Sutton TD branch to reopen on Sept. 8

By: Mike Anderson

According to a TD spokesperson, after being closed for nearly five months, the Sutton TD branch at 20865 Dalton Rd is set to reopen on September 8.

“Our branch in Sutton, Ontario, was temporarily closed in March as part of our measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19,” Carla Hindman, Manager, TD Corporate and Public Affairs, said.

“In the past months, we have been thoughtfully reopening branches across the country with our colleagues and customers’ health and safety as our guiding principle. I can now confirm the Sutton branch will reopen on September 8.”

“While the branch in Sutton is closed, please note that the ATM continues to be available for customers to use. There have been no job losses among our Sutton colleagues related to the temporary branch closure,” she added.

The branch closed its doors on March 19, as a part of a series of nationwide TD bank closures due to COVID-19.

At that time, TD announced the closures were temporary, and it would try to keep its rural branches open.

However, the Sutton branch remained closed, despite the local BMO and Scotiabank branches on High St. staying open during the pandemic.

The extended closure fuelled speculation that the branch might close permanently, leading residents to start an email and phone campaign to demand that the branch reopen.

They were particularly concerned that a permanent closure would impact seniors who would have to take public transit to the TD branch in Keswick.

“I think it’s very good news for people,” said Steve Jacobson, Chair of the Jackson’s Point BIA, who, along with his wife Cathy, started a Facebook campaign on July 21 to pressure TD management to reopen the branch.

Residents were encouraged to voice their concerns to several TD executives, including TD Bank Group President Bharat Masrani.

“We put up a campaign. I don’t know if that’s the reason it’s reopening. But let’s give credit to everybody who called or wrote in,” Mr. Jacobson said.

“It’s a meeting point for a lot of our seniors. And there’s no easy transportation to the Keswick branch. So, it’s important for the community.”

Chris, a TD customer and long time resident of Sutton, is also happy about the news.

“I like to have a branch. If I have a question, I’ll pop in, rather than doing an email back and forth, that’s extremely impersonal,” Chris said.

“I may be old school, but I feel secure dealing with a person instead of a machine.”

The extended branch closure had Joanne Woods, from Pefferlaw, upset enough to consider switching banks.

“Where am I supposed to go to the bank? Keswick is too far away. It’s ridiculous they closed the branch. I’m just fed up with the whole thing.”

Rob, from Sutton, agreed. “I don’t like the idea of closing the branch here. I have to go all the way to Keswick to go to TD. It’s a major inconvenience.”