International Monetary Fund
Public Accounts of Canada 2018 Volume I—Top of the page Navigation
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Subscriptions
This account records the value of Canada's subscription (its "quota") to the capital of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The amount by which the sum of Canada's subscriptions plus loans to the IMF under special facilities exceeds the IMF's holdings of Canadian dollars represents the amount of foreign exchange which Canada is entitled to draw from the IMF on demand for balance of payments purposes. The subscription is expressed in terms of SDR, a unit of account defined in terms of a "basket" of five major currencies, the Euro, the US dollar, the British pound sterling, the Japanese yen and the Chinese renminbi.
Canada has accumulated its subscriptions through settlements to the IMF in Canadian dollars, gold and SDRs. Annual maintenance of value payments are made to, or received from, the IMF when the Canadian dollar depreciates or appreciates against the SDR, in order to maintain the SDR-value of the IMF's holdings of Canadian dollars.
In 2018, payments and other charges consisted of a valuation adjustment of $754 million.
Loans
This account records the value of interest-bearing loans made under Canada's multilateral and bilateral lending arrangements with the IMF. The purpose of these arrangements is to provide temporary resources to the IMF which works to promote economic growth and safeguard the stability of the international monetary system.
There are three outstanding lending arrangements with the IMF outside of the quota system: the multilateral New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB), the General Arrangements to Borrow (GAB) and the temporary bilateral borrowing agreement.
Canada's current participation in the NAB is governed by the November 2012 NAB Decision which incorporated technical amendments made as a result of the IMF’s 14th General Review of Quotas. The maximum lending by Canada to the IMF under these arrangements is SDR 3,874 million. As at March 31, 2018, SDR 414 million or $775 million (SDR 623.5 million or $1,125 million in 2017) in lending has been provided by Canada to the IMF under the NAB. Canada recently renewed its participation in the NAB for another five year period pursuant to the November 2016 NAB Decision (effective November 2017).
Canada also participates in the GAB which was most recently renewed in December 2013. The maximum lending by Canada to the IMF under these arrangements is limited to SDR 893 million. As at March 31, 2018, no lending had been provided to the IMF under the GAB.
In early 2017, Canada extended a temporary bilateral credit line to the IMF in the amount of SDR 8,200 million for a maximum period of four years, as part of a collective effort with 34 other nations to foster global economic and financial stability.
Collectively, the outstanding loans under multilateral and bilateral arrangements with the IMF cannot exceed SDR 12,967 million at any given time. This reflects the maximum commitment under the NAB, GAB and bilateral borrowing agreement.
At March 31, 2018, a total of SDR 414 million or $775 million was outstanding under these arrangements. Amounts advanced under these arrangements are considered part of the Official International Reserves of Canada.
Notes payable
This account records non-marketable, non-interest bearing notes issued by the Government to the IMF. These notes are payable on demand and are subject to redemption or re-issue, depending on the needs of the IMF for Canadian currency.
Canadian dollar holdings of the IMF include these notes and a small working balance (initially equal to one-quarter of one percent of Canada's subscription) held on deposit at the Bank of Canada. In 2018, notes payable to the IMF increased by $617 million.