Amaranth Integration
We are excited to announce that our systems have successfully integrated!
What's next for Amaranth CU members?
What You Need to Know
Our Amaranth branch has been preparing for this integration for months, and we are thankful to all of our members for their patience. As an Access CU member, you can now visit any of our branches across Manitoba and get the same excellent service you are used to. If you have any questions or concerns, our Member Solutions Centre is available at 1.800.264.2926 or you can chat online with us at accesscu.ca.
Member Number
You were given a new Access CU member number which was mailed out before June 9. This member number is unique to you and will be used to log in to telephone banking.
Telephone Banking
- Access telephone banking by calling 204.949.1048 (Winnipeg) or Toll-free at 1.877.835.7378.
- Log in with your member number and your password, which is the last four digits of your SIN.
- We encourage you to change your temporary PIN after your first login.
- The telephone banking menu will change, please listen to all menu options carefully.
Online Banking
Our in branch staff are collecting phone numbers and email addresses to assist with onboarding members to our online banking platform. If you are interested in using online banking, please be prepared to update that information.
New Username Requirements:
- Alphanumeric: can include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and/or the underscore and period (_ .) special characters
- Minimum of 5 characters, maximum of 35 characters
- Cannot use the debit card number
- Cannot use an email address
- Must be unique (does not already exist for another user)
Strong Password (PAC) Requirements:
- 10-35 characters
- 1 uppercase letter
- 1 lowercase letter
- 1 number
- 1 optional symbol
- You can order cheques directly from the Amaranth branch or via our Member Solutions Centre after integration.
- Your banking history will not carry over to the new online banking experience. If you require a copy for your records, we recommend printing your statements from the Amaranth online banking platform prior to June 9.
* Visit accesscu.ca/digital for tutorials, tips and tricks, and a full list of features and benefits.
Legacy Amaranth members an app to log in to mobile banking. Please download the new Access CU app:
Business members can enjoy the following benefits:
- Consolidated accounts
- Online dual signature access for businesses with dual-signing authority
- Increased e-Transfer limits
- Higher remote deposit limits for business members
For more information, visit accesscu.ca/en/business.
Statements
Your banking statements will change to a new look and have additional information on them.
- The information presented on your statement will be inclusive of all accounts in which you have an ownership role, including any joint accounts you may be a part of.
You will continue to receive your statement on a month-end cycle. Final statement schedule:
- June 1 – 9 (Last current statement)
- June 10 – 30 (Your new Access-branded statement)
Statement delivery options:
- If you currently use online banking you will receive e-statements. If you require paper statements, please visit the Amaranth branch.
- If you currently have all of your statements set to receive a printed statement and do not have access to online banking, your statement will continue to be mailed to your home every month.
ATM/POS Transactions
You will have no access to debit card POS transactions and ATM withdrawals using your Amaranth debit card after 2:00 p.m. CDT on Friday, June 9. After 5:00 pm CDT on Sunday, June 11, you must use your new Access debit card that you received in the mail, the Amaranth debit card will no longer be in service.
Remember to:
- Take out cash and/or ensure there is a limit available on credit cards to pay for transactions in case of service interruptions.
- Complete any in-branch banking early to avoid delays.
- Be conscious of when you need to make the switch to your new Access debit card.
T5 Issuing
You may receive two T5s for the 2023 tax year; one from the legacy Amaranth banking system, and one from Access Credit Union.
It is your responsibility to claim all interest earned regardless of whether or not a T5 is generated. Please reference your member statement(s) to verify the amount of interest earned.
NOTE: A T5 is only generated if the Tax Registered Owner earns more than $50 worth of interest across one or more savings accounts, or a term deposit account.
Account Fees
Regular account fees will be in effect from June 10, 2023, onward and will be charged on the last day of each month.
Cheques
- Your Amaranth cheques will continue to clear.
- You can order cheques directly from the Amaranth branch or call the Member Solutions Centre after integration.
- Amaranth cheque images will not display on statements or digital banking after June 9.
- If you require cheque images to be viewable on your statements post-integration, contact the Amaranth branch for an order of 50 free replacement cheques.
Accounts, Fees, Rates & Products
What happens to my existing accounts?
Accounts will remain status quo until the banking system integration project takes place. All existing accounts from Amaranth Credit Union will move forward, safely and securely.
*Disclaimer: If you have an incompatible account for your membership type, you will receive a letter that details the exception to the account mapping grid. Ie. personal members must have personal accounts, business members must have business accounts.
What if I have an account at Access already? What will happen to my accounts?
Accounts will remain status quo until the banking system integration project takes place. At that time, all of your accounts, regardless of the incumbent credit union, will transition to the Access banking system as part of our technical integration process. As we work through that integration process, we will provide members with updates informing them of any changes to their account, what their options are at Access, and how accounts will be accessed.
What will change with my registered products?
The following information is only relevant if you hold a registered plan contract (RRSP/RRIF). Please note the revised fee for transferring funds out from registered products to other financial institutions after technical integration:
-
- Current Amaranth fee: $25
- Access fee, effective June 11, 2023: $75
Operations & Service
On January 1st, will I be able to go into any Access to do my banking transactions?
Until our banking system is aligned, we encourage Amaranth members to conduct their banking at their home branch or via ATM at any one of our Access branches. See our full list of branches here.
Which contact centre do I call for assistance after January 1st?
Our teams are currently working on integrating our phone systems and processes to best serve our combined membership. Until this integration takes place, please continue to contact Amaranth Credit Union at 204-843-2601 the way you did previously.
Will the branch close or hours change?
Your branch hours will continue as they are today unless otherwise specified. Access Credit Union also has the added convenience of an online chat feature, call centre (available Saturdays), Mobile Mortgage Specialist, and electronic document signing to make transactions even easier
If any changes occur to our branch network, service centres, or head office locations, communication will be distributed to our members.
How would the merger affect the personalized service I’ve come to enjoy at Amaranth?
Both Access and Amaranth are member-focused credit unions. The same exceptional service you are provided today by employees in your branch would not change. With the merger, you would also benefit from a more extensive and convenient branch network of both urban and rural locations. With increased resources, we would be able to provide more employee training opportunities and service support to our Member Service Representative team.
How do I access my online and mobile banking?
Please continue to bank using the Amaranth Credit Union website until June 9. Additional information regarding the new Access online and mobile banking experience will follow.
How do I access telephone banking?
Members can continue to use telephone banking as they do today until June 9. Additional information regarding the Access telephone banking experience will follow.
Comparison
| What stayed the same after June 9? |
What will change after June 9? |
| Direct deposits, pre-authorized debits, cheques and scheduled bill payments will continue to process as expected. | Member numbers and account numbers will change. |
| Monthly statement cycle will remain the same. |
The day you receive your statement will change:
|
| Bill payees used in the past 12 months will remain (excludes CRA Business Payments). |
|
| Stop payments put in place prior to the conversion will remain after integration weekend. |
Telephone banking system will change to the Access Credit Union provider and phone number. The telephone banking number is 1.877.835.7378.
|
| You will have access to online banking through our digital banking experience PLUS our Access CU mobile banking app. Find a list of features and tutorials at accesscu.ca/digital. | |
| Support will be accessed via our Members Solutions Centre at 1.800.264.2926. |