Editor:
In an open letter to Scotiabank (Goat April 18, 2024) the writer expressed disappointment that the McBride Scotiabank is closing, and made a request that Scotiabank consider facilitating the opening of a new bank in McBride by offering the existing bank building to Integris Credit Union who is considering providing physical banking services in this community.
Some manager at Scotiabank replied (Goat April 25, 2024), but the given reply makes one wonder if that manager actually read the letter they were responding to ” they failed to address the question that was asked.
Their response contains the usual platitudes about making “changes to meet changing customer needs,” and making “it easier for our customers to bank with us” ” which both we and they know is ludicrous due to the required 4.5 hour round trip drive to access this “easier” banking.
That manager also directs us to online banking options. Except it’s not online banking options that McBride lacks ” those options are readily available from banks such as CIBC, or TD, or RBC, or Scotiabank, and others, and closing the McBride Scotiabank will not improve those options.
So let me state the obvious: Scotiabank is abandoning its customer base in McBride in all ways that have made Scotiabank significant to this community over the years. The majority of these customers will probably disperse to other banks (the prevailing sentiment seems to be any bank but Scotiabank).
If and when someone again provides physical banking services here in McBride, they will not be competing with Scotiabank or drawing customers away from Scotiabank. So I restate the question posed in the open letter two weeks ago: will Scotiabank facilitate the continuation of physical banking services in McBride by making the bank building available to someone who will offer physical banking services in McBride?
It could be Scotiabank’s last opportunity to put some sincerity into their claim that “our commitment to helping our customers remains.”
Jeff Corbett
McBride, BC
