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‘We’re bankless!’: Esquimalt residents alarmed as town’s only bank closes

Residents say town is growing, but services are not
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The town of Esquimalt has seen its only bank close down. (CP photo)

Esquimalt residents are raising concerns after the last brick-and-mortar bank in the town shut down.

The RBC on Esquimalt Road is now permanently closed, leaving only a handful of ATMs in the community.

“You would think that with so much growth happening in Esquimalt, banks would be looking for a location to open a branch,” reads a Facebook post by Marilyn Day.

The Facebook post led to dozens of responses of people upset with the closure, saying that people with mobility issues will suffer because they aren’t necessarily able to take the bus.

“There are less and less advantages to live in Esquimalt. They want us to go outside Esquimalt for necessities and entertainment. They (are) taking most of it away - soon there will be nothing left. They are building more and more apartments and condos but there isn’t even a family restaurant … not for people with mobility issues or people who refuse to go downtown until it is cleaned up and a lot less dangerous.”

At least one person said, however, that with online banking, perhaps a full-service bank isn’t needed.

“I have been doing all my banking online for years and rarely carry any cash,” wrote one person. “No big deal for me.”

READ MORE: ‘A disaster’: Iconic Victoria restaurant closing down after 90 years

Do you have a story tip? Email: chris.campbell@blackpress.ca.

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Chris Campbell

About the Author: Chris Campbell

I joined the Victoria News hub as an editor in 2023, bringing with me over 30 years of experience from community newspapers in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley
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