Our Story
Rural and Indigenous communities are full of motivated, innovative people who want to live enriching lives in their home community. Of course, some of these communities face challenges – like a lack of businesses and services, government cuts, and people moving away.
But these people don’t need the government or a big company to swoop in and improve local conditions or find solutions. With the right tools and a little guidance, they can do that themselves.
The co-operative model allows those hoping to do it themselves to set up a business or organization, and work with like-minded people towards this common goal. As a corporate legal structure, the model is highly versatile and found in every sector of the economy.
And, essentially, this means a co-op can be anything – a daycare, a store, a consulting business, a healthcare centre. The model can be used to provide housing, local investment opportunities, or even a way to share cars. Each of these co-ops does the job others (like a government or private business) could do. But waiting for others isn’t always an option. Instead, the co-op model offers an opportunity to do it yourself.
That’s why we’re here. Everyone on the Co-operatives First’s team grew up in a rural or Indigenous community. We do this work because we care about these communities, and we know co-ops can help them grow and thrive. And because we have ongoing support from the Co-operative Retailing System and Federated Co-operatives Limited, we offer this support at no cost to you.
So if you’re in western Canada and you’re thinking about starting a co-op, we can help. Whether you need a business plan, feasibility study, or simply a sympathetic ear, we’re here for you.
Our free guidance and resources help reduce the confusion and stress of starting a new business and we aim to support you every step of the way. We will help you map out a plan, incorporate your business, and, perhaps most importantly, figure out who should do what and how.