Home > Canadian Government Railways

The deepening financial crisis in Canada's railway industry toward the end of the First World War saw the majority of major railways across the country nationalized by the federal government.

The first system to be taken over was the bankrupt Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) on September 6, 1918 whereby the government-appointed Board of Management for CNoR was instructed to take responsibility for all CGR operations as well.

Later that year, a Privy Council order issued on December 20, 1920 created the Canadian National Railways (CNR) as a means to simplify the funding and administration of the nationalized railway system.

The Grand Trunk Pacific RailwayGrand Trunk Pacific Railway logo or herald The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) was a historical Canadian railway. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR), the GTPR was constructed by GTR using loans provided by the Government of Cana (GTPR) was nationalized after defaulting on loan payments March 7March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in Leap years). There are 299 days remaining. Events 1799 Napoleon I of France captures Jaffa in Palestine and his troops proceed to kill more than 2,000 Albanian captives. 1848 The Great, 1919Events January January 1 Edsel Ford succeeds his father as head of the Ford Motor Company January 5 Spartacist uprising Socialist demonstrations in Berlin turn into attempted communist revolution with Spartacist League in the forefront January 9 Spartacus and entered the CNR fold on July 12July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 172 days remaining. Events 1690 William of Orange's army wins the Battle of the Boyne as reckoned under Gregorian calendar. 1759 British cannon start firing on Fren, 1920. GTPR's parent company, the bankrupt Grand Trunk RailwayGrand Trunk Railway logo or herald The Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) was a historic railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the U. states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The GTR had two important subsidi (GTR) was nationalized on May 21May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). There are 224 days remaining. Events 996 Sixteen year old Otto III is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1674 John Sobieski is elected by the nobility to be the King of Poland., 1920 and was absorbed into the CNR on January 30, 1923

The CGR moniker ceased to be used after 1918 but the CGR itself existed on paper until the late 20th century, largely due to real estate leases and other agreements. A Privy Council order dated July 22, 1993 authorized the sale of CGR to the Crown corporation CN for one dollar (CDN).