Bank's withdrawal infuriates Outaouais town

People living in Ripon, Que.,are furious over theremoval ofthe small western Quebec town's only Desjardinsbanking machine.

Hundreds of residents packed the Paroisse St-Casimir-de-RiponTuesday night to denounce the closure, which happened in January.

Desjardinsrepresentatives explained that use ofthe ATM in the Petite-Nation Market building on Route 317 hasdropped 13 per cent since 2015.

The credit union operates as a co-operative in the ruralcommunity of about 1,500, about 80 kilometres northeastof Ottawa.

Many residents accused the co-op's board of abandoning Ripon, while some residents who said their families have banked with Desjardins for generations threatened to quit doing business withthe credit union.

Decision left to co-op's board

Manywere also angry the fate of Ripon'sonly DesjardinsATM was left solely to the co-op'sboard of directors.

By refusing the [popular] vote, you have denied the very principle of a co-operative.-VincentOuellette-Destroismaisons

"By refusing the [popular] vote, you have denied the very principle of a co-operative," said market president Vincent Ouellette-Destroismaisons, who began a petition against the ATM's removal.

Ouellette-Destroismaisonssaid the decision demonstrates that banks and credit unions such asDesjardins don't understand how theirdecisions affectsmaller communities.

Ouellette-Destroismaisonssaid market vendorsrely on a nearby ATM for their customers, many of whom prefer to use cash.

He said keeping the ATM where it is would cost Desjardinsjust $25,000 a year.

Desjardins said it's considering setting up a shuttle from Ripon to its branch in Saint-Andr-Avellin, about 10 kilometres away.

More communities prepare for the loss

The Outaouaiscommunities of Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette and Plaisance are also at risk of losing their ATMsand have begun pushing for their own meetings with Desjardins.

"We're going to lose the automated tellers in most small cities that are fighting to survive," saidDenis Lgar, the mayor ofNotre-Dame-de-la-Salette."In a small municipality cash is very important."

What having cash means to small-town residents

7 years ago

Duration 0:32

If Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette loses its ATM, people will need to drive to Val-des-Monts.

When that community learned it was set to lose its ATM in August, it went beyond a lobbying campaign, promising to foot the bill for a new machine.

ButLgarsays the credit union argued that wasn't enough.

DesjardinstoldLgarit would need at least 5,000 transactions per month to make the machine profitable, whenthe small community is only making half that number.

"It's been like that for 20 years. Why all of a sudden is it not profitable for them, when we're not charging them rent [for the service counter]and we offered to pay for the automatic teller?" saidLgar

"Every justification has been shot down. They're out of arguments."