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Instead of giving the West End of Winnipeg a helping hand up, the major financial institution in the heart of the neighbourhood is showing them the back of the hand — resulting in hard questions that the Royal Bank of Canada won’t answer.

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“They said it’s not to do with crime, it just isn’t hitting their needs,” said Sargent Avenue Business Community director Michael Paille. “What about the needs of the people in the community? This isn’t River Park South or Charleswood. This is a low-income area.”

Last Friday, word was still circulating that RBC was closing its branch at 588 Sargent Avenue, located on the Freshco lot, in favour of redirecting customers to its 1395 Ellice Avenue location, two miles away, at Milt Stegall Drive.

“Our RBC location at Sargent and Sherbrook will come together with our Ellice location on July 11th. Clients may choose to visit any RBC branch most convenient to them,” an RBC spokesperson stated in an email to the Winnipeg Sun.

“Our branch network continually evolves and changes as we seek to serve our clients where and how they wish to conduct their banking. These decisions are made after careful consideration of how we can best serve our clients in the market.”

Paille wasn’t buying that. “They said it would better serve the community by giving it longer hours, by shutting this one down and forcing people to use the bank on Ellice. We have one of the largest communities of elderly people in the area. You’re now telling them you’re doing it for them?”

He pointed out that there were costs — and risks — being shifted onto those users.

“They have to pay for a taxi, Uber or a bus fare to go all the way to the bank. Is that safe for them? Most of these people deal in cash. Now they got to go cash their cheques there, bring cash back — so now........

© Winnipeg Sun