Across the globe, banks have specific and unique designations – names, numbers, monikers that precisely identify the institution and its place within the financial industry. This is the case in Canada where bank institution numbers work to distinguish banks from one another.
This bank institution number does not change and it’s necessary for things in the country such as funding transfers to or from a Canadian bank account. Unlike other accounting numbers, this banking code is typically attached to the entire institution (bank, credit union, etc.) rather than a specific branch or person. This is particularly true for larger banking conglomerates.
Most banking destinations will share their specific institution numbers with you – simply ask a financial professional. But if you fail to request this number, it can be easily located on a Canadian check: banking institution numbers are 3-digit figures found at the bottom of checks following the five-digit transit number and preceding a person’s account number of up to 12 digits. They also can be found online, including within this article.
Here is a listing of institution numbers (in easy-to-find alphabetical order) for the ten largest Canadian banks:
| Bank Name | Institution Number |
|---|---|
| Bank of Montreal (BMO) | 001 |
| Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) | 002 |
| Canadian Western Bank | 030 |
| Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) |
010 |
| Caisses Desjardins du Quebec |
815 |
| Caisses populaires Desjardins de l’Ontario |
829 |
| Caisses populaires Desjardins du Manitoba |
819 |
| HSBC Bank Canada |
016 |
| Laurentian Bank of Canada |
039 |
| National Bank of Canada (NBC) |
006 |
| Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) |
003 |
| Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Canada Trust) | 004 |
But these are just a few of the financial spaces discovered across Canada. From sea to sea, from small to large, from national name to credit union, here is a comprehensive, alphabetical listing of all banks and their individualized institution numbers:
| Bank Name | Institution Number |
|---|---|
| Amex Bank Of Canada | 303 |
| ATB Financial | 219 |
| Bank Of America Canada | 241 |
| Bank Of Canada (Canadian Central Bank) | 177 |
| Bank Of China (Canada) | 308 |
| Bank Of Montreal (BMO) | 001 |
| Bank Of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) | 002 |
| Bank West | 342 |
| BofA Canada Bank | 311 |
| BNP Paribas (Canada) | 250 |
| Bridgewater Bank | 347 |
| Canada Post | 127 |
| Canadian Western Bank | 030 |
| Canadian Imperial Bank Of Commerce (CIBC) | 010 |
| Canadian Tire Bank | 338 |
| Caisses Desjardins Du Quebec | 815 |
| Caisses Populaires Desjardins Acadiennes | 865 |
| Caisses Populaires Desjardins De L’Ontario | 829 |
| Caisses Populaires Desjardins Du Manitoba | 819 |
| Capital One Bank (Canada) | 323 |
| Central One Credit Union – BC Region | 809 |
| Central One Credit Union – ON Region | 828 |
| Citibank Canada | 260 |
| Citibank, NA | 328 |
| Citizens Bank Of Canada | 309 |
| Comerica Bank | 330 |
| Credit Union Central Of Alberta | 899 |
| Credit Union Central Of Manitoba | 879 |
| Credit Union Central Of Saskatchewan | 889 |
| Credit Union Heritage (Nova Scotia) | 839 |
| CS Alterna Bank | 608 |
| CTC Bank Of Canada | 315 |
| Deutsche Bank AG | 265 |
| Directcash Bank | 352 |
| First Commercial Bank | 332 |
| First Nations Bank Of Canada | 310 |
| Bank Name | Institution Number |
|---|---|
| Government of Canada |
117 |
| Habib Canadian Bank |
321 |
| Hollis Canadian Bank |
343 |
| HSBC Bank Canada |
016 |
| ICICI Bank Canada |
340 |
| Industrial and Commerce Bank of China (Canada) |
307 |
| Jameson Bank |
354 |
| JP Morgan Bank Canada |
314 |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Toronto Branch) |
270 |
| Korea Exchange Bank of Canada |
275 |
| Laurentian Bank of Canada |
039 |
| Manulife Bank |
540 |
| Mega International Commercial Bank Canada |
269 |
| Meridian Credit Union |
837 |
| Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd. Canada BR |
277 |
| National Bank of Canada (NBC) |
006 |
| Pacific & Western Bank of Canada |
334 |
| Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) |
003 |
| SHINHAN Bank Canada |
355 |
| Societe Generale (Canada) |
346 |
| State Bank of India (Canada) |
294 |
| State Street |
327 |
| Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp of CDA |
301 |
| Tangerine Bank |
614 |
| The Bank of New York Mellon |
242 |
| The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (Canada) |
245 |
| The Royal Bank of Scotland NV Canada |
240 |
| Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Canada Trust) |
004 |
| UBS Bank (Canada) |
290 |
| United Overseas Bank Limited |
335 |
Written by:
Marissa Anwar is a NYC and Toronto based executive with Ph.D in Genetics, and is the Managing Director of Thirty Six Montsh; one of the first personal finance sites in Canada. Her extensive corporate background includes stints in bio-tech, telecommunications, UNTWO, blockchain, (named one of the top 8 women in Blockchain in 2018), influencer marketing (launched influencer marketing projects for credit card companies and airlines). She most recently tackled the role of VP, Innovation and Marketing specializing in digital and broadcast media. She is also part of the Forbes Communication Panel.
