CMC’s pre-budget brief for 2025—now before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance and the Department of Finance—sets out 12 strategic, cost-effective recommendations. Discover how co-operatives can advance a more equitable and sustainable Canada by reading the full brief.
Our message is clear: co-operatives are not just community builders; they are nation builders. With targeted investments, modernized legislation, and improved access to capital, the sector can deliver scalable solutions to some of Canada’s most urgent challenges, from affordable housing and renewable energy to agricultural resilience and small business succession.
The case for action is strong. Co-operatives are locally anchored, member-owned enterprises with a proven track record of contributing to economic security. Co-operatives are nothing new — they have been part of Canada’s economic and social fabric for over 150 years. But today, in the face of economic uncertainty, the housing crisis, and regional inequalities, they remain a proven yet underused tool.
With targeted investments, legislative modernization, and improved access to capital, the impact of co-operation can be strengthened for the benefit of Canada’s economy and of Canadians.
CMC’s recommendations rest on two key pillars:
- Leveraging the power of co-operation to build Canada – mobilizing co-ops’ capacity to deliver housing, energy, agricultural, and economic development solutions that address both local needs and national priorities.
- Strengthening data and awareness about the sector’s impact – improving evidence, visibility, and understanding of co-operatives’ contributions so they can be better integrated into federal policy and program design.
Canadians believe in this model: 57% identify with the values behind co-operatives — economic participation, democratic governance, and community empowerment. Resilient, innovative, and driven by the common good, co-operatives turn policy objectives into concrete, lasting results.
Simply put, investing in co-operatives is investing in a stronger, fairer, and more sustainable Canada.
Want to dive deeper? Visit our Government Relations page to explore our policy priorities, submissions, and updates on federal engagement. You’ll find the latest briefs, recommendations, and ways co-operatives are helping build a more equitable, sustainable Canada.