Crown Corporations of Canada - Structure

Structure

In Canada, Crown corporations, within either the federal or provincial spheres, are technically owned and operated by the monarch, as the institution's sole shareholder; this follows the legal premise that the Crown, as an institution, owns all the property of state. In practice, most Crown corporations operate at arm's length from the government (the Queen-in-Council), with direct government control only being exerted over the corporation's budget and the appointment of its chairperson and directors through Orders-in-Council.

Some Crown corporations are expected to be profitable organisations, while others are non-commercial and rely entirely on public funds to operate. Further, in the federal sphere, certain Crown corporations can be an agents or non-agent of the Queen in Right of Canada. One with agent status is entitled to the same constitutional prerogatives, privileges, and immunities held by the Crown and can bind the Crown by its acts. The Crown is thus entirely responsible for the actions of these organisations. The Crown is not liable for Crown corporations with non-agent status, except for actions of that corporation carried out on instruction from the government, though there may be "moral obligations" on the part of the Crown in other circumstances.