Canada's International Transactions in Securities

The series on international security transactions covers portfolio transactions in stocks, bonds, and money market securities between non-residents and residents of Canada. The series include trade in outstanding issues, new issues, retirements, and change in interest payable and are further segmented by issuing sector and major geographical area.

Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes. In addition, information from partially completed or unsaved questionnaires may be retained and used.


Collection period:

Monthly and quarterly

  • The collection period for the reference month starts on the last business day of the reference month and continues for 35 days past the reference month (i.e., the questionnaires for the reference month of January will be mailed out on January 31, 2023 and collection will end on March 7, 2023).
  • The mail out for the quarters of 2023 starts on March 31, 2023 and collection for each quarter continues for 35 days past the reference quarter (i.e., the questionnaires for the first quarter of 2023 will be mailed out on March 31, 2023 and collection will end on May 5, 2023). This is in line with the policy revision of SNA.

Collection methods:

Paper questionnaires and administrative records


Survey participation:

Mandatory under the Statistics Act

Confidentiality

Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.

By law, Statistics Canada is prohibited from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent, or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada will use the information from this survey for statistical purposes only.

Data sharing agreements and record linkage

To enhance the data from this survey and reduce response burden, Statistics Canada may combine the information you provide with data from other surveys or administrative sources.

Topics covered in the survey

The survey asks questions about

  • international transactions in securities
  • portfolio investment
  • bonds
  • stocks
  • money market instruments.

Published data

Statistics Canada publishes the results of its surveys in many formats. To find all the documents related to this survey, follow the links below and type the name of the survey in the search engine located at the left of your screen to filter the results.

Data: You will find tables, profiles of a community or region, thematic maps, public use microdata files, and data visualization tools.

Analysis: You will have direct access to Stats in brief (e.g., releases from The Daily, fact sheets), articles and reports, and journals and periodicals.

Survey-specific questions

What is the purpose of the survey Canada's International Transactions in Securities?

This survey is intended to cover transactions in Canadian and foreign securities between residents of Canada and non-residents for inclusion in the official estimates of the Canadian Balance of International Payments. Canadian and foreign securities include stocks, bonds and money market instruments issued respectively by Canadian and foreign issuers.

Who is surveyed?

All persons or firms in Canada, who, on their own behalf or on behalf of their clients, engage in transactions in securities directly with non-residents are required to report on this survey. The institution or firm in Canada which actually executes or arranges the security transaction outside Canada is to report the transaction.

How was I selected to participate in this survey?

Data are requested from transactors who are known to engage in international portfolio investment transactions, or in some cases from the intermediaries who act on their behalf, or in other cases from firms who process data on behalf of intermediaries.

Who uses this information? Why is it important?

The survey data are used to produce estimates on security transactions with non-residents and form an integral part of the official estimates of Canada's balance of international payments. Such estimates are used as a major input in the conduct of monetary and exchange rate policies by the Government of Canada and by international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund. Other uses include international trade negotiations, business planning, marketing and institutional research.

When will the results be available?

Results are available six to seven weeks after the end of the reference month and released in the Daily, Statistics Canada's official release bulletin.

Please consult Published data to obtain data and analysis from this survey.

For more information about this survey