OTTAWA, Wednesday, September 13, 2023. CMC is proud to once again celebrate Co-op Week (October 15 to October 21, 2023). This year, our theme is “Co-operating on Climate Action”. Recent years have shown that it’s vital for Canadian co-operatives and mutuals to be leaders in climate action.
“At our 2023 Congress, we had a session focused solely on the topic of climate action,” explains Hugues Bourgeois, Executive Director of Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC). “The panel was an impressive success and generated a great deal of interest among participants. To continue this important discussion, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight the importance of the fight against climate change through the theme of Co-op Week. It is together, as a movement, that we can find and share reliable solutions to serve our communities and our planet.”
CMC will highlight this very special week with some events and an online contest:
How Co-ops Can Overcome Barriers to Taking Climate Action? – Online Panel Discussion
It is no longer possible to put off confronting the realities of the climate crisis. How can the co-operative movement support a just and resilient transition to a decarbonized future for all?
This online panel brings co-ops of various sizes from different sectors. Each face unique challenges specific to their industry, but also holds similar opportunities for leveraging larger networks of support for sharing knowledge and resources.
Facilitated by Carol Fraser, Senior Consultant and Analyst with Sustainability Solutions Group, this conversation will explore goals, strategies, and dilemmas that co-operatives face in operationalizing a commitment to emissions reduction and adapting to increasing climate hazards.
Carol Fraser will oversee a discussion between:
- Alison Coates, Director, Climate Strategy and Performance at Vancity
- Tom Ewart, AVP, Sustainability at Co-operators
- Irfaan Hasham, Regional Energy Coach at CHF Canada
- Noémie Varin-Lachapelle, Environmental and Emergency Measures Director at Sollio Groupe Coopératif
- Joanna Hausen, Operation Analyst at Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada
This online discussion will be held on Wednesday, October 18th at 1pm EST and will be available in simultaneous interpretation. Participants will be able to ask questions to the panelists at the end of the session.
Navigating Government Support – Webinar with ISED (In French only)
Wondering how to navigate government programs and find support for your co-op? Do you have questions about intellectual property and federal incorporation for co-ops? Please join us for a webinar with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada featuring presentations from Innovation Canada, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, and Corporations Canada. Speak with program advisors to ask questions directly!
This webinar was offered in English last April. This session is only available in French on Tuesday, October 17th at 1pm EST.
Online Contest “Your Co-operative At The Forefront of Climate Action”
Even the smallest actions by your co-operative can have a positive impact on the environment. To celebrate your small and large climate action initiatives and inspire other co-operatives to do the same, CMC has organized a social media contest. To enter, you must post a photo of their small or large climate action initiative as a comment on a pinned publication on either LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook, or submit their photo to the following email address: info@canada.coop.
One winning co-operative or mutual will be chosen for a chance to win a free one-hour consultation with Pascal Billard to help you evaluate your climate action plan. CMC will be accepting entries between October 3 and October 23, 2023. For more information, please read the contest rules.
Co-op Week 2023 Media Kit
Our Co-op Week 2023 Media kit is now available! Download it now to celebrate this very special week with us!
About Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC)
Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC) is an association, focused on its members, that unites, engages and leads the co-operative movement by advancing its priorities nationally, as well as internationally, through International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). Our goals are to build bridges, break barriers and create durable opportunities for the co-operative sector in Canada.