As you know, credit unions and caisses populaires in Canada do have 20% market share of SME business and small business, particularly in microbusinesses, the very, very small ones.
In certain areas of the country they also have very large market share. In the case of Desjardins in Quebec, its market share is in the 40% to 50% range. For credit unions in western Canada, in Manitoba, outside Winnipeg, the SME market share hovers around 60%. In Saskatchewan it's around 40%. In B.C. it's also very high outside of the Lower Mainland.
Therefore, it's very important that credit unions have access in order to serve not only those who don't have access to banks but also those who choose to bank with a credit union as opposed to one of the larger financial institutions in Canada.
I think I mentioned as well that in over 400 small towns and small communities across Canada outside of Quebec, credit unions are the only game in town, the only option for those communities in bricks and mortar. Of course, bricks-and-mortar institutions are still important when it comes to meeting the financial needs of people who are managing small businesses.
We're an important contributor to the financial ecosystem in Canada. We may not be the largest and we may not be as visible in provinces like Ontario, but certainly in the west, in the Atlantic region, in Quebec and in rural communities, we play a very important role for individuals, and particularly for small businesses.