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A couple of Toronto banking questions

buliwyf

Star Member
Mar 27, 2013
117
7
1. My bank, Bank of the Philippines Islands, can issue a bank draft in CAD$. They have a partnership with Scotia Bank. The Bank Draft displays a logo of Scotia Bank at the lower left corner. When I land in Toronto and decided to open an account with a bank other than Scotia Bank (let's say, TD. Perhaps RBC), how long do you think would be the clearing time?

2. Regarding ATM banking. In my country, banks charge us some money for inter-bank transactions (balance inquiry, withdrawal, etc), so we try to use our bank's ATM machines whenever possible. I suppose the same in Canada? If this is the case, which bank in GTA has the most ATM machines around?

3. Regarding internet banking. In my country, I got everything enrolled in my bank's internet banking website. I pay all my bills there. Electricity, Phone, Credit Card, etc. I can also transfer funds from one account to another (e.g. savings to checking, my savings to wife's, etc.). This way, I don't waste time physically going to the bank (unless I need something, like a bank draft for example). I assume I can do this in Canada also. If so, which bank in Canada has the best internet banking service, in your opinion?
 

Eowyn

Star Member
Feb 6, 2013
109
19
Category........
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As long as your draft is issued in CAD, I don't think it should take any longer than a Canadian cheque to clear. As drafts are paid for up front, it's less likely that they will be returned, so no sense in the bank holding them longer than necessary.

Canadian banks charge for practically everything. TD is probably likely to have the most machines available around the GTA.

My Canadian account is with TD, so I can only really comment on their internet facilities. You can transfer money and pay bills etc. I imagine they are all fairly similar in that respect.