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Northern Credit Union at a glance

Northern Credit Union was founded in 1957 and currently manages $1.6 billion in assets.

Northern Credit Union account options
Savings
Chequing
Visa credit cards
Investing
Other Northern Credit Union services
Mortgages
Loans and lines of credit
Loan protection
Business and agricultural services

Northern Credit Union overview

With 75,000 members in 24 communities, Northern Credit Union is the largest credit union in Northern Ontario. Northern offers many of the same products and services you’d find at a traditional bank, including savings accounts, chequing accounts, mortgages and investment products. Members of Northern Credit Union enjoy competitive interest rates on both savings accounts and loan products, and have the ability to vote on matters that affect the institution.

Online banking capabilities at Northern Credit Union

Getting the most out of a Northern Credit Union membership generally means living close to one of its service areas, but members can also do their banking remotely through Northern’s website (www.northerncu.com) and its mobile banking app. Members can open accounts, pay bills, transfer money and deposit cheques online.

Is my money safe at Northern Credit Union?

Northern Credit Union insures member deposits in the event the institution suddenly becomes insolvent. Deposit insurance coverage is provided through the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s Deposit Insurance Reserve Fund.

Non-registered deposits, like savings and chequing accounts, are insured to a maximum of $250,000. Registered accounts such as registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) and tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs) have unlimited coverage.

Northern Credit Union account types

Northern Credit Union offers a full menu of accounts for members to choose from.

Northern Credit Union savings accounts

Northern Superior Savings account: no monthly fee, no minimum balance required and the interest rate increases along with the account balance.
Northern Lite Savings account: similar to Northern Superior, with no free in-branch or self-serve transactions.

Northern Credit Union chequing accounts

Northern Proud Unlimited Chequing account: unlimited transactions for a fee that ranges from $0 a month to $18.95, depending on the member’s age.
Northern Complete Chequing account: 60 transactions for a cost of either $13.95, $4.50 or $0 depending on the member’s age.
Northern Elite Online Chequing account: unlimited self-serve transactions and 10 free Interac e-transfers for either $9.95, $5.50 or $0 per month.
Northern Strong Chequing account: 12 free in-branch or self-serve transactions for $4.00 per month.
Northern Lite Chequing account: $1.25 per transaction, $2.00 per Interac e-transfer and bill payment; no monthly fee.
Northern US Dollar Chequing account: no monthly fee; $1.25 USD for in-branch withdrawals and transfers, cleared cheques and pre-authorized debits.

Northern Credit Union credit card accounts

Northern offers a variety of low rate, no-fee and travel Visa credit cards, including:

Visa Infinite.
US Dollar Visa.
Centra Gold Visa.
Cash Back Visa.
Visa Classic.
Cash Back Visa Infinite.

Northern Credit Union investing accounts

Other Northern Credit Union services

Mortgages.
Lines of credit.
Loans and loan protection.
Services for small businesses and agricultural clients.
Investment shares in Northern Credit Union itself.

Northern Credit Union fees

Banking fees can vary based on the accounts you have and how you use them. Here are some of the common fees you may encounter using Northern’s financial products and services:

Non-sufficient funds: $55
Overdraft (single use): $5
ATM withdrawals outside network: $1.75-$3
Dormant account monitoring fee: $6 per month
Sending wire transfers: $30-$40
RSP, TFSA or RIF transfer to another institution: $75

Who Northern Credit Union is best for:

Ontarians looking for typical banking products and competitive interest rates who don’t mind paying fees.

Northern Credit Union offers a range of services for individuals and businesses, including a solid range of investment accounts. Members are likely to get more out of dealing with Northern if they live close to a branch, where they can get personalized advice and take full advantage of the mortgage and business services on offer.

Pros and cons of Northern Credit Union

There’s plenty to like about Northern Credit Union, but no bank or credit union is without its drawbacks. Here’s what to consider before you open an account.

Pros of Northern Credit Union

Savings products earn higher interest rates than other banks.
Variety of chequing accounts and investment products.
Some discounted monthly fees for students and members aged 59 and up.

Cons of Northern Credit Union

Certain chequing accounts charge numerous transaction and ATM fees.
Locations tend to be in smaller communities north of the Greater Toronto Area, which could make getting in-person service a hassle.
Some chequing accounts charge $2 per Interac e-transfer.

How Northern Credit Union compares to other credit unions

	Primary region of service	Mobile and online banking	Are deposits insured?
Access Credit Union	Manitoba.	Yes.	Yes, by the Deposit Guarantee Corporation of Manitoba.
Laurentian Bank	Montreal.	Yes.	Yes, by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Northern Credit Union	Northern Ontario.	Yes.	Yes, by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s Deposit Insurance Reserve Fund.
Sydney Credit Union	Nova Scotia.	Yes.	Yes, by the Nova Scotia Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Vision Credit Union	Alberta.	Yes.	Yes, by the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation.

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You don’t have to be a resident of Ontario to become a member at Northern Credit Union, but living close to its service areas could make being a member more convenient and rewarding.

Most credit unions provide the same services offered by traditional banks, but offer their members higher interest rates on savings products and lower rates on loans and mortgages.

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