Credit unions in Canada

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Credit unions are called caisses populaires in French-speaking communities of Canada. This one is located in Shediac, New Brunswick

Canada has significant per-capita membership in credit unions, representing more than a third of the working-age population.[1] Credit union membership is largest in Quebec, where they are known as caisses populaires (people's banks), and in western Canada.[2]

Legislation[]

Responsibility for the incorporation and regulation of credit unions resides primarily at the provincial and territorial level in Canada. Credit union legislation exists in every province of Canada but does not currently exist in the three northern territories. Credit unions and caisses populaires operate in every province of Canada. In Quebec, caisses populaires are required to be formally federated with the Caisses Populaires Desjardins.

Federally regulated credit unions[]

Legislation was adopted under the federal Bank Act in 2012 to allow for the creation of federal credit unions. On July 1, 2016, the Caisse populaire acadienne ltée (later rebranded as UNI Financial Cooperation), with its 155,000 members, became the first federal credit union in Canada.[3] Coast Capital Savings announced the approval from OSFI to become the second federally regulated credit union in Canada beginning on November 1, 2018, the first federal credit union based in British Columbia.[4]

Credit Union Founded Federally Expanded
UNI Financial Cooperation 1946 2016
Coast Capital Savings 1940 2018

Provincially regulated credit unions[]

As of September 30, 2014, there were 696 credit unions or caisses populaires operating in Canada.[5]

Outside Quebec[]

As of December 31, 2017, there were 286 independently operated credit unions and caisses populaires operating in the nine provinces outside of Quebec holding combined consolidated assets of $223.7 billion CAD.[6]

The largest of these include Vancity, Coast Capital Savings, Meridian Credit Union, Servus Credit Union, First West Credit Union, Alterna Savings and Credit Union Limited, Conexus Credit Union, Affinity Credit Union, Steinbach Credit Union, and Assiniboine Credit Union.

272 of these credit unions and caisses populaires were affiliated through a provincial or regional credit union central to Canadian Credit Union Association, the national trade association. These credit unions operated 1,746 branches across the country with 5.3 million members and $216.3 billion in assets.[7]

Within Quebec[]

Within Quebec there are 344 caisses that are formally federated with the Caisses Populaires Desjardins as of September 30, 2014.[8]

In 2012, Desjardins served nearly 5.6 million members from 897 locations, with $196.7 billion in assets.[9]

Insurance[]

Most credit unions in Canada are incorporated provincially and are insured by provincially established institutions.

Federally-incorporated credit unions are insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation.[11]

Credit union firsts in Canada[]

Credit unions have a history of innovation in Canadian financial services. Here are some of the products and services that credit unions were first to market:[12]

  • First financial institutions to lend to women in their own names (in the 1960s)
  • First to offer daily interest savings
  • First full-service ABMs
  • First fully functional online banking
  • First loans based on borrower character
  • First payroll deduction service for deposits and loan payments
  • First open mortgages
  • First home equity lines of credit
  • First debit card service.
  • First registered education plans.
  • First cheque imaging service
  • First mobile branch with ATM for servicing small communities[13]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ World Council of Credit Unions, 2018 Statistical Report
  2. ^ Desjardins: a model for the rest of Canada? (Quebec's Desjardins caisses populaires). Canadian Banker. 1 Jan. 1999.
  3. ^ http://www.fin.gc.ca/n16/16-086-eng.asp
  4. ^ Savings, Coast Capital. "Coast Capital Savings approved to become B.C.'s first federal credit union". www.coastcapitalsavings.com. Retrieved 2021-12-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Credit Union Central of Canada. "System Results: National System Review, Third Quarter, 2014" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  6. ^ https://www.ccua.com/~/media/CCUA/About/facts_and_figures/documents/Largest%20100%20Credit%20Unions/top100-4Q17_12-Apr-18.pdf
  7. ^ https://www.ccua.com/~/media/CCUA/About/facts_and_figures/documents/Quarterly%20National%20System%20Results/4Q17SystemResults_14-Mar-18.pdf
  8. ^ Credit Union Central of Canada. "System Results: National System Review, Third Quarter, 2014" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  9. ^ "2012 Desjardins Group Annual Report" (PDF). Desjardins Group. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Deposit Insurance and Credit Unions". Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  11. ^ "Federal credit unions (FCUs)". Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation. Retrieved September 7, 2017. Once continued federally, FCUs become members of CDIC. As such, eligible deposits placed with an FCU enjoy CDIC deposit protection.
  12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-05-07. Retrieved 2013-05-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "Innovation Credit Union wins marketing award". Battlefords News-Optimist. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
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