increased by $0.6 billion, or 3.1 per cent, reflecting increases in transfers to persons and other levels of government and direct program expenses. Public debt charges decreased by $0.1 billion, or 3.4 per cent.

April to October 2014: budgetary deficit of $4.0 billion

For the April to October 2014 period of the 2014–15 fiscal year, the Government posted a budgetary deficit of $4.0 billion, compared to a deficit of $12.8 billion reported in the same period of 2013–14. Revenues were up $5.3 billion, or 3.7 per cent, reflecting increases in all revenue sources with the exception of other revenues. Program expenses were down $3.2 billion, or 2.3 per cent, reflecting a decrease in direct program expenses, offset in part by increases in major transfers to persons and other levels of government. Public debt charges were down $0.3 billion, or 2.0 per cent.

There was a budgetary deficit of $3.2 billion in October 2014, compared to a deficit of $2.5 billion in October 2013.

Revenues in October 2014 totalled $19.8 billion, down $0.2 billion, or 0.9 per cent, from October 2013.

Program expenses in October 2014 were $20.8 billion, up $0.6 billion, or 3.1 per cent, from October 2013.

Public debt charges decreased by $0.1 billion, or 3.4 per cent.

For the April to October 2014 period of the 2014–15 fiscal year, there was a budgetary deficit of $4.0 billion, compared to a deficit of $12.8 billion reported during the same period of 2013–14.

Revenues increased by $5.3 billion, or 3.7 per cent, to $150.3 billion.

For the April to October 2014 period, program expenses were $137.7 billion, down $3.2 billion, or 2.3 per cent, from the same period the previous year.

Public debt charges decreased by $0.3 billion, or 2.0 per cent.

Revenues and expenses (April to October 2014)

Revenues and expenses (April to October 2014) - For details, refer to preceding paragraphs.
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.

The budgetary balance is presented on an accrual basis of accounting, recording government revenues and expenses when they are earned or incurred, regardless of when the cash is received or paid. In contrast, the financial source/requirement measures the difference between cash coming in to the Government and cash going out. This measure is affected not only by changes in the budgetary balance but also by the cash source/requirement resulting from the Government’s investing activities through its acquisition of capital assets and its loans, financial investments and advances, as well as from other activities, including payment of accounts payable and collection of accounts receivable, foreign exchange activities, and the amortization of its tangible capital assets. The difference between the budgetary balance and financial source/requirement is recorded in non-budgetary transactions.

With a budgetary deficit of $4.0 billion and a financial source of $3.5 billion from non-budgetary transactions, there was a financial requirement of $0.5 billion for the April to October 2014 period, compared to a financial requirement of $7.4 billion for the same period the previous year.

The Government financed this financial requirement of $0.5 billion and increased cash balances by $6.2 billion by increasing unmatured debt by $6.7 billion. The increase in unmatured debt was achieved primarily through the issuance of marketable bonds.

The level of cash balances varies from month to month based on a number of factors including periodic large debt maturities, which can be quite volatile on a monthly basis. Cash balances at the end of October 2014 stood at $32.3 billion, up $0.3 billion from their level at the end of October 2013.

Table 1
Summary statement of transactions
$ millions

October April to October


20131 2014 2013–141 2014–15
Budgetary transactions
Revenues 19,962 19,792 144,926 150,266
Expenses
Program expenses -20,174 -20,804 -140,886 -137,688
Public debt charges -2,272 -2,195 -16,871 -16,529


Budgetary balance (deficit/surplus) -2,484 -3,207 -12,831 -3,951
Non-budgetary transactions 13,507 4,715 5,463 3,458


Financial source/requirement 11,023 1,508 -7,368 -493
Net change in financing activities -8,059 735 14,975 6,674


Net change in cash balances 2,964 2,243 7,607 6,181
Cash balance at end of period 31,919 32,255
Note: Positive numbers indicate a net source of funds. Negative numbers indicate a net requirement for funds. 1 Certain comparative figures have been restated to reflect a change in the Government's accounting policy for bond buyback operations as reported in the Annual Financial Report of the Government of Canada for 2013–14.

Table 2
Revenues

October April to October


2013
($ millions)
2014
($ millions)
Change
(%)
2013–14
($ millions)
2014–15
($ millions)
Change
(%)
Tax revenues
Income taxes
Personal income tax 10,668 9,431 -11.6 72,232 73,475 1.7
Corporate income tax 2,002 2,817 40.7 15,576 17,956 15.3
Non-resident income tax 421 564 34.0 2,952 3,180 7.7


Total income tax 13,091 12,812 -2.1 90,760 94,611 4.2
Excise taxes and duties
Goods and Services Tax 2,097 2,191 4.5 17,636 18,323 3.9
Energy taxes 485 485 0.0 3,151 3,205 1.7
Customs import duties 379 394 4.0 2,516 2,723 8.2
Other excise taxes and duties 433 467 7.9 3,135 3,515 12.1


Total excise taxes and duties 3,394 3,537 4.2 26,438 27,766 5.0


Total tax revenues 16,485 16,349 -0.8 117,198 122,377 4.4
Employment Insurance premiums 1,141 1,180 3.4 12,050 12,523 3.9
Other revenues 2,336 2,263 -3.1 15,678 15,366 -2.0


Total revenues 19,962 19,792 -0.9 144,926 150,266 3.7
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.

Table 3
Expenses

October April to October


2013
($ millions)
2014
($ millions)
Change
(%)
2013–14
($ millions)
2014–15
($ millions)
Change
(%)
Major transfers to persons
Elderly benefits 3,535 3,676 4.0 24,194 25,177 4.1
Employment Insurance benefits 1,106 1,181 6.8 9,581 9,965 4.0
Children's benefits 1,113 1,061 -4.7 7,708 7,533 -2.3


Total 5,754 5,918 2.9 41,483 42,675 2.9
Major transfers to other levels
of government
Support for health and other
social programs
Canada Health Transfer 2,554 2,676 4.8 17,821 18,733 5.1
Canada Social Transfer 1,018 1,048 2.9 7,126 7,339 3.0


Total 3,572 3,724 4.3 24,947 26,072 4.5
Fiscal arrangements and other transfers 1,568 1,626 3.7 11,639 12,032 3.4
Canada's cities and communities 472 602 27.5 1,487 1,589 6.9
Quebec Abatement -359 -376 4.7 -2,513 -2,631 4.7


Total 5,253 5,576 6.1 35,560 37,062 4.2
Direct program expenses
Transfer payments
Aboriginal Affairs and
Northern Development
619 771 24.6 3,333 3,604 8.1
Agriculture and Agri-Food 80 43 -46.3 473 345 -27.1
Employment and Social Development 477 453 -5.0 3,068 2,951 -3.8
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development 177 240 35.6 1,431 1,175 -17.9
Health 165 189 14.5 1,703 1,782 4.6
Industry 261 261 0.0 1,425 1,325 -7.0
Other 1,089 1,038 -4.7 9,447 6,030 -36.2


Total 2,868 2,995 4.4 20,880 17,212 -17.6
Other direct program expenses
Crown corporations 728 724 -0.5 4,540 4,110 -9.5
National Defence 1,327 1,790 34.9 11,452 11,544 0.8
All other departments
and agencies
4,244 3,801 -10.4 26,971 25,085 -7.0


Total other direct program expenses 6,299 6,315 0.3 42,963 40,739 -5.2


Total direct program expenses 9,167 9,310 1.6 63,843 57,951 -9.2


Total program expenses 20,174 20,804 3.1 140,886 137,688 -2.3
Public debt charges1 2,272 2,195 -3.4 16,871 16,529 -2.0


Total expenses 22,446 22,999 2.5 157,757 154,217 -2.2
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. 1 Comparative figures have been restated to reflect a change in the Government's accounting policy for bond buyback operations as reported in the Annual Financial Report of the Government of Canada for 2013–14.

Table 4
The budgetary balance and financial source/requirement
$ millions

October April to October


2013 2014 2013–14 2014–15
Budgetary balance (deficit/surplus) -2,484 -3,207 -12,831 -3,951
Non-budgetary transactions
Capital investment activities -798 -400 -2,561 -1,999
Other investing activities 12,116 996 14,284 3,898
Pension and other accounts 195 213 2,747 901
Other activities
Accounts payable, receivables, accruals and allowances 2,487 4,139 -7,617 -3,068
Foreign exchange activities -689 -560 -3,811 1,381
Amortization of tangible capital assets 196 327 2,421 2,345


Total other activities 1,994 3,906 -9,007 658


Total non-budgetary transactions 13,507 4,715 5,463 3,458


Financial source/requirement 11,023 1,508 -7,368 -493
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.

Table 5
Financial source/requirement and net financing activities
$ millions

October April to October


2013 2014 2013–14 2014–15
Financial source/requirement 11,023 1,508 -7,368 -493
Net increase (+)/decrease (-) in financing activities
Unmatured debt transactions
Canadian currency borrowings
Marketable bonds 6,725 9,398 12,961 18,033
Treasury bills -15,500 -8,700 -300 -8,500
Retail debt -38 -53 -244 -218
Other 0 0 0 0


Total -8,813 645 12,417 9,315
Foreign currency borrowings 99 -200 471 -2,211


Total -8,714 445 12,888 7,104
Cross-currency swap revaluation 641 198 2,384 -189
Unamortized discounts and premiums on market debt1 9 107 -304 72
Obligations related to capital leases and other unmatured debt 5 -15 7 -313


Net change in financing activities -8,059 735 14,975 6,674
Change in cash balance 2,964 2,243 7,607 6,181
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. 1 Comparative figures have been restated to reflect a change in the Government's accounting policy for bond buyback operations as reported in the Annual Financial Report of the Government of Canada for 2013–14.

Table 6
Condensed statement of assets and liabilities
$ millions

March 31,
2014
October 31,
2014
Change
Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 111,421 106,388 -5,033
Interest-bearing debt
Unmatured debt
Payable in Canadian currency
Marketable bonds 473,319 491,352 18,033
Treasury bills 152,990 144,490 -8,500
Retail debt 6,327 6,109 -218

Subtotal 632,636 641,951 9,315
Payable in foreign currencies 16,030 13,819 -2,211
Cross-currency swap revaluation 2,326 2,137 -189
Unamortized discounts and premiums on market debt 3,184 3,256 72
Obligations related to capital leases and other unmatured debt 4,782 4,469 -313

Total unmatured debt 658,958 665,632 6,674
Pension and other liabilities
Public sector pensions 153,083 152,702 -381
Other employee and veteran future benefits 71,409 72,722 1,313
Other liabilities 5,914 5,883 -31

Total pension and other liabilities 230,406 231,307 901

Total interest-bearing debt 889,364 896,939 7,575

Total liabilities 1,000,785 1,003,327 2,542
Financial assets
Cash and accounts receivable 128,574 132,790 4,216
Foreign exchange accounts 72,262 70,881 -1,381
Loans, investments, and advances (net of allowances)1 117,635 112,209 -5,426

Total financial assets 318,471 315,880 -2,591

Net debt 682,314 687,447 5,133
Non-financial assets 70,433 70,087 -346

Federal debt (accumulated deficit) 611,881 617,360 5,479
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. 1 October 31, 2014 amount includes $1.5 billion in other comprehensive losses from enterprise Crown corporations and other government business enterprises for the April to October 2014 period.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, changes in financial results are presented on a year-over-year basis.

For inquiries about this publication, contact Glenn Purves at 613-369-5655.

December 2014

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (2014)

All rights reserved

All requests for permission to reproduce this document or any part thereof shall be addressed to the Department of Finance Canada.

Cette publication est également disponible en français.

Cat. No.: F12-4E-PDF
ISSN: 1487-0134

Page details

Date modified: