SME Financing Data Initiative

Preliminary Approach

The CBA has been an industry leader in publishing, since 1995, quarterly reports on the business credit provided by their members, at the request of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry. In addition, the CBA complemented these reports by commissioning regular surveys on SME financing needs and satisfaction with their financial institutions.

The proposed approach of surveys of suppliers and users of SME financing – so called supply-side and demand-side surveys – is similar to the approach developed by the CBA, while including information about most suppliers of financing (both debt and equity suppliers, as well as most financing instruments). This approach will allow a study from the perspective of SMEs, as well as the financing providers.