The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Canada's vast network of bank branches will shrink in 2017 as more customers migrate on-line. The Globe's James Bradshaw writes that many existing locations will be overhauled to focus more on giving advice, leaving tasks such as processing routine transactions to technology. However, as large banks including TD Bank, CIBC and Bank of Nova Scotia have collectively recorded billions of dollars in restructuring charges in recent years, pressure to shrink their real estate footprints and trim staff has intensified. Bank branches are often hailed as critical touchstones for gaining customers' loyalty. At Scotiabank, 80 per cent of basic payments and transfers are now done on-line, often through a mobile device. "And that number's not going to go down, it's going to go up," said chief executive officer Brian Porter, speaking at a conference on Tuesday. Over at TD, 80 per cent of sales come from physical branches, according to CEO Bharat Masrani. "Let's not underestimate the power of the physical distribution," he said, calling the bank's branch network "a sales machine." Scotiabank expects to spend $2.5-billion to $2.6-billion on tech this year.