Archived - The Fiscal Monitor A publication of the Department of Finance: 2014-11

November 2014: budgetary surplus of $0.6 billion

There was a budgetary surplus of $0.6 billion in November 2014, compared to a deficit of $0.6 billion in November 2013. Revenues increased by $1.0 billion, or 4.5 per cent, as increases in personal income tax revenues and other revenues were partially offset by a decrease in corporate income tax revenues. Program expenses decreased by $0.1 billion, or 0.4 per cent, as a decrease in direct program expenses was largely offset by increases in major transfers to persons and other levels of government. Public debt charges decreased by $0.1 billion, or 5.5 per cent.

April to November 2014: budgetary deficit of $3.3 billion

For the April to November 2014 period of the 2014–15 fiscal year, the Government posted a budgetary deficit of $3.3 billion, compared to a deficit of $13.4 billion reported in the same period of 2013–14. Revenues were up $6.3 billion, or 3.8 per cent, reflecting increases in all revenue sources, except other revenues. Program expenses were down $3.3 billion, or 2.0 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 $0.5 billion, or 2.5 per cent, largely reflecting a lower average effective interest rate on bonds.

There was a budgetary surplus of $0.6 billion in November 2014, compared to a deficit of $0.6 billion in November 2013.

Revenues in November 2014 totalled $22.8 billion, up $1.0 billion, or 4.5 per cent, from November 2013.

• Personal income tax revenues were up $1.0 billion, or 8.7 per cent.
• Corporate income tax revenues were down $0.4 billion.
• Non-resident income tax revenues were down $0.1 billion.
• Excise taxes and duties were up $0.2 billion, or 3.7 per cent. Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues increased by $0.1 billion, energy taxes by $22 million, customs import duties by $5 million, and other excise taxes and duties by $34 million.
• Employment Insurance (EI) premium revenues were up $39 million, or 3.9 per cent.
• Other revenues, consisting of net profits from enterprise Crown corporations, revenues of consolidated Crown corporations, revenues from sales of goods and services, returns on investments, net foreign exchange revenues and miscellaneous revenues, were up $0.2 billion, or 11.0 per cent.

Program expenses in November 2014 were $19.9 billion, down $0.1 billion, or 0.4 per cent, from November 2013.

• Major transfers to persons, consisting of elderly, EI and children’s benefits, increased by $0.3 billion, or 5.5 per cent. Elderly benefits increased by $0.1 billion, or 4.0 per cent, due to growth in the elderly population and changes in consumer prices, to which benefits are fully indexed. EI benefit payments increased by $0.2 billion, or 14.5 per cent. Children’s benefits, which consist of the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the Universal Child Care Benefit, decreased by $3 million, or 0.3 per cent.
• Major transfers to other levels of government consist of federal transfers in support of health and other social programs (primarily the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer), fiscal arrangements and other transfers (Equalization, transfers to the territories, as well as a number of smaller transfer programs), transfers to provinces on behalf of Canada’s cities and communities, and the Quebec Abatement. Major transfers to other levels of government increased by $0.3 billion, or 5.1 per cent, reflecting legislated growth in the Canada Health Transfer, the Canada Social Transfer, Equalization transfers and transfers to the territories, as well as an increase in transfers to Canada’s cities and communities.
• Direct program expenses include transfer payments to individuals and organizations not included in major transfers to persons and other levels of government, and other direct program expenses, which consist of operating expenses of National Defence, other departments and agencies, and expenses of Crown corporations. Direct program expenses were down $0.7 billion, or 7.2 per cent. Within direct program expenses:
  • Transfer payments decreased by $0.3 billion, or 10.6 per cent.
  • Other direct program expenses decreased by $0.4 billion, or 5.6 per cent.

Public debt charges decreased by $0.1 billion, or 5.5 per cent.

For the April to November 2014 period of the 2014–15 fiscal year, there was a budgetary deficit of $3.3 billion, compared to a deficit of $13.4 billion reported during the same period of 2013–14.

Revenues increased by $6.3 billion, or 3.8 per cent, to $173.0 billion.

• Personal income tax revenues were up $2.2 billion, or 2.7 per cent.
• Corporate income tax revenues were up $2.0 billion, or 11.0 per cent.
• Non-resident income tax revenues were up $0.2 billion, or 4.6 per cent.
• Excise taxes and duties were up $1.5 billion, or 4.8 per cent. GST revenues increased by $0.8 billion, or 3.8 per cent, energy taxes by $0.1 billion, customs import duties by $0.2 billion, and other excise taxes and duties by $0.4 billion.
• EI premium revenues were up $0.5 billion, or 3.9 per cent, reflecting growth in earnings.
• Other revenues were down $0.1 billion, or 0.5 per cent.

For the April to November 2014 period, program expenses were $157.6 billion, down $3.3 billion, or 2.0 per cent, from the same period the previous year.

• Major transfers to persons were up $1.5 billion, or 3.2 per cent. Elderly benefits increased by $1.1 billion, or 4.1 per cent, reflecting growth in the elderly population and changes in consumer prices, to which benefits are fully indexed. EI benefit payments increased by $0.6 billion, or 5.2 per cent, and children’s benefits were down $0.2 billion, or 2.0 per cent.
• Major transfers to other levels of government were up $1.8 billion, or 4.3 per cent, largely reflecting legislated growth in the Canada Health Transfer, the Canada Social Transfer, Equalization transfers and transfers to the territories.
• Direct program expenses were down $6.5 billion, or 9.0 per cent. Within direct program expenses:
  • Transfer payments decreased by $4.0 billion, or 16.7 per cent, largely reflecting the accrual in 2013–14 of a liability for disaster assistance related to the 2013 flood in Alberta, as well as a decrease in expenses associated with the revaluation of the Government’s liability to Ontario for the province’s one-third participation in the value of the Government’s equity holdings in General Motors.
  • Other direct program expenses decreased by $2.6 billion, or 5.2 per cent, due in large part to a decrease in pension and benefit costs based on the Government’s latest actuarial valuations.

Public debt charges decreased by $0.5 billion, or 2.5 per cent, largely reflecting a lower average effective interest rate on bonds.

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 $3.3 billion and a financial source of $3.7 billion from non-budgetary transactions, there was a financial source of $0.3 billion for the April to November 2014 period, compared to a financial requirement of $1.5 billion for the same period the previous year.

The Government used the financial source of $0.3 billion along with an increase in unmatured debt of $7.4 billion to increase cash balances by $7.7 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 November 2014 stood at $33.8 billion, up $3.2 billion from their level at the end of November 2013.

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.

January 2015