During a holiday drive through Huntley Township, Ottawa’s westernmost ward, Dan happened upon the sign for the Carp Cooperative Nursery School. Founded in 1982 in the Village of Carp, the school offers preschool programming for children aged two and a half to four, with classes running weekdays during the school year and three days a week in the summer. As a co-operative, families play an active role in the school’s operation through committees, volunteer responsibilities, and monthly classroom support days. This hands-on model helps keep tuition affordable while fostering a strong sense of community, pride, and family involvement.
Back in Quebec, Dan was delighted to see the newly installed sign for the Coopérative de solidarité AgriSaveur du Pontiac. Incorporated in July 2024, the cooperative is developing a regional abattoir that will provide a vital service to local farmers by processing cattle, goats, sheep, and deer closer to home, helping address a long-standing need for agri-food processing capacity in the region. Beyond slaughter services, the cooperative will market locally processed products and offer a fully equipped commercial kitchen for rent to food producers and agri-food businesses. This ambitious community-driven project has benefited from the support and expertise of the Coopérative de développement régional (CDR) Outaouais-Laurentides, whose guidance has helped build a strong foundation for its long-term success.
Mike Toye and Dan had the pleasure of meeting Jean-Pierre Girard and visiting the Coopérative de solidarité d’alimentation saine La Manne in Victoriaville. Founded in 1978, Co-op La Manne has become a cornerstone of the Victoriaville community. Today, it serves more than 12,000 members with healthy food options and natural products, while also operating a restaurant, catering service, and holistic health centre.
A leading figure in Quebec’s cooperative movement, Mr. Girard is a researcher, professor, speaker, and author of more than ten publications on cooperatives and the social economy. His exceptional contributions to the sector were recently recognized with the 4th Degree of the Ordre du Mérite coopératif et mutualiste québécois, awarded by the Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité.
Dan was also pleased to connect with Denise Guy during her visit to the area. Denise recently authored the Snapshot of the Canadian Co-op Development Ecosystem for CMC, a landmark report that maps the organizations, resources and relationships that support co-operative development across the country. The findings will help guide a growth roadmap focused on increasing the size of Canada’s co-operative economy by 30% by 2035.
Another of Dan’s vacation highlights was spending a Sunday on the Ottawa River with the team from Aventure Outaouais, which provides the rafting experiences offered through the Coopérative de solidarité plein air Aventure Hélianthe. The organization is also helping redevelop the cooperative’s base camp, including its campground and other visitor amenities. Based in Mansfield-et-Pontefract, this multi-stakeholder cooperative is committed to advancing sustainable ecotourism while helping the Pontiac region reach its full potential as an outdoor destination.
If you would like to invite Dan to visit your co‑operative, credit union, caisse, or mutual during his travels, please contact him at dbrunette@canada.coop.