CANSO — It does not amuse Harold Roberts, president of the Canso and Area Development Association and a local resident, that a routine bank deposit recently took him four hours and 15 minutes – most of which was spent driving round trip from Canso to New Glasgow after the closure of his town’s only bank branch last summer.
“It was two hours to get there and two hours to get back,” Roberts said in an interview last week. “Anything I have to do in terms of deposits has to be done physically at the bank, which is fine. It’s fine, but once again, it’s my expense and my time. I’m a volunteer.”
The Bank of Montreal announced in January 2025 that it would close its Canso branch, ending roughly 60 years of continuous local service to the community and surrounding area. The shuttering took effect July 25, 2025, with BMO relocating services to New Glasgow and installing a single automated teller machine in Canso.
At the time of the announcement, residents and municipal officials raised concerns about lack of consultation, short notice and the impact on seniors, small businesses and people uncomfortable with online banking.
One year later, after six months of hard experience, Roberts said those concerns remain.
“It’s made it difficult, especially for those that are not well versed in online banking or using an ATM,” he said. “We do have the ATM there, which to the bank’s credit they did put in, but that’s only good for some things.”
Municipality of the District of Guysborough Councillor Fin Armsworthy concurs.
“People get more frustrated every day,” he said. “It’s still on their mind every time they go to the banking machine. I hear from residents that even that is periodically down.”
Roberts said residents have managed as best they can, often relying on family members or neighbours – who offer drives and carpools to New Glasgow, and even computer expertise – to help manage banking needs.
“I think some of the younger relatives have stepped up and said, ‘Look, I can help you. I’m familiar with online banking,’” he said.
Added Armsworthy: “Anybody who goes outside of town is trying [to give] a helping hand here and there. Everybody just looks for an avenue to get the work done.”
Still, he said, people continue to push for better answers from a bank that’s “simply not answering … not even bothering to send back a no comment.”
In an email last week, The Journal asked MODG Warden Paul Long to provide an update on the situation – including any steps taken or supported to address banking access since the closure – but did not hear back before press time.
For his part, Armsworthy said he intends to raise the issue at the next meeting of council this week (Jan. 21).
“I’m going to stop in and tell them at the municipal office to put it on the agenda,” he said. “This is not going away.”
Meanwhile, Roberts said the good news is that none of this is likely to slow or stall larger industrial or economic development projects in the area, including Maritime Launch Services’ Canso spaceport project.
“I have had discussions with them,” he said. “This won’t deter their efforts to bring this project online and into fruition.”
And there may yet be a silver lining.
Roberts said he has begun discussions with bank staff about the future of the former Canso branch building, including whether it could be repurposed for community use, such as affordable housing. He stressed that any decision would rest with the bank’s corporate real estate division and that no commitments have been made.
“We don’t need any more vacant buildings on Main Street,” he said. “If it could be repurposed for something that adds value to the community, I think the community would appreciate that.”
