PSAB Project Priority Survey

PSAB is seeking your response to its 2009 Project Priority Survey (Survey). The purpose of the Survey is to determine the relative importance of various topics for PSAB’s technical agenda. PSAB has the capacity to begin some new projects in the coming year, and you are being requested to rank the entire list in order of importance from “high” to “low”.

The project list is based on input from PSAB members, staff and stakeholders through the web solicitation of new topics in October 2008.

PSAB will consider responses to the Survey both individually and in the context of overall feedback in its Work Plan for April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010. The topics chosen will form a significant and important part of PSAB’s future work plans. PSAB reserves the right to select the most appropriate projects given resource limitations, the nature of the project, the time commitments each project may require, and other priorities related to PSAB’s standard setting activities. Topics chosen will be fully scoped at the project proposal stage to determine the extent of issues to be addressed.

Projects that are currently underway by PSAB include:

• Liability for Remediation and Mitigation of Contaminated Sites (formerly Environmental Liabilities);
• Financial Instruments;
• Foreign Currency Translation (deferred project is expected to re-activate with the finalization of Financial Instruments);
• Government Transfers;
• Introduction to Public Sector Accounting Standards – Government Not-for-Profit Organizations;
• Introduction to Public Sector Accounting Standards – Government Organizations (excluding Government Not-for-Profit Organizations);
• Tax Revenue; and
• Issues with Entity-level Financial Statements.

For more information about these projects, please click here.

In addition, PSAB is currently considering the transitional provisions of Section PS 1300, Government Reporting Entity.

PSAB regularly monitors the activities of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB), including its standard-setting projects. PSAB will continue to solicit requests for comment from Canadian stakeholders on IPSASB pronouncements as they are issued, with a view towards determining whether project status should be conferred on the specific topics in Canada. PSAB is tracking the progress on the following IPSASB projects:

• Service Concessions (public-private partnerships);
• Public Sector Conceptual Framework;
• Agriculture;
• Long-term Fiscal Sustainability;
• Heritage Assets;
• Social Benefits; and
• Intangible Assets.
     

Requested of you

To assist PSAB’s project selection and participate in the Survey, please click here, and do the following:
1.  Review the list of topics provided.
2.  For each topic, provide a priority rating of either:

• High
• Medium; or
• Low

     to advise PSAB which projects you believe should be started before others.

For PSAB to consider your feedback, responses must be received by Monday, February 9, 2009, addressed to:

Tim Beauchamp, Director
Public Sector Accounting
277 Wellington Street West
Toronto, ON, M5V 3H2

Contact Information

Questions or comments on this Survey can be directed to:

Catherine Byers, CA
Principal, Public Sector Accounting
Telephone: +1 (416) 204-3475
Fax: +1 (416) 204-3412

The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
277 Wellington Street West
Toronto ON M5V 3H2 Canada