Resources in Canada (an emergent list)

Experts and Support Organizations​ for Co-operatives and Conversions

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• National, provincial, and regional co-operative federations, associations, and representation

  • Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada

  • Canadian Worker Co-op Federation

  • British Columbia Co-operative Association

  • Alberta Community and Co-operative Association

  • Saskatchewan Co-operative Association

  • Manitoba Co-operative Association

  • Ontario Co-operative Association

  • Conseil de la Coopération de l'Ontario

  • Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (CQCM) (Quebec's co-operative association)

  • Réseau de la coopération du travail du Québec (Réseau COOP) (federation of worker co-ops in Quebec)

  • Fédération des co-opératives du Nouveau-Québec (FCNQ) (representing co-operatives in Nunavik)

  • Coopérative de développement régional (CDR) du Québec (Quebec's regional co-op development centres)

  • Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick
  • Coopérative de développement régional (CDR) Acadie (Maritimes)
  • Prince Edward Island Co-operative Council (inactive)
  • Nova Scotia Co-operative Council
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Co-operatives
  • Arctic Co-operatives (represents the interest of co-operatives in Nunuvut, Northwest Territories, and the Yukon)
  • See also sector-specific co-operative federations.

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• Business development professionals that specialize in co-operatives and conversions

  • Co-opZone​

  • Co-operatives First

  • Catalyst Strategies Consulting

  • Realize Strategies Worker Co-op

  • TransfertCOOP (Quebec)

  • Co-operative and socially minded lawyers and accountants (Iler & Campbell LLP) 

  • Co-operative development or support non-profits such as Co-operatives First and the Atkinson Foundation

  • Business succession assistance such as Successionmatching

  • Credit unions, (VanCity, Desjardins, etc.)

  • Some unions such as the Steelworkers and the CSN in Quebec

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Funding & Financing

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• Community Investment Funds, "locally sourced and controlled pools of capital contributed to by
  individual investors within a specific geography or community" (CCEDNet report).

• Canadian Co-operative Investment Fund

• Tenacity Works of the CWCF

• Community Bonds via RRSPs and TFSAs (see the Aron Theatre case study)

• Social Impact Bonds, if applicable

• Regional Community Economic Development funds from Federal and Provincial governments

• Issuing Membership/Common shares (see the Battle River Railway case study)

• Issuing Investment/Preferred shares (see the Battle River Railway case study)

• Credit Union micro-loans and other community investment vehicles

• Loans/debt

• Equity/investment

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Additional Funding Sources and Supports in Quebec

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• Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (CQCM)

• Réseau de la coopération du travail du Québec (Réseau COOP), the Federation of worker coops in Quebec, and its TransfertCOOP initiative

• Coopérative de développement régional du Québecm (CDR), regional organizations supporting cooperative development in every region of Quebec

• Centre de transfert d’entreprise du Québec (CTEQ), Quebec's Business Transfer Center, which supports the conversion process

• Investissement Québec and Caisse d’économie solidaire, which offer financing solutions specific to collective takeovers, buyouts, and conversions to co-ops