Federated Co-operatives Ltd. (FCL) announced a five-year, $5 million dollar commitment from the Co-operative Retailing System (CRS) on January 27 that will provide critical start-up funding for an organization that will facilitate a new wave of co-operative development in Western Canada.<\/p>\n
The launch of Co-operatives First is one outcome of the Co-operative Innovation Project<\/a>, a research project led by the University of Saskatchewan\u2019s Centre for the Study of Co\u2011operatives<\/a>. This new not-for-profit organization will promote local solutions and create a co-operative development network across provincial boundaries, sectors and business divisions in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.<\/p>\n The Co-operative Innovation Project found that rural and aboriginal communities in the west were underserved by existing co-operative development resources. Consequently, Co-operatives First will begin to work with small- to mid-size rural communities and municipalities, as well as with aboriginal communities, to identify innovative, community-led co-operative solutions.<\/p>\n The top needs reported in the study were: health care, housing, support services, and industry and business development.<\/p>\n The study also determined that rural and aboriginal communities are losing co-operative knowledge. Participants knew co-ops as various brands (e.g. grocery store, gas station, credit union) rather than as a solution applicable to their circumstances.<\/p>\n The findings published to date are available at coopinnovation.wordpress.com<\/a>, with more data being added ongoing, including the results of 26 community meetings.<\/p>\n A portion of the announced $5 million in start-up funding will be used to offset some of the costs associated with starting a co-operative. Those funds will help new organizations attain the legal and professional services required to form a new co\u2011operative, as well as develop communications and business plans and conduct feasibility studies.<\/p>\n Scott Banda, CEO of FCL, made the funding announcement on behalf of the CRS, which is comprised of FCL and more than 200 independent retail co-operatives across Western Canada. \u201cThese sustainable solutions and community services often succeed in circumstances that challenge other businesses and organizations. By promoting the co-operative model of shared ownership and shared rewards, Co-operatives First will help people in those communities identify local solutions and leverage local opportunities that empower people and create meaningful change\u201d said Mr. Banda.<\/p>\n Read the Co-operatives First backgrounder<\/a> | Read the FCL news release<\/a><\/p>\n