2024-2025 - Financial Statements

Copyright Board of Canada

Statement of Management Responsibility Including Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2025, and all information contained in these financial statements rests with the management of the Copyright Board of Canada (Copyright Board). These financial statements have been prepared by management using the Government of Canada's accounting policies, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards.

Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information in these financial statements. Some of the information in the financial statements is based on management's best estimates and judgment, and gives due consideration to materiality. To fulfill its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of the Copyright Board’s financial transactions. Financial information submitted in the preparation of the Public Accounts of Canada, and included in the Copyright Board’s Departmental Results Report, is consistent with these financial statements.

Management is also responsible for maintaining an effective system of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded and that transactions are properly authorized and recorded in accordance with the Financial Administration Act and other applicable legislation, regulations, authorities and policies.

Management seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements through careful selection, training and development of qualified staff; through organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility; through communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards, and managerial authorities are understood throughout the Copyright Board and through conducting an annual risk-based assessment of the effectiveness of the system of ICFR.

The system of ICFR is designed to mitigate risks to a reasonable level based on an ongoing process to identify key risks, to assess effectiveness of associated key controls, and to make any necessary adjustments.

Copyright Board is subject to periodic Core Control Audits performed by the Office of the Comptroller General and uses the results of such audits to comply with the Treasury Board Policy on Financial Management.

A Core Control Audit was performed in 2015–16 by the Office of the Comptroller General of Canada. The Audit Report and related Management Action Plan are posted on the departmental web site at https://cb-cda.gc.ca/sites/default/files/2019-04/20160607-audit-e.pdf.

The financial statements of the Copyright Board have not been audited.

Copyright Board of Canada 
Statement of Financial Position (Unaudited) 
For the Year Ended March 31

Copyright Board of Canada 
Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position (Unaudited) 
For the Year Ended March 31

Copyright Board of Canada 
Statement of Change in Departmental Net Debt (Unaudited) 
For the Year Ended March 31

Copyright Board of Canada 
Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited) 
For the Year Ended March 31

1. Authority and Objectives

The Copyright Act (the Act) provides that the Copyright Board intervenes in three areas, namely: approving tariffs for content whose rights are managed by collective societies, granting licences for the use of content for which the copyright owners cannot be found and arbitrating in the event a collective society and users cannot agree on royalties.

The Copyright Board is an independent administrative tribunal and economic regulatory body empowered to establish the tariffs which set the royalties to be paid for the use of copyrighted works, when the copyright in such works is administered collectively. The Copyright Board also issues licences which set the royalties to be paid for the use of copyrighted works when the copyright owner cannot be located. By issuing fair and equitable tariffs and licences, the Copyright Board ensures that rights owners are remunerated and users have access to protected works while supporting prosperity and innovation in the Canadian economy.

The Copyright Board reports annually to Parliament through the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

These financial statements are prepared using the Copyright Board’s accounting policies stated below, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards. The presentation and results using the stated accounting policies do not result in any significant differences from Canadian public sector accounting standards.

Significant accounting policies are as follows:

1. Parliamentary authorities 
   The Copyright Board is financed by the Government of Canada through Parliamentary authorities. Financial reporting of authorities provided to the Copyright Board 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 Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Financial Position are not necessarily the same as those provided through authorities from Parliament. Note 3 provides a reconciliation between the bases of reporting. The planned results amounts in the “Expenses” and “Revenues” sections of the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position are the amounts reported in the Future-oriented Statement of Operations included in the 2024–25 Departmental Plan. Planned results are not presented in the “Government funding and transfers” section of the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Change in Departmental Net Debt because these amounts were not included in the 2024–25 Departmental Plan.
2. Net cash provided by Government 
   The Copyright Board operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by the Copyright Board is deposited to the CRF, and all cash disbursements made by the Copyright Board 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.
3. Amounts due from or to the CRF 
   Amounts due from or to 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 Copyright Board is entitled to draw from the CRF in order to discharge its liabilities without generating additional charges against its authorities.
4. Revenues 
   Revenues are comprised of revenues earned from non-tax sources. They include exchange transactions where goods or services are provided for consideration where a performance obligation exists, and non-exchange transactions where no performance obligations exist to provide a good or service. These transactions can be recurring or non-recurring in nature. Recurring transactions are viewed as ongoing, routine activities that form part of the normal course of operations and can be used to indicate if they can be reasonably expected to be earned again in future years.
     
   Revenues are recognized in the period the event giving rise to the revenues occurred. Revenues that are non-respendable are not available to discharge the Department's liabilities. While the Deputy Head is expected to maintain accounting control, he or she 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 as a reduction of the entity's gross revenues.
5. Expenses 
   Expenses are recorded on the accrual basis. Vacation pay and compensatory leave are accrued as the benefits are earned by employees under their respective terms of employment; and Services provided without charge by other government departments for accommodation and the employer’s contribution to the health and dental insurance plans are recorded as operating expenses at their carrying value.

6. Employee future benefits

   • i) Pension benefits – Eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, a multiemployer pension plan administered by the Government. The Copyright Board’s contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the total departmental obligation to the Plan. The Copyright Board’s responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan’s sponsor.
   • ii) 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 results of the actuarially determined liability for employee severance benefits for the Government as a whole.

    

7. Accounts receivable 
   Accounts receivable are initially recorded at cost. When necessary, an allowance for valuation is recorded to reduce the carrying value of accounts receivable to amounts that approximate their net recoverable value.
8. Non-financial assets 
   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.
9. Measurement uncertainty 
   The preparation of these 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 estimates 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.

10. Related party transactions 
    Related party transactions, other than inter-entity transactions, are recorded at the exchange amount.
    
    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:

    • i) Services provided on a recovery basis are recognized as expenses on a gross basis and measured at the exchange amount.
    • ii) Certain services received on a without charge basis are recorded for departmental financial statement purposes at the carrying amount.

     

3. Parliamentary Authorities

The Copyright Board receives most of its funding through annual parliamentary authorities. Items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position and the Statement of Financial Position in one year may be funded through parliamentary authorities in prior, current or future years. Accordingly, the Copyright Board has different net results of operations for the year on a government funding basis than on an accrual accounting basis. The differences are reconciled in the following tables :

(a) Reconciliation of net cost of operations to current year authorities used

(b) Authorities provided and used

4. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

The following table presents details of the Copyright Board’s accounts payable and accrued liabilities.

5. Revenues

Copyright Board does not collect revenues as a regular part of business operations but can collect certain fees on behalf of the Government. These miscellaneous revenues include other fees and charges related to access to information charges. These are recorded when the performance obligations are satisfied.

¹Total non-recurring revenues of $5 were incurred in relation to access to information charges.

6. Employee future benefits

1. Pension benefits

   The Copyright Board’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 Copyright Board contribute to the cost of the Plan. Due to the amendment of the Public Service Superannuation Act following the implementation of provisions related to 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 2024–25 expense amounts to $472,608 ($377,521 in 2023–24). For Group 1 members, the expense represents approximately 1.02 times (1.02 times in 2023–24) the employee contributions, and for Group 2 members, approximately 1.00 times (1.00 times in 2023–24) the employee contributions.

   The Copyright Board’s responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan’s sponsor.

2. Severance benefits

   Severance benefits provided to the Copyright Board’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. 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:

   	2025	2024
   	(in dollars)
   Accrued benefit obligation - Beginning of year	$ 69,740	$ 69,816
   Expense for the year	6,060	(76)
   Benefits paid during the year	-	-
   Accrued benefit obligation - End of year	$ 75,800	$ 69,740

7. Accounts Receivable and Advances

The following table presents details of the Copyright Board’s accounts receivable and advances balances:

8. Tangible Capital Assets

Amortization of tangible capital assets is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the assets as follows:

(in dollars)

9. Contractual Obligations

The nature of the Copyright Board’s activities may result in some large multi-year contracts and obligations whereby the Copyright Board will be obligated to make future payments when the services/goods are received. Significant contractual obligations that can be reasonably estimated are summarized as follows:

10. Related party transactions

The Copyright Board is related as a result of common ownership to all government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. Related parties also include individuals who are members of key management personnel or close family members of those individuals, and entities controlled by, or under shared control of, a member or key management personnel or close family member of that individual.

The Copyright Board enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms.

During the year, the Copyright Board received common services which were obtained without charge from other Government departments as disclosed below.

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

During the year, the Copyright Board received without charge from certain common service 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 Copyright Board’s Statement of Operations and Departmental 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 result, the Government uses central agencies and common service organizations so that one department performs services for all other departments and agencies without charge. The costs of these services, such as the payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Services and Procurement Canada and audit services provided by the Office of the Auditor General are not included in the Copyright Board’s Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position.

(b) Other transactions with other government departments and agencies

Expenses disclosed in (b) exclude common services provided without charges, which are already disclosed in (a).

11. Segmented Information

Presentation by segment is based on the Copyright Board program alignment architecture. The presentation by segment is based on the same accounting policies as described in the Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in note 2. The following table presents the expenses incurred and revenues generated for the main program, by major object of expense and by major type of revenue. The segment results for the period are as follows: