Approximately 66 per cent of on- reserve First Nations people live in rural or remote parts of Canada. Everyday errands that most Canadians take for granted, like stopping by a bank, have traditionally been difficult for people living in these areas. But the RBC has established several new measures that allow its Aboriginal customers to access banking services from their own communities — the most important of which are the RBC Remote Banking Process and the RBC Community Visitation Program.

“We recognize that Aboriginal communities and individuals have specific needs that, in many instances, require unique financial products and services,” says Dale Sturges, RBC’s National Director of Aboriginal Markets. “We also know that access to banking services and capital is a critical component in the creation of wealth and economic sustainability in Aboriginal communities. Our goal is to simplify and make it easier for Aboriginal Canadians to access the products and services they need.”

In 2009, RBC announced a new banking service for Aboriginal Canadians living in remote areas, which makes it easier to access personal banking services with the same convenience and ease as individuals living in more urban locations. Standard account opening procedure involves walking into a branch with two pieces of ID and filling out paper work. In remote communities where there are no branches, there is a need for a different process.

The Remote Banking Process begins with a simple telephone call to RBC’s 24/7 Telephone Banking line. As the first Canadian financial institution to offer telephone services in Cree and Inuktitut, two of the most commonly spoken indigenous languages in Canada, they have over 2,600 specialized interpreters available to translate 180 different languages at the RBC call centre.

The individual then requests a telephone appointment with a Branch advisor at the nearest RBC branch. The Branch advisor provides the customer with a Remote Account Open Kit that contains step-by-step instructions for opening an account and receiving a client card. A client card is an important piece of ID as an RBC client — it provides access to online and telephone banking services, as well as ATMs.

With the Remote Banking service, designated members of the community – such as police officers or a band chief – are able to verify the identity of the prospective customer and witness the signing of the bank agreement.

In addition to the work RBC has done to ensure its Aboriginal customers have access to RBC’s online and telephone banking services, it launched the RBC Community Visitation program in 2008, to bring banking to several communities in Nunavut that were typically not served by a financial institution. Currently, there are branches located in Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit.

There are 25 communities across Nunavut that RBC is partnering with for Community Visits, with an aggressive plan for regular visits. RBC believes that every Canadian deserves access to basic banking and financial advice. Through its Community Visitation Program, it is able to make that a reality.

“There is always a sense of pride and accomplishment when we are able to visit remote communities,” says RBC’s Regional Vice-President for the North of 60, Ron Sauve. “The Hamlets go out of their way to welcome us. They set us up in the Municipal Offices and even the Town Council Chambers at times. We use these trips as opportunities to educate individuals on banking and provide financial advice. We appreciate many individuals in these communities may be opening their very first bank account. It is always very exciting to be a part of this experience.”

While travelling to remote commu- nities has typically been done by air, RBC is currently working on a program that will organize visits by snowmobile, as part of an extensive effort to connect with Aboriginal customers. Stan Anderson, the Branch Manager in Rankin Inlet, and Gavin Gee, an Account Manager in Rankin Inlet, will take part in the inaugural snowmobile trip in February 2011, to Chesterfield Inlet and Whale Cove.

None of this would be possible without the enduring co-operation of the Nunavut government, which Sauve says “has been a fantastic partner since we began operating in the North in 1921.” RBC has a long history of building relationships with Inuit communities, and it remains committed to finding innovative ways to partner with clients to meet their financial needs. RBC believes that its Remote Banking Process and Community Visitation Program help to bridge the gap between rural and urban centres to ensure that all Aboriginal Canadians have access to the banking services they require.

For more information on how RBC provides access to banking services in remote communities, visit. www.rbcroyalbank.com.