Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Operations

Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (“CPRL”), through its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “CP” or “the Company”), operates a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States ("U.S."). CP provides rail and intermodal transportation services over a network of approximately 12,700 miles, serving the principal business centres of Canada from Montréal, Québec, to Vancouver, British Columbia, and the U.S. Northeast and Midwest regions. CP’s railway network feeds directly into the U.S. heartland from the East and West coasts. Agreements with other carriers extend the Company’s market reach in Canada, throughout the U.S. and into Mexico. CP transports bulk commodities, merchandise freight and intermodal traffic. Bulk commodities include grain, coal, fertilizers and sulphur. Merchandise freight consists of finished vehicles and automotive parts, as well as forest, industrial and consumer products. Intermodal traffic consists largely of retail goods in overseas containers that can be transported by train, ship and truck, and in domestic containers and trailers that can be moved by train and truck.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of significant accounting policies

Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”)

These Consolidated Financial Statements are expressed in Canadian dollars and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Principles of consolidation

These Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of CP and all its subsidiaries. The Company’s investments in which it has significant influence are accounted for using the equity method. Distributions received from equity method investees are classified using the nature of the distribution approach for cash flow presentation purposes, whereby distributions received are classified based on the nature of the activity or activities of the investee that generated the distribution as either a return on investment (classified as a cash inflow from operating activities) or a return of investment (classified as a cash inflow from investing activities). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of estimates

The preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the year, the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Management regularly reviews its estimates, including those related to environmental liabilities, pensions and other benefits, depreciable lives of properties, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, as well as legal and personal injury liabilities based upon currently available information. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Principal subsidiaries

The following list sets out CPRL’s principal railway operating subsidiaries, including the jurisdiction of incorporation. All of these subsidiaries are wholly owned, directly or indirectly, by CPRL as at December 31, 2019.

Principal subsidiary	Incorporated under the laws of
Canadian Pacific Railway Company	Canada
Soo Line Railroad Company (“Soo Line”)	Minnesota
Delaware and Hudson Railway Company, Inc. (“D&H”)	Delaware
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation (“DM&E”)	Delaware
Mount Stephen Properties Inc. (“MSP”)	Canada

Revenue recognition

Revenue is recognized when obligations under the terms of a contract with a customer are satisfied. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for providing services. Government imposed taxes that the Company collects concurrent with revenue generating activities are excluded from revenue. In the normal course of business, the Company does not generate any material revenue through acting as an agent for other entities.

The Company provides rail freight transportation services to a wide variety of customers and transports bulk commodities, merchandise freight and intermodal traffic. The Company signs master service agreements with customers that dictate future services the Company is to perform for a customer at the time a bill of lading or service request is received. Each bill of lading or service request represents a separate distinct performance obligation that the Company is obligated to satisfy. The transaction price is generally in the form of a fixed fee determined at the inception of the bill of lading or service request. The Company allocates the transaction price to each distinct performance obligation based on the estimated standalone selling price for each performance obligation. As each bill of lading or service request represents a separate distinct performance obligation, the estimated standalone selling price is assessed at an observable price which

is fair market value. Certain customer agreements include variable consideration in the form of rebates, discounts, or incentives. The expected value method is used to estimate variable consideration and is allocated to the applicable performance obligation and is recognized when the related performance obligation is satisfied. Additionally, the Company offers published rates for services through public tariff agreements in which a customer can request service, triggering a performance obligation the Company must satisfy. Railway freight revenues are recognized over time as services are provided based on the percentage of completed service method. Volume rebates to customers are accrued as a reduction of freight revenues based on estimated volumes and contract terms as freight service is provided. Freight revenues also include certain ancillary and other services provided in association with the performance of rail freight movements. Revenues from these activities are not material and therefore have been aggregated with the freight revenues from customer contracts with which they are associated.

Non-freight revenues, including passenger revenues, switching fees, and revenues from logistics services, are recognized at the point in time the services are provided or when the performance obligations are satisfied. Non-freight revenues also include leasing revenues.

Payment by customers is due upon satisfaction of performance obligations. Payment terms are such that amounts outstanding at the period end are expected to be collected within one reporting period. The Company invoices customers at the time the bill of lading or service request is processed and therefore the Company has no material unbilled receivables and no contract assets. All performance obligations not fully satisfied at period end are expected to be satisfied within the reporting period immediately following. Contracted customer incentives are amortized to income over the term of the related revenue contract.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid short-term investments that are readily convertible to cash with original maturities of three months or less, but exclude cash and cash equivalents subject to restrictions.

Restricted cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents that are restricted as to withdrawal or usage, in accordance with specific agreements, are presented as restricted cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheets when applicable. In the Company's Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, these balances, if any, are included with cash and cash equivalents.

Foreign currency translation

Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies, other than those held through foreign subsidiaries, are translated into Canadian dollars at the year-end exchange rate for monetary items and at the historical exchange rates for non-monetary items. Foreign currency revenues and expenses are translated at the exchange rates in effect on the dates of the related transactions. Foreign exchange ("FX") gains and losses, other than those arising from the translation of the Company’s net investment in foreign subsidiaries, are included in income.

The accounts of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are translated into Canadian dollars using the year-end exchange rate for assets and liabilities and the average exchange rates during the year for revenues, expenses, gains and losses. FX gains and losses arising from the translation of the foreign subsidiaries’ assets and liabilities are included in “Other comprehensive (loss) income”. A portion of U.S. dollar-denominated long-term debt has been designated as a hedge of the net investment in foreign subsidiaries. As a result, unrealized FX gains and losses on U.S. dollar-denominated long-term debt, designated as a hedge, are offset against FX gains and losses arising from the translation of foreign subsidiaries’ accounts in “Other comprehensive (loss) income”.

Pensions and other benefits

Pension costs are actuarially determined using the projected-benefit method pro-rated over the credited service periods of employees. This method incorporates management’s best estimates of expected plan investment performance, salary escalation and retirement ages of employees. The expected return on fund assets is calculated using market-related asset values developed from a five-year average of market values for the fund’s public equity securities and absolute return strategies (with each prior year’s market value adjusted to the current date for assumed investment income during the intervening period) plus the market value of the fund’s fixed income, real estate, infrastructure and private debt securities, subject to the market-related asset value not being greater than 120% of the market value nor being less than 80% of the market value. The discount rate used to determine the projected-benefit obligation is based on blended market interest rates on high-quality corporate debt instruments with matching cash flows. Unrecognized actuarial gains and losses in excess of 10% of the greater of the benefit obligation and the market-related value of plan assets are amortized over the expected average remaining service period of active employees expected to receive benefits under the plan (approximately 12 years). Prior service costs arising from collectively bargained amendments to pension plan benefit provisions are amortized over the term of the applicable union agreement. Prior service costs arising from all other sources are amortized over the expected average remaining service period of active employees who are expected to receive benefits under the plan at the date of amendment.

Costs for post-retirement and post-employment benefits other than pensions, including post-retirement health care and life insurance and some workers’ compensation and long-term disability benefits in Canada, are actuarially determined on a basis similar to pension costs.

The over or under funded status of defined benefit pension and other post-retirement benefit plans are measured as the difference between the fair value of the plan assets and the benefit obligation, and are recognized on the balance sheets. In addition, any unrecognized actuarial gains and losses and prior service costs and credits that arise during the period are recognized as a component of “Other comprehensive (loss) income”, net of tax.

Gains and losses on post-employment benefits that do not vest or accumulate, including some workers’ compensation and long-term disability benefits in Canada, are included immediately on the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income as "Other components of net periodic benefit cost or recovery".

The current service cost component of net periodic benefit cost is reported in "Compensation and benefits" for pensions and post-retirement benefits, and in "Purchased services and other" for self-insured workers' compensation and long-term disability benefits on the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income. Other components of net periodic benefit cost or recovery are reported in "Other components of net periodic benefit cost or recovery" outside of Operating income on the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income.

Capitalization of pension costs, when applicable, is restricted to the current service cost component of net periodic benefit cost.

Materials and supplies

Materials and supplies are carried at the lower of average cost or market value and consist primarily of fuel and parts used in the repair and maintenance of track structures, equipment, locomotives and freight cars.

Properties

Fixed asset additions and major renewals are recorded at cost, including direct costs, attributable indirect costs and carrying costs, less accumulated depreciation and any impairment. When there is a legal obligation associated with the retirement of property, a liability is initially recognized at its fair value and a corresponding asset retirement cost is added to the gross book value of the related asset and amortized to expense over the estimated term to retirement. The Company reviews the carrying amounts of its properties whenever changes in circumstances indicate that such carrying amounts may not be recoverable based on future undiscounted cash flows. When such properties are determined to be impaired, recorded asset values are revised to their fair value and an impairment loss is recognized.

The Company recognizes expenditures as additions to properties or operating expenses based on whether the expenditures increase the output or service capacity, lower the associated operating costs or extend the useful life of the properties and whether the expenditures exceed minimum physical and financial thresholds.

Much of the additions to properties, both new and replacement properties, are self-constructed. These are initially recorded at cost, including direct costs and attributable indirect costs, overheads and carrying costs. Direct costs include, among other things, labour costs, purchased services, equipment costs and material costs. Attributable indirect costs and overheads include incremental long-term variable costs resulting from the execution of capital projects. Indirect costs mainly include work trains, material distribution, highway vehicles and work equipment. Overheads primarily include a portion of the engineering department’s costs, which plans, designs and administers these capital projects. These costs are allocated to projects by applying a measure consistent with the nature of the cost, based on cost studies. For replacement properties, the project costs are allocated to dismantling and installation based on cost studies. Dismantling work, which is expensed, is performed concurrently with the installation.

Ballast programs including undercutting, shoulder ballasting and renewal programs that form part of the annual track program are capitalized as this work, and the related added ballast material, significantly improves drainage, which in turn extends the life of ties and other track materials. These costs are tracked separately from the underlying assets and depreciated over the period to the next estimated similar ballast program. Spot replacement of ballast is considered a repair which is expensed as incurred.

The costs of large refurbishments are capitalized and locomotive overhauls are expensed as incurred, except where overhauls represent a betterment of the locomotive in which case costs are capitalized.

The Company capitalizes development costs for major new computer systems.

The Company follows group depreciation, which groups assets which are similar in nature and have similar economic lives. The property groups are depreciated on a straight-line basis reflecting their expected economic lives determined by depreciation studies. Depreciation studies are regular reviews of asset service lives, salvage values, accumulated depreciation and other related factors. Depreciation rates are established through these studies. Actual use and retirement of assets may vary from current estimates, and would be identified in the next study. These changes in expected economic lives would impact the amount of depreciation expense recognized in future periods. All track assets are depreciated using a straight-line method which recognizes the value of the asset consumed as a percentage of the whole life of the asset.

When depreciable property is retired or otherwise disposed of in the normal course of business, the book value, less net salvage proceeds, is charged to accumulated depreciation and if different than the assumptions under the depreciation study could potentially result in adjusted depreciation expense over a period of years. However, when removal costs exceed the salvage value on assets and the Company has no legal obligation to remove the assets, the removal costs incurred are charged to income in the period in which the assets are removed and are not charged to accumulated depreciation.

For certain asset classes, the historical cost of the asset is separately recorded in the Company’s property records. This amount is retired from the property records upon retirement of the asset. For assets for which the historical cost cannot be separately identified the amount of the gross book value to be retired is estimated

using either an indexation methodology, whereby the current replacement cost of the asset is indexed to the estimated year of installation for the asset, or a first-in, first-out approach, or statistical analysis is used to determine the age of the retired asset. CP uses indices that closely correlate to the principal costs of the assets.

There are a number of estimates inherent in the depreciation and retirement processes and as it is not possible to precisely estimate each of these variables until a group of property is completely retired, CP regularly monitors the estimated service lives of assets and the associated accumulated depreciation for each asset class to ensure depreciation rates are appropriate. If the recorded amounts of accumulated depreciation are greater or less than the amounts indicated by the depreciation studies, then the excess or deficit is amortized as a component of depreciation expense over the remaining service lives of the applicable asset classes.

For the sale or retirement of larger groups of depreciable assets that are unusual and were not considered in the Company’s depreciation studies, CP records a gain or loss for the difference between net proceeds and net book value of the assets sold or retired. The accumulated depreciation to be retired includes asset-specific accumulated depreciation, when known, and an appropriate portion of the accumulated depreciation recorded for the relevant asset class as a whole, calculated using a cost-based allocation.

Revisions to the estimated useful lives and net salvage projections constitute a change in accounting estimate and are addressed prospectively by amending depreciation rates.

Equipment under finance lease is included in Properties and depreciated over the period of expected use.

Leases

The Company has leases for rolling stock, buildings, vehicles, railway equipment, and roadway machines. CP has entered into rolling stock leases that are fully variable or contain both fixed and variable components. Variable components are dependent on the hours and miles that the underlying equipment has been used. Fixed term, short-term, and variable operating lease costs are recorded in "Equipment rents" and "Purchased services and other" on the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income. Components of finance lease costs are recorded in "Depreciation and amortization" and "Net interest expense" on the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income.

The Company determines lease existence and classification at the lease inception date. Leases are identified when an agreement conveys the right to control identified property for a period of time in exchange for consideration. The Company recognizes both an operating lease liability and right-of-use (“ROU”) asset for operating leases with fixed terms and in-substance fixed terms. ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating and finance lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Lease payments include fixed and variable payments that are based on an index or a rate. If the Company's leases do not provide a readily determinable implicit interest rate, the Company uses internal incremental secured borrowing rates for comparable tenor in the same currency at the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. Operating and finance lease ROU assets also include lease prepayments and initial direct costs, but are reduced by lease incentives. The lease term may include periods associated with options to extend or exclude periods associated with options to terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise these options.

The Company has short-term operating leases with terms of 12 months or less, some of which include options to purchase that the Company is not reasonably certain to exercise. The Company has elected to apply the recognition exemption and, as such, accounts for leases with a term of 12 months or less off-balance sheet. Therefore, lease payments on these short-term operating leases are not included in operating lease ROU assets and liabilities, but are recognized as an expense in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Further, the Company has elected to combine lease and non-lease components for all leases, except for leases of roadway machines and information systems hardware.

Assets held for sale

Assets to be disposed that meet the held for sale criteria are reported at the lower of their carrying amount and fair value, less costs to sell, and are no longer depreciated.

Goodwill and intangible assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of identifiable net assets upon acquisition of a business. Goodwill is assigned to the reporting units that are expected to benefit from the business acquisition which, after integration of operations with the railway network, may be different than the acquired business.

The carrying value of goodwill, which is not amortized, is assessed for impairment annually in the fourth quarter of each year as at October 1st, or more frequently as economic events dictate. The Company has the option of performing an assessment of certain qualitative factors (“Step 0”) to determine if it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value or proceeding directly to a quantitative impairment test (“Step 1”). Qualitative factors include but are not limited to, economic, market and industry conditions, cost factors and overall financial performance of the reporting unit. If Step 0 indicates that the carrying value is less than the fair value, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. Under Step 1, the fair value of the

reporting unit is compared to its carrying value, including goodwill. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, goodwill is potentially impaired. The impairment charge that would be recognized is the excess of the carrying value of the goodwill over the fair value of the goodwill, determined in the same manner as in a business combination.

Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Favourable leases, customer relationships and interline contracts have amortization periods ranging from 15 to 20 years. When there is a change in the estimated useful life of an intangible asset with a finite life, amortization is adjusted prospectively.

Financial instruments

Financial instruments are contracts that give rise to a financial asset of one party and a financial liability or equity instrument of another party.

Financial instruments are recognized initially at fair value, which is the amount of consideration that would be agreed upon in an arm’s-length transaction between willing parties.

Subsequent measurement depends on how the financial instruments have been classified. Accounts receivable and other investments, classified as loans and receivables, are measured at amortized cost, using the effective interest method. Cash and cash equivalents and derivatives are classified as held for trading and are measured at fair value. Accounts payable, accrued liabilities, short-term borrowings, other long-term liabilities and long-term debt are also measured at amortized cost.

Derivative financial instruments

Derivative financial and commodity instruments may be used from time to time by the Company to manage its exposure to risks relating to foreign currency exchange rates, stock-based compensation, interest rates and fuel prices. When CP utilizes derivative instruments in hedging relationships, CP identifies, designates and documents those hedging transactions and regularly tests the transactions to demonstrate effectiveness in order to continue hedge accounting.

All derivative instruments are classified as held for trading and recorded at fair value. Any change in the fair value of derivatives not designated as hedges is recognized in the period in which the change occurs in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income in the line item to which the derivative instrument is related.

For fair value hedges, the periodic changes in values are recognized in income, on the same line as the changes in values of the hedged items are also recorded. For an effective cash flow hedge, the entire change in value of the hedging instrument is recognized in “Other comprehensive (loss) income”. The change in value of the effective cash flow hedge remains in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” until the related hedged item settles, at which time amounts recognized in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” are reclassified to the same income or balance sheet account that records the hedged item.

Cash flows relating to derivative instruments designated as hedges are included in the same line as the related hedged items on the Company's Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Environmental remediation

Environmental remediation accruals, recorded on an undiscounted basis unless a reliably determinable estimate as to amount and timing of costs can be established, cover site-specific remediation programs. The accruals are recorded when the costs to remediate are probable and reasonably estimable. Certain future costs to monitor sites are discounted at an adjusted risk-free rate. Provisions for environmental remediation costs are recorded in “Other long-term liabilities”, except for the current portion, which is recorded in “Accounts payable and accrued liabilities”.

Income taxes

The Company follows the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse.

The effect of a change in income tax rates on deferred income tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period during which the change occurs.

When appropriate, the Company records a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets to reflect that these tax assets may not be realized. In determining whether a valuation allowance is appropriate, CP considers whether it is more likely than not that all or some portion of CP’s deferred tax assets will not be realized, based on management’s judgment using available evidence about future events.

At times, tax benefit claims may be challenged by a tax authority. Tax benefits are recognized only for tax positions that are more likely than not sustainable upon examination by tax authorities. The amount recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely to be realized upon settlement. A liability for “unrecognized tax benefits” is recorded for any tax benefits claimed in CP’s tax returns that do not meet these recognition and measurement standards.

Investment and other similar tax credits are deferred on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets and amortized to “Income tax expense” as the related asset is recognized in income. Income tax recovery or expense on items in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" are recognized in "Income tax expense" as the related item is recognized in income.

Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share are calculated using the weighted-average number of the Company's Common Shares (the "Common Shares') outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings per share are calculated using the treasury stock method for determining the dilutive effect of options.

Stock-based compensation

CP follows the fair value based approach to account for stock options. Compensation expense and an increase in “Additional paid-in capital” are recognized for stock options over their vesting period, or over the period from the grant date to the date employees become eligible to retire when this is shorter than the vesting period, based on their estimated fair values on the grant date, as determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.

Any consideration paid by employees on exercise of stock options is credited to “Share capital” when the option is exercised and the recorded fair value of the option is removed from “Additional paid-in capital" and credited to “Share capital”.

Compensation expense is also recognized for deferred share units (“DSUs”), performance share units (“PSUs”) and restricted share units (“RSUs”) that settle in cash using the fair value method. Compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period, or for PSUs and DSUs only, over the period from the grant date to the date employees become eligible to retire when this is shorter than the vesting period. Forfeitures of DSUs, PSUs, and RSUs are estimated at issuance and subsequently at the balance sheet date.

The employee share purchase plan gives rise to compensation expense that is recognized using the issue price by amortizing the cost over the vesting period or over the period from the grant date to the date employees become eligible to retire when this is shorter than the vesting period.