Bank of Canada may publish loan officers survey

OTTAWA, June 20 (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada may begin publishing the results of its quarterly survey of senior loan officers, a spokesman said on Friday, a move that could provide markets with more insight into Canada's credit market.

"I can confirm that we have been conducting a Senior Loan Officer Survey since 1999, and are considering the idea of publishing it at some point before the end of 2008," central bank spokesman Jeremy Harrison said.

The U.S. Federal Reserve publishes the results of its quarterly survey of senior loan officers at domestic and foreign banks. The April 2008 survey, for example, showed banks in the United States kept tightening lending standards and terms for both business and consumer loans.

Investors in Canada have to piece together a picture of the national credit market through other reports or whatever internal data the central bank might choose to share.

Governor Mark Carney, who has headed the bank since February, has said he would like to improve the Bank of Canada's transparency during his term. He told lawmakers last December, after his appointment, that he would study the possibility of publishing the minutes of monetary policy meetings for the first time.

The Bank of Canada's governing council uses consensus decision-making to set policy. It does not vote on policy as the Fed does. (Reporting by Louise Egan; Editing by Peter Galloway)