First West Credit Union has processed its first Interac Flash transactions, becoming the first credit union in British Columbia to initiate the contactless, tap-and-go technology feature on its debit cards.
Interac Flash is a new contactless enhancement of Interac Chip debit cards that enables cardholders to make every day small value purchases faster by simply holding their card up to a supporting reader. First West will be rolling out Interac Flash and Instant Card Issuance, the ability to create personalized cards in branch for members, in a phased approach at two of its Envision Financial branches. Beginning in mid-June, a limited number of these cards will be available at the Willoughby branch in Langley and High Street branch in West Abbotsford. A greater roll-out is planned for Envision Financial members this fall and to Valley First and Enderby & District Financial members in 2015.
“We are thrilled that First West Credit Union, one of Canada’s leading financial institutions, has partnered with Everlink to produce their Interac Flash” enabled debit cards via our Instant Card Issuance solution,” says Mark Ripplinger, president & CEO of Everlink Payment Services Inc. “As they roll out their program, their members will be able to enjoy this new contactless payments technology quickly and securely.”
“At First West, we’re always looking for ways to incorporate innovation and technology into our products and services so that we can keep banking simple for our members,” says Darrell Jaggers, chief information officer at First West Credit Union. “The ability to pay for purchases with the tap of your card is one of the latest evolutions in card payments and we expect to be the first credit union in B.C. to implement this for debit cards. Not only will it enable consumers to make secure, everyday purchases faster and more efficiently, it also reinforces our commitment to being progressive and offering our members more exciting ways to do their banking with us.”
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