It seems only yesterday that I was writing my message for the January newsletter. 2023 just flew by—and what a year it’s been! The newest additions to our team have been here for over a year now and the depth of knowledge is growing. 2024 will be a pivotal year for CMC. Over the past two years, the CMC staff and Board of Directors have been setting the foundation that is necessary to reinforce its abilities to successfully deliver on its activities and offerings to Members. Our small team has huge goals for 2024 as we are focused on delivering our strategic objectives. I am very excited for you to see what we have in store for the new year!
But before we get into the new year, I wanted to reflect on some of the work CMC did in December. We began the month with a win for the sector when the Hon. Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business, tabled a report related to the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), a financial Crown corporation that provides support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. This BDC Legislative Review was a year-long process in which Senior Director of External Affairs, Daniel P. Brunette and I participated in. In fact, CMC was one of 210 non-governmental stakeholders that participated in roundtable consultations. We are pleased to say that our message was heard as the report recognized that co-operatives were underserved, and that additional focus is needed to support them. As such, one of our goals for 2024 is to start engaging with the BDC to help implement the reports’ recommendations.
Following this, we officially launched the 2024 Board Nominations, the call for resolutions and the 2024 CMC Awards. All three are wonderful opportunities for our Members, co-operatives, mutuals, and co-operators across the country to showcase their passion for our sector. I highly encourage you to make sure you read our newsletter to get more information on how to apply—deadlines are fast approaching!
As December winds down and we start getting ready for the Holiday season, I wanted to remind everyone to #ThinkCo-op. Whether it’s last-minute gifts or buying co-op made grocery items, CMC encourages you to think of the sector. If you need any help finding your local co-op grocery store or knowing which products are co-op made, please visit our website to access the interactive co-operative map. And while you are there, don’t forget to update your organization’s information!
With my last message of 2023, I wanted to once again thank everyone for their support and dedication to the co-operative and mutual sector in Canada. I would also like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday season and a wonderful New Year! Make sure to take the time to rest, reset, spend time with your loved ones. See you all in 2024!