Canadian Banknote Co. Test Note

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As far as I know, you are correct.  BAI is still owned by G&D, though they ceased printing operations after 2012.  I hope they were able to keep a significant part of the workforce for the sub-contract to Bank of Canada.

I have split the Canadian Bank Note Company and Canada Bank Note Company test notes for the catalog.  In so doing, I found an interesting test note.  As you can see, it is for Canada Bank Note Company, but dated 1892.  British American Bank Note Company bought out Canada Bank Note Company in 1891!!  At auction, the note nearly doubled estimated value and sold for $325 (Canadian).  Hope you enjoy.

I think it is an advertising piece, not testing anything, but very nice nonetheless.

There is a very scholarly paper on Canada Bank Note Co. in the 1998 CPMS Journal by Christopher Ryan.  He makes it clear that the company was wound up in 1894, not 1891.  The machinery and merchandise were purchased by BABN in that year.

Thanks so much for the correction on the sale date.  I will update my records. 
For your information, I include test, promotional, advertising, house and trial notes in The Catalog of Printers' Test Notes.  Indeed, most modern printers' "test" notes are not testing anything, just showing off their wares to new and potential customers.  A notable exception is De La Rue using two of their test notes to obtain a US patent on testing wear of banknotes.  I intend on writing a small article on this, probably for the International Bank Note Society.  Even in this example they used the test notes as promotional and advertising purposes as well.

Thanks so much for the correction on the sale date.  I will update my records. 
For your information, I include test, promotional, advertising, house and trial notes in The Catalog of Printers' Test Notes.  Indeed, most modern printers' "test" notes are not testing anything, just showing off their wares to new and potential customers.  A notable exception is De La Rue using two of their test notes to obtain a US patent on testing wear of banknotes.  I intend on writing a small article on this, probably for the International Bank Note Society.  Even in this example they used the test notes as promotional and advertising purposes as well.

Thx to Bob, Manada and currencyden for explaining test notes in this context.

Is there a way this type of notes are differentiated from the "test" notes issued by Banks. It is known as a fact that BoC ran many trials prior to the issue of frontier series and most likely has run trials as part of circulating notes.

I agree that it is confusing to use the term "test note" to refer to both: 1) non-legal-tender prototype, production trial, and example notes  that are never intended for circulation, and 2) ordinary-looking legal tender notes that are released by a central bank into active circulation to test a new feature (ink, paper, etc.)

I favor reserving the term "test note" for the latter (1954 S/R and 1973 EXA notes as an example) and calling the former something else.

I'm with Seth on this question.  I'm reminded of the argument Humpty Dumpty had with Alice (in Wonderland):
'There's glory for you!'
'I don't know what you mean by "glory",' Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. 'Of course you don't — till I tell you. I meant "there's a nice knock-down argument for you!"'
'But "glory" doesn't mean "a nice knock-down argument",' Alice objected.
'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.'
'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master — that's all.'
For clarity, there is much to be said for adherence to the established meanings of test notes, advertising notes, and so on.

We've had a similar discussion at the International Banknote Society forum.  Both Ebay and Delcampe - who have the most printers' test notes listed,  also have a plethora of made for collector notes.  I personally use exclusion words to weed about half of these out.  By inserting - trial, private, training with the phrase "test note",  the list is more manageable.  Most every modern printers' note used for promotional use is called a test note on Ebay and Delcampe.  The older such notes are often referred to as promotional or advertising note, usually on collectible specific auction houses.  Even if I wish it wasn't so,  I don't believe this duality of the test note term is going away.

It is public knowledge that CBN acquired the building that was owned by BABN in 2013. Is that what you mean or do you have some other information that says that whole company was bought over as opposed to only the building and perhaps some printing equipment?

Public disclosure indicates that Bank of Canada is using BAI (which is what BABN has been known as) for its single note inspection contract through to 2018. If your information about BAI being bought by CBN is indeed correct then would that mean that CBN has now taken over the single note inspection contract?

This is very late for an update.  CBN acquired the BABN building as everyone knows.  The Bank of Canada acquired printing plates: "In May 2013, staff of the Bank of Canada Museum visited BABN and were able to select for the National Currency Collection more than 650 steel dies (small, engraved metal or “intaglio” plates) and other production tools formerly used by the company to prepare the intaglio printing plates. The group included machine etched borders or lathework and numerals or counters. But the bulk of the selection consisted of hand engraved images of landscapes and people. Most are quite small, measuring roughly four by three inches. These were the heart of the security printer’s trade."

So, it turns out the original test note for this discussion was used for testing.  Canadian Bank Note Company applied for a US patent on September 27, 2002 and published on April 1, 2004 using this note for their example.  The patent was regarding latent images.  No April Fools jokes please....