Canadian Banking System

Canada has 70 banks, managing over $1.8 trillion in assets. Six national domestic chartered banks dominate the Canadian industry. In addition to offering debt financing, the chartered banks provide deposit facilities, money transfer services and investment services.

Canada’s six chartered banks recently integrated other financial services such as trusts, investment brokerage and insurance after receiving regulatory approval. The major domestic banks have extensive branch and electronic service networks and own operations in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean and other parts of the world.

Including regional banks, Canada has a total of 19 domestic banks. Twenty-eight foreign bank subsidiaries and 23 foreign bank branches have also found Canada a profitable banking market—a group that grows larger every year.

Canada’s banks and their affiliates provide corporate, investment and merchant banking solutions to companies with complex needs. To help meet these needs, Canadian banks and their affiliates have developed in-house expertise in treasury, corporate finance, syndicated lending, derivatives, merchant banking, global trading, asset securitization and mergers and acquisitions.

Banks and their affiliates in Canada also underwrite debt issues, both on their own behalf and for corporate and public sector clients. They supply equity, manage client funds and offer advice on corporate takeovers, mergers and re-organizations. Sophisticated money-management instruments are also available, including derivative products and trade in foreign exchange and precious metals. A growing activity is asset securitization; a process by which debts such as corporate loans and credit card receivables are converted into investment securities for public trading.

	RBC is the largest financial institution in Canada, and we’ve been helping businesses trade internationally for more than a century. In 2004, U.K.-based Global Finance magazine ranked us Best Trade Bank in Canada. We have the experience, the expertise, and the international knowledge to help you trade with confidence. With a global network of more than 3000 correspondent banking relationships, we offer a superior level of client service, delivered through an experienced team of advisors.
	http://www.rbc.com