the areas of financing, fees, account manager, and service. Credit unions achieved the highest overall score, as well as attaining high scores in each area of evaluation. Credit unions are committed to assisting small and medium-sized businesses across various industries, with a particular focus on agriculture, forestry, and fishing. This sector remains a top priority due to credit unions’ recognition of agriculture’s vital role. Their support extends equally to both male and female farmers, underscoring a deep commitment to the agricultural community. Credit unions in Alberta, for example, have taken significant steps to ensure female farmers are getting the support they need to grow their agricultural businesses. Recognizing the challenges women face, such as insufficient access to capital and financing, Credit Unions of Alberta offers its Ag Grant. This grant allows Alberta-based women working in or planning to enter the agriculture industry to apply for funding, with the winning candidate receiving a $10,000 grant to get started. “Female recognition, especially in an industry dominated by men, is so crucial,” Omidiji says. “Providing these resources to help women thrive and give them these opportunities to succeed is just one of the many ways credit unions stand out as top financial institutions on both social and economic levels.” PROVIDING KEY FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE TO ALL CANADIANS Credit unions are dedicated to helping members overcome obstacles to their financial goals, including the often-overlooked challenge of limited access to financial literacy resources.They are actively working to address this by providing essential financial education. “Credit unions’ primary focus is to be transparent with their members and establish a relationship with healthy dialogue, enabling the member to communicate about any concern with their finances, their long and short-term goals, and answer questions they may be hesitant to ask other financial 27 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 07 CANADIAN CREDI T UNION ASSOCIAT ION
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