Wed Sep 01, 2010 3:14 pm
Is there a reason you are looking at brick-and-mortar banks?
I have been using online banking since moving to the US 8 years ago. I use TD Waterhouse Bank for chequing, but that was because I had a TD Canada Trust account and so I was able to get an account with TD Waterhouse with just my SIN ... and that was because it took me 6 months to get my SSN (long and painful story).
Now that I think of it -- TD Waterhouse Bank renamed itself or was spun off or something. Or maybe that is the new name. I can check my statements when I get home if you are interested.
I also opened up an ING account that I use for savings and mortgage. Their mortgage rates were far, far better than anything I found at a brick-and-mortar bank and their closing fees were relatively low, like $500. I would use them for chequing as well except they don't issue "normal" cheques, only electronic ones.