Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC)

The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) is a Crown corporation and a Government of Canada contracting agency. It enables foreign governments and other eligible buyers to acquire Canadian goods and services through government-to-government contracts. CCC can act as the prime contractor with the foreign buyer and then enter a corresponding contract with the Canadian supplier.

CCC was established in 1946 under the Canadian Commercial Corporation Act. It is an agent Crown corporation listed in Part I of Schedule III to the Financial Administration Act and reports to the minister responsible for international trade. Its own 2025 publication describes its role as prime contracting agency for international sales of Canadian products and services.

How a CCC prime contract is structured

When a foreign government, an international organization or a foreign private-sector buyer purchases Canadian products or services through the Government of Canada, CCC acts as the prime contracting agency. It signs a prime contract with the foreign buyer. It then signs a corresponding domestic contract with the Canadian exporter that will deliver the work. The details are set out in CCC's 2025 publication.

The result is two linked contracts. The foreign buyer deals with a Canadian government entity, and the Canadian supplier deals with CCC rather than with the foreign government.

Sectors where CCC contracts

CCC's international government-to-government contracting spans defence, aerospace, information and communications technology, nuclear, clean technology and infrastructure, as reflected in its 2024 publication. Suppliers in these sectors are the ones most likely to encounter CCC as the contracting party.

The U.S. Department of Defense and the Defence Production Sharing Agreement

CCC is Canada's designated contracting authority for U.S. Department of Defense requirements under the Canada-U.S. Defence Production Sharing Agreement. The U.S. Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, DFARS 225.870, provides for contracts with Canadian suppliers above the simplified acquisition threshold to be awarded through CCC.

Defence-related government-to-government work also includes acquisitions for other foreign defence and national-security buyers. A Canadian firm selling to the U.S. military above that threshold should therefore expect CCC to be part of the contract structure.

The International Prime Contractor program

For foreign government buyers, CCC can identify Canadian suppliers, negotiate a government-to-government contract, arrange financing where required, and oversee contract performance and financial administration. This puts CCC in an active role across the life of the contract, not only at signing.

What a CCC contract means for a supplier

If you take part in a CCC opportunity, your contract is with CCC as the domestic contracting party. You must meet the requirements of that domestic contract and support CCC's delivery and performance obligations under the prime contract with the foreign buyer.

• Read the CCC domestic contract terms before committing, because they set your obligations.
• Expect CCC to be your contact for performance and financial administration, not the foreign government.
• For U.S. Department of Defense work above the simplified acquisition threshold, plan for CCC to be the awarding channel.

Further CCC publications from the Government of Canada are available for earlier years, including the 2023 collection edition.