Opportunities NB (ONB) has made financial services a priority sector. Our strategic nearshore value proposition has attracted Canada’s top financial institutions, and we are building on this success by welcoming new entrants from the worlds of banking, insurance, and financial technology (fintech). ONB also supports the growth of existing New Brunswick fintech companies playing important roles in the province’s business services sector — companies like Moneris Solutions.

Moneris is one of the largest payment processing companies in North America. The company was founded in 2000 as a joint venture from two of Canada’s largest banks, RBC Royal Bank and BMO Bank of Montreal. Today, Moneris offers credit, debit, wireless, and online solutions to over 350,000 customers in Canada, processing more than 3 billion transactions per year.

Last week saw Moneris celebrate 15 years of operations in New Brunswick. ONB spoke to Tanya Becker, Customer Experience Delivery Manager, to learn more.

ONB: First, congratulations on 15 years in Sackville. How did you commemorate the occasion?

Becker: It was a big day for us; we were happy to celebrate with employees, their families, and the Sackville community. We focused on food, fun, and good company. We had a Barbecue, cake, and a number of games. We were thrilled to welcome attendees from both ONB and ContactNB, as well as our town council. Mayor John Higham was also in attendance to deliver a few words. This is a big milestone for Moneris, so there were a number of people from our executive leadership in town for the occasion.

What has Moneris gained from these many years operating in New Brunswick?

First, there is a great skilled workforce here, one with a passion for great service and delivering positive customer experiences. We are one of the largest employers in Sackville, with a very loyal team. The average tenure at our centre is about nine years.

Second is the opportunity to make a difference in this community. That’s not only about high tenure. It’s about providing opportunities for New Brunswickers to enter exciting careers in financial services. We have offices across the country, so there a host of opportunities within Moneris, and career paths are launched from Sackville.

We have partnered with Mount Allison University numerous times in order to help create employment opportunities for students. Opportunities with the largest payment processing company in Canada begin here.

ONB has made both business services centres and fintech priority sectors. What is your team’s relationship like with ONB?

That relationship has been great. ONB is really working to evolve our sector, and we’ve been fortunate enough to participate in things like the Business Services Centres marketing campaign, AnswerNB.ca. It’s a collaborative atmosphere in NB with regard to our industry. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in many meetings where we dive into the common challenges companies like ours face, and the potential solutions to those challenges. It’s been very beneficial to learn about the many resources already out there that we can leverage as an industry.

You mentioned ContactNB. Tell us about your work with that organization.

They’re a great partner committed to developing our industry. I’ve been on the logistics committee for the Contact Atlantic Conference, and Moneris employees have also been involved with their awards gala.

Moneris took home multiple awards from that gala this year.  

Yes, we won the Economic Growth & Employment Opportunities and Environmental Awareness Awards, the latter is our fifth straight win. Scott Maindonald and Melissa Wilson also took Leader and Employee of the Year respectively.

Five wins for environmental awareness. What’s the secret?

The major factor is the Moneris Garden, which our environmental committee manages each year. Proceeds from selling its produce go towards local charities and food banks. This year, we constructed a water collection station to reduce our water footprint. It collects water in order to irrigate the garden. We also installed a new water filtration system so we’re not using bottled water anymore.

Initiatives like this keep people engaged with their work, and it’s one reason we continue to see high average tenure.

Written by Jason Boies