Confidence in and respect for the banking system are increasingly rare sentiments among the general public, but Canada's banking system has managed to achieve both. A survey by the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) earlier this year revealed that 91% of Canadians are confident that their deposits are secure, while 92% agree that the strength of Canadian banks is critical to the health of the country's economy.
Compared with many other jurisdictions, Canadian banks have also performed well during the financial meltdown and the subsequent global slowdown. Of the 11 Canadian banks listed in this year's Top 1000, only one - Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) - made a loss (of $4.31bn).
