PC Financial is Hassling Newly Married Women - Part 2

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Richard from PC Financial's Customer Care called this morning while I was out. I am currently waiting for him to return my call...

After speaking with FCAC, and learning that their requirements only apply to opening a bank account, not changing an existing account, I'm considering alternative possibilities...

My biggest problem with PC Financial requiring an updated photo ID is that it will cost me ~$100 to update my Passport (which is valid for 5 more years), or write my G1 again (yeah, I never did my G2 test, and my G1 has since expired... the bus is my friend). I am not eligible for any other type of Photo ID. Once again, I feel the need to express my annoyance that Ontario does not have a Provincial Identification Card for those who do not drive. I'm also not a fan of mailing off said ID to some office in the middle of whoknowswhere. [Update: PC Financial's Customer Care Representative, Richard, corrected me -- that is not company policy. Photocopies of your Marriage Certificate, and 2 supporting IDs are mailed off NOT the originals.]

PC Financial needs to change their policy.


For those women who are in the same boat as I am, there seems to be only one solution. Lodge a formal complaint to their Customer Care section, and then cancel your account. Maybe PC Financial will get the hit if droves of newly married women take away their money.

The other option (after lodging a formal complaint, of course), is to create a new account. Since, by law, you are not required to show photo ID to open an account, you can use updated ID which is free and easy to change.

SIN Card -- requires your marriage certificate and your birth certificate (both original). If you apply in person at your local Canada Service Centre, you will receive your new card in the mail 5-10 business days later.

Credit Card -- requires a faxed copy of your marriage certificate and a letter outlining your desire to change your name. It could take up to 6 weeks for your request to be processed and a new card mailed to you, so if your want your PC Financial Banking information updated as soon as possible, I would recommend opening a bank account with no monthly charges, such as Laurentian, which you could then use as identification for your application to PC Financial.

Bank Card -- requires your marriage certificate, and 2 pieces of ID from this list, such as your SIN card and a bank/debit card or birth certificate.

So if if my conversation with Richard this afternoon doesn't go well, I'll have to head over to the Service Canada Centre at Lincoln Heights Galleria down the street, and then bus over to 1021 Cyrville Road to open a bank account with Laurentian. From there, I can use my new SIN card (in 5-10 business days) combined with my Laurentian bank account (opened in my Married name) to open a new PC Financial bank account.

This seems like a rather long work-around for something that is so incredibly easy to do at ANY OTHER BANK.

Continued: PC Financial is Hassling Newly Married Women Part 3