ISSN: 1824-2979
by Calin Valsan
Start page: 285 - End page: 306
Keywords: Canada; corporate ownership; corporate governance; blockholder; ownership stake; ownership concentration
Jel code: F52; G32; K22; L25; O51; P16
DOI:
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.