Financial sector policy

The Department of Finance Canada deals with issues affecting federal financial institutions (banks, trust and loan companies, insurance companies and credit unions), pension plans, and all of their respective clients. For example, it:

• Develops the regulations that govern the institutions so they remain safe and sound and are responsive to consumers' needs.
• Analyzes the financial sector in Canada and abroad.
• Helps ensure that Canada has an effective regime to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
• Manages the debt and international reserves of the Government of Canada, in conjunction with the Bank of Canada, and provides policy advice on activity in the domestic capital markets.

Finance Canada works closely with other agencies, including the

• Bank of Canada
• Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC)
• Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)
• Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC)
• Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)

• Updated Assessment of Inherent Risks of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in Canada
• Canada's Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime Strategy 2023-2026
• Canada's Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime: Report on Performance Measurement Framework (released March 2023)
• Global Advisory on Russian Sanctions Evasion Issued Jointly by the Multilateral REPO Task Force
• Ukraine Sovereignty Bond
• Open banking
• Letter from the Deputy Prime Minister to the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the IFRS Foundation
• Canada Savings Bonds
• Assessment of Inherent Risks of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in Canada
• Increasing Renminbi Trade, Commerce and Investment between Canada and China
• Sustainable finance
• Canada's Green Bond Program

• Government of Canada Lending Rates
• Government of Canada Cash Management
• Government of Canada Securities

• Report on the Management of Canada's Official International Reserves
• Official International Reserves (monthly news release)

• Agreement to Strengthen Beneficial Ownership Transparency (2017)
• Capital and Dividend Policy Framework for Financial Crown Corporations (December 2017)
• Financial Risk Management Guidelines For Crown Corporations (2009)
• Funds Management Governance Framework (July 2016)
• Government of Canada Retail Debt Program Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Finance ("Finance"), and the Bank of Canada (the "Bank") (2017)
  • Archived - Government of Canada Retail Debt Program Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Finance ("Finance"), and the Bank of Canada (the "Bank") (2012)
• Government of Canada Treasury Risk Management Framework (2008)
  • Memorandum of Understanding on Treasury Risk Management between the Bank of Canada and the Department of Finance (2013)
• Low-Cost Account Guidelines (2014)
• Statement of Investment Policy (August 2018)
  • Archived -Statement of Investment Policy (October 2016)
• Understanding on the Establishment of the Canada-Mexico-United States Financial Regulatory Forum (2018)

• Treasury Evaluation Program Framework

• Evaluation of the Crown Borrowing Program (May 2013)
• Evaluation of the Asset Allocation Framework of the Exchange Fund Account (March 2012)
• Evaluation of the Debt Auction Process Nominal Bonds, Real Return Bonds, Treasury Bills (October 2010)
• Risk Management Report (November 2007)
• Evaluation of the Exchange Fund Account (July 2006)
• Report on the Evaluation of the Receiver General Cash Management Program (June 2006)
• Review of Borrowing Framework of Major Federal Government-Backed Entities (June 2005)
• Governance Evaluation: Debt & Reserves Management (March 2004)
• Review of Canada Savings Bonds (January 2004)
• Evaluation of the Bond Buyback Program (April 2003)
• External Review of the Reserves Management Framework (December 2002)
• Developing Well Functioning Canada Bond and Bill Markets (March 2002)
• Evaluation of the Government's Decision to Target a Higher Fixed Rate Debt Structure(February 2002)

• Advisory Committee on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ACMLTF)
• An Act to establish the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and to amend certain Acts in relation to financial institutions (Statutes of Canada 2001 - Parliamentary website)
• Cooperative Capital Markets Regulatory System
• Finance Canada Payments Consultative Committee
• Government Securities & Savings Bonds (Bank of Canada)
• Report of the Financial Stability Forum on Enhancing Market and Institutional Resilience (April 2008) [PDF 400 Kb]
• Archived - Business Credit Availability Program
• Archived - Expert Panel on Securities Regulation
• Archived - Wise Persons' Committee