Toronto-based Bank of Montreal-which has been cited for its “relentless” U.S. expansion of late-has announced a new hiring initiative on the home front, where it plans to hire 90 commercial lending specialists catering to small- business owners.

The latest hires at BMO have been targeting their efforts at companies with annual sales of up to C$5 million.

The 90 additional hires are expected to fill new jobs in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces, as part of a strategy reportedly linked to an anticipated slowdown in consumer banking.

BMO-Canada’s fourth largest lender-had dedicated 150 bankers, including 60 specialists hired in British Columbia in the past nine months, to focus on these small businesses, and the 90 new posts will bolster to that effort, Cathy Pin, vice president of commercial banking, told Bloomberg recently.

“Small businesses are the engine for innovation and job creation in this country, so it’s a really important segment for us,” she said. But it’s more than that, according to Barclays Capital analyst John Aiken who said. “When you look at where Canadian banks are heading domestically, all expectations are that retail lending growth is going to slow, so they’re looking at other areas where they can fill that void.”

Other sorts of expertise may be sought soon enough, if BMO’s efforts bear fruit. The focus on small-business owners will mean jobs in commercial-lending operation at the outset, but may also spur new demand for related services including payment-processing, deposits and personal banking for entrepreneurs, if the bank plays its cards right.

And so far so good: A pilot program with 40 specialists in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia between July and December that increased revenue beyond the bank’s expectations, Pin said.

Moreover, BMO seems like a pretty decent place to work. Even as it plans continued expansion of its retail lending and wealth management practices in the Midwestern part of the United States, BMO was recently named, along with CIBC, RBC and TD Bank, as one of the most welcoming employers for newly-minted Canadians seeking work.

The company was selected in part for effectively providing new Canadians with information on the hiring process at the firm and allowing job seekers with an opportunity to network directly with BMO employees. BMO also participates in the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s Mentoring Partnership Program.

One BMO banking professional said that when he was interviewed for his position last year, he was impressed with the company’s clear vision, senior leadership, and training resources.