Canadian credit union Vancity is marking its 80th anniversary with a CA$2m investment in people and communities across British Columbia (BC).
The money is being channeled through two initiatives: the Wish & Win Contest, which will award $1m in cash prizes to individuals, and the Impact Challenge Grant, which will provide $1m in funding for innovative affordable housing solutions.
“Our 80th anniversary is a celebration of the members and communities that built Vancity,” said CEO and president Wellington Holbrook. “This $2m commitment reflects who we’ve always been: a financial co-operative that believes when people and communities succeed, we all succeed.”
Through Wish & Win Contest, Vancity will award $1m in cash prizes to 16 winners across BC.
“Open to Vancity members and the public, the contest invites participants to share their wish for the future,” the credit union says. “Whether that means supporting family, pursuing a personal goal, investing in a business idea or taking steps toward greater financial wellbeing, the contest is designed to help people move one step closer to the future they envision”.
Vancity has launched the Impact Challenge Grant in partnership with Spring, which works with impact founders and investors.
The challenge will award $1m across three grants to organisations advancing innovative affordable housing solutions while supporting climate resilience, equity and reconciliation.
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“Affordable housing is one of the most urgent challenges facing BC communities right now, and the positive ripple effect of getting it right is enormous,” said Caroline von Hirschberg, co-CEO of Spring.
“When people have access to safe, stable homes, everything else becomes more possible, from financial resilience to stronger, more connected communities. This challenge is designed to help organizations accelerate solutions that are already making a difference.”
Vancity says the initiatives represent two sides of its co-operative purpose: supporting individual financial wellbeing while helping build stronger communities.
“Over its 80-year history,” it adds, “Vancity has reinvested in members, local businesses, community organizations and initiatives that help create a more inclusive and sustainable future. The anniversary campaign builds on that legacy by putting new resources directly into the hands of people and organizations working to create positive change across the province.”
The anniversary campaign will run through December, with Wish & Win contest winners announced in January 2027 and Impact Challenge Grant recipients recognised later this year.
