A computer problem at the Royal Bank potentially affected millions of customers and led the bank to issue an apology.

"We recognize this has caused not only our own clients but also clients of some other institutions considerable inconvenience and for this we sincerely apologize," Rod Pennycook, executive vice-president of the bank, said in a statement Wednesday.

Deposits, withdrawals and payments made on Monday and Tuesday may not have been recorded in customers' accounts because a computer programming update caused a problem.




Up to 6,000 public servants in Newfoundland and Labrador didn't get paid Tuesday night because of the problem. The Royal, the provincial government's bank, was not able to make direct deposits into their accounts.

The problem should be fixed Wednesday night, Finance Minister Loyola Sullivan said.

On Wednesday afternoon, the bank said it has checked and updated transactions from Monday, and expected to have Tuesday's information reflected in accounts by Thursday morning.

The Royal said it will reverse any of its own service fees or overdraft interest charges resulting from the computer problem and will refund any fees or charges levied by other financial institutions.

"Other reasonable costs incurred as a result of this delay will be handled on an individual basis," the bank said in a statement.

Pennycook said customers' money is safe and secure.