Toronto Dominion Bank has set up an information site on the multimedia- capable sector of the Internet known as the World Wide Web.
The Canadian bank will post more than 300 pages of general banking information on the Web, a division of the interconnected group of thousands of computer networks that make up the Internet.
This is a broad offering, even by American banking standards, and it is one of the first efforts by a major Canadian financial institution to offer services through computer networks.
"The U.S. market is way ahead of the Canadian market in terms of the Internet," according to Jeff Van Duynhoven, manager of information services for Toronto Dominion.
Many U.S. banks have already set up home pages, as these computer-based informational centers are called. First Union Corp. launched perhaps the most expansive home page offering recently on the Internet. It has about half as many pages as Toronto Dominion's.
Toronto Dominion's listing on the network will include information on home mortgages, investments, and other bank products and services. It also has economic research, a recap of market indexes, a forecast of how North American markets bode for investors, and models for suggested investments.
There is also a section aimed at small businesses, Mr. Van Duynhoven said.
To encourage use of the computer service, the bank is also downloading a variety of software packages to its customers. Initially, the bank will give away copies of Business Planner, financial management software.
Consumers can also ask questions of the bank, request more information, or follow up on special offers via electronic mail.
Although the bank hopes this project will expand its reach, Mr. Van Duynhoven said that Toronto Dominion officials are eager to ensure that the service is "not an advertising center . . . that's counter to the culture of cyberspace."
