Banknote
A banknote or bank notealso called a bill (North American English) or simply a noteis a type of paper money that is made and distributed ("issued") by a bank of issue, payable to the bearer on demand. Banknotes were originally issued by commerc ...
s have been issued in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
and the British colonies that confederated to form Canada from 1 July 1867.
Between 1871 and 1944, Canadian chartered banks were authorized to issue bank notes for circulation in Canada. In 1899, they were invested with the additional authority to issue bank notes for circulation in any British colony or possession. For several decades thereafter, the chartered banks were the only issuers of larger denominated notes for circulation in Canada, and an important source of notes for circulation in the British West Indies.
In 1934, the newly established
Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada (BoC; ) is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation and Canada's central bank. Chartered in 1934 under the ''Bank of Canada Act'', it is responsible for formulating Canada's monetary policy,OECD. OECD Economic Surve ...
was given "the sole right to issue notes payable to bearer on demand". Coincident with the introduction of the new Bank of Canada notes in 1935, arrangements were made for the gradual contraction in the quantity of chartered bank notes in circulation. As of the end of 1944, the Canadian government withdrew permission for Canadian banks to issue new notes for circulation in Canada; and by 1950, liability for all outstanding Canadian bank notes was transferred to the Bank of Canada, where such notes may still be redeemed. The total value of the notes outstanding at that time was $13,302,046.60.
Provincial Issues
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British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
: PS126-128.
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Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
: PS132-140.
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Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
: PS141-143.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...
: PS144-157.
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Province of Canada
The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...
: PS161-176.
Domestic issues
Notes for circulation in Canada were issued in a variety of different denominations, including 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 25, 40, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 dollars. In 1871, the smallest denomination allowed was 4 dollars, which was raised to 5 dollars in 1880.
The following is a list of banks with note-issuing privileges and the periods during which they issued notes in Canada. The end dates are the dates appearing on the last note issues, but notes may have circulated for some time after.
Chartered Banks
British West Indies issues
In the British West Indies, Canadian bank notes circulated from 1900 to 1950 alongside notes of the Colonial Bank (later, Barclays Bank) and, in some places, notes of smaller denominations issued by local authorities.
The following is a list of the Canadian banks that issued notes for circulation in the British West Indies, together with the dates and denominations of those issues.
Spurious or Expired Banks
The following banks issued notes that cannot be exchanged for current
Canadian dollar banknotes.
See also
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Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada (BoC; ) is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation and Canada's central bank. Chartered in 1934 under the ''Bank of Canada Act'', it is responsible for formulating Canada's monetary policy,OECD. OECD Economic Surve ...
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Canadian pound
The ''pound currency'' (symbol £) was the unit of account in the French colony of Canada while under British military governorship, the Province of Quebec (1763–1791), Lower & Upper Canada (1791–1841), and United Province of Canada (1841†...
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Central banks and currencies of the Caribbean
This is a list of the central banks and currencies of the Caribbean.
There are a number of currencies serving multiple territories; the most widespread are the East Caribbean dollar (8 countries and territories), the United States dollar (5) and t ...
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Commonwealth banknote-issuing institutions
Commonwealth banknote-issuing institutions also British Empire Paper Currency Issuers comprises a list of public, private, state-owned banks and other government bodies and Currency Boards who issued legal tender: banknotes.
Africa
Biafra
*Bank ...
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Currencies of the British West Indies
The region known as the British West Indies included British Guiana on the South American mainland, British Honduras in Central America, Bermuda, The Bahamas, and Jamaica, along with its former dependencies of the Cayman Islands and the Turks and C ...
Notes
References
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Banknotes of Canada
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...