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Banque Canadienne Nationale

Logo: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/cipo/trademark-search/0288550, Non-free logo, via Wikipedia3

Canadian bank (1873–1979)

The Banque Canadienne Nationale (French pronunciation: [bɑ̃k kanadjɛn nɑsjɔnal]; lit. 'Canadian National Bank') was a Canadian bank that existed from 1873 to 1979. The bank was founded in Montreal in 1873 as the Banque d'Hochelaga and began operations the following year. In 1924, the bank renamed itself the Banque Canadienne Nationale after it took over the Banque nationale.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1859Founded1
  • Industryfinancial sector1
  • Headquarters500 Place D'Armes1
  • Legal formcompany1

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The Banque Canadienne Nationale (French pronunciation: [bɑ̃k kanadjɛn nɑsjɔnal]; lit. 'Canadian National Bank') was a Canadian bank that existed from 1873 to 1979. The bank was founded in Montreal in 1873 as the Banque d'Hochelaga and began operations the following year. In 1924, the bank renamed itself the Banque Canadienne Nationale after it took over the Banque nationale. In 1979, it merged with the Provincial Bank of Canada to form the National Bank of Canada.2

The story

In 1859, several prominent Quebecers founded the Banque Nationale in Quebec City as a banking institution controlled by French-speaking businessmen.

In 1924, the Banque Nationale, which was struggling financially while caught-up in a serious recession, merged with the Banque d'Hochelaga (founded in Montreal in 1874) to create the Banque Canadienne Nationale (BCN, Canadian National Bank). The Quebec provincial government, under Alexandre Taschereau, issued $15 million in bonds to facilitate the merger.

Like the other Canadian chartered banks, BCN issued its own paper currency until the Bank of Canada Act of 1934 created the Bank of Canada and it relinquished this right.

In 1968, Banque Canadienne Nationale was one of the four original banks to form CHARGEX Ltd. through a licence from BankAmericard, providing Canada with its first interbank credit card.

In 1979, Banque Canadienne Nationale and the Provincial Bank of Canada (Banque provinciale du Canada), another Quebec-based bank, joined to form the National Bank of Canada.

From Wikipedia’s article on Banque Canadienne Nationale, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Acquisitions

  1. Succeeded by National Bank of Canada1

Timeline

  1. 1979Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1859Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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