Crown corporation

In Commonwealth countries a Crown corporation is a state-controlled company or enterprise (a public corporation). The term is most widely used in Canada, and this article deals with Canadian Crown Corporations.

Related Topics:
Commonwealth - Public corporation

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Crown corporations, in theory, operate on a day-to-day basis at arm's length from the government. Direct control by government is exerted only over the corporation's budget and the appointment of its chairperson and directors.

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In Canada, Crown corporations are operated both by provincial governments and the federal government, as a means to pursue economic and social objectives. Canadian Crown corporations are involved in everything from the distribution, use, and price of certain goods and services, to energy development, resource extraction, public transportation, cultural promotion, and property management. They are also frequently used to give governments access to financial markets to provide financing for development and capital projects.

Related Topics:
Canada - Provincial - Federal government

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Two of the most significant Canadian Crown corporations of the 20th century were the Canadian National Railways and Air Canada. Both were privatized and are now private corporations. Other significant Crown corporations include the CBC, VIA Rail, and Marine Atlantic.

Related Topics:
20th century - Canadian National Railway - Air Canada - CBC - VIA Rail - Marine Atlantic

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Crown corporations in Canada are no longer widely used instruments of public policy. Their heyday was the period from 1918 (Canadian National Railway being the first) through to 1981 (with Canada Post turned into a Crown Corporation).

Related Topics:
Canadian National Railway - Canada Post

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Examples of federal Crown corporations in Canadahttp://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/CROWN/01/cc-se-01-4_e.asp:

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• Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL)
• Business Development Bank
• Canada Council
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
• Canada Lands Company
• Canada Post
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
• Cape Breton Development Corporation
• Defence Construction Canada
• Export Development Canada
• Farm Credit Canada
• Marine Atlantic
• National Film Board of Canada
• VIA Rail

Examples of provincial Crown corporations in Canada:

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• Alberta Treasury Branches
• BC Ferries
• BC Hydro
• GO Transit
• Hydro One
• Hydro Quebec
• Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC)
• Liquor Control Board of Ontario
• Manitoba Hydro
• NB Power
• Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
• Ontario Power Generation
• Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI)
• SaskEnergy
• SaskPower
• SaskTel
• Société de transport de Montréal
• Sydney Steel Corporation
• TV Ontario

Several Canadian companies used to be Crown corporations but are now privatized, examples being:

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• Air Canada
• Cameco Corporation
• Canadian National Railway
• Nova Scotia Power
• Petro-Canada
• Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS)
• Saskatchewan Wheat Pool
• Teleglobe
• Wascana Energy

See also

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• nationalization