Official International Reserves

Foreign Currency Reserves

Securities

28,420

Deposits

  5,596

Total securities and deposits (liquid reserves)

34,016

Gold¹

63

Special drawing rights (SDRs)

917

Reserve position in the IMF

 1,038

Total: 

36,034

32,684

Net change

3,350

Details on Deposits

Other central banks/Bank for
International Settlements

2,130

Banks headquartered in Canada

0

Of which: located abroad

0

Banks headquartered abroad

3,466

Of which: located in Canada

0

_____

Total

5,596

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

Foreign currency securities⁷

Principal

-2,471

-1,012

-2,581

-6,064

Interest

-79

-416

-756

-1,251

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

-2,550

-1,428

-3,337

-7,315

Additional Information (Nominal Value)

Undrawn, unconditional credit lines with
banks headquartered outside Canada

6,000

Securities lent under repurchase agreements⁸

-2,517

Securities held under repurchase agreements⁹

2,164

Financial derivatives assets (net, marked to market)

  Forwards

0

  Swaps

2,327

Notes:

1. There were no sales of gold settled in March. On March 31, gold holdings stood at 0.1 million ounces. The valuation is based on the March 31, 2006, London p.m. fix of US$582.00 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 March, Canada notes decreased by an equivalent of US$430 million to a level of outstanding notes of US$425 million. In addition, Canada bills increased by US$2,537 million to a level of outstanding bills of US$4,053 million. Cross-currency swaps of domestic obligations raised an equivalent of US$1,728 million, and a total of US$461 million equivalent in cross-currency swaps matured.
3. "Return on investments" comprises US$87 million of interest earned on investments and a US$200-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. In March, the revaluation effect was mainly due to the appreciation of the euro.
5. "Net government operations" are the net purchases of foreign currency for government foreign exchange requirements and for additions to reserves.
6. Related to securities assumed by the Government of Canada, following the privatization of Petro-Canada in July 1991, and the subsequent dissolution of Petro-Canada Limited in 2001.
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.

Sandra Lavoratore
Financial Markets Division
(613) 947-3919

(millions of US dollars)

March 31, 2006

20,204

13,812

63

917

1,038

36,034

February 28, 2006

16,707

13,974

61

908

1,034

32,684

January 31, 2006

16,813

14,135

62

907

1,042

32,959

December 31, 2005

16,842

13,822

56

897

1,401

33,018

November 30, 2005

16,646

14,566

54

894

2,039

34,199

October 31, 2005

16,909

14,214

51

898

2,142

34,214

September 30, 2005

16,725

13,824

52

900

2,098

33,599

August 31, 2005

16,878

14,354

47

907

2,113

34,299

July 31, 2005

16,241

14,050

47

890

2,101

33,329

June 30, 2005

17,303

14,196

48

893

2,484

34,924

May 31, 2005

16,785

14,483

45

904

2,817

35,034

April 30, 2005

16,419

15,045

47

916

3,176

35,603

March 31, 2005

17,080

15,043

47

916

3,164

36,250

Dec. 31, 2004

14,426

15,740

48

925

3,327

34,466

Dec. 31, 2003

15,575

15,961

45

838

3,848

36,267

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

Important Notices