Canadian Bank Note Company
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Bank Note Company is a Canadian
security printing
company. It is probably best known for being one of two private companies holding contracts with the Bank of Canada
to supply it with Canada's paper currency. The company's other clients include private businesses, national and sub-national governments, central bank
s, and postal services from around the world. In addition to bank notes, the company produces passport
s, driver's licences, birth certificate
s, postage stamp
s, coupons, and many other security-conscious document-related products. It also prints and provides document reading systems for identification cards, lottery tickets, stamps, and bank notes.
Until 1923, CBN was a unit of the New York-based American Bank Note Company
. It has since been based in Ottawa
, Ontario
. In October 2006, RR Donnelley completed acquisition of Canadian Bank Note's financial printing business, consisting of documentation for initial public offerings.
In recent months, the Canadian Bank Note Company has been the chief-provider for machine readable passports used within the Caribbean Community
bloc of countries. The majority of the new CARICOM passports as they are called serve the union as a centre-piece of promoting easy travel within the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
security printing
Security printing
Security printing is the field of the printing industry that deals with the printing of items such as banknotes, passports, tamper-evident labels, product authentication, stock certificates, postage stamps and identity cards...
company. It is probably best known for being one of two private companies holding contracts with the Bank of Canada
Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada is Canada's central bank and "lender of last resort". The Bank was created by an Act of Parliament on July 3, 1934 as a privately owned corporation. In 1938, the Bank became a Crown corporation belonging to the Government of Canada...
to supply it with Canada's paper currency. The company's other clients include private businesses, national and sub-national governments, central bank
Central bank
A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
s, and postal services from around the world. In addition to bank notes, the company produces passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
s, driver's licences, birth certificate
Birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth...
s, postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s, coupons, and many other security-conscious document-related products. It also prints and provides document reading systems for identification cards, lottery tickets, stamps, and bank notes.
Until 1923, CBN was a unit of the New York-based American Bank Note Company
American Bank Note Company
The American Bank Note Company was a major worldwide engraver of national currency and postage stamps. Currently it engraves and prints stock and bond certificates.-History:Robert Scot, the first official engraver of the young U.S...
. It has since been based in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In October 2006, RR Donnelley completed acquisition of Canadian Bank Note's financial printing business, consisting of documentation for initial public offerings.
In recent months, the Canadian Bank Note Company has been the chief-provider for machine readable passports used within the Caribbean Community
Caribbean Community
The Caribbean Community is an organisation of 15 Caribbean nations and dependencies. CARICOM's main purposes are to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy...
bloc of countries. The majority of the new CARICOM passports as they are called serve the union as a centre-piece of promoting easy travel within the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).