WHY CHOOSE US

It’s worth it, to all of us.

We are a financial cooperative.

You may have heard of cooperatives. Some of them sell sporting goods, some of them sell groceries or fuel. All of them are about people achieving more together than they can on their own. As a financial cooperative, we’re like that too.

When you join our credit union you are a member, not a customer, and that makes all the difference. Our members are our owners and have an equal say in how our credit union operates, no matter their balance.

Our members empower us to put people before profits and work in their true interests. By providing world-class banking services, the best financial advice in Canada and an approach that centres around our members, we simplify lives, helping members and creating a future where everyone can flourish.

grandpa and grandson building a model airplane

young boy and grandpa building a wooden toy plane

It’s worth it, to all of us.

We are a financial cooperative.

What does this mean for your financial wellbeing?

It’s simple. Your goals are our goals. We grow when you grow. It’s a partnership, not a transaction.

And here, we believe financial wellbeing is for everyone—learn why.

YOU

Our expert financial advice focuses on your evolving financial needs, not making short-term profits for faraway shareholders.

YOUR MONEY

Our profits are reinvested into our membership through free day-to-day banking, low-fee business accounts and great rates.

YOUR COMMUNITY

Enjoy competitive returns knowing your deposits help us support organizations that strengthen your local businesses and community.

Simon Mills, President

Simon joined Valley First in 2019 as Director of Commercial Banking. He came to the Okanagan following a 16-year career in business and commercial banking, which included a strong focus on international trade finance. As President he draws from his breadth of experience in portfolio management, risk management and creating structured working capital solutions to grow and support members.

Simon is a solution-focused leader and is passionate about building member relationships and driving member loyalty. He connects people and businesses and is dedicated to making a difference in the community where he serves and lives. Simon is also active in Valley First’s signature cause, Feed the Valley, and is dedicated to strengthening the credit union movement across Canada. He is currently a member of the Canadian Credit Union Association’s Farm Credit Canada - Credit Union Liaison Committee, which is focused on building relationships between credit unions and the vital agricultural sector across Canada.

Simon Mills, President

Simon is a solution-focused leader and is passionate about building member relationships and driving member loyalty. He connects people and businesses and is dedicated to making a difference in the community where he serves and lives. He is currently a member of the Canadian Credit Union Association’s Farm Credit Canada - Credit Union Liaison Committee, which is focused on building relationships between credit unions and the vital agricultural sector across Canada.

2021 Community Support

How we've supported our communities in 2021

Central Okanagan

Valley First Community Partnerships: $88,293

Support to 27 organizations creating good things in our communities:

West Kelowna Warriors
Beacons Furry Foundation Society
Creative Okanagan
Metis Community Services Society of BC
Pacific Sport Okanagan
Purppl Community Enterprise Accelerator

Valley First Simple Generosity Donations: $115,989

Support to 17 organizations helping our communities thrive including:

Habitat for Humanity Okanagan
The Bridge Youth & Family Services Society
The Foundry
Women's Enterprise Centre

Feed the Valley Signature Cause: $283,961

Raising food, funds and awareness for food banks serving Valley First communities.

First West Foundation | Valley First Community Endowment: $76,500

First West Foundation is the charitable arm of Valley First, providing grants to organizations which help our communities thrive.

Support to 6 charities which promote resilient & sustainable Valley First communities including:

Autism BC
Karis Support Society
Kelowna Community Resources
YMCA of Okanagan

First West Foundation | Community Response Fund Grants: $28,000

Support to 2 charities impacted by COVID 19 that provide food security and/or basic needs.

Kelowna Meals on Wheels
KCR Community Resources

Enderby

Enderby & District Financial Community Partnerships: $22,750

A.L. Fortune Secondary School
Dan Botkin Memorial Scholarship Fund
Enderby & District Arts Council
Enderby & District Community Resource Centre
Kingfisher Interpretive Centre

Enderby Simple Generosity Grants: $26,475

Enderby & District Community Resource Centre
Enderby and District Art Council Society
Endebry Preschool Society
Feed Enderby and District Food Bank Society
Splatsin Society

First West Foundation | Enderby Financial Community Endowment: $28,868

First West Foundation is the charitable arm of Enderby & District Financial, providing grants to organizations which help our communities thrive.

Literacy Alliance of the Shuswap Society
Enderby & District Community Resource Centre
Kingfisher Interpretive Centre

Kamloops

Valley First Community Partnerships: $39,750

Support to 4 organizations creating good things in our communities including:

Purppl Community Enterprise Accelerator
Kamloops Curling Club
Royal Inland Hospital Foundation

Valley First Simple Generosity Donations: $33,750

Support to 5 organizations helping our communities thrive including:

BC Wildlife Kamloops
YMCA Kamloops
Community Futures Development Corp of Central Interior First Nations

Feed the Valley Signature Cause: $283,961

Raising food, funds and awareness for food banks serving Valley First communities.

First West Foundation | Valley First Community Endowment: $10,000

First West Foundation is the charitable arm of Valley First, providing grants to organizations which help our communities thrive.

Support to one charity which promote resilient & sustainable Valley First communities:

Hopewell Clinic & Pregnancy Care Centre Society

First West Foundation | Community Response Fund Grants: $10,000

Support to one charity impacted by COVID 19 that provide food security and/or basic needs.

Interior Community Services

North Okanagan

Valley First Community Partnerships: $15,000

Support to 9 organizations creating good things in our communities:

Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce
Lumby & District Health Services Xray Clinic
Bottman Sports, Youth & Family programs
United Way British Columbia

Valley First Simple Generosity Donations: $48,500

Support to 8 organizations helping our communities thrive:

Armstrong Library
BGC Okanagan
Community Futures North Okanagan
Project Literacy Central Okanagan Society
Nature Conservancy of the North Okanagan

Feed the Valley Signature Cause: $283,961

Raising food, funds and awareness for food banks serving Valley First communities.

First West Foundation | Valley First Community Endowment: $35,500

First West Foundation is the charitable arm of Valley First, providing grants to organizations which help our communities thrive.

Support to 5 charities which promote resilient & sustainable Valley First communities:

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers
BeaYOUtiful Foundation
Canadian Mental Health Association
NexusBC Community Resource Centre
Archway Society for Domestic Violence

First West Foundation | Community Response Fund Grants: $10,000

Support to one charity impacted by COVID 19 that provide food security and/or basic needs.

Vernon Upper Room Mission Society

South Okanagan

Valley First Community Partnerships: $53,763

Support to 24 organizations helping our communities thrive:

Sen Pok Chin Elementary School
OSNS Child & Youth Development Centre
Okanagan Hockey Community Foundation
Princeton Leaders for Literacy
Activate Penticton

Valley First Simple Generosity Donations: $81,876

Support to 21 organizations helping our communities thrive including:

John-Alison Elementary School
Princeton Secondary School
Vermilion Forks Elementary
Keep the Cold Off Penticton
South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services
OneSky Community Services

Feed the Valley Signature Cause: $283,961

Raising food, funds and awareness for food banks serving Valley First communities.

First West Foundation | Valley First Community Endowment: $48,430

First West Foundation is the charitable arm of Valley First, providing grants to organizations which help our communities thrive.

Support to 4 charities which promote resilient & sustainable Valley First communities:

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers
South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services
Penticton and Area Access Centre
Penticton Recovery Resource Centre

First West Foundation | Community Response Fund Grants: $78,500

Support to 11 charities impacted by COVID 19 that provide food security and/or basic needs.

Desert Valley Hospice Society
Highway to Healing Support Society
Desert Sun Counselling & Resource Centre
Princeton & District Community Services
South Okanagan Loss Society
Penticton & District Community Arts Council
South Okanagan Seniors Wellness Society

Our commitment to equity, inclusion and diversity

Valley First's foundational values demand that we, as an organization, actively strive for equity, inclusion and diversity. We believe in cultivating an environment in which every employee, member and community partner—both present and future—is valued for their uniqueness and is empowered to thrive.

Learn more here

THE ADVANTAGES OF BANKING WITH US

MEMBER-OWNED AND RUN

Members vote for directors at board elections, giving you a say in how our credit union operates.

TRUSTED ADVICE

Expert financial advice and local decision making to meet your financial needs as they evolve.

BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

We partner with local organizations to create good things in our communities.

Become a member

Reach your financial goals and strengthen your community – that’s banking with purpose. Discover the benefits of belonging to a financial cooperative. Become a member online or call 1-888-597-8083 to get started.

BECOME A MEMBER

Become a business member

Whether you’re a small business starting out or a large established operation, we have the right products, services and advice for you. Let us help you reach new levels of success.

LEARN MORE

We're working to become a federal credit union

Learn what it means to be a federal credit union including benefits and risks at firstwestcu.ca. For full details about the changes in deposit insurance, see the Notice Pursuant to the Disclosure on Continuance Regulations.

Explore our products and services

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We believe in the power of partnership, working together to achieve social impact and make a difference in our communities.

Community Partnerships

Through our partnership with the First West Foundation, $1,092,023 has been granted from the foundation’s endowments and charitable giving campaigns in 2023.

LEARN MORE

Do Some Good

Our employees spent 1,921 hours helping those in need and building our local communities in 2023.

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Feed The Valley

We are on a mission to raise food, funds and awareness for our local food banks. In 2023 alone, we provided 296,907 meals through our Signature Cause, Feed The Valley.

LEARN MORE

Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union, acknowledges that we have privilege of doing business on the traditional and unceded territory of Secwepemcúl'ecw (Secwépemc), Syilx tmixʷ (Okanagan), and Nłeʔkepmx Tmíxʷ (Nlaka'pamux) Peoples.

Enderby & District Credit Union, a division of First West Credit Union, acknowledges that we have privilege of doing business on the traditional and unceded territory of Syilx tmixʷ (Okanagan) and Secwepemcúl'ecw (Secwépemc) Peoples.

REFERRAL PERKS®

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WHY CHOOSE US

It’s worth it, to all of us.​​

It’s worth it, to all of us.​​

What does this mean for your financial wellbeing?

YOU​

YOUR MONEY

YOUR COMMUNITY​

Simon Mills, President

Simon Mills, President

How we've supported our communities in 2021

Central Okanagan

Valley First Community Partnerships: $88,293

Valley First Simple Generosity Donations: $115,989

Feed the Valley Signature Cause: $283,961

First West Foundation | Valley First Community Endowment: $76,500

First West Foundation | Community Response Fund Grants: $28,000

Enderby

Enderby & District Financial Community Partnerships: $22,750

Enderby Simple Generosity Grants: $26,475

First West Foundation | Enderby Financial Community Endowment: $28,868

Kamloops

Valley First Community Partnerships: $39,750

Valley First Simple Generosity Donations: $33,750

Feed the Valley Signature Cause: $283,961

First West Foundation | Valley First Community Endowment: $10,000

First West Foundation | Community Response Fund Grants: $10,000

North Okanagan

Valley First Community Partnerships: $15,000

Valley First Simple Generosity Donations: $48,500

Feed the Valley Signature Cause: $283,961

First West Foundation | Valley First Community Endowment: $35,500

First West Foundation | Community Response Fund Grants: $10,000

South Okanagan

Valley First Community Partnerships: $53,763

Valley First Simple Generosity Donations: $81,876

Feed the Valley Signature Cause: $283,961

First West Foundation | Valley First Community Endowment: $48,430

First West Foundation | Community Response Fund Grants: $78,500

Our commitment to equity, inclusion and diversity

THE ADVANTAGES OF BANKING WITH US

​Become a member

Become a business member

We're working to become a federal credit union

Meet with us

It’s worth it, to all of us.

It’s worth it, to all of us.

YOU

YOUR COMMUNITY

Become a member