Some $200 Ontario rebate cheques fail to clear, RBC apologizes for inconvenience

RBC headquarters in the financial district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Photographer: Chloe Ellingson/Bloomberg (Chloe Ellingson/Bloomberg)

The $200 rebate cheques mailed by the Ontario government failed to clear for some RBC customers, but the bank says the issue has been resolved.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience it’s caused,” the bank said in a statement issued to CTV News Toronto on Wednesday.

RBC said, “on very rare occasions,” its authentication protocols may result in cheques being returned, when they should have been processed, which is what happened in this case with a “handful” of rebates.

The cheques, which the province has billed as a way to help Ontario taxpayers navigate the high cost of living, started landing in mailboxes on Jan. 17.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Ministry of Finance said it was aware of the “printing issue” that led to some rebates not clearing and that less than .002 per cent of the seven million cheques mailed so far were affected.

“We understand RBC has taken immediate action to credit any accounts affected and ensure that any associated charges are also reimbursed,” the ministry said.

RBC confirmed that impacted customers have now received their $200 and any fees associated with cheques not clearing have been credited.

Terry Sauriol said he deposited his cheque at an RBC branch in Wawa, Ont., north of Sault Ste. Marie, earlier this week and said the bank held half of his funds.

“[The teller] informed me that I could only get $100 of it and the remaining $100 would be on hold for four days,” he said in an email to CTV News Toronto.

Sauriol said that the remaining $100 of his rebate is still frozen.

“Like most others, I had plans for the money and had no other options but to agree and walked out of the Royal Bank with only half of my $200 rebate.”

Some TD Bank customers also experienced a similar issue.

“I have never ever had a problem depositing any cheque. This is a first and is coming at a really difficult time,” Sarah Susnar, of Peterborough, Ont., told CTV News Toronto after her cheque failed to clear. “To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.”

A spokesperson for TD Bank told CTV News Toronto that it was aware of a “small subset” of customers that had been impacted. However, they said, those customers have since been credited.

The cheques, announced by Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford back in October, will go to an estimated 12.5 million Ontario taxpayers and cost the government roughly $3 billion.

Anyone over the age of 18 who filed their 2023 tax return, and wasn’t incarcerated or bankrupt in 2024, is eligible for the rebate. Recipients will also receive $200 for each child under the age of 18.

The rebate is not means tested, meaning anyone who qualifies for the cheque will receive it, regardless of their salary.

In the fall, Ford rebuffed accusations from opposition parties that the cheques were a “gimmick” as speculation of an early election grew.

On Tuesday, Ford visited Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont and asked her to dissolve parliament and trigger a snap election. Dumont accepted the request and Ontarians will held to the polls on Feb. 27.

Did your cheque fail to clear? Share your story by emailing us at [e-mail] with your name, general location and phone number in case we want to follow up. Your comments may be used in a CTV News Toronto story.