Vancity

Revitalizing Urban Economies Globally: Empowering Urban Finance through UN-Habitat's SDG Cities Strategies

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 23, 2024

UN-Habitat, a main founding partner of the World Urban Pavilion, presented how its flagship programme SDG Cities is supporting cities in Canada but also globally.

Key Points: 
  • UN-Habitat, a main founding partner of the World Urban Pavilion, presented how its flagship programme SDG Cities is supporting cities in Canada but also globally.
  • Dyfed Aubrey, Inter-regional Advisor and recently Head of SDG Cities at UN-Habitat, stated that "From engaging with local leaders to developing analytical frameworks, SDG Cities is committed to supporting sustainable urban development initiatives".
  • Also representing UN-Habitat, Douglas Ragan, a Programme Management Officer, explained how the SDG Cities program aims to reach 1000 cities by 2026.
  • Glocal Platform for Urban Finance: The Glocal Platform for Urban Finance (GPUF) represents a pioneering initiative aimed at revolutionizing the way cities access and utilize financial mechanisms for sustainable urban development.

Revitalizing Urban Economies Globally: Empowering Urban Finance through UN-Habitat's SDG Cities Strategies

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 23, 2024

UN-Habitat, a main founding partner of the World Urban Pavilion, presented how its flagship programme SDG Cities is supporting cities in Canada but also globally.

Key Points: 
  • UN-Habitat, a main founding partner of the World Urban Pavilion, presented how its flagship programme SDG Cities is supporting cities in Canada but also globally.
  • Dyfed Aubrey, Inter-regional Advisor and recently Head of SDG Cities at UN-Habitat, stated that "From engaging with local leaders to developing analytical frameworks, SDG Cities is committed to supporting sustainable urban development initiatives".
  • Also representing UN-Habitat, Douglas Ragan, a Programme Management Officer, explained how the SDG Cities program aims to reach 1000 cities by 2026.
  • Glocal Platform for Urban Finance: The Glocal Platform for Urban Finance (GPUF) represents a pioneering initiative aimed at revolutionizing the way cities access and utilize financial mechanisms for sustainable urban development.

Vancity report spotlights spending on food

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 23, 2023

Economy & Impact puts a spotlight on food spending and finds British Columbians have not only changed their eating habits coming out of the pandemic but that younger generations, compared to previous generations, have clearly different spending patterns when it comes to eating. In breaking down the enviro™ Visa data by generation, it indicates Millennials and Gen Z are the least likely to buy their food in a grocery store. At least four per cent of Millennials’ – the largest generation by population -- food budget that was spent on groceries in 2019 is now being spent on restaurants and meal delivery.

Key Points: 
  • In the inaugural Economy and Impact Report , Vancity examined credit card purchases, providing insights into the spending habits of its members across groceries, restaurants, and delivery apps.
  • Economy & Impact puts a spotlight on food spending and finds British Columbians have not only changed their eating habits coming out of the pandemic but that younger generations, compared to previous generations, have clearly different spending patterns when it comes to eating.
  • According to the credit card data, those in the youngest generation, Gen Z, are the heaviest users of food delivery apps, spending 22 per cent of their food money on deliveries.
  • For the full Economy and Impact report, and a closer look at Vancity’s credit card data and the credit union’s impact, you can view the report online here .

Vancity giving $1M in grants for 25 climate initiatives

Retrieved on: 
Monday, November 20, 2023

: Study examining carbon impacts of preserving co-op buildings

Key Points: 
  • : Study examining carbon impacts of preserving co-op buildings
    Union Cooperative Initiative : Development of a Climate Cooperative coordinating labour unions, political leaders and environmental experts to build solutions to climate change
    BC Sustainable Energy Association : Cool It!
  • Climate Action program for students, families
    BOMA Building Owners and Managers Assoc.
  • Synergy Enterprises ($120,250): Providing coaching, environmental audits, and emissions calculators to local businesses through four distinct projects
    Vancity’s enviroFund™ supports grassroots and community-led solutions to the climate crisis.
  • “At Vancity we want to support our members on the journey to net-zero and a low-carbon future.

Pender Ventures secures strategic investment from Co-operators Group Limited, expanding support for Canadian B2B software and health tech companies

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 21, 2023

Co-operators’ investment advances PTIF II closer to its target size of $100 million and will fuel the growth of some of Canada’s most promising B2B software and health tech companies.

Key Points: 
  • Co-operators’ investment advances PTIF II closer to its target size of $100 million and will fuel the growth of some of Canada’s most promising B2B software and health tech companies.
  • “We are excited to welcome Co-operators as a new investor,” says Maria Pacella, Managing Partner, Pender Ventures.
  • The partnership between Pender Ventures and Co-operators reinforces the Fund's mission to empower and support the next generation of innovative Canadian technology companies.
  • Pender Ventures is actively evaluating and exploring further investment opportunities and welcomes inquiries and collaboration from entrepreneurs and co-investors from across Canada.

We gave $7,500 to people experiencing homelessness — here's what happened next

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, September 17, 2023

Individuals experiencing homelessness are heavily stigmatized, dehumanized and perceived to be less competent and trustworthy.

Key Points: 
  • Individuals experiencing homelessness are heavily stigmatized, dehumanized and perceived to be less competent and trustworthy.
  • A 2020 count by the BC Non-Profit Housing Association in Metro Vancouver found there were 3,634 people experiencing homelessness; among them, 1,029 unsheltered and 2,605 sheltered.
  • Present approaches are failing, as evidenced by the rapidly increasing number of people experiencing homelessness.

Trying something new

    • We gave a one-time cash transfer of $7,500 to people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver.
    • This lump sum, equivalent to the 2016 annual income assistance in British Columbia, provided people the financial freedom to pay rent and meet other living costs.
    • The cash transfer also represented a dignified way to empower people to escape homelessness.

Our participants

    • The 50 participants in the cash group were informed about the cash transfer only after completing the baseline survey.
    • We lost contact with around 30 per cent of participants during this time while some relocated away from Vancouver.
    • The workshop consisted of a series of exercises to help participants brainstorm ways to regain stability in their lives.
    • Coaching consisted of phone calls with a certified coach trained to help participants achieve their life goals.

What we found

    • That means the cash transfers actually saved the government and taxpayers money.
    • Cash recipients increased spending on rent, food, transit and things like furniture or a car.
    • That challenges the stereotype that people in homelessness would squander money they receive on alcohol and drugs.
    • However, around 50 per cent of participants in our study moved into housing just one month after the cash transfer.
    • But despite that, they were still below the poverty line and nowhere close to meeting the living costs in Vancouver.

Christine Bergeron stepping down as Vancity Group President and CEO

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 25, 2023

TERRITORIES OF MUSQUEAM, SQUAMISH AND TSLEIL-WAUTUTH NATIONS and VANCOUVER British Columbia, April 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After holding leadership positions at Vancity for 12 years, including as president and CEO, Christine Bergeron will be stepping down to take up a new role as CEO of Concert Properties.

Key Points: 
  • TERRITORIES OF MUSQUEAM, SQUAMISH AND TSLEIL-WAUTUTH NATIONS and VANCOUVER British Columbia, April 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After holding leadership positions at Vancity for 12 years, including as president and CEO, Christine Bergeron will be stepping down to take up a new role as CEO of Concert Properties.
  • Christine will continue with Vancity until mid-July 2023, and in the coming weeks, Vancity's Board of Directors will name an interim president and CEO.
  • Since joining Vancity in 2011, Christine Bergeron has made significant contributions to the company's growth and mission.
  • As CEO of the Vancity Group since 2020, she has reinforced the organization's commitment to its values-driven mission of advancing climate action, equity, and building resilient communities.

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language panel will underscore link between economic reconciliation and cultural revitalization

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 12, 2023

This is the first time a business conference will feature a panel entirely in the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim.

Key Points: 
  • This is the first time a business conference will feature a panel entirely in the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim.
  • Perhaps it is not as well known that we have simultaneously been revitalizing our culture, including the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language.
  • She is among a handful of Squamish Nation members from her generation that has worked to revitalize the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh language.
  • They will speak about the importance of the Nation’s community and history, their relationship with the land and each other, and how economic reconciliation goes hand-in-hand with language and cultural revitalization.

Vancity Investment Management pushes Canada’s big banks to divulge their CEO-to-worker pay ratio

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 3, 2023

Last year, after a similar proposal at Scotiabank, the bank acknowledged the value of the disclosure and began publicly reporting the critical information.

Key Points: 
  • Last year, after a similar proposal at Scotiabank, the bank acknowledged the value of the disclosure and began publicly reporting the critical information.
  • “A higher pay ratio could be an indication a company suffers from a winner-take-all philosophy which drives economic inequality.
  • For Canada’s big banks, where CEOs are among Canada’s highest paid executives, the ratio is expected to be closer to 150 times that of the average worker.
  • Unlike in the US and Britain, it is not mandatory in Canada for publicly listed companies to provide CEO to median worker pay ratio disclosures.

Vancity Investment Management Selects Bloomberg to Streamline Portfolio Management

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 11, 2023

NEW YORK, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg announced today that Vancity Investment Management , one of the first wealth management firms in Canada to focus on investments that deliver competitive returns while making a positive impact on the world, has adopted PORT Enterprise, Bloomberg's advanced portfolio and risk analytics solution, along with Bloomberg Data License, the technology that delivers Bloomberg's data content sets across the enterprise to further streamline its portfolio management operations.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg announced today that Vancity Investment Management , one of the first wealth management firms in Canada to focus on investments that deliver competitive returns while making a positive impact on the world, has adopted PORT Enterprise, Bloomberg's advanced portfolio and risk analytics solution, along with Bloomberg Data License, the technology that delivers Bloomberg's data content sets across the enterprise to further streamline its portfolio management operations.
  • This is the latest expansion to Vancity's suite of Bloomberg buy-side solutions supporting the firm's investment workflow, adding to their use of Bloomberg AIM, a leading order and investment management system.
  • "Bloomberg's solutions support our portfolio management needs and allow us to optimize our workflows to support our focus on conscious investments," said Joe Reid, VP of Wealth Management and Impact Investing at Vancity.
  • "Bloomberg is well positioned to provide Vancity Investment Management with an integrated suite of solutions that helps automate workflows and delivers data that supports quicker and more informed decision making while reducing operational risk," said Joe Kirkland, Global Head of Portfolio Analytics & Risk at Bloomberg.