Financial statements, March 31, 2023

Statement of Management Responsibility Including Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2023, and all information contained in these financial statements rests with the management of Statistics Canada (the agency). These financial statements have been prepared by management using the Government of Canada's accounting policies, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards.

Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information in these financial statements. Some of the information in the financial statements is based on management's best estimates and judgment and gives due consideration to materiality. To fulfill its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of the agency's financial transactions. Financial information submitted in the preparation of the Public Accounts of Canada, and included in the agency's Departmental Results Report, is consistent with these financial statements.

Management is also responsible for maintaining an effective system of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded, and that transactions are properly authorized and recorded in accordance with the Financial Administration Act and other applicable legislation, regulations, authorities, and policies.

Management seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements through careful selection, training and development of qualified staff; through organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility; through communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards, and managerial authorities are understood throughout the agency and through conducting an annual risk-based assessment of the effectiveness of the system of ICFR.

The system of ICFR is designed to mitigate risks to a reasonable level based on an ongoing process to identify key risks, to assess the effectiveness of associated key controls, and to make any necessary adjustments.

A risk-based assessment of the system of ICFR for the year ended March 31, 2023, was completed in accordance with the Treasury Board Policy on Financial Management and the results and action plans are summarized in the annex, which can be found at the end of the notes to these financial statements.

The effectiveness and adequacy of the agency's system of internal control is reviewed by the work of internal finance staff, who conduct periodic assessments of different areas of the agency's operations, and by the Departmental Audit Committee (DAC), who provide advice to the Chief Statistician on the adequacy and effectiveness of the agency's risk management, control and governance frameworks and processes.

The financial statements of Statistics Canada have not been audited.

Original copy signed by:

Anil Arora
Chief Statistician

Ottawa, Canada
September 15, 2023

Kathleen Mitchell
Chief Financial Officer

Ottawa, Canada
September 15, 2023

Statement of Financial Position (Unaudited)
As at March 31

(in thousands of dollars)
  2023 2022
Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (note 4)
80,140 77,932
Vacation pay and compensatory leave
48,799 47,857
Deferred revenue (note 5)
0 67
Employee future benefits (note 6)
14,720 16,669
Total net liabilities 143,659 142,525
Financial assets
Due from Consolidated Revenue Fund
63,785 60,417
Accounts receivable and advances (note 7)
8,816 9,063
Total gross financial assets 72,601 69,480
Financial assets held on behalf of Government
Accounts receivable and advances (note 7)
-3,717 -2,401
Total financial assets held on behalf of Government -3,717 -2,401
Total net financial assets 68,884 67,079
Departmental net debt 74,775 75,446
Non-financial assets
Prepaid expenses
4,602 5,686
Consumable supplies
1,235 1,723
Tangible capital assets (note 8)
149,930 163,499
Total non-financial assets 155,767 170,908
Departmental net financial position 80,992 95,462

Contractual obligations and contractual rights (note 9)

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Original copy signed by:

Anil Arora
Chief Statistician

Ottawa, Canada
September 15, 2023

Kathleen Mitchell
Chief Financial Officer

Ottawa, Canada
September 15, 2023

Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position (Unaudited)
For the Year Ended March 31

(in thousands of dollars)
  2023 Planned Results 2023 Actual 2022 Actual
Expenses
Statistical Information
741,729 832,180 1,003,974
Internal services
88,890 118,650 94,882
Total expenses 830,619 950,830 1,098,856
Revenues
Special statistical services
144,300 194,710 150,045
Other revenues
43 24 28
Revenues earned on behalf of Government
-24,343 -35,627 -22,083
Total revenues 120,000 159,107 127,990
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 710,619 791,723 970,866
Government funding and transfers
Net cash provided by Government of Canada
  676,500 891,098
Change in due from Consolidated Revenue Fund
  3,368 -11,459
Services provided without charge by other federal government departments (note 10a)
  97,269 100,165
Transfer of assets to other federal government departments
  116 71
Net cost (net results) of operations after government funding and transfers   14,470 -9,009
Departmental net financial position - Beginning of year   95,462 86,453
Departmental net financial position - End of year   80,992 95,462

Segmented information (note 11)

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Statement of Change in Departmental Net Debt (Unaudited)
For the Year Ended March 31

(in thousands of dollars)
  2023 2022
Net cost (net result) of operations after government funding and transfers 14,470 -9,009
Change due to tangible capital assets
Acquisition of tangible capital assets (note 8)
22,496 29,540
Amortization of tangible capital assets (note 8)
-26,791 -26,209
Net loss on disposal/write-off of tangible capital assets including adjustments
-9,274 -197
Total change due to tangible capital assets -13,569 3,134
Change due to consumable supplies -488 -208
Change due to prepaid expenses -1,084 -2,248
Net decrease in departmental net debt -671 -8,331
Departmental net debt - Beginning of year 75,446 83,777
Departmental net debt - End of year 74,775 75,446

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
For the Year Ended March 31

(in thousands of dollars)
  2023 2022
Operating activities
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 791,723 970,866
Non-cash items:
Amortization of tangible capital assets (note 8)
-26,791 -26,209
Net loss on disposal/write-off of tangible capital assets including adjustments
-9,274 -197
Services provided without charge by other federal government departments (note 10a)
-97,269 -100,165
Variations in Statement of Financial Position:
Increase (decrease) in accounts receivable and advances
-1,563 1,397
Increase (decrease) in prepaid expenses
-1,084 -2,248
Increase (decrease) in consumable supplies
-488 -208
Decrease (increase) in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
-2,208 11,699
Decrease (increase) in vacation pay and compensatory leave
-942 5,212
Decrease in deferred revenue
67 82
Decrease in employee future benefits
1,949 1,401
Transfer of assets to other federal government departments
-116 -71
Cash used in operating activities 654,004 861,559
Capital investing activities
Acquisitions of tangible capital assets (note 8)
22,496 29,540
Cash used in capital investing activities 22,496 29,540
Net cash provided by Government of Canada 676,500 891,099

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Notes to the Financial Statements (Unaudited) For the Year Ended March 31

1. Authority and objectives

Statistics Canada (the agency) was established in 1918, pursuant to the Statistics Act. The agency received full departmental status by order-in-council in 1965.

The agency is a division of the public service named in Schedule I.1 of the Financial Administration Act. The minister responsible for Statistics Canada is the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, who represents the agency in Parliament and in Cabinet.

The agency's mandate derives primarily from the Statistics Act. The act requires the agency — under the direction of the minister — to collect, compile, analyze, and publish statistical information on the economic, social, and general conditions of the country and its citizens. Statistics Canada has a mandate to coordinate and manage the country's statistical system.

The agency's mandate has two primary objectives:

  • Provide statistical information and analysis of the economic and social structure and functioning of Canadian society as a basis for the development, operation and evaluation of public policies and programs. This information is used for public and private decision-making, and for the general benefit of all Canadians.
  • Promote the quality, coherence, and international comparability of Canada's statistics through collaboration with other federal departments and agencies, with the provinces and territories, and in accordance with sound scientific standards and practices.

The agency reports on the two core responsibilities described below.

  • Statistical information - The agency has a responsibility to produce objective high-quality statistical information for the whole of Canada. The statistical information produced relates to the commercial, industrial, financial, social, economic, environmental, and general activities and conditions of the people of Canada.
  • Internal services - Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization.

2. Summary of significant accounting policies

These financial statements are prepared using the agency's accounting policies stated below, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards. The presentation and results using the stated accounting policies do not result in any significant differences from Canadian public sector accounting standards.

The significant accounting policies are as follows:

(a) Parliamentary authorities

The agency is financed by the Government of Canada through Parliamentary authorities. Financial reporting of authorities provided to the agency do not parallel financial reporting according to generally accepted accounting principles since authorities are primarily based on cash flow requirements. Consequently, items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Financial Position are not necessarily the same as those provided through authorities from Parliament. Note 3 provides a reconciliation between the bases of reporting. The planned results amounts in the "Expenses" and "Revenues" sections of the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position are the amounts reported in the Future-oriented Statement of Operations included in the 2022-23 Departmental Plan. Planned results are not presented in the "Government funding and transfers" section of the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Change in Departmental Net Debt because these amounts were not included in the 2022-23 Departmental Plan.

(b) Net cash provided by Government

The agency operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by the agency is deposited into the CRF, and all cash disbursements made by the agency are paid from the CRF. The net cash provided by the Government is the difference between all cash receipts and all cash disbursements, including transactions between departments of the Government.

(c) Amounts due from or to the CRF

Amounts due from or to the CRF are the result of timing differences at year-end between when a transaction affects authorities and when it is processed through the CRF. Amounts due from the CRF represent the net amount of cash that the agency is entitled to draw from the CRF without further authorities to discharge its liabilities.

(d) Revenues

  • Revenues received for special statistical services are recorded as deferred revenue upon receipt. These amounts are recognized as revenue in the period in which the services are rendered, and related expenses are incurred.
  • Other revenues are recognized in the period the event giving rise to the revenues occurred.
  • Revenues that are non-respendable are not available to discharge the agency's liabilities. While the Chief Statistician is expected to maintain accounting control, he has no authority regarding the disposition of non-respendable revenues. As a result, non-respendable revenues are considered to be earned on behalf of the Government of Canada and are therefore presented as a reduction of the entity's gross revenues.

(e) Expenses

  • Transfer payments are recorded as an expense in the year the transfer is authorized, and all eligibility criteria have been met by the recipient.
  • Vacation pay and compensatory leave are accrued as the benefits are earned by employees under their respective terms of employment.
  • Services provided without charge by other government departments for accommodation, employer contributions to the health and dental insurance plans, and workers' compensation are recorded as operating expenses at their carrying value.

(f) Employee future benefits

  1. Pension benefits — Eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, a multi-employer pension plan administered by the Government. The agency's contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the total departmental obligation to the Plan. The agency's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan's sponsor.
  2. Severance benefits The accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures ceased for applicable employee groups. The remaining obligation for employees who did not withdraw benefits is calculated using information derived from the results of the actuarially determined liability for employee severance benefits for the Government as a whole.

(g) Financial Instruments

A contract establishing a financial instrument creates, at its inception, rights, and obligations to receive or deliver economic benefits. The financial assets and financial liabilities portray these rights and obligations in the financial statements. The Department recognizes a financial instrument when it becomes a party to a financial instrument contract.

Financial instruments consist of accounts receivable, and accounts payable and accrued liabilities. All financial assets and liabilities are recorded at cost. Any associated transaction costs are added to the carrying value upon initial recognition. When necessary, an allowance for valuation is recorded to reduce the carrying value of accounts receivable to amounts that approximate their net recoverable value.

(h) Non-financial assets

  • The costs of acquiring land, buildings, equipment, and other capital property are capitalized as tangible capital assets and, except for land, are amortized to expense over the estimated useful lives of the assets, as described in Note 8. All tangible capital assets and leasehold improvements having an initial cost of $10,000 or more are recorded at their acquisition cost. Tangible capital assets do not include immovable assets located on reserves as defined in the Indian Act, works of art, museum collection and Crown land to which no acquisition cost is attributable, and intangible assets.
  • Consumable supplies include items held for future program delivery and are not intended for resale. These supplies are recorded at the acquisition cost. If there is no longer a service potential, the supplies are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value.

(i) Contingent liabilities

Contingent liabilities are potential liabilities which may become actual liabilities when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. If the future event is likely to occur or fail to occur, and a reasonable estimate of the loss can be made, a provision is accrued, and an expense recorded to other expenses. If the likelihood is not determinable or an amount cannot be reasonably estimated, the contingency is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

(j) Contingent assets

Contingent assets are possible assets which may become actual assets when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. If the future even is likely to occur or fail to occur, the contingent asset is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

(k) Transactions involving foreign currencies

Transactions involving foreign currencies are translated into Canadian dollar equivalents using rates of exchange in effect at the time of those transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into Canadian dollars using the rate of exchange in effect at March 31. The Government has elected to recognize gains and losses resulting from foreign currency translation, including those arising prior to settlement or derecognition of the financial instrument, directly on the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position according to the activities to which they relate.

(l) Measurement uncertainty

The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported and disclosed amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes at March 31. The estimates are based on facts and circumstances, historical experience, general economic conditions and reflect the Government's best estimate of the related amount at the end of the reporting period. The most significant items where estimates are used are the liability for employee future benefits and the useful life of tangible capital assets. Actual results could significantly differ from those estimated. Management's estimates are reviewed periodically and, as adjustments become necessary, they are recorded in the financial statements in the year they become known.

(m) Related party transactions

Related party transactions, other than inter-entity transactions, are recorded at the exchange amount.

Inter-entity transactions are transactions between commonly controlled entities. Inter-entity transactions, other than restructuring transactions, are recorded on a gross basis and are measured at the carrying amount, except for the following:

  1. Services provided on a recovery basis are recognized as revenues and expenses on a gross basis and measured at the exchange amount.
  2. Certain services received on a without charge basis are recorded for departmental financial statement purposes at the carrying amount.

3. Parliamentary authorities

The agency receives most of its funding through annual parliamentary authorities. Items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position and the Statement of Financial Position in one year may be funded through parliamentary authorities in prior, current, or future years. Accordingly, the agency has different net results of operations for the year on a government funding basis than on an accrual accounting basis. The differences are reconciled in the following tables:

(a) Reconciliation of net cost of operations to current year authorities used

Reconciliation of net cost of operations to current year authorities used
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers 791,723 970,866
Adjustments for items affecting net cost of operations but not affecting authorities:
Amortization of tangible capital assets
-26,791 -26,209
Loss on disposal/write-off of tangible capital assets, including adjustments
-9,274 -197
Services provided without charge by other federal government departments
-97,269 -100,165
Decrease (increase) in vacation pay and compensatory leave
-942 5,212
Decrease in employee future benefits
1,949 1,401
Refund of prior years' expenditures
693 2,716
Increase in respendable revenues
0 398
Consumption of prepaid expenses
-11,118 -12,285
Consumption of supplies
-488 -208
Bad debt expense
-17 -1
Increase in accrued salary receivable
498 864
Other
-242 0
Total items affecting net cost of operations but not affecting authorities
-143,001 -128,474
Adjustments for items not affecting net cost of operations but affecting authorities:
Acquisition of tangible capital assets
22,496 29,540
Decrease in respendable accounts receivable
-247 0
Acquisition of prepaid expenses
10,034 10,037
Increase in salary receivable
1,642 1,378
Increase in salary advances
3 17
Payments for pay equity settlement
29 19
Total items not affecting net cost of operations but affecting authorities
33,957 40,991
Current year authorities used 682,679 883,383

(b) Authorities provided and used

Authorities provided and used
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Authorities provided:
Vote 1 - Operating expenditures
609,041 854,035
Statutory amounts
97,015 90,714
Total authorities provided 706,056 944,749
Less:
Lapsed: Operating expenditures
-23,377 -61,366
Current year authorities used 682,679 883,383

4. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

The following table presents details of the agency's accounts payable and accrued liabilities:

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Accounts payable - Other federal government departments and agencies 18,484 13,306
Accounts payable - External parties 24,153 30,238
Accrued salaries and wages 37,503 34,388
Total accounts payables and accrued liabilities 80,140 77,932

5. Deferred revenue

The agency has the authority to expend revenue received during the fiscal year. Deferred revenue represents the balance at year-end of unearned revenues stemming from amounts received from external parties, which are restricted for specific statistical services. Revenue is recognized in the period in which these expenditures are incurred or in which the service is performed. Details of the transactions related to this account are as follows:

Deferred revenue
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Opening balance 67 149
Amount received 28,018 19,279
Revenues recognized -28,085 -19,361
Net closing balance 0 67

6. Employee future benefits

a) Pension benefits

The agency's employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan ("the Plan"), which is sponsored and administered by the Government of Canada. Pension benefits accrue up to a maximum period of 35 years at a rate of 2 percent per year of pensionable service, times the average of the best five consecutive years of earnings. The benefits are integrated with Canada/Québec Pension Plan benefits and they are indexed to inflation.

Both the employees and the agency contribute to the cost of the Plan. Due to the amendment of the Public Service Superannuation Act following the implementation of provisions related to Economic Action Plan 2012, employee contributors have been divided into two groups – Group 1 relates to existing plan members as of December 31, 2012, and Group 2 relates to members who joined the Plan as of January 1, 2013.  Each group has a distinct contribution rate.

The 2022-2023 expense amounts to $63,369 thousand ($61,274 thousand in 2021-2022).  For Group 1 members, the expense represents approximately 1.02 times (1.01 times in 2021-2022) the employee contributions and, for Group 2 members, approximately 1.00 times (1.00 times in 2021-2022) the employee contributions.

The agency's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan's sponsor.

b) Severance benefits

Severance benefits provided to the agency's employees were previously based on an employee's eligibility, years of service and salary at termination of employment. However, since 2011 the accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures progressively ceased for substantially all employees. Employees subject to these changes were given the option to be paid the full or partial value of benefits earned to date or collect the full or remaining value of benefits upon departure from the public service. By March 31, 2023, substantially all settlements for immediate cash out were completed. Severance benefits are unfunded and, consequently, the outstanding obligation will be paid from future authorities. 

The changes in the obligations during the year were as follows:

Changes in the obligations
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Accrued benefit obligation - Beginning of year 16,669 18,070
Expense or adjustment for the year 81 172
Benefits paid during the year -2,030 -1,573
Accrued benefit obligation - End of year 14,720 16,669

7. Accounts receivable and advances

The following table presents details of the agency's accounts receivable and advances balances:

Accounts receivable and advances balances
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Receivables - Other federal government departments and agencies 1,244 2,554
Receivables - External parties 7,204 6,194
Employees advances 386 317
Subtotal 8,834 9,065
Allowance for doubtful accounts on receivables from external parties -18 -2
Gross accounts receivable and advances 8,816 9,063
Accounts receivable held on behalf of Government -3,717 -2,401
Net accounts receivable and advances 5,099 6,662

The following table provides an aging analysis of accounts receivable from external parties and the associated valuation allowances used to reflect their net recoverable value:

Accounts receivable from external parties
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Accounts receivable from external parties:
Not past due
5,128 5,313
Number of days past due
1 to 30
941 444
31 to 60
223 17
61 to 90
21 35
91 to 365
396 148
Over 365
495 237
Sub-total 7,204 6,194
Less: valuation allowance -18 -2
Total 7,186 6,192

8. Tangible capital assets

Amortization of tangible capital assets is done on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset as follows:

Amortization of tangible capital assets
Asset class Amortization period
Computer hardware 5 years
Computer software 5 years
Other equipment 5 years
Motor vehicles 7 years
Leasehold improvements 25 years
Assets under construction Once available for use
Software under development Once available for use

Assets under construction and software assets under development are recorded in the applicable asset class in the year that they become available for use and are not amortized until they are available for use.

Assets under construction and software assets under development
Capital Asset Class Cost Accumulated Amortization Net Book Value
Opening Balance Acquisitions Disposals and Write-Offs AdjustmentsTable note 1 Closing Balance Opening Balance Amortization Disposals and Write-Offs AdjustmentsTable note 1 Closing Balance 2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Computer hardware 2,191 - -101 - 2,090 1,822 133 -101 - 1,854 236 369
Computer software 378,296 129 -20,829 54,856 412,452 292,953 25,168 -16,715 - 301,406 111,046 85,342
Other equipment 3,356 142 -228 - 3,270 2,736 416 -228 - 2,924 346 621
Motor vehicles 2,828 42 -24 - 2,846 2,695 63 -24 - 2,734 112 133
Leasehold improvements 25,241 204 - 215 25,660 11,362 1,011 - - 12,373 13,287 13,879
Assets under construction 512 318 - -330 500 - - - - - 500 512
Software under development 62,643 21,661 - -59,901 24,403 - - - - - 24,403 62,643
Total 475,067 22,496 -21,182 -5,160 471,221 311,568 26,791 -17,068 - 321,291 149,930 163,499
Table note 1

Included in adjustments are the following: software assets under development of $54,856 thousand that were transferred to computer software upon completion of the assets; assets under construction of $215 thousand that were transferred to leasehold improvements upon completion of construction, $115 thousand that was expensed due to projects being cancelled, and $5,046 thousand that was expensed due to adjustment of previous year capitalized software under development.

Return to the first table note 1 referrer

9. Contractual obligations and contractual rights

a) Contractual obligations

The nature of the agency's activities may result in some large multi-year contracts and obligations whereby the agency will be obligated to make future payments when the services/goods are received. Significant contractual obligations that can be reasonably estimated are summarized as follows:

Contractual obligations
  2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 and subsequent Total
Acquisition of goods and services 3,601 3,606       7,207
Total 3,601 3,606       7,207

b) Contractual rights

The activities of the agency sometimes involve the negotiation of contracts or agreements with outside parties that result in the agency having rights to both assets and revenues in the future. They involve sales of goods and services. The agency does not have significant contractual rights to disclose as at March 31, 2023.

10. Related party transactions

The agency is related as a result of common ownership to all government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. Related parties also include individuals who are members of key management personnel or close family members of those individuals, and entities controlled by, or under shared control of, a member of key management personnel or a close family member of that individual.

The agency enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms.

a) Common services provided without charge by other federal government departments

During the year, the agency received services without charge from certain common service organizations related to accommodation, the employer's contribution to the health and dental insurance plans and workers' compensation coverage. These services provided without charge have been recorded at the carrying value in the agency's Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position as follows:

Common services provided without charge by other federal government departments
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Accommodation 39,720 42,077
Employer's contribution to the health and dental insurance plans 57,497 58,037
Worker's compensation 52 51
Total 97,269 100,165

The Government has centralized some of its administrative activities for efficiency, cost-effectiveness purposes and economic delivery of programs to the public. As a result, the Government uses central agencies and common service organizations so that one department performs services for all other departments and agencies without charge. The costs of these services, such as the payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Services and Procurement Canada and audit services provided by the Office of the Auditor General are not included in the agency's Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position.

b) Other transactions with other federal government departments and agencies

Other transactions with other federal government departments and agencies
  2023 2022
(in thousands of dollars)
Accounts receivable 1,244 2,554
Accounts payable 18,484 13,306
Expenses 6,850 23,515
Revenues 136,323 111,601

Expenses and revenues disclosed in (b) exclude common services provided without charge, which are already disclosed in (a).

11. Segmented information

Presentation by segment is based on the agency's core responsibilities. The presentation by segment is based on the same accounting policies as described in the Summary of significant accounting policies in note 2. The following table presents the expenses incurred and revenues generated for the main core responsibilities, by major object of expense and by major type of revenue. The segment results for the period are as follows:

Other transactions with other federal government departments and agencies
  Statistical Information Internal services 2023 Total 2022 Total
(in thousands of dollars)
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits
705,716 86,254 791,970 746,774
Accommodation
35,394 4,326 39,720 42,077
Professional and special services
26,070 17,685 43,755 166,833
Transportation and postage
16,542 462 17,004 61,540
Amortization
26,074 717 26,791 26,209
Repairs and maintenance
413 318 731 1,286
Materials and supplies
4,104 3,234 7,338 9,479
Rentals
12,190 5,562 17,752 26,863
Communication and printing
1,079 23 1,102 17,570
Loss on disposal/write-off of tangible capital assets
4,114 0 4,114 176
Other
484 69 553 49
Total operating expenses 832,180 118,650 950,830 1,098,856
Total expenses 832,180 118,650 950,830 1,098,856
Revenues
Special statistical services
194,710 0 194,710 150,045
Other revenues
24 0 24 28
Revenues earned on behalf of Government
-35,627 0 -35,627 -22,083
Total revenues 159,107 0 159,107 127,990
Net cost from continuing operations 673,073 118,650 791,723 970,866

Annex to the Statement of Management Responsibility Including Internal Control over Financial Reporting of Statistics Canada for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 (Unaudited)

1. Introduction

This document is attached to Statistics Canada's (StatCan) Statement of Management Responsibility Including Internal Control over Financial Reporting for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. This annex provides summary information on the measures taken by StatCan to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR), including information on internal control management, assessment results and related action plans.

Detailed information on the agency's authority, mandate and core responsibilities can be found in the 2023-2024 Departmental Plan and the 2022-23 Departmental Results Report.

2. Departmental system of internal control over financial reporting

2.1 Internal control management

StatCan has a well-established governance and accountability structure to support departmental assessment efforts and oversight of its system of internal control. A departmental internal control management framework, approved by the Chief Statistician and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), is in place and includes:

  • organizational accountability structures as they relate to internal control management to support sound financial management, including roles and responsibilities of senior managers for control management in their areas of responsibility;
  • values and ethics considerations;
  • ongoing communication and training on statutory requirements, and policies and procedures for sound financial management and control; and
  • regular updates to, and monitoring at least on a semi-annual basis, of internal control management as well as the provision of related assessment results and action plans to the Chief Statistician, senior departmental management and the Departmental Audit Committee (DAC).

The DAC provides advice to the Chief Statistician on the adequacy and effectiveness of the agency's risk management, control and governance frameworks and processes.

2.2 Service arrangements relevant to financial statements

StatCan relies on other organizations for the processing certain transactions that are recorded in its financial statements, as follows:

2.2.1 Common service arrangements
  • Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) centrally administers the payment of salaries, the procurement of certain goods and services, and provides accommodation services;
  • Shared Services Canada (SSC) provides information technology (IT) infrastructure services;
  • The Department of Justice Canada provides legal services; and
  • The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) provides information on public service insurance and centrally administers payment of the employer's share of contribution toward statutory employee benefit plans.
2.2.2 Specific arrangements
  • PSPC provides StatCan with the Common Departmental Financial System platform to capture and report financial and material management transactions. 

Readers of this annex may refer to the annexes of the above-noted departments for a greater understanding of the systems of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) related to these specific services.

3. StatCan assessment results during fiscal year 2022-2023

StatCan adopted an ongoing, rotational, risk-based monitoring approach to support testing of internal control over financial reporting. In 2021, StatCan updated its Internal Control over Financial Management Risk-based Monitoring Strategy, which replaced its previous version from 2017. According to the new strategy, the ongoing monitoring cycle was extended to a four-year period and the plan is adjusted through an annual risk assessment process.

The following table summarizes the status of the ongoing monitoring activities according to the previous fiscal year's rotational plan.

Progress during the 2022-2023 fiscal year
Previous fiscal year's rotational ongoing monitoring plan for current fiscal year Status
Financial Close and Reporting Completed as planned; remedial actions started.
Capital Assets Completed as planned; no high-risk issues.
Payroll & Benefits Completed as planned; remedial actions started.

In addition to the ongoing monitoring plan for ICFR, in 2022-2023 StatCan conducted ongoing monitoring testing on Investment Planning, Costing and CFO Attestation as part of the broader Internal Control over Financial Management (ICFM) business processes.

New or significantly amended key controls are summarized in section 3.1. The areas of the departmental system of internal controls that were reviewed this fiscal year are summarized in section 3.2.

3.1 New or significantly amended key controls

A full risk assessment will be conducted in 2023-24 and a 2024-25 to 2027-28 ICFM Risk-Based Monitoring Strategy will be developed based on the results. For this assessment, work has already begun on reviewing the control framework to ensure the effectiveness of the controls.

3.2 Ongoing monitoring program

As part of its rotational ongoing monitoring plan, the agency completed its reassessment of IT General Controls (ITGCs) and controls within specific business processes. Senior management received reports on the results of testing and developed action plans where necessary.

4. Action plan for the next fiscal year (2023-2024) and subsequent fiscal years

The table below shows the agency's rotational ongoing monitoring plan over the next three years. An annual risk assessment is conducted to validate the high-risk controls and to adjust the on-going monitoring plan as required. Action plans from previous years will be followed-up on to ensure that remedial actions have been taken.

Rotational ongoing monitoring plan
Internal Control over Financial Reporting (ICFR) Fiscal Year 2023–2024 Fiscal Year 2024–2025 Fiscal Year 2025–2026
Entity level controls No Yes No
IT general controls under agency management Yes No Yes
Capital assets No No Yes
Financial close and reporting No Yes No
Operating expenditures No Yes No
Revenues No Yes No
Census Payroll Yes No Yes
Payroll and benefits (Including interviewers' pay) No Yes No
Stage of monitoring
Internal Control over Financial Management (ICFM) Stage of monitoring
Fiscal Year 2023–2024 Fiscal Year 2024–2025 Fiscal Year 2025–2026
Budgeting Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring
Costing Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring
Forecasting Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring
Payroll Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring
CFO Attestation of Cabinet and TB Submissions Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring
Investment Planning Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring Ongoing Monitoring