2007: A Canadian Corporate Ownership Survey

Abstract

This study documents a decline in the levels of corporate ownership concentration between 1996 and 2007. When compared to previous studies, the incidence of ownership stakes of 20% or larger has decreased form 60% to 41% of the total population of publicly listed Canadian firms. Regional disparities among provinces remain important. Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia have the most widely-held firms, while Quebec and Atlantic Canada show the most concentrated corporate ownership patterns. The interpretation of these results requires a complex understanding of historical, demographic, cultural, political and institutional factors.

Keywords: Canada, corporate ownership, corporate governance, blockholder, ownership stake, ownership concentration, legal system, culture, religion, nationalism

JEL Classification: F52, G32, K22, L25, O51, P16