Grand Manan residents bring fight to save island's only bank to N.B. legislature

A group of Grand Manan residents were on the mainland of New Brunswick Thursday as part of their struggle to keep the island's only bank branch open.

The group brought their fight to Fredericton, demonstrating outside the Scotiabank on King Street.

They later moved outside the New Brunswick legislature in hopes of being heard by politicians.

This protest comes after Scotiabank announced it will close its island branch on Aug. 24. The bank will also close its two automated bank machines that same day and all customer accounts will be forwarded to its nearest branch in St. George, N.B.

Grand Manan’s only regular connection to the mainland is a one-and-a-half hour ferry trip each way and the St. George branch is about 20 kilometres from the ferry’s landing in Blacks Harbour, N.B.

Protesters estimate in total it will take nine hours to cross by ferry, do their banking and then wait for the return crossing back to the island.

"It's going to be at least $60 to go – it's a new bank fee,” says Grand Manan resident Gregg Russell.

“We have some people with disabilities, we have some seniors that aren't into electronic banking, who physically cannot do a nine-hour bank day. For those people, on August the 25th when the bank closes, their banking days are over."

Scotiabank has said the decision to leave Grand Manan is based on a regular review of customer numbers and habits, but wouldn't release any specific details to CTV News.

New Brunswick Southwest MP John Williamson told CTV News earlier this week that he has asked to meet with federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in an effort to reverse the bank's decision.

A total of 407 bank branches have disappeared across Canada between 2016 and 2020, including 10 in New Brunswick.

The only banks in Chipman and Hartland left those communities during that time.