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Single ECB transition - FAQs

On November 1, 2024, consumers of all Canadian banks will be able escalate any complaints that they have not been able to resolve with their bank to OBSI for an independent investigation and resolution.

This is a change from the current system in which there are two external complaint bodies (ECBs) – OBSI and ADRBO.

Currently five Canadian banks use ADRBO as their ECB (Royal Bank of Canada, TD Bank, Scotiabank, National Bank of Canada, and Tangerine Bank). Customers of these banks will have the ability to escalate their complaints to ADRBO until October 31, 2024 and to OBSI beginning on November 1, 2024.

ADRBO has the mandate to review complaints where the ADRBO Consent Letter is received by them from the consumer by 11:59 pm EDT on October 31, 2024. OBSI has the mandate to review complaints where the OBSI Consent Letter is received by them from the consumer on or after November 1, 2024.

The Consent Letter is a standard document that consumers sign to allow an ECB to begin investigating their complaint. In this letter, the consumer gives their permission for the ECB to exchange information about them and their complaint with the bank involved and ensures that the consumer using the service has important information about the ECB process. 

In 2022, the Canadian government announced that Canada would be moving from a multiple-ECB system to a single-ECB system for banking complaints. In early 2023, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada conducted an open and transparent application process to identify the single ECB. In October 2023, the federal government announced the designation of OBSI to be the sole ECB for Canadian banks effective November 1, 2024. 

The move to a single ECB addresses findings from FCAC’s 2020 report on the Operations of External Complaints Bodies, which found that Canada's multiple-ECB model introduced inefficiencies and complexities and was not consistent with international standards. 

OBSI is a government-approved ECB that provides financial dispute resolution services to over 1500 participating financial services firms and their customers. OBSI has been providing services to Canadian bank consumers since 1996 and serves over 120 Canadian banks and credit unions and their customers. 

ADRBO is a government-approved ECB that has been providing services to Canadian bank consumers since 2009. ADRBO provides these services to five Canadian banks and their customers. They have extensive information on their website at www.bankingombuds.ca. 

Currently, five Canadian banks use ADRBO as their ECB (Royal Bank of Canada, TD Bank, Scotiabank, National Bank of Canada, and Tangerine Bank). Customers of these banks will have the ability to escalate their complaints to ADRBO until October 31 and to OBSI beginning on November 1.

Digital Commerce Bank was previously a member of ADRBO but is now a member of OBSI and all escalated complaints from Digital Commerce Bank customers now need to go to OBSI. 

In announcing the transition, the government provided banks over a year to prepare. Banks have used this time to develop and implement transition plans in consultation with ADRBO and OBSI and they have worked with FCAC to ensure appropriate oversight and coordination of the transition. 

In announcing the transition, the government provided ECBs over a year to prepare. OBSI has invested significant resources in developing operational efficiencies, system and process improvements, and workforce growth to ensure that it will be ready to meet the needs of all consumers and Canadian banks following the transition.

ADRBO is committed to serving the needs of consumers who reach out to it for assistance prior to November 1 and to completing all open investigations efficiently and thoroughly.

Both ECBs have worked with FCAC to ensure appropriate oversight and coordination of the transition. 

FCAC has worked with OBSI, ADRBO, and all transitioning banks to develop an operational transition plan for all impacted stakeholders. This plan ensures that the transition will proceed in an orderly way and has three key objectives:

  1. That OBSI will be fully operational and capable of managing the intake and investigation of all escalated complaints of all Canadian banks within the timeframes established in the Bank Act.
  2. That all Canadian banks have appropriate systems and communications in place to support their customers’ ability to escalate to OBSI.
  3. That consumers who escalate complaints during the transition period are treated fairly.

FCAC is also working individually with each organization to ensure appropriate preparation for the transition. 

You can escalate your complaint to an ECB for an independent review right away if you have a final response letter from your bank or if 56 days have passed since you complained to your bank.

You have up to 180 days from the date you received the final response letter from your bank to escalate your complaint.

If you escalate your complaint before November 1, 2024, you can only escalate it to ADRBO. If you escalate your complaint on or after November 1, you can only escalate it to OBSI.

OBSI will open any complaint that is within its mandate that is escalated to it on or after November 1, 2024 unless the consumer has already escalated their complaint to ADRBO and signed the ADRBO Consent Letter. 

ADRBO will be able to review any complaint where they have received a signed Consent Letter from the consumer by 11:59 pm EDT on October 31, 2024. 

ADRBO is committed to completing the investigation and resolution of any complaints escalated to it before November 1, 2024. 

No. The ECB process is entirely voluntary, so you can withdraw from the ADRBO process any time. However, if you have started your complaint escalation at ADRBO, you will be expected to complete it at ADRBO and you will not be eligible to reopen it at OBSI after November 1, 2024. 

If you escalate your complaint before November 1, 2024, you can only escalate it to ADRBO. If you escalate your complaint on or after November 1, you can only escalate it to OBSI.

However, because you have up to 180 days from the time you received the final response letter from your bank to escalate your complaint, you have the option to escalate now to ADRBO or wait until November 1 to escalate to OBSI.

Both ADRBO and OBSI are government-approved organizations that specialize in bank consumer dispute resolution. You can escalate to ADRBO now or you may choose to wait and escalate to OBSI on or after November 1, as long as you do so within 180 days of receiving the final response letter from your bank. 

No, you should raise any complaint with your bank as soon as you become aware of the problem and use any available internal escalation options to work with your bank toward resolution of your complaint.

ECBs will only consider your complaint if you and your bank have been unable to resolve the issue to your satisfaction first. 

You cannot open your complaint with us before November 1. If you wish to escalate your complaint to an ECB before November 1, you must escalate it to ADRBO and complete the process with them.

If you prefer to have OBSI consider your complaint, you can escalate it with us on or after November 1, as long as you do so within 180 days of the date of your bank’s final response letter. 

No. We do not have the mandate to gather information or process any complaints for non-participating banks or their customers prior to November 1. You have the option to escalate your complaint to ADRBO immediately or to contact us again on or after November 1, but remember that you must escalate your complaint within 180 days of the final response letter from your bank.

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