Chamber Letter to Scotiabank: 11/27/2025
November 24, 2025
Scotiabank
Re: Closure of the Fort Nelson Scotiabank Branch
On behalf of the Fort Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce, I am writing to express our deep concern regarding the recent decision to close the Scotiabank branch in Fort Nelson and relocate all banking services to Fort St. John, approximately 400 kms away.
This decision poses significant challenges for both local businesses and residents who rely on the accessibility and personalized service of our local branch. For many businesses in our region, in-person banking services are essential for daily operations including deposits, cash management, government payments and obtaining financial advice.
Beyond the business community, the closure will also have a serious impact on individual customers, particularly seniors and those without reliable internet or transportation. While online banking has its benefits, it cannot replace the need for face-to-face assistance and the security that comes from having a local financial institution.
The Fort Nelson branch has served our community for decades and has built strong, trusted relationships with local clients. The decision to close the branch not only disrupts essential local services but also sends a discouraging message to those very clients whose loyalty has helped build and sustain Scotiabank’s presence in our region.
In light of these impacts, we would like to highlight several important considerations that the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada advises customers to raise when a branch is closing.
We believe Scotiabank should proactively address these questions for Fort Nelson customers:
- Will Scotiabank waive fees for transferring accounts such as registered savings plans to other financial institutions?
- Will Scotiabank provide credit references to customers who decide to switch to another financial institution?
- Will Scotiabank arrange for customers to use another financial institution’s ATM without charges or to make night deposits?
- Will Scotiabank cover the costs associated with changing to the new branch - such as ordering new cheques or adjusting direct deposits and debits?
- How will Scotiabank support customers in finding alternative services that meet their banking needs?
These questions are especially important given our remote location and the significant burden placed on customers who may have no practical alternative to a local branch.
We respectfully request that Scotiabank reconsider this decision and continue to support your clients here in Fort Nelson.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further and explore options that could balance Scotiabank’s operational considerations with the needs of our region.
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