Summerside's War Effort During WWII

Canada's ten chartered banks played an important role during wartime. A Bank of Nova Scotia ad in 1943 claimed, "The work of the banks in this country is intimately tied into Canada's war program." In addition to their regular duties banks managed war bond and certificate sales, handled redeemed ration coupons, and cashed cheques for members of the armed forces, among other war-related work.

Across Canada more than 7000 of the bank's male employees joined the military or were transferred to government positions. Many women became bank tellers during the war.

In Summerside there were four banks - the Bank of Nova Scotia, the Bank of Commerce, the Provincial Bank of Canada, and the Royal Bank. The national offices of the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Royal Bank, through its branches, placed numerous ads in the local papers to promote war savings, to give information about their institutions, or as a public service of wartime information. In addition there were frequent ads in the press sponsored by The Chartered Banks of Canada to educate citizens about the security and confidentiality of their institutions.