In Atikokan, a township in northwestern Ontario, both TD and CIBC closed their local bank branches last year; only a small RBC branch is left. With no other accessible options, residents are left relying on debit-card cashback and expensive ATM withdrawals. In the past five years, it’s estimated that between 10 and 12 banks have closed in northern Ontario. Though that sounds small, in rural areas, a bank’s closure forces its customers to travel hundreds of kilometres to the next location. (TVO)

Talking point: As online banking grows in popularity, banks have been placing less focus on in-person services; in 2016, more than two-thirds of Canadians banked primarily online or on their phones. For vulnerable groups in the north—including women and seniors—the impacts can be severe. Though Canada has better overall rates of financial inclusion than other countries, it isn’t clear how many Canadians are under-serviced—a report from 2013 says it could be 15 per cent of the population. More research is needed to determine whether online banking is a viable  option for improving access for some vulnerable populations.