Financial statements - Canadian Forces Housing Agency Annual Report 2018-2019

Statement of management responsibility

Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2019, and all information contained in these statements rests with the management of CFHA. These financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with the accounting policies set out in Note 2 of the statements, on a basis consistent with that of the preceding year. 

Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information in these financial statements. Some of the information in the financial statements is based on management's best estimates and judgment and gives due consideration to materiality. To fulfil its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of the Agency's financial transactions. Financial information submitted in the preparation of the Public Accounts of Canada and included in the Department of National Defence (DND) Departmental Results Report is consistent with these financial statements.

Management is also responsible for maintaining an effective system of internal control over financial reporting designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded and that transactions are properly authorized and recorded in accordance with the Financial Administration Act and other applicable legislations, regulations, authorities and policies.

Management also seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements by careful selection, training and development of qualified staff, by organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility, and by communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards and managerial authorities are understood throughout the Agency.

The CFHA financial statements have not been audited.

Approved by:

Statement of financial position (unaudited)

As of March 31

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Statement of operations (unaudited)

For the year ended March 31

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

The expenses related to tangible assets include those assets that were not capitalized because they were lower than the capitalization threshold established by the Department (refer to Note 2(h) of these financial statements).

Statement of equity of Canada (unaudited)

For the year ended March 31

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Statement of cash flows (unaudited)

For the year ended March 31

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Notes to the financial statement (unaudited)

1. Authority and purpose

CFHA was established as a provisional special operating agency of DND in October 1995. In March 2004, it received permanent special operating agency status. DND is granted revenue spending authority from Parliament through the approval of an Appropriation Act. DND funds CFHA’s operating activities from vote-netted revenues generated by shelter charges collected from the housing portfolio and credited to the Defence appropriation. The capital investment program of the Agency is funded through departmental appropriations.

CFHA manages Crown-controlled residential accommodation assets for DND, to ensure that those assets, occupied or available to be occupied, are maintained to a suitable standard. CFHA also develops and implements plans to meet the future residential needs of members of the CAF.

2. Summary of significant accounting policies

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with government accounting policies which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards. Significant accounting policies are as follows:

(a) Net voting authority

CFHA receives authority to operate net voting from Parliament with the approval of an Appropriation Act. Net Voting is the authority to expend revenues generated by shelter charges to offset related expenditures.

The Agency also receives additional funding from Departmental appropriations to provide DND-directed activities.

(b) Net cash provided by Government of Canada

The Agency operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by the Agency is deposited to the CRF and all cash disbursements made by the Agency are paid from the CRF. The net cash provided by Government is the difference between all cash receipts and all cash disbursements including transactions between departments of the Federal Government.

(c) Change in net position in the Consolidated Revenue Fund

The change in net position in the CRF is the difference between the net cash provided by Government and vote-netted revenues plus additional funding used in a year, excluding the amount of non-respendable revenue recorded by the Agency. It results from timing differences between when a transaction affects vote-netted revenues and when it is processed through the CRF.

(d) Revenues

• Revenues from shelter charges are recognized in the accounts based on the services provided in the year.
• Other revenues are accounted for in the period in which the underlying transaction or event occurred that gave rise to the revenues.

(e) Expenses

Expenses are recorded on the accrual basis:

• Vacation pay and compensatory leave are accrued as the benefits are earned by employees under their respective terms of employment.
• Services provided without charge by other government departments for the employer's contribution to the health and dental insurance plans are recorded as operating expenses at their estimated cost.

(f) Employee future benefits

i. Pension benefits

Eligible civilian employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan (the Plan), a multi-employer plan administered by the Government of Canada. The Department's contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the total Departmental obligation to the Plan. The Department’s responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions.

ii. Severance benefits

Employees are entitled to severance benefits under labour contracts or conditions of employment. These benefits are accrued as employees render the services necessary to earn them. The obligation relating to the benefits earned by employees is calculated using information derived from the results of the actuarially determined liability for employee severance benefits for the Government as a whole.

As part of collective agreement negotiations with certain employee groups, and changes to conditions of employment for executives and certain non-represented employees, the accumulation of severance benefits under the employee severance pay program ceased for these employees commencing in 2012. Employees subject to these changes have been given the option to be immediately paid the full or partial value of benefits earned to date or collect the full or remaining value of benefits of termination from the public service.

(g) Accounts receivables

Receivables are stated at amounts expected to be ultimately realized; an allowance for doubtful accounts is made for receivables where recovery is considered uncertain. The allowance for doubtful accounts represents management’s best estimate of probable losses in receivables. The allowance is determined based on an analysis of historic loss experience and an assessment of current condition.

(h) Tangible capital assets

All tangible capital assets, having an initial cost of $30,000 or more are recorded at their acquisition cost.

Amortization of tangible capital assets is done on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset as follows:

(i) Measurement uncertainty

The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses reported in the financial statements. At the time of preparation of these statements, management believes the estimates and assumptions to be reasonable. The most significant items where estimates are used are the remediation liabilities, the liability for employee future benefits, the allowance for doubtful accounts, and the useful life of tangible capital assets. Actual results could significantly differ from those estimated. Management's estimates are reviewed periodically and, as adjustments become necessary, they are recorded in the financial statements in the year they become known. 

(j) Remediation liabilities

Remediation liabilities are recorded as accrued liabilities to recognize the estimated costs related to the management and remediation of contaminated sites where the Agency is obligated, or likely to be obligated, to remediate the sites.

3. Reconciliation of current year funding used

(a) Reconciliation of net cost of operations to current year funding used

(b) Reconciliation of net cash provided by government to current year funding used

4. Accounts receivable and advances

5. Tangible capital assets

Amortization expenses for the year ended March 31, 2018 is $11,042,650 (2018-2019 - $9,654,052)

The expenses related to tangible assets on the Statement of Operations include those assets that were not capitalized because they were lower than the $30,000 capitalization threshold.

CFHA-managed residential housing assets were transferred from DND at the time of CFHA formation with “0” cost value instead of a historical cost of the assets and fully amortized value because the residential housing portfolio was more than 50 years old and there was a lack of accurate cost information dating back to that time.

6. Miscellaneous Revenues

7. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

Remediation liabilities – Contaminated sites

Liabilities are accrued to record the estimated costs related to the management and remediation of environmentally contaminated sites where the Agency is obligated or likely to be obligated to incur such costs. Liability estimates are based on information known at a given point in time. These estimates are subject to variability due to: professional judgment involved in developing estimates, the possibility that additional volumes of contaminated media may be discovered upon implementation of the remedial action plan, and/or new technologies becoming available during the course of implementing the remedial action plan.

The Agency has identified eleven sites where it is obligated to remediate and has recorded a remediation liability of $579,200 for these sites.

8. Employee future benefits

(a) Pension benefits

The Agency’s employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan (the Plan), which is sponsored and administered by the Government of Canada. Pension benefits accrue up to a maximum period of 35 years at a rate of 2 percent per year of pensionable service, times the average of the best five consecutive years of earnings. The benefits are integrated with Canada/Quebec Pension Plans benefits and they are indexed to inflation.

Both the employees and the Department contribute to the cost of the Plan. Due to the amendment of the Public Service Superannuation Act following the implementation of provisions related to Economic Action Plan 2012, employee contributors have been divided into two groups – Group 1 relates to existing plan members as of December 31, 2012 and Group 2 relates to members joining the Plan as of January 1, 2013. Each group has a distinct contribution rate.

The 2018-2019 expense amounts to $1,958,307 ($1,814K in 2016-2017). For Group 1 members, the expense represents approximately 1.01 times (1.01 times in 2017-2018) the employee contributions and, for Group 2 members, approximately 1.00 time (1.00 time in 2017-2018) the employee contributions.

The Department's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan's sponsor.

(b) Severance benefits

The Department provides severance benefits to its employees based on eligibility, years of service and final salary. These severance benefits are not pre-funded. Benefits will be paid from future appropriations. Information about the severance benefits, measured as at March 31, is as follows:

9. Related party transactions

The Agency is related as a result of common ownership to all Government of Canada departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. The Agency enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms.

(a) Services received without charge

Also, during the year, the Department received without charge from another department, the employer’s contribution to the health and dental insurance plans. These services without charge have been recognized in the Agency’s Statement of Operations as follows:

(b) Payable outstanding at the year end with related parties

The Government has structured some of its administrative activities for efficiency and cost-effectiveness purposes so that one department performs these on behalf of all without charge. The cost of these services, which include payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada, are not included as an expense in the Agency’s Statement of Operations.

10. Contractual obligations

The nature of the Agency’s activities results in some large multi-year contracts and obligations whereby the Agency will be obligated to make future payments when services and/or goods are received.

Significant contractual obligations that can be reasonably estimated are summarized as follows: