Dec 16: Vancity doubles its environmental grants

Vancouver, December 16, 2004 – Vancity Credit Union has doubled its support of environmental projects by awarding a record $200,000 in grants to non-profit organizations through its 2004 EnviroFund program.

This year’s recipients include the UBC Farm and UBC Food Co-op for its innovative student-run market garden; the Pacific Spirit Park Society for its youth-driven environmental stewardship program in regional parks; the Environmental Education Action Program Society for its school-based program to encourage water reduction in Lower Mainland homes; the Centre for Earth and Spirit Society for construction of a wetland in Victoria; the Lifestyles Project Society for the expansion of a food growing project in Greater Victoria; the Centre for Sustainable Communities Canada to complete a water management pilot project on Bowen Island; Stave Valley Salmonid Enhancement Society to establish an invasive species control program in Silvermore Lake and Stave River in the Mission area; and the Georgia Basin Ecological Assessment and Restoration Society for its support of the BC Purple Martin Stewardship and Recovery program on Vancouver Island and in the Lower Mainland.

The EnviroFund is funded by Vancity VISA, which donates five per cent of its annual profits from its Gold, Silver and EnviroFund payment card products to the program. The increase in this year’s grants, which ranged from $14,000 to $35,000, was due to Vancity VISA’s strong financial performance.

“We have a longstanding commitment to share our profits with our communities. We are pleased that our financial success has allowed us to give the most ever to support important environmental work that will benefit our region for generations to come,” says Vancity Board Chair Elain Duvall.

Last year, four organizations received more than $100,000 in total. Since the program was established in 1990, more than $1.2 million has gone to environmental projects. For more information, go to vancity.com/grants or call 604-877-7620.

Vancity is Canada’s largest credit union, with $9.3 billion in assets, 305,000 members, and 41 branches throughout Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria. Vancity was chosen as the best place to work in Canada for 2005 by Maclean’s Magazine as part of its annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers issue. Vancity owns Citizens Bank of Canada, serving members across the country by telephone, ATM, and the Internet. Both Vancity and Citizens Bank are guided by a commitment to corporate social responsibility, and to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.