Filing financial returns

All financial returns must be submitted in the Regulatory Reporting System. 

You can find instructions, sample returns, templates and more in our database of financial reporting instructions. 

Database of financial reporting forms and instructions

General instructions

Rounding

As a rule, figures in these forms are reported in thousands of dollars. Any exceptions to this rule are identified in the instructions. Rounding may result in details not adding to their stated totals. However, to ensure consistent reporting, the rounded detail items should be adjusted so that the totals and the sums of the components are identical. Institutions that wish to use a level of significance in millions should contact the Bank of Canada/Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions regarding the circumstances in which this can be implemented.

Currency

All figures are to be reported in Canadian currency. Where asset and liability reports indicate captions entitled "foreign currency", these figures should be foreign currency items translated to Canadian currency in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Negative values

Negative amounts should be reported with a negative (minus) sign. Do not put figures in brackets.

Verification

All additions, subtractions and calculations should be double-checked before reports are submitted. Totals and subtotals should be cross-checked to corresponding items in other reports. Institutions should retain work papers and other records used in preparing these reports.

Applicability of generally accepted accounting principles

All reports are to be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the primary source of which is the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) Handbook, except as otherwise specified by the Superintendent.  Effective January 1, 2011, the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) were adopted into the CICA Handbook and are, therefore, GAAP.

Accounting principles that have been specified by the Superintendent are referred to throughout these instructions. Further information is available in the Office's publication, Guidelines for Banks and Guidelines for Trust and Loan Companies.

Rules of consolidation

Consolidated financial statements should be prepared in accordance with IFRS. For purposes of these returns, all offices (i.e., branches and subsidiaries) that are within the scope of the consolidated institution are to be reported on a consolidated basis. Unless the report or line item instructions specifically state otherwise, this consolidation is to be on a line-by-line basis, according to the category shown.

Contact information

Bank of Canada: IDAS-FIS@bank-banque-canada.ca 
Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI): RA-RRS.Support@osfi-bsif.gc.ca 

Glossary of terms

Refer to our glossary of terms for definitions of terms used in the instructions and forms for deposit-taking institutions. Please note that these definitions don’t necessarily apply to other regulations or for other legal purposes.

Government business enterprises

This list of Government business enterprises is specific to deposit-taking institutions. Some Bank of Canada returns refer to this list.