General Bank of Canada Information

General Bank of Canada is a Schedule 1 chartered bank headquartered in Edmonton. A family-run organization launched in 2005, General Bank of Canada has helped Canadians across the country with their automotive, commercial and aviation financing needs. After years of success, we are moving toward transformation through innovation and focusing on building the bank of the future and one that can stand for generations. Proudly, for five years and counting, General Bank of Canada has been certified as a Great Place to Work in Alberta! OUR STORY Our roots go back to Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, where our founder, Donald H. Wheaton Sr. worked at the local general store. Along with three partners, he became part owner of a small General Motors dealership in town. The partners soon realized the car business wasn’t for them, and Don Sr. became the sole owner. In 1961, a large dealership in Edmonton became available and General Motors offered him the opportunity to take it over. Along with his wife and family, Don moved to Edmonton and took over what was to become Don Wheaton Chevrolet Oldsmobile. In the mid-1980s, our founder and his family saw an opportunity to offer finance and insurance products to car buyers through dealerships, starting with creditor life and disability insurance and later, extended warranties. The next area of expansion was into banking. General Bank of Canada was launched in 2005. With only three employees at the time, we made our first auto loan in July 2005. Today, we employ almost 100 employees, including a sales force across the country, and have helped over 120,000 Canadians with their auto loan needs. Over recent years, we have diversified into new business lines, including commercial lending and aviation financing. The success of General Bank of Canada is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of our founder and employees. We are proud to carry on the tradition of treating people well, doing business ethically, and mastering our craft.