Who we are and how we do it

First West is one of Canada’s leading financial co-operatives. Our vision is to simplify lives and help our members and communities thrive. We create real value for our members through tailored service, relevant day-to-day banking products and commitment to innovative technology solutions.

The power of local

We believe financial service is best when it’s local. Our local-market approach helps us provide service and advice that reflects local economies while meeting the needs of those who live, work and play in our communities.

Through our locally known brands—Envision Financial, Valley First, Enderby & District Financial and Island Savings—we provide  personalized, expert advice, innovative financial products and tools, and local, common-sense decision making to more than 240,000 British Columbians.

Future innovation

Life isn’t static and neither are the financial needs of our members. That’s why we invest heavily in re-imagining the banking experience and creating new ways to serve British Columbians through innovation and technology. Whether it’s improving our online accessibility, introducing new product options or streamlining internal processes for better advisory service in our branches—we’re doing things differently to create remarkable experiences.

Stability & Diversification

Our geographic reach—spanning Southern B.C.—decreases economic risks and increases resiliency. Diversified revenue streams also give us greater income stability through insurance, automotive financing, wealth services and subordinated commercial debt lines of business.

Savings & Efficiency

First West’s size and strength allows us to work more efficiently and save on operational costs. We benefit from a backoffice of talented business professionals who support our local brands with expertise in Lean and continuous improvement, finance and accounting, brand and marketing, business intelligence, communications, human resources, information technology and more.

Leadership

We develop leaders of character and ability who positively affect the lives of others in our organization, communities and world. It’s about being bold enough to engage others in the vision and humble enough to recognize achieving it will take the efforts of many people. From sharing knowledge in our communities to mentoring and coaching the next generation, we support each other in leading with courage to create change for the better.

Succeed together

Partnership is second nature to us at First West. As a financial co-operative, we believe in the spirit of working together to make great things happen. We have a long history of collaborating to bring value to our members, the credit union system and the financial services marketplace.