Bob (Bohdan) Leshchyshen
BA, MBA, CFA

Canadian Credit Unions

Analysis of the Credit Union System

2009 Credit Union Analysis

Analysis of Canada's Largest Credit Unions provides a comprehensive overview of Canandian Credit Union System.

The Analysis compares the financial results of largest Canandian credit unions, Canada’s largest chartered banks, and the twenty five largest credit unions in the United States.

“My goal is to provide the financial community with the most accurate picture of where credit unions stand in relation to each other and the other major financial institutions in Canada. Credit unions can benchmark their financial results and services offered against their major competitors in their region and throughout the whole country.”

Bob Leshchyshen

Financial Analyst of 30 years

The seventh annual Analysis of Canada's Largest Credit Unions based on 2009 Audited Financial Statements provides extensive financial comparisons between credit unions, chartered banks and financial institutions includes asset growth and profitability, deposit and loan portfolio, operating results, capital ratios. The Analysis provides an overview of the Credit Unions' participation in the mutual fund and on-line brokerage industries. The 2009 Analysis included 120 of the largest credit unions in Canada, outside of Quebec. The total assets of these credit unions grew by 6.5% from the previous year to $109.8 billion. In comparison, the chartered banks domestic operations saw their assets grow by only 7.5% to $1.07 trillion. More than 3.7 million Canadians were members of these 120 largest credit unions. The largest Canadian Credit Unions returned about $149 million in dividends and patronage payments to their members or 24% of their net income before taxes. The return on equity (ROE) was 8.6%, a decline from 10.7% in the previous year. The 25 largest U.S. credit unions had an ROE of 10% in 2009 compared to only 3.9% in 2008. The return on assets (ROA) was 0.55% compared to 0.98% for the chartered banks (domestic operations) and 0.85% for the U.S. credit unions. The largest credit unions continue to have a higher operating cost structure the Canadian Chartered Banks.

Details about the analysis and previous analysis reports are posted on this website www.canadiancreditunion.ca, which has been specifically created to provide independent analysis of the Canadian credit union movement and highlights the movement’s financial successes and challenges.