As credit unions work tirelessly to respond to the needs of their communities and members, we are seeing many stepping in to provide financial relief programs and other solutions in response to the crisis. For example, Ladysmith & District Credit Union has immediately made available up to $1,000,000 in Emergency Relief Term Loans for existing members who have been laid off or quarantined as a direct result of COVID-19.  

If you are facing financial challenges, we urge you to contact your credit union to understand how they can support you through this difficult time. Many credit unions have on-line resource centres, providing reliable information and relief for their members. We’ve pulled together a list of their COVID-19 resources:

• Coast Capital
• Coastal Community Credit Union
• Community Savings Credit Union and their Financial support package
• Compensation Employees Credit Union
• Concentra – (mortgage payments)
• East Kootenay Community Credit Union
• Greater Vancouver Community Credit Union
• Grand Forks Credit Union
• Heritage Credit Union, mortgage and loan relief program
• Interior Savings Credit Union
• Island Savings Credit Union
• Kootenay Savings Credit Union
• Ladysmith & District Credit Union
• Mount Lehman Credit Union
• Nelson and District Credit Union, scams related to CUs
• Prospera Credit Union
• Sunshine Coast Credit Union
• Vancity

Please also be especially vigilant in protecting yourself from fraud, especially during these times. Credit unions will never send you unsolicited emails asking for confidential information, such as your password, PIN, access code, credit card, or account numbers. Please do not respond to unsolicited emails, text messages, websites, or popup windows that request this type of information and do not open attachments or click hyperlinks in emails or text messages that are sent by someone you don’t know or recognize. The only time credit unions will ask to verify your identity is when you call them. 

Check out some additional proactive steps you can take to avoid Interac e-Transfer Interception and Online Fraud (both of which are unfortunately on the rise due to COVID-19) from our friend and member, Island Savings Credit Union.