COVID-19 remains with us and continues to spread in our communities. The gfcu Board of Directors and Management Team believe strongly that our social responsibility includes providing a safe work environment for our employees and with whom we interact while providing financial services.

As a locally operated financial cooperative, we play a critical role in the delivery of financial services in our community. We know the importance of a strong and healthy community, and we believe that vaccines are the best way to achieve this given the unrelenting state of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On January 14, 2022, gfcu shared this new policy with employees. Key policy highlights include:

• Effective March 14, 2022, all gfcu employees are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a Health Canada approved vaccine. For those employees who are not vaccinated for medical and religious reasons protected under the Human Rights Code, accommodations will be provided.
• Any employees who may be exempt from this policy due to an accommodation under the Human Rights Code will be expected to abide by the conditions agreed to in conjunction to the specific accommodation situation.
• This vaccine requirement is in addition to complying with all public health mandates and is a protective measure to maintain a safe environment for all employees and members.

gfcu’s vaccination policy is an important step in ensuring a safe workplace where we can collaborate with each other in the course of our work, and help our members with their financial needs. The policy will be revisited as circumstances evolve, and employees will be informed of any changes as we navigate the continuing COVID-19 environment.

It is with great enthusiasm that I get to share some positive changes in how gfcu will be conducting business as we move through the COVID-19 Provincial Restart Plan.

As the Province has officially moved into “Stage 3” of its reopening process, at gfcu, we are and will continue to adhere to WorkSafeBC guidelines and recommendations of the Provincial Health Officer. This means that masks remain recommended for anyone 12 years of age or older, who is not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, the discretion to wear a face covering is your own.

Should you need to visit the branch, you will see that we will continue to follow many of the practices we have adopted during the past year. We will maintain our rigorous cleaning protocols and ask members to maintain social distancing while in the branch for banking services. The plexi-barriers will also remain in place for the foreseeable future.

I continue to ask our members to bank from home whenever possible. The fact is that we have seen and heard how these convenient and time-saving banking alternatives have benefitted members. I know that banking remotely is not ideal in all cases, nor is it everyone’s preference, but when it makes sense, I hope you will consider the option.

While we are seeing positive steps forward, even feeling a little excited and relieved to be where we are at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the pandemic remains with us. As always, I thank you in advance for respecting the guidelines that remain in place. Together, we can do our part to support our community and family health, keeping each other safe.

Thank you.

In line with recent Public Health Orders, to reduce the number of people in our branch, we now have multiple staff working from home, and continue to ask our members to bank from home whenever possible.

While our branch remains open, under reduced hours, for necessary in-person service, we will be moving to appointment only meetings with our members. These appointments will primarily happen by video or phone. Teller transactions will not require an appointment, but again, we are only allowing necessary in-person transactions to take place at this time.

Online banking, mobile app banking, and telephone banking are all services that can be accessed 24/7 - allowing you to send money, transfer funds, pay bills, check your balances, see your statements, and do the bulk of your personal banking, right from home. 

For those who need assistance in adjusting to this approach, we are accessible by phone during regular business hours, and can help you make the transition.

To Our Valued Members,

As we eye the closing of what can only be described a most challenging and unforgettable year, at gfcu, we continue to adapt and respond to the pandemic. Simply stated, the way we are all working and doing business has changed. While much of this change has been reactionary, and at times, stressful, we have been able to pull a few positives out along the way.

First and foremost, our goal has always been to meet the full financial need of our members. Balancing this with health and safety has been no easy feat, but our team has done an excellent job. We are continually improving the safety of our workspaces through increased cleaning, plexiglass barriers, social distance markers, and mask requirements for staff, members, and anyone else entering our building.

While the branch remains open, we continue to ask members to bank from home as much as possible.

For years, we’ve been building our online service offerings, and thankfully today, almost all banking can be done successfully from the comfort and safety of home. Beyond our standard online and telephone banking systems, gfcu staff have become experts in supporting members remotely. Be it phone, email, or even video chat, our team’s ability to help our members from home is improving by the day.

Change impacts us all in different ways, and while gfcu has navigated things well thus far, we know that the situation is ongoing. Moving forward, our goal is to remain responsive to whatever may arise, to ensure this community gets the access to financial services that it deserves, and to keep everyone safe and healthy in doing so. We are thankful for the kindness and respect that our members have shown, and we are hopeful that everyone will continue to respect the requirements set forth by the Provincial Health Officer, supported by gfcu.

Beyond the pandemic, we recently had a beloved co-worker, and good friend to many, pass away. Despite the grief, stress, and all-around hardship these events have caused, the team hasn’t missed a beat. In fact, I am confident in saying they are performing above and beyond what could ever be expected in a time like this. The strength and perseverance of this team over the past 10 months demonstrates their capacity and commitment, and will carry us through the next 10 months.

The challenge we face is community wide. Of course, the pandemic is a global crisis, but right here at home, it is the people of this community that have helped to keep everyone safe throughout 2020. I close with another “thank you” to both staff and members for following the Provincial orders and workplace rules so well. Knowing that this situation is “for now” and not “forever” can help us all continue to be diligent, and to collectively work past this unfortunate time in our history.

Sincerely,
Becky Clements, CEO

To Our Valued Members,

Since mid-March, we have experienced unimaginable change to our day-to-day lives that have left us with significant disruption to what used to be our “normal” world. Whether shopping, socializing, volunteering, going to school or work or taking care of our financial needs, how we do things today is quite different than is was just a few months ago. We understand how important it is having access to your money and help with your financial needs and it is our goal to continue to provide you, our members, with all the help you need, even though how we deliver this may look a little different than what you are used to.

The health and safety of our employees and members quickly became a top priority. Immediate steps we implemented include enhanced cleaning protocols throughout the public and employee workspaces and ATMs, installation of plexiglass barriers, social distancing floor markers and more recently, monitored access to in-branch service. These are all ways in which we have adapted our business practices to ensure the health and safety of everyone entering our building. We have also created a secondary worksite office and have supported other employees in a work from home arrangement. This multi-team approach to member sales, service and administrative support will ensure we are best positioned to provide continued member service and operational capacity throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While we understand the feeling of uncertainty that the rapid changes we have experienced can create, we are confident in our ability to meet your banking needs. We are appealing to our members to explore “banking from home” options and we are here to support and educate you as you navigate new ways of banking with us. While we are open under reduced branch operating hours, we kindly ask that members come for in-branch, personal service only if it is absolutely necessary. We encourage members to connect with us by telephone or email to assist with any number of your banking needs and support a “stay safe” environment for yourself, for our employees and for the community.

To stay up to date on the latest information on gfcu, please check back to our website regularly. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on all of us. We are most thankful for the kindness our members have shown to our employees, as we have worked through a myriad of changes under very unusual circumstances. While we have no way to know how long we will have to operate in this “new normal”, together we will navigate these challenging times and you have our commitment to support and assist you in every way we can.

Sincerely,
Becky Clements, CEO

Until further notice, we have greatly limited access to in-branch services. All members will still have access to their accounts and can speak directly to staff by phone or email during our adapted business hours. During in-branch business hours, we will be monitoring our entrance, and allowing no more than 4 members in at one time.

We strongly encourage all members to take advantage of the many “Bank From Home” options we provide. Members can pay bills, order cheques, send and request money, check account balances, download bank statements, deposit cheques, and more from our digital banking platforms.

Learn more on “Banking From Home” >

For more involved banking matters like mortgages, loans, term deposits, and registered savings, our Account Managers are available for appointments by phone. To book an appointment with your Account Manager, please call their direct line or email them. An Account Manager contact list is posted at the bottom of this update.

Small businesses will also be able to conduct their banking business needs by phone or email, during business hours - please call 250-442-5511 or email info@gfcu.com book an appointment.

Your understanding and patience are greatly appreciated at this time. In the true co-operative spirit, recovery from an event of this magnitude requires effort from everyone. We sincerely thank you for your efforts and welcome any feedback or input. Contact Us >

We will continue monitoring the situation and evolving our service model to meet the needs of members and staff. This website will remain the best place to find the most update information.

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Account Manager Contact Information

Sheri McGillivray, Business Account Manager
smcgillivray@gfcu.com
250-442-4028

Heather Tresnich, Account Manager
htresnich@gfcu.com
250-442-4005

Shauna Lum, Account Manager
slum@gfcu.com
250-442-4022

Debbie Mark, Account Manager
dmark@gfcu.com
250-442-4025

Chrissy Peterson, Account Manager
cpeterson@gfcu.com
250-442-4024

Help for Retail and Business Members – COVID-19

As this community’s credit union, we are committed to helping our members through any and all situations that may arise. Through recessions, industry shifts, flooding and even a global pandemic, since our 1949 inception, a main goal of ours has been to minimize any financial burden or stress brought on by these external, unavoidable, and serious situations. Providing support to our retail and business members who are facing financial challenges as a result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is now our top priority.

Payment Deferrals and Alterations

Each member situation is different. We are here to support our members’ needs on an individual basis. This includes loan and mortgage payment deferral or reduced payment options, to provide payment relief during this unprecedented time. This is available to both retail and business members.

Members in need will have access to a gfcu Account Manager, who will review each specific situation, and will identify the best options for each member’s unique position. There is no one size fits all, headline style solution for this.

Members can contact us through the online banking “contact us” option (found in the top right corner of the screen when logged into online banking), by email at info@gfcu.com, or by phone at 250-442-5511. We understand the need is urgent for many, and will do our part to respond as quickly as we possibly can.

We will follow-up with all inquiries for loan and mortgage payment deferrals, or payment alterations, and any other banking support or questions, while we navigate through the coming weeks and months. We will take this opportunity to ensure members have full awareness of all online and digital banking options available.

The goal is to give members peace of mind knowing that we have their back – that they will have access to the funds they need in supporting themselves and their families. We’d like to thank our members in advance for their support and understanding of everyone's effort in this current situation – one that absolutely requires collaboration. It is times like these, that we can demonstrate the advantage of a member-owned financial cooperative – in other words, your community credit union.

Sincerely
Becky Clements - CEO

Dear Members,

In an effort to ensure the safety of our staff, our members, and our community as a whole, we will be closed for the remainder of this week - March 20 and March 21. All of our digital and telephone banking services remain available to assist you 24/7.

As of March 24, until further notice, we will be limiting our hours of operation:
Tuesday – Friday: 10am to 3pm
Saturday: 10am to 1pm

We absolutely understand the inconvenience this may cause, but we ask for your patience, and suggest you check in with us digitally for further information and updates as they are available.

• Online Banking Service Available @ www.gfcu.com
• Mobile App Banking Available on All Smartphones
• Telephone Banking Service @ 1-250-442-2726

To Our Valued Members,

On behalf of myself and the Board of Directors of the Grand Forks Credit Union, we wish to assure you that the health and safety of our staff and our members is a priority, while ensuring we can continue to safely serve you with your financial needs.

We are operating in uncertain times surrounding the spread of the COVID-19 virus. GFCU is taking this situation seriously. We have implemented additional efforts to protect the health and safety of employees and our members, applying the guidance of the provincial and federal health agencies. These include:

• More frequent and thorough cleaning of our ATMs and branch spaces, with specific attention to high-touch surfaces.
• Asking our employees to abide by provincial and federal health agency recommendations regarding frequent hand-washing andhygienic practices, and social/physical distancing.
• Requiring employees who are unwell, or showing symptoms of the virus, to stay home to ensure no spread of any illness amongstaff or to our members.
• The risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus remains low. We have not had any gfcu staff present with symptoms, and we willremain open and continue to offer an important financial service to our members and community.

Here’s how you can help reduce the potential spread of COVID-19:

• Sign up for and maximize the convenience and use of our online banking service, MemberDirect Online Banking.
• Download and maximize the convenience and use of the gfcu Mobile Banking App.
• Where your banking needs or inquiries can be conducted by phone or email, please contact us by phone at 250-442-5511, tollfree at 1-866-442-5511, or by email to info@gfcu.com.
• Use our ATMs for simple deposits or withdrawals, available 24 hours a day – 7 days a week.
• Where your banking needs require an in-branch visit, please respect social and physical distance recommendations of the provincial and federal health agencies of ensuring a minimum of two (2) meters between yourself and others, and please make use of the available hand sanitizer products provided.
• If you, or someone you’ve been in close contact with, are experiencing flu-like symptoms or have travelled to an area with aknown COVID-19 outbreak, we ask you to contact us by phone instead of coming into the branch to discuss how we can helpyou with your financial needs.

We will keep you up to date on any changes to our normal operations as circumstances change, and how we respond to this current situation.

In addition to notices found on our website and social media pages as it pertains to the operations of gfcu, please refer to the following websites for up-to-date information from provincial and federal health agencies.

• https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/symptoms.html
• https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html
• https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
• https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html

Sincerely,
Becky Clements, CEO