Nasdaq Canada is a subsidiary of the Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. Putting into simple words, this is the Nasdaq Stock Exchange extended within Canada. Through the Nasdaq Canada Canadian investors have immediate trading access to all Nasdaq listed stocks which allow to raise capital more efficiently. Initially Nasdaq Canada has been regulated jointly by the NASDR and the Quebec Securities Commission (CVMQ) and was opened on 21 November 2000 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. At the same time as Nasdaq initiated its trading platform in Canada the Nasdaq Canada Index was created. The ticker symbol of this index is ^CND. Already by the end of 2000 year 142 companies were listed on the Nasdaq Canada.
At the beginning only ten Canadian brokerage firms participated in the
Nasdaq Canada trading platform: Scotia Capital Markets, CIBC WorldMarkets Corp., TD Securities, BMO Nesbitt Burns, Canaccord Capital, Capital Casgrain & Company, Mouvement Desjardins, NBC International, Inc. (USA), Pictet Overseas, Yorkton Capital (USA). All these brokerage houses were able to trade more than 5,000 public companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange at that time.
The first president of the Nasdaq Canada was Helen Kearns. Helen M Karens was responsible for leading the overall operation, growth, and development of the company. A native of Montreal, Ms. Kearns had over 20 years experience in the Canadian capital markets as a specialist in underwriting and
financial advisory services for high growth, new economy companies. However, on July 2004, as the Nasdaq announced the closing of Nasdaq Canada's office in Montreal and moving all its operations to New York City. Adams Nunes has become a new leader of the Nasdaq Canada.
At the current moment NASDAQ is the largest U.S. electronic
stock market. More than 3,000 Canadian and U.S. companies are listed on this exchange. You may find companies from the different market sectors including but not limited by technology sector, retail sector, communications, financial services, transportation, media and biotechnology
"Research in Motion Limited" (RIMM), "Open Text Corporation" (OTEX), "Pan America Silver Corporation" (PAAX), "SXC Health Solution Corporation" (SXCI), "Silver Standard Resources, Incorporated" (SSCI) are some of the biggest Canadian companies traded on the Nasdaq Canada stock market.
Beside Nasdaq Canada Canadian public companies are listed and traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) – one of the biggest Canadian stock markets. TSX Group also owns the TSX Venture Exchange (previously called Canadian Venture Exchange) which is located in Calgary, Alberta and has offices in Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Toronto.
