Bank of Canada balance sheet — Apr 30, 2023

Summary#

This notice publishes the Bank of Canada’s unaudited statement of financial position as at April 30, 2023. It shows total assets of $382,554 million and total liabilities of $384,705 million, leaving a net deficiency of $2,151 million. The statement was signed on May 17, 2023 by Coralia Bulhoes and Tiff Macklem.

What it does#

• Makes public the Bank of Canada’s balance sheet numbers for the month ending April 30, 2023 (amounts are shown in millions of dollars).
• Lists the main asset categories:
  • Investments total $356,377 million, including Government of Canada bonds carried at amortized cost $101,823 million and at fair value $218,081 million.
  • Derivatives (indemnity agreements with the Government of Canada) $25,050 million.
  • Cash and foreign deposits $10 million; loans and receivables $6 million; capital assets $662 million; other assets $449 million.
• Lists the main liabilities:
  • Bank notes in circulation $115,666 million.
  • Deposits total $251,769 million, made up of Government of Canada $55,497 million, Members of Payments Canada $185,139 million, and other deposits $11,133 million.
  • Securities sold under repurchase agreements $16,926 million; other liabilities $344 million.
• Shows the equity/deficiency items, including an accumulated deficit of $3,130 million and total deficiency $2,151 million (liabilities exceed assets).

Who's affected#

• The information is mainly for:
  • Financial market participants and analysts who track central bank balance sheets.
  • Economists, researchers, and journalists reporting on monetary conditions.
  • The federal government, since it appears as a large depositor and the Bank holds large amounts of Government of Canada bonds.
• It is not a policy decision; ordinary day‑to‑day banking customers are unlikely to notice direct effects from this report alone.

Why it matters#

• The statement shows the size and composition of the Bank of Canada’s balance sheet. That helps people understand how the Bank is holding government debt, supporting payments, and using tools like repurchase agreements.
• The reported net deficiency (liabilities slightly larger than assets) and the $3,130 million accumulated deficit are accounting facts the public and analysts may watch. They do not by themselves tell you about monetary policy choices, but they are part of the picture of central‑bank finances and transparency.