Book excerpt: Bank and Customer Law in Canada is a concise introduction to the laws governing banking in Canada and the relationship between banks and their customers. The book includes a detailed discussion of the corporate governance structure for banks and the types of activities in which banks are permitted to engage in Canada. Foreign banks, bank subsidiaries, and bank holding companies are also covered. On the common law side, the focus is on bank account operation, including paper and electronic payment orders. The book also provides discussion and analysis of electronic banking and the challenges posed by non-bank third party payment providers to traditional banking and banks. It also includes directions to other relevant sources, including websites, so that readers can keep up-to-date on the rapid changes in electronic banking. In addition to updating caselaw and legislative developments, the second edition includes new material dealing with freezing accounts, prefunded cards, and recurring payment systems, as well as the growth of mobile payment systems and other electronic forms of payment.