Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada

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Employees
  
342

Annual budget
  
$51.5 million

Formed
  
October, 2000, by Act of Parliament (Bill C-22)

Headquarters
  
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Minister responsible
  
Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance

Agency executive
  
Gérald Cossette, Director

For the French agency, see Tracfin.

Contents

Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) gathers, analyzes, assesses, and discloses financial intelligence. Originally created in July 2000 to counter suspected money laundering, FINTRAC's mandate was expanded in December 2001 to provide the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) with information on terrorist financing that threaten the security of Canada.

FINTRAC was established under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) Act, which was amended in December, 2001 to become the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA). FINTRAC's mandate was further amended in 2006 under Bill C-25 to expand the scope and require more detailed reporting by entities and individuals when certain risks thresholds were exceeded or identified. The Director of FINTRAC reports to the Minister of Finance.

FINTRAC receives information on:

  • Suspicious transactions
  • Suspected terrorist property
  • Large cash transactions
  • Electronic funds transfer
  • Cross border currency reporting
  • In 2006, FINTRAC identified over CA$5 billion in suspected money laundering and terrorist financing.

    Suspicious transactions are financial transactions that there are reasonable grounds to suspect are related to the commission of a money laundering offence. Since June 12, 2002, suspicious transactions also include financial transactions that there are reasonable grounds to suspect are related to the commission of a terrorist activity financing offence. Suspicious transactions must be reported by financial entities (banks and financial dealers), money services businesses, life insurance companies and agents, certain government agencies that take deposits (such as Canada Post), accountants or accounting firms, real estate agents and brokers, and casinos.

    Since June 2002, FINTRAC is a member of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units.

    Directors

    The Director is appointed by the Governor-in-Council for a term of not more than five years during the pleasure of the Governor General and on the expiry of a first or subsequent term of office but no person shall hold office as Director for terms of more than ten years in the aggregate.

  • Gérald Cossette, October 15, 2012-
  • Jeanne M. Flemming, March 3, 2008 – 2012
  • Keith Fernandez, Acting Director, 2007-2008
  • Horst Intscher, 2000-2007
  • Reports

    List of reports filed to FINTRAC:

  • Suspicious transaction reports
  • Large cash transaction reports
  • Electronic funds transfer reports
  • Casino disbursement reports
  • Criticism

    In 2009, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada reported that FINTRAC was receiving and retaining personal information beyond its remit, in breach of the Privacy Act, and that this "presents an unquestionable risk to privacy by making available for use or disclosure personal information which should never have been obtained."

    References

    Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada Wikipedia