25 Years of Innovation With PC Financial®

Nov 24, 2023

PC Financial® is turning 25! 🥳

That’s right, on November 30, 2023, PC Financial® will celebrate our 25th anniversary. Since day one, we’ve adapted and innovated constantly, striving to bring you newer, better ways to manage your money.

Whether you’ve been with us since day one, joined the party a little later or just came across this blog (Welcome!), there’s a place here for everyone – this journey is as much about you as it is about us. So, get settled, grab a delicious celebratory treat, and come along with us as we relive 25 years filled with value and innovation together!

1990s: No Fees? No Problem!

During an era filled with bold fashion choices and dramatic cultural shifts, there was another ground-breaking trend emerging: the concept of no-fee banking. So, in 1998, we were founded to help make your everyday more rewarding. With that, our journey to give you an innovative new banking experience began – goodbye flannel and fees, hello more to spend on things that truly matter!

2000s: Banking In The Digital Era

As cinematic blockbusters wowed audiences with CGI, modern technology, and high-tech wizardry, at PC Financial® we looked to amaze audiences in a different kind of way. You deserved more than just the traditional in-person banking experiences and we recognized that the greater convenience, speed, and accessibility that was needed was within our reach.

In 2001 we launched our first ever President’s Choice Financial® Mastercard® (opens in a new window)External link - a no annual fee credit card that rewarded you for every dollar you spent on essentials with a new rewards program (shout out to all the original PC Plus Points collectors still with us!). No fees, no hassles, just a whole new way we delivered more value into the everyday lives of Canadians.

But we didn’t just stop there, a few years down the line, we also introduced online banking services (opens in a new window)External link. With this, we not only kept up with the times as technology started to play a huge impact in our society, but to also gave you greater power and convenience to control your financial future.


2010s: Managing Money On The Go

Picture this: it’s the era of gadgets, and people are walking around, balancing a cup of coffee in one hand and swiping through apps with the other. Amid yet another digital revolution, we launched our PC Financial® mobile banking app (opens in a new window)External link to give you the freedom to manage your money on the go. Since its launch, it’s helped provide you with more clarity on your own finances, with the ability to easily transfer money, check balances, pay bills, and even access offers from anywhere, at any time. As if that wasn’t enough to give you more financial peace of mind, we did it all securely thanks to enhanced data protection measures and cybersecurity features including biometric authentication, ensuring your money and information remains safe.

The 2010’s also brought exciting developments to our rewards offerings, as the Shoppers Optimum and PC Plus programs joined, creating the PC Optimum™ (opens in a new window)External link program we know today. This merger created opportunities to earn points and use points at more places, ensuring that you continually get value on the things you buy the most.

And lastly, we launched our blog in the late 2010’s as a new way to not only connect with you but create a new avenue to grow financial literacy amongst Canadians. This treasure trove of financial knowledge provided expert insights, practical tips, and engaging content that aimed at helping you get a better understanding of the world of finance, empowering you to making informed decisions about your money. If you’re looking for more insights to explore after this, our blog (opens in a new window)External link is a goldmine of relevant resources that is always available for you.


2020s: Unlocking Value in the New Normal

Health and physical well-being took centre stage as the world adapted to the 'new normal'. But at PC Financial®, we focused on your financial health by launching the PC Money™ Account (opens in a new window)External link – a banking solution that is also your key to maximizing your opportunities to earn PC Optimum™ points. What that means is you earn rewards on not just your purchases¹, but also everyday banking activities like payroll deposits² and bill payments³. And we’re not done yet! Innovation is at the core of what we do and we’re always finding new ways to bring more value to your lives.

Today, we’d like to take a moment and thank you for your unwavering support over these remarkable 25 years. And guess what? We're just getting started! With over 3 million cardholders, we're more than a bank; we're dedicated to helping Canadians live life well, by providing simplified financial solutions that unlock unprecedented value in your everyday.

Thanks for joining us on this trip down memory lane. You’ve made our first quarter century something truly special, and we can’t wait to share more exciting developments and milestones with you!

General information not about PC Financial® products is provided for your reference and interest only. The above content is intended only to provide a summary and general overview on matters of interest and is not a substitute for and should not be construed as the advice of an experienced professional. PC Financial® does not guarantee the currency, accuracy, applicability, or completeness of this content.


¹Earn at least 5 PC Optimum™ points per dollar on qualifying purchases with your PC Money™ Account, wherever your card is accepted. Earn 10 PC Optimum™ points (5 regular PC Optimum™ points plus a bonus of 5 PC Optimum™ points) per dollar on qualifying purchases at participating Loblaw banner stores, Shoppers Drug Mart® stores, Joe Fresh® stores, and Esso™ and Mobil™ stations in Canada. Bill payments, electronic funds transfers, account fees and interest are not qualifying purchases for the purpose of earning PC Optimum™ points. PC Optimum™ points will be deducted for any credits or returns. President's Choice Bank reserves the right to cancel, change or extend regular and bonus points earning rates at any time. Account must be in good standing at time of qualifying transaction and awarding of points.


²Earn a monthly bonus of up to 5,000 PC Optimum™ points when you deposit funds to your PC Money™ Account using automatic payroll or pension direct deposits. Payroll or pension deposits totaling between $1,500 and $2,999 within a calendar month will earn a bonus of 2,000 PC Optimum™ points, and deposits totaling greater than $2,999 will earn an additional bonus of 3,000 PC Optimum™ points, for a maximum monthly bonus of 5,000 PC Optimum™ points. Limited to one bonus per customer, per month, even if you have multiple PC Money™ Accounts. The classification of a direct deposit as a payroll or pension direct deposit is determined solely by President’s Choice Bank. Interac e-Transfer® services, electronic funds transfers, and other forms of deposits or transfers to your account do not count towards this bonus. Bonus points will be awarded to your PC Optimum™ account within 2-7 business days of when you meet the minimum direct deposit amount(s).


³Earn a bonus of 1,000 PC Optimum™ points for each of up to five bill payments of $50 or more to unique payees, per calendar month, made using a valid PC Money™ Account. Bonus points will be awarded to your PC Optimum™ account within 2-3 weeks of a successful bill payment.

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