Financial Statements 2019-2020

Canada in space

The Canadian Space Agency coordinates the space policies and programs of the government of Canada; ensures that other government departments and agencies have access to space data, information, and services to deliver on their mandate; plans, directs and manages projects relating to scientific or industrial space research and the development of space science and technology; promotes the transfer and diffusion of space technology to and throughout the Canadian industry; and encourages the commercial exploitation of the space capabilities, technology, facilities and systems. The Canadian Space Agency also aims to build Canada's capacity and engage the next generation of space scientists and engineers and provide opportunities to inspire young people to develop the required skills and to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

Internal services

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of Programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refer to the activities and resources of ten distinct services that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are: Acquisition Management Services, Communications Services, Financial Management Services, Human Resources Management Services, Information Management Services, Information Technology Services, Legal Services, Materiel Management Services, Management and Oversight Services, Real Property Management Services.

(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 Financial Position and the Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position are not necessarily the same as those provided through authorities from Parliament. Note 3 provides a reconciliation between the two bases of reporting. The planned results amounts in the "Expenses" and "Revenues" sections of the Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position are the amounts reported in the Future-Oriented Statement of Operations included in the 2019-2020 Departmental Plan. Planned results are not presented in the "Government funding and transfers" section of the Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Change in the Agency's Net Debt because these amounts were not included in the 2019-2020 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 to the CRF and all cash disbursements made by the Agency are paid from the CRF. The net cash provided by Government is the difference between all cash receipts and all cash disbursements, including transactions between departments of the Government.

(c) Due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF)

Amounts due from 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 are accounted for in the period in which the underlying transaction or event that gave rise to the revenue takes place.
• Funds received from external parties for specified purposes are recorded as deferred revenue, provided the Agency has an obligation for the provision of goods, services or the use of assets in the future (note 5).
• Revenues that are non-respendable are not available to discharge the Agency's liabilities. While the deputy head 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 in reduction of the entity's gross revenues.

(e) Expenses

Expenses are recorded on the accrual basis:

• Transfer payments are recorded as expenses 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 and employer contributions to the health and dental insurance plans are recorded as operating expenses at their estimated cost.

(f) Employee future benefits (note 6)

1. Pension benefits: Eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, a multiemployer pension plan administered by the Government of Canada. The Agency's contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the Agency's total obligation to the Plan. The Agency's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficits are recongnized 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 Governement as a whole.

(g) Accounts receivables and advances

Accounts receivables and advances are stated at the lower of cost and net recoverable value. A provision is recorded for receivables where recovery is considered uncertain.

(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 10. 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.

(i) Contingent liabilities

Contingent liabilities are potential liabilities that 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. If the likelihood is not determinable or if an amount cannot be reasonably estimated, the contingency is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

(j) Foreign currency transactions

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 31st. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included in the item "others" in the Statement of Operations and the Agency's Net Financial Position.

(k) Measurement uncertainty

The preparation of the 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 estimated 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 severance 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.

(l) Related party transactions

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 the Agency's financial statement purposes at the carying amount.

(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 the 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 joining the Plan as of January 1, 2013. Each group has a distinct contribution rate.

The 2019-2020 expense amounts to $7.0 million ($6.7 million in 2018-2019). For Group 1 members, the expense represents approximately 1.01 times (1.01 times in 2018-2019) the employee contributions and, for Group 2 members, approximately 1 time (1 time in 2018-2019) the employee contributions.

The Agency's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficits 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, 2020, 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:

Research Collaboration Agreement - SMILE-UVI (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer Ultra-Violet Imager)

This account was established to record funds received from the University of Calgary for the financing of the development of the Ultra-Violet Imager Infrastructure.

RADARSAT-2 prepaid services

Under a private-public partnership agreement, the Agency has invested $445.9 million in the construction and launch of the RADARSAT-2 satellite. In exchange of its participation, the Agency received credits for the supply of data (imagery) to Canadian Government departments and agencies over the life of the mission. Since the satellite is operational, federal departments and organizations received imagery valued at $476.2 million ($433.4 million for 2018-2019). In addition, since 2015-2016, the Agency received additional credits valued at $48.8 million ($22.4 million for 2018-2019), resulting from a contractual arrangement with the supplier.

Non-monetary exchange CSA/NASA

Under the International Space Station Agreement, which was executed in 1998, and ratified by Canada in year 2000, following the passing of the Civil International Space Station Agreement Implementation Act, in 1999, the Agency signed a barter agreement with NASA in August 2001, which the fair value was estimated at $20.8 million U.S. This agreement provided that the Agency would exchange a part of its utilization rights on the International Space Station and agreed to assume repair costs for its Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. In return, NASA would provide to the Agency, astronaut training, satellite and launch services. The transactions under this barter agreement took place over the lifetime of the International Space Station. During fiscal years 2002 to 2020, the Agency received all of the astronaut training valued at $10 million U.S. and launch services valued at $7.7 million U.S., and NASA did exercise the option to access its proportion of Canada's utilization rights on the International Space Station valued at $20.8 million U.S. As at March 31, 2020, the Agency recorded a net value of $4.3 million CDN as other receivables which corresponds to the residual receivable in regards to the barter agreement and the effect of the variances in the exchange rates. In regards to this barter agreement or other agreements of the same kind that the Agency may enter into with its International Partners under the Agreement on the International Space Station, the Agency was granted an exemption by Treasury Board under the Policy on Accounting for Non-Monetary Transactions and does not have to charge the transactions to its appropriation.

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

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

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

(b) Other transactions with other government departments and agencies