RBC Filling the Banking Void in Frontenac County

For those who had been fearing that RBC would follow the lead of BMO, and start closing local rural branches, the opposite seems to be happening.

BMO closed its branch in Northbrook several years ago and is in the process of shuttering both its Verona and Westport branches this spring.

The RBC branch in Sharbot has been operating three days a week for a couple of years, sparking fears it may close in the not too distant future.

However, citing increased use, the Sharbot Lake branch will be open Monday-Friday as of the last week in March.

The branch is currently open 9:30am – 5:30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, a total of 24 hours per week. According to a bank official, the new hours will change to Monday to Friday, 10am-3pm.

The increase is only one hour per week, to 25, but it is a return to daily banking service in the hamlet. The branch also has an ATM, and staff are available by appointment for investment and specialised services.

The Sydenham branch, currently open from 9:30am – 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, will also expand its service offerings.

The branch has reported an increase in business as the result of the impending closure of the BMO branch in Verona.

So, while only one of the major Canadian banks has retained a physical footprint in Frontenac County, at least that footprint appears to be getting a bit deeper.