Update on the Interac Outage Across Canada – November 2, 2024
Earlier today, the Interac network in Canada experienced an extensive outage, leading to significant delays in e-transfers. The disruption, which began in the early hours of November 1, left users unable to complete transactions and sparked a wave of complaints on social media. This downtime was especially problematic for renters, as the first of the month is when most Canadians’ rent payments are due.
Impact of the Interac Outage
The outage affected a range of financial transactions, especially rent payments. Canadian fintech platform Chexy, which helps renters pay using debit or credit cards to earn rewards, noted that many of its users faced challenges sending rent payments due to the Interac issue. Chexy issued a statement earlier in the day, saying, “We have received reports from Interac regarding a national Interac outage affecting some e-transfers, including rent payments. Our team is monitoring the situation closely, and we are working with Interac to restore full service.”
Frustrated customers took to X (formerly Twitter) to express concerns about missed rent payments, tagging both Interac and Canadian government officials, calling for immediate attention to prevent late fees or potential evictions.
Interac’s Response and Resolution
In response to customer concerns, Interac initially provided few details about the outage, only replying directly to a handful of inquiries. By mid-afternoon, their official account acknowledged the issue, stating, “We understand that some users are experiencing delays with the Interac e-Transfer Service. We are working to address this issue.”
By 8:18 p.m. PT, an Interac spokesperson confirmed to iPhone in Canada that the issue had been resolved, stating: “We can confirm that the delays experienced earlier on the Interac e-Transfer Service have been resolved and the Service response times have returned to normal for new transactions. Earlier transactions that experienced delays will be cleared up shortly.”
What You Need to Know
- Service Status: New e-transfers should now process without delay, with backlogged transactions clearing shortly.
- Alternative Payment Methods: As the service stabilizes, users are encouraged to verify if pending transactions have processed before attempting alternative payment methods.
- Chexy and Fintech Platforms: Chexy and other financial platforms relying on Interac expect operations to return to normal and continue to monitor the situation closely.
For those who experienced delays and missed payments, keeping proof of the outage could be helpful if any issues arise with landlords or vendors.
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