Canadian Bankers Association
The Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) is a financial lobbying group [1] that works on behalf of 59 domestic banks, foreign bank subsidiaries and foreign bank branches operating in Canada and their 280,000 employees. The CBA advocates for effective public policies that contribute to a sound, successful banking system that benefits Canadians and Canada's economy. The Association also promotes financial literacy to help Canadians make informed financial decisions and works with banks and law enforcement to help protect customers against financial crime and promote fraud awareness. The CBA was organized in Montreal in 1891, making it one of Canada’s oldest interest groups.
The CBA works on public policy issues related to the banking system in Canada. The CBA is also a leading source of information and statistics about banks operating in Canada and the country's national banking system, which has been named among the world’s soundest by the World Economic Forum for the past 10 years.
The CBA is registered as a lobbying group at both the federal and provincial levels.[2][3]
The CBA operates out of offices in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.
Leadership
Terry Campbell
Terry Campbell is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Bankers Association. In this capacity, he is the principal spokesperson for the banking industry in Canada and communicates the perspectives of the industry to all levels of government, regulators, international bodies, media and the Canadian public. He also ensures that the CBA plays a leadership role in the development of sound public policy on financial services. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Banking Federation (IBFed), a forum that addresses issues affecting banking around the world.
Campbell joined the CBA in 1997 and most recently held the position of Vice President, Policy. In this role, he was responsible for supporting the banking industry’s policy development and advocacy activities regarding federal financial services legislation reform, policy and legislation affecting banks as employers, international trade policy, and a range of regulatory issues at the provincial level.
Prior to joining the CBA, Campbell had a sixteen-year career in the Ontario public service, including serving at the director level with responsibility for policy related to provincially regulated financial services.
Campbell graduated with a master's degree in History from Queen's University and completed his undergraduate work at the University of Toronto. He has served on the Guelph Museums Board of Management and the Board of the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario. He is active in mentoring programs for recent immigrants to Canada.
Cameron Fowler
Cameron Fowler is the Group Head, Canadian Personal & Commercial Banking at Bank of Montreal and is accountable for the overall business results for the Canadian Personal & Commercial Banking business.
A member of the BMO Financial Group Executive Committee, Mr. Fowler joined the company in January 2009. Before taking on his current role in 2014, he was Executive Vice-President, Canadian Personal & Commercial Banking, where he was responsible for the strategic direction and performance of the bank’s customer segments, physical and virtual channels and all product areas, including payments and cards.
Prior to joining BMO, Mr. Fowler was the Managing Director & Head of Barclays Wealth International with Barclays in London, UK. He also held various senior positions within Barclays, Delano Technology Corporation and Braxton Associates/Deloitte Consulting and served as Policy Advisor for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Government of Ontario.
Mr. Fowler is a member of the board of directors of CivicAction and is active in several charities including the United Way. In 2010, Mr. Fowler was named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40.
He has a BA (Honours) from Queen’s University and received his MBA from the London Business School at the University of London (UK).
Consumer Information
The CBA provides information to the public about banking policies, saving and investing, and fraud prevention.
Through the CBA’s website, consumers can learn basic banking information such as opening a bank account, choosing the right account and understanding credit. The CBA also provides an overview of various banking products like Tax Free Savings Accounts, RRSPs and mortgages.
The CBA also provides information to the public about their rights and responsibilities while conducting banking transactions. Consumers can find information about codes of conduct, selling practices and customer privacy through the CBA’s website.
Fraud Prevention
Canada’s banks take the issue of financial fraud seriously. In order to help make fraud prevention a habit throughout the year, the CBA, on behalf of Canada’s banks, has developed a series of Fraud Prevention Tips that cover current and emerging fraud schemes like phishing, identity theft and debit and credit card fraud.
Financial Literacy
Banks in Canada are leaders in financial literacy support for Canadians. Banks are an essential part of Canadians daily lives in terms of financial decisions and money smarts. The CBA is active in providing financial literacy to Canadians through a number of programs and initiatives.
Your Money Students
Your Money Students is the CBA’s financial literacy resource for youth. Every year bankers from CBA member institutions volunteer to visit classrooms across Canada to present a seminar that covers topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing and fraud prevention. This non-commercial program teaches young adults about responsible money management. The Your Money website (www.yourmoney.cba.ca/students) also provides resources for parents to teach their kids financial literacy at home.
Developed in partnership with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada in 1999, the Your Money Students program has reached over 225,000 students across Canada. Teachers can request a free, non-commercial seminar for their class online and are then matched to a volunteer banker from their community. The seminar is interactive, and students have the opportunity to actively participate. Find out more, or register at (www.yourmoney.cba.ca/students)
Your Money Seniors
Your Money Seniors is the CBA’s financial literacy resource for seniors. Modelled on the Your Money Students program, bankers from across Canada volunteer their time to visit seniors’ groups in their community to present a seminar that covers cash management, financial fraud or financial abuse.
Developed in partnership with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) in 2014, the Your Money Seniors program is a free, non-commercial seminar that is offered to seniors’ groups through community organizations or associations or any interested group with ten or more participants. To find out more information or to register for a seminar visit (www.yourmoney.cba.ca/seniors)
Canadian Banks’ Law Enforcement Award
Canadian banks work closely with law enforcement in order to prevent and investigate crimes against financial institutions. Every year, the CBA honours outstanding Canadian police officers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to protect Canada’s banks and their employees against financial crime.
Since 1972, the CBA has honoured more than 200 police officers. Recipients of this prestigious award have gone above and beyond the call of duty while preventing and investigating crimes against Canada's financial institutions.
Membership
The CBA currently has 59 members from domestic, foreign bank subsidiaries and foreign bank branches operating in Canada. A list of current CBA members can be found here ()