Consolidated Revenue Fund of Canada

The Consolidated Revenue Fund of Canada (French: Fonds consolidé de revenu du Canada) is the account into which taxes and revenue are deposited, and from which funds are withdrawn in order to defray the costs of public services. Funds are deposited and withdrawn by the Receiver General for Canada.

Payments to and from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Canada are made by the Receiver General, currently the Hon. Judy M. Foote. By convention, one becomes the Receiver General by virtue of also being the Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

Cheques distributed by the Government of Canada to citizens and organizations are made in the name of the Receiver General, just as payments to the Government are made out to the same. The Receiver General by convention, however, never exercises any degree of discretion over payments to or from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, other than by following whatever directives might exist in relevant statutes and regulations.

The Consolidated Revenue Fund of Canada is established by Section 102 of the Constitution Act, 1867. The Act went on to stipulate several charges to be made to the fund, some of which were recurring charges, and continue to be withdrawn from the fund today, in accordance with the Act. The original balance of the fund was created from the consolidated financial resources of whatever revenue and taxation could be lawfully appropriated by the Legislatures of the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Taxes and revenue appropriated by the Government of Canada are deposited into the current Consolidated Revenue Fund.

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