Short sellers who use Interactive Brokers Canada as their broker can now use other customers' shares for their short strategies.

Customers of the brokerage can lend their shares to Interactive Brokers Canada for short-sellers' use in exchange for half of the fee short-sellers pay to borrow the shares, the company said.

Clients with $50,000 or more held at Interactive Brokers Canada in any cash or margin account are eligible to participate. After a customer enrolls, the company handles all program activities, and the customer can back out of the program at any time. Interactive Brokers uses an automated system to identify the shares in client accounts that short sellers are attempting to borrow.

The program has been offered through Interactive Brokers Group Inc.'s U.S. operations since 2011.