The Canadian bank, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), is offering a new package ("Snowbird Package") of banking products and services aimed at its Canadian customers who spend their winters in the United States, particularly in the sunshine State of Florida.

The size of this "snowbird" population, composed mainly of seniors, who migrate from Canada during the winter, is estimated to be approximately 1.5 million, of whom 800,000 go to Florida. The Snowbird Package encompasses current accounts at special rates, mortgage loans, travel insurance and discounts on foreign exchange. RBC has been established in the United States for two years. The Canadian bank purchased in June 2001 Centura Banks in North Carolina, where it operates under the name of RBC Centura Bank, and then acquired two small banks in the south-east of the USA (Florida and Georgia) as well as the Provident Financial Group's branch network in Florida. With the Snowbird Package, Canadian customers can open a current account at any branch of the RBC Centura Bank network and obtain a credit card and an ATM card in US dollars.

Other benefits also include a rapid cash transfer system (same day) between their Canadian and American accounts, as well as medical insurance which is valid abroad, in this case in the United States.