The clean energy community lost a respected and beloved leader Feb. 13 when Christine Bergeron, former president and CEO of Vancity Savings Credit Union, died of brain cancer after “a life defined by courage, curiosity, and a rare kind of leadership,” her family said in an online posting.
“Christine believed in putting people at the centre of every decision—in boardrooms, in communities, and at home,” the family said on LinkedIn. “Over a career spanning more than 25 years, she worked with entrepreneurs, financed innovation, and helped shape organizations committed to sustainability and positive change.”
In an emailed statement, Vancity remembered Bergeron as a “thoughtful, strategic, and values-centred leader” who “left a lasting mark on Vancity and the communities we serve,” guiding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic “while never losing sight of our commitments to build a cleaner, fairer world. Under her leadership, Vancity set a target and path to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across our lending portfolio and advanced our impact investing and inclusive economic development work.”
While the statement detailed Bergeron’s achievements in impact investing, community business banking, and member services, “Christine was more than the sum of her accomplishments,” Vancity said. “She was a great human, a loved leader and colleague, and someone who inspired so many of us to be better. We miss her, and our thoughts are with her family.”
Vancity honoured its former CEO by establishing the Christine Bergeron Woman Entrepreneur Award in May, 2025.
Bergeron worked most recently as president and CEO of Concert Properties, a property developer with offices in Vancouver and Toronto. “Christine was a rare and exceptional leader, whose professional brilliance was matched by her depth of character and belief in people,” Interim CEO John Dooling said in an online statement. “She asked the hard questions, listened deeply, and challenged us not to simply deliver results, but to do so in a way that honours our values.”
