Bank of Canada

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007)

For the defunct commercial bank, see Bank of Canada (commercial).

Bank of Canada Banque du Canada
The Bank of Canada Building in Ottawa.
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates	45°25′15″N 75°42′11″W / 45.42088°N -75.702968°E / 45.42088; -75.702968Coordinates: 45°25′15″N 75°42′11″W / 45.42088°N -75.702968°E / 45.42088; -75.702968
Established	1935
Governor	Mark Carney
Central Bank of	Canada
Currency	Canadian dollar
ISO 4217 Code	CAD
Base borrowing rate	1.75%
Website	www.bankofcanada.ca

The Bank of Canada (in French: Banque du Canada) is Canada's central bank. It was created by the Bank of Canada Act of 1934^[1], to "promote the economic and financial well-being of Canada." It is the sole issuer of banknotes in Canada, and the central bank for the Canadian dollar.

The bank's headquarters are located in the Bank of Canada Building at the corner of Wellington and Bank Streets in downtown Ottawa.

History

For many years, Canada did not have a central bank.^[2] Each of the nation's large banks issued its own currency and there was little government regulation of the nation's money supply. The federal finance department only issued small and very large denomination bank notes ($5 and under, and $500 and higher.) The Bank of Montreal, then the nation's largest bank, acted as the government's banker. Canada, with its extensive branch banking, had a very stable banking system. There was deemed to be little need for a lender of last resort and the banking system was not hit by the same seasonal liquidity problems as banks in the US. The banking system was regulated by the Canadian Bankers Association that worked in close concert with the government.

While there were some advocates for a central bank in the early part of the twentieth century, most notably farmers, the status quo remained unaltered. This changed with the onset of Great Depression. Many in Canada blamed the policies of the Canadian banks for aggravating the Depression. The money supply was contracting and deflation was common. The farmers were joined by manufacturing interests and other groups in demanding a central bank. Another major proponent was the Royal Bank of Canada, which wanted to see the government business taken away from the rival Bank of Montreal. The government also claimed it was constrained by its inability to deal directly with its foreign debts.

Prime Minister R.B. Bennett called a Royal Commission^[3] in 1933 and it reported in favour of a central bank. The bank began operations on March 11, 1935, after the passage of the Bank of Canada Act. Initially the bank was founded as a privately owned corporation in order to ensure it was free from political influence. In 1938, under Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it became " a special type of " Crown corporation^[4], fully owned by the government - thus, in effect, by the Canadian taxpayers - with the governor appointed by Cabinet. The responsibility for creating small bills was transferred from the finance department and the private banks were ordered to remove their currency from circulation by 1949.^[5]It is important to distinguish between the right to "issue money", which is the sole right of the Bank of Canada, and the ability to "create money", which, through legislation and regulation enacted by Parliament, is largely done by commercial banks through the taking of deposits and the issuance of loans; presently, the Bank of Canada "issues" 5% of Canada's money, more than 95% of Canada's money is "created" by commercial banks.

The bank played an important role in financing Canada's war effort during World War II^[6]. After the war, the bank's role was expanded as it was mandated to encourage economic growth in Canada. The subsidiary Industrial Development Bank was formed to stimulate investment in Canadian businesses. The monetary policy of the bank was geared towards low interest rates and full employment with little concern about inflation. When inflation began to rise in the early 1960s, the governor James Coyne ordered a reduction in the money supply. Prime Minister John Diefenbaker disagreed with this move, and ordered a return to the full-employment policies. Since the 1980s, keeping inflation low has been its main priority.

The bank's Ottawa headquarters building is the site of the Currency Museum, which opened in December 1980.^[7]

Roles and Responsibilities

The principle role of the Bank of Canada, as defined in the Bank of Canada Act, is "to promote the economic and financial welfare of Canada." The bank's current mission statement is:

The Bank of Canada's responsibilities focus on the goals of low and stable inflation, a safe and secure currency, financial stability, and the efficient management of government funds and public debt.

In practice, however, it has a more narrow and specific internal definition of that mandate: to keep the rate of inflation between 1% and 3%.

Since 1998, the Bank's policy has been to intervene in the foreign exchange market only under exceptional circumstances. In this sense, the Canadian dollar's value is determined by the market.

Type of Government Institution

The Bank is not a government department as it performs its activities at arm's-length from the government; it is a Crown corporation owned by the Government. Shares are directly held by the Ministry of Finance, and the bank's earnings go into the federal treasury. The Governor and Senior Deputy Governor are appointed by the Bank's Board of Directors. The Deputy Minister of Finance sits on the Board of Directors but does not have a vote. The Bank submits its spending to the Board of Directors, while federal departments submit their spending estimates to the Treasury Board. Its employees are regulated by the Bank and not the federal public service agencies. Its books are audited by external auditors who are appointed by Cabinet on the recommendation of the Minister of Finance, not by the Auditor General of Canada.^[8]

Governor

The head of the Bank of Canada is the Governor, who is appointed by the Bank's Board of Directors. The Governor is appointed for a seven-year term, and can be dismissed by the government. In case of a profound disagreement between the government and the Bank, the Minister of Finance can issue written instructions for the Bank to change its policies^[9]. This has never actually happened in the history of the Bank to date. In practice, the Governor sets monetary policy independently of the government.

Bank of Canada Governors

• Mark Carney (2008-)
• David A. Dodge (2001-2008)
• Gordon Thiessen (1994-2001)
• John Crow (1987-1994)
• Gerald Bouey (1973-1987)
• Louis Rasminsky (1961-1973)
• James Coyne (1955-1961)
• Graham Towers (1934-1954)

See also

• Canadian dollar
• List of banks in Canada

References

External links

• (English) (French) Bank of Canada official site

Canada Prime Rate Site

v • d • e   Canadian banknotes and coins Canadian coinage 1¢ (penny) · 5¢ (nickel) · 10¢ (dime) · 25¢ (quarter) · 50¢ (half dollar) · $1 (loonie) · $2 (toonie) · Canadian silver dollar Commemorative coins Royal Canadian Mint numismatic coins · Royal Canadian Mint Numismatic Coins (2000s) · Royal Canadian Mint Numismatic Coins (2010s) · Royal Canadian Mint Hockey Coins · Royal Canadian Mint Olympic coins · Royal Canadian Mint RCMP coins · Gold Maple Leaf · Silver Maple Leaf · Platinum Maple Leaf · Palladium Maple Leaf · Ottawa Mint sovereigns · Voyageur dollar Canadian banknotes $5 · $10 · $20 · $50 · $100 · Withdrawn banknotes Canadian banknotes by Series 1935 Series · 1937 Series · 1954 Series · Scenes of Canada · Birds of Canada · Journey Series Historical currencies of Canada New France livre · Canadian pound · New Brunswick pound · Newfoundland pound · Nova Scotian pound · Prince Edward Island pound · British Columbia dollar · New Brunswick dollar · Nova Scotian dollar · Prince Edward Island dollar · Early Canadian banking system Newfoundland dollar 1¢ · 5¢ · 10¢ · 20¢ · 25¢ · 50¢ · Coins of the Newfoundland dollar Organizations and institutions Bank of Canada · Canadian Bank Note Company · Royal Canadian Numismatic Association · Canadian Numismatic Association medals and awards · Canadian Paper Money Society · Bank of Canada Currency Museum · Royal Canadian Mint Community currencies Calgary dollar · Toronto dollar · Canadian Tire money · Salt Spring dollar · Pioneer Bonus Bucks Other Canadian dollar · History of Canadian currency · List of people on coins of Canada  · List of foreign countries with coinage struck at the Royal Canadian Mint  · Royal Canadian Mint tokens and medallions‎

v • d • e   Canada topics History Timeline Aboriginals · New France (to 1763) · Under British Control (1763-1867) · Post-Confederation (1867-1914) · World Wars and Interwar Years (1914-1945) · 1945-1960 · 1960-1981 · 1982-1992 · since 1992 Topics Military · Economy · Constitution · Slavery · Women's rights · Current events Government Law · Constitution · The Crown · Governor General · Parliament (Senate · House of Commons) · Prime Minister (List) · Courts (Supreme Court) · Military · Local Government · Foreign relations Politics Elections · Gun politics · LGBT rights Geography Regions (west to east) Coast Mountains · Interior Plateau · Columbia Mountains · Rocky Mountains · Prairies · Western Canada · Northern Canada · Canadian Shield · Great Lakes · Central Canada · Saint Lawrence Lowlands · Appalachian Mountains · Arctic Cordillera · Atlantic Canada · Maritimes Topics Animals (Mammals · Reptiles) · Cities · Wettest-known tropical cyclones · Extreme communities · Islands · Mountains · National parks · Plants · Regions · Rivers · Volcanoes Economy Agriculture · Banking · Bank of Canada · Canadian dollar · Communications · Companies · Energy · Fishing · Health care · Oil · Stock Exchange · Taxation · Tourism · Transportation · Social programs · Poverty Demographics Topics Immigration · Languages · Religion · Obesity · 1996 Census · 2001 Census · 2006 Census · List of population of Canada by years Top 100s Metro areas · Urban areas · Municipalities Culture Architecture · Art · Cinema · Cuisine · People · Holidays · Identity · Literature · Music (Blues · Celtic · Classical · Hip hop · Rock) · Nationalism · Protection of · Sport · Olympics · Theatre Symbols Coat of Arms · Flags · National Flag · Provincial and territorial · Regional tartans · Royal symbols · Heraldry