Canada Reserves Rise $873 Million in October

Canada's official international reserves climbed in October, with the federal finance department reporting the figures from Ottawa.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Economic Indicators

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of stacked gold bars beside a stepped column of banded currency stacks on a cream plinth. — Canada's official international reserves rose $873 million in October to $126.16 billion, the federal finance department reported from Ottawa. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Canada's official international reserves increased by $873 million in October, bringing total reserves to $126.16 billion as of Oct. 30, up from $125.29 billion the prior month. Canada bills outstanding also rose $286 million to $1.91 billion.

Why it matters

The reserves figures reflect the country's holdings of foreign currencies and other monetary assets, which are tracked as an indicator of Canada's external financial position. The report also showed no government intervention in the foreign-currency market during the month.

The federal finance department's official reserve statement shows total reserves of $126.16 billion as of Oct. 30, up $873 million from the prior month's $125.29 billion. Foreign-currency reserves included $85.41 billion in securities, $10.91 billion in deposits and $23.54 billion in special drawing rights, while the government reported no gold holdings and no intervention in the foreign-currency market.

The players

Government of Canada, Department of Finance

The federal department responsible for Canada's fiscal policy, which publishes the monthly statement of official international reserves.

The details

The increase reflected a $1.20 billion gain from return on investments and a $227 million rise from reserves management operations. All reserve figures are reported in U.S. dollars, and Canada bills, which are short-term securities sold on the U.S. money market, rose by $286 million to $1.91 billion by the end of October.

October 2026: Canada's reserves increased by $873 million during the month.
October 30, 2026: Reserves totalled $126.16 billion at month end.
November 4, 2026: The federal finance department published the reserve figures.

Economic Indicators Context

The monthly Statement of Official International Reserves from the Department of Finance is a recurring indicator used to track Canada's holdings of foreign currencies and other monetary assets. October's $873 million increase continues the monthly reporting cycle that makes reserve levels comparable across periods.

Reserve levels are a background measure of Canada's external financial strength rather than a direct cost to households. The figures are most useful to readers following currency markets, government borrowing and the country's foreign-exchange position.

The takeaway

Monthly reserve data gives a clear snapshot of how Canada's foreign-currency holdings move over time, and readers can track the next release from the federal finance department to see whether the trend continues.