About company

Westoba Credit Union is a cooperative financial institution that provides a full suite of financial services working for members in Manitoba.

Westoba CU was established in 1963 as Brandon Consumers Credit Union Society Ltd. and has been known as Westoba since 1973. 

The credit union provides financial products and services for 37,000 members: savings and chequing accounts, mortgages, loans, GICs, credit cards, financial planning, etc.

Westoba Credit Union was the first to operate an ATM outside Winnipeg and as well as first to establish an online banking system.

Features

• Westoba is one of the largest credit unions in Manitoba, an innovative institution with the first online banking system in the province, 13 branches, and MAXA Financial — its division. This virtual bank serves clients all over Canada. 

• Being an alternative to traditional banks in Manitoba, Westoba offers all financial and banking services, from traditional banking to financial planning, through a network of partners and subsidiaries such as Credential Asset Management Inc. or Collabria Financial Services Inc.

• When you join Westoba at one of the branches, you get one vote as a member — you purchase a $5 common share. 

• Westoba’s Inspire program is established to support local organizations, teams, groups, charities, and non-profits. Through Westoba’s Community Investment Committee, members, staff, and the board decide which project should be approved. 

Pros and cons  

Pros 

• A big reputable provincial credit union

• Tailored for Manitoba residents 

• Full-service financial institution

• It is a digital bank working across the country

• Westoba’s Inspire program assisting communities 

• Mastercard and Visa cards

• No fee chequing accounts with optional unlimited transactions 

• Special products for youth and seniors 

• New to Canada Program

• Great choice of investment options

• Mobile app with a wide range of features 

• Online, mobile, and telephone banking 

• Access to the surcharge-free ATMs 

Cons

• Locations only in Manitoba

• Limited choice and lack of information about loans, lines of credit, and credit cards on the website 

• Low rate on deposits (with a higher rate for more considerable sums) 

• One can't open accounts through online or mobile banking 

• One can't apply for a mortgage online 

Products

1. WestobaONE FREE Chequing Account with ten free transactions, no monthly fee, and unlimited transactions such as e-Transfers for a moderate fee. 

2. WestobaONE+ FREE Chequing Account is designed for members under 18, post-secondary students, or seniors over 65. It provides 30 free transactions a month. 

3. Plan 24 Savings account lets earn a 0.050% daily interest rate without minimum balance or monthly fees (0.100% for funds over $250,000). 

4. A student line of credit for post-secondary students up to 30 years old with interest-only payments during the first time full-time education. 

5. Purchase Plus Improvements Mortgage program is made to add funds to the mortgage for purchasing a home that requires renovations. 

6. Escalator Term Deposit with interest rates increasing annually over three or five years.

7. Organizational Chequing accounts for non-profit organizations or unorganized societies with 40 free transactions a month. 

Services 

1. Chequing accounts with no monthly fees and unlimited transactions for additional fees. Options for newcomers, seniors, students and youth, interest-earning US Dollar, and estate accounts.

2. Credit cards with cash back, travel rewards, US Dollar, and Visa or Mastercard benefits, including insurance, and a deal for newcomers are provided in the partnership with Collabria. 

3. Lending: personal loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, mortgages, and dealer financing with flexible payments and terms, no penalty for early repayment. 

4. New to Canada Program designed for foreign professionals, students, and ex-pats: a no-income mortgage, no fee banking, and a guaranteed approval credit card to create a credit history. 

5. Investments: Credential Asset Management Inc provides Escalator and Index-linked term deposits, registered and non-registered accounts, and Mutual funds.

6. Financial Planning Solutions offers Financial Advisors assistance in investing, retirement, estate or educational planning, etc. 

7. Business services: commercial and farm chequing accounts in CAD and USD, AgriInvest and Organizational chequing, credit cards, mortgages, lines of credit, loans, leasing, and Point-of-sale services. 

8. Online and mobile banking allows you to make transfers and payments, view balances and transactions, deposit cheques, set up alerts, view all accounts, etc. 

9. Using Microsoft Teams, video banking allows customers to book an appointment with a Westoba Financial Consultant, Mobile Mortgage Specialist, or Financial Planner.