For more than 80 years, CCC has helped deliver Canada’s international priorities through practical commercial solutions. While the challenges have changed, our role has remained remarkably consistent: helping turn government objectives into action.
Delivering Canada to the world
Postwar reconstruction
In 1946, as countries around the world worked to rebuild after the Second World War, Canada established the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) to support international reconstruction efforts.
CCC procured and delivered Canadian goods to foreign governments and international organizations rebuilding essential infrastructure and services. Early contracts included steel bridges, ships for France, automotive parts for relief agencies, and even thousands of horses to help restore agricultural production in Europe.
Created as a government-backed procurement vehicle, CCC provided a practical way to mobilize Canadian industrial capacity while ensuring accountability in international transactions. In doing so, it became an early instrument of Canada’s economic diplomacy, supporting both reconstruction efforts abroad and Canada’s foreign policy objectives.
Building the Canada-U.S. defence industrial base
In 1956, CCC assumed a second strategic role when Canada and the United States signed the Defence Production Sharing Agreement (DPSA).
Under the agreement, CCC became Canada’s executing agency for defence procurement cooperation with the United States, serving as the prime contractor for purchases made by the U.S. Department of Defense from Canadian suppliers.
By 1961, CCC had facilitated more than $1 billion in defence contracts, and similar arrangements were subsequently established with NASA. These agreements helped establish Canada’s position within North America’s integrated defence and aerospace industrial base.
Canada's procurement partner for international development
As Canada’s international development efforts expanded in the late 1960s, the Government of Canada again turned to CCC’s procurement expertise.
CCC became a key delivery partner for international development initiatives, supporting projects related to food security, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure in countries around the world.
The role reflected a pattern that would repeat throughout CCC’s history: applying commercial and contracting expertise to help deliver evolving government priorities.
An instrument for security assistance
CCC’s expertise in international procurement and government to government contracting continues to support Canada’s response to emerging global challenges.
Today, CCC supports the Government of Canada’s assistance to Ukraine, drawing on decades of experience managing complex procurements, international supply chains, and government to government transactions.
Lowering the risk of export diversification
Since the early 2000s, CCC has helped Canadian companies pursue opportunities in government-managed markets around the world. Working in sectors such as defence, public safety, infrastructure, energy, and public services, CCC supports Canadian exporters seeking to do business with foreign governments, particularly in markets where trust, government relationships, and contractual assurances are important.
Supporting Canada's industrial priorities
As governments place greater emphasis on economic security, supply-chain resilience, and strategic industries, CCC’s model continues to evolve to meet new priorities.
Defence and security
CCC supports Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy by helping allied governments procure Canadian capabilities through government to government contracts. Exports are a critical factor in a healthy Canadian defence industrial base and support Canadian production capacity, innovation, and highly skilled employment while strengthening Canada’s contributions to collective security.
Nuclear
Large-scale nuclear projects often involve government procurement, long-term financing structures, and complex contractual arrangements. CCC’s government to government contracting model provides a framework that can support Canadian nuclear exports, including CANDU technology, small modular reactors, and related expertise as Canada advances its nuclear ambitions internationally.
Critical minerals
CCC’s government to government contracting model is also relevant to Canada’s growing focus on critical minerals and resource security.
Through government-backed contracting arrangements, CCC has supported exports of Canadian potash to foreign government buyers. As countries increasingly seek secure access to critical minerals as inputs for food production, energy systems, advanced manufacturing, and defence applications, trusted procurement mechanisms are becoming increasingly important.
A consistent purpose in a changing world
Viewed across eight decades, CCC’s story reflects the ability to adapt proven capabilities to evolving national priorities.
The challenges have changed, but the need for practical execution has not. From post-war reconstruction and Canada-U.S. defence cooperation to international development, trade diversification, and support for strategic sectors, CCC has repeatedly been called upon to help deliver Canda’s international objectives.
Today, the same government to government contracting model that supported reconstruction efforts by moving ships, bridges and agricultural supplies across the Atlantic can help Canada respond to modern priorities, from economic security and resilient supply chains to defence, energy, and critical resource development.
For more than 80 years, CCC has helped Canada turn international priorities into practical results.