OLD CANADIAN STOCK

Founded in 1861 by a small group of local businessmen, the Toronto Stock Exchange has grown into the busiest in Canada and the ninth largest exchange (by capitalization) in the world. Though many of the original companies have long since disappeared, some have stood the test of time. With a hat tip to Catherine Kee, corporate communications manager at the TSX, here’s a look at the oldest surviving publicly traded companies. 1905: Bell Canada Enterprises Originally the Bell Telephone Company of Canada, it was the nation’s first hightech company. 1911: Moneta Porcupine Mines Still striking gold in Northern Ontario after all these years. 1918: The Royal Bank of Canada RBC’s roots date back to pre-Confederation Halifax, where it offered short-term credit to merchants operating in the busy port. 1919: The Bank of Nova Scotia It opened in 1832 with an authorized capital of 100,000 pounds. Last year, Scotiabank reported $887 billion in assets. 1921: Imperial Oil Imperial’s annual per share dividends have increased 22 years in a row. 1922: Bank of Montreal Canada’s oldest incorporated bank, BMO is celebrating its 200th birthday this year. 1928: Economic Investment Trust The fact that EVT survived the Great Depression, which hit it one year into its listing, perhaps explains its longevity. 1929: George Weston Ltd. A baker’s apprentice, George Weston went on to make a lot of dough with his burgeoning food empire. 1935: Maple Leaf Foods A conglomeration of major Toronto meat packers, some suggest it was the source for the city’s mysterious nickname: Hogtown. 1936: Power Corporation of Canada Started by Paul Desmarais Sr. from a nearly bankrupt transportation company, the Power Corporation has made the Desmarais clan one of the richest in Canada. —Ian MacNeill