1. The Big Six control 97 per cent of the assets of domestic chartered banks.
In a country where the six biggest banks are so dominant, it's easy to lose sight of other players. In addition to new bank entrant Home Capital, Canada has 20 domestic banks operating in the shadows of giants.
Canada bank assets
The Big Six: (Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia (including Tangerine Bank), Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada and Toronto Dominion Bank)
SOURCE: OSFI
2. The biggest of the smalls is Laurentian Bank with $35-billion of assets, but it's getting some competition.
Manulife Bank, a division of the insurance heavyweight, reports $24-billion of assets, and Edmonton-based Canadian Western Bank has another $20-billion.
Canada bank assets (non-Big Six banks)
SOURCE: OSFI
3. The biggest surprise is the country's smallest.
Continental Bank, bearing the same name as the Toronto bank that failed in 1996, opened its doors in Whitby in March and is backed by one of Bay Street's biggest names. Fund manager Eric Sprott and his firm Sprott Inc. owns 51 per cent of the 17-branch bank.