Quarterly Survey of Trusteed Pension Funds

Income Statistics Division
Pensions and Wealth Surveys Section

Notes/Instructions to Respondents

Please complete and return by date indicated on questionnaire (per quarter selected).

  • Direct any questions or reporting queries to 613-951-4037 (email address:tpfq@statcan.gc.ca). Collect calls will be accepted.
  • We can also be reached by fax at 613-951-4296. Please note that the security of the information sent by facsimile cannot be guaranteed during the transmission process.
  • For the questionnaire items that request you to "specify", please state the items explicitly.

Receipts and net realized gains

Employee contributions (line 100): Include both required and voluntary contributions.

Employer contributions (line 101): Report the actual dollar amount contributed. Include amounts for special payments for unfunded liability, etc.. Deduct any credits or surpluses used to reduce required contributions.

Investment income (lines 110 to 119): Report investment income on an accrued basis, if possible. When detail is only available on a cash basis, report accrued income beside current and previous quarter accrued (lines 117 and 118). If line 117 contains current quarter accrued dividends, this amount should be reported on line 117a. Similarly, if line 118 contains previous quarter accrued dividends, this amount should be reported on line 118a. Note that when current quarter accrued is reported separately, it should equal the amount reported on line 371 on page 2 of the questionnaire. Report pooled investment income with the appropriate investment vehicle (lines 110 to 115). Should pooled investment vehicles be inseparable, report under Other investment income (line 116) which also includes securities lending. If possible, report gross investment income on this line and report any investment expenses associated with investment income on line 203.

Net realized gains on all investments (line 130): A gain is realized when a stock, bond or other financial instrument is sold for more than its purchase price. To calculate, subtract losses from gains; if the amount is positive, report on line 130 and if negative, report as a net loss on line 204. Include gains from financial derivatives reported on line 130a. If there is a net realized gain (or loss) reported on line 380, third column, page 2 of this form, then the amount should equal the amount recorded on line 130, under Net realized gains on all investments or on line 204, under Net realized losses on all investments.

Net realized gains from financial derivatives (line 130a): Report net gains from settled derivative contracts during the quarter. If negative, report on line 204a.

Transfers from other pension plans (line 140): These transfers would result from such things as the merger of two or more plans or the transfer of assets of one or more members from another pension plan or change of funding agency (e.g. from an insurance company contract to a trust arrangement). Specify the origin of these transfers.
For master trusts do not include transfers from one plan held by the master trust into another plan held by the same master trust.

Other receipts (line 150): Specify all receipts by type, for example currency exchange gain for investments that have not been sold but have been re-valued in Canadian dollars.
For master trusts do not include receipts that are received from an investment account held by the same master trust.

Disbursements and net realized losses

Pension payments out of fund to retirees and beneficiaries (line 200): Include, if applicable, lump sum settlements made in lieu of a pension at retirement. Do not include cash withdrawals for death, termination, etc.; these amounts should be reported as Cash withdrawals (line 202b).

Cost of pensions purchased (line 201): This is the cost of purchasing annuities, most commonly from an insurance company.

Transfers to other pension plans (line 202a): Transfers result from the merger of two or more plans, the transfer of assets of one or more members to another pension plan, etc. The transfer of monies on behalf of terminating plan members to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan, a Deferred Profit Sharing Plan or another Registered Pension Plan should also be included here. Please specify the destination of these transfers.

Cash withdrawals (line 202b): Include cash amounts withdrawn due to death, termination of employment, discontinuation of the plan or change of funding agency (e.g. from a trust arrangement to an insurance company contract).

Administration costs (line 203): Include any investment expenses not netted from investment income and membership services (i.e., benefit administration and delivery) expenses charged to the fund.

Net realized losses on all investments (line 204): See Net realized gains on all investments (line 130).  Include the amount, if any, reported on line 204a.

Net realized losses from financial derivatives (line 204a): Report net losses from settled derivative contracts during the quarter. If positive, report on line 130a.

Other disbursements (line 206): Specify all disbursements by type, for example currency exchange loss for investments that have not been sold but have been re-valued in Canadian dollars.
For master trusts do not include disbursements from the master trust that are received into an investment account held by the same master trust.

Net income (line 211): This amount, when added to the net assets (book value) reported for the previous quarter, should equal the net assets (book value) for the current quarter.

Net change in unrealized gains or losses (line 212): Refers to the current period change in fair value of investments which have not yet been realized through transactions. For example, a security which has risen in value but has not been sold would generate an unrealized gain. If unrealized losses exceed unrealised gains, indicate the amount with a minus sign or brackets.

Assets

Report the asset detail - if available - at both book (cost) and market values

Foreign investments: Foreign property has the same meaning as defined in Canada’s income tax act. Investments in foreign property are to be reported on lines 306, 323, 324, 335 or 363, depending on the asset class in which the money is invested. Foreign property investments can include; investments in units of a foreign pooled fund; investments in publicly traded foreign stocks or private equity investments in foreign corporations; investments in bonds or a debentures issued by a non-Canadian resident and deposits in a bank or similar institution outside Canada. Investments expressed in foreign currency but situated in Canada are not considered foreign.

Pooled, mutual, segregated and investment funds (lines 301 to 307): Include investments in funds which pool the monies of several investors and which are sold on a unit basis. This includes insurance industry segregated pooled funds. The category of foreign fund takes precedence over others pooled funds. If, for example, a fund is both foreign and money market it should be reported as a foreign fund. Canadian funds may be partially invested outside Canada. If any assets are listed on line 307, please provide a description of the assets being reported using the specify field.

For all investments reported in lines 301 to 307, indicate the percentage of the total in segregated funds, mutual funds and Canadian income trusts in the space provided to the left of lines 300a, 300b, and 300c. If none of the investments reported on lines 301 to 307 are in segregated or mutual funds or income trusts, please indicate this by reporting “0” %. If the percentage is unknown or unavailable, please check “not available”.

Equities (lines 321, 323and 324): Include investments in publicly traded stocks and private equity investments in Canadian (line 321) or foreign (line 323 and 324) corporations.

Bonds/Debentures (lines 331 to 335): Include bonds maturing in less than 12 months. Federal bonds (line 331) include only direct issues by the Canadian federal government. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) mortgage bonds and NHA Mortgage-Backed Securities insured by the CMHC as well as bonds issued by other federal government businesses are to be recorded under other Canadian (corporate) (line 334). Provincial and Municipal bonds (lines 332 and 333) include both direct issues of those levels of government as well as bonds guaranteed by their government business enterprises. In other Canadian (corporate)(line 334) include bonds and debentures issued by Canadian corporations and non-guaranteed issues of government business enterprises. Convertible bonds should also be reported as other Canadian (corporate)and not with equities. In foreign (line 335) include bonds issued by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American, Caribbean and Asian Development Banks.

Mortgages (lines 341 and 342): These are conventional mortgage loans which are granted to borrowers to finance the purchase of properties with the underlying property secured as collateral for the loan. Report loans granted to borrowers to finance the purchase of residential properties on line 341. Report loans granted to businesses to finance the purchase of commercial properties as non-residential on line 342.

Real estate (line 350): Report investments in real estate, including petroleum and natural gas properties here. Investments in real estate funds or REITs are to be reported on line 304.

Financial derivatives (line 351): Include swaps, options, futures and forwards. A 'swap' is a contract where two parties agree to exchange a set of cash flows for a fixed period of time. An 'option' gives its owners the right but not the obligation to conduct a transaction involving an underlying asset within a given period and a specific price. 'Futures' and 'forwards' are contractual agreements to either buy or sell a specific financial asset at a specific price and date in the future.

Cash, deposits, GICs (line 361): Include cash on hand, bank term deposits, GICs, and deposits in chartered banks, trust and mortgage loan companies.

Other Canadian short-term paper (line 364): Includes provincial and municipal t-bills, banker’s acceptances, discount notes, promissory notes, call loans, interest bearing notes, bearer demand notes and other financial and commercial paper issued by corporations, or provincial and municipal governments.

Accrued interest and dividend receivable (line 371): Accrued refers to interest or dividends recognized when realized, without regard to time of receipt of payment.

Other assets (line 373): Provide a description of the asset being reported using the specify field.

Liabilities

Financial derivatives (line 391): Report liabilities associated with financial derivatives.

Other liabilities (line 392): Specify the type, for example, provisions for contingent liabilities.

Net realized gain/loss (third column, page 2)

Report this detail only if the fund’s total assets (at book value) exceed $1,000,000,000. Record any realized gain or loss for each of the non-shaded categories. The total (line 380) should equal the amount recorded on line 130, under Receipts and net realized gains or on line 204, under Disbursements and net realized losses. Profit/Loss for the following categories need be reported at the aggregate level only:

  • Pooled, mutual, segregated and investment funds (line 300)
  • Foreign common and preferred stocks (line 322)
  • Mortgages (line 340)
  • Cash, deposits, short-term (line 360)
  • Miscellaneous (line 370)
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