You can get American currency at 3 Scotiabank ABMs in Ottawa as part of new advice only branches

You can now get American currency at three Scotiabank ABMs in Ottawa. But as CTV’s Dave Charbonneau reports, not all customers are happy with the new-advice onl

You can now get American currency at three Scotiabank ABMs in Ottawa, as the bank transforms services at the branches to advice only.

A spokesperson for Scotiabank tells CTV News Ottawa that in March, the bank is introducing new formats at three branches in Ottawa, including at Carleton University, “to focus on advice.”

“Which includes financial advisor meetings, Small Business advisor services, support with online banking, and more,” Heather Armstrong, vice-president of Communications, Canadian Banking at Scotiabank, said in a statement.

“These advice focused branches are designed for our teams to help clients reach their financial goals. They work in collaboration with our full-service branch locations which continue to offer cash withdrawal deposit and foreign exchange cash transactions, as will our automated banking machines (ABMs).”

• Scotiabank to eliminate tellers at some branches, including Carleton University

All advice focused branches will be equipped with the enhanced ABMs, offering multi-denominational bills and U.S. currency, according to Armstrong.

As of March 3, the branch inside Carleton University’s Paterson Hall is closed and is no longer offering over-the-counter cash services. An automated banking machine remains at the university.

The Scotiabank branches on March Road and Woodroffe Avenue are also equipped with the enhanced ABMs.

“It’s the digitization of everything that is information, Ian Lee, associate professor at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, told CTV News Ottawa.

“There’s going to be far, far, far fewer branches. They will not go to zero. But the idea that Royal Bank needs to have 25 branches in Ottawa and Scotiabank has to have 25 branches or 30 branches, and TD, those days are coming to an end.”

Customers at Scotiabank branches on Tuesday were surprised with the move.

“I don’t know where we’re going to go now. We need one today,” Kelly Fitzpatrick said. “We came specifically here. I came from the other end of the city and met him here so that we could do our transaction, and both sign on to her account.”

Kelly adds, “there’s a lot of other people who don’t do online banking.”

Armstrong says Scotiabank regularly evaluates its services to meet the needs of its customers.

“Client preferences in financial services are changing, and more day-to-day banking is being carried out online,” Armstrong said. “At Scotiabank, we regularly evaluate and update our services to find ways to innovate and better meet the evolving needs of our clients.”

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Dave Charbonneau