His 23-year stint at Central 1 followed a lengthy tenure at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Helmut Pastrick (pictured), who joined Credit Union Central of BC (which is now known as Central 1 following the merger of BC and Ontario Centrals) in 1997 following a lengthy tenure at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, has announced that he is retiring from his chief economist post by the end of 2020.
Pastrick is considered synonymous with the credit union system, having “elevated the credit union system to the forefront of media and policy makers” through his in-depth commentary, Central 1 said.
“Under his leadership, the economics department has become the ‘go-to commentators’ for media on topics related to the BC economy, housing markets, and sometimes, political matters,” Central 1 said. “Helmut’s expertise has helped to increase the credit union system’s reputation and credibility among the financial and business community across Canada.”
Aside from being an acclaimed economic and housing forecaster, Pastrick was recently named as part of the Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability, which was formed by the federal and BC governments.
“He has also mentored a number of economists currently at Central 1 and those who have passed through and made their mark in other organizations,” the union said. “His highly methodical approach to economic analysis and research methods and focus on mentoring has raised the bar of the Central 1 economics department and contributed to the success of the team.”
