BCCA Structure

The British Columbia Co-operative Association was incorporated as a co-operative under the BC Cooperative Association Act in March 2003. While our Rules & Bylaws provide full details of BCCA's structure, below is a summary.

Members

BCCA has two classes of Members:

• Class A, being co-operatives, credit unions and national members of the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA);
• Class B, being other organizations supportive of the aims of BCCA.

Voting

Being a co-operative means our members collectively own and direct the organization. However, as a second-tier co-operative, we diverge slightly from the one member-one vote structure that is more commonly associated with (primary) co-ops.

Class A Members wield between one and five votes depending on the amount they pay in annual dues.

• annual dues of less than $4,000 - 1 vote;
• annual dues of $4,000 but less than $8,000 - 2 votes;
• annual dues of $8,000 but less than $12,000 - 3 votes;
• annual dues of $12,000 but less than $16,000 - 4 votes; and
• annual dues of $16,000 or more - 5 votes

Class B Members may only have one vote, regardless of their annual contributions.

Proxy voting is not allowed.

Delegates

Members must appoint one Delegate, and may appoint an Alternate Delegate at their option. Only Delegates and Alternate Delegates may wield a member's voting rights.

Members with more than one vote may appoint one additional Delegate and Alternate Delegate per each additional vote, though it is not required.

Board of Directors

The BCCA Board normally consists of 7 directors that are either elected or appointed by the members.

Six of the directors are always elected from within the membership.  The members may also appoint a BC-based director of the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) to an optional seventh position.

Elected Directors sit for two-year terms that are staggered equally. This means our members elect or re-elect three directors to the Board at every Annual General Meeting.

The directorship of an appointed CCA director lasts for one-year, is renewable, and is made by way of a normal resolution at a BCCA Annual General Meeting.

No more than two of the directors can be Delegates of Class B Members.

Meetings of Members

BCCA must hold its Annual General Meeting prior to the end of July. In addition, at least two other Members' Meetings must be held during the year, though the Board of Directors may call additional meetings if it so chooses.

In practice, the BCCA AGM is normally held in June, and Members' Meetings are held in October and February.

Not-for-Profit Dissolution Clause

BCCA has incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. In the event of dissolution or winding up, the assets of BCCA, after payment of all debts and expenses and reimbursement of share capital to Members, must be transferred to a co-operative, credit union or charity with similar or complementary purposes.