(August 16 – 14:50 ET) – CIBC says it will invest approximately $12 million and hire up to 500 people to open a new telephone banking call centre in Fredericton.
“Telephone banking is one of our fastest growing businesses and is creating thousands of new employment opportunities across the country,” said CIBC Chairman John Hunkin in as statement. “The growth of telephone banking is just one example of how the Canadian financial services industry is being transformed by our customers’ desire for access to fast, convenient banking service, wherever and whenever they choose.”
Hunkin said the decision to locate the centre in New Brunswick reflects the province’s attractiveness as a place to invest in this type of facility. “We need staff with a variety of linguistic capabilities at our telephone banking centres to assist customers across the country,” he said. “The province is a natural place to set up our new Customer Contact Centre, because it has a large, educated workforce with the appropriate language skills.”
The Fredericton facility will service CIBC customers from across the country. CIBC’s network of call centres includes operations in Halifax, Regina and Toronto.
Construction on a temporary facility located in the city will begin immediately with an expected completion date of December 2000. A new permanent facility will be also be built and ready by late spring 2001. CIBC will begin advertising employment opportunities in early September 2000.
-IE Staff