Pros
The bank is great for newcomers as it has a large footprint outside of Canada and thus favors language skills (Spanish in particular). Also being one of the worst paying banks, it's easier to hire qualified immigrants (but with no Canadian experience) since it's tough (money wise) to steal from the competitors. Benefits are good - 4 weeks of vacation for level 8, 3 personal days, 5 sick days, an okay insurance coverage. Good work/life balance, most people work from 8:30 to 5 pm and are not expected to work after hours. From level 9 (director) up things are slightly different. Lots of women in leadership position
Cons
Scotia is massive with lots of different areas. Expect to encounter different cultures within different areas of the bank. Lots of gossip, and unfortunately some senior management incentivise that, by asking around people's opinions on their peers! Pace is slow, very slow. Overall the bank is very risk avoider, so decision making is hard and lengthy. Progressing in the career is also though. Ambition is not really expected and though there are tons of jobs posted daily, applying online doesn't really get you anywhere, so you need to do a lot of networking and get a direct referral / introduction to the job poster. Pay is worse than other banks. Base bonus for level 8 is 12% (the actual can be more dependent on performance).