Co-operative development in Western Canada took a leap forward Jan. 27 with the launch of Co-operatives First.
A five-year, $5 million commitment from the Co-operative Retailing System will give start-up funding to the non-profit organization.
Co-operatives First is the result of two years of research and $1 million from Federated Co-operatives Ltd.
“This project aimed to study the needs of rural and aboriginal communities in Western Canada and whether or not the co-operative model could help be a solution to some of the challenges in those communities,” said Scott Banda, chief executive officer of Federated.
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“We know that there are significant gaps in our rural communities and in our aboriginal communities.”
However, Banda said there are also significant opportunities for co-operatives to be part of the solution.
“Co-operatives First will provide and promote local solutions, create a co-operative development network across provincial boundaries, across sectors and across business divisions,” he said.
“We know innovative solutions come from communities. We understand that if people, at the local level, they know their problems, they know the challenges and their best position to find those solutions and to help address the problems they see. We want to help make those solutions a reality and to help make Western Canada a better place to live.”
Banda said funding will be directed at four key areas:
- generating increased awareness and understanding of the co-operative model as a solution
- enhancing social and business capacity at the community level
- co-ordinating co-operative development activities more effectively across provincial and community boundaries
- supporting the start-up with human and financial resources to help begin new co-operatives
The Centre for the Study of Co-operatives head-up the two year pilot project.
Researchers contacted 649 communities, which represented 37 percent of rural and aboriginal communities in Western Canada. Within those communities, 2,025 members responded to telephone surveys. Across Western Canada, 26 meetings were held and 359 town and band administrators responded to web-based surveys.
Twenty-three percent of rural respondents and 41 percent of aboriginal respondents said they did not know what a co-operative was.
“What we found from this work is that co-operative development is feasible in rural and aboriginal communities across Western Canada,” said Murray Fulton, chair in co-operative governance and a professor at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy.
“These communities have unmet needs that co-operatives could address, and they have the business and social capacity necessary to build co-operatives.”
It became clear to researchers that the new co-ops that will be started in rural and aboriginal communities will not be the same as those that were formed 75 to 100 years ago.
“This is not about retails and credit unions.… That aspect in rural and aboriginal communities has pretty much been taken care of,” said Fulton.
“We’re seeing the new needs in completely new areas.”
Research indicated that future co-ops must address needs in areas of health care, housing, industry and business development, community barriers and support services such as transportation, senior and youth services.
“Some of the co-ops will involve collaboration between nearby rural and aboriginal communities, communities that have traditionally gone their separate ways,” said Fulton.
“I think each community needs to figure out what their problem (need) is and what the best way is.”
Fulton said the “one size fits all” approach will not work and each community must have tailor-made ideas and solutions, which Co-operatives First can foster.
“What is key is that Co-operatives First and the people in rural and aboriginal communities in Western Canada be open to new ideas about what co-operatives can do and that the members of new co-ops have the freedom to innovate and try these new ideas.”
Co-operatives First is hosting nine community meetings this year to identify potential opportunities for development and collaboration. It plans to hold at least 125 community events by 2020.
- University of Saskatchewan’s Centre for the Study of Co-operatives,
- Johnson Shoyame Graduate School of Public Policy,
- International Centre for Northern Governance and Development,
- Edwards School of Business Plunkett Foundation in the United Kingdom.
