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BCAA, which has over 1 million Members and serves millions of households in BC with savings, insurance, roadside assistance, mobility solutions and more, has released its latest Impact Report.
When British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) employee and West Kelowna volunteer firefighter John Chapman rushed in to help defend his community against wildfires in summer 2023, he knew that his employer and the community had his back. BCAA is continuing to step up with further support for volunteer firefighters like John and to take more action to tackle one of the most significant challenges BC faces: wildfires.
John’s story and what BCAA is doing to help is one of many highlights from BCAA’s latest Impact Report. In it, the organization shares its progress against voluntary impact targets and how it’s making a positive impact for people and communities in BC, the planet and the province’s prosperity.
“As a purpose-led, values-driven organization, we track and report on our impact to hold ourselves accountable for what we call doing good business,” says Eric Hopkins, president and CEO at BCAA. “That means focusing on how our everyday business gives back more to the people and province of British Columbia than we take. It’s why BCAA exists—to empower British Columbians to move forward.”
With a focus on protection, BCAA’s success starts with people—both its employees and broader communities across the province. With 90% of people in BC saying wildfires are a significant concern, BCAA reports how it’s helping to defend against wildfires by investing in year-round programming to prevent and prepare for wildfires, support people and communities during wildfire season, and provide relief and recovery.
Partnering with FireSmart™ BC, BCAA’s investment directly helps to extend wildfire prevention expertise into more remote, higher-risk communities. The BCAA FireSmart initiative also offers a home insurance discount to homeowners in participating communities who complete a free home assessment through the FireSmart™ BC Wildfire Mitigation Program, a research based and proven solution to significantly lower property wildfire risk.
Many BC communities are protected by volunteer firefighters who work tirelessly during emergencies and deal with the lasting impacts of wildfires. BCAA partners with the Canadian Mental Health Association Vancouver-Fraser Branch to increase access to critical mental health resilience training through the Resilient Minds® program, focusing on volunteer firefighters serving remote and rural BC communities.
Beyond its focus on wildfires, BCAA continues to invest in giving back to communities through supporting employee volunteering, donations, enhanced workplace safety measures, support for diversity, equity and inclusion, road safety initiatives and more—earning it BC Top Employer status for the sixth consecutive year.
Perhaps surprisingly for an auto club, BCAA’s Impact Report spotlights how the organization champions new mobility choices, recognizing that an increasing number of people in BC no longer own a personal vehicle but still need ways to get around quickly, easily and with a lower carbon footprint. BCAA operates Evo Car Share in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island and has expanded into more active mobility with its Evolve E-Bike and E-Scooter Share services, all of which are helping thousands of people to get around in active, affordable and climate-friendly ways.
As more people who do need a private vehicle opt for electric options, BCAA continues to add more electric vehicles to its roadside assistance and Evo Car Share fleets and to offer online tools and resources for those considering making the switch. Beyond electrification, BCAA’s remote and hybrid workplace policies, along with operational improvements like reduced paper use, are helping BCAA reduce its environmental impact in specific areas. These efforts are part of the organization’s broader journey toward carbon neutrality.
BCAA sees its prosperity as something to be shared. With financial success and stability come more opportunities to bring value to BC communities and offer support for underrepresented groups, provide new services to meet people’s needs and to give back.
When presented with a challenge, BCAA sees opportunities to create connected communities and help more people get where they need to go. For example, when St. Paul’s and Vancouver General Hospitals’ Hospital at Home program needed safe and reliable transport for healthcare workers to visit patients at home, BCAA stepped up with an Evo Car Share solution that has already helped healthcare workers travel thousands of kilometres to deliver much-needed patient care.
As the needs of people in BC change, BCAA continues to deliver new locally designed services that help people across the province. Following the successful introduction of Small Business Insurance, the organization introduced BCAA Auto Marketplace in 2024, which provides a free, secure platform for British Columbians buying or selling used vehicles.
As BCAA celebrated another year of continued growth in 2024, it sought opportunities for artistic collaboration, economic empowerment and investment in learning. Highlights include showcasing Indigenous art on Evolve E-Bikes in Whistler, investments in impactful programs for Indigenous and Black youth, and additional ways BCAA is opening up mobility access for even more people in BC.
“BCAA exists to protect the place we all call home, creating a better tomorrow for us all,” Hopkins says. “We all play a part, and together our province and its people are ours to protect.”
Learn more and read the full report at bcaa.com/OursToProtect