Physical asset accounts

Physical Asset Accounts record in physical units of measure the stocks of natural resources in the environment. Examples include timber, copper, and natural gas. Physical Asset Accounts are recorded in a balance sheet format that depicts the opening stock, changes in stocks, and closing stock for each asset. The basic concepts behind physical asset accounts are described in the United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting: Central Framework (SEEA-CF), Section 5.3.2 Conceptual Form of the Physical Asset Account and section 5.4 Principles of Asset Accounting.

Statistics Canada’s physical Natural Resource Asset Accounts are asset accounts that cover energy resources (e.g. natural gas), metal resources (e.g. copper), and mineral resources (e.g. potash). A physical stock account for timber is not produced due to a lack of relevant data. Physical stock accounts for land are discussed under Ecosystem Accounts section.

Access the data table and methodological information through the following link: