Crown corporation

See also: State-owned enterprise
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Crown corporations (French: Société de la Couronne)[1] are government organizations in Canada with a mixture of commercial and public-policy objectives.[2][3] They are directly and wholly owned by the Crown (i.e. the government of Canada or a province).[2]

Crown corporations represent a specific form of state-owned enterprise.[4][5][6] Each corporation is ultimately accountable to (federal or provincial) Parliament through a relevant minister for the conduct of its affairs.[7] They are established by an Act of Parliament and report to that body via the relevant minister in Cabinet, though they are "shielded from constant government intervention and legislative oversight" and thus "generally enjoy greater freedom from direct political control than government departments."[3]

Crown corporations are distinct from "departmental corporations" such as the Canada Revenue Agency.[2][6]

Crown corporations have a long-standing presence in the country and have been instrumental in its formation. They can provide services required by the public that otherwise would not be economically viable as a private enterprise or that do not fit exactly within the scope of any ministry.[6] They 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.

As of 2022, there were 47 federal Crown corporations in Canada.[8] Provinces and territories operate their own Crown corporations independently of the federal government.

  1. ^ "Liste des sociétés d'État". Canada.ca (in French). May 15, 2007. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Overview of federal organizations and interests". Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. September 28, 2012. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Tupper, Allan. 2006 February 7. "Crown Corporation." The Canadian Encyclopedia (last edited 2021 March 18). Retrieved 2021 May 19.
  4. ^ Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. "Aboriginal Peoples and Communities > Governance > Tools for Governance > Governance Tools for Institutions > Establishing and Operating as a Federal Crown Corporation – The DIAND Experience". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  5. ^ Canada Development Investment Corporation (2008), Annual Report 2008 (PDF), Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, p. 13, archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2010, retrieved April 21, 2010, Canada Development Investment Corporation... is wholly-owned by Her Majesty in Right of Canada
  6. ^ a b c Stastna, Kazi. "What are Crown corporations and why do they exist?". CBC. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  7. ^ "Directors of Crown corporations: an introductory guide to their roles and responsibilities – What is a Crown Corporation". Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. December 20, 2002. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  8. ^ Secretariat, Treasury Board of Canada (May 15, 2007). "List of Crown corporations". canada.ca. Retrieved March 22, 2022.