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financial instruments - Accounts receivable (Details) - Customer accounts receivable - CAD ($) $ in Millions |  | 12 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 01, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Jan. 01, 2017
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average age of receivables | 26 days | 30 days | 26 days |  |  |
Weighted average age of past-due receivables | 61 days | 56 days | 60 days |  |  |
Receivable account balances | $ 1,154 | $ 1,169 | $ 1,169 | $ 1,210 | $ 1,169 | $ 1,154
Written off amounts charged to allowance for doubtful accounts still subject to enforcement |  |  |  | 353 | 298 | 231
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (1,169) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (1,154) | (1,210) | (1,169) |  |  |
Less than 30 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 888 | 895 | 895 | 749 | 895 | 888
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (895) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (888) | (749) | (895) |  |  |
30-60 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 176 | 177 | 177 | 344 | 177 | 176
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (177) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (176) | (344) | (177) |  |  |
61-90 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 35 | 52 | 52 | 72 | 52 | 35
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (52) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (35) | (72) | (52) |  |  |
More than 90 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 55 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 55
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (45) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (55) | (45) | (45) |  |  |
Cost/Gross amount |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 1,208 | 1,212 | 1,212 | 1,263 | 1,212 | 1,208
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (1,212) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (1,208) | (1,263) | (1,212) |  |  |
Cost/Gross amount | Less than 30 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 899 | 905 | 905 | 762 | 905 | 899
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (905) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (899) | (762) | (905) |  |  |
Cost/Gross amount | 30-60 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 185 | 185 | 185 | 354 | 185 | 185
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (185) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (185) | (354) | (185) |  |  |
Cost/Gross amount | 61-90 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 44 | 60 | 60 | 80 | 60 | 44
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (60) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (44) | (80) | (60) |  |  |
Cost/Gross amount | More than 90 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | 80 | 62 | 62 | 67 | 62 | 80
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | (62) |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | (80) | (67) | (62) |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | (54) | (43) | (54) | (53) | (43) | (54)
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 54 | 43 | 54 |  |  |
Additions (doubtful accounts expense) |  | 56 | 54 |  |  |
Accounts written off, net of recoveries |  | (55) | (66) |  |  |
Other |  | 9 | 1 |  |  |
Balance, end of period | 54 | 53 | 43 |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts | Less than 30 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | (11) | (10) | (10) | (13) | (10) | (11)
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | 10 |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | 11 | 13 | 10 |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts | 30-60 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | (9) | (8) | (8) | (10) | (8) | (9)
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | 8 |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | 9 | 10 | 8 |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts | 61-90 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | (9) | (8) | (8) | (8) | (8) | (9)
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | 8 |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | 9 | 8 | 8 |  |  |
Allowance for doubtful accounts | More than 90 days past billing date |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit risk |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable account balances | (25) | (17) | (17) | $ (22) | $ (17) | $ (25)
Summary of activity related to allowance for doubtful accounts |  |  |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period |  | 17 |  |  |  |
Balance, end of period | $ 25 | $ 22 | $ 17 |  |  |

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