What the heck is Membership Engagement
Defining member engagement for a specific organization is often tricky. It can also be hard to measure. But defining member engagement for your organization and…
Read MoreEpisode 3: Why we need governance
In this episode, we explore why we need governance. Kyle and Aasa from Co-operatives First talk to Paul Thompson, Research Officer at the University of…
Read MoreEpisode 2: What makes a co-op?
What makes a co-op? In this episode, Kyle, Dan, and Aasa discuss what makes a co-op. They discuss the different definitions of co-ops, the seven…
Read MoreIntroducing The Common Share Podcast
Welcome to the The Common Share podcast! In this episode, we interview Kyle White, Education and Engagement Lead for Co-operatives First. He discusses the purpose…
Read MoreTrust, Technology and Credit Unions: an interview with Eric Dillon
“Trust is perhaps the single most important underlying element of running a financial cooperative.” Eric Dillon, CEO Conexus Credit Union Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, and…
Read More3 themes in Budget 2018 impacting Canadians today
The federal government has released its budget for fiscal year 2018, Equality and Growth: A Strong Middle Class. While many commentators, pundits, and partisans focus…
Read MoreWhy diverse boards are rare and what to do about it
On a board of directors? At your next meeting, take a look around the table. Does everyone look and sound similar to you? If so,…
Read MoreTop 5 Things Every New Co-op Needs
Marty Frost is an icon in the co-op sector. Through decades of business development experience, Frost has helped set up around 300 co-operatives, both in…
Read MoreHow the National Housing Strategy Will Impact Co-ops
On November 22, National Housing Day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a national housing strategy for Canada. The strategy outlines a commitment of $40 billion…
Read MoreAre we done with producer co-ops?
Producer co-ops are a model we don’t hear discussed much anymore. Today, much of the awareness of co-operatives is fuelled (no pun intended) by consumer…
Read MoreLearning from co-ops in rural Canada
Co-ops and rural economies have a closely linked history. Here are a few things co-ops can teach you about rural life in western Canada.
Read MoreCanada’s business succession planning and co-ops
Trillions of dollars in business assets are about to change hands in North American small business, and succession planning is the most overlooked part of a business plan. This is a problem, especially for rural communities.
Read More8 major things impacting rural Canada right now
And how community leaders are finding opportunity in these changes.
Read MoreSES Solar Co-op is making Saskatchewan shine
There is one resource in particular of which Saskatchewan has no shortage, and a Saskatoon-based co-operative is taking advantage.
Read MoreCredit Unions: Definitely NOT Banking (thankfully)
Credit Unions are no longer allowed to use the verb “banking.” Here’s why we think this is an opportunity for credit unions.
Read MoreBCEDA on co-ops and B.C.’s economic growth
While at BCEDA, we caught up with CEO and President Dale Wheeldon. Here’s what he had to say about rural economic development and the co-op business model.
Read MoreIdentity in crisis: Finding a working “co-op” definition
Just because an organization is registered as a co-operative doesn’t mean it’s especially ‘co-opy.’
Read MoreIs Twitter about to “Exit to Democratic User Ownership?”
At 319 million people, Twitter has the 12th largest population on earth. Could the platform giant actually mutualize? Here’s our thoughts.
Read MoreGrow-op Co-op: Cannabis co-ops in Canada
Considering the co-operative sector’s proven strength in retail, distribution and agriculture, there should be a variety of opportunities to capitalize on by new start-ups and existing co-ops alike.
Read MoreWhat Motion M-100 is & why it’s important
On Wednesday, April 5 the Government of Canada unanimously accepted Motion M-100 signalling support for Canada’s co-operative sector. Here’s what you need to know.
Read MoreNew generation co-operatives: Revitalizing Western Canadian rural communities
New Generation Co-operatives allow farmers and ranchers to invest in a downstream value add business that purchases their commodities at fair market value, keeps the investment in the community and increases the purchase value – potentially providing dividends on top of a guaranteed purchase.
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