# Banque canadienne nationale

The Banque canadienne nationale (French pronunciation:; 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.

## History
### Banque d'Hochelaga, 1873–1924

In 1873, several Montreal French-Canadian businessmen founded Banque d'Hochelaga, including François-Xavier Saint-Charles, Louis-Amable Jetté, Frédéric-Liguori Béique and Louis Tourville.
The bank opened branches in Montréal, Sherbrooke and St-Jérôme.
Like the other Canadian chartered banks, it issued its own paper money. In 1934, the Bank of Canada was established as Canada's central bank through the Bank of Canada Act, and the commercial banks lost the right to issue their own currency.
After modest beginnings, the bank expanded substantially around 1900. At the end of World War I, Banque Nationale (based in Quebec City), Provincial Bank of Canada (Banque Provinciale) and Banque d'Hochelaga all competed to serve the French-speaking Quebec market.
In 1924 an unarmoured bank vehicle carrying silver was robbed and a bank employee killed.
After financial reverses during a recession hurt the Banque Nationale at the beginning of the 1920s, it agreed to merge with Banque d'Hochelaga to form Banque Canadienne Nationale, with assistance provided by the Quebec provincial government. The merger was completed in 1924. The headquarters of the merged bank was in Montreal. The Provincial Bank chose not to participate in the merger.
In 1859, several prominent Quebecers founded the Banque Nationale in Quebec City as a banking institution controlled by French-speaking businessmen.

### Banque canadienne nationale, 1924–1979

After financial reverses during a recession hurt the Banque Nationale at the beginning of the 1920s, it agreed to merge with Banque d'Hochelaga to form Banque Canadienne Nationale, with assistance provided by the Quebec provincial government.In 1859, several prominent Quebecers founded the Banque Nationale in Quebec City as a banking institution controlled by French-speaking businessmen. The merger was completed in 1924. The headquarters of the merged bank was in Montreal. The Provincial Bank chose not to participate in the merger.
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.

## Leadership

* 1874-1878: Louis Tourville
* 1878-1900: François-Xavier Saint-Charles
* 1900-1912: Jean-Damien Rolland
* 1912-1925: Janvier-A.Vaillancourt