National Capital Commission

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The National Capital Commission (NCC), known in French as the Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN), is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec. The role of the NCC is to champion the interests of Ottawa and surrounding region as the nation's capital, typically with regards to issues of national interest, such as planning of monument and museum sites, events such as Canada Day and major streetscapes such as Confederation Boulevard. This role is in contrast with those of the various municipal governments, which work for the benefit of their immediate residents on issues like road maintenance, sewer, water and public transport.

The federal government is the largest employer and largest landowner in these two areas and the NCC thus has a great deal of influence over the cities. This has sometimes been criticized as it is a non-democratic organization run by an appointed board. This was emphasized in 1998 when the NCC proposed levelling a large strip of downtown Ottawa to build a ceremonial boulevard along the city's existing Metcalfe Avenue.

Over the last thirty years the activities of the NCC have been denounced or castigated by several Quebec governments. They considered municipal affairs to be a purely provincial jurisdiction, according to the constitution of Canada. Others have criticized the group for what they perceive to be poor or misguided planning decisions.

The Conservative Government of Stephen Harper and its Infrastructure Minister Lawrence Cannon had ask for a formal review of the mandate of the NCC when they entered power in 2006. In a report by a panel conducting the review, it was suggested that the crown corporation would require more money and being more transparent. ^[1]

The NCC also has the duty of encouraging tourism to the capital and thus runs events such as Winterlude and Christmas Lights in the Capital. It has run the only tourist information centre in Ottawa, the Capital Infocentre, located right across from Parliament Hill, since 1996. Among other things, it sees to it that the skating rink on the Rideau Canal keeps its title of longest rink in the world. The NCC also administers official residences such as 24 Sussex Drive and Stornoway.

The NCC was created in 1959 replacing the Federal District Commission which had been created in 1927. It reports to parliament through the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

The NCC is headquartered in the Chambers Building on Elgin Street, between Queen and Sparks Streets.