Brascan

Brascan Limited was a Canadian utility and, later, conglomerate, that existed from 1912 to 1997. The company was founded as the Brazilian Traction, Light and Power Company, Limited as a holding company for Canadian-owned tramways in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Over time its operations expanded beyond transportation to include hydroelectricity, gas distribution, and telephone services. Brazilian Traction grew to become effectively a Canadian empire in Brazil run from its headquarters in Toronto. At its pinnacle in the late 1940s, BTL&P employed around half a million people in Brazil and was Canada's second largest corporation behind only the Canadian Pacific Railway, with assets of approximately $400 million.

Brazilian Traction continued to operate in the country following the establishment of a military dictatorship in 1964. In 1966 it changed its name to the Brazilian Light and Power Company Limited, and in 1969 to Brascan, reflecting the beginning of its investments in Canada. In 1979, the company was forced by the dictatorship to sell its main asset, Light S.A., to the country's national utility, Eletrobras. Consequently, Brascan became mostly devoid of assets but had an abundance of cash.

Beginning in 1978, the Bronfman family began to acquire shares of Brascan, and the following year acquired effective control. At the time, the main investment vehicle of the family was Edper Investments. The Bronfmans used the stockpile of cash Brascan had acquired from the sale of its Brazilian assets to go on an acquisitions spree, turning the company into a corporate conglomerate. During the 1980s, Brascan acquired a range of major Canadian companies including Noranda Mines, Falconbridge Mines, Norcen Energy, and London Life. Following the restructuring of Edper in 1993, in 1997, Edper and Brascan merged into a new company called EdperBrascan. In 2000, the company changed its name to Brascan, and then in 2005 to Brookfield, which it remains today.