Frequently Asked Questions - Elections

Perhaps far more than you think. By voting, you choose directors whom you believe will best help lead the credit union into the future. The Board determines how Vancity is managed. They set Vancity’s strategic vision in partnership with Management. The Board decides how profit is given back to members and the community, and stewards Vancity’s approach to socially responsible investing. It all starts with your vote!

If you have received a ballot by mail, or can access online voting, then you are automatically eligible to vote. Eligibility means: you are 19 years of age or over; have $5 or more in your share account; have joined Vancity before January 31, 2025, and do not have any overdue payments or overdrawn accounts for 90 consecutive days within the 3 months prior to January 31, 2025.

Ballot packages are available on request, and are automatically mailed to every eligible member who requested a mail-out or voted by mail in 2024. If you did not receive a ballot package and wish to vote by mail, please contact Vancity at 604.877.7595 or email election@vancity.com and a package will be sent to you.

You may choose one of three ways in which to cast your vote by:

• clicking on the "Vote" icon on Vancity's mobile app;
• logging in to your Vancity account and voting online; or
• completing and mailing in your ballot, ensuring it is postmarked no later than April 25, 2025.

This year, you may vote at any time between Monday, April 7 and Friday, April 25, 2025. You can vote online, by mobile app, and by mail-in ballot.

You must vote by no later than 4:30 pm on Friday, April 25, 2025 if voting online.

If you are voting by mail, your ballot needs to be postmarked by April 25, 2025 and ensure your ballot reaches our Election Official by Wednesday April 30, 2025. Ballots received after this time will not be counted.

The results of the election will be announced at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday May 6, 2025, and posted on vancity.com shortly after the conclusion of the AGM.

There will be no in-branch voting for the 2025 Board of Directors’ election. However, our branches are available to provide support in helping you access one of the available voting methods, and if you have a mail in ballot, you can drop this off to any Vancity branch (before close of business on April 25, 2025) to be sent to our Election Official.

While many products at Vancity can be held jointly, the Membership Shares are held individually by each Vancity member. In order to vote, each member must have a minimum of five shares (minimum balance of $5) in their Membership Shares.

This depends on whether you hold a corporate or partnership account in addition to your personal one and have completed the Designation of Voter section in your business ballot. If you have a separate business account, then, yes, you are able to vote once on your personal account (if you have one), and once for your business account. Please note that business members can only vote by mail-in ballot, which will be sent to your registered address. To be valid, the “Designation of Voter” form found on the ballot must be completed.

Not at this time. To submit a business ballot, members must complete a valid “Designation of Voter” form. These forms are currently available only in paper format, which means our business and community organization members are restricted to using channels where the Designation of Voter form can be supplied with the ballot, i.e. by mail.

Unfortunately not. The ballot submitted is the ballot that will be counted.

At the end of the voting period, all ballots are counted and validated by the Election Official. To ensure a confidential ballot, the Election Official has no member information.

The Board is your voice at Vancity. It represents you and is responsible for setting the strategic direction for, and supervising the operation of, the credit union. The Board hires the CEO, who reports to the Board.

There are nine directors on Vancity’s Board. Each director serves a three-year term (unless otherwise stated). The terms are staggered so three directors end their terms every year, leaving three seats up for election on the Board annually. Directors who choose to run for re-election are known as “incumbents”. Directors can serve up to four terms if they are re-elected by the membership.

Yes. Directors receive a monetary sum for each year they serve on the Board known as “remuneration”. Remuneration differs from salary in that directors are not employed by Vancity, but elected to its Board by you, the members.

You do. Every three years at the Annual General Meeting, members are asked to approve director “remuneration” based on a recommendation presented by the Director Remuneration Committee (DRC). The DRC is a committee made up of members-at-large, who are not serving as directors of Vancity, or any of Vancity’s subsidiaries or affiliates.

The current level of remuneration was approved at the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and came into effect on May 10, 2022. A new set of recommendations are being put forward at the 2025 AGM by the new DRC, and will be voted on by members at the AGM on Tuesday May 6 2025.

If approved, this remuneration structure will be in place for three years, from the AGM in 2025 to the AGM in 2028. Director remuneration will continue to be transparent, disclosed in a number of external publications including the Vancity website and annual reports, with specific reference to the amount paid to each Director.

Every year, the Board invites members to apply to be on the Nominations and Election Committee (NEC), which looks after all matters relating to the election process, from reviewing applications to interviewing each of the prospective candidates. Those appointed to the NEC are members in good standing who have experience on selection committees, demonstrated decision-making ability, an understanding of elections and governance, and an understanding of Vancity’s mission and values.

The 2024 - 25 NEC is comprised of four members-at-large (Kevin Huang, Jasmine Cumberland, Hanna Cho, and Julia Balabanowicz) and two directors (Opreet Kang and Joel DeYoung).

The concept of establishing a base of Desired Director Attributes and Experience emerged from the recognition that to achieve Vancity’s mission, the Board itself should reflect the communities that it serves. To this end, each year, the Board completes a self-assessment to identify not only its existing attributes and experience, but any aspects it wishes to build on or strengthen.

Throughout the application and interview process, when assessing candidates, the Nominations and Election Committee first considers the list of Desired Director Attributes and Experience, and then those areas the Board wants to strengthen. The Committee will also look at ways in which the candidate demonstrates a commitment and aptitude to acquire the attributes and experience necessary to make them effective as Vancity directors.

For 2025-26, the attributes and experience identified by the Board as the focus for this election are:

• Experience leading transformation in large, complex, values-driven organizations or senior leadership roles focused on financial and risk management.
• Leadership in service of financial inclusion, labour relations, reconciliation, or climate justice.
• Digital, technology and cybersecurity management or oversight expertise

Directors whose terms are due to expire have no involvement in decisions relating to the election, and recuse themselves from all discussions at both Board and Committee level.

The British Columbia Financial Services Authority (BCFSA), an agency of the Provincial Government which regulates credit unions in British Columbia, expects all credit unions to use a recommendation process for their Board of Directors’ Election as in their (Governance Guidelines).

Each year the Board reviews the attributes and experience of the Directors who are not up for re-election. The Board determines what attributes and experience would be required to strengthen or complement the existing Board. This information is then provided to members in the Call for Nominations which goes out each November.

The Call for Nomination, posted in November 2024, noted the Board is seeking directors with the attributes and experience listed in the Desired Attributes and Experience document available on Vancity’s website, and with a particular focus for 2025 on directors who have:

• Experience leading transformation in large, complex, values-driven organizations or senior leadership roles focused on financial and risk management.
• Leadership in service of financial inclusion, labour relations, reconciliation, or climate justice.
• Digital, technology and cybersecurity management or oversight expertise

The Nominations and Election Committee (NEC), which is made up of four non-Director and two Director members, reviews the information provided by the nominees and conducts an extensive interview with each nominee individually. Following the interviews, the NEC meets to assess the nominees against the attributes and experience the Board wishes to build on or strengthen, as communicated to members in the Call for Nomination.

The NEC committee can recommend up to five candidates, and as approved by the Board, best demonstrate the attributes and experience that will complement and strengthen the existing Board.

Although up to five candidates are recommended, each member is expected to vote for the candidate(s) the member feels will best meet the needs of Vancity. A full copy of the Election Guidelines, the Desired Attributes and Experience for Directors, and further details about the recommendation process can be found under the “Call for nominations” page on vancity.com.

Each November, Vancity invites its members to apply to run in the annual Board of Directors’ election by posting a “Call for Nominations” on vancity.com and the in branches. The Call for Nominations remains open for approximately two months to ensure the message reaches as many potential candidates as possible.

In 2024, Vancity discontinued the distribution of the majority of our election mailouts in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint wherever we can, as per our net-zero commitment. We encourage members to via the mobile app or online.

For members who prefer to receive a full election package, please call 604.877.7595 or email election@vancity.com and provide your full name and address. The full package will include an Election Bulletin, containing comprehensive candidates’ information, and a mail in ballot. Alternatively, members can visit a branch to request:

• assistance in getting a paper ballot
• a printed Election Bulletin; and
• consolidated, condensed financial statements.

Further information about the candidates and our Election process, as well as our Notice of AGM, may be found on vancity.com, including any biographies, résumés, campaign videos or social media links (if submitted by the candidate).

Vancity does not disclose member information to any of the candidates. However, you may receive information from the candidates themselves as they rally support for their campaigns.

Yes. As part of the application process, every candidate has to sign a declaration that they have read and will comply with the Vancity Rules and Election Guidelines. If a candidate does not follow the Rules or Guidelines, they may be disqualified from running in the election.

Absolutely. You may speak to any candidate about any issue that is on your mind. However, candidates may not promise that the Board will take a specific course of action on your behalf as they do not have the authority to make such a commitment.

The Annual General Meeting(also known as an AGM) is a legally required, members’ meeting that takes place every year. The Board and CEO will present a report to the members, as well as any ordinary or special resolutions. Importantly, it is an opportunity for members to personally engage with the Board and Management. Vancity’s 2025 Annual General Meeting will be held in person and broadcasted digitally to facilitate virtual participation. You can watch and participate remotely by viewing the webcast online at vancity.com/AGM. Please note that you will need your membership number to be able to participate in voting at the AGM.

You may attend our AGM virtually via webcast which allows you to view a live stream of the event, vote on ordinary resolutions, and ask questions. Find out how, click - Annual General Meeting.

The Election Guidelines and information available on vancity.com should contain answers to most questions, but you may always contact us by email at election@vancity.com or by telephone at 604-877-7595.