Government of Canada - Department of Finance
Skip all menus (access key: 2) Skip first menu (access key: 1)
Menu (access key: M)
Budget Information
Economic & Fiscal Information
Financial Institutions and Markets
International Issues
Social Issues
Taxes & Tariffs
Transfer Payments to Provinces
Media Room - News Releases
FTP SiteNotices to MediaSpeeches

Release at 8:15 a.m. EDT
Ottawa, August 4, 2005
2005-052

Official International Reserves

- Official International Reserves 2005 -


The Department of Finance announced today that Canada’s official international reserves decreased by an amount equivalent to US$1,595 million during July to US$33,327 million.

Details on the level and composition of Canada’s reserves as of July 31, 2005, as well as the major factors underlying the change in reserves, are provided below. All figures are in millions of US dollars unless otherwise noted.


Foreign Currency Reserves

Securities 27,975
Deposits     2,314
Total securities and deposits (liquid reserves) 30,289
Gold1 47
Special drawing rights (SDRs) 890
Reserve position in the IMF 2,101
Total:  July 31, 2005 33,327
           June 30, 2005   34,922
Net change -1,595
Details on Deposits

Other central banks/Bank for International Settlements

810

Banks headquartered in Canada

0

  Of which: located abroad

0

Banks headquartered abroad

1,504

  Of which: located in Canada

0           

Total

2,314

Details of Net Change
Reserves management operations2 -1,244
Gains and losses on gold sales 0
Net investment gains and losses

  Return on investments3

-110

  Foreign currency debt charges

-242

  Revaluation effects4

1
Net government operations5 0
Official intervention 0
Other transactions         0
Net change -1,595
Currency Composition of Deposits and Securities
US dollars

16,241

Euro

13,051

Yen

995

Other

        2

Total

30,289


Predetermined Short-Term Drains on Foreign Currency Reserves (Nominal Value)6

0-1
month
1-3
months
3-12
months
Total
Foreign currency securities7 Principal -1,466 -932 -3,100 -5,498
Interest -101 -151 -972 -1,224
Aggregate short forward positions in foreign currencies vis-à-vis Canadian dollar 0 0 0 0
Aggregate long forward positions in foreign currencies vis-à-vis Canadian dollar         0         0         0         0
Total net drains -1,567 -1,083 -4,072 -6,722

Additional Information (Nominal Value)

Undrawn, unconditional credit lines with banks headquartered outside Canada 6,000

Securities lent under repurchase agreements8 -2,853

Securities held under repurchase agreements9 1,307

Financial derivatives assets (net, marked to market)

  Forwards

0

  Swaps

1,687


Notes:

1. There were no sales of gold settled in July. On July 31, gold holdings stood at 0.1 million ounces. The valuation is based on the July 29, 2005, London p.m. fix of US$429.00 per ounce.

2. Net change in securities and deposits resulting from foreign currency funding activities of the Government. (Issuance of foreign currency liabilities used to acquire assets increases reserves, while maturities decrease reserves). During July, a global bond of US$1,500 million matured. In addition, Canada bills decreased by US$244 million to a level of outstanding bills of US$1,761 million. Cross-currency swaps of domestic obligations raised US$500 million.

3. "Return on investments" comprises US$81 million of interest earned on investments and a US$191-million decrease in the market value of securities resulting from changes in interest rates.

4. "Revaluation effects" reflect changes in the market value of reserve assets resulting from movements in exchange rates.

5. "Net government operations" are the net purchases of foreign currency for government foreign exchange requirements and for additions to reserves.

6. Predetermined short-term drains include the Government’s contractual obligations in foreign currencies related to payments of principal and interest associated with securities and commitments under swaps and forward contracts coming due during the next 12 months.

7. "Foreign currency securities" include maturities of foreign currency debt, cross-currency swap payments and an estimate of interest payments on foreign currency liabilities.

8. "Securities lent under repurchase agreements" are included in total reserves. Collateral provided in securities-lending transactions is not included in total reserves.

9. Cash invested under repurchase agreements is included in total reserves. Collateral provided in securities-lending transactions is not included in total reserves.

Future Release Dates

The next release is September 6, 2005 (covering the period August 2005).

A list of upcoming release dates is posted on the Department of Finance website located at: www.fin.gc.ca/invest_x/releaseDates_e.asp.

___________________
For further information:

Sandra Lavoratore
Financial Markets Division
(613) 947-3919
David Gamble
Public Affairs and Operations Division
(613) 996-8080 

For further information on the Exchange Fund Account, please consult the 2004 Report on the Management of Canada’s Official International Reserves, located at www.fin.gc.ca/toce/2005/oir05_e.html.

If you would like to receive automatic e-mail notification of all news releases, please visit the Department of Finance Canada website at www.fin.gc.ca/scripts/register_e.asp.


Official International Reserves (10-Year Synopsis)


  US dollars Other currencies Gold SDRs IMF position Total
  (millions of US dollars)
July 31, 2005 16,241 14,048 47 890 2,101 33,327
June 30, 2005 17,303 14,194 48 893 2,484 34,922
May 31, 2005 16,786 14,482 45 904 2,817 35,034
April 30, 2005 16,419 15,043 47 916 3,176 35,601
March 31, 2005 17,080 15,043 47 916 3,164 36,250
February 28, 2005 15,947 15,434 47 925 3,208 35,561
January 31, 2005 15,138 15,246 46 905 3,255 34,590
December 31, 2004 14,427 15,740 48 925 3,327 34,467
November 30, 2004 14,113 15,663 49 912 3,334 34,071
October 31, 2004 17,271 15,001 46 880 3,262 36,460
September 30, 2004 17,527 14,633 45 862 3,198 36,265
August 31, 2004 17,022 14,623 44 857 3,345 35,891
July 31, 2004 16,747 14,299 43 845 3,267 35,201

Dec. 31, 2003 15,576 15,961 45 838 3,848 36,268
Dec. 31, 2002 17,946 14,739 205 712 3,567 37,169
Dec. 31, 2001 19,748 10,736 291 614 2,859 34,248
Dec. 31, 2000 21,692 7,327 323 574 2,508 32,424
Dec. 31, 1999 18,838 5,594 524 526 3,164 28,646
Dec. 31, 1998 15,907 4,004 122 1,097 2,297 23,427
Dec. 31, 1997 14,630 492 146 1,126 1,575 17,969
Dec. 31, 1996 17,521 507 155 1,168 1,227 20,578
Dec. 31, 1995 12,127 502 178 1,177 1,243 15,227
Dec. 31, 1994 9,693 526 199 1,148 910 12,475

Last Updated: 2005-09-02

Top

Important Notices