Cash and cash equivalents

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Cash consists of public moneys on deposit and cash in transit at March 31. Cash in bank consists of public moneys on deposit to the credit of the Receiver General for Canada, with the Bank of Canada, chartered banks and other financial institutions. Cash with the Bank of Canada includes operational balances and balances held for the Prudential Liquidity Fund. Cash in transit consists of public moneys received by public officers prior to April 1, but not deposited by that date as well as cash held by consolidated Crown corporations and other entities. Outstanding cheques and warrants are deducted to arrive at the closing cash balance.

Cash equivalents consist mainly of term deposits resulting from auctions administered by the Bank of Canada and the Department of Finance on behalf of the Minister of Finance. The short term deposits, denominated in Canadian dollars, are made from a portion of the daily surplus of cash balance and have a short term maturity, usually not exceeding 31 calendar days.

Table 7.2
Cash and cash equivalents
(in dollars)

  2025 2024
Cash in bank
Canadian currencyLinks to footnote 1 in Table 7.2 25,073,857,989 55,037,081,309
Foreign currenciesLinks to footnote 2 in Table 7.2 1,685,363,170 1,250,027,762
Special depositsLinks to footnote 3 in Table 7.2 75,000,000 75,000,000
Total cash in bank 26,834,221,159 56,362,109,071
Cash in transit
Cash in hands of collectors and in transit 17,071,568,894 15,349,710,217
Other cash—Consolidated Crown corporations and other entitiesLinks to footnote 4 in Table 7.2 2,683,035,000 1,919,580,000
Total cash in transit 19,754,603,894 17,269,290,217
Less: Outstanding cheques and warrants
Outstanding chequesLinks to footnote 5 in Table 7.2 8,330,300,731 6,572,117,734
Imprest account chequesLinks to footnote 6 in Table 7.2 530 (negative 152)
Total outstanding cheques and warrants 8,330,301,261 6,572,117,582
Total cash 38,258,523,792 67,059,281,706
Cash equivalents 15,850,036,000 8,000,036,000
Total cash and cash equivalents 54,108,559,792 75,059,317,706

Table 7.2 notes

Table note 1

Included in Canadian currency is $20 billion ($20 billion in 2024) with respect to the Prudential Liquidity Fund.

Return to table note 1 referrer in Table 7.2

Table note 2

These balances denominated in US dollars include cash and cash equivalents which have been translated into Canadian dollars at March 31.

Return to table note 2 referrer in Table 7.2

Table note 3

These are balances in the hands of financial institutions for the reimbursement of GST refund payments issued by the Ministère du Revenu du Québec on behalf of the government.

Return to table note 3 referrer in Table 7.2

Table note 4

These funds are not public moneys to the credit of the Receiver General for Canada but are for the exclusive use of consolidated Crown corporations and other entities.

Return to table note 4 referrer in Table 7.2

Table note 5

Receiver General of Canada cheques issued in Canadian dollars, and outstanding are recorded in this account. Cheques outstanding for 10 years are transferred to other revenues. During the year, an amount of $84,724,302 ($159,821,310 in 2024) was transferred to other revenues. Cheques in foreign currencies are credited to the government’s cash account at the time of issue.

Return to table note 5 referrer in Table 7.2

Table note 6

Imprest account cheques issued and unpaid at March 31, with the exception of those outstanding for 10 years or more (which have been transferred to other revenues), are recorded in this account.

Return to table note 6 referrer in Table 7.2

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