Organization Profile - Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is Canada's national housing agency. CMHC is committed to helping Canadians access a wide choice of quality, affordable homes, while making vibrant, healthy communities and cities a reality across the country. CMHC works to enhance Canada's housing finance options, assist Canadians who cannot afford housing in the private market, improve building standards and housing construction, and provide policymakers with the information and analysis they need to sustain a vibrant housing market in Canada.

Ottawa, Ontario

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Act
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-7/index.html

The Board of Directors shall consist of:

• the Chairperson of the Board who is appointed by the Governor in Council to hold office during pleasure for such term as the GIC considers appropriate; eligible for reappointment;
• the President who is appointed by the Governor in Council to hold office during pleasure for such term as the Governor in Council considers appropriate; eligible for reappointment;
• the Minister's Deputy Minister;
• the Deputy Minister of Finance; and
• eight directors, all appointed by the Minister with the Governor in Council approval to hold office during pleasure for a term not exceeding four years, ensuring, as far as possible, that not more than one-half of the directors' terms expire in any one year; eligible for reappointment.

The Deputy Minister and the Deputy Minister of Finance may designate an alternate to attend in their absence any meeting of the Board of Directors.

No officer or employee of a Crown corporation or any of its affiliates, other than the chief executive officer of a parent Crown corporation, shall be a director of the parent Crown corporation.

Where the office of a director becomes vacant during the term of the director appointed thereto, the GIC shall appoint a director for the remainder of the term.

The President is the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of the President, or if the office of President is vacant, the director or officer of the Corporation that the Board designates has and may exercise and perform all the powers and functions of the President, including those as a member of the Board and of the Executive Committee.

Where a director is a member of the public service of Canada, the GIC may authorize another member of the public service of Canada to act as director in his or her stead and the member of the public service while so acting shall be deemed to be a director.

If a director is not appointed to take office on the expiration of the term of office of an incumbent director, other than an officer-director, the incumbent director continues in office until a successor is appointed.

No person shall be appointed or continue as President or as a director from outside the federal public administration if that person:

• is a director, officer or employee of a lending institution;
• is not a Canadian citizen or otherwise a British subject ordinarily resident in Canada; or
• is employed in any capacity in the public service of Canada or of a province or holds any office or position for which a salary is payable out of public moneys, but nothing in this paragraph prohibits such a person from holding office while performing temporary services for the Government of Canada or of a province.

A person appointed as President or as a director from outside the federal public administration who is a shareholder of a lending institution shall divest themselves of their shares of the lending institution within three months after the date of their appointment and afterwards shall not during their term of office have an interest or right either directly or indirectly as a shareholder in a lending institution.

A person appointed as President or as a director from outside the federal public administration who fails to comply with the above ceases to hold office.

The Financial Administration Act requires that before the President and the Chairman of the Board of a Crown corporation are appointed, the Minister shall consult the Board of Directors of the Corporation with respect to the appointment.

A majority of the sitting members of the Board of Directors, or four directors, whichever is the greater number, shall constitute a quorum, provided that the Chair or, with the Chair’s consent or in the Chair’s absence or incapacity or if that office is vacant, the President is part of the quorum. (Fixed by By-Law No. 44, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)

The auditor of a Crown Corporation shall be appointed annually by the Governor in Council, after the appropriate Minister has consulted the Board of Directors of the corporation, and may be removed at any time by the Governor in Council, after the appropriate Minister has consulted the Board.

The Auditor General of Canada shall be appointed by the Governor in Council as the auditor, or a joint auditor, of each Crown Corporation, unless the Auditor General waives the requirement of being so appointed.

An auditor of a Crown Corporation is eligible for reappointment on the expiration of the auditor’s appointment.

If an auditor of a Crown Corporation is not appointed to take office on the expiration of the appointment of an incumbent auditor, the incumbent auditor continues in office until a successor is appointed.

A person is disqualified from being appointed or re-appointed or continuing as an auditor of the corporation if that person is not independent of the corporation, any of its affiliates, or the directors or officers of the corporation or any of its affiliates. Expenses reimbursed in accordance with policies and procedures of the Corporation.