Thoughts and success stories

What makes co-ops different from other businesses? What sets them apart? One trait that makes a co-op a co-op is that every member gets one…

Residents of Pouce Coupe, BC have some colourful characters brightening up their streets this year. A Co-operative Retailing System (CRS) program called Communities in Full…

The housing market can be uncertain: housing co-operatives are a way to provide stability. In this episode we speak to Tim Ross, Executive Director of…

The rural municipality of Hamiota, Manitoba is full of creative thinkers not afraid to try something new. So, when residents decided they wanted top-notch internet,…

Photos: Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives It’s a challenge we hear about a lot: that co-operative businesses struggle to obtain the financing they…

Every co-op is governed by a board made up of member shareholders, and these directors generally bring different skills and experience to the table. Typically, boards…

In this episode we asked one of our favourite co-op experts, Dr. Brett Fairbairn, to reflect on a recent study on the impact of co-operative…

Co-ops are governed by boards of directors. Ideally, these boards are full of well-meaning, experienced people who guide the business effectively. Unfortunately, this isn’t always…

Kye is a farmer. But he’s not your usual farmer. The acres he grows on depend on numerous locations and convincing people to let him…

Strangely, the answer to “What’s a co-op?” can vary depending on where you live. From our perspective, a co-operative is a business model. In this…

In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking to Carol Kitchen, former President and CEO of United Farmers of Alberta. During Carol’s tenure with…

Agrifoods International Cooperative is quietly regaining its place as a leader amongst Canada’s co-operatives Every great story includes some sort of transformation — a fall…

In this episode we spoke to Sturgeon Lake Developments CEO April Roberts-Poitras and our own Indigenous Relations Lead Trista Pewapisconias about the opportunities and challenges…

Agriculture’s not an easy industry to break into. Start-up costs can be insurmountable; the cost of land alone puts farming out of reach for those…

Locally and independently owned grocery retailers are often forced to compete against major chains without the benefits of being a major chain themselves. Many of…

The legalization of cannabis in Canada hasn’t been the boon to small producers that many expected. It’s been difficult for small cannabis growers to obtain…

Co-ops and the prairies share a history Much of western Canada was settled with the help of co-ops, but they are an often-overlooked (and misunderstood)…

Links mentioned in this episode: Neighbour Lab Victoria community unveils ’emergency bench’ to help bring neighbours together The Thingery Sustaingineering  

Collecting charitable donations is a popular way to raise funds. Money is always better when you don’t have to pay it back, right? Maybe. But…

In this episode we speak to three people about the Saskatchewan Co-operative Association’s annual youth Co-op Camp: an organizer, a participant, and a camp staff member…

People are resourceful in small-town Alberta. In Smoky Lake — population 960 — there had never been a daycare facility, and parents always had to…