Doing the right thing: the Conexus Kindness Capital Fund
Displays of kindness were quietly taking place throughout the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people gathered food for those in need. Local…
Read MoreHow Co-op helped western Canadians get into the giving spirit
December is a special time of the year — the giving season. It’s a time when organizations, businesses, corporations, and even families and individuals give…
Read MoreHand in Glove Co-op Weaves a Thread through Communities
Photos taken in 2019, and provided by Hand in Glove Community Service Co-op From the outside of a stalwart brick church in the north…
Read MoreHow small towns create the services they need
Big changes are happening in small towns. Baby Boomers are approaching retirement. Urban amenities, career advancement, and higher wages are pulling many young people away…
Read MoreModo Carshare Co-op: Caring during a crisis
When the pandemic started, Modo Carshare Co-op‘s business took a big hit. But by focusing on what was best for their members and staff, the…
Read MoreAt-Risk Together: a co-operative school for immunocompromised kids
This year parents had a difficult decision: send their kids to school or keep them home? While a first for most parents, it’s nothing new…
Read MoreHow two consulting co-operatives embrace “Millennial values”
Photo courtesy of Co+Host Collective The word “Millennial” has come to mean “change” in business circles in recent years. And while discussions around these changes…
Read MoreMore than One Basket: the BC meat processing co-operative
What started as a conversation about a lack of “cut and wrap” services on a ranch driveway in the Boundary region of BC is about…
Read MoreArt Work: surviving a pandemic as a co-op start up
Surviving a pandemic will be hard for most small businesses. But if you’re an artist-run start up with a revenue model based in events ……
Read MoreArctic Co-operatives Limited: Keeping Northern Communities Vibrant
Co-ops play a big role in keeping communities vibrant in Canada’s North. In this podcast episode, we spoke to Mary Nirlungayuk from Arctic Co-operatives Limited…
Read MoreHow investing locally can help save rural Main Streets
Sangudo, Alberta is nestled within a bend of Pembina River and is home to just under 300 residents. Like many rural communities across the prairies,…
Read MoreLeading by example: A conversation with Carol Kitchen
In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking to Carol Kitchen, former President and CEO of United Farmers of Alberta. During Kitchen’s tenure with…
Read MoreHow co-ops can help farmers get started
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…
Read MoreHow co-op grocers benefit from a national presence
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…
Read MoreNeighbour Lab: Building resilient communities
Links mentioned in this episode: Neighbour Lab Victoria community unveils ’emergency bench’ to help bring neighbours together The Thingery Sustaingineering
Read MoreDaycare co-operatives: a rural solution
People are resourceful in small-town Alberta. In Smoky Lake — population 960 — there had never been a daycare facility, and parents always had to…
Read MoreRunning a grocery co-op is hard — but not impossible
The retail grocery co-op business is hard. Large upfront capital costs for space and inventory. Small margins and stiff competition. The need for marketing, procurement,…
Read MoreConstruction co-ops are breaking new ground
In the construction sector there is plenty of room for inefficiency. Often one contractor will frame a building, another will wire it, someone else will…
Read MoreMountain CoLab is a catalyst for co-working spaces
The Mountain CoLab co-operative The nature of work is changing, and with it, the model of traditional office space. With the rise of the gig…
Read MoreThe Food Forest and Learning Centre Co-op video
Maggie Bluewaters shares a story of healing and food security in rural Saskatchewan. Our thanks to Maggie and everyone at The Food Forest and Learning…
Read MoreHow newcomers use co-ops to succeed in Canada
Newcomers can have bigger, more complex barriers to well-being than people born in Canada. They can experience isolation when they arrive in their new country….
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