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Financial and capital management (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Financial Instruments [Abstract]  
Fair value details of financial instruments measured at amortized cost
The following table provides the fair value details of other financial instruments measured at amortized cost in the statements of financial position.
  December 31, 2020 December 31, 2019
CLASSIFICATION FAIR VALUE METHODOLOGY NOTE CARRYING VALUE FAIR VALUE CARRYING VALUE FAIR VALUE
CRTC deferral account obligation Trade payables and other liabilities and other non-current liabilities Present value of estimated future cash flows discounted using observable market interest rates 22, 27 82  86  82  85 
Debt securities and other debt Debt due within one year and long-term debt Quoted market price of debt 23, 24 20,525  24,366  18,653  20,905 
Disclosure of fair value measurement of assets
The following table provides the fair value details of financial instruments measured at fair value in the statements of financial position.
    FAIR VALUE OF ASSET (LIABILITY)
  CLASSIFICATION NOTE CARRYING VALUE QUOTED PRICES IN ACTIVE MARKETS FOR IDENTICAL ASSETS (LEVEL 1)
OBSERVABLE MARKET DATA (LEVEL 2)(1)
NON-OBSERVABLE MARKET INPUTS (LEVEL 3)(2)
December 31, 2020        
Publicly-traded and privately-held investments Other non-current assets 20 126  3  —  123 
Derivative financial instruments Other current assets, trade payables and other liabilities, other non-current assets and liabilities (51) —  (51) — 
MLSE financial liability(3)
Trade payables and other liabilities 22 (149) —  —  (149)
Other Other non-current assets and liabilities 109  —  167  (58)
December 31, 2019        
Publicly-traded and privately-held investments Other non-current assets 20 129  2  —  127 
Derivative financial instruments Other current assets, trade payables and other liabilities, other non-current assets and liabilities 165  —  165  — 
MLSE financial liability(3)
Trade payables and other liabilities 22 (135) —  —  (135)
Other Other non-current assets and liabilities 71  1  128  (58)
(1)Observable market data such as equity prices, interest rates, swap rate curves and foreign currency exchange rates.
(2)Non-observable market inputs such as discounted cash flows and earnings multiples. A reasonable change in our assumptions would not result in a significant increase (decrease) to our level 3 financial instruments.
(3)Represents BCE’s obligation to repurchase the Master Trust Fund’s 9% interest in MLSE at a price not less than an agreed minimum price, should the Master Trust Fund exercise its put option. The obligation to repurchase is marked to market each reporting period and any gain or loss is recorded in Other (expense) income in the income statements.
Disclosure of fair value measurement of liabilities
The following table provides the fair value details of financial instruments measured at fair value in the statements of financial position.
    FAIR VALUE OF ASSET (LIABILITY)
  CLASSIFICATION NOTE CARRYING VALUE QUOTED PRICES IN ACTIVE MARKETS FOR IDENTICAL ASSETS (LEVEL 1)
OBSERVABLE MARKET DATA (LEVEL 2)(1)
NON-OBSERVABLE MARKET INPUTS (LEVEL 3)(2)
December 31, 2020        
Publicly-traded and privately-held investments Other non-current assets 20 126  3  —  123 
Derivative financial instruments Other current assets, trade payables and other liabilities, other non-current assets and liabilities (51) —  (51) — 
MLSE financial liability(3)
Trade payables and other liabilities 22 (149) —  —  (149)
Other Other non-current assets and liabilities 109  —  167  (58)
December 31, 2019        
Publicly-traded and privately-held investments Other non-current assets 20 129  2  —  127 
Derivative financial instruments Other current assets, trade payables and other liabilities, other non-current assets and liabilities 165  —  165  — 
MLSE financial liability(3)
Trade payables and other liabilities 22 (135) —  —  (135)
Other Other non-current assets and liabilities 71  1  128  (58)
(1)Observable market data such as equity prices, interest rates, swap rate curves and foreign currency exchange rates.
(2)Non-observable market inputs such as discounted cash flows and earnings multiples. A reasonable change in our assumptions would not result in a significant increase (decrease) to our level 3 financial instruments.
(3)Represents BCE’s obligation to repurchase the Master Trust Fund’s 9% interest in MLSE at a price not less than an agreed minimum price, should the Master Trust Fund exercise its put option. The obligation to repurchase is marked to market each reporting period and any gain or loss is recorded in Other (expense) income in the income statements.
Change in allowance for doubtful accounts
The following table provides the change in allowance for doubtful accounts for trade receivables, including the current portion of wireless device financing plan receivables, which reflects an increase in 2020 mainly as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  NOTE 2020 2019
Balance, January 1 (62) (51)
Additions (134) (114)
Usage and reversals 47  103 
Balance, December 31 12  (149) (62)
The following table provides the change in allowance for doubtful accounts for contract assets.
  NOTE 2020 2019
Balance, January 1 (68) (73)
Additions (31) (28)
Usage and reversals 40  33 
Balance, December 31 (59) (68)
Current (29) (32)
Non-current (30) (36)
Balance, December 31 14 (59) (68)
Details on trade receivables not impaired
The following table provides further details on trade receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts.
AT DECEMBER 31 2020 2019
Trade receivables not past due 2,574  2,082 
Trade receivables past due
Under 60 days 432  541 
60 to 120 days 214  232 
Over 120 days 45  64 
Trade receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 3,265  2,919 
Maturity analysis for recognized financial liabilities The following table is a maturity analysis for recognized financial liabilities at December 31, 2020 for each of the next five years and thereafter.
AT DECEMBER 31, 2020 NOTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 THERE-
AFTER		 TOTAL
Long-term debt 24 221  1,785  1,665  1,278  2,125  13,540  20,614 
Notes payable 23 392  —  —  —  —  —  392 
Lease liabilities (1)
 921  832  611  459  406  2,077  5,306 
Loan secured by trade receivables 23 1,050  —  —  —  —  —  1,050 
Interest payable on long-term debt, notes
payable and loan secured by trade
receivables		 844  824  756  693  641  7,623  11,381 
Net (receipts) payments on cross currency basis swaps (1) (1) —  —  —  64  62 
MLSE financial liability 22 149  —  —  —  —  —  149 
Total 3,576  3,440  3,032  2,430  3,172  23,304  38,954 
(1) Includes imputed interest of $950 million.
Details on outstanding foreign currency forward contracts and cross currency basis swaps
The following table provides further details on our outstanding foreign currency forward contracts and options as at December 31, 2020.
TYPE OF HEDGE BUY CURRENCY AMOUNT TO RECEIVE SELL CURRENCY AMOUNT TO PAY MATURITY HEDGED ITEM
Cash flow USD 675  CAD 885  2021 Anticipated transactions
Cash flow USD 274  CAD 349  2021 Commercial paper
Cash flow PHP 2,174  CAD 59  2021 Anticipated transactions
Cash flow USD 479  CAD 614  2022 Anticipated transactions
Cash flow - call options USD 231  CAD 299  2022 Anticipated transactions
Cash flow - put options USD 231  CAD 295  2022 Anticipated transactions
Economic USD 130  CAD 180  2021 Anticipated transactions
Economic - call options USD 12  CAD 17  2021 Anticipated transactions
Economic - call options CAD 17  USD 12  2021 Anticipated transactions
Economic - put options USD 120  CAD 154  2021 Anticipated transactions
Economic - put options USD 99  CAD 123  2022 Anticipated transactions
Summary of key ratios
The following table provides a summary of our key ratios.
AT DECEMBER 31 2020 2019
Net debt leverage ratio 2.93  2.81 
Adjusted EBITDA to net interest expense ratio 8.32  8.50