Co-operative Development Program
Over the past 23 years, we have provided $ 2,105,347 to 155Canadian co-operatives through The Co-operators Foundation Co-operative Development Program. In 2015, $100,950 was granted to 8 co-operatives.
2015 Co-operative Development Program Recipients
West Kootenay Permaculture Coop – Winlaw, BC ($6,800)
WKPC is a not-for-profit co-op passionate about local food, agriculture and seeing the region’s food based economy improve. They are undertaking the building and development of a community food centre in their rural farming region for developing food and farm economies, food education and for serving community meals. Funding will assist with a facility operation plan, legal fees and a marketing plan.
110 Arts Cooperative – Vancouver, BC ($20,000)
110 Arts Co-op was created by four partners that are main lessees of a City of Vancouver cultural amenity space. They have a vision to build a vibrant interdisciplinary arts hub in the downtown core. This new facility is seen as a space for leveraging partnerships through collaborative endeavours and will facilitate the expansion of Vancouver’s creative community. As the facility enters its start-up, our funding will go towards a position that will fill and manage the studios and common space, as well as brand design and outreach through a website.
Saskatoon CarShare Co-operative – Saskatoon, SK ($16,000)
Saskatoon CarShare is a community owned social enterprise focused on providing a viable, affordable, and environmentally friendly alternative to individual car ownership. The key to their business is their fleet, online booking system, automatic billing service, convenient neighbourhood locations, and staff and volunteers. Our funding will assist with long-term economic sustainability through a membership growth plan and a growth strategy to expand the fleet.
Winnipeg Food Share Co-op – Winnipeg, MB ($15,000)
Winnipeg FoodShare is a community service co-op committed to affordable, fresh, healthy and quality food for all, particularly neighbourhoods in inner-city Winnipeg experiencing barriers to feed security. Their Good Food Box program delivers food boxes twice a month to over 20 community hubs – providing an average of 350 boxes for up to 1000 people. The program is expanding by offering bulk purchasing of fruits and vegetables to schools that are providing breakfast or lunch programs to students. Our funding will be used to implement a marketing and communications strategy through advertising, promotion materials and graphic design.
Sumac Community Worker Cooperative Inc – Guelph, ON ($10,000)
Sumac is a worker co-op that owns and operates Planet Bean Inc, a fair trade, organic coffee roastery which operates three coffee bars and wholesale throughout Southern Ontario. Promoting and developing fair trade as an example of international ethical sourcing is just one of their social benefits. Sumac would like to replicate their coffee bars into neighbouring cities and our funding will be used for legal, accounting, tax and securities expertise required to set up a limited partnership within a co-operative structure.
London Brewing Co-operative – London, ON ($13,150)
London Brewing Co-operative is a nano-sized workers co-operative with a mission to create small batch beers that utilize local and organic ingredients. They are established in London’s historic Old East Village and bring local foods and beer to the heart of the city with their partners On the Move Organics and The Root Cellar Organic Café. Connecting consumers to farmers through Farm to Fork dinner events contributes to their vision of agriculture connecting community and local economy. Our funding will go towards marketing and the re-launch of their website.
Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa Inc. – Ottawa, ON ($10,000)
The Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa provides a complete range of funeral services to the Ottawa community and is guided by quality services, compassion and pricing on a not-for-profit basis. Funding will go towards the implementation of their marketing plan in order to achieve economic sustainability.
Lower North Shore Bioproducts Solidarity Cooperative – St. Paul’s River, QC ($10,000)
LNSBSC mandate is to stimulate local economic diversification through the sustainable use of indigenous wild berries and other natural resources in the communities of the Lower North Shore. The creation of local business and employment through development, harvesting, processing and marketing of raw and prepared products from wild berries is in response to the downsizing of the fishery industry. Our funding will go towards legal and business planning required to establish and run the first factory.