Coastal Community Credit Union joins the Canadian User Group, strengthening credit union collaboration in digital banking

Following close collaboration with First West Credit Union (First West) on building new solutions for the market, Coastal Community Credit Union has officially joined the Canadian User Group, a pioneering initiative designed to bring credit unions together to co-create the next generation of digital banking capabilities.

Coastal Community traces its roots back to 1946, when a small group of Islanders set out to create a financial institution built on local values and community-first banking. Since then, the credit union has grown through mergers and technological innovation, while maintaining its commitment to improving the financial health of its communities.

The Canadian User Group was founded on the belief that collaboration, transparency, and the cooperative spirit can empower credit unions to thrive, even in the face of market challenges. Despite the complexities of working jointly across institutions, the initiative has already demonstrated strong results: stakeholders from both First West and Coastal Community have actively shared progress, exchanged documentation, and collaborated through joint brainstorming sessions to innovative digital banking solutions that enhance the member experience.

By pooling knowledge and resources, User Group participants strengthen each other’s ability to remain resilient in a competitive financial services environment—ensuring credit unions can continue to provide an agile, member-centric alternative to banks.

This initiative is proof that the cooperative principles at the heart of credit unions remain a powerful force for innovation and resilience,” said Selim Hasan, Sales Director, VeriPark. “We are proud to work alongside First West and Coastal Community in laying the foundation for the next generation of digital banking solutions in Canada.

The User Group turns collaboration into speed, scale, and shared value,” said Barry Frame, Chief Revenue Officer, VeriPark. “By aligning on a modern, AI-ready platform and sharing reusable assets such as patterns, integrations, and best-practice journeys, we can deliver new capabilities faster while keeping the member experience front and center.

Joining the Canadian User Group reflects our cooperative roots and our commitment to innovation. By working alongside fellow credit unions and VeriPark, we can accelerate the delivery of modern, secure, and intuitive digital experiences that make everyday banking easier for our members," said James Mitchell, Chief Technology & Payments Officer, Coastal Community Credit Union. "This collaboration allows us to pool expertise, reduce duplication, and de-risk our digital roadmap, ensuring we bring the right solutions to market faster while staying true to our mission of supporting the financial health of our communities.

VeriPark, First West Credit Union, and Coastal Community Credit Union are committed to expanding this initiative further and are already working closely on onboarding additional founding members to the Canadian User Group.

VeriPark is already a trusted partner for several Canadian credit unions. The company has successfully completed multiple digital banking migrations and continues to support additional institutions currently undergoing transformation.