INTEGRIS CREDIT UNION ANNOUNCES EXPANSION INTO MCBRIDE
Prince George, BC [Lheidli T’enneh] – Integris Credit Union is pleased to announce that following seven months of research, market analysis, financial projections, and community engagement, the Board of Directors has approved management’s business case to expand physical banking services to the Robson Valley in the Village of McBride.
In November 2023, the only financial institution in McBride announced the closure of its community branch planned for the fall of 2024. Almost immediately, residents of McBride reached out to Integris, asking for consideration for a local physical branch. As a result of the announced closure, and requests from the community, our Chief Executive Officer formed a McBride Business Case Working Group, to research, provide analysis, engage with community, assess viability, and provide a recommendation for the Board’s consideration.
On July 31, our Board of Directors approved the working group’s recommendation to proceed with expansion into the McBride community, with conditions. In today’s world, where many financial services are moving to digital channels, opening a physical bricks and mortar location is not the norm. For this expansion to be successful, partnership with the community is of the utmost importance.
Moving forward, we will be partnering with community to secure a suitable space for a physical location. We will be setting clear expectations regarding minimum deposit balances required to support a viable branch, and the timelines within which the balances need to be achieved. We will be reporting back to the community to provide progress updates at 3-month intervals. We will be working with the community to create a long-term premises strategy. Finally, we will share options to the community of how they can partner in the launch and success of the community branch.
From the onset of this project, Integris has committed to providing a response to McBride following our July board meeting. We’re pleased to have achieved that objective. We anticipate there will be many questions about the logistics – the when’s and where’s – of the project and we’re excited to kick-off our project team so we can answer those important questions as soon as possible.
On behalf of the Integris team, we want to say a big thank you to our members and future members for their continued support and business. Additionally, we are humbled and awed at the strong showing from the McBride community – they came out and made this decision much easier for our Board. There is still much work to be done and we are excited for the opportunity ahead of us.
In June of last year, Integris announced the acquisition of Advantage Insurance in McBride and welcomed the Advantage staff to our team. We have been serving the community over the last year, providing insurance services, and are excited to expand this to a full service financial offering in the McBride community. More on McBride Insurance can be found here.
Quotes:
“We are thrilled to announce that Integris is building a partnership with the Community of McBride to deliver in-community banking services. As a financial cooperative, we recognize that physical access to financial services is a cornerstone to economic and business viability; that reality is no different in small and remote communities. What is different, however, is how we have to work, in partnership, to make that physical community infrastructure possible. At Integris, we are committed to working together to meet those needs. Our mission is to partner in your financial wellness to fulfill dreams and grow community. What better way to show this then by showing up IN community. We look forward to building a lasting relationship and contributing to the community’s growth and prosperity. We are from here, all in, for you.” – Alison Hoskins, CEO
“The decision to expand our presence in McBride is rooted in our core values of collaboration and empowerment. We recognize the need for dependable banking options and are excited to partner with the community to offer financial services using a grassroots approach that meets the needs of the McBride residents and is reflective of the true cooperative principles of Credit Unions. Our Board firmly believes that this expansion will not only support the community’s immediate needs but also contribute to its long-term economic health and development.” – Alex Goseltine, Board Chair
About Integris Credit Union Integris Credit Union respectfully acknowledges that we operate on beautiful and unceded Dakelh and Secwepemc Territories. Integris is a financial cooperative with $1.8 billion in assets under administration, offering banking, insurance (including ICBC Autoplan), Financial Planning, and Group Benefits to over 27,000 members in the North Central BC region. As a living wage employer, Integris continues to be a leader and community enriching organization.
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MEDIA INQUIRIES
Lisa Clement
lclement@integriscu.ca
250-612-3549
