Vancity

The story of Vancity began in 1946, born not from a desire for profit, but from a need for inclusion. In a time when ordinary citizens in Vancouver struggled to access loans and financial services from traditional banks, 14 visionary residents came together with a radical idea: a financial cooperative owned by the very people it served. Starting with just $22 in assets, they opened the first branch, determined to provide a banking alternative that prioritized the well-being of its members and the community over shareholder returns. This humble beginning marked the start of a financial revolution in British Columbia, one that would see the credit union grow from a small neighborhood initiative into a powerful force for social and economic change.

Over the decades, Vancity has consistently challenged the status quo of the financial industry. They were the first financial institution in Canada to offer mortgages to women without a male co-signer, a groundbreaking move that empowered countless women to achieve financial independence. As they expanded, so did their commitment to values-based banking. They pioneered the first socially responsible mutual fund in the country and became the first carbon-neutral financial institution in North America. Today, Vancity stands as Canada's largest community credit union, managing billions in assets while remaining true to its cooperative roots. Their journey has evolved from a single open-bond credit union to a leader in the global movement for sustainable finance, proving that banking can be a tool for creating a cleaner, fairer, and more equitable world for everyone.