21. DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Currency Risk Management

The Company uses foreign exchange economic hedges to reduce the variability in expected future cash flows arising from changes in foreign currency exchange rates. The Company is primarily exposed to currency fluctuations relative to the US dollar as a significant portion of the Company’s operating costs and capital expenditures are denominated in foreign currencies; primarily the Canadian dollar, the Euro and the Mexican peso. These potential currency fluctuations increase the volatility of, and could have a significant impact on, the Company’s production costs and capital expenditures. The economic hedges relate to a portion of the foreign currency denominated cash outflows arising from foreign currency denominated expenditures.

As at December 31, 2018, the Company did not have any outstanding foreign exchange zero cost collars with a cash flow hedging relationship that qualified for hedge accounting under IFRS 9.

As at December 31, 2018, the Company had outstanding derivative contracts where hedge accounting was not applied. At December 31, 2018, the non-hedge derivatives related to $626.4 million of 2019 expenditures and the Company recognized mark-to-market adjustments in the loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments line item of the consolidated statements of income(loss).

Mark-to-market gains and losses related to foreign exchange derivative financial instruments are recorded at fair value based on broker-dealer quotations corroborated by option pricing models that utilize period-end forward pricing of the applicable foreign currency to calculate fair value.

The Company’s other foreign currency derivative strategies in 2018 and 2017 consisted mainly of writing US dollar call options with short maturities to generate premiums that would, in essence, enhance the spot transaction rate received when exchanging US dollars for Canadian dollars and Mexican pesos. All of these derivative transactions expired prior to period-end such that no derivatives were outstanding as at December 31, 2018 or December 31, 2017. The call option premiums were recognized in the loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments line item of the consolidated statements of income(loss).

Commodity Price Risk Management

To mitigate the risks associated with fluctuating diesel fuel prices, the Company uses derivative financial instruments as economic hedges of the price risk on a portion of diesel fuel costs associated primarily with Nunavut’s diesel fuel exposure as it relates to operating costs. There were derivative financial instruments outstanding as at December 31, 2018 relating to 12.0 million gallons of heating oil (December 31, 2017 - 5.0 million). The related mark‑to‑market adjustments prior to settlement were recognized in the loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments line item of the consolidated statements of income(loss). The Company does not apply hedge accounting to these arrangements.

Mark‑to‑market gains and losses related to heating oil derivative financial instruments are based on broker‑dealer quotations that utilize period end forward pricing to calculate fair value.

As at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, there were no metal derivative positions. The Company may from time to time utilize short‑term financial instruments as part of its strategy to minimize risks and optimize returns on its by‑product metal sales.

The following table sets out a summary of the amounts recognized in the loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments line item of the consolidated statements of income(loss):


	Year Ended December 31,
	2018		2017
Premiums realized on written foreign exchange call options	$	(3,110)	$	(2,925)
Unrealized loss on warrants(i)		452		15
Realized gain on currency and commodity derivatives		(2,790)		(10,832)
Unrealized loss (gain) on currency and commodity derivatives(i)		11,513		(4,156)
Loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments	$	6,065	$	(17,898)

Note:

(i)

Unrealized gains and losses on financial instruments that did not qualify for hedge accounting are recognized through the loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments line item of the consolidated statements of income (loss) and through the other line item of the consolidated statements of cash flows.

(1)