Consolidated specified purpose accounts

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Consolidated specified purpose accounts are particular categories of revenues and expenses whereby legislation requires that revenues received for purposes specified in the legislation be credited to these accounts and that related payments be charged to the accounts. They are principally used where the activities are similar in nature to departmental activities and the transactions do not represent future liabilities to third parties but in essence constitute government revenues and expenses.

Enabling legislation requires that the transactions in each of these accounts be accounted for separately. Table 4.6 presents a summary of the balances and transactions of these accounts, in the manner required by legislation.

The financial statements of the Employment Insurance Operating Account, together with the Independent auditor's Report, are presented at the end of this section.

Table 4.6
Consolidated specified purpose accounts
(in dollars)Links to footnote * in Table 4.6

  April 1, 2024 Revenues and other credits Expenses and other debits March 31, 2025
External transactions Internal transactions External transactions Internal transactions
Insurance accounts
Agriculture and Agri-Food
Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Crop Reinsurance Fund 457,821,485 109,256,335 (negative 85,280,922) 652,358,742
Less: Interest-bearing loans 277,514,751 277,514,751
Subtotal 180,306,734 109,256,335 (negative 85,280,922) 374,843,991
Agricultural Commodities Stabilization Accounts 646,510 646,510
Total 180,953,244 109,256,335 (negative 85,280,922) 375,490,501
Employment and Workforce Development
Department of Employment and Social Development
Employment Insurance Operating Account, Table 4.7 (negative 18,436,976,410) 31,667,474,569 552,992,470 25,373,078,480 2,660,867,262 (negative 14,250,455,113)
Energy and Natural Resources
Department of Natural Resources
Nuclear Liability Account 5,207,849 169,686 5,377,535
Finance
Department of Finance
Investors' Indemnity Account 45,303 45,303
Health
Department of Health
Health Insurance Supplementary Account 28,386 28,386
Transport
Department of Transport
Fund for railway accidents involving designated goods 106,361,992 3,411,284 3,235,746 1,588,455 750 111,419,817
Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund 429,640,333 715,347 12,850,986 5,858,192 1,728,654 435,619,820
Total 536,002,325 4,126,631 16,086,732 7,446,647 1,729,404 547,039,637
Total insurance accounts (negative 17,714,739,303) 31,781,027,221 569,079,202 25,295,244,205 2,662,596,666 (negative 13,322,473,751)
Other consolidated specified purpose accounts
Canadian Heritage
The National Battlefields Commission
Trust Fund 1,528,121 147,290 71,833 22,006 1,725,238
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs
Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs
Environmental Studies Research Fund 51,187 46,059 51,187 46,059
Energy and Natural Resources
Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Studies Research Fund 4,615,174 2,152,896 397,919 2,945,398 3,424,753
Environment and Climate Change
Canada Water Agency
Deposits - Other than Environmental Damages Fund 396,122 396,122
Department of the Environment
Deposits - Other than Environmental Damages Fund 105,606,048 3,624,648 101,981,400
Environmental Damages Fund 237,341,376 4,658,488 17,320,881 40,718,142 677,964 217,924,639
Environmental Economic Instruments Fund 364 364
Subtotal 342,947,424 4,658,852 17,320,881 40,718,142 4,302,612 319,906,403
Total 342,947,424 5,054,974 17,320,881 40,718,142 4,302,612 320,302,525
Finance
Department of Finance
Canadian Commercial Bank and Northland Bank Holdback Account 246,223,464 246,223,464
Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Supplementary Fines Account Species at Risk Act 35,000 35,000
Supplementary Fish Fines Account 2,420,982 29,300 21,426 2,428,856
Total 2,455,982 29,300 21,426 2,463,856
Parks Canada
Parks Canada Agency
New Parks and Historic Sites Account 211,252,773 30 35,650,130 27,715,229 3,103,746 216,083,958
Public Services and Procurement
Department of Public Works and Government Services
Seized Property Proceeds Account 56,193,041 27,693,170 25,635,664 58,250,547
Transport
Department of Transport
Fines for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods 3,247,772 201,629 433,300 2,612,843
Total other consolidated specified purpose accounts 868,514,938 35,077,660 53,088,903 94,712,015 10,836,243 851,133,243
Endowment principal
Health
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Endowments for Health Research 75,000 75,000
Innovation, Science and Industry
National Research Council of Canada
H.L. Holmes Fund 5,707,016 50,890 5,757,906
W.G. Schneider Fund 30,000 30,000
Subtotal 5,737,016 50,890 5,787,906
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Queen's Fellowship Fund 250,000 250,000
Total 5,987,016 50,890 6,037,906
Parks Canada
Parks Canada Agency
Mackenzie King Trust Account 225,000 225,000
Total endowment principal 6,287,016 50,890 6,337,906
Total (negative 16,839,937,349) 31,816,155,771 622,168,105 25,389,956,220 2,673,432,909 (negative 12,465,002,602)

Table 4.6 notes

Table note *

The dash means that the amount is 0 or is rounded to 0.

Return to table note * referrer in Table 4.6

Insurance accounts

Crop Reinsurance Fund

This Fund, continued in the accounts of Canada pursuant to subsection 13(1) of the Farm Income Protection Act, provides insurance to participating provinces for deficits they might incur in their agriculture insurance funds. The Crop Reinsurance Fund currently operates under the authority of the Farm Income Protection Act.

The revenues of the Fund come from a percentage of total premiums collected by provinces for the purpose of insurance of agricultural production which are funded by contributions from the federal government, provincial governments, and producers. Both the amount of revenue collected and expenditures from the Crop Reinsurance Fund paid to provinces are subject to the terms of reinsurance agreements. When there are insufficient revenues in the Crop Reinsurance Fund to make payments, the Minister of Finance may authorize an advance of additional funds to cover these obligations. These advances are recovered from future revenues. Currently, the interest rate earned on surpluses in the Crop Reinsurance Fund and the interest rate charged to advances to the Fund have been set by the Department of Finance at zero percent.

Agricultural Commodities Stabilization Accounts

The purpose of these accounts was to reduce income loss to producers from market risks through stabilizing prices. Premiums were shared equally by the Government of Canada, the governments of participating provinces and participating producers.

These accounts are continued in the accounts of Canada pursuant to subsection 16(2) of the Farm Income Protection Act. Current activities are limited to collection of accounts receivable. The Agricultural Stabilization Act, under which the commodity accounts formerly operated, has been repealed and replaced by the Farm Income Protection Act effective April 1, 1991.

Employment Insurance Operating Account

The Canada Employment Insurance Commission (the Commission), a departmental corporation named in Schedule II to the Financial Administration Act, administers the Employment Insurance Act (the Act). The Commission is co-managed by Commissioners representative of the government, workers and employers. The objective of the Act is to provide employment insurance benefits, employment programs and services to eligible workers. The financial transactions relating to this objective are reported through the Employment Insurance Operating Account (the Account).

The Account was established in the accounts of Canada by the Act. All amounts received under the Act are deposited in the Consolidated Revenue Fund and credited to the Account. The benefits and the costs of administration of the Act are paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and charged to the Account.

Employee premium rate for each $100 of insurable earnings was $1.66 from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, for employees without a Provincial Parental Insurance Plan and $1.32 for the others. From January 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025, the rate was $1.64 for employees without a Provincial Parental Insurance Plan and $1.31 for the others. Employer premium rate is calculated at the rate of 1.4 times the amount of the employee's premiums. The annual maximum insurable earnings for the 2025 calendar year is $65,700 ($63,200 in 2024).

Table 4.7
Transactions in the Employment Insurance Operating Account
(in millions of dollars)

  2025 2024
Revenues
Premiums
Employers and employeesLinks to footnote 1 in Table 4.7 32,104 30,156
Funding from the Government of Canada—Employment Insurance Emergency Response Benefit (negative 21) (negative 226)
Penalties and interest revenue 137 117
Subtotal 32,220 30,047
Expenses
Benefits 23,133 21,141
Transfers to the provinces—Part II 1,947 2,374
Employment Insurance Emergency Response Benefit (negative 200) (negative 385)
Administration costs 2,655 2,702
Administration cost transferred to provinces 191 188
Bad debts 307 287
Subtotal 28,033 26,307
Net change 4,187 3,740
Balance at beginning of year (negative 18,437) (negative 22,177)
Balance at end of year (negative 14,250) (negative 18,437)

Table 4.7 notes

Table note 1

The difference between premium revenue presented here and the amount presented in the Government of Canada consolidated financial statements is due to the elimination on consolidation of premiums incurred by the Government of Canada, for an amount of $574 million ($596 million in 2024).

Return to table note 1 referrer in Table 4.7

Nuclear Liability Account

This account is established pursuant to sub-section 32(1) of the Nuclear Liability and Compensation Act, to record indemnity fees paid by operators and to provide for payment of any claims arising under the indemnity agreements entered into between the government and nuclear installation operators. This account is a continuation of the Nuclear Liability Reinsurance Account under the previous Nuclear Liability Act, now repealed.

Investors' Indemnity Account

Section 57 of the Financial Administration Act provides for this account, and for the crediting thereto of the sum of $25,000, such further amounts as are appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of this section, and any recoveries of the losses referred to in section 58 of the Act. This sum was increased to $50,000 by Treasury Board Submission No. 817667 dated December 12, 1991.

Section 58 of the Act states that the Minister may, in accordance with and subject to regulations, pay out of the account, any losses sustained by subscribers for securities who have paid all or part of the purchase price for those securities but have not received the security or repayment of the amount so paid, and losses sustained by any person in the redemption of securities.

Health Insurance Supplementary Account

This account was established pursuant to Vote L16b, Appropriation Act No. 2, 1973, to record payments in respect of persons who, through no fault of their own, have lost or been unable to obtain coverage for the insured health services under the Canada Health Act, and in accordance with the Federal/Provincial Agreement on Eligibility and Portability. Contributions are made by all provinces to the account in proportion to population and are matched by the federal government.

Fund for railway accidents involving designated goods

This account was established pursuant to the Safe and Accountable Rail Act to establish a compensation fund to cover the losses, damages, costs and expenses resulting from a railway accident involving crude oil or other designated goods that exceed the minimum liability insurance coverage. This account is financed by a levy on shipments of crude oil by rail.

Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund

This account was established pursuant to subsection 2001, c.6 of the Marine Liability Act (previously the Canada Shipping Act), to record levy tonnage payments for oil carried by ships in Canadian waters. Maritime pollution claims, the fee of the Fund Administrator, and related oil pollution control expenses, are to be financed out of the Fund.

Other consolidated specified purpose accounts

Trust Fund—The National Battlefields Commission

This account was established at the creation of The National Battlefields Commission for the purpose of acquiring various properties for the development of the park. The funds are received by way of private contributions from municipal corporations, provincial governments and others, and deposited for the purposes of the Commission, as prescribed for in its incorporation Act.

Environmental Studies Research Fund—Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs

This account was established pursuant to subsection 76(1) of the Canada Petroleum Resources Act. The purpose of the Fund is to finance environmental and social studies pertaining to the manner in which, and the terms and conditions under which, exploration, development and production activities on frontier lands, authorized under this Act or any other act of Parliament, should be conducted.

The Fund is jointly managed by Natural Resources Canada and the minister of Northern Affairs, who has administrative authority over frontier lands situated in areas north of 60°N.

Environmental Studies Research Fund—Department of Natural Resources

This account was established pursuant to subsection 76(1) of the Canada Petroleum Resources Act. The purpose of the Fund is to finance environmental and social studies pertaining to the manner in which, and the terms and conditions under which, petroleum exploration, development and production activities on frontier lands, authorized under this Act or any other act of Parliament, should be conducted.

Deposits—Other than Environmental Damages Fund

This account was established for the management of court orders/awards or other financial compensation to the Department of the Environment that are not under the legal authority of the Environmental Damages Fund.

Environmental Damages Fund

This account was established for the management of court orders/awards or other financial compensation to the Department of the Environment for damages to the environment.

Environmental Economic Instruments Fund

This account was established for the management of contributions to the Emissions Reduction Advancement Program, an alternate compliance option under the Clean Fuel Regulations.

Canadian Commercial Bank and Northland Bank Holdback Account

This account was established to record the amount held from the recovery of monies received from the winding up of Canadian Commercial Bank and Northland Bank.

Supplementary Fines Account—Species at Risk Act

The account was established to record the deposit of funds received from persons declared guilty of offences under the Species at Risk Act, under paragraph 105(h) of the Act.

Supplementary Fish Fines Account

The account was established to record the deposit of funds received from persons declared guilty of offences under paragraph 79.2 (f) of the Fisheries Act.

New Parks and Historic Sites Account

This specified purpose account was established pursuant to the Parks Canada Agency Act in order to provide the Agency with the ability to set aside funds for new or expanded national historic sites, national parks, national marine conservation areas and other protected areas. Funds are deposited into this account in order to protect the funding required to honour the Agency’s commitment, today and in the future, for the establishment, enlargement, or designation of national historic sites, national parks, national marine conservation areas or other protected heritage areas as well as to develop and maintain them.

Seized Property Proceeds Account

This account was established, pursuant to section 13 of the Seized Property Management Act, to record the net proceeds received from the disposition of seized and forfeited properties to His Majesty or fines imposed and also funds received from the government of foreign states pursuant to agreements for the purpose of the Act. The Act also provides that the following be charged to the Account: operating expenses incurred in carrying out the purpose of the Act, amounts paid as a result of claims and repayments of advances from the Minister of Finance, interest on drawdown from Seized Property Working Capital Account and distribution of the proceeds to the relevant jurisdictions and the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Fines for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods

This account was established, pursuant to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992 and related regulations, to record fines levied by courts.

Endowment principal

Endowments for Health Research

This account was established pursuant to section 29 of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Act to record various endowments received from donors for the purpose of health research. The interest received is used for the payment of research grants.

H.L. Holmes Fund

This account was established, pursuant to paragraph 5(1)(f) of the National Research Council Act, to record the residue of the estate of H.L. Holmes. Up to two thirds of the yearly net income from the fund shall be used to finance the H.L. Holmes Award on an annual basis. These awards will provide the opportunity to post-doctoral students to study at world famous graduate schools or research institutes under outstanding research persons.

W.G. Schneider Fund

This account was established pursuant to paragraph 5(1)(f) of the National Research Council Act, to record a testamentary bequest received from the estate of W.G. Schneider. The yearly net income from the fund shall be used to finance the Schneider Medal. This award recognizes employees who have made outstanding contributions to the National Research Council of Canada.

Queen's Fellowship Fund

This fund is an endowment of $250,000 that was established by Vote 45a, Appropriation Act No. 5, 1973-74. The interest earned is used for the payment of fellowships to graduate students in certain fields of Canadian studies.

Mackenzie King Trust Account

The late The Right Hon W L Mackenzie King bequeathed Laurier House, Ottawa, and the sum of $225,000, to the Government of Canada. This amount was credited to the account and earns interest, in accordance with the terms of section 3 of the Laurier House Act. The interest is to be used to assist in the maintenance of the Laurier House, which is to be preserved as a place of historic interest, and also to provide accommodation for study and research.

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