A message from Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO

June 08, 2020

Dear Members,

We’ve all been through a lot these past few months, so I want to start by thanking you all for your support and patience as we learned how to serve you best over these last few months. I especially appreciate the notes, letters, and emails you sent me. It was lovely to hear your thanks and compliments, but it was also important to hear your feedback on what is working for you and what needs improvement.

We know that lineups at our branches have been a point of frustration for our members. So I’m pleased to report that, following guidance from the provincial government and WorkSafeBC, we are now taking first steps toward a new normal that includes re-opening some of our branches.

The week of July 6th, six more branches will re-open, joining the 23 branches that are already open today. Operating hours will continue to be 9:30 – 15:00. These branches are:

• Vancouver
  • Branch 8 - Fairview (Mon - Fri)
  • Branch 12 - Commercial Drive (Tue - Sat)
• South Delta
  • Tsawwassen Br 58 (Tue - Sat)
• Surrey
  • Branch 25 - Semiahmoo (Tue - Sat)
  • Branch 44 - Cedar Hills (Tue - Sat)
• Victoria
  • Branch 68 - Mount Tolmie (Tue - Sat)

Our plan is to keep these branches open for the long term, even if government is forced to reinstate COVID-related restrictions. Obviously, along the way we’ll be evaluating how we’re doing and we’ll make improvements when we need to.

In recent months, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in members asking to meet with us over the phone. Our plan means we’ll be able to continue doing that. We’re also implementing a pilot project in a few of our branches that will enable us to shorten the time you have to wait for service. If we find this improves the member service experience, we’ll be expanding it to our entire branch network.

I know the last few months have been difficult for all of us. The sudden onset of this pandemic and the economic crisis it created for our members and the community at large demanded that we learn quickly how to adapt to the evolving needs of our members. Our employees have been working hard to be there for you amidst this constant change, and I’m grateful for their effort and dedication.

I’m glad that we’re starting to see the light at the end of tunnel. We’ll continue to be here for you as we recover into our new normal.

-Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO