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Comparison of Canadian Gaap and Ifrs

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From 2011, Canadian publicly accountable entities will cease to report under Canadian GAAP and instead use IFRS. This paper discusses three accounting topics to compare Canadian GAAP with IFRS. The three topics cover (1) conceptual framework, (2) property, plant and equipment, and (3) financial statement presentation.

Conceptual Framework
Both IFRS and Canadian GAAP are based on similar conceptual frameworks. Many of the basic concepts in IFRS (e.g., the going concern assumption, accrual accounting) are similar to Canadian GAAP. Many recognition and measurement principles are similar, as is the general structure and content of the financial statements.
The framework is not an international accounting standard in and of itself and …show more content…

Section 3061 applies). Under IFRS this type of property should be recognized as assets when the cost of an item of property, plant and equipment can be reliably measured and it is probable that the future economic benefits from the item will flow to the entity (IAS 16.7) for separately from property, plant and equipment as it has its own standard (IAS 40 – Investment Property).

IFRS seems to separate the property, plant and equipment into more detail for classification by the nature and intention of usage. For the users of financial statements, they might not aware of the detail, but for the preparers, they need to gather more detail information to account it into the right section.

2. Canadian GAAP and IAS 16 both require property, plant and equipment to be recorded at historical cost however there are different requirements for what expenditures are included or excluded from the historical cost. Under Canadian GAAP, the initial cost of property, plant and equipment includes legal obligations (Section 3110). Similarly IFRS requires legal obligations to be included in the initial cost. However, IFRS also requires constructive obligations to be included (IAS 16.16(c)).

IFRS requires detail identifications of what elements of cost are included so that determine how cost is measured.

3. IAS 16 permits an entity to record property plant and equipment at a revalued (fair value) amount, which generally prohibited under Canadian GAAP. Like Canadian GAAP

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