Canada Considering Mandating ATM Deposits

OTTAWA, Canada – The Department of Finance Canada is considering whether to mandate financial institutions allow customers or members of other financial institutions to make deposits through their automated tellers. The goal would be to help level the competitive playing field between larger and smaller institutions. “ATM full functionality would enable individuals to conduct the full range of banking activities (e.g. deposits, withdrawals, bill payments, etc.) at any banking machine of their choice, regardless of institution or location,” the Department wrote in a response to a series of government hearings about the issue. Advocates of full functionality of ATMs as a means of overcoming barriers to competition in banking raised the issue during government hearings. They argued that full functionality would enhance competition and provide consumers with a wider range of choices for their ATM needs, no matter how big the bank or credit union.