CAD – Canadian Dollar
USD – US Dollar
EUR – Euro
GBP – British Pound
JPY – Japanese Yen
AUD – Australian Dollar
MXN – Mexican Peso
CNY – Chinese Yuan
USD – US Dollar
CAD – Canadian Dollar
EUR – Euro
GBP – British Pound
JPY – Japanese Yen
AUD – Australian Dollar
MXN – Mexican Peso
CNY – Chinese Yuan
Conversion Estimate
Note: This result uses indicative market rates for estimation purposes. Actual Vancity counter rates, buying rates, and selling rates will vary based on whether the transaction is cash or non-cash, and current market volatility.
Understanding Vancity Foreign Exchange Rates
When planning international travel, purchasing foreign real estate, or sending money abroad through Vancity (Vancouver City Savings Credit Union), understanding how foreign exchange (FX) works is crucial. Unlike simple math conversions found on search engines, credit union exchange rates include a "spread" which covers the cost of the transaction.
How This Calculator Works
This calculator estimates the conversion value of your currency based on current representative market rates relative to the Canadian Dollar (CAD). It accounts for the value difference between major global currencies like the US Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), and British Pound (GBP).
Key Factors Influencing Your Rate
Cash vs. Non-Cash: Physical cash conversions (banknotes) typically incur higher costs than non-cash transactions (wire transfers, drafts, or electronic conversions) due to shipping and handling logistics.
The "Buy" and "Sell" Spread: Financial institutions have two rates. The "Buy" rate is what they will pay you for your foreign currency, and the "Sell" rate is what they charge you to buy foreign currency. The difference is the institution's margin.
Market Volatility: Exchange rates fluctuate second-by-second during market hours. The rate you see in the morning may differ from the rate available in the afternoon.
Common Currency Pairs at Vancity
As a Canadian institution, the most common transaction is CAD to USD (for cross-border travel) and USD to CAD (for converting earnings or gifts). Other popular currencies available often include Euros, British Pounds, and Japanese Yen. For less common currencies, it is often recommended to order cash in advance at your local branch.
Tips for Better Exchange Rates
To get the most out of your conversion, consider exchanging larger amounts at once to minimize fixed fees, and avoid exchanging currency at airport kiosks where spreads are significantly wider than at credit union branches. Checking the daily posted rates at your Vancity branch or online banking portal is the best way to get the exact figure for your transaction.
function calculateVancityFX() {
// 1. Get Input Values
var amountInput = document.getElementById('fx_amount').value;
var fromCurrency = document.getElementById('fx_from_currency').value;
var toCurrency = document.getElementById('fx_to_currency').value;
// 2. Validate Input
if (amountInput === "" || amountInput < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid positive amount to convert.");
return;
}
var amount = parseFloat(amountInput);
// 3. Define Representative Rates (Base: CAD = 1.0)
// These are representative values of 1 Unit of Foreign Currency in CAD
// Example: 1 USD = 1.36 CAD
var ratesInCAD = {
'CAD': 1.00,
'USD': 1.36,
'EUR': 1.49,
'GBP': 1.72,
'AUD': 0.90,
'JPY': 0.0092, // 1 Yen is roughly 0.009 CAD
'MXN': 0.078,
'CNY': 0.19
};
// 4. Calculate Conversion
// Formula: Amount * (Value of 'From' in CAD) / (Value of 'To' in CAD)
var valueInCAD = amount * ratesInCAD[fromCurrency];
var convertedAmount = valueInCAD / ratesInCAD[toCurrency];
// Calculate the cross rate for display
// 1 Unit of From = X Units of To
var exchangeRate = ratesInCAD[fromCurrency] / ratesInCAD[toCurrency];
// 5. Format Output
// Format currency strings
var formatter = new Intl.NumberFormat('en-CA', {
style: 'decimal',
minimumFractionDigits: 2,
maximumFractionDigits: 2
});
var finalResult = formatter.format(convertedAmount);
var rateDisplay = formatter.format(exchangeRate);
// 6. Display Result
var resultContainer = document.getElementById('fx_result_container');
var finalAmountDiv = document.getElementById('fx_final_amount');
var rateBreakdownDiv = document.getElementById('fx_rate_breakdown');
resultContainer.style.display = 'block';
finalAmountDiv.innerHTML = toCurrency + " " + finalResult;
rateBreakdownDiv.innerHTML = "Exchange Rate Used: 1 " + fromCurrency + " = " + rateDisplay + " " + toCurrency;
}