financial backup for life

ABOUT US

OPPA Credit Union was started by officers like you in 1971. Since then, we’ve focused solely on helping OPP officers, staff and their families achieve financial security. We’ve done it well according to our members – we’ve got to know thousands of people just like you over the years, and that experience is invaluable when it comes to helping you secure a bright financial future today.

A lot has changed since we began. There are banks on every corner and you don’t need to be in one to do your banking. What your pension will cover in your retirement years has changed, how you save and borrow has changed, how you and your family members build security for the future has changed.

OPPA Credit Union has done better than keep up with change and we still answer our phones when you call (imagine how easy that makes everything!). Our products, services and financial planning/investment advice are second to none. How you access your money and move it into and out of your accounts with us is super easy and convenient no matter where you live.

What hasn’t changed is simply this: We’ve always got your back. Because we understand your lifestyle and challenges, we can fit financial services and ideas to you better than anyone else. We do it without bias, sales agendas and commissions on that advice. What’s good for you is best for us too.

That’s financial backup for life. That’s what we offer over 8,000 members with over $225 million in assets. That’s what you get here that you’ll not find anywhere else. And we think that’s what you need to know About Us to get started.

Give us a call – start getting financial backup for life today.

Key Facts

  1. Your deposits with banks are insured federally for up to $100,000. With the OPPA Credit Union, eligible deposits in registered accounts have unlimited coverage through the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA). Eligible deposits not in registered accounts are insured up to $250,000 through FSRA. You tell us which protection is better.

  2. We have one branch in Barrie – but almost unlimited access through a world-class ATM network and by phone, email, text and online. We were a virtual bank before virtual banking became a thing.

  3. Your advice team is qualified to help you with all your financial opportunities and challenges; one team, who get to know you and who pro-actively helps you and your family get ahead.

  4. We’ll help with as much of your banking as you need us to. From accounts to credit cards and loans. But what’s really useful is our ability and passion for helping our members. Ask us for a second opinion and let’s build your net worth together.

OPPA Credit Union Vision, Mission & Values

These are our guiding principles – that said, skip to the last part of this section to find out what it all means.

VISION

The OPPA Credit Union is the trusted financial institution of choice for the OPP family, for life.

MISSION

The OPPA Credit Union uses our knowledge of the OPP family to provide members with the financial products you need and advice you can trust throughout your life.

VALUES

These principles and values guide the actions of the OPPA Credit Union and ensure we earn the trust of our members:

  • Our focus is on the OPP family – active and retired, officers and civilian members of the Ontario Provincial Police Association – and your immediate families.
  • We establish life-long relationships with our members.
  • We provide advice that is tailored to each member, along with a range of financial products and services.
  • We work hard to create a culture that leads to knowledgeable and engaged staff, who provide the trusted advice our members expect.
  • Our highest priorities are safeguarding our members’ money and offering advice you trust.

Bottom line: We do what’s right for our members!

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At OPPA Credit Union, we focus on providing our members with a lifetime of superior financial experiences. We understand and respect our members and the challenges they face in making their dreams come true. The life of a police officer is unique. Personal stress is great. We focus our business on helping our members and their families achieve their financial goals. And we’ve been doing it since 1971. In other words, we exist to improve your life. And, we’re better qualified than most other financial institutions to do so. Because we know what makes you special.

Over the past few years, in order to achieve our growth goals, we have organized our credit union differently from other financial institutions. We have not embarked on large-scale advertising. Rather, we have focused on building our business one customer at a time, by providing excellent service and value-added advice. Every interaction with our members is critical. That’s why we have dedicated Financial Advisors assigned to a specific group of members. They work hard to get to know what their members want and need.

We all have a role to play in living out our member service promise:

  • We are here to simplify our members’ lives.
  • We act as our members’ advocate and take their side.
  • We willingly go the extra mile for our members.
  • We openly discuss our rates and fees – there are no surprises
  • We honour the promises and commitments we make to our members.
  • We ensure our members feel valued.
  • We provide value-added advice to help our members achieve both their short- and long-term goals.
 
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Shannon Antonio

Shannon Antonio

Financial Advisor - Mutual Funds Investment Specialist, Credential Asset Management Inc.

A lifelong learner who loves to travel as well as concert enthusiast who enjoys spending time with her kids, husband, family and friends. Her faith is important to her and she is active in her church community. After receiving her degree in Travel and Tourism, Shannon was able to see the world from a new point of view. After visiting Africa and teaching the locals new life skills she was forever changed. Changing gears, Shannon has now worked in the financial industry as an advisor and mutual fund specialist for over 10 years. Since starting in the Banking world, Shannon decided to expand her horizons by joining the team at the OPPA Credit Union in 2011. Working at the OPPA Credit Union gives Shannon the chance to think outside of the box, while giving members customized advice that makes sense for their needs. In order to do so, she will put herself in their shoes and go above and beyond to strive to give her members a superior experience. Shannon genuinely loves to help her members and serves them well.

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Carla Kruger

Carla Kruger

Financial Advisor - Mutual Funds Investment Specialist, Credential Asset Management Inc.

A family oriented professional, Carla began her career in finance in 2010 at a community Credit Union and joined OPPA Credit Union in 2014. Carla is qualified in an array of lending, and is a registeredMutual Fund Investment Specialist. She has consistently found success through effective communication skills and the unique ability to navigate the details. When not spending time helping members protect and grow their wealth, you will find her out on the local hiking trails or relaxing down by the lake. Carla is also an exotic animal owner & nature enthusiast. With a passion for helping people, she listens intently and works tirelessly to help achieve your dreams and goals. A favourite quote that she endeavors to make a reality: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” Henry David Thoreau

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Jennifer Collins

Jennifer Collins

Financial Advisor - Mutual Funds Investment Specialist, Credential Asset Management Inc.

While living a healthy lifestyle, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She has a passion for the outdoors whether that be biking, hiking or just sitting and enjoying nature at its best. Jennifer joined the OPPA Credit Union in 2005, and has worked in the financial services industry since 1997. She is a registered Mutual Funds Investment Specialist. Jennifer enjoys getting to know her members and has a strong belief in the importance of planning for the future. She enjoys building long-term relationships with her members and helping them achieve their financial goals through every stage of their lives.

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Stacey Zigah

Stacey Zigah, CLU

Financial Advisor - Mutual Funds Investment Specialist, Credential Asset Management Inc.

A wife and mom of two active kids, Stacey finds time between dance recitals and soccer games to relax and travel with her family on the weekends. When she is not with her family, you can find Stacey on the golf course working on her short game. Stacey joined the OPPA Credit Union in May 2017and brings with her a background in Financial Planning. She is experienced in helping identify short and long term goals and developing strategies to achieve them. As a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and FPSC Level 1® Certificant in Financial Planning, Stacey specializes in Wealth Accumulation & Preservation, Estate Planning and Tax Planning. Stacey believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to work with an Advisor, whether you’re financially established or just beginning your financial story. When life changes, so does your plan.

 

Mutual funds and related financial planning services are offered through Credential Asset Management Inc.

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When you join OPPA Credit Union, you become a member and you own shares. As a shareholder, you may want to spend a few minutes to learn more about how the credit union is governed and managed – or more specifically, about who sits on the Board of Directors (oversight) and on the Management Team (day-to-day operations and strategy).

Start with the latest Annual Report to get a sense of your credit union’s business performance.

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Each year we publish an Annual Report for members. The report outlines the previous year’s accomplishments and includes key financial statements.

Contact Sherri Degroot (sherri@oppacu.com) for information about the 2023 Annual General Meeting.

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Like all credit unions, the OPPA Credit Union has a board of directors responsible for setting direction and overseeing the credit union on behalf of its members. Directors are elected by members, and every member in good standing has the right to seek election to the board.

The board has five key responsibilities:

  • Establishing strategic direction and regularly reviewing that direction to ensure that it responds to the changing environment in which the OPPA Credit Union operates.
  • Hiring and delegating authority to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to manage and supervise the day-to-day business of the OPPA Credit Union.
  • Monitoring the OPPA Credit Union’s performance, including financial results, progress against annual and long-term goals and plans, compliance with board policies, and effective risk management.
  • Communicating with members and other stakeholders, including reporting on progress through the Annual Report and at the Annual General Meeting.
  • Monitoring and ensuring appropriate and effective governance of the OPPA Credit Union.

If you have questions or comments for your board of directors, please send an email to Board Secretary Tammy Lalo-Malec tammy@oppacu.com.

BOARD MEMBERS

Here is our current board of directors:

We appreciate the time and effort that our directors dedicate to planning our future and ensuring that the best interests of members are always at the forefront of the OPPA Credit Union’s operation. Directors attend regular board meetings and participate on board committees.

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The board has established five committees to help carry out its responsibilities. In addition to serving on the board, each director participates on at least one of these committees.

  • The Governance/Executive Committee oversees the work and effectiveness of the board and its committees, and progress on strategic and annual business plans.
  • The Audit Committee oversees the work of internal and external auditors, evaluates financial statements and ensures compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
  • The Nominating Committee oversees the recruitment, nomination, evaluation and selection of board members.
  • The CEO Performance Management Committee reviews and approves human resources policies, and manages the CEO’s performance eval
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Your credit union’s management team includes seasoned financial services professionals in all aspects of the business. The team’s prudent, practical approach behind the scenes allows us to offer our members the right selection of products, services and new ideas in perfect balance.

MEET THE TEAM

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Here are answers to the general questions we hear most often.  

  1. What’s a credit union?
    Credit unions are co-operative financial service organizations that are owned by their members. As a result, the focus of a credit union is different than a bank: as opposed to putting shareholders first, we put you first.
  2. Can my spouse and children join the OPPA Credit Union?
    Yes. Membership is open to OPP officers, civilian members of the OPPA and the immediate family members of individuals who meet these criteria.
  3. What if I don’t live in Barrie?
    Not living near our Barrie branch doesn’t stop you from banking with OPPA Credit Union. Our members live and work throughout the province. Through Internet Banking, our mobile app and THE EXCHANGE® Network of ATMs, they always have access to their accounts. Our Financial Advisors are just as available and able to serve you by phone or email as they are in person.
  4. Do I have to pay a membership fee to join?
    As a member, you are also a shareholder and must own at least one share in the credit union. While the cost is normally $100 per share, we’ll cover this cost for you, as long as you retain your membership in the OPPA Credit Union for at least ten years. If you close your account before 10 years, the Credit Union will retain the value of your shares. After 10 years, you’ll receive the full value of your shares.
  5. Will my money be safe in a credit union?
    Short answer is absolutely. At the OPPA Credit Union, Eligible deposits in registered accounts have unlimited  coverage through the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA). *Registered accounts include LIRA, LIF, RRSP, RRIF, RDSP, RESP, TFSA.  Eligible deposits in non-registered accounts are insure up to $250,000 through the FSRA.
    For further information on deposit insurance, please visit the FSRA website at www.fsrao.ca
Need answers to specific questions? Just give us a call!
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Online banking makes managing your finances easy and convenient. However, there are measures you should take, and best practices you should follow, whenever you go online to access your accounts. Your online security is our priority.

SECURITY GUARANTEE

Our online banking system is safeguarded with the best security available in a commercial environment, ensuring that your information is protected while data is transmitted between your computer and our banking server.

ENCRYPTION

Internet encryption protects your information while it is in transit between your computer and our systems. Encryption ensures that data cannot be read or altered because the information is scrambled. Our online banking website uses a 128-bit SSL, encrypting both request and response transactions, through a secure connection. To establish a secure connection, verify that the prefix of our website address in your browser reads ‘https’ (and not simply ‘http’). All the browsers we support meet this requirement. If yours doesn’t, please download the appropriate encryption support from your browser’s supplier.

CONTROLLED ACCESS TO YOUR ACCOUNTS

Your accounts can only be accessed by providing the correct login credentials and Personal Access Code (PAC), which only you know. Our employees never know these details and will never ask you to provide them with this information.

ENHANCED SECURITY LOGIN PROCESS

The first time you log in to your online banking account, you will be asked to choose from a list of security questions and answers. Be sure to pick questions with answers that are not easy to guess. Use ones that only you know. If you have a joint account, the questions and answers for both users must coincide. You can register your home or personal computer so that you will not have to answer a security question every time you log in. However, when you log in to your account from another machine, we will ask one of the security questions to confirm your identity.

For security reasons, we track the number of login attempts used to access your online banking. After a number of incorrect attempts to provide the correct PAC or answers to security questions, your online access will be immediately disabled. To regain access, please call our customer service representatives.

PERSONAL ACCESS CODES (PAC)

Online credentials can be numerous as they are needed for email accounts, social networking sites, online newspapers and shopping websites. That’s a lot of usernames and passwords – and it can be tempting to use the same combination for everything. But this makes it far too easy for hackers because once they have one password, they can access all your sites. Login credentials are the keys to your accounts so don’t leave those keys around for anyone to find. For online banking, the key is your Personal Access Code (PAC). We recommend you:

  • Choose a PAC that is easy for you to remember (alpha, numeric, symbol – maximum 8 characters) but difficult for others to guess. Avoid using current phone numbers, dates of birth, or social insurance numbers.
  • Be smart and don’t save a list of your credentials on your PC. If you have to write them down, keep these details locked away somewhere only you can access or consider using password-management software, which secures and encrypts usernames and passwords and allows you to use a single master password.
  • Do not share your PAC with anyone, especially online. Employees of our financial institution will never call, email, write or ask you to provide your online banking credentials. Ever.
  • Don’t authorize browsers to memorize your credentials. Saving these on your computer allows anyone using your PC to gain access to your login-protected sites.
  • Consider changing your PAC every 90 days for optimum security.


PERSONAL DETAILS

When you move, it is important to notify us of your change of address. If your mailing information isn’t up-to-date, statements or letters that contain personal information will continue to be sent to your former address. 

LOGGING IN AND OUT

When you are finished with your banking session, always log out by clicking the “Log Out” button, as opposed to simply closing the browser window. To help protect your information, your online banking session will end automatically if there has been no activity for 20 minutes or if your visit lasts longer than 60 minutes. If your session has timed out, no further transactions can be made until you log in again. This time-out feature helps protect your accounts from unauthorized access if your PC is left unattended or if you have forgotten to log out.