File a Credit Union Complaint

BCFSA is responsible for regulating the operations of credit unions in British Columbia.

To learn about BCFSA’s processes for handling complaints and inquiries related to matters within our authority, please review the information on this page.

• Learn More About Our Complaint Process

  BCFSA is responsible to ensure credit unions are able to meet their financial obligations to credit union members. BCFSA also has regulatory oversight of credit union conduct in the marketplace.

• Matters that BCFSA Can Review

  BCFSA regulates credit unions under the Financial Institutions Act and the Credit Union Incorporation Act. Our responsibilities are to:

  • Ensure that credit unions and deposit taking entities are properly authorized;
  • Supervise credit unions and address solvency concerns with their operations; and
  • Oversee and address credit union statutory market conduct concerns.

Before Filing a Complaint

If you have a complaint about your credit union, you can follow these steps to address your concerns:

1. Contact the credit union’s branch manager and/or the regional manager of the credit union;
2. Escalate your complaint to the designated senior officer that is responsible for receiving and dealing with complaints (e.g., Chief Complaint Officer);
3. Escalate your concerns to an independent external complaint body: Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI).

At any time during this process, you can contact BCFSA to file a complaint. We will not be able to mediate on a consumer’s behalf. However, we can help you obtain a clear response from the credit union. The complaints we receive can also help to monitor and identify systemic issues in the credit union marketplace.

Additional information

• If your concern involves any legal matter you may consider obtaining legal advice. You can contact the Lawyer Referral Service of the BC branch of the Canadian Bar Association at (604) 687-3221 or toll free at (800) 663-1919.

• File a Complaint Online

  Please complete the BCFSA Credit Union Complaint Form. Include copies of all related documentation with your complaint. This includes copies of correspondence to and from the financial institution. Please also ensure your concerns and expectations for resolution are clearly stated.

  Download the Complaint Form

• What Happens to a Complaint?

  In order to address your complaint, some or all of the complaint details may be sent to the financial institution. This allows the financial institution the opportunity to provide a complete response to the issue for our review.

  Allegations of any sort of misconduct should be accompanied by any available evidence to allow us to begin an inquiry. If such evidence cannot be provided, our ability to conduct any type of review of the matter may be limited.

  Please note that the Freedom of Information and Protection of Personal Information Act applies to BCFSA records and information.

  What if a complaint falls outside of BCFSA’s authority?

  We do not generally get involved in individual disputes about business decisions, service quality, legal, civil, and/or contractual matters. Resolving contractual disputes between individuals and credit unions is the responsibility of the court system. If a complaint involves an issue about a financial institution which BCFSA regulates but is a matter which does not generally fall within our authority, you can still submit your complaint. You will receive correspondence acknowledging we have received your complaint, but no inquiry will be conducted. The complaint will be logged and kept in our file.

• Legislation:

  • Financial Institutions Act
  • Credit Union Incorporation Act