What Affinity Credit Union does

Affinity Credit Union is a Saskatchewan-based member-owned cooperative financial institution headquartered in Saskatoon, operating exclusively within the province across Treaties 4 and 6. The institution provides full-service retail and commercial banking including deposit accounts (personal and business chequing, savings, AgriInvest), lending products (Straight Rate, CU Flex, and Variable Rate mortgages, personal and business term loans, lines of credit, agricultural financing), Affinity Mastercard credit cards issued through Brim Financial in Personal/World/World Elite tiers, and wealth management delivered via Aviso Wealth (Qtrade Direct Investing, Qtrade Guided Portfolios, NEI Investments). The operating model is hybrid: physical advice centres across Saskatchewan paired with Personal Online Banking, Business Online Banking, mobile banking featuring Deposit Anywhere and Lock'N'Block, a Contact Centre (1.866.863.6237), and eight Mobile Mortgage Specialists providing at-location service.

Revenue mechanics rest on net interest margin from lending, account and service fees, credit card interchange, merchant payment services (including CAFT), and wealth management distribution economics. Business banking is bundled via the Affinity Business Bundle offering over $900 in fee savings alongside payroll services through Payworks. Member acquisition is supported by $2.39M in annual community reinvestment (2025) across 732 Saskatchewan organizations, a 20th consecutive Ipsos CSI Financial Service Award for Customer Service Excellence, and an 8.6/10 member satisfaction score with 89.5% positive mortgage sentiment. Deposits are guaranteed by the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation (CUDGC) of Saskatchewan.

The underlying technology stack is built on third-party fintech infrastructure rather than proprietary AI: Brim Financial provides card processing, Aviso Wealth/Qtrade powers wealth and brokerage, Interac delivers e-Transfer and Verified.Me authentication, Equifax and TransUnion supply credit bureau data, and Apple/Google provide mobile payment rails. Internal systems include digital banking portals (personal.affinitycu.ca, business.affinitycu.ca), Real-Time Alerts, Lock'N'Block card security, ClickSWITCH account migration, and a Mortgage Calculator tool. The company has 251-500 employees and operates with no external equity ownership, no funding rounds, and no disclosed M&A activity, consistent with a stable, mature cooperative operating model focused on deepening member relationships within its defined Saskatchewan geography.

Name

Affinity Credit Union

Legal name

Affinity Credit Union 2013

Website

https://affinitycu.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Affinity Credit Union is a Saskatchewan-based member-owned cooperative providing full-service personal and business banking, mortgages, credit cards, agricultural lending, and wealth management across the province through branches, mobile mortgage specialists, and digital channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking (Cooperative Credit Union)

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213), Credit Card Issuing (522210), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Credit Unions (Retail/Consumer Focus) (FSABAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rewards & Loyalty Credit Cards (FSAKABAH), Co-Branded Credit Cards (FSAKABAB), Federations/Centrals & Cooperative Banking Networks (2nd-Tier Co-ops) (FSABAEAL), Credit Cards & Revolving Credit (FSABAAAC)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Personal and business banking
• Mortgage lending solutions
• Agricultural financial services
• Wealth management products

Headquarters

HQ city

Saskatoon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Interest Income (Net Interest Margin): Affinity earns interest income from lending activities including mortgages, personal loans, lines of credit, and business loans. The spread between interest earned on loans and interest paid on deposits constitutes a primary revenue stream. Mortgage products include Straight Rate (3.99% 5-year fixed), CU Flex (4.34% 5-year), and Variable Rate options.
2. Account and Service Fees: Monthly account package fees, transaction fees, and service charges for various banking services including overdraft protection, wire transfers, and specialized services.
3. Credit Card Interchange: Affinity issues Mastercard credit cards (Affinity Mastercard, World Mastercard, World Elite Mastercard for personal and business) earning interchange fees on transaction volume. Cards include the Affinity Rewards program.
4. Wealth Management and Investment Products: Revenue from investment products including GICs, mutual funds (through Aviso Wealth/NEI Investments), registered accounts (RRSP, TFSA, FHSA, RESP, RDSP), and wealth advisory services. The partnership with Aviso Wealth includes Qtrade Direct Investing and Qtrade Guided Portfolios.
5. Merchant Payment Services: Business banking services including merchant payment processing, CAFT (Customer Automated Funds Transfer), and payroll services through Payworks partnerships.
6. Affinity Rewards Program: Credit card rewards program where members earn points on purchases that can be redeemed for statement credits or purchases. Points are earned at tiered rates (2-30 points per dollar depending on card tier and spending volume).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Affinity Credit Union provides full-service retail and commercial banking to Saskatchewan residents and businesses through physical advice centres, digital channels, and mobile mortgage specialists. Its core products include personal and business chequing/savings, mortgages (Straight Rate, CU Flex, Variable Rate, agricultural), Affinity Mastercard credit cards with the Affinity Rewards loyalty program, registered investment accounts (FHSA, RRSP, TFSA, RESP, RDSP), GICs, mutual funds, and wealth advisory services delivered in partnership with Aviso Wealth.

Product overview

Affinity Credit Union is a Saskatchewan-based credit union operating as a single-brand financial institution offering comprehensive personal and business banking services. The core product portfolio includes deposit accounts (Personal Chequing, Business Chequing, Personal Savings, AgriInvest), mortgage products (Straight Rate, CU Flex, Variable Rate mortgages, AffinityEQ home equity, HELOC), personal and business lending (loans, lines of credit), Affinity Mastercard credit cards issued via Brim Financial with Affinity Rewards loyalty program, and investment products (GICs, Market-Linked GICs, FHSAs, TFSAs, RESPs, RDSPs, RRSPs, RRIFs, mutual funds through NEI Investments, Golden Opportunities Fund, and SaskWorks Fund). Wealth management is delivered through Qtrade Guided Portfolios and Qtrade Direct Investing in partnership with Aviso Wealth, alongside Affinity Financial Strategies for financial planning. Business services include Cash Management, Merchant Payment Services, Remote Cheque Deposit, and Payroll and Workforce Management via Payworks. Digital banking is provided through Personal Online Banking, Business Online Banking, mobile banking with Deposit Anywhere, and services like Real-Time Alerts and Lock'N'Block. The institution serves agricultural members with specialized financing and advisory services, and offers member benefits through Member Perks and Affinity First in Line programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Affinity Wealth Management: Wealth management and advisory services including Qtrade Guided Portfolios and Qtrade Direct Investing
• Affinity Financial Strategies
• Affinity Rewards
• AffinityEQ
• Affinity Deposits Guaranteed
• Affinity Insurance

Products and services

• Personal Chequing Accounts Personal chequing accounts available in Youth (no fee for 24 and younger), Student, 65+ (no fee), Personal Unlimited, and U.S. Chequing variants, with ClickSWITCH support for migrating pre-authorized payments.
• Personal Savings Accounts Personal savings accounts including registered and non-registered options for members.
• Business Chequing Accounts Business chequing accounts in Basic, Enhanced, and Select tiers, with U.S. Chequing variants, for small businesses and commercial enterprises.
• Affinity Business Bundle Bundled business banking package combining business chequing, 50,000 bonus welcome points, merchant services discount (up to $50), business online banking discount ($25), CAFT setup discount ($50), and preferred Payworks payroll pricing — saving over $900 in fees and discounts.
• AgriInvest Deposit Program Agricultural savings program allowing farm businesses to deposit funds for risk mitigation and investment purposes under the federal AgriInvest framework.
• Merchant Payment Services Payment processing solutions enabling business members to accept card transactions through POS terminals and virtual terminal services.
• Cash Management Services Comprehensive cash management services including Business Online Banking, CAFT (Customer Automated Funds Transfer), business cards, Merchant Payment Services, and International Funds Transfer.
• Remote Cheque Deposit for Business Business mobile deposit service allowing business members to deposit cheques remotely by scanning images via their mobile device.
• Affinity Mortgage Solutions (Straight Rate, CU Flex, Variable Rate) Mortgage product line including Straight Rate (as low as 3.99% 5-year fixed), CU Flex (flexible terms with penalty-free extra payments, 5-year at 4.34%), and Variable Rate (Prime minus 0.60%, currently 3.85%), with 130-day rate guarantee and mortgage switch incentives covering up to $1,750 in fees.
• Agricultural Lending and Advisory Specialized agricultural financing including ag mortgages, term loans, leasing, revolving credit, and government program support, with 5-year ag financing at 4.34% and dedicated Ag Financial Advice through advice centres.
• AffinityEQ Home Equity Borrowing Home equity borrowing product allowing members to access equity in their property, including vacation homes and bare land, with 6-month and 1 to 7-year renewal terms.
• Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) Revolving, low-cost borrowing product secured by home equity with no prepayment penalties, available for primary residences and vacation homes.
• Affinity Mastercard Credit Cards (Personal and Business) Credit card products issued in partnership with Brim Financial Inc., including Affinity Mastercard, Affinity World Mastercard, Affinity World Elite Mastercard, Business World Elite Mastercard, and Business+ World Elite Mastercard, each earning Affinity Rewards points on purchases.
• Affinity Rewards Loyalty Program Points-based rewards program for Mastercard holders with tiered earning rates (2-30 points per dollar depending on card tier and spending volume), bonus category earnings (8-12 points per dollar in top spending category), and redemption at 1,000 points per $1.
• Deposit Anywhere Mobile Remote Deposit Mobile deposit service allowing members to deposit cheques by scanning images through the Affinity mobile application, transmitted for clearing through the Canadian payment system.
• Real-Time Alerts Real-time notification service alerting members to account activity, balance changes, and security-relevant events including profile changes and point-of-sale purchase notifications.
• Lock'N'Block Card Security Card security feature allowing members to instantly lock and unlock their Affinity debit or credit cards through the mobile app to prevent unauthorized transactions.
• Mobile Mortgage Specialists Advisory Service On-site mortgage advisory service with eight mobile mortgage specialists available for appointments at members' homes, offices, or other convenient locations, including evenings and weekends, covering first-time buyers, construction, refinancing, and agricultural mortgages.
• Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs) GIC products including fixed-rate terms with various maturity options for guaranteed investment returns.
• Market-Linked GICs Market-linked GICs with returns tied to market performance while providing principal protection.
• First Home Savings Account (FHSA) Tax-free first home savings account with $8,000 annual and $40,000 lifetime contribution limits, tax-deductible contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free qualifying withdrawals for first home purchase (15-year maximum holding period).
• Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) Registered Retirement Savings Plan with various product options for retirement savings accumulation.
• Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) Tax-free savings account allowing contributions to grow tax-free with flexible withdrawal options for personal members.
• Education Savings Plan (RESP) Registered Education Savings Plan for saving toward children's post-secondary education with government grant matching eligibility.
• Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) Registered Disability Savings Plan for individuals with disabilities and their families.
• Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) Registered Retirement Income Fund products providing retirement income streams from accumulated RRSP savings.
• Affinity Wealth Management Wealth management services including Qtrade Guided Portfolios (robo-advisor) and Qtrade Direct Investing (self-directed brokerage), offered in partnership with Aviso Wealth Inc., with a dedicated wealth advisory team (1.866.272.2521).
• Affinity Financial Strategies Financial planning program provided in partnership with Aviso Insurance Inc., offering financial planning, life insurance, and investment products.
• NEI Investments Mutual Funds Mutual fund products offered through Aviso Wealth's NEI Investments division, providing diversified investment portfolios including responsible investment funds.
• SaskWorks Venture Fund Saskatchewan-focused labour-sponsored venture capital fund available through Affinity's investment product lineup.
• Golden Opportunities Fund Labour-sponsored venture capital fund available through Affinity's investment product lineup.
• Payroll and Workforce Management Payroll and workforce management solutions provided through the Payworks partnership, offering Affinity preferred pricing for business members.
• Mortgage Calculator Online mortgage calculation tool enabling members to determine affordability, estimate payments, and compare mortgage scenarios including different amortization periods and prepayment options.
• Member Perks Benefits Program Member benefits program offering exclusive discounts at select venues and events throughout Saskatchewan, including advance ticket sales through Affinity First in Line.
• Affinity First in Line Advance Tickets Advance notification service for members to access early ticket sales for concerts and events in Saskatoon and Regina.
• CRA Direct Deposit Service Service enabling direct deposit of government payments including income tax refunds and benefit payments into member accounts.
• Personal Online Banking Platform Online banking platform for personal members to manage accounts, transfer funds, pay bills, and access account services digitally.
• Business Online Banking Platform Online banking platform for business members with enhanced features for cash management, payroll administration, and multi-account handling.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8.6/10 member satisfaction score in Voice of the Member Overall Satisfaction and Digital Satisfaction
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Aviso Wealth Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffinity partners with Aviso Wealth Inc. to provide comprehensive wealth management and investment services to members. This includes access to mutual funds, Qtrade Direct Investing (online brokerage), Qtrade Guided Portfolios (managed portfolios), and wealth advisory services. Affinity Financial Strategies is provided through Aviso Insurance Inc.
• Brim Financial Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationAffinity Credit Union issues Affinity Mastercard credit cards in partnership with Brim Financial Inc. Brim provides the credit card platform, technology infrastructure, and processes card transactions. The partnership enables Affinity-branded Mastercard products including World and World Elite tiers.
• PayworkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffinity offers payroll and workforce management solutions to business members through a partnership with Payworks. Business Bundle members receive Affinity preferred pricing on Payworks services.
• Interac Corp.coreTechnology or IntegrationAffinity participates in the Interac network for debit transactions, Interac e-Transfer, and Interac Verified.Me sign-in service. Interac provides the payment infrastructure enabling contactless debit, online payments, and identity verification.
• NEI InvestmentssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffinity offers NEI Investments mutual funds as part of its investment product lineup. NEI is a Canadian investment management company offering responsible investment funds.
• SaskWorks Venture FundsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffinity offers SaskWorks Fund as an investment option. SaskWorks is a labour-sponsored venture capital fund focused on Saskatchewan businesses.
• Golden Opportunities FundsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffinity offers Golden Opportunities Fund as an investment option. Golden Opportunities is a labour-sponsored venture capital fund.
• Central 1 Credit UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral 1 is the central banking facility and trade association for credit unions in Canada. Affinity participates in the cooperative structure for clearing, settlement, and liquidity management. Also participates in joint initiatives like the Tap Into Your Local Summer debit spending campaign.
• Apple Inc.secondaryTechnology or IntegrationAffinity supports Apple Pay for contactless mobile payments on compatible Apple devices through the mobile banking application.
• Google LLCsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAffinity supports Google Pay for contactless mobile payments on compatible Android devices through the mobile banking application.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vancity: British Columbia-based member-owned credit union offering retail banking, mortgages, business banking, and wealth services with a strong community-reinvestment brand. Closest peer in cooperative mission and product mix, though regionally focused on BC.
• Innovation Credit Union: Another major Saskatchewan credit union headquartered in North Battleford, providing personal/business banking, ag financing, and credit cards within the same provincial footprint. Head-to-head competitor for retail deposits, mortgages, and ag loans.
• Meridian Credit Union: Ontario-based member-owned credit union offering retail/commercial banking, mortgages, wealth, and digital services. Comparable in cooperative governance, full-service retail product line, and Mastercard-based credit card offerings, but at a larger Ontario scale.
• First West Credit Union: Western Canadian credit union operating four community credit union brands in BC. Comparable cooperative structure, full-service retail/business banking, and member-owned governance.
• Conexus Credit Union: Saskatchewan-based credit union offering personal/business banking, ag lending, and wealth management across the same province. Directly overlaps with Affinity in target market, product suite (deposits, mortgages, ag financing, Mastercard credit cards), and Saskatchewan community focus.
• Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union: Western Canada credit union serving BC with personal/business banking, mortgages, and credit cards. Comparable community-owned model, retail product mix, and digital channels, but no Saskatchewan overlap.
• Libro Credit Union: Ontario-based credit union focused on personal banking, business banking, and agriculture lending. Comparable product mix (especially ag specialization) and member-owned cooperative model.

Emerging players

• Wealthsimple: Canadian digital-first investing and banking platform offering chequing, savings, and credit products. Emerging competitor targeting the same younger Canadian retail segment Affinity courts through youth/student banking and FHSA offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Desjardins Group: Largest cooperative financial group in North America, operating full-service retail banking, wealth, and insurance across Canada. Comparable cooperative ownership model and product breadth, but vastly larger scale and Quebec-centric geography.
• Royal Bank of Canada (RBC): One of Canada's Big Six banks with full retail/business banking, ag finance, credit cards, and wealth management. Overlaps with Affinity in nearly every product line, but at national scale and as an investor-owned competitor rather than a cooperative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/affinity_cu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJ3_ejuWkVg5z_NfN4ujtEA
• Facebookfacebook.com/affinitycu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/affinity-credit-union
• Instagraminstagram.com/affinity_cu

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Affinity Credit Union