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Community leadership and investment
At Vancity, we’re serious about making sure our actions match our words.
We strive to ensure our mission, purpose and values are reflected both in the
choices we offer our existing members, and in our efforts to empower organizations
and members of our community who don’t have financial security.
That kind of thinking is in our DNA, and probably explains why Vancity was
the first financial institution to offer mortgages east of Vancouver’s
Cambie Street in 1946, when the east side of town was considered “too
risky” for regular banks.
Today, we strive to set the highest standard for investing by providing investment
choices that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible. Vancity
led the way in when we created the Ethical Growth Fund in 1986, Canada’s
first socially responsible mutual fund, now part of Ethical
Funds. Today, our Circadian
Mutual Funds, our ethical investing opportunities and our Shared
Growth term deposits continue to break new ground.
But Vancity also works to help those of limited means access financial services.
We work to help marginalized and low-income members access financial services
through partnerships with organizations like Family
Services of Greater Vancouver and Immigrant
Services Society. And, our groundbreaking partnership with the Portland
Hotel Society (PHS) Community Services Society to found Pigeon Park Savings
offers financial services to income assistance recipients in the Vancouver’s
Downtown Eastside – our neediest members of the community.
