BCCA News Archives

Co-op Cinema Provides Front-Row Seat in Struggle to End Poverty

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:25:04 -0800

New co-op cinema gives front-row view of Canadian efforts to beat global poverty

Ottawa March 1, 2010 ̶̶ Canadians have a new way to experience the fight to end global poverty thanks to a virtual movie theatre recently unveiled by the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) on its website.

"On any given day, Canadians are working in remote corners of the globe to help credit union and co-operative leaders move their communities out of poverty," said CCA media relations manager David Shanks. "We created the CCA Cineplex to give Canadians a window on this largely untold story."

Established in 1909 and one of Canada's longest standing international development agencies, CCA works through co-operative enterprises in over 20 of the world's poorest nations to help their members move out of poverty. It's programs reach more than 2.5 million people in more than 6,400 co-operative enterprises.

Mr. Shanks says the videos, podcasts and blogs available on the Cineplex bridge time zones and language barriers to put viewers in touch with people, places and events at the centre of this important international work.

"Those who would not otherwise travel to such far off places can now make virtual visits to the frontlines of international development and witness the very positive impact Canadians are having on the lives of so many people."

Three such Canadians are delivering compelling first person accounts of their experiences helping credit unions in Malawi and Uganda through a Cineplex feature called The Three Bloggers. Credit union "coaches" Brad Hopfauf, Charlie Collura and Robert Christiansen are on their second CCA-sponsored mission to share their knowledge with credit unions.

Cineplex visitors can also see through the eyes of Moncton journalist Rayanne Brennan how people living in remote villages in Nicaragua, the Western Hemisphere's second poorest nation, are emerging from poverty.

Visit www.cineplex.coopscanda.coop to follow the blogs and view the videos.

March 2010 BCCA Newsletter

Web Admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:03:13 -0800

March 2010 BCCA Newsletter

First Ever Alumni Retreat for Past Camp Rainbow and The YES Participants & Staff

Web Admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:25:27 -0800

From March 6^th-9^th, 2010 past participants, staff, sponsors and friends of the YES program will be gathering at the Loon Lake Education Centre in Maple Ridge to celebrate the long history of The YES (formerly Camp Rainbow). The camp has operated for over 35 years in BC, and has touched the lives of thousands of the province's outstanding youth. With a rich and varied program drawing on the best of The YES experience, we are inviting anyone with a connection to the program to join us for the whole weekend, or for a shorter visit. Please check it out on the website at www.theyes.ca, or get in touch with the Camp Director, Chelsea Lake at youthbcca.coop Subsidies are available, and some transportation is provided.

Chelsea Lake
Director, Youth Program

Amazing Camp Experience Shared

We here at BCCA couldn't help but include the following piece by a former YES Camp participant that expresses so well the heart and spirit of this unique learning experience.

Westerly News, November 19, 2009

Dear Editor,

I would like to thank the Tofino Co-op for sponsoring me on my YES (Youth Excellence Society) Camp journey.

This camp brings teenagers from all over B.C. together to take part in this powerful experience. Last Friday I made my way up (along with two other Tofitians) to Loon Lake to attend a camp reunion.

When I arrived I had mixed feelings and predictions about how the weekend would unfold. After attending the Basic Camp in July 2008, the reunion last November, the Advanced Camp in spring 2009, and a Grad Camp this summer, I knew that this would be my last YES Camp experience. I also knew I was not ready to let it go yet.

Being at the YES Camp has had such a severe impact on my life. This camp taught me how to love myself unconditionally, to form connections and friendships I will treasure for the rest of my life, to always have hope and faith in myself, to feel the fear and do it anyways, to push myself not to hold back, and how to build a trusting community in under a week.

I also learned to use snail mail as a great form of communication, to build leadership skills, to dance with sweet moves, to look at things using many different perspectives, and to listen with not only my ears, but also my heart.

The camp taught me to communicate using FELOR, to believe that I am loveable and capable, to be myself, to hold onto something so tightly and eventually let go, to build self-awareness skills, to know I'm cared for, to believe in myself and follow my dreams, and something that was really hard for me before, to know my tears are okay.

Now that my YES experience is over I've noticed a lot of changes in myself. I like the person I am because of this camp, and I hope other youth from around our community can one day have this experience too.

My plan for the future is to apply to be a part of the YES staff team. To have the feeling I get when I'm there every day would be a miracle. There were moments in the past year when I could feel my heart lift up, like it was taking off. I've never felt so joyous or warm before, and to me, that is the single best feeling in this world.

In July of 2008, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into, but am I ever glad I did it. The Co-op's sponsorship, my family's support, and the camp magic are the important stepping stones I took to finding myself. Despite the tears it took to write this, I am so insanely happy. I feel so lucky to have had this great opportunity in my life. It couldn't have happened without the Co-op. I did the best I could to put my appreciation into words, but they still aren't enough to explain my thanks. There's always a happy ending. If it's not happy, it's not the end.

Nora Morrison, Tofino/Ucluelet

The Co-operative Career Internship Program Underway!

Web Admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:32:04 -0800

After a flurry of activity in the weeks preceding Christmas, BCCA launched the Co-operative Career Intern Program with placements of seven young interns. This is a new program that is offered exclusively to BCCA members and in this, our first year, the program is off to a strong start. A two-day orientation session was held on Jan. 28^th and 29^th for all our new interns to prepare them for their placements within their host organizations and topics included Goal Setting, Types of Co-op Models, The Economics of Co-ops, and The History and Philosophy of Co-ops. The orientation session also included guest speakers, workshops, a co-op tour, as well as a chance for interns to network and get to know one another. Both the facilitators and participants provided staff with very positive feedback - not to mention that the session was an all-around fun time!

The intern placements started successfully on Feb. 1^st, 2010 and will run until June 25^th, 2010. The host organizations, all members of BCCA, represent a wide range of co-op models from around BC. From credit unions to consulting firms, all offer a unique opportunity to post-secondary educated youth to experience our thriving co-operative sector here in BC. In return, the host organizations receive financial support from Service Canada, as well as smart, enthusiastic young interns to contribute to their organizations. This year's host organizations are:

Co-op Housing Federation of BC
Envision Financial
Sustainability Solutions Group
The Co-operators
United Community Services Co-op
Vancity

BCCA is very pleased to be able to support our member organizations through this program, while contributing to the education of BC youth about co-operatives and credit unions and their unique role in British Columbia. Although this is our first offering of the Co-operative Career Internship Program, we feel confident this is the beginning of something great that will only grow with time.

Tehya Mackenzie
Youth Intern Co-ordinator

The Co-operative Development Initiative

Web Admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:29:38 -0800

When I last wrote about the Co-op Development Initiative, I mentioned our great pleasure at the Initiative's four-year renewal by the federal government. This $19.1 million contribution to the Canadian co-op sector is invaluable - it allows, for example, BCCA's Advisory Service program for emerging co-ops to continue; and, through the Innovative Co-operative Program (ICP) component of the CDI, it provides substantial, multi-year grants to more established co-ops.

BCCA had expected to be able to profile some of the successful ICP applicants in this issue of the Co-op Perspective. Although the 54 successful co-ops have received notice directly from the Minister, and some have signed contribution agreements, public acknowledgement must wait for formal announcements from Minister Blackburn. We expect these announcements to be made by the Minister at a series of press conferences, in several regions of the country, including British Columbia, between now and the end of March. Until then, little more can be said. We can, however, point to a success rate in the July 31 ICP competition of about 28%.

We can also share with you that the December 31, 2009, CDI deadline produced a total of 105 applications, a substantial number, but down from the previous 194. Again, applications from BC were well represented among the total - Quebec submitted the greatest number, at 30; BC, with 19 submissions, traded its previous second place with Ontario, which has 22. With about 18% of the total however, BC is still over-represented on a per capita basis. The co-ops applying have a rich range of projects in mind - from urban health service co-ops to big-scale ski hill initiatives, and from enhancements to the economic base of intentional communities in the countryside to seeding a new shellfish industry among Aboriginal communities on the BC coast.

How do things stand with the current round of ICP evaluations?

The evaluation ICP process is moving along smoothly. Every effort is being made by the Ottawa team to streamline the process: staff are now reviewing the submissions, the reviewed files will be considered by the program's external Adjudication Committee in early March; and formal approval by the Minister is expected by the end of April. We wish all applicants good luck.

Much more about the CDI can be found on our website (www.bcca.coop) and on the newly expanded website of the Canadian Cooperative Association at http://cccm.coopscanada.coop/en. There, you will find revised application forms, an applicant's guide and other useful documents, all available for immediate download. The next ICP deadline is likely to be around July 31, 2010, but the precise date is still to be clarified. Thankfully, we have been assured by our colleagues in Ottawa that there will never again be a grant deadline on New Year's Eve!

As with the first two rounds, BCCA will be able to offer, at no cost, a review service to BC applicants. Details on this service, along with other current news, will be posted on the BCCA website.

BCCA's Advisory Services Program

The Advisory Services program is intended to assist start-up co-ops to make sense of the basic issues that must be engaged with as the vision of the group takes shape on its way to becoming a reality. Because BCCA staff don't have the time needed to deal with all enquiries, we work closely with a group of co-op developers and often match co-op proponents with a consultant who may be based in Vancouver or, more conveniently, in a community closer to the co-op's location.

BCCA's advisory service provides up to two hours of consulting time - at no cost to the group members! - and assists emerging co-ops through the sequence of steps leading to incorporation and launch of the business. During the last twelve months, well over 100 groups have been assisted.

If you are interested in this service, or know of people who might be, all you have to do is get in touch with the office by phone or e-mail. We can get the consulting process going very quickly.

Rick Marcuse

Director of Co-operative Development

Co-op Under Attack in Guatemala

Web Admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:22:19 -0800

Café Ético has announced that an urgent situation has been unfolding in Guatemala, where members of the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA) have been receiving death threats and have forced the organization's leaders and their families to go into hiding. The CCDA is the peasant and indigenous people's labour organization that has been a key supplier of organically grown coffee for Café Ético in Vancouver. These threats, following a campaign of intimidation and the theft of 35,000 worth of coffee beans from the CCDA's processing centre, has been denounced by the CCDA and the Peasant Movement of Guatamela (MSICG) as an attempt to weaken the CCDA as a result of its efforts to protect peasants and indigenous people from violations of their labour rights. As of this writing, no action by the State authorities or police to investigate the threats and the theft has been taken and the national co-ordinator of CCDA, Leocadio Juracán Salomé and his family, remain in hiding for fear of their lives.

Café Ético urges supporters to send a letter urging

1. That the life, safety and physical integrity of the leadership and associates of the CCDA be guaranteed, as well as all members of the Juracán Family.

2. That the Public Prosecutor carry out an immediate and effective investigation regarding these new attacks against the CCDA and the Jurcán family, which leads to the identification, capture and prosecution of the material and intellectual authors of these crimes.

Letters may be written in Spanish or your own language and sent to the following addresses:

Lic. Jose Amílcar Velásquez Zárate
Fiscal General de la República y Jefe del Ministerio Público
8ª avenida 10-67, Antiguo Edificio del Banco de los Trabajadores, Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Telefax: (011) 502 2411 9124 / (011) 502 2411 9326

Ministro de Gobernación
Señor Raúl Velásquez Ramos
6a.Avenida 13-71, zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
ministromingob.gob.gt
Telefax: (011) 502 2413 8658

Doctor Sergio Morales
Procurador de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala
Telefax: (011) 502 2424 1717
ososapdh.org.gt

Ruth del Valle
Directora Ejecutiva
Comisión Presidencial Coordinadora de la Política del Ejecutivo en materia de los Derechos Humanos
(COPREDEH) 2a Avenida 10-50 zona 9
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Ruth_delvallecopredeh.gob.gt

Hands Off Our Co-ops!

Web Admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:19:20 -0800

Tax Treatment of Co-ops Challenged at the European Commission - Co-op Identity Threatened

Claiming that differential tax treatment of co-operatives constitutes "state aid", and that such treatment undermines the competition rules of the EU, a number of large shareholding firms have launched a legal challenge of the tax regimes of Spain, Italy, and France. Despite the fact that the distinctive form of co-operatives as mutual enterprises is recognized in EU treaties, and that some national constitutions protect co-operatives as a form of enterprise established on principles different from those of capitalist firms, the effect of a successful legal challenge would be to erase this distinction. Co-operatives Europe, the European region of the International Co-operative Alliance, considers this challenge a major threat to the identity of co-operatives and an attempt on the part of capitalist firms to weaken their co-operative competitors and to gain market share.

Once again, capital interests refuse to tolerate the existence, much less the success, of any form of enterprise that challenges the principles and practices of capitalist firms.

Co-operatives Europe is mobilizing a petition among EU citizens to block this threat to the co-op identity in Europe. We wish them all success!

For more information, visit http://www.coopseurope.coop/spip.php?article592

Note: Please do not sign the e-petition unless you are an EU citizen as this may compromise the value of the petition results.

A Co-operative Appeal

Web Admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:10:48 -0800

Co-operatives have always been able to rely on their fellow co-operators for help in times of crisis. This last few weeks however, has given rise to a number of calls for solidarity from the co-op community in response to crises that range from the humanitarian disaster in Haiti, to threats of violence and intimidation aimed at the members of a coffee growers co-op in Guatemala.

BCCA wishes to use this issue of The Co-op Perspective to raise awareness and mobilize the support of our co-op community in BC to respond to three issues that have galvanized the attention of co-ops the world over.

Haiti

At 4:53 on January 12, a catastrophic earthquake struck the impoverished nation of Haiti. By 24 January at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater on the Richter scale compounded the destruction. By February 12, an estimated three million people had been affected by the disaster with between 217,000 and 230,000 identified as dead. A further 300,000 have been injured and over 1 million rendered homeless.

Within days of the event, The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF), working in partnership World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), was raising funds to offer relief to those affected by the disaster. In July 2009, WOCCU had already established a program to extend financial services to Haiti's rural poor with funding from the United States Agency for International Development.

The CDF has put out a call for support from Canada's co-op movement and is accepting donations to provide assistance to Haiti's 175 credit unions and the nearly half-million members that they serve. As in the 2005 tsunami when CDF worked with credit union and co-op partners in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and other devastated regions to help rebuild local communities, CDF and WOCCU are showing similar leadership in Haiti. We urge BCCA members, and the broader co-op community and its supporters to support CDF and WOCCU's efforts to help rebuild this shattered nation by contributing to the Haiti Disaster Relief Fund.

To support Haiti's credit unions and their members through the international credit union disaster relief fund, make payments via cheque, credit card or mail. Donate online NOW or by mail at Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada, Suite 400, 275 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2L6.

Please phone or e-mail sarah.richardson@coopscanada.coop, Sarah Richardson, CDF Fundraising Officer.

Phone: (613) 238-6711 ext. 217

Please indicate that your donation is designated for the Haiti Disaster Relief Fund

Belong to an equity, or share, housing co-op?

marcuse@bcca.coop — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:53:49 -0800

If so, you may be interested in connecting with the business group, Parkes & Company Ltd., or a similar enterprise.

According to a note I've received, Parkes & Company specializes in appraising complex commercial properties and property assessment appeals. The note states that the Company won a precedent-setting assessment appeal in July 2009 that "affects every share co-op in the province."

Quoting further from the note:

"We have proven that the BC Assessment Authority was assessing the Cultus Lake Holiday Park incorrectly. (The ownership and title structure for this holiday park is essentially the same as the way all share co-ops in the province are structured.) There is, therefore, a strong case for appealing the 2010 property assessments for share co-ops. A reduced assessment means lower property taxes.

"The decision can be found at:

http://www.assessmentappeal.bc.ca/Search/Decisions.aspx.

"Enter ‘John Parkes' in the ‘Miscellaneous Search Box' to see this decision (July 2009, Michael Monroe) as well as others he has been involved in. The deadline for appealing the 2010 assessments is January 29, 2010. Please contact us at your earliest convenience to discuss this further."

Please note that this item is posted for information only. The BCCA has no direct knowledge of the company or its bona fides, so proceed with prudence, as in any business transaction.

Rick Marcuse

Update on ICP, 8 January 2010

marcuse@bcca.coop — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:39:26 -0800

BCCA staff are hopeful that the results of the July, 2009, ICP competition will be announced by the Minister by 18 January, and perhaps earlier.

Rick Marcuse

BCCA is proud to announce our Cooperative Career Internship Program!

Robin Puga — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:28:35 -0800

BCCA is proud to announce our Cooperative Career Internship Program!

The BCCA has a long history of supporting youth in BC through various programs and networks. Our new youth-based initiative is supported by Service Canada, and facilitates the placement of 8 youth with post-secondary degrees in cooperative member organizations for a 21-week paid internship. In addition to the placement, all the interns will take part in a 2-day Employment and Career Skills workshop, featuring guest speakers from the BC cooperative movement and skills development sessions.

The focus of the program is for youth to gain knowledge of the co-operative sector and the co-operative business model. Youth who are currently underemployed or unemployed can make a successful transition into the workforce and learn skills that directly relate to their field of interest. Our member organizations gain the opportunity to have young energy introduced into their organizations, subsidized wages by Service Canada, and the potential of an excellent new addition to their working community. Members are encouraged to hire interns once the placements conclude.

This is an amazing opportunity to help youth get interested in cooperatives, and help our members bring in skilled new employees!

For more information about the program, or if you're interested in applying to be a host, please contact the Program Manager, Tehya MacKenzie at 604.662.3906 or mackenziebcca.coop

Find the internship postings on our Job Postings page - http://bcca.coop/employment_postings

Update on ICP

marcuse@bcca.coop — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:15:42 -0800

Update on the Innovative Co-operative Projects Program of CDI

We do not yet have information on the results of the first round of the ICP competition – the file is still with the Minister.

In connection with the second round of applications, I would like to remind you that the deadline for receipt is 31 December 2009. As mentioned earlier in these pages, both BCCA and CCA staff suggest making the submission no later than 23 December, primarily to avoid technical problems over the holiday period.

Staff at BCCA will again be pleased to review applications before they are submitted. We will review the submissions as they are submitted to us, on a first-come, first-served basis, through 17 December 2009.

Please note that the BCCA office will be closed between 24 December and 3 January 2010. There likely will be a limited staff cover in the CCA office to deal with the incoming ICP applications over the holiday period.

And please remember that Marshall Gallardo, the English-language grants officer, is available to answer questions about both first- and second-round applications: marshall.gallardocdi-idc.coop or 613-238-6711.

Rick Marcuse

Call for Entries -- CCA 2010 Co-operative Governance Awards

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:53:39 -0800

GOVERNANCE MATTERS TO YOUR CO-OP OR CREDIT UNION...SO LET EVERYONE KNOW!

Is the board of your co-op or credit union doing a great job governing the organization's affairs? Does the board strive for excellence by adopting new practices to improve the way it works, fulfilling the co-operative principles, and sharing best practices with others?

For the past two years, the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA)'s Leadership in Co-operative Governance Award has recognized the best in co-operative board governance across the country.

CCA and Brown Governance Inc. have now added a second award -- the Brown Governance Co-operative Award for Boardroom Culture -- which recognizes that the unwritten norms underlying governance power structures are crucial in ensuring organizational success. Individual personalities, personal relationships, decision-making processes, and the use of benchmarks and performance measurements are all factors in boardroom culture.

The 2010 awards will be presented at CCA's National Congress in Vancouver on June 16.

For more information on how to apply, go to http://tinyurl.com/GovernanceAwards and download the Call for Entries.

CED Study Bursaries are Available!

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:38:13 -0800

$1000 community economic development bursary
Deadline to apply: December 14, 2009

The Canadian CED Network, Coast Capital Savings and the Vancity Community Foundation are pleased to announce applications are being accepted for $1000 bursaries to enroll in Simon Fraser University's Certificate Program for Community Economic Development.

The SFU Certificate Program for Community Economic Development is the only training in Western Canada that tackles the nuts and bolts of building a sustainable, inclusive and local economy. The program is comprised of eight, intensive two-day courses for community leaders to explore, with peers, the models and methods for building sustainable, local and fair economies.
Spring 2010 Courses (offered in both Victoria and Vancouver):

Co-operative Models January 22 - 23

Social Enterprise Development February 19 - 20

Financing CED March 19 - 20

CED Approaches to Affordable Housing April 16 - 17

Sustainable Community Development May 14 - 15

For complete information, visit http://www.sfu.ca/cscd/ced/home.htm

Credit Unions in BC Win Awards for Innovation

marcuse@bcca.coop — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:15:05 -0800

SIX CREDIT UNIONS HONOURED FOR INNOVATION

Six Credit unions in Ontario and British Columbia were honoured on November 6 as Central 1 Credit Union presented its 2009 Innovation Awards.

The awards were presented to winners and runner-ups in three categories: (1) an innovative retail, business or insurance product or a new source of income; (2) an innovative method to deliver services to members; and (3) an innovative approach to operations. Two overall awards were presented -- Innovation on a Shoestring and Overall Excellence in Innovation.

In the Product Category, Kingston Community Credit Union won for its student account and delivery method named "Like, all Free." Envision Credit Union was the runner-up for "Step Up", a cashable, tiered-rate term deposit. Kingston Community also won the Innovation on a Shoestring Award.

The winning entry in the Service Category came from Teachers Credit Union, which was recognized for its "Money Camp for Kids". Runner-up was Nelson & District Credit Union, for its "100 Mile Mortgage - Keeping Interest Local."

Meridian Credit Union, winner of the Overall Excellence in Innovation Award, was also the winner in the Operations Category for its Web 2.0 tools, social media applications and cuinnovate network. Grand Forks District Savings Credit Union was named runner-up for its Unified Enterprise Content Manager program.

(Thanks to the CCA's Co-operative News Briefs for this item.)

Need some work on your brand or something similar...?

marcuse@bcca.coop — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:36 -0800

What could $50,000 of creative services do for your social enterprise?

For Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS), it was a complete transformation of its brand.

TUTS was Vancouver's 2009 recipient of the Kaus. A renowned cultural icon, TUTS needed to reposition itself to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive entertainment market.

Karo worked with TUTS to develop a cohesive brand built on TUTS' unique entertainment offering-open-air theatre in Stanley Park. The logo, identity and launch campaign reflected TUTS' history, philosophy and passion for entertainment while also playing off the musical theatre group's location and the wildlife "residents" that make it so unique.

The brand transformation helped strengthen TUTS' position in the market, heightening brand awareness and achieving significant growth in first-time visitors.

Applications for the 2010 Karo Kaus creative services grant are now available.

Visit www.karo.com/about/kaus/ to download an Expression of Interest form today. Applications close 30th November 2009.

If you know of a social enterprise that would benefit from $50,000 of Karo's creative services, please let them know.

BCCA Welcomes three new members!

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:36:51 -0800

Victoria Car Share Co-op

Investors Aid Co-operative of Canada

Shuswap Community Resources Co-operative

Co-op Week 2009

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:31:30 -0800

Across Canada, co-ops and credit unions celebrated Co-op Week from October 11-17. BC was no exception and from Victoria to Vancouver and to communities in the interior co-ops took the lead in highlighting the contributions that co-ops make to their local communities, day in and day out. In Vancouver, BCCA once again sponsored the annual Co-op Week luncheon, which featured a keynote address from Mike Lewis of the Canadian Centre for Community Renewal. The subject of the talk was Reweaving Local Economies: Solutions for Sustainability.

Focusing on the central role that co-operatives play in generating new models of sustainable development, Lewis spoke about the work of such groups as the Seikatsu Club Consumer Union in Japan, and the JAK co-op bank in Sweden that are remaking how consumption and credit are viewed in a way that places sustainability and community health above returns on investment.

BCCA also sponsored a special screening of Capitalism: A Love Story, the new film by Michael Moore that shines a spotlight on the damage done by contemporary capitalism and how co-operatives are challenging mainstream models of how economies can work. The screening was followed by a panel discussion featuring Geoff Meggs, Vacouver City Councilor; Mark Lee, from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and John Restakis, Executive Director of BCCA.

Co-op Development in BC: An Update - November 2009

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:58:51 -0800

Many people who care about co-ops will have helped BCCA and the other co-operative associations lobby the federal government to renew the Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI), the nation-wide program funded through the Co-operatives Secretariat. We were very pleased when the minister, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, announced in May of this year that the program would be extended through 31 March of 2013. As the media release put it at the time: "This $19.1 million investment will enable Canadians to continue to establish new co-operatives and test innovative methods for using the co-operative model to meet the socio-economic challenges of today and tomorrow."

For British Columbians, it means that the Advisory Service program, focusing on emerging co-ops and run by the BCCA, can continue. It also means that BC co-ops are able to apply to the Innovative Co-operative Projects component of CDI, a granting program that can provide up to $75,000 in funding to more established co-ops.

Innovative Co-operative Projects (ICP)

The ICP program provides very useful funding to co-ops, but it won't always be a perfect fit with a co-op's current needs. The policy priorities that are addressed through the Innovative Co-operative Projects are:

• agriculture, including farmer-driven value-added agriculture and biofuels;

• rural/northern community development;

• innovative goods and services, including innovative technologies; and

• capacity-building and sustainability.

Much more about the program can be found on the website of the Canadian Cooperative Association (CCA) at http://cccm.coopscanada.coop/en. There, you will find revised application forms, an applicant's guide and other useful documents, all available for immediate download. And please remember - if you are a new applicant or are submitting a revised application, the deadline for the second round of submissions for the current fiscal year (April 2009-March 2010) is 31 December 2009.

For the first round of ICP adjudication in July, we at BCCA were struck by the range of projects, their enormous promise, their energy...and their sheer numbers! If anyone doubted that BC is a dynamic centre of co-op activity, they had only to take a quick look at the distribution of ICP applications submitted across the country. Out of a total of 194 submissions, 46 came from BC, the second highest number in the country. (Quebec was first, with 48, and Ontario, third, with 38). At 23.7% of the total, the number of BC submissions is well ahead of all the other provinces and territories on a per-capita basis.

Not only is the number of BC co-ops applying to the ICP program striking, the range of co-op activity in the province is similarly dramatic. A sample of emerging and growing co-operatives to which BCCA has recently provided services illustrates the broad range of sectors keen to apply the co-op model: children's day care, integrated health care for new immigrants, artists' co-ops, agricultural communities producing organic vegetables or artisanal value-added products, and "cutting-edge" co-ops developing innovative internet technologies or using proprietary scheduling software to develop a rapidly-growing car-share sector.

Presently, all the ICP applications from the July competition have been thoroughly reviewed by Ottawa-based staff and the complete list of applications recommended for funding have been forwarded to the Minister's office. At present, that is where the list resides and successful applicants will soon receive the Minister's approval, with calls and letters going out shortly after, and cheques soon to follow!

The next grant deadline is 31 December 2009. As with the first round, BCCA will be able to offer a review service to BC applicants. Details on this service will be posted on the BCCA website (http://bcca.coop).

BCCA's Advisory Services Program

The Advisory Services program is intended to assist start-up co-ops sort through the basic questions that must be addressed as the vision of the group takes shape on its way to becoming a reality. As BCCA staff members don't always have the time needed to deal with all enquiries, we also match the co-op proponents with a co-op developer, an experienced consultant who may be based in Vancouver or - more conveniently - in a community closer to the co-op's location.

This advisory service, also funded in part by the CDI, provides up to two hours of consulting time - at no cost to the group members! The BCCA assistance helps prepare emerging co-ops for the sequence of steps leading to incorporation and launch of the business. During the last twelve months, well over 100 groups have been assisted.

If you are interested in this service, or know of people who might be, all you have to do is get in touch with the office. We can get the consulting process going very quickly.

The Co-op Momentum Fund of BC

The Advisory Services program, ICP funding, support from other granting bodies, loans and share capital - they all contribute to the financial and organizational development of new co-operative initiatives.

They're all valuable and useful...but they're not enough to meet the needs of BC's dynamic co-op sector.

This is why we are hoping to create a new, BC-centred fund, the Co-operative Momentum Fund of BC.

This is why BCCA has recently approached potential funders in BC and beyond, writing:

"The BC Co-operative Association is taking the lead in developing what we hope will be an important new source of funding for BC co-ops: the Co-operative Momentum Fund of BC. This fund is focused on co-op enterprises at the post-launch through early- and middle-growth stages.

We need the financial support and direct involvement of the co-op sector - and beyond - if we are to meet the Fund's fundamental goal: to help move emerging co-operatives forward at critical developmental phases, and, in the process, to turn the potential for co-op success into success itself."

The Vision: To provide funding, technical assistance and mentoring to emerging and early-growth co-operatives at key points in their development.

The Need: We believe that the Fund can meet a specific - and critical - financial need of younger co-ops: to access development capital in a financial environment in which conventional loans are difficult to source, other funding sources are severely limited, and in which the unique structure and benefits of co-operatives are often understood imperfectly, if at all.

We also believe that the Co-op Momentum Fund can meet additional needs by providing more specialized development support and technical assistance to co-op enterprises.

The Structure: Conceived as flexible and responsive, the Fund will be set up as a "funders' table." This structure facilitates the tailoring of assistance to meet a combination of specific needs, whether with respect to funding, technical assistance, coaching or mentoring. The Fund would provide successful applicants with grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, with the funded activity taking place over a 12-24 month period.

We have been collaborating with Vancity Credit Union on this project for some time and are pleased to say that senior staff members at Vancity have expressed enthusiastic support for the initiative. In particular, we would like to express appreciation to Rebecca Pearson, Manager, Social Enterprise Portfolio, Vancity Capital, for her very helpful participation in the process.

BCCCA has set the objective of raising $100,000 for the fund over the next several months. In the meantime, we would be pleased to hear comments on this initiative...and, of course, to have your organization's involvement.

We will be providing more information and updates over the coming months. In the meantime, if you would like to talk with us about the Fund, please get in touch with John Restakis, Executive Director, or me. We can both be reached at the BCCA office at 604-662-3906, and we'll be happy to hear from you.

Rick Marcuse

BCCA to launch Co-operative Career Internship Program, November 23rd, 2009

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:45:48 -0800

The Co-operative Career Internship Program is a new BCCA initiative designed to give eight youth interns experience in the co-op sector in BC. BCCA will help co-ops select, train and support interns for 21-week placements in the province. Eight youth in the province will have the opportunity to become involved in the co-op and credit union sector. BCCA will provide them with an education in the history of the co-op movement and in the structure of co-operative enterprise. Interns will make strong connections with the co-operatives and credit unions in their communities, and in addition to gaining valuable skills they will come to understand and appreciate the role of co-ops and credit unions in contributing to the quality of life in their communities.

This program is federally supported through Service Canada and as part of the Career Focus program, Service Canada subsidizes intern wages by 50%. The BCCA program is modeled on the success of the programs currently running in Ontario and Alberta. OnCo-op in Ontario has been running similar programs since 2002 with huge success and now offers the program twice a year and accept 30 interns annually. Nearly half of the 2008 interns found work in the co-op sector after finishing their placements.

This program is available to members of BCCA, or organizations applying for membership in 2009 and is in the final stages of approval with Service Canada. If you would like to request an application, or more information please contact the Director of Youth Programs, Chelsea Lake at youthbcca.coop

Bulletin regarding the ICP program of the CDI -- 10 November 2009

marcuse@bcca.coop — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:18:51 -0800

Update on ICP from CCA staff in Ottawa:

1. The list of recommended projects from the July competition is with the Minister.

2. New applications: although the formal deadline for ICP is 31 December 2009, Ottawa CCA staff strongly recommend submission by 23 December 2009. (We all know how technology can fail us at just the wrong time and how that can be especially troubling during a holiday period....)

Rick Marcuse

YES Camp participant, Susie Welch, honoured as Olympics torchbearer

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:01:24 -0800

YES Camp alumna Susie Welch gets honoured as Olympic Torchbearer, "Her nominees recognized Welch’s passion for school, her commitment to her community and her spirit of citizenship." To read the full article from Penticton Western News, click here.

On behalf of The YES and the BCCA, congratulations Susie! You're amazing and are well-deserving of such an honour.

The YES alumni participant Susie Welch honoured as Olympic torchbearer

youth — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:13:22 -0700

October 29th, 2009

YES Camp Alumni Susie Welch gets honoured as Olympic Torchbearer, "Her nominees recognized Welch’s passion for school, her commitment to her community and her spirit of citizenship." To read the full article from Penticton Western News, click here.

On behalf of The YES and the BCCA, congratulations Susie! You're amazing and are well deserving of such an honour.

Bulletin regarding the ICP program of the CDI

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:45:15 -0700

Update on the Innovative Co-operatives Projects grant process, 28 October 2009

The list of projects recommended by the program’s external Selection Committee has been forwarded to the Minister’s office for his review and final approval.

Although we had hoped that the successful proponents would have received news by now, it looks as though patience will be required for the time being.

Unsuccessful proponents, however, have received letters from the ICP staff in the CCA’s Ottawa office. Feedback on the applications will be available and should help groups, if they wish, to make revised applications.

Points to note:

· The next deadline for ICP applications will be 31 December 2009.

· The revised application form and guide are now available on the newly-updated CDI section of the CCA site (see http://cccm.coopscanada.coop/en).

· Details relating to the successful proponents will be posted there when available, as well as on the BCCA site.

· Staff in the BCCA office expect to offer, as we did with the earlier round of submissions, a review service intended to help strengthen your application. Details will be posted before long.

Rick Marcuse

Interested in some "webinars" on agriculture...?

marcuse@bcca.coop — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:27:47 -0700

Canada Farm Business Management Council Upcoming Agriwebinars™

Webinars are a web-based conference bringing the expertise of today’s agricultural leaders that will inform and inspire you from the comfort of your home or office. No travel, no cost, no reason to miss out! Agriwebinar™ is free and anyone can participate as long as they have a computer and an Internet connection. Even computers connected by a dial-up service can participate.

Upcoming Webinars:

Date: Title:

09/11/2009, Agricultural Outlook 2010 & Beyond

16/11/2009, Buy Local, Buy Fresh!

23/11/2009, Farming in the green economy: How pricing carbon changes everything

30/11/2009, Does Health Have a Price in Agriculture?

07/12/2009, Energy Crisis: Global Profile & Canadian Context

14/12/2009, The Top Ten Stupid Things Families Do To Break Up Their Business!

18/01/2010, Viability of Canadian Agriculture - Updates for 2010

25/01/2010, Top Ten Ways to Grow Your Business

22/02/2010, Adding New Value Powers Up Your Farm

01/03/2010, Towards an Economically, Environmentally and Emotionally Sustainable Market

15/03/2010, Capturing Opportunities in Organic Agriculture: Initiatives & Trends

For more information see: http://www.agriwebinar.com/Upcoming.aspx

Food Safety Workshops to be Offered Around the Province

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:32:54 -0700

Food Safety Systems Implementation (Processor) Program: An opportunity to evolve your food processing business!

Food processors are well aware of the growing demand for regional food products. These new opportunities, including the potential for sales in retail stores, may demand a new level of food safety requirements. Don’t miss the opportunity to grow your business into this emerging marketplace. We invite food processors to attend an introductory food safety workshop to learn basic food safety for food manufacturing using food safety systems such as GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices) and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point). What’s more, the workshops offer a great opportunity to network.

Upcoming Food Safety Planning Workshops in BC (registration fee $20, includes lunch and coffee breaks)

• Thursday, October 29 – Creston (Columbia Brewery, 1220 Erickson Street, Creston)
• Friday, November 6 – Vernon (Community Futures, 3105 33rd Street, Vernon)
• Friday, November 13 – 100 Mile House (100 Mile United Church, 169 Dogwood Avenue, 100 Mile House)
• Friday, November 20 – Burnaby (Room 104, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, 6450 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby)
• Thursday, November 26 – Victoria (Room 123, Campus Centre, Camosun College Interurban Campus, 4461 Interurban Road, Victoria)
• Friday, November 27 – Nanaimo (Community Futures, 420 Albert Street, Nanaimo)
• Friday, November 27 – Nelson (Community Futures, 201-514 Vernon Street, Nelson) – video conference
• Thursday, December 3 – Kamloops (to be confirmed)
• Friday, December 11 – Abbotsford (Edenvale Conference Centre, 4330 Bradner Road, Abbotsford)
• Friday, January 8 – Burnaby (Room 104, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, 6450 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby)
• Friday, January 22 – Abbotsford (Cascade Culinary Arts School, 35190 Delair Road, Abbotsford)

Visit www.ssfpa.net/foodsafety for information on the workshops and the Food Safety Systems (Processor ) Program.

For workshop information and registration, contact:
Jane Kelly
FSSI (Processor ) Outreach Coordinator
Toll Free 1-866-619-7372
Email: fssi.outreachssfpa.net

For information on the FSSI (Processor) Program, contact:
Phil Watney
FSSI (Processor) Program Manager
Toll Free 1-866-473-7372
Email: fssi.managerssfpa.net

The purpose of the FSSI (Processor) Program is to offer education and funding for processors across British Columbia to develop food safety plans. The program delivers educational workshops, one on one consultations and funding to eligible food processors to implement GMP and/or HACCP plans. The Small Scale Food Processor Association (SSFPA) is pleased to deliver this program in support of British Columbia food processors (www.ssfpa.net/foodsafety).

Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

BCCA Celebrates Co-op Week 2009!

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:39:29 -0700

Co-op Week Events for 2009 include:

Screening of Capitalism: A Love Story, Thursday, October 15, 7 PM, Fifth Avenue Cinemas. This special Co-op Week screening of Michael Moore’s new film will be followed by a panel discussion that includes Marc Lee, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives; Geoff Meggs, City Councilor; and John Restakis, Executive Director, BCCA. Tickets for the screening will be available at the door. Please arrive early.

Co-op Week Luncheon Friday, October 16, Sequoia Grill in Stanley Park. Featuring a talk on
Re-weaving Local Economies: Strategies for Sustainability, by Mike Lewis, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Economic Renewal. Please note: RSVP required. (Please call Brad at 604-662-3906.)

Join Hands for Co-ops – Saturday, October 17, 1-2 PM, City Hall -- a flash mob event to celebrate the contribution co-ops make to the quality of life in Vancouver. Co-op supporters from across the city will join hands and surround City Hall as a gesture of co-op good will to the city. The band Headwater will be performing and participants will be joined by City Councilors to close this year’s Co-op Week celebrations.

Bulletin on ICP grant approvals....

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:19:57 -0700

7 October 2009: The latest information from CCA in Ottawa is that results of the ICP grant application process will be announced by 21 October. However, as with most political matters, this bulletin comes with no guarantee!

Rick Marcuse

October 11-17 is Co-op Week!

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:01:21 -0700

Ottawa, October 5, 2009 -- Members of co-operatives and credit unions across Canada will be celebrating Co-op Week from October 11-17, a time to reflect on the contribution the co-operative sector has made to the lives of Canadians and their communities.

Co-op Week has been proclaimed across Canada every October since 1982. International Credit Union Day, which will take place on Thursday, October 15, has been celebrated worldwide on the third Thursday of October since 1948.

This year, Co-op Week will celebrate the advantages of co-operatives in an uncertain economic environment. Co-op Week 2009 is focusing on three main themes:

Co-operatives are...putting people first
Co-operatives are...creating sustainable jobs
Co-operatives are...investing in communities

"We know that Canadians are increasingly interested in supporting organizations that are open, democratic and put people before profits, and that's what co-operatives and credit unions are about," said Carol Hunter, executive director of the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA).

For more information about Co-op Week 2009, visit http://www.coopscanada.coop/en/orphan/Co-op-Week-2009. Other Co-op Week activities include an online fundraising auction organized by the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada. A preview of the auction, which will accept bids as of October 8, can be viewed by clicking the online auction link at http://www.cdfcanada.coop/.

Did you know?

There are close to 9,000 co-ops and credit unions across Canada, with more than 17 million members.
Some of Canada's best-known businesses, including Mountain Equipment Co-op, Federated Co-operatives Limited, UFA Co-operative Limited, Co-op Atlantic, Gay Lea Foods, The Co-operators (insurance), Vancity (credit union) and Desjardins Group are co-operatives.
The co-operative sector controls over $275 billion in assets.
The world's 300 largest co-operatives, nine of which are Canadian, have an aggregate turnover of $US 1.1 trillion
More than 150,000 Canadians are employed by co-ops. Around the world, co-operatives employ more people than all multinational corporations put together.
There are more than 2,200 housing co-operatives in Canada with some 92,000 units providing homes to over a quarter of a million residents.
Canada's co-operative sector is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, marking the founding of the Co-operative Union of Canada in Hamilton, Ontario in 1909.

Story ideas for Co-op Week

Cover a Co-op Week event happening in your city or province. A list of events can be found at http://www.coopscanada.coop/enhttp://www.coopscanada.coop/en/orphan/Coop....
Profile one or more co-operatives or credit unions in your community. What makes them different from other types of enterprises? What motivates people to choose a co-op over other business models?
Write about what it's like to be a member of a worker co-op in your area, where the employees are also the owners of the business they work for.
Talk to co-op and credit union leaders about how their organizations have fared during the past year's economic turndown.
Report on the efforts of Canadian co-ops and credit unions to reduce poverty in developing countries through the Canadian Co-operative Association's International Development program. For more information, visit http://www.coopscanada.coop/en/international_dev/Welcome-to-Internationa....
Interview Ingrid Fischer, who was a witness to history as the manager of CCA's rebuilding efforts in Sri Lanka following the 2004 tsunami. A native of Fort St. John, BC, Ms. Fischer will be in Ottawa during Co-op Week before taking on her new post in Uganda as CCA's regional director for Africa.
Review Ian MacPherson's book, A Century of Co-operation, which was published in June 2009. Through text and dozens of historical and contemporary images, the book chronicles the history of Canada's co-operative movement and the people and places that made it what it is today. Review copies of the book are available from Tanya Gracie at tanya.graciecoopscanada.coop

Attention food people and farmers -- useful conference coming up in the U.S.

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:01:31 -0700

Dear Cooperative Leader,

Thinking of attending the 12th annual Farmer Cooperatives Conference on November 9-10 in St. Paul, MN? If you register by October 9th, you can save up to 20% on registration fees.

Presented by the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, this year's conference will explore "Thriving in Uncertain Times". The program will address issues that present both challenges and opportunities for farmer cooperatives, and include:

*The worldwide economic outlook
Terry Barr, CoBank

*Risk management and capital markets
Brandy Sargent, Stoel Rives; Marshall Bohbrink, Growmark; Anthony Bahr, CoBank.

*Consumer markets, food, and the economy
Frank Bragg, MBG Marketing; David Darr, Dairy Farmers of America; Michael Cook, University of Missouri

*Energy policy and the latest developments in biomass fuels
Dave Ladd, AgriBank; David Miller, AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation; Randy Kyle, Kyle Consulting Group; Wallace Tyner, Purdue University; Larry Johnson, Inbicon A/S

*The challenge of change in finance and equity programs
Paul Stajdahur, Ocean Spray; Mike Bedessem, Organic Valley

Visit our website for the complete program, the conference brochure, and online registration: http://www.uwcc.wisc.edu/farmercoops09/

This year's conference is made possible by the generous support from sponsors including CoBank, Farm Foundation, CHS Foundation, Dorsey and Whitney LLP, Land O'Lakes, Lindquist & Vennum PLLP, Stoel Rives LLP, The Cooperative Foundation, NCFC Educational Foundation, Growmark, West Central Cooperative, and Clifton Gunderson.

We hope to see you in St. Paul on November 9-10.

Interesting program at BCICS....

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:28:52 -0700

2010/2011
University of Victoria
Community Research Fellowships
BC Institute for Co-operative Studies

The BC Institute for Co-operative Studies at the University of Victoria invites applications from interested members of the non-academic community, or scholars with no formal university affiliation, to take part as visiting fellows for one to two months, in the stimulating life of enquiry at our Institute.

Purpose
To provide an opportunity for experienced community practitioners (e.g., community or co-operative developers, leaders of community development initiatives, and others interested in co-operative, community-orientated enterprise) to pursue a course of enquiry aimed at contributing to co-operative and community-based economy.

Topics
The Institute is committed to studying, and supporting, the co-operative and community-based economy. That is taken to refer to collective undertakings, not necessarily co-operatives:
•       aimed at providing the needs and wants of some community or group, where any profits are a means of supplying those needs and wants,
•       managed autonomously and by democratic processes, and
•       in which persons and their participation are given priority over capital in the distribution of any surplus.

Value
•       stipend of $ 1,250 up to a maximum of two months
•       office space (including computer, wireless Internet, fax and copy services) in the Institute’s premises in University House 2.

Conditions
Fellows are expected to:
•       conduct their work in their Institute office;
•       participate actively in the programs and activities of the Institute;
•       give at least one public seminar or lecture on the theme of their research, and
•       acknowledge the Institute in all publications arising from the fellowship, and deposit one copy of such publications in the Institute's library.
Research products will be eligible for consideration as an occasional paper published by the Institute.

Application Procedure
Applications should include:
1.     a covering letter;
2.     a concise statement of the problem or issue to be explored;
3.     a description of the methodology to be used, e.g., literature review/ analysis, interviews, focus groups, action research, survey, etc. (note that any research involving human subjects will require advance approval of the University of Victoria Ethics Review Board);
4.     a description of the projected outcome of the project, e.g. report, research paper, publication, artistic creation, etc.;
5.     a preliminary bibliography;
6.     a current curriculum vitae;
7.     where applicable, a supporting letter indicating the employer’s approval of the release time and the project objectives; and
8.     the names, appointment and email addresses of three referees.

Application forms should be submitted in electronic form. Paper copies will be accepted only for supporting material (e.g. transcripts and reference letters).

Application Deadline – 5 November 2009

Completed applications should be submitted to Dr. Ana Maria Peredo, Director, BC Institute for Co-operative Studies, University of Victoria. Applications should be sent by email to vvmuvic.ca or by mail or courier to the BC Institute for Co-operative Studies, University House 2, Room 109, PO Box 3060, Victoria, BC V8W3R4.

Selection will be made by the BCICS Program Committee based on the academic merit of the proposal, the views of the referees, and the recent scholarly activity of the candidate. Proposals submitted outside of the regular application deadline schedule may also be considered at the discretion of the director.

Visit BCICS' website at: http://www.bcics.coop/ for details on other fellowships that are available.

Wondering about your ICP grant application? Read on....

marcuse@bcca.coop — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:29:34 -0700

CDI SELECTION COMMITTEE TO REVIEW PROJECT PROPOSALS THIS MONTH

Applicants to the Co-operative Development Initiative's (CDI) Innovative Co-operative Projects component (ICP) will likely know within the next month whether their project proposals will receive CDI funding.

Over the past four weeks, CDI's staff team evaluated the 194 projects submitted by the July 31 deadline. CDI is co-managed by the Canadian Co-operative Association and the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité.

On September 29-30, the seven-member ICP selection committee will meet in Ottawa to review the 60 highest-scoring proposals. The committee will draw up a list of recommended projects to be submitted to the Hon. Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food), who is responsible for the federal government's Co-operatives Secretariat. It is expected that the results will be announced by Minister Blackburn in October.

The second call for applications -- for projects beginning on April 1, 2010 -- will be launched in October with a deadline of December 31, 2009. There will be $2 million in funding available for innovative co-operative projects in four priority areas: agriculture; rural and northern community development; innovative goods and services; and capacity building and sustainability. More information will be posted shortly on the CCA (and on the BCCA!) website.

Co-op Week and International Credit Union Day are approaching...!

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:48:49 -0700

Co-op Week, ICU Day 2009 to focus on advantages of co-operatives and credit unions in uncertain economic environment

The following information was drawn from a CCA media release issued in May….

The enormous contribution co-operatives and credit unions make to the lives of Canadians and their communities, especially in uncertain economic times, will be the focus of this year's Co-op Week and International Credit Union Day celebrations, October 11-17, 2009.

Canada's two national co-operative associations, the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM), together with Credit Union Central of Canada (CUCC) and the Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (CQCM), will call on Canadians during Co-op Week to reflect on the various ways co-ops improve their lives and strengthen their communities.

In developing this year's Co-op Week and ICU Day campaign, the Canadian organizations worked closely with their international partners, the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in the United States.

Instead of a single theme as in past years, Co-op Week 2009 will celebrate the advantages of co-operatives in the current economic environment. Three Co-op Week posters, available in English and French and illustrated with silhouettes of people rooted in their communities, will reflect three of these advantages:

· Co-operatives are...putting people first

· Co-operatives are...creating sustainable jobs

· Co-operatives are...investing in communities

In addition, International Credit Union Day, Thursday, October 15, will have its own distinctive theme, "Your Money, Your Choice, Your Credit Union", which will also be promoted and distributed by Canadian co-operative and credit union associations, as well as credit union associations around the world. The ICU Day poster will also feature silhouettes of people and use the same orange, blue and green colours as the Co-op Week posters.    

"While today's economic times pose serious challenges, they also provide an opportunity for the co-operative sector to demonstrate the differences between co-ops and traditional business models," said CCA Executive Director Carol Hunter. "We know that Canadians are increasingly interested in supporting organizations that are open, democratic and put people before profits, and that's what co-operatives and credit unions are all about." 

"We are pleased to work with other national and international groups on the campaign to promote International Credit Union Day and Co-op Week," said David Phillips, president and CEO of Credit Union Central of Canada. "We work with these groups year round on projects that support important initiatives that help members around the world cope with trying economic times." International Credit Union Day has been celebrated annually on the third Thursday of October since 1948. The celebration of Co-op Week in Canada became a national event in 1982 with the encouragement of the Co-operative Union of Canada, CCA's predecessor. In the coming months, promotional materials for Co-op Week and ICU Day will be available for order online at www.coopscanada.coop and www.cucentral.ca.

If you've got a website, this may interest you...

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:32:57 -0700

DotCoop Offers Special Pricing to New Registrants

In cooperation with selected .coop registrars, dotCoop is pleased to announce special pricing for those registering .coop domains for the first time. If an eligible cooperative or cooperative organization has no other .coop domains, then their first .coop domain is provided at no cost for the first year of registration.

DotCoop is offering this program to support co-ops that are looking for a way to clearly identify themselves as a cooperative business on the Internet. They are letting you “try on” a .coop domain and see how it works.

When they register a .coop domain, co-ops will find out that they get a lot more than just a domain name. You get included on a map-based, multimedia directory where consumers and members can easily locate you. You receive a quarterly newsletter with information on other .coop users, the Internet and the general co-op community around the world. And you brand your business as the type of business that can contend for the new dotCoop Global Awards for Cooperative Excellence.

You can learn about the initiative by contacting the National Co-operative Business Association on the Internet at www.nvba.coop. Or contact dotCoop at supportnic.coop">supportnic.coop or at +1-202-383-5453 with any questions. Alternatively, you can talk to your favorite .coop registrar about getting your name right away while the good names are still there!

Nine Credit Unions are Employing this Innovative Human Resource Service....

marcuse@bcca.coop — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:23:33 -0700

Human Resource Metrics & Benchmarking for the Masses

Vancouver, B.C. – The BC Human Resources Management Association (BC HRMA) has created the first quarterly and online HR benchmarking service in British Columbia.

In the current economic climate, organizations are pressuring HR to be strategic, prove value, be accountable for dollars spent and show a return on investment. BC HRMA’s Metrics Service can meet those demands by demonstrating the impact of HR programs and the return on human capital.

In today’s knowledge economy, over 50 per cent of business expenses can go towards employee compensation and benefits. According to financial statements, employees will only ever be seen as an expense with no information on the value of this knowledge capital. HR metrics fill the gaps missing in our financial statements and proves to the organization that its HR function is credible.
In building the HR Metrics Service, BC HRMA has taken into account the historical roadblocks that have prevented widespread participation in HR metrics and benchmarking. Special attention was given to affordability, ease of use, and time commitment. Ultimately, HR will now be able to capture the data required to build solid business cases for the resources needed to run an effective HR department.

Join the 31 organizations that are already discovering the benefits of this valuable program:
 Online entry of basic data points that are available in all organizations regardless of type of HRIS; the system calculates the metrics for you
 Online benchmarking at the lowest cost and highest value found in Canada
 Strict data quality requirements, provides standards and a glossary to all participants and has a two level auditing process
 Less than eight hours commitment per quarter to collect and submit data
 Live support for all your questions regardless of your organization’s measurement experience level
 Provides workshops and articles on how to benchmark
 Service is run by staff experienced in HR metrics and HR reporting
 As of September 1st, the service has 31 participants in the public, not-for-profit, government, crown corporation, and cooperative sectors

Interested in joining or learning more? Visit us online at: http://www.bchrma.org/researchvoice/hrmc_overview.htm BC HRMA is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing professional people practices through professional development, networking, and research. The association provides leadership to more than 4,700 members and 3,000 affiliates that collectively represent CEOs, directors of HR, consultants, educators, students, HR generalists, and small-business owners. Established in 1942, BC HRMA is a founding member of the Canadian Council of Human
Resources Associations (CCHRA) and the exclusive grantor of the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation in British Columbia.
-30-
For more information, please contact:
Helen Luketic, CHRP Manager, HR Metrics & Research (604) 694-6945 or hluketicbchrma.org
Ian Cook, CHRP Director, Research & Learning (604) 694-6938 or ijcookbchrma.org

New website for co-operators in British Columbia!

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:12:47 -0700

Hello Local Co-operators,

We're happy to announce that the Upper Columbia Co-op Council website is now up!

It’s at: www.uccc.coop

The site contains background information on the Council, its history and current members; answers to some frequently asked questions; membership information; meeting minutes and dates; press clippings; events notices; and an expanding selection of resources for existing and emerging co-ops. In the upcoming months, we will add a forum section, wherein members can discuss issues and ideas surrounding their various enterprises; member profiles; and a section for sharing local resources--policies, manuals, planning documents, etc.

A big thanks to Robin Puga of Digiloom Design and the BC Co-operative Association for helping to make this happen.

If your co-op or credit union is holding an event this summer/fall that would be of interest to people working cooperatively, please let us know, and we'll post it. Also, we welcome input on the local co-op resources section, which is still in development.

Please let us know what you think, and any suggestions you may have for ways in which this new site can enhance our thriving regional co-op sector.

Also, mark your calendars for Co-op Week 2009, October 11-17. On a national level, this year's activities will provide an opportunity to reflect on the advantages of co-operatives and credit unions in today's uncertain - and often challenging - economic environment. Locally, the UCCC is developing a Co-op Week Training Symposium, and will work with local co-ops and credit unions to otherwise celebrate the week. Details will follow as they develop.

Until then, I hope that you all have a lovely Summer,

Best regards,

Zoe Creighton

Coordinator, Upper Columbia Co-op Council

Wide-Ranging SFU Program Explores Community Development

marcuse@bcca.coop — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:06:35 -0700

SFU Certificate Program for Community Economic Development

Four spaces left in the Fall 2009 cohort! This year, we are offering courses in Victoria, Vancouver, Haida Gwaii, Dawson Creek, Smithers, Williams Lake and Vanderhoof. To find out more contact Nicole Chaland, at certcedsfu.ca or 250-478-3294.

Upcoming Courses

Course: Community Organizing within Community Economic Development
Looks at the ways in which communities organize in order to build the skills, knowledge and confidence of local people to act for social, economic and political change.
Date: September 18 and 19
Location: downtown Vancouver

Course: Natural Resource Communities in Transition
Explores the roots of economic shifts and examines the stages a community goes through from notification to revitalization and what action practitioners can take to assist the transition.
Date: September 24 and 25
Location: Haida Gwaii, Dawson Creek, Smithers, Williams Lake, Vanderhoof (via videoconference)

Course: Sustainable Community Development
Community economic development is a means to achieve sustainable community development: an integrated approach to economic, social, cultural and environmental objectives. Learners will be able to develop a framework for sustainable community development, access and use sustainability tools, and contribute towards designing effective sustainable community development policy.
Date: October 22 and 23
Location: Haida Gwaii, Dawson Creek, Smithers, Williams Lake, Vanderhoof (via videoconference)

Course: Local Development and the Global Economy
Explores how globalization has transformed the way economies operate and what this means for local and regional economic development.
Date: October 23 and 24
Location: downtown Victoria

Course: Community Organizing within Community Economic Development
Looks at the ways in which communities organize in order to build the skills, knowledge and confidence of local people to act for social, economic and political change.
Date: November 19 and 20
Location: Haida Gwaii, Dawson Creek, Smithers, Williams Lake, Vanderhoof (via videoconference)

Course: Developing Community Economic Development Ventures
Explore venture development and analysis processes from the point of view of an economic development practitioner. Participants will start from regional economic analysis, follow a series of steps including selection criteria, feasibility studies, and business plans, and end with an examination of different business forms to find the one that best fits the venture.
Date: November 27 and 28
Location: downtown Vancouver

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www.sfu.ca/cscd/ced
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What people are saying about the program…
"The Program's broad-based, grassroots approach to community economic development is extremely valuable, surprisingly innovative, and completely refreshing. Every economic development professional should take the SFU-CED Program!"

- David Kalinchuk, Economic Development Manager, Rocky View, Alberta

"I loved every second of the program. I was expecting to leave with a deeper understanding of CED, and I did, but more importantly I connected with my fellow students and have been inspired by their passion and enthusiasm for making a difference in their communities."

- Michelle Eggli, enterprising non-profits program, Vancity

"The CED courses at SFU have proven to be an invaluable asset for my staff who have participated. They not only get instruction from highly qualified instructors but, in most cases, from instructors who are still working at the grass roots level in CED."

– Ray Gerow, Manager, Prince George Aboriginal Business Development Centre

New Federal Agriculture Program May be of Interest

marcuse@bcca.coop — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:23:54 -0700

The newletter item that follows came in a newsletter from PEI which included an article on CAAP which is a possible funding program for agricultural and local food co-ops. This article focuses on PEI, but there are similar councils in every province and territory with mostly farmers on the board of directors. They are listed at http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1182519302992&lang...

More details on the program at: http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1182366508375&lang...

ADAPT Agreement with AAFC continues with new, five year, Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP)

The P.E.I. ADAPT Council has secured a new five year funding agreement that will enable it to continue the vital task of helping the agricultural industry forge a path to a brighter future.

Since 1999, the council has administered funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada that assists farmers and processors in finding new and innovative ways to tackle both current challenges and emerging issues. The new Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) replaces the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food program.

"We approved our first projects under the new program at our June meeting," said council chair Elmer MacDonald. While the application form used for the new CAAP program is slightly longer, MacDonald and council Executive Director Phil Ferraro said they have worked hard to ensure as seamless a transition as possible.

"Groups and organizations that have applied for funding in the past won’t really notice a big difference in the application process," said Ferraro. He said the emphasis is on path finding and piloting solutions to new and ongoing issues that face the industry.

MacDonald pointed out that eligible applications can encompass a wide spectrum—everything from exploring new technologies, to crops, or helping with expanding marketing. "We encourage applicants to look at different options to prepare the agriculture sector to face the future," MacDonald said.

He said ADAPT has always offered what could be called "risk capital" to explore the commercial feasibility of new ideas. MacDonald, who is a farmer himself, views that role as vital to the long-term survival of agriculture. "Individual producers or commodity organizations simply would not be able to afford to pursue these new ideas and they are vital to the industry moving forward," he said.

Like its predecessor, the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program allows projects to receive regional funding. Ferraro said this approach has been successful in the Atlantic region. It would allow an industry group, cattle producers for example, in the Maritimes or the Atlantic region to join forces and submit an application not only to the council but its counterparts in the other provinces to work on a joint problem.

"This approach is so important for the Atlantic region, "MacDonald added. "We have so many of the same challenges." Ferraro and MacDonald are urging both individuals and groups who feel they have a project that may qualify under the new program, to contact the ADAPT office at (902) 368-2005; Email: adaptpei.aibn.com or on the Internet at www.peiadapt.com.

Update on the ICP program from the CCA, 27 August 2009

marcuse@bcca.coop — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:45:28 -0700

Excerpt from the CCA's Co-operative News Briefs, August 27, 2009

The Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI) has received 193 applications for project funding in its first call forsubmissions under CDI's Innovative Co-operative Projects component.

The deadline for submissions for the first round offunding was July 31.

"We are extremely pleased with the response," said CDI Program Manager Stéphane Audet. "The proposals come from all parts of the co-op sector, from all regions of the country and from both official language groups."

Mr. Audet said applicants will be notified in October as to whether their funding proposals were successful. The second call for submissions - for projects starting on April 1, 2010, will be launched this fall with a deadline of November 30.

Meanwhile, CDI has completed the hiring of its staff team. In addition to Mr. Audet, the CDI team consists of Co-op Development Officers Mark Goldblatt (formerly Co-op DevelopmentManager for the Canadian Co-operative Association), Stéphanie Guico, Andréa Renaud and Marshall Gallardo (formerly a project officer with the previous Ag-CDI program) as well as Administrative Assistant Esther Ouellet. CDI is jointly administered by CCA and the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM) with funding from the federal government.

Update: ICP Grant Component of the CDI

marcuse@bcca.coop — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:27:10 -0700

Update on the recent competition for Innovative Co-operatives Project (ICP) grants, 25 August 2009

The process of assessing and selecting the successful applicants for the ICP program of the Co-op Development Initiative (CDI) is moving along with considerable speed.

The initial assessments have been completed. The peer review of initial assessments will be completed by 26 August. Two weeks of full evaluations for some 100 applications will then follow.

This task should be completed by 14 September. The Selection Committee is expected to meet on 20 and 21 September. The minister responsible will then review the Committee’s recommendations and approve the final list. It is expected that this will be completed by mid-October.

Notifications to unsuccessful applicants can begin after the final meeting of the Selection Committee; notifications to successful applicants will follow.

Members of CCA’s CDI team in Ottawa are working on a CDI newsletter and new website pages. Expected to be completed soon, this information will be posted to both the BCCA and CCA websites.

Rick Marcuse, Director of Co-op Development, BCCA

New paper on worker co-ops and employment law available

marcuse@bcca.coop — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:53:06 -0700

The Canadian Worker Coop Federation (CWCF) has recently completed a paper which examines the relationship between worker co-operatives and employment law in Canada. It considers the definition of an employee, the rights of members, the rights of employers, the method of proper termination and the role of labour unions. It provides recommendations for worker co-operatives to consider as they navigate the legislation in order to create a strong co-operative and a workplace beneficial to its membership. Of course, the paper should not be considered to provide legal advice. If you have any comments on the paper, please contact Hazel Corcoran at the CWCF.

The paper is available on-line at:

www.coopzone.coop/en/Employment_Law_and_WCs

Slaughter Improvement Program

marcuse@bcca.coop — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:02:28 -0700

APPLICATION FORMS FOR GOVERNMENT OF CANADA SLAUGHTER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE

OTTAWA, Ontario, July 3, 2009 – The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of State (Agriculture) is encouraging all potential applicants to apply for the new federal Slaughter Improvement Program (SIP). The three-year, $50-million program is now accepting applications.

“The Slaughter Improvement Program – a commitment made in Canada’s Economic Action Plan – is now up and running,” said Minister Blackburn. "This program will make red meat packing and processing facilities more competitive and accessible to farmers across the country.”

The program will make federal repayable contributions available to support investments made by the private sector and other levels of government in sound business plans aimed at reducing costs, increasing revenues and improving operations of red meat packing and processing operations in Canada. Investing in a stronger meat packing and processing industry in Canada benefits the entire value chain and leads to a more profitable and competitive industry and a stronger economy.

Meat processing is responsible for $20.5 billion in annual sales for Canadian livestock farmers.

For information on how to apply for the program, visit www.agr.ca/slaughterhouse, email SIPagr.gc.ca or call 1-877-246-4682.

Update: ICP Grant Component of the CDI

marcuse@bcca.coop — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:02:42 -0700

Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI) Grants

Update number 4 from the BCCA, 18 July 2009

Innovative Co-operative Projects

A number of cooperatives and other organizations are submitting grant applications to the Canadian Co-operative Association for the Innovative Co-operative Projects component of the CDI program. Some proponents are sending the draft applications to BCCA to take advantage of our free application review service.

Staff at BCCA will be reviewing the applications on Wednesday, 23 July, so we will need to have all applications submitted for review by the end of the day on Tuesday, 22 July. We will return the applications to the proponents on Friday, 24 July. This will leave a week to make changes to the applications before the formal Ottawa deadline of 31 July 2009.

Please note: Enquiries about the application form, eligibility issues and other questions should be directed to Stéphane Audet, CDI program manager, at stephane.audet@ coopscanada.coop, or 613-238-6711, ext. 227.

We would like to remind proponents of several things that may make an application stronger:

· Indicate the economic benefits – will the project make your co-op financially stronger? Enable you to employ more people? Increase your volume? Spell out the economic payoff in the application.

· Partnerships are likely to contribute to the project’s overall success. Wherever appropriate, show how partners will contribute to the project’s success and be sure to include their letters of support.

And remember:

· An ICP grant cannot be more than 75% of the project’s total cost.

· There will be a second grant application deadline during the current year, probably some time in December.

Richard Marcuse, Director of Co-op Development, BCCA

Bulletin regarding the ICP program of the CDI

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:44:41 -0700

Bulletin -- 29 June 2009

Both the application form and the guidelines for the ICP grant program are now available on the CCA website.

Visit: http://www.coopscanada.coop/en/coopdev/CDI/Innovative-Co-operative-Proje...

Recent CDI News

marcuse@bcca.coop — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:26:11 -0700

Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI) Grants

Update number 2 from the BCCA, 26 June 2009

Innovative Co-operative Projects

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Conseil Canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM) are very pleased to announce the renewal of a 4 year partnership agreement, the Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI), with the federal government's Co-operatives Secretariat. One major part of the CDI is the Innovative Co-operative Projects component.

Through a selection process, we will support individuals or communities
as they test new ways of using the co‑operative model, including creating co‑operatives to respond to identified needs. The deadline for proposals will be July 31, 2009.

The project proposal can be for one or up to 4 years funding but
each year of funding must be spent by March 31st of the year in
question. For 2009-2010, because of the July 31st deadline date for
proposals, we estimate you will have only 6-7 months in which to
complete your project.
The maximum amount will be $75,000 per year per project.
The major policy priorities are:
- Agriculture including farmer-driven projects for value added agriculture and biofuels
- Rural/northern community development
- Innovative goods and services, including innovative uses of technology
- Capacity building and sustainability

For more information about CDI, contact Stéphane Audet, CDI program manager, at stephane.audet coopscanada.coop or 613-238-6711, ext. 227.

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM:

English

Français

Update number 1, 4 June 2009

On May 22nd, the Canadian Co-operative Association announced the federal government’s decision to extend and enhance the Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI). The full CCA media release is available on the BCCA website (www.bcca.coop) under the Co-op News heading.

While we are still waiting for fuller details relating to application timing and process, we can share with you the following in connection with the Innovative Co-operative Projects (ICP) component of CDI (formerly called Innovation and Research grants):

•    Grants will be awarded up to $75,000
•    The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2009 with funds expected to flow by November 2009
•    Applications may be submitted in four categories: value-added agriculture and biofuels; capacity-building; innovation; and rural and northern
•    The project must be completed by 31 March 2010
•    The forms will be available for download on the CCA website within the next several weeks
•    They are similar to last year’s Innovations and Research grant application forms, which can be accessed still at the federal government's Co-operatives Secretariat website (http://www.agr.gc.ca/rcs-src/coop/index_e.php?s1= init&page=intro)
•    Although CCA is now administering the program, the Minister will have final approval BCCA will provide updates as new information on these grants become available.

Note: Incomplete applications will be rejected and applicants will have to re-apply for the December deadline. BCCA is pleased to provide an ICP application-review service, at no cost. We urge applicants to take advantage of this review in order to ensure that submissions are both complete and effective.

Please contact Richard Marcuse, BCCA’s Director of Co-op Development, at 604-662-3906 or by e-mail at marcuse bcca.coop.

Awards Presented at CCA's 100th Anniversary Congress

marcuse@bcca.coop — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:12:09 -0700

Alphonse Desjardins Honoured as Greatest Canadian Co-operator

Ottawa, June 19, 2009 - Alphonse Desjardins, the father of Canada's caisse populaire movement and founder of Canada's sixth largest financial institution, has been named history's "Greatest Canadian Co-operator" following an online vote by more than 8,000 people across the country.

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) announced the winner of the Greatest Canadian Co-operator award at a gala dinner in Ottawa Thursday evening celebrating the 100th anniversary of Canada's organized national co-operative movement. Mr. Desjardins, who died in 1920, was one of 14 pioneers of the Canadian co-operative movement nominated for the award. All 14 were inducted into the virtual Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame, which was launched at Thursday's event.

Mr. Desjardins, born to impoverished parents in 1854, established North America's first co-operative savings and loan society - a caisse populaire, or "people's bank" - in Lévis, Quebec in 1900 as an alternative to commercial banks that charged exorbitant interest rates to farmers and workers. His example inspired the creation of credit unions across Canada and the United States and today, Desjardins Group is Canada's sixth largest financial institution. It is also the largest co-operative organization of any kind in Canada, based on turnover, and the 33rd largest co-operative in the world.

CCA launched the Hall of Fame project in an effort to honour Canadians past and present who have made a significant contribution to the Canadian co-operative sector. Co-operators and supporters across the country were asked to nominate deceased individuals who had made an important historical contribution to the movement, then vote online for the Greatest Canadian Co-operator. The Hall of Fame, which will be posted on CCA's website www.coopscanada.coop later this summer, will also include past, present and future winners of CCA's two awards for living co-operators, the Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award and the Global Co-operator Award.

"When we launched this project, we did not anticipate the extent to which the Greatest Canadian Co-operator award would capture the interest and imagination of co-operatives and their members," said CCA President Dave Sitaram, who announced the winner of the competition to more than 200 co-op and credit union leaders Thursday evening. "When the voting closed at the end of April, more than 8,000 people had cast their electronic ballots. Needless to say, we were delighted."

In addition to the Greatest Canadian Co-operator, CCA presented the 2009 Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award to Glen Tully, President of Saskatoon-based Federated Co-operatives Limited. The award honours outstanding individual contributions to the co-operative movement in Canada.

The 2009 Global Co-operator Award, which honours an individual who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to CCA's work in international co-operative development, was presented to Olha Zawerucha Swyntuch of Mississauga, Ontario for her successful efforts to develop credit unions in Ukraine during the 1990s.

Co-op Week 2009 focuses on uncertain economic times

marcuse@bcca.coop — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:30:09 -0700

Co-op Week, ICU Day 2009 to focus on advantages of co-operatives and credit unions in uncertain economic environment

Ottawa, May 19, 2009 - The enormous contribution co-operatives and credit unions make to the lives of Canadians and their communities, especially in uncertain economic times, will be the focus of this year's Co-op Week and International Credit Union Day celebrations, October 11-17, 2009.

Canada's two national co-operative associations, the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM), together with Credit Union Central of Canada (CUCC) and the Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (CQCM), will call on Canadians during Co-op Week to reflect on the various ways co-ops improve their lives and strengthen their communities. In developing this year's Co-op Week and ICU Day campaign, the Canadian organizations worked closely with their international partners, the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in the United States.

Instead of a single theme as in past years, Co-op Week 2009 will celebrate the advantages of co-operatives in the current economic environment. Three Co-op Week posters, available in English and French and illustrated with silhouettes of people rooted in their communities, will reflect three of these advantages:

* Co-operatives are...putting people first
* Co-operatives are...creating sustainable jobs
* Co-operatives are...investing in communities

In addition, International Credit Union Day, Thursday, October 15, will have its own distinctive theme, "Your Money, Your Choice, Your Credit Union", which will also be promoted and distributed by Canadian co-operative and credit union associations, as well as credit union associations around the world. The ICU Day poster will also feature silhouettes of people and use the same orange, blue and green colours as the Co-op Week posters.

"While today's economic times pose serious challenges, they also provide an opportunity for the co-operative sector to demonstrate the differences between co-ops and traditional business models," said CCA Executive Director Carol Hunter. "We know that Canadians are increasingly interested in supporting organizations that are open, democratic and put people before profits, and that's what co-operatives and credit unions are all about."

"We are pleased to work with other national and international groups on the campaign to promote International Credit Union Day and Co-op Week," said David Phillips, president and CEO of Credit Union Central of Canada. "We work with these groups year round on projects that support important initiatives that help members around the world cope with trying economic times."

International Credit Union Day has been celebrated annually on the third Thursday of October since 1948. The celebration of Co-op Week in Canada became a national event in 1982 with the encouragement of the Co-operative Union of Canada, CCA's predecessor.

In the coming months, promotional materials for Co-op Week and ICU Day will be available for order online at www.coopscanada.coop and www.cucentral.ca.
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The Canadian Co-operative Association is a national association for co-operatives in Canada, representing more than nine million co-operative and credit union members from over 2,000 organizations. CCA members come from many sectors of the economy, including finance, insurance, agri-food and supply, wholesale and retail, housing, health and the service sector. CCA provides leadership to promote, develop, and unite co-operatives and credit unions for the benefit of people in Canada and around the world. CCA is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2009.

Visit our web site at www.coopscanada.coop

Contact:
Donna Balkan, Communications Manager
Canadian Co-operative Association
613-238-6711, ext. 206
Cell: 613-314-1032
communicationscoopscanada.coop

The Co-operators Announces Grants

Carol Murray — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:39:07 -0700

The Co-operators Announces Grants to Community-Based Organizations in Ontario, Manitoba and B.C.

Community-Based Organizations Benefit from $213,000 from The Co-operators

Guelph, ON, May 26, 2009 – Today, The Co-operators announced $213,000 in grants to support the work of 11 community-based organizations that help disadvantaged people move toward self-reliance. Each of the organizations provides important services designed to help marginalized people overcome barriers and become more fully integrated into the economic and social networks of their communities.

“Many of the organizations operate on very tight budgets, and in these economic times fundraising can be extremely difficult,” said Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators. “Yet community-based organizations such as these make enormous differences in the lives of those they serve, by providing supports that would otherwise be unavailable to them.”

The funding was provided from The Co-operators Foundation, through which the organization supports social economy enterprises and other worthy causes in Canada. The following grants were announced today:

Causeway Work Centre – Ottawa
Causeway will put its $20,000 grant towards Cycle Salvation, a bicycle refurbishment enterprise that will train and employ people with mental illness and other disabilities, as well as people who are economically disadvantaged.

Le Regroupement des Partenaires Francophones (d’Ottawa) – Ottawa
Le Regroupement received a $20,000 grant for Equili-Brio, which will create employment for people with intellectual disabilities in an integrated environment, working alongside non-disabled employees.

Centretown Laundry Co-op – Ottawa
Centretown Laundry Co-op provides employment opportunities for recent immigrants, homeless and low-income/unemployed persons, where staff members wash and deliver laundry to clients. This year’s grant of $20,000 is the final instalment in a three-year funding arrangement.

A-Way Express Courier – Toronto
A-Way Express Courier is a non-profit social enterprise that provides employment to people who have been involved with the psychiatric system. The $20,000 grant will be used to create additional employment, and support A-Way’s business planning, marketing and equipment needs.

Enterprising Non-Profits – Toronto
ENP pools contributions into a single fund that matches grants of up to $10,000 to non-profit organizations. This program will enable The Co-operators grant of $15,000 to help even more non-profit entities advance their social mission and strengthen communities.

Sistering: A Woman’s Place – Toronto
Sistering enables homeless, under-housed, and low-income women to take greater control of their lives by providing a safe, welcoming environment and an opportunity to participate in meaningful economic activity. The $20,000 grant will assist with the Inspirations Studio, which provides low-income female artists with the opportunity to design and produce ceramic and craft products.

Common Ground Co-operative – Toronto
CGC provides stable co-operative employment opportunities to those with disabilities. It is the umbrella group of four food sector operations owned by more than 55 people with intellectual disabilities. The $20,000 grant is the final instalment of a three-year grant arrangement which has enabled the co-op to provide job-coaching for its partners/employees and achieve business growth.

Welcome Inn Community Centre – Hamilton
The $20,000 grant will assist Welcome Inn to deliver its PLAN program, which empowers low-income individuals in Hamilton to build assets by breaking down common barriers.

Pathways Skill Development and Placement Centre – London
Since 1989, Pathways has assisted individuals and families in overcoming multiple challenges to meaningful employment by providing job finding supports, industrial skills training workshops, ESL training and connections to more than 500 local employers. The $18,000 grant will help relieve some of the Centre’s operational and program costs.

SEED Winnipeg – Winnipeg
Manitoba Eco-Guiding Enterprise (MEGE) seeks to create jobs for entrepreneurial youth and aboriginals who have a high interest in sustainable tourism, and cultural traditions and values. The $20,000 grant will help MEGE finalize the project and deliver a specialized training program for youth.

JustWork Economic Initiative – Vancouver
JustPotters, under the umbrella of JustWork Economic Initiative, helps participants who struggle with barriers including inadequate housing, mental and/or physical disabilities, addictions, and caring for two or more children as a single low-income parent. The $20,000 grant will support these individuals through a pottery enterprise.

About The Co-operators:
Based in Guelph, Ontario, The Co-operators is a group of Canadian companies offering home, auto, life, group, travel, commercial and farm insurance, as well as investment products. The Co-operators Group Limited is a 100 per cent Canadian-owned co-operative with assets of more than $7 billion. It is owned by a group of Canadian co-operatives, credit union centrals and like-minded organizations. It is well known for its community involvement, and is listed among the 50 Best Employers in Canada.

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For further information, please contact:
Leonard Sharman
The Co-operators
1-877-795-7272, ext. 2707

BCCA Welcomes Richard Marcuse as New Director of Co-op Development

Carol Murray — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:48:00 -0700

A social anthropologist by training, Richard has worked for many years in the not-for-profit sector, primarily in the performing arts, as administrator, researcher and consultant. Especially interested in initiatives that contribute to greater social justice and human satisfaction, he has lived for extended periods in several kibbutzim, was a member of the pioneering collective, Tamahnous Theatre, ran the Vancouver office of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, served Oxfam Canada as Major Donor Officer for more than a decade, and, most recently, assisted in the establishment of the International Centre of Art for Social Change, a partnership between Judith Marcuse Projects and Simon Fraser University.

Federal Government Announces Extension of CDI Program

Carol Murray — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:27:16 -0700

Federal government renews and enhances Co-operative Development Initiative: $19.1 million over four years for co-op development

Ottawa, May 21, 2009 - The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) is very pleased with the federal government's decision to renew and enhance the Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI), a program aimed at providing support to new and emerging co-operatives across Canada.

The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of State (Agriculture) announced today that the government will invest $19.1 million over the next four years to support the establishment of new co-operatives and test innovative methods of using the co-operative model. The previous CDI program, which began in 2003, expired on March 31 of this year.

"This is wonderful news for the co-operative sector, for Canadians who use the services co-operatives provide and for the communities in which co-operatives are located," said CCA Executive Director Carol Hunter. "By renewing and enhancing CDI, the government has recognized that co-operatives create jobs and bring enormous value to Canada's economy."

The new program will have two major components:

* Advisory Services, which will improve access to co-operative development information and services that will assist in the formation of new co-operatives. This component of the program is an expanded version of the Advisory Services component of the previous CDI; it will continue to be managed by CCA and its francophone sister organization, the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM) through provincial and sectoral co-operative associations across Canada and will also provide new national services.

* Innovative Co-operative Projects, which will provide project support for new and emerging co-operatives. This will include value-added agriculture projects, which had been supported by a separate Ag-CDI component within the previous program. This component will now be fully managed by CCA and CCCM.

In addition, there will be a Research and Knowledge Development component, which will support new and applied research to support co-operative development. This component will be managed by the federal Co-operatives Secretariat, which is part of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Ms. Hunter said she was pleased that the two national co-operative associations have been given the opportunity to fully manage the two major components of the program; under the previous program, the associations only managed Advisory Services and Ag-CDI. "We are happy that the government has confidence in the co-operative sector to administer these funds on its behalf, for the benefit of co-operatives, communities and all Canadians," she said.

CCA and CCCM have actively lobbied for the renewal of the CDI program for the past two years, with the help of individuals and organizations across Canada, from both within and outside the co-operative sector.

"We would like to thank all the people and organizations who participated in our CDI renewal campaign, and who let their elected representatives know how important this program was to their co-operatives and communities," Ms. Hunter said. "We would like to particularly thank the superb efforts of our member co-operatives and credit unions which helped this campaign succeed."

The previous CDI program supported more than 1,500 co-operatives through Advisory Services and project funding, and helped create some 200 new co-operatives.

Information on how to apply for the Innovative Co-operative Projects component of the new program, including criteria and deadlines, will be available on CCA's website, www.coopscanada.coop, within the next few weeks.

Dr. Peredo Receives Award for Outstanding Leadership

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:03:27 -0800

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) has awarded Dr. Ana María Peredo, Interim Director of BCICS the Internationalization Leadership Award. The award is to recognize outstanding leadership in the internationalization of Canadian education and/or the international education profession.

CBIE is a national non-governmental organization comprised of 200 colleges, universities, school boards, educational organizations and businesses. CBIE is dedicated to the internationalization of education and the expansion of educational partnerships between Canada and countries across the globe.

Dr. Peredo's approach to business education exemplifies the dedication, innovation and leadership that this award is meant to acknowledge. Drawing on her own experience working and living with communities in Peru struggling with economic poverty, Dr. Ana María Peredo aims to expose her students to community-based entrepreneurship and other alternative business models, such as co-operatives, that rely on social and cultural values of communities and embrace a diversity of economic, social and cultural circumstances.

In the classroom, Dr. Peredo encourages a critical examination of the realities of different countries and the local responses to the pressures of globalisation. In doing so, she aims to not only educate leaders but also to promote global citizenship.

Students—many of them international students—are encouraged to draw on the fact that they come from different community and cultural settings, and to see the variety of cultural heritages they bring with them as resources in devising responses to the challenges of poverty and globalization. She advocates working in small-business settings in local communities, where cultural roots are an important part of the business response. In this way, her students become open to diverse ways of seeing the world through an enlarged awareness of their roles as global citizens.

Also this year, Dr. Peredo was named a finalist in the Aspen Institute's 2008 Faculty Pioneer Awards. During the 2007/08 academic year she was a Visiting Fellow at the Global Poverty Research Group in the University of Oxford. Dr Peredo received a ‘Research Excellence Award’ from the Faculty of Business at the University of Victoria for 2005. She was named ‘Ascendant Scholar for 2007’ by the Western Academy of Management.

The Canadian Bureau for International Education has awarded her its Internationalization Leadership Award for 2008.

All You Need is Art

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:08:47 -0800

The progressing culture of a city defines and separates it from other urban areas. Unfortunately, London’s arts scene can sometimes feel like a younger sibling in Ontario, often overlooked by larger cities and only seldom chiming in with a unique voice.

However, a group of young artists and Western students calling themselves the Open House Arts Collective aim to add a little more maturity and confidence to London’s cultural movements.

The Collective came together from two groups — The Viking Swimmers of 1926 and 33 Yale Street — who shared the same goal of guiding the growing arts movement. Even after merging, the group is still a close-knit assortment of only a few members with a history of creating and promoting interesting shows for the city in venues like The Alex P. Keaton, London Music Club and The Yale Street Speakeasy.

Former Viking Swimmers member Sam Allen of the indie folk band The Samuel Musical and Olenka Krakus of Olenka and the Autumn Lovers represent the Collective.

Krakus, a London Ontario Live Arts festival alum whose band has recently released a self-titled debut, explains the collection of local talent came together last February.

“Andrew James, Aaron Simmons, Sam, myself and Mike Harloff decided to form because of a show and the fun we had around it,” Krakus says.

While the Collective has attracted a great deal of attention for its tributes to important albums in rock and roll history — most notably a sold-out tribute show to The Beatles’ White Album last November — they have been busy building the city’s music scene in other ways as well.

“One of our functions is a sort of promotion company,” Krakus adds. “We’ve had touring acts contact us. Between our bigger [tribute] shows, we’ve set up shows around London.”

In addition to making and promoting music, the Collective ultimately aims to help artists of other areas in the community.

“We’re all primarily musicians but I think we’re all also visual artists on the side,” Allen elaborates. “The community that we’re trying to form is also based around visual artists.”

However, finding time to branch out has proven to be a challenge, according to Krakus.

“Since the White Album show, there’s been a lot of talk of expanding the projects. With all our immediate projects and work, it’s been difficult keeping up with regular meetings.”

Including other forms of art has not been easy, but the group hopes a wider community will become more involved in the future.

“A lot of people that participate [in the Collective] are visual artists. It’s really interesting and inspiring to see how much crossover there is between media,” Krakus says.

“Nothing has formalized outside of music because that’s our medium ... art shows are things we’d be able to branch off to [and] a lot of people we know are involved in theatre in some way,” she adds.

Although the group currently lacks the time to ease into other media, their plans for music in London are impressive enough. The Collective is taking on a number of projects to draw attention to London musicians, including an independent music festival and an independent music label for bands in and around the city.

As amibitious as their plans are, the members are not alone in noticing the community’s interest in art. Other initiatives in London also aim to “inject some life into the local scene,” such as the East Village Arts Co-op.

EVAC, which recently displayed its first visual art exhibit “Grass Roots,” also focuses on providing a number of desperately needed resources to artists in the community.

“We kind of noticed a lack of creative infrastructure all around London, but specifically the Old East Village,” Pete Lebel, one of the founding members of EVAC, says.

“There’s a very wide range of incomes in the Old East Village and although a lot of artists have studios at home and have that kind of creative workspace at home and the resources, a lot of people don’t. So we thought that we could start up an arts co-operative to provide shared space and the resources for artists in the immediate community.”

Not only does EVAC supply resources to local artists, but also helps provide the knowledge and support to properly use them.

Some of the resources EVAC gives to artists include access to recording equipment and instrument rentals, painting and photography supplies and lessons for the budding artists. The membership is pay-what-you-can, which maintains the grassroots motto of the arts initiative.

While EVAC puts focus on the assets necessary for creating art, the group also works to display local artists’ work for the general public. For “Grass Roots,” EVAC partnered with Old East Studios next door and had performances from Ian Doig-Phaneuf, music curator for last year’s LOLA festival, and Our Nation, a local instrumental band — all of who are members of the Co-op as well.

“[EVAC] has been working out really well so far and it’s a lot of fun,” Lebel says. “It’s also really hard work especially when there’s no real money involved, but what’s really driving the whole project is an ambition to create a stronger community and keep the community diverse.”

With a number of talented artists involved with grassroots groups like the East Arts Village Co-op and the Open House Arts Collective, they may be just what is needed for some of the quieter voices of London to finally be heard.

Infrastructure spending will help Canadians, co-ops say

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:03:04 -0800

The Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada endorsed today's call by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for new infrastructure spending.

"Thousands of unemployed construction workers and the millions of
Canadians living in core housing need will welcome this call by municipalities
for new spending on affordable housing," said Nicholas Gazzard, Executive
Director. "Housing co-operatives across Canada support the FCM's
recommendations to stimulate the economy and get Canadians back to work. And
let's remember that construction projects generate more than twice their value
in overall economic activity." Gazzard pointed out that CHF Canada, and many
others, are also calling for new investments in housing.

Housing co-ops have urged the government to:

Provide repayable federal loans for affordable housing repair and renovation through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's direct lending capacity,
Create a $30 million loan fund for energy-saving building retrofits for federal co-ops, and

Increase the funding for the Affordable Housing Initiative, a federal housing program, and allocate $250 million a year for 5 years targeted towards new affordable housing development.

The FCM's plan addresses the funding need for retrofits for public and non-profit rental housing, as well as new funding for Canada's Affordable ousing Initiative. The announcement comes a day in advance of the
federal-provincial economic summit in Ottawa.

"As the FCM points out, infrastructure spending can help the hard-hit construction, forestry and manufacturing sectors. An investment in affordable ousing could put construction workers back on the job and help all those
Canadians who are in desperate need of affordable housing. This is exactly
what Canada needs," Gazzard said.

Alterna Savings' "CSR Idol" Contest: Manila, Philipines

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:51:14 -0800

CSR Idol Discovers Humour, Optimistic Spirit amidst Poverty in the Philippines

Last year, Alterna Savings held its first "CSR Idol" contest to recognize Alterna staff who are shining stars in the area of community social responsibility. Staff nominated a number of their colleagues, and Alterna members voted for their favourite among three finalists. The winner of the 2007 CSR Idol was Francine Dick, Certified Financial Planner from the Bay Street branch of Alterna Savings in Toronto. As part of her award, Francine spent nine days in The Philippines with the Canadian Co-operative Association observing how co-operatives are helping people help themselves. This is her story.

MANILA - If the Philippines is described as a nation of 7,000 islands, then Manila could be described as a city of 7,000 malls. Three alone are across the street from our hotel, including the SM Megamall, which sounds ominous.

From the moment we are greeted at the airport by Milo, our Filipino associate, I am smitten with this city and her people. Milo's perpetual smile, graciousness and good humour are typical of everyone I meet. A born and bred city girl, I am fascinated with Manila's energy and sense of self. Life spills out into the streets, making them lively and communal. A man pushes into stopped traffic, selling newspapers with one hand and cigarettes tied from a carton around his neck with the other. Traffic is continuous and chaotic but somehow works.

There are people everywhere. Visiting a museum I learn of the Filipinos' incessant struggle for independence and am surprised that a people who have been so long oppressed can be so generous. Deeply religious, yet fiercely democratic it constantly surprises me.

"Not all wives believe in insurance, but all widows do," says Ernesto "Ernie" Galenzoga, the President of RIMANSI.

He is a man after my own heart. RIMANSI is a regional resource centre based in the Philippines to help rural and urban poor households in south-east Asia obtain insurance. RIMANSI partners with micro finance institutions to establish micro insurance programs.

"The poor need insurance more than the wealthy," he says. "They have fewer assets and less wealth."

Like micro loans, micro insurance is based on the idea that a small amount can make a big difference. Micro loans are given mostly to women, and as a condition of the loan, they must get insurance. For 20 pesos (about 50 cents) a week a woman receives 30,000 pesos (about $735) of life insurance for herself, 20,000 pesos for her husband and 5,000 pesos for each child. It also offers medical reimbursement of up to 2,000 pesos per year and if she remains in the program for at least three years, 50 per cent of the premiums are returned as savings if she decides to leave the Mutual Benefit Association.

After a wonderful lunch we visit a factory run by the National Federation of Cooperatives of Persons With Disabilities. Established about 10 years ago, there are now about 15 primaries in the Philippines. These differently abled workers fill roles from management to accounting to welding to sanding. I am surprised to learn that many of the workers were afflicted at a young age with polio, which was not eradicated in the Philippines until the early 1980s.

Nonoy from RIMANSI drives us to Cabanatuan a couple of hours north of Manila. A subtle jokester, it takes me awhile to catch on to when he's pulling my leg. We meet Rolando Victoria, the executive director of ASKI, a micro finance organization with more than 50,000 members in 21 branches. Many of these branches have Mutual Benefit Associations which provide insurance for their members. The clients of the MBA's are also the owners, who elect a Board of Directors. At the ASKI office in Cabanatuan I have the wonderful experience of attending a Board of Directors meeting composed entirely of women. One woman tells me that she used to work for someone in the rice fields making about 150 pesos ($3.70) a day, but with her loan she has been able to rise above poverty.

After a huge and delicious buffet lunch we visit another factory of the People with Disabilities Cooperative. Like the others, they have a large contract with the Department of Education manufacturing school desks. Rudi, the director, tells us that 26 people work here, including six in the office and eight deaf workers. From Manila we fly south to Iloilo City and, with typical Filipino hospitality, are met at the airport with flowers. Iloilo has the feel of a beach town with broad sidewalks and spacious streets and a slightly less frenetic pace than Manila. Devastated by Typhoon Frank in May of 2008, they have rebuilt and carried on. Luis Posa, a long standing board member of the Association of Differently Abled Persons in Iloilo Multi-Purpose Co-operative, has more energy than men half his age. Besides helping run the co-operative he has several projects on the go, including one for vermiculture with the ingenious name of Global Worming.

At lunch I am introduced to inasal chicken, barbecued and skewered on a stick, which becomes my favourite way to eat poultry. After lunch we witness micro-finance in action as a dozen women meet, chat, sign for their loans and receive their pesos. Rules of credit are very strict and full responsibility is placed upon the borrower. The default rate for these micro-loans is less than two per cent. We in North America should take a few lessons.

"People say that high school is memorable, but for me I cannot say that," remarks Janine Soliva. "I was very shy, had no self-confidence and had a fear of rejection."

This is hard to believe as I watch this dynamic young member of the Association of Empowered Women speak. The group was formed to give attention to the special needs of women with disabilities. They focus on accessibility to schools, finding employment, informing women of their civil rights, reaching out to isolated women, fighting prejudice and acting as a support group.

At another factory for disabled workers I meet Fred Berganio, disabled by polio. At home Fred scoots about on a small wheeled platform because his home cannot accommodate a wheelchair. His wheelchair is an ingenious device consisting of a plastic lawn chair mounted onto a moveable frame. But Fred's main form of transportation is his hand-operated tricycle with a bench in the back for passengers. Fred used to be a cab driver with his tricycle but now has better work at the factory as a grinder and sander. Married with five children, Fred exemplifies the modest, generous, hard-working, humorous and eternally optimistic spirit I found among the people of the Philippines.

My visit to the Philippines was the trip of a lifetime. It was wonderful to see the spirit of co-operation among people, and to witness how small things can make a difference in people's lives. I feel very honoured to have been chosen to represent Alterna on this journey.

BCCA Welcomes New Youth Programs Director

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:29:54 -0800

A big welcome to Chelsea Lake, the new Director of Youth Programs!

Chelsea began her involvement with The YES, formerly Camp Rainbow, as a participant in the program in 1999. Since then Chelsea has been involved as a staff member, workshop facilitator and administrative assistant for the program.

As one of the founding member of The New Practice Facilitators Co-op Chelsea has also created and led co-operative leadership workshops in high schools around the province with the support of the BCCA. Chelsea’s passion for co-operatives inspired her to complete a self-directed degree at UBC with a concentration on social co-ops as vehicles of social change. This passion has now led her to BCCA where she’s excited to begin preparing for the upcoming year.

A Century of Co-operation

Karla Bloomfield — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:06:44 -0800

A century of co-operation: celebrating the 100th anniversary of Canada’s co-operative movement

Co-operatives, credit unions and their members across the country are celebrating the 100th anniversary this year of what has now become one of Canada’s largest economic and social movements.

Canada’s first national co-operative association, the Co-operative Union of Canada (CUC), was formed in Hamilton, Ontario on March 6, 1909 to encourage sharing of information, mutual self-help and concerted action among Canadian co-operatives. In 1987, the CUC merged with the co-operative movement’s educational arm, the Co-operative College of Canada to create the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA).

Today, there are some 8,800 co-operatives and credit unions across Canada. Collectively, they have more than 17 million memberships, over $275 billion in assets and employ more than 150,000 people. Co-operatives differ from traditional businesses in that they are owned by the members who use their services and are driven by social as well as economic concerns. Some of Canada’s best-known co-operatives include Mountain Equipment Co-op, Canada’s leading supplier of quality outdoor gear and clothing, Gay Lea Foods, a major producer of dairy products owned by more than 1,200 Ontario farmers, and The Co-operators (insurance) Group, as well as Federated Co-operatives Limited and Co-op Atlantic, two of Canada’s largest co-operative retail operations.

“Co-ops are one of Canada’s greatest success stories,” said CCA Executive Director Carol Hunter. “They have played an enormous role in building the country we have today and are an important part of the economies of both rural and urban communities. They make a significant contribution to the social needs of Canadians in such areas as child care and affordable housing, as well as to more traditional areas of the economy, such as banking, insurance and retail.”

You can be born in a health care co-op and buried by a funeral co-op. In between you can work in a worker's co-op, live in a housing co-op, buy your groceries, clothing and other items from retail co-ops, send your children to a child care co-op, do all your banking at a credit union, and purchase your insurance from an insurance co-op.

Ms. Hunter said co-operatives are part of the solution to revitalizing Canada’s economy.

“The history of co-ops shows us that they were often formed during hard economic times, so they are as relevant today as they have ever been,” she said. “Since most co-ops are locally-based, they not only provide jobs, but also generate wealth which remains in the community.”

She said CCA hopes to use the anniversary year to help educate Canadians on the role co-operatives have played – and continue to play – in the social and economic life of our country.

Some of the activities aimed at celebrating CCA’s 100th anniversary include:

The creation of a virtual Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame, which will honour individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canada’s co-operative movement.

The publication of A Century of Co-operation, commemorative book on the history of the CCA and co-operatives in Canada by Ian MacPherson, Professor Emeritus in History andfounding director of the British Columbia Institute for Co-operative Studies at the University of Victoria.

The 2009 CCA Congress, which will take place in Ottawa from June 16-19 and highlight the anniversary year. The Congress will feature high-profile speakers on co-operatives and the economy, as well as panels, workshops and other activities.

More information on CCA’s 100th anniversary is available on the CCA web site at: http://www.coopscanada.coop/

Manitoba Province Strategy to Support Cooperatives

Karla Bloomfield — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:28:28 -0800

Province Boosts Support to Community Co-operatives by Unveiling New Strategy: Wowchuk

A new Co-operative Development Strategy to help communities create and grow co-op businesses was announced today by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) Minister Rosann Wowchuk.

Through the Co-operative Development Assistance Program launched in 2007, the province provided $65,000 to fund a process that has resulted in the co-operative community developing a vision statement with strategies for its implementation over the next 10 years.

“This strategy is an effective road map that will help guide co-operatives to their

destination of success,” said Wowchuk. “In the past year, the Manitoba Cooperative Association (MCA), the Economic Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (CDEM), MAFRI and key stakeholders developed a co-op community strategy. Right now, the partners are working together to design and implement the appropriate resources to help existing and future co-operatives effectively manage their businesses and grow.”

The minister noted the province is working with the co-operative community to create and provide appropriate resources, educational tools and co-ordination to act on co-operative opportunities. The proposed recommendations include:

provincial funding of up to $80,000 for research to measure the social and economic impact of the co-operative community in Manitoba;
the creation of an interdepartmental working group to facilitate and support the use of the co‑operative model in delivery of programs and services by all appropriate government departments;
the development of a strategy steering committee that will include representatives from MCA, CDEM and MAFRI to oversee the continued development and implementation of the co-operative strategy;

Provincial funding totalling $125,000 over two years to develop a curriculum that will support the development of co-operatives in areas such as project planning, management training, board governance, business planning, equity drives, and training and mentorship of boards, committees, management and staff.

“Our partnership with MAFRI and CDEM and our consultations with the public have resulted in an impressive development strategy that will benefit existing, new and future co-operatives and their communities,” said MCA chair Barry Gosnell. “We look forward to implementing the strategy and continuing to build on this progress with our partners.”

“CDEM is very excited and encouraged by the development of this strategy,” said Louis Allain, executive director of the CDEM. “We feel that moving forward with the help of the provincial government will have very positive results for the co-operative community in Manitoba.”

The new Co-operative Development Strategy will soon be available on the MCA website at: www.manitoba.coop

Through MAFRI GO Offices, the province offers assistance to individuals, groups and communities wishing to develop new co-operatives and to existing co-ops looking to expand their operations. Financial programs such as co-operative loan guarantees and co‑op promotion assistance are also available.

UCCC Incorporates!

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:15:39 -0800

October was an exciting month for the Cooperatives and Credit Unions in the Kootenays! On October 28, the Upper Columbia Cooperative Council received its Certificate of Incorporation from the Registrar of Companies in Victoria, ushering in a new era of cooperation in the region.

The Upper Columbia Co-op Council ( UCCC) has formed to increase collaboration among the region's 80 incorporated co-ops and credit unions. The Council will have a role in helping to promote the co-op model of business to the public, in helping new co-ops to get started, and in raising awareness about how banking and lending institutions, food stores, community service providers and car owners can and contribute to our community's economic development and social well-being by using the co-op model.

The UCCC, the first co-op of its kind in the province, is being looked at as a model for other similar councils in the Lower Mainland. 15 co-ops and credit unions in the region have already provided development support to the Council, which can now open its doors for membership to any incorporated co-op or credit union in Kootenay or Boundary regions.

To celebrate the historic incorporation of this Council, the Executive Director of the BC Co-op Association, Carol Murray, visited the area at the end of October. Carol toured Grandview Heights, the Kootenay Columbia Seniors Housing Co-op in Castlegar ( see photo) co-ops in Nelson, and attended an early evening rendez-vous of local cooperators, hosted by the Co-op Council.

For more information on the Upper Columbia Co-op Council, or to receive a membership application, please contact Zoe Creighton: zcreightontelus.net

Funeral Co-ops: BC Info Sessions

Karla Bloomfield — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:55:45 -0800

The purpose of funeral co-ops is to provide funerals at cost and in a compassionate way. On the death of a loved one this is not the time to be making financial decisions about funeral services. People join funeral co-ops now in anticipation of their own deaths at some point in the future as well as that the deaths of those they love. However there is another element and that is that members want to see the funeral co-op alternative available in their communities. They join in solidarity with their fellow citizens.

The funeral business has been changing. In the past funeral homes were often family owned businesses with strong ties to their local community. Increasingly funeral homes are owned by large corporations such as SCI which is the largest provider of funerals in North America with their home office located in Houston, Texas. Often when these corporations buy a family owned funeral home they keep the family name on the door so people are not even aware that the business is now owned by a large corporation.

There is, however, a well established co-op alternative to corporate funeral business – funeral co-operatives. Funeral co-ops in Quebec have created a very successful funeral co-op movement that is sophisticated and growing. A network of over 30 funeral co-ops provides approximately 17% of all funerals in Quebec. This model functions very well in smaller communities. In PEI there are seven small funeral co-ops, however the model can also be successful in larger cities. In Gatineau, Quebec the funeral co-op has over 11,000 members and provides 65% of all funerals in their region. The largest funeral co-operative is in the City of Quebec with over 25,000 members and a 50% market share.

There are almost no funeral co-ops west of the Quebec border except for Sudbury, Ontario and Steinbach, Manitoba and one that is being launched in Regina.

The funeral co-op movement in Quebec has created their own federation to provide the local co-ops with various services. Working with the Canadian Co-operative Association the Quebec Federation of Funeral Co-operatives has offered to share their expertise for free to any interested groups across Canada. The first step is to set up public meetings to discuss the funeral co-op concept.

The BCCA is coordinating the visit of a representative from the Federation of Funeral Co-ops of Quebec to speak on the topic of funeral cooperatives in the New Year in three BC communities outside of the lower mainland.

If your community organization is interested in holding such a presentation please contact Karla at the BCCA at coop_developmentbcca.coop or tel. 604-662-3906.

CWCF Board Election Results

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:07:18 -0800

Board Elections at CWCF’s AGM on November 14th in Winnipeg, the membership passed changes to the by-laws enabling expansion of the Board from 5 to 7 members, and also passed a resolution on Board diversity. Marty Frost (BC) and Alain Bridault (Quebec) were acclaimed, being the only candidates in their respective region. Then in a very close election (with 6 candidates for 3 seats) that went to a second ballot, the following directors were elected: Eric Tusz-King (Atlantic Director), Ms. Tigist Dafla (Director-at-large) and Yuill Herbert (Director-at-large).

The full Board of Directors is:

April Bourgeois (Prairies Director), of Coop Ventures Worker Co-op in Regina is President
Alain Bridault (Quebec Director) of Co-op Orion in Quebec City is Vice-President
Colin MacDougall (Ontario Director) of La Siembra Co-op in Ottawa is Treasurer
Marty Frost (BC Director) is with Devco of Vancouver/ Galiano Island
Eric Tusz-King (Atlantic Director) is with EnerGreen Builders of Sackville, NB
Tigist Dafla (Director-at-large) is with Multicultural Health Brokers Co-op, Edmonton
Yuill Herbert (Director-at-large) is with Sustainability Solutions Group WC, Tatamagouche, NS
Mark Goldblatt, who is the past president, has been re-appointed as a Board Advisor.

StatsCan Survey: Need for More Investment in Co-ops

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:54:28 -0800

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) has called on government and financial institutions to increase their investment in co-operatives in the wake of a Statistics Canada survey on co-op financing.

The Survey on Financing of Co-operatives, which was released today, shows that one-fifth of the Canadian co-operatives surveyed indicated that trying to obtain loans, grants or other forms of financing was a serious obstacle to the growth of their organizations. At the same time, the survey indicated that the majority of co-operatives that applied specifically for new or additional loans, lines of credit and credit cards - particularly those in rural areas - received the full amount that they requested.

Co-operatives are enterprises that are jointly owned by the members that use their services. They undertake economic and social development activities, such as creating jobs or providing goods. There are approximately 8.800 co-operatives in Canada, employing more than 150,000 people. The survey, jointly sponsored by the Co-op Secretariat in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Human Resources and Social Development, sampled co-operatives in a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, natural resources and manufacturing, retail, health, economic development, child care and community services, such as arts and recreation. The survey did not include housing co-ops or financial coops, such as credit unions.

Co-operatives that had requested financing in the three years prior to the survey reported that their main reason for seeking financing was to acquire additional working or operating capital. The second most common reason was to purchase additional machinery and equipment, followed by buying additional land and buildings.

John Anderson, the CCA's Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, said he was pleased to discover that the majority of co-ops who request external financing are receiving it, although he is concerned that financing remains a barrier for some co-op businesses.

"It is good to see that financial institutions are increasingly recognizing that co-ops are legitimate business enterprises, and deserve to be treated as such,"Mr. Anderson said. "We are hopeful that this trend will continue, and that an even greater percentage of co-ops will have access to financing in the future. This is particularly important at a time of financial crisis, when co-operatives offer a low-cost and effective means of creating jobs and revitalizing the economy of our communities."

The survey showed that more than half of the co-ops surveyed had never made a request to the federal government for any kind of financing; and of these, more than three-quarters were not aware of any federal programs under which they would qualify for financing.

Mr. Anderson said the survey shows programs which support co-ops, such as the Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI), which provides business advice, technical assistance and grants to new and emerging co-ops are more than ever needed in this period of economic turmoil. The CDI program is scheduled to expire in March 2009, and the CCA and its francophone counterpart, the Conseil canadien de la cooperation et de la mutualité (CCCM), have launched a campaign to have it renewed and expanded. The proposal would also include the creation of a $70 million Co-op Development Fund, which would provide loans to co-ops and be self-sustaining after five years.

"The CDI program has helped create over 200 new co-ops and provided assistance to some 1,500 others over the past six years," Mr. Anderson said. "If this program is renewed, the CCA will work with the federal government to ensure that more co-operatives across the country are aware of the kind of assistance that is available."

Mr. Anderson added that he is delighted that Statistics Canada is recognizing the importance of studying the co-op sector by conducting surveys like the one released today.

"Co-ops represent an important but often unrecognized sector of the economy, providing a wide range of products and services to Canadians across the country,"Mr. Anderson said. "While they are organized differently than other types of businesses, they play a key role in both the generation of wealth and the development of our communities. Providing statistical data on co-operatives is valuable not only for the co-op sector itself, but it also helps familiarize the public with the extent of co-operative activity in Canada."

On Co-op Record for Youth Funds

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:40:03 -0800

Incredible things happen when 270 co-operators join together for a common cause.

Record-breaking attendance at the annual Co-op Conference and Gala was almost overshadowed by a record-breaking fundraising amount. For the first time ever, $10,000 was raised to support Co-operative Young Leaders (CYL), a leadership camp operated by the Ontario Co-operative Association.

Participants in the eighth annual conference, held October 15th at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington took part in professional development sessions and workshops and in the evening attended a heart-warming tenth anniversary Co-op Spirit Recognition Awards celebration.

Co-operators continuously outbid each other on 160 silent auction items throughout the morning and afternoon. Yet there was electricity in the air as friendly but ferocious bidding took place during the evening’s live auction on items ranging from a northern Ontario weekend getaway to Inuit art. The silent and live auctions, plus proceeds from a 50/50 draw, raised more than $9,400. A surprise top-up donation from The Co-operators brought the fundraising total to an amazing $10,000 – easily surpassing last year’s record by almost $3,000.

Each of the nine new Award recipients was recognized in words and video for their co-op achievements before being presented with their Award. The 2008 recipients of Co-operative Spirit Recognition Awards are:

Gillian Eyre, Shoreline Co-operative Preschool, Distinguished Co-operator Award;
Claude Gauthier, GROWMARK Inc., Distinguished Co-operator Award;
André Brisebois, Sketch Orléans, Youth Leader Award;
Marion Wright, Calculated Success, Special Recognition Award;
The Honourable Ted McMeekin, Minister of Government Services, Outstanding Contribution to the Ontario Co-operative Association Award;
Gay Lea Foods Co-operative, Youth Mentor Award;
Carolyn Lemon, Common Ground Co-op, Co-operative Innovator Award;
River Village Co-op Market, New Co-operative of Distinction Award; and
Guelph Campus Co-op, Co-operative Social Responsibility Award.

More information on each past and present Award recipient can be found at www.ontario.coop/Spirit.

New BALTA report explores formation of social co-ops

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:33:25 -0800

BCCA is pleased to announce a new report by John Restakis, Enabling Policy for Health and Social Co-ops. The report examines obstacles and opportunities for the formation of social co-ops with respect to health care and access to training and the labour market by individuals on social assistance.

The report documents one piece of a larger project examining the specific role played by co-operatives in the design and delivery of social care. In recent years, there has been a major shift both in public policy and in public expectations concerning the roles and responsibilities of governments and the private sector with respect to the provision of social services.

The emergence of co-operative models for the delivery of social care has in large measure been a response to this change in government roles and public policy. In everything from health care to services for people with disabilities, co-ops have been created to respond to what many see as a failure of the public sector on the one hand, and a concern around the privatization of social care on the other. This project examined the emergence of social care co-ops, in a wide variety of forms, as a response to these issues.

examine the use of the co-op model in the design and delivery of social care both internationally and in Canada;
determine the variety of co-operative models providing social care and the key sectors in which this care is being delivered;
determine the number of co-ops providing social care in BC and Alberta;
document the use of co-ops in the delivery of elder care as a key focus for the research;
identify success factors in the use of co-ops for the delivery of social care, particularly with respect to public policy, tax policy, legislation, and the role of government;
identify the particular strengths and weaknesses that the co-op form brings to the task of addressing social care issues;
identify the specific challenges facing co-operatives models for the design and delivery of social care in BC and Alberta.

A 2007 report in the project series, entitled Co-operative Elder Care in Canada, is also available for download on our website.

The project was carried out under the auspices of BALTA, the B.C. and Alberta node of the Canadian Social Economy Research Hub (CSE Hub). It forms part of BALTA’s examination of the role of co-ops and the social economy in human services and housing.

For more information on BALTA, check out their website at http://www.socialeconomy-bcalberta.ca/.

NSCC, CEO Appointed to Economic Advisory Panel

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:12:06 -0800

Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald announced the creation of the Premier's Economic Advisory Panel. The 14-member group is made up of business leaders from across the province. Panel members represent a range of businesses including retail, infrastructure, agriculture and economics. Through their business interests, panel members provide jobs for thousands of Nova Scotians.

Of particular interest is appointment of the Nova Scotia Co-op Council's CEO Dianne Kelderman to the panel.

Call for Nominations: Canada's Greatest Cooperator

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:53:39 -0800

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) is gearing up for "Celebrating a Century of Co-operation: Honouring the Past, Building the Future", and has planned a number of centenary events and activities to celebrate the co-operative movement across Canada throughout the year.

Many of the centenary events will culminate at the 2009 CCA Congress, taking place June 16-19, 2009 at The Westin Ottawa, including the launch of the Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame, and the unveiling of the Greatest Canadian Co-operator. The Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame will be a virtual hall of fame that forever provides a site for the recognition and celebration of distinguished co-operators from across Canada.

To determine the recipient of the Greatest Canadian Co-operator Award, we are calling on Canadians to put forth their nominations. This is an honour that will be bestowed upon a deceased individual who was fundamental in shaping co-operation in Canada. Here is how you can nominate members of the Canadian co-operative community for this one-time honour:

Beginning January 5, 2009 visit the CCA website to complete an online nomination form for an individual who has made a significant and historical contribution to the Canadian co-operative movement.
All nominations must be received by Monday February 16, 2009.
If the individual that you wish to nominate has already been nominated, you will be able to endorse nominations that have already been submitted.
Once the February 16 nominations have closed, the CCA Anniversary Committee will identify up to 10 candidates who meet the nomination criteria.

March 6, 2009, CCA will announce the list of candidates that will be put forward for the Greatest Canadian Co-operator competition, and beginning that same day people will be invited to return to the CCA website to place their online vote, for the one person that they believe to be the Greatest Canadian Co-operator.

Online voting will close Thursday April 30, 2009.

The winner of the Greatest Canadian Co-operator will be determined by the highest number of online votes.

The recipient of this honour will be inducted into the Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame and will be showcased by special profile. The Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame also will become home to the eligible nominees of the Greatest Canadian Co-operator Award and all past and future recipients of the Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award and the Global Co-operator Award.

Overall the Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame will provide a virtual location paying tribute to co-operative leaders of the past and present by profiling their individual stories of achievement in a new section of the CCA website.

To find out more information about the Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award and the Global Co-operator Awards, including the nomination criteria, please click on the links above.

Nominations for both of these awards close January 31, 2009.

Recipients of both of these awards will be recognized at the 2009 CCA Congress and also inducted into the Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame.

It is important to note the these awards are annual awards and are bestowed upon living Canadian co-operators who have and continue to live out the CCA mission to promote, develop and unite co-operatives and credit unions for the benefit of people in Canada and around the world.

For additional information regarding the Greatest Canadian Co-operator and Canadian Co-operative Achievement Awards, please contact Tanya Gracie at: tanya.graciecoopscanada.coop or 613-238-6711 ext. 243.

For information regarding the Global Co-operator Award, please contact Heather Staffa at heather.staffacoopscanada.coop or 613-238-6711 ext. 246.

Co-ops Were Made for Hard Times

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:07:55 -0800

Co-ops have never been big in central Canada, particularly in urban areas.

Sure, there are credit unions and caisses populaires all over town, and sure, Mountain Equipment Co-op is a popular place for people looking to buy outdoor gear.

But MEC excepted, retail co-ops aren't among the big retail players in town, even though co-ops can offer shoppers a number of advantages with regard to sourcing, pricing and ethical behaviour.

Maybe, if the economy goes into a deeper funk, central Canada's city folk should take a cue from people in other parts of the country and join or create retail co-ops.

Figures published last year by the federal Co-operatives Secretariat show that in 2004 there were some 5,700 non-financial co-ops in Canada, with 5.6 million members, $27.5 billion in revenues and $17.5 billion in assets.

These included producer co-ops, generally in the fishing and farming sectors, and workers' co-ops, which are employee-owned enterprises and which are particularly popular in Quebec.

It's in the consumer co-operatives sector that you find most retailers. Consumer co-ops range from small buying clubs to large supermarkets and wholesalers, says the Co-operatives Secretariat.

"Revenues from the consumer group amounted to $10.7 billion, with food products accounting for 39 per cent of the total and petroleum products, dry goods and home hardware being the other main items."

Mountain Equipment Co-op is the biggest in Canada, boasting some 2.9 million members.

But one of the biggest co-op retailers in North America is the Calgary Co-op Association Ltd. with, according to its website, 425,350 members, 4,000 employees, $352 million in assets and annual sales approaching $1 billion. It sells groceries, pharmacy products, liquor, gas and even travel services at 22 shopping centres, 22 in-store pharmacies, 26 gas bars, seven travel offices and 17 liquor stores.

The Calgary Co-op is part of Federated Co-operatives Limited, with 1.3 million members in 500 communities west of Thunder Bay.

The Calgary Co-op is big enough to anchor shopping centres in Calgary, said Mark Goldblatt, co-op development manager with the Canadian Co-operative Association.

But that kind of store has never been popular here, at least not in the cities.

The Co-operatives Secretariat says that, although not as influential as they are in Western and Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario co-ops are strong organizations.

"However, they have little penetration in large urban areas."

Maybe it's just that we haven't suffered enough. After all, retail co-ops grew out of hard economic times.

Mr. Goldblatt said the first one in Canada was started by miners in Cape Breton in the early 1900s, looking for an alternative to the high prices of the company store.

The co-operative retailing system in the West was set up in 1928, where co-ops grew out of the farm sector.

But Mr. Goldblatt said co-ops have never been a big part of life in Ontario. He's heard it said that Ontario farmers, with reliable precipitation, good soil and easy access to urban areas to sell their products, never struggled as much as western farmers and never felt as strong a need to band together.

"Most co-ops started out of some kind of exceptional need," he said, "and the only way people could deal with it was by pulling together."

Of course there are co-ops in the city, it's just that they aren't big enough to anchor malls.

Eric Julien of Ottawa got interested in co-ops when he was looking for low-cost, natural and holistic pet food for his dog and two cats. He found what he wanted at the Sandy Hill Pet Food Co-op, in operation since 2004.

"They carry a lot of brands you don't see in stores," he said.

But he says that over the years he has become a convert to the co-op concept. For one thing, he finds the pet food is cheaper. He's convinced that's because, as a workers' co-op, the Sandy Hill Co-op is not focused on profit.

Mr. Julien is looking forward to shopping for his own groceries in the Sandy Hill People Food Co-op, which opened in October.

Because they aren't under pressure to make a profit, co-ops are better equipped to survive an economic downturn, said Mr. Goldblatt.

He says that in each of the last five years, 250 new co-ops have been incorporated across Canada.

It will be interesting to see whether that number grows as the economy tightens.

Support Renewal of CDI!

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:05:16 -0800

Canada’s national co-op associations are asking co-ops and their members across the country to join the campaign to renew the Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI), a federal program that helps promote and develop new and emerging co-ops.

CDI is a unique partnership program between the federal government, the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Conseil canadien de la co-opération et de la mutualité (CCCM). It provides technical assistance and project grants to help co-ops get off the ground; over the past five years, CDI helped create over 200 new co-ops and provided advisory services to nearly 1,500 new and existing co-ops.

This program is scheduled to expire in March 2009, and the CCA and the CCCM have proposed a new and expanded CDI that would increase funding for advisory services, create a new co-operative loan fund where co-ops can access development capital, and continue providing project assistance. The new program would also continue Ag-CDI, which assists bio-energy and value-added agricultural co-ops.

In today's difficult economic times, co-ops and their communities need CDI more than ever.We encourage you to write to Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz: Ritz.Gparl.gc.ca Minister of Agriculture, whose department is responsible for administering the program, as well as Finance Minister Jim Flaherty: Flaherty.Jparl.gc.ca and your Member of Parliament.

For more information on CDI and tools that will allow you to e-mail your MP, visit: http://www.coopscanada.coop/CDI

New BALTA report: enabling policy for social co-ops

Karla Bloomfield — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:35:04 -0800

New BALTA report explores formation of social co-ops

BCCA is pleased to announce a new report by John Restakis, Enabling Policy for Health and Social Co-ops. The report examines obstacles and opportunities to the formation of social co-ops with respect to health care and access to training and the labour market by individuals on social assistance.

The project objectives were to:

examine the use of the co-op model in the design and delivery of social care both internationally and in Canada;
determine the variety of co-operative models providing social care and the key sectors in which this care is being delivered;
determine the number of co-ops providing social care in BC and Alberta;
document the use of co-ops in the delivery of elder care as a key focus for the research;
identify success factors in the use of co-ops for the delivery of social care, particularly with respect to public policy, tax policy, legislation, and the role of government;
identify the particular strengths and weaknesses that the co-op form brings to the task of addressing social care issues;
identify the specific challenges facing co-operatives models for the design and delivery of social care in BC and Alberta.

A 2007 report in the project series, entitled Co-operative Elder Care in Canada, is also available for download on our website. John Restakis is currently on sabbatical until July 2009 completing the final publication in the project trilogy: a book on co-operatives with a focus on social co-ops. The book is forthcoming from New Society Publishers.

For more information on BALTA, check out their website at: http://www.socialeconomy-bcalberta.ca/.

Federation of Funeral Coop's Visit to UK Provides Valuable Lessons

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:50:46 -0800

A visit by a delegation from the Federation of Funeral Cooperatives (two elected members (Réjean Laflamme and Steve Bourassa) and two employees(Alain Leclerc and Annie Normandin)) to England to view the facilities and meet with the directors of some English funeral cooperatives has proven to be a valuable learning experience.

The funeral cooperatives network in England comprises 14 organizations managing a total of 140,000 deaths per year. It is a principal funeral management group in England that holds 22% of the market. While in England the delegation visited the Co-operative Group (842 service points, casket plant, monuments, flowers, etc., and 100,000 funerals per year) and the Midcounties Co-operative (69 service points, 3 monument plants and 8,000 funerals per year), and attended the annual meeting of the funeral cooperative managers of England (200 persons attending). To follow are some of highlights taken from the trip:

Eco-Cemeteries

The delegation visited two natural burial grounds, or “eco-cemeteries”, developed by the Co-operative Group (Hinton Park Woodland and Poole & Wimborne, with respective surface areas of 14 and 30 acres). In short an eco-cemetery involves the interment of ashes, and to a lesser degree, bodies (with no embalming, and in a “green” casket), offering families the option to plant a tree of their choice, from a vast selection, on the plot of the deceased. It would be relatively easy to develop a similar approach to cemeteries in the Canadian context, the space necessary for such a cemetery may be as little as 10 acres. To do this, a group could make use of part of a religious cemetery. The cemetery derives a significant amount of its revenue from the trees purchased and benches paid for by the families. Landscaping of the site is thus financed by the users.

Sale of Monuments

The two cooperatives visited also retail funerary monuments. The monuments purchased are pre-cut and imported from China. The work of the cooperative simply consists in the inscription and installation of the stone. Sale of monuments is lucrative, with a profit margin of close to 20%. In Quebec and PEI, a few cooperatives sell monuments directly and receive a commission from the distributor. At a minimum, acceptance by a greater majority of Canadian cooperatives of this revenue generating option should be considered, while the delegation supports review of a network supported approach to uptake this business model.

More to Take Home: A Meeting with the Funeral Co-op Directors

Both cooperatives share an ambitious staff training program. The program is divided into 20 units, which the employees take as supervised self-directed training for a period of 30 to 40 weeks. Prior to this training, the Midcounties Cooperative offers an introductory session focused on cooperative values.

The marketing strategies for the two funeral co-ops are grounded in co-op values. The cooperatives offer members a point system based approximately on 1% of purchases.

In terms of environmental sustainability, the headoffice of Midcounties has installed solar panels for electricity generation; the amount of electricity generated at any given moment is displayed on a electronic board in the waiting room.

In short, the group was highly impressed by their visit to England and states that much can be learned by Federation of Funeral Cooperatives from their new English friends. The Midcounties Co-operative manages 8,000 funerals, which is much the same number as the Canadian Federation of Funeral Cooperatives network. Simon Fisher, the general manager of the Midcounties Co-operative Funeral Service, was in Canada October 14 to 21, 2007. He had the opportunity to visit the cooperative facilities in Summerside, Wellington, New Glasgow and Stratford in Prince Edward Island, plus four funeral cooperatives in Quebec.

Federation of Funeral Cooperatives

548, rue Dufferin

Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 4N1

Telephone:(819)566-6303, ext. 22

Fax:(819) 829-1593

E-mail: normandin.fcfqreseaucoop.com

Website: www.fcfq.qc.ca

Mountain Equipment Co-op Discloses Contract Factories

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:22:47 -0800

Mountain Equipment Co-op Discloses Contract Factories

Mountain Equipment Co-op(TM), Canada's largest retail co-operative with over 2.9 million members, today disclosed the names of factories that make clothing and gear under the outdoor retailer's MEC-brand label. With the move, MEC becomes the first Canadian company to disclose its factory base.

"Factory disclosure is about transparency," said MEC CEO David Labistour.

"By casting light on MEC's global supply chain we endeavour to reveal more about the companies and countries we do business with in the course of bringing MEC-brand products to our customers, the member-owners we serve."

In disclosing its factory base Mountain Equipment Co-op is on common ground with several leading companies outside of Canada that have already disclosed.

Nike, Inc. was the first U.S. company to disclose it factory base, in 2006. Since then, Patagonia and Timberland have followed. (Footwear or clothing from each of these vendor partners are part of MEC's comprehensive outdoor offering.

"Disclosure is another means by which working collaboratively and over time we believe we can improve the lives of factory workers - both within our supply chain and beyond it," said Harvey Wah Chan, MEC's director of ethical sourcing.

The disclosure is available online on MEC's English and French websites, where one can view the factory list in an electronic (pdf file) format. More information and the list itself are available at www.mec.ca/factories. Name, street address and country are given for 53 factories that make one or more styles of MEC-brand hardgoods (packs, tents, sleeping bags) or softgoods (performance and commodity apparel).

A $10,000 factory order threshold was set to determine MEC's 2008 disclosure list. Twenty-two factories were excluded for fulfilling orders of less than $10,000. Five factories were not disclosed for administrative or non-agreement reasons. MEC's goal is to disclose all its private-label contract factories within one year.

Factory disclosure and ethical sourcing are examples of how MEC integrates sustainability initiatives and programs into its co-operative business operations. Others include grants for community based wilderness conservation and outdoor recreation, a green building program and sustainable product development.

MEC is Canada's leading retailer of outdoor clothing and equipment,providing quality products and services for activities like hiking, cycling, and snowsports. Established in 1971, MEC operates 11 destination stores in central locations across Canada as well as mail and web-order services.

More information about MEC is available at www.mec.ca.

La Siembra Workers' Coop Wins Worldwide Award

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:48:36 -0800

La Siembra Wins Worldwide Award for Democracy in the Workplace

Ottawa-Gatineau’s La Siembra Co-operative is thrilled to announce that it is one of four Canadian companies to win WorldBlu’s “Worldwide Award for the Most Democratic Workplaces”.

WorldBlu, Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia, specializes in organizational democracy and awards companies such as La Siembra a spot on the List of Most Democratic Workplaces after a rigorous survey process. WorldBlu developed the survey tool based on a decade of research into what makes a world-class democratic organization. “The WorldBlu List seeks to shine a spotlight on the companies pioneering the next generation of business,” says WorldBlu Founder and CEO, Traci Fenton. “The organizations that practise democracy in the workplace are creating the businesses of the future and will ultimately build a more sustainable and democratic world.”

La Siembra Co-operative is the largest producer of Fair Trade Certified organic cocoa and sugar products in Canada and a pioneer of Fair Trade chocolate and sugar products in North America. The company is owned by its workers, who invest in the co-op financially and participate in its democratic governance. Workerowners(currently 83% of total employees) each have a vote in key organizational decisions, including the election of Directors to the Board, which is composed uniquely of worker-owners. La Siembra is led by a top management team of two Co-Executive Directors, ensuring consensus-building at all levels of the organization, and worker-owners invest 5% of their modest gross salaries in the co-operative every pay period.

According to La Siembra’s Co- Executive Director Martin Van Den Borre, “We are a mission-based Fair Trade business. We believe in fair, democratic employment for all – both our worker-owners at La Siembra and the producer co-operatives we source our ingredients from. To this end, we work in close partnership with cocoa and sugar farmers in South America, Central America and the Caribbean and employ the same democratic, participatory and transparent model as our producer partners overseas.”

A Worker Co-operative
La Siembra Co-operative, Inc.
4 Florence Street, Suite 210
Ottawa, Ontario k2p 0w7
www.lasiembra.com

Email: infolasiembra.com
Tel. 613 235-6122
Fax. 613 235-6877

Creators of Cocoa Camino®
Fair Trade & Organic Products
www.cocoacamino.com
Artisans des produits équitables
et biologiques Cocoa CaminoMD

Canada's first consumer co-op for investors launched in B.C.

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:26:14 -0800

Investors-Aid Co-operative of Canada: a first for Canadian consumers

With the world’s highest investment costs, advisory conflicts of interest, low average returns, and now a brutal bear market, the old way just doesn’t cut it any more. Investors-Aid is the first Co-operative to bring investors together. We help cut costs by up to 90%, get value from advisors, reduce capital loss, access consumer-friendly products and strategies, and to negotiate discounts from industry firms.

“In markets like this investors are scared. They see the losses, yes, but they also see what didn’t matter when the market was rising...big cost and big risk. Individual shares and too much equity are the big problems,” says Co-op founder Garth Rustand.

The Co-op sells no investments, referrals, paid advertising, or management. This means Investors-Aid is objective in an industry where commission-driven selling is the norm.

For such a critically important industry, there is little protection for consumers. There is almost no disclosure of costs or returns.

“Consumers aren’t given essential information, plus there is big pressure to invest in high risk product where fees take half of the gain. No other industry gets away with this.

The Co-op has launched at a time when investors need emotional support financial advice.Information is important, but the Co-op is really Canadians working together to make sure they are treated fairly.

For more information contact: Garth Rustand Phone/fax: 604-628-7491

Email: infoinvestors-aid.coop

Website: www.investors-aid.coop

BCCA Co-op Week Luncheon a Success

Karla Bloomfield — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:52:44 -0700

BCCA was proud to host its annual co-op week luncheon event at the beautiful VanDusen Botanical Garden. This year close to 80 individuals attended representing a broad spectrum of cooperatives from around the province. Many of the attendees were also alumnae of the BCCA's Bologna Summer Program; offered in the co-operative rich region of Emilia Romagna, Italy the Bologna Summer Program gathers an international faculty to offer a unique blend of theoretic and practical co-op learning experiences.

The luncheon event featured two presentations on the theme of, “Working Together to Promote Co-op Development. Carol Murray, BCCA Acting Executive Director, spoke on the Co-op Choice Campaign. The campaign, launched during Co-op Week, was the collaborative effort of partnering co-ops in the Lower Mainland; using common messaging the campaign promoted the benefits of the co-op model to the co-ops’ members and employees. Carol discussed some of the strategies used by five Lower Mainland co-operatives to raise awareness of co-ops among their members and employees. These readily transferable educational and promotional strategies promise to spark the creativity and imagination of others in the co-op sector.

In addition, representatives of the Vancity Leadership Program in Bologna, Jim Sinclair, President of the BC Federation of Labour; Virginia Greene, President and CEO of the Business Council of BC; Tamara Vrooman,CEO of Vancity; and Ellen Pekeles, Senior Vice President of Vancity; shared their program experiences with luncheon participants.

The panel spoke of their enriching experiences in Bologna and their observations on the differences in the cultural context for co-ops in Emilia Romagna and British Columbia. In particular, in Emilia Romagna the success of co-operatives is founded on the memberships’ both life-long and inter-generational commitment to the organization. Co-ops are developed in partnership with and support of the community. The level of commitment to co-op values and community is a force in the region. In fact, many successful cooperatives that could have been profitable private businesses deliberately maintain the co-op model. Such a commitment to the co-operative model benefits the region in its capacity to maintain relative economic sustainability while economic downturns affect surrounding regions.

The speakers also noted that the population in Emilia Romagna is relatively static with little in-migration, to the point where the population is declining. For the future, it is uncertain how this will impact economic and co-op development in the region. Of interest is consideration of the great population diversity and growth in BC, particularly in the Lower Mainland, and the different opportunities and approaches to foster economic and co-op development within this local context.

In closing, the panel members also discussed how they plan to work together with representatives from labour, business, government and the non-profit sector to determine how the practices they observed in Bologna could be applied in BC. With the support of BCCA and Vancity the panel is considering the creation of a co-op development project. Said project would take place in a target region or neighborhood with the goal being to use the co-op model to help drive social change by in part redefining wealth in terms of social justice, economic sustainability and community well-being.

The luncheon was a great success and could not have been accomplished without the generous support of the following sponsors:

Vancity Credit Unions

Federated Cooperatives Ltd.

Coast Capital Savings

Envision Financial

Mountain Equipment Co-op

CCEC Credit Union

BCCA Pilot Project - Co-op Development Advisory Services

Karla Bloomfield — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:59:52 -0700

Through support from the Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI), a federally funded program to promote the development of new co-operatives across Canada, the BCCA has initiated a co-op development advisory service pilot project. In conjunction with highly experienced and skilled co-op development professionals in B.C., the BCCA provides expert assistance to groups who want to start new co-ops or who need help managing existing ones.

The areas of support and advice offered to groups typically fall within one or more of the following themes:

1. The basics of co-op development – explanation of the co-op development process phases and discussion on how they apply to the group's co-op concept.

2. Determining business idea viability – assessment of the demand for the product or service to be offered by the co-op.

3. Incorporation – clarification on the Co-op Act and/or assistance on the process for incorporation.

4. Marketing plan – steps to develop a marketing plan.

5. Business plan - advice on how to prepare a feasibility study/provide a guide.

6. Member recruitment – strategies to create a member recruitment drive plan.

7. Other – group specific questions unique to the environment, group, or product/service. Just ask!

For more information on the BCCA’s co-op development advisory services please contact us at: email: coop_developmentbcca.coop or phone: 604-662-3906.

Housing - a problem that is too big NOT to fix

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:26:39 -0700

With 4 million Canadians in need of housing and 40,000 sleeping in shelters every night, Canada's affordable housing shortage is not a problem that is too big to fix; it's a problem that is too big not to fix, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada said today.

Speaking at a meeting with provincial and territorial housing ministers, the Federation of Canadian municipalities, and other national housing organizations, Nicholas Gazzard, Executive Director, made a case for co-operative housing as part of the solution."Co-op housing in Canada is a success story. Co-op housing is cost-effective for government and offers a truly community-driven housing solution that puts the residents in control of their housing."

CHF Canada recognized the importance of the renewal of the three federal housing programs just prior to the call of the federal election and called on the provinces and territories to make a matching commitment. But Gazzard called for a long term strategy. "The renewed federal spending, while welcome, will not deliver the new affordable housing needed to address the challenges of core housing need. The federal government must commit to further funding and develop a strategy to respond to the expiry of existing federal housing commitments."

Canadian housing co-ops are also calling for:

- A strategic partnership among different levels of government

- Consultation with stakeholder groups

- New spending tied to both supply and demand solutions, and

- Efficiency in scale in program design.

CHF Canada is the national voice of co-operative housing in Canada, with more than 900 housing co-operatives and other members, representing 56,000 co-operative homes.

Phone Co-op Wins Enterprising Solutions Award

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:00:37 -0700

When The Phone Co-op entered the Enterprising Solutions Awards two years ago it watched someone else walk off with the top prize. However, just being shortlisted spurred it on to enter again and this time it was successful.

Vivian Woodell, the chief executive and founder of the Chipping Norton-based operation, had a background in the cooperative movement rather than telecommunications when he decided to set up the business about ten years ago to supply telecoms and internet services.

“I was working in Central and Eastern Europe creating resources for people who wanted to start or expand coops and we had high phone bills,” he says. International calls in the 1990s were costly but Woodell was able to find cheaper providers. They explained that they bought the calls wholesale from another carrier and he thought if they could do this so could he.

The initial idea was to sell cheaper calls to nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) to allow them to save money. The concept of reselling minutes evolved along with the market and offerings were expanded. The business’s initial name was the Social Economy Telecoms Cooperative, or Setco.

Quite quickly the market changed so the coop was able to clinch deals on national and international calls. It became apparent that consumers as well as NGOs would be interested.

Woodell negotiated buying telephone minutes from carriers and ran his operation on a very small scale, almost as an experiment, from his spare room to see how viable it would be. The idea was to take any profits and use them to launch a full telephone and internet service. It took two years to secure all the agreements with suppliers and in June 1998 he gave up his previous job and focused on the telecommunications business full time.

Structurally the idea was always to stay mutual, regardless of external pressure. “Initially we restricted membership either to cooperatives and charities and people who were associated with them,” Woodell explains.

This was for pragmatic and political reasons; there had been a hostile attempt to demutualise the coop and many building societies had seen their mutual status removed. The issue gradually went away and the coop’s constitution was amended to make demutualisation difficult. Membership became open to anyone and currently about half the customers become members.

In 1999 the name changed to The Phone Co-op and the legal status switched from a limited company to an industrial provident society. This status has proved an advantage during the credit crisis.

“People see us as a safe haven and we have seen our share capital increase quite a lot over the past few weeks,” Woodell says. He is under no illusions, however, that his business will suffer as the economy suffers.

Entering the Social Enterprise Awards for a second time was an easy decision. He says: “We feel that we are one of the leading social enterprise companies in the country, having grown from nothing to a reasonable size over ten years. One of our key markets is the social enterprise sector, so it can’t do any harm to be recognised there,” Woodell is keen to use the £10,000 prize money to launch an umbrella specialist telecommunications group to bring together cooperatives in the international telecoms industry. The idea is to help them to make regular contact and to support one another.

He hopes to launch the umbrella body at the International Cooperative Alliance’s conference in Glasgow next year.

Urban band members get help finding homes

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:10:26 -0700

A joint venture by five First Nations in partnership with Conexus Credit Union and other financial institutions will help urban band members access affordable housing and become homeowners.

Prairie Lodge Urban Housing Inc., which is jointly owned by the Pasqua and Cowessess First Nations, has expanded its program to include the White Bear, George Gordon and Carry the Kettle First Nations.

The company has already built five homes in Regina which have been turned over to off-reserve band members under the affordable housing-home ownership program.

But as funding under the federal-provincial affordable housing program dried up, the company switched focus. In the past year Prairie Lodge put all new construction projects on hold while it shored up its organizational structure as it awaits word on federal-provincial funding for a new affordable housing program.

"We are looking at doing some other projects,'' said company spokesman Ted Goodnough, explaining the joint venture with a number of bands provides the company with a larger financial base and more clout in the marketplace.

"We felt we could meet the needs of the homeowners a lot easier, as well as rentals (affordable apartments for students and seniors) if we had a number of bands involved. We probably would have more clout with government and everybody else as well.''

Goodnough said the company's mission is to make available affordable housing to those families that otherwise would not have the ability to own their own homes and to revitalize older neighbourhoods in the city.

To be part of the affordable housing program individuals must qualify for a mortgage, meet the criteria laid out under any affording housing program, and participate in a financing and home maintenance program. Each qualified homeowner will also have the option of contributing $3,000 or more in sweat equity.

Goodnough said the company will be working with the city on a five-year plan to build infill housing and develop multi-family rental units on vacant city land. The hope is to build 10 houses per year.

Prairie Lodge is also hoping to set up a construction company to build the homes and provide employment opportunities for people who are on a trades training program.

NDP housing plan will make a real difference

Karla Bloomfield — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:17:23 -0700

OTTAWA - The NDP announcement of a comprehensive plan to create new affordable housing is welcome news for the four million Canadians in core housing need, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada said today.

"We are particularly pleased that the NDP's housing plan includes specific targets to help the most vulnerable, including Aboriginal people, seniors and women said Nicholas Gazzard, executive director.

The NDP plan for a building retrofit and energy efficiency strategy also addresses one of the major issues housing co-ops have been dealing with. Funds for residential rehabilitation and energy retrofits will allow existing housing co-ops to maintain the public investment in co-op housing and reduce energy use.

"We look forward to getting more details and learning how these programs can help housing co-ops respond to Canada's desperate need for more affordable homes."

CHF Canada and Canada's 250,000 housing co-op members are pleased that all five major parties have recognized that housing and homelessness is an issue that concerns Canadians in this election. All have included some provisions to address Canada's housing crisis in their platforms, and most have specifically mentioned housing co-ops as part of the solution.

CHF Canada has been calling for:

Continued federal spending for housing co-ops, to provide more homes for low-income Canadians

More rent-geared-to-income subsidies so housing co-ops can help more low-income Canadians who need housing

Federal loans so that housing co-ops can invest in energy savings and the reduction of greenhouse gases.

CHF Canada is the national voice of co-operative housing in Canada, with more than 900 housing co-operatives and other members, representing 56,000 co-operative homes.

As banks struggle, credit unions get rush of new customers

Web Admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:27:16 -0700

We request a 25% deposit to secure the date; an additional 25% is due 14 business days prior to the event. The remainder is due immediately upon receiving the final invoice via email or letter mail.

David Bennett, director of public relations for the Washington Credit Union League called Friday afternoon to say, “One thing that I haven’t heard any reporting on is the National Credit Union Administration, the NCUA, that administers the credit union insurance fund.”

Let’s change that.

Not unlike the FDIC – which has been much in the news lately and which insures accounts at banks – the NCUA insures the accounts of credit union members.

Bennett also said, “Historically, bad times for banks are good times for credit unions.” And these are bad times for at least one bank, the former Washington Mutual.

So how good are the times for credit unions?

TAPCO and BECU, Bennett said, have seen a good number of new customers. Tacoma’s TAPCO, he said, “has run out of switch kits for former Washington Mutual customers, and they’re having more printed.” As the name implies, a switch kit allows a customer of one institution to change allegiance.

Bennett said that statewide, between last December and this June, “62,789 new member accounts were opened. During the previous six months, June-December 2007, 23,531 new accounts were opened. That’s an increase of 39,258.”

Political parties line up to promise housing

Web Admin — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:59:35 -0700

When police started ticketing homeless people camped out in Vancouver’s Oppenheimer Park last summer, Kathy Walker and her neighbours decided to take action.

They started going to the park early in the morning, when police usually arrived, and they stood in solidarity with the campers. One evening, Walker, a resident of the Jackson Avenue housing cooperative on the east side of the park, camped out with her young daughters amid the homeless.

At one time, Walker said, she counted about 30 tents in the park. In mid-August, the campers were moved into hotels and housing units owned by the provincial government. Walker recalled that one woman told her she had been on a housing wait list for the past five years.

Oppenheimer Park has returned to what it was prior to the camp-out. But according to Walker, there are always homeless people hanging out there.

With the federal election campaign in full swing, Walker wants to hear politicians talk more about what their respective parties intend to do about homelessness and housing.

“It’s such a basic thing for human dignity,” Walker told the Straight by phone on September 22. “People need a decent, safe place to live.”

On September 16, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that if reelected, his government will give first-time home buyers a tax credit for up to $5,000 of the closing costs of a house purchase.

The next day, ministers Monte Solberg and John Baird rolled out a pledge that a new Conservative government will extend for five years three programs with funding of $1.9 billion. These are the Affordable Housing Initiative, the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program, and the Homelessness Partnering Strategy.

For their part, the federal Liberals have promised to tackle the housing crisis by providing 30,000 new social-housing units. They will also refurbish 30,000 existing units. The Liberal platform also includes expanding subsidies for low-income people living in federally funded co-op housing.

Like the Conservatives, the Liberals pledged to renew the RRAP. They will also continue with the Homeless Partnering Initiative, a component of the HPS.

If ever they get to form a government, the NDP has an ambitious program to implement. They will start a 10-year national housing program that will build 200,000 social-housing and co-op units. They will also renovate 100,000 existing units. Rent supplements will be given to 40,000 low-income tenants.

An NDP government will underwrite low-interest mortgages on affordable housing. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation will be redirected to fund social housing.

The Greens are more modest. They have promised to build 20,000 social-housing units and rehabilitate 10,000 existing units over the next 10 years. They will also provide credit and loan guarantees to nonprofit housing organizations and co-ops. The Greens will subsidize private developers who include affordable housing in their housing projects.

If politicians aren’t saying much about housing and homelessness, voters themselves can put these issues front and centre.

The Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, a national organization representing nonprofit housing groups, has assembled a tool kit so that anyone can be a “housing champion” in his or her riding.

The CHRA Web site (www.chra-achru.ca/ ) features advice on meeting candidates and getting media coverage.

The kit has a sample letter or e-mail to candidates that explains why housing has to be on the campaign agenda. It states that four million Canadians “live in housing they can’t afford, that is overcrowded, or that is unhealthy or unsafe”.

When the Straight first talked with Walker on August 15, the day after campers were removed from Oppenheimer Park, she offered a simple solution to help ease the problem of homelessness.

“With all of the energy and resources and time going to prepare for the Olympics, if we can divert some of that time and energy and money…we could get people off the streets and into decent housing.”

US company to use technology from Nipawin Biomass Ethanol Co-op

Web Admin — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:55:04 -0700

A California company will probably be the first user of the catalytic technology that was developed for a future ethanol plant at Nipawin.
Fulcrum BioEnergy recently announced plans to build a commercial-scale plant that will use municipal solid waste to produce ethanol.

Construction of the plant, to be located just outside Reno in Storey County, Nevada is set to start towards the end of the year. The plant will use the licensed proprietary technology for converting synthetic gas to ethanol that was developed through an initiative between the Nipawin Biomass Ethanol New Generation Co-operative Ltd. (NBEC) and the Saskatchewan Research Council.

Sherry Michalyca, economic development officer for the Town of Nipawin and member of the NBEC board of directors, said the plant would be an important validation of the technology.

"That plant there will almost be like our pilot plant that will prove our technology," she said. "And for those that would be investing in our plant there will already be one plant in existence using our technology."

The technology makes it possible to produce ethanol from agricultural and forestry waste materials such as flax straw, sawdust and logging slash. As part of phase two of the commercialization process, the NBEC signed a letter of understanding with Fulcrum towards the end of last year. According to Michalyca the arrangement with Fulcrum was the result of shared goals.

"They want to do the same thing we’re doing, but they want to make ethanol out of garbage," she said.

As a result, a process demonstration unit will be built in the United States to further test the catalyst. Michalyca said the three month design process for the demonstration unit is basically completed. After a three months construction period, testing will take place for six months.

"I would say by late next spring we should have some results from the demonstration unit," she said.

The results from these tests will be of benefit to Fulcrum when their Nevada plant becomes operational in early 2010. At the same time the findings will be crucial to the decisions to be taken about the development of a biomass ethanol plant at Nipawin.

"We need to know those results for our plant here," Michalyca emphasized. "The demonstration unit will test the life of the catalyst, which is an important part of our capital costs of our plant."

In the meantime planning for the entire process is still on track. Michalyca said they need to raise between $800,000 and $1 million locally as part of their contribution to the approximately $3.5 million cost of phase two of the commercialization process.

Last year the NBEC entered into a conditional sales agreement with the Rural Municipality of Nipawin for two parcels of land. The 119.90 acres of land is located south of Nipawin between the CPR line and the Codette Lake reservoir. The conditions for the sale of the land to the NBEC include a successful environmental assessment and the finalization of capital funding for the project. Michalyca said the details of the environmental assessment are being completed.

After their initial feedstock analysis, the NBEC is now also looking at formalizing contracts for feedstock such as wood waste or flax straw. In addition, there is still the potential to license the technology to other companies that are looking for this type of catalytic reaction.

"We have an eight year jump on them," Michalyca said. "The whole world is now talking about second-generation biofuels and we’ve been working at this for several years."

It has been a long process since the Nipawin Economic Development Committee came up with the idea of an ethanol plant in 1999. But Michalyca is satisfied with the steady and determined progress of the initiative.

"Every year we’ve come further," she said. "This is not something that’s been done before and we want to make sure that it’s done right and that we’re successful."

Cowichan Lake Lumber Has Perfect Co-op Partnership

Web Admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:45:42 -0700

Forklift operator Max Donnelly moves some Douglas fir from Teal Jones.

With sawmills closing all over Vancouver Island — and especially in the Cowichan Lake area — it might have seemed crazy to be starting a small mill.

Five years ago, though, that’s exactly what George Donnelly and Fred Neuffer did when they built a mill on the outskirts of Lake Cowichan, just off the Youbou Highway, and formed Cowichan Lake Timber Ltd.

It was 18 months after the Youbou sawmill closed, the last of the major mills at the lake.

“We decided at that time to focus on second growth fir and hemlock, especially hemlock,” said Donnelly. “We started in July 2003 and at that time we were buying from anywhere we could get it. It was hard at the time to get a truck load a day.”

For about two years they got most of their fibre from TimberWest, but then things slowed down and Donnelly and Neuffer even thought about closing their operation.

They decided to approach the Cowichan Lake Community Forest Cooperative.

“It’s the best decision we ever made,” said Donnelly. “The community forest and us, it’s been a very good relationship.”

The Forest Co-op’s non-renewable licence is for 13,885 cubic metres a year in the Mount Bolduc Block near Gordon River south of Honeymoon Bay. The licence expires in 2015.

Much of that fibre from the Forest Co-op goes to the Cowichan Lake Timber mill, which allows the mill to employ 12 local people working two shifts from Monday to Friday.

“Now, with the Forest Co-op, we feel we’ve got a set supply.”

Still, it’s been a tough year, admitted Donnelly, who was the products supply manager at the Youbou mill for 25 years.

The mill needs about 30,000 cubic metres to be fully operational.

“This year’s been really tough,” he said. “We’re just hanging on right now. What really hurts us is fuel costs. Just a few years ago it cost $750 a truck load for fuel. Now it’s over $1,000 a load.”

Donnelly and Neuffer are hoping the Ministry of Forests approves the Forest Co-op’s application for a land-based licence that would more than triple its fibre, to about 50,000 cubic metres a year.

The Forest Co-op has struck a partnership with the Pacheedaht First Nation near Port Renfrew and the established Qaly’it Community Forest Limited.

Together they hope to improve the chances of getting the land-based licence.

“A new licence would be huge for us,” said Donnelly. “I could see us going to 18-20 guys, maybe more.”

The business partnership between Donnelly and Neuffer is also a perfect fit. Donnelly’s expertise fits well with Neuffer’s, who is a welder by trade and keeps the equipment running.

Prior to forming Cowichan Lake Lumber, Neuffer had a reman operation at the property called Karlite Manufacturing Ltd., with much of his business from the Youbou mill.

The mill cuts lumber for house beams, some for the pressure treated market, as well as two-inch fir for China and Australia and 3X9 lumber for the Belgian market. There’s also hemlock for Israel.

“The bulk of out timber goes to Eastern Canada,” said Donnelly.

He said they employ a few former Youbou millworkers, but mostly hire younger guys who are new to the industry.

“It’s a good start for them,” said Donnelly. “We just slowly built up our business and try to provide jobs for local people. To grow, if you don’t have a fibre supply you don’t really have a chance.”

He said that in addition to the lifeline provided by the Forest Co-op, Teal Jones Group has been very supportive. Teal Jones took over Tree Farm Licence 46 from TimberWest several years ago and works closely with the Forest Co-op.

“What we need are more community forests like the one here,” said Donnelly. “They’re one of the best ways to keep forestry jobs here.”

Wall Street turmoil is credit unions' "golden opportunity"

Web Admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:58:56 -0700

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Bad news on Wall Street is overshadowing the good news for credit unions and their customers, says Dave Colby, chief economist with CUNA Mutual Group.

Credit unions have made it midway through 2008 without breaking a sweat, and in Washington, these member-owned bank alternatives may be even better positioned for growth than their peers across the nation, he said.

Colby, whose employer provides support services to credit unions and financial cooperatives across the globe, spoke to more than 800 Washington credit-union leaders at their annual meeting here this week.

Tough times are ahead for the nation's economy, Colby predicted, but that just means slower growth — not losses — for traditionally conservative credit unions.

"We have a golden opportunity right now," Colby said. "Your members are being buffeted by the talking news heads, but we know our capital. We can protect it.

"Financial viability is what credit unions are all about."

In two particular areas — savings and loans — the leaders of credit unions should maintain a conservative focus on customer needs and the bottom line, he said.

Historically, consumers invest in the stock market when stocks are climbing and sock cash away when stocks drop. That means credit unions have a chance to attract new members to savings accounts right now, Colby said.

But it will be tough, because overstretched banks are offering unprofitable high-interest savings and certificate-of-deposit accounts to drum up the cash they need.

Credit unions won't be able to compete on rates. Instead, they'll have to trade on their conservative approach to money to draw in customers worried about big banks.

Colby projects that credit-union assets will grow at an annual rate of about 6.6 percent through the next five years, with Washington state institutions possibly faring better than average. But to fuel that growth, credit unions will have to seek new members, especially as their current members age and reach retirement.

"You're going to have to tweak your strategies, let more members know you're there, let more members know you're saving and sound," he said.

Credit unions also need to watch their loan portfolios carefully, Colby said.

About 54 percent of all credit union loans are secured by real estate, he said.

Underwriting standards have typically been conservative, but with home values down and likely to fall further, there are still some risks.

"Home-equity lines of credit may not have equity behind them right now," he said.

Washington has been less hard hit by the housing downturn, but in states like Florida, where home values have declined the most, some credit unions are paying customers $100 to close their home-equity credit lines.

Despite the risks, however, Colby forecasts that credit-union loans will grow at an annual rate of 6.5 percent in the coming year — down from Washington's current 11.3 percent loan-growth rate.

"There is going to be tremendous loan demand," Colby said.

Credit unions could not only weather the downturn, but could play an important role in keeping Washington strong. Careful lending practices, a focus on savings, attention to members and long-term planning should define Washington's credit unions now and for years to come, Colby said.

Buy your rainbow chard and eggplants at work

Web Admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:59:17 -0700

VICTORIA - They are the flying squad of fruits and vegetables. They swoop into churches and offices and perch on suburban street corners - one-person produce stands with a mission to bring local, organic ingredients to consumers.

They are pocket markets, the brainchild of Food Roots, a Victoria-based distributor's co-op.

Leading the charge is Food Roots co-founder Lee Fuge, a long-time retailer of organic and natural foods and a food-security activist. She believes that food is an intimate business - that the connection between field and plate should be transparent and sustainable. She believes in trading fairly with farmers and making their produce easily available to everyone.

"Year-round availability of B.C. produce is not something enough people are aware of," she says. "Come winter, they are used to seeing supermarket shelves full of produce from around the world."

So for the past year, Food Roots has been bringing the produce to the people in a second-hand van with a striking design painted by a local graffiti artist.

To do this, they guarantee to purchase everything a member farmer wants to sell. There are currently 20 members who each paid $200 for a one-off share purchase. Members include farmers, a non-profit organization, a University of Victoria student association, a community association, two businesses and several individuals. Monies are used to fund the infrastructure and each member has a vote in the company policies and direction.

Every morning a steady stream of farmers turn up to deliver their goods, which are then broken down and allocated to the day's markets. Each market takes two people and half an hour to set up; one person stays to man the stands while the other drives the van to the next location. They cover up to five markets a day, hitting each location on a weekly basis, typically for four or five hours at a time.

For the farmers, Food Roots offers security and flexibility.

"They guarantee they will buy what you have to sell, regardless of quantity," explains Tom Clegg of Sungold Meadows Farm in Cobble Hill, B.C. "To sell to a supermarket you have to guarantee certain amounts."

Food Roots also pays better: "Their own overheads are not enormous, so they are able to give us the best price," Mr. Clegg says.

Ms. Fuge's notion of where it is possible to sell rainbow chard and eggplants is also enterprising: She proposes markets to preschools, synagogues, care homes - anywhere there is a community-based gathering.

She was encouraged to think outside the box after witnessing a program in Calgary: "Someone would turn up in offices to sell nuts and candy," she recalls. "I didn't see why you could sell candy in a workplace and not fruit and vegetables."

There's no logical reason, of course, but it feels slightly odd to walk into a grey office space and see boxes overflowing with such bounty.

"It's important," Ms. Fuge says, "to be where it is convenient for people to pick up their shopping."

She will set up a market anywhere someone asks for one.

The aim of Food Roots is to reinvent the community greengrocer - they want to see the markets in semi-permanent settings. Perhaps surprisingly, developers of new condo projects have been in touch.

"Proximity to a farmers' market gains LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] points for developers who want to market their green credentials," Ms. Fuge explains. "If we can persuade them to include in their plans a community space with good lighting, an awning from the building and the ability to erect Plexiglas walls in case of inclement weather, then we will have a year-round market space."

In the summer, of course, the connection between growers and eaters is being made at increasingly popular farmers' markets. Ms. Fuge considers this relationship important to establishing connections with the land. The problem, she points out, is that the success of farmers' markets brings its own issues.

"They often become regional draws with 40 farmers and 20 different craft stalls," she notes. "They can bring traffic congestion and impact the local community quite significantly. They also put enormous pressure on farmers to show up."

Food Roots, she says, gives the farmers a break and tries to create a bond with consumers by offering information on every farmer they work with. To keep their environmental footprint within the host community small, they choose extremely specific sites designed to meet the needs of the immediate area.

The hope, Ms. Fuge says, is that the model will be duplicated by other co-ops. They have a downloadable pocket-market toolkit on their website, FoodRoots.ca."The point is not for Food Roots to become this huge organization distributing food around B.C." she insists. "Whether Food Roots ends up being the group that runs a particular community market or not, our work is to create the possibility that a market could exist there. Our intent is to plant the seed."

Conservative housing announcement big step forward for those in need

Web Admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:57:16 -0700

OTTAWA - The announcement of $1.9 billion in funding to support housing and homelessness programs is a big step in helping those living in core housing need, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada said today. The commitment, made by the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and John Baird, the Conservative candidate in Ottawa West-Nepean, will provide $387.9 million a year over five years to extend the programs.

"We, and other housing organizations, have been worried about what would happen to these programs, which were due to expire in March," said Nicholas Gazzard, executive director. "A promise that the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI), the Residential Rehabiliation Assistance Program (RRAP) and the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) can continue is welcome news." "We have been anxiously awaiting news about what will happen with these programs, said Gazzard. "We hope that co-operative housing will play a role in helping Canadians who need affordable housing."

CHF Canada looks forward to similar announcements from other parties in this election. And we hope that they will all announce a commitment to a long-term strategy to address core housing need. The 4 million Canadians living in core need want to hear about long-term plans for dealing with the affordable housing crisis.

CHF Canada has been calling for:

Continued federal spending for housing co-ops, to provide more homes for low-income Canadians

More rent-geared-to-income subsidies so housing co-ops can help more low-income Canadians who need housing

Federal loans so that housing co-ops can invest in energy savings and the reduction of greenhouse gases.

CHF Canada is the national voice of co-operative housing in Canada, with more than 900 housing co-operatives and other members, representing 56,000 co-operative homes.

Work to begin on $1.9B expansion of Regina refinery

Web Admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:51:47 -0700

REGINA -- Work is set to begin on the $1.9-billion expansion project at Consumers' Co-operative Refineries Ltd. (CCRL), the biggest capital project -- in dollar terms -- in Regina's history.

"As far as I know, this would be the single-largest, dollar-investment project in Regina,'' said Bud Van Iderstine, senior vice-president of refining for CCRL.

CCRL senior vice-President Bud Van Iderstine
Photograph by : Bryan Schlosser, Leader-Post

And Van Iderstine should know, since the next largest project was the NewGrade Energy heavy oil upgrader project at the refinery, which cost $700 million when completed in 1988.

And the next largest project after that was the last expansion project at CCRL, which came in at more than $400 million when completed in 2003.

Van Iderstine, who oversaw the last expansion project, which boosted the refinery's capacity from 85,000 barrels of oil a day to 100,000, said that project would probably cost two and half times as much in today's dollars.

And, with the cost of labour and materials escalating on an almost daily basis, Van Iderstine estimates the current refinery complex would cost about $6 billion to replace.

And when the latest expansion is complete in 2012, the refinery complex would cost an astronomical $9 billion to $10 billion to build new, he added.

"It is always more desirable to expand off the infrastructure of an existing refinery than to consider (building new),'' Van Iderstine said.

Increasing capacity in a cost-effective way is one of the reasons CCRL's board of directors decided in January to approve the financing for the expansion project. CCRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Federated Co-operatives Ltd.

"Today, our crude processing capacity is 100,000 barrels a day. Once the latest expansion is complete in 2012, we will re-rate the complex (nameplate capacity) to 130,000 (BOPD). But... as we mature and optimize the complex, we expect to achieve 140,000 to 145,000 (BOPD)."

The project will require "very significant revamping and de-bottlenecking of many of our existing process units,'' he said. Those revamp projects are expected to be complete in 2011.

That will coincide with the peak construction activity on the refinery complex site of about 2,500 workers. The entire project is expected to require about six million person-hours or 3,000 person-years of labour.

Van Iderstine said CCRL is staging the expansion project over a longer period of time to avoid overstretching the labour market, which is suffering from a shortage of skilled trades.

"We recognized that fact in the schedule we've laid out for this project, which allows for four-and-a-half years from approval to completion."

While most expansion projects increase the demand for water and energy and impact on the environment, the CCRL expansion will actually reduce consumption of water and natural gas and air emissions.

Electricity consumption will increase to 70 from 50 megawatts, but natural gas consumption will decrease to 1.7 million from 1.8 million cubic metres per day and water to 1,700 cubic metres from 4,700 cubic metres per day.

Van Iderstine said increased water recycling will reduce the refinery's need for water by about 70 per cent.

The project received a clean bill of health from Saskatchewan Environment on Sept. 10. With the recommendation of the Regina Planning Commission and following public consultation, city council can give the project its approval at its Oct. 20 meeting.

Van Iderstine firmly believes the project will benefit the city, the province and consumers in the province. Most of all, the project will provide much-needed refining capacity to the co-operative retailing system.

"We're doing this for the system. The co-operative retailing system continues to grow in the Western Canadian market. We wouldn't be spending $2 billion if they were sitting there with flat sales.''

© Leader-Post 2008

Energy giants urged to abandon oilsands

Web Admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:47:09 -0700

Just days after Canada's oilsands moved into the federal election spotlight, one of Britain's largest investment firms

is launching a campaign to persuade petroleum giants BP and Shell to scale back their plans to exploit the controversial energy source.

Widely seen as a future driver of the Canadian economy in a world confronting oil scarcity and premium prices, North America's oilsands and oil shales have also been targeted by environmentalists as "dirty oil" that produces far more carbon pollution than conventional sources, and requires massive inputs of energy and water to extract.

Co-operative Asset Management, a leader in the U.K.'s fast-growing ethical funds sector, revealed plans Sunday to campaign against oilsands and other "unconventionals," citing financial and ecological drawbacks, as well as looming anti-climate change regulations that would drive up costs even further.

"The worry is that, within five years, it will be unstoppable," Paul Monaghan, head of sustainability and social goals at Co-operative, told Sunday's Observer newspaper ahead of this week's seminar aimed at discouraging major investors from backing oilsands projects.

"I think it is stoppable now."

The campaign is meant to pressure companies "that are expanding oilsand exploration" to reconsider the strategy, CAM spokesman Andy Hammerton said Sunday.

He added that the industry is being targeted because of "our environmental concerns, and our concerns as an investor" representing millions of Britons.

Last week, NDP Leader Jack Layton used an election flyover of an oilsands project in Alberta to highlight environmental impacts and to promote his party's policy for a moratorium on new developments.

The proposal was lambasted Saturday by Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who accused the NDP of trying to "shut down a big chunk of Canada's oil industry, the oilsands."

The Liberals' natural resource critic, Omar Alghabra, told the Herald that the oilsands should be seen as an "asset, not an enemy," but the party's centrepiece Green Shift proposal has been denounced by Harper as an attack on Western Canada's energy industry.

Tory Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn dismissed the campaign, saying energy would continue to be treated as an essential part of Alberta's economy.

"What the industry needs is certainty, and that's what we're providing," said Lunn. "Not like the Liberals, who can't even explain their plans, the industry knows where we stand."

The debate comes as a new Herald poll shows Alberta residents are wary about the potential environmental costs of exploiting the resource, even as companies active in Canada, including Shell, and scientists around the world race to find better ways of preventing emissions.

A poll of 962 Albertans conducted by Leger Marketing found that while six of 10 respondents reject the "dirty oil" label, and 88 per cent see oilsands as important to the province's economy, more than half are worried about the industry's impact on the environment and slightly more than 70 per cent fear potential human health impacts.

The survey was conducted online between Aug. 25 and 29 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

In Calgary, Premier Ed Stelmach said Saturday that Canada's forestry and key parts of agriculture industries are struggling right now, and the oil and gas industry is one of the few doing well.

He noted Alberta has invested heavily in carbon capture technology and is the first province to charge levies to large industrial emitters, and put the money back into energy research.

As for the oilsands becoming a political issue, Stelmach said it's important for all sides to work together, due to the importance of the resource for the entire Canadian economy.

"Strictly from the premiers' point of view, that's all the premiers, we all understand the significance and the economic contribution to the country, to Canada, not only to Alberta," he said.

"You have a $20 billion investment in the oilsands this year. . . . Those jobs convert to wealth that goes to support programs like health and education."

Last month, in a high-profile judgment issued by Britain's advertising regulator, Alberta's oilsands industry suffered another public-relations setback in a year that already saw the deaths of hundreds of ducks in an oilsands waste pond.

The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority ruled, in response to a WWF complaint, that a Shell advertisement touting its Canadian oilsands project as "sustainable" was misleading and could not be published again.

© The Calgary Herald 2008

Dion announces massive program to retrofit homes

Web Admin — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:47:06 -0700

BURNABY, B.C. - Liberal Leader Stephane Dion urged Canadians to take a long-term view that Canada must reduce energy consumption as he campaigned for his carbon tax Friday against a backdrop of soaring gas prices and an onslaught of Conservative attacks on the Green Shift, the centrepiece of his election platform.

On the lawns of a housing co-op in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby, where residents want to replace a 26-year-old water and heating system with efficient, clean energy, Dion unveiled his biggest platform promise to date, a $575-million program to help Canadians make their homes and other buildings more energy-efficient.

Dion said Friday morning a Liberal government would provide up to $10,000 in tax credits to help people retrofit their homes with insulation and energy-efficient heating systems, doubling the benefits of the existing government program.

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion visits a housing co-operative in Burnaby,B.C., on Friday.
Photograph by : Andy Clark/Reuters

It would also provide interest-free green mortgage loans of up to $10,000 per household to help pay for upfront costs of major energy-saving retrofits.

The program, to be implemented over four years, also includes a $140-million retrofit partnership fund to help upgrade low-income housing across Canada - including federally funded co-operative housing - and to reduce energy costs for those least able to pay.

The proposals were immediately endorsed by the Pembina Institute - an environmental think-tank. Pembina argued massive efficiencies are needed in Canadian buildings, which account for more than 10 per cent of national greenhouse gas emissions.

Dion continued on the theme Friday afternoon after being greeted on the lawns of the University of Victoria by dozens of placard-waving student supporters - and a few others carrying Conservative signs.

During a talk to a packed theatre of students and professors, Dion compared the $600-million cost over four years of Harper's two-cent tax cut on diesel fuel with his $575-million proposed investment in green retrofits.

He said Harper is trying to buy people's votes and "underestimating the Canadian people.

"We need to choose between the gimmicks and the vision," he said.

During a question-and-answer session with the students, Dion had harsh words for Harper's statement Thursday that the Liberals' Green shift plan jeopardizes national unity. Every policy difference is not a unity issue, he said.

"I think it's shameful and for only this reason we should stop to consider this man as a leader for our country," he said.

Earlier Friday, Dion dismissed Harper's promise to cut two cents off the four-cent excise tax on a litre of diesel fuel. He said the price had already risen two cents since Harper made the campaign promise.

"Mr. Harper himself today admitted that the price of oil and gas will continue to grow," Dion said.

"He said it's unavoidable. So what is his strategy, then, for Canada? What is his strategy to help our families to cope with this problem today and tomorrow for our children and grandchildren? We are one of the less energy-efficient countries of the world."

Dion's proposed carbon tax is aimed at discouraging use of oil, diesel and other fossil fuels by raising taxes on them and using the $15 billion in revenues to reduce income and business taxes and provide incentives for use of clean energy.

He said Harper is hard up to find an economist who agrees with his charge Thursday that the Green Shift plan will be a "catastrophe" for the Canadian economy if it's enacted.

"He's fighting a shadow opponent because he's afraid to fight me and the truth," Dion declared.

He said people warm to his environmental plan to tackle climate change as soon as they understand it's a tax shift and not a tax increase for most Canadians.

"You say to people, 'We'll tax you less on what you like - your income - and we'll shift it to pollution," he said.

The Liberal leader called B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell a "hero" for his government's environmental policy, including a controversial carbon tax.

"B.C. will be, for the fight against climate change, what Saskatchewan has been for medicare. It will be a pioneer," he said.

In the evening, Dion addressed more than 650 supporters who attended a dinner in the riding of liberal incumbent Sukh Dhaliwal in Surrey, B.C..

Dion won thunderous applause for calling for an apology in the House of Commons for the 1914 exclusionary federal policy under which a ship full of Sikhs called the Komagata Maru was turned away from shores of B.C. and 20 people died.

Harper recently apologized in a park in Surrey outraging thousands of Sikhs and others who expected it to happen in the Commons.

Dion said the apology must be in Parliament, "not in a park or in a press release, but in the house of Commons."

Dion also received an endorsement of his own Friday, with renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman pledging his support.

Bateman said he has long advocated for the need to stop subsidizing things that are bad for the environment and to financially support activities that benefit the environment.

Dion also dismissed Friday a report, as did Green Leader Elizabeth May, that they have a pact to try to channel voters from each other's party to try to block Stephen Harper's Conservatives from winning the Oct. 14 election.

The pact reported in a Montreal newspaper, La Presse, would have them each directing supporters to whichever party's candidate has the best chance to defeat a Conservative candidate. Dion said all his arrangements with May are open and transparent.

© Canwest News Service 2008

Spokester needed to represent youth

Web Admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:07:59 -0700

An Alberta-based credit union is looking for a new spokesperson to represent its Young and Free Alberta banking plan before Oct. 1.

Common Wealth Credit Union (CWCU) launched the search for a new spokesperson last week and will be accepting video entries for the position, which includes a number of perks such as the use of a notebook computer, digital video camera, Chevrolet vehicle and Blackberry and a $36,000 salary.

According to Jere Stewart, Young and Free Alberta’s internal spokesperson, CWCU would ideally like to find a young man or woman between the ages of 19 and 25 to produce blogs, videos and polls for CWCU’s website, www.youngfreealberta.com.

“We want someone that is able to connect with young people through being outgoing and being able to talk to anyone,” Stewart said. “Basically, we’re looking for someone to connect with young people, get them engaged with Young and Free so that we at the credit union understand what young people want.”

The Young and Free Alberta banking plan began in 2007, offering a free financial management service package for young Albertans. Young and Free manager, Kim Crockett, said the program was designed to attract young people to a bank with an aging population.

“Like many credit unions, we recognized that our membership was aging and we needed to do something to attract the younger generation of members. We really wanted to do something differently, something absolutely different than anyone else.”

The CWCU opened just under 2,500 Young and Free Alberta accounts last year and collected more than 800 comments on the website. According to Crockett, the Young and Free spokesperson allows CWCU to better understand the interests and needs of young people through engaging younger generations on the Young and Free Alberta website.

“Bigger than the account itself, we wanted to provide young members with the tools they needed to manager their finances independently. We knew that we needed to have somebody going out and finding out what’s important to young people,” Crockett said. “I think a peer would do that better than just about anyone else strictly from a banking background. We really wanted to know what was important to the youth generation.”

Last year’s spokesperson, 19-year-old Larissa Walkiw, spoke at a number of events across Alberta and created upbeat blogs, videos and polls to attract young Albertans. Her term as the CWCU spokesperson finished up in August, but she said the experience was extremely rewarding.

“I had a blast and learned a lot in the process – and no doubt my successor will too,” Walkiw said.

CWCU will select the top three finalists from the videos entered by Oct. 1 and then the public will vote on the winner online. For more information, visit www.youngfreealberta.com.

New co-operative elects first board of directors

Web Admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:05:45 -0700

You should have a better eating experience when you choose B.C. tree fruits at the market, now that there’s only one co-operative packing and shipping fruit.

Growers elected the first board of directors for the new Okanagan Tree Fruit Co-operative Thursday in Penticton, after voting earlier this year in favour of amalgamation of the four packinghouses in the valley.

Interim president Jim Elliot said the company will be putting new bylaws in place changing the criteria for when growers harvest fruit, with the intent of ensuring it’s picked at its optimum.

Up to now, if growers didn’t want to comply, they could always go elsewhere, but now they’ll have to comply, with only one packinghouse, noted Elliot.

Harvest times will be science-based.

It could be more difficult for larger growers to get all their fruit picked at the same time, but the result will be higher quality fruit going to market, and better prices.

It’s just one of many changes that will occur as a result of the unification of the tree fruit industry in the valley, he said.

“There are some big things on the horizon,” he commented.

Only about 85 of the 900 or so members in the new co-operative attended the first annual meeting, but that was twice the quorum needed to conduct the meeting, said Elliot.

An interim board has been governing the business of the OTFC for its first couple of months, until the membership meeting, and the same five growers were elected from the northern half of the valley.

However, in the southern half of the valley, Don Kato of Naramata did not run for election, although he was on the interim board, so there was an election.

Nine were nominated for the five southern positions, and three new board members elected, said Elliot.

New members are Joe Hart of Naramata, Ron Vollo of Summerland and Jack Machial of Oliver.

Re-elected to represent the south from the interim board are: Rob Dawson of Cawston and Claude Moreira of Osoyoos.

Representing the north are: Elliot, Glenn Cross, Sam Di Maria and Steve Day of Kelowna, and Malcolm Mitchell of Lake Country.

Board members will elect a president from among those board members at the first meeting Sept. 25.

Elliot said he would be willing to continue as president, and he feels it would be helpful to have the continuity with changes coming in the industry.

Elliot thanked incumbents Doug Boult and Joe Lucich, who were not re-elected to the board.

Altogether, Elliot said it was a “jovial meeting.” He admitted he much preferred standing up in front of growers this year, with higher prices coming in for early apples, than in 2003 or 2004.

“The price of apples is up, so that’s good for us politicians,” he laughed.

Cooler, wet weather the past couple of weeks has helped apples to colour up before they become over-mature, so the weather is ideal for the upcoming apple harvest.

Despite pockets of hail damage, the crop this year is expected to be a good one, although smaller than normal.

Elliot said this year it’s anticipated this will be the smallest crop in the whole of North America, of the past five years.

Members also heard financial reports from the nine companies involved, including the four packinghouses.

This year’s merger resulted in one of the largest producer co-operatives in Canada’s farming industry, with multi-million dollar assets throughout the southern interior of B.C.

In 2006, the wholesale value of the fruit packed by all four was more than $100 million, with shipments across Canada, as well as to the U.S., Mexico, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

It employs 640 people.

Car sharing coming to Saskatoon?

Web Admin — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:02:24 -0700

SASKATOON -- Fed up with skyrocketing gas prices? Tired of costly car repairs and insurance premiums? Sick of driving in circles trying to find a parking spot?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be a candidate for car sharing.

Originating in Europe, car sharing is a unique form of car rental where users can rent cars for short periods of time, often by the hour. Car sharing organizations can take many forms, but they are often either commercial enterprises such as Zipcar of Flexcar, or non-profit cooperatives like the Cooperative Auto Network (CAN) in Vancouver.

Car sharing provides an alternative for those who don't necessarily want to own an automobile, but still need the convenience that a car provides.

Heather Trueman believes that a car sharing program would go a long way towards making Saskatoon a more environmentally-friendly city.

"We need to do things differently," she says. "We need to find ways of getting people driving less."

Trueman, an environmentalist and self-styled sustainability consultant, has spent the last few months studying the feasibility of a car sharing cooperative in Saskatoon.

She has seen successful car sharing initiatives arise in larger cities like Toronto and Vancouver, and she believes that the time is right to push for something similar here.

"I think we're sufficiently green enough now that this might actually fly," Trueman says.

Trueman was hired to help start a car sharing co-op in Saskatoon by Brian Sawatzky, the owner of the Confederation Inn on Fairlight Drive.

Sawatzky, a former science teacher, is passionate about environmental causes. He recently "greened up" his business by installing a solar panel on the inn's roof and working to conserve energy and water. He claims to have reduced the inn's total CO2 output by 30 per cent and hopes to reduce it further in the near future.

"He's very interested in promoting green things in Saskatoon," says Trueman of Sawatzky.

Sawatzky believed the city was ready for a car sharing program, and he decided that someone needed to get the ball rolling.

"I don't see nearly as much leadership from politicians as there should be, so individuals have to start carrying the load," he says.

For anyone who wants to learn more about car sharing, or get involved with the program in Saskatoon, Trueman will be hosting a meeting on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Victoria School library located at 639 Broadway Ave.

Farmers plan biodiesel plant to control own fuel needs

Web Admin — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:58:04 -0700

BEAUSEJOUR -- A group of Beausejour-area grain producers is planning to build a biodiesel plant that uses canola oil, to take control of its fuel needs from big oil producers and help reduce farming's carbon imprint on the environment. "We have no security against market fluctuations because we depend on large corporations for diesel fuel. The cost of fuel goes up quickly but comes down slowly. In the future there may not even be a reliable source of diesel fuel," says Hans Muster, who farms near Beausejour.

Four years ago, Muster and three other farmers decided it was time to be in charge of their operations by forming Brokenhead River Biofuels Co-op Ltd.

Muster was appointed chairman as he had lived in Switzerland where biodiesel is commonly produced and used to power farm machinery.

He and two fellow farmers travelled to Europe, paying expenses out of their own pockets, to attend alternative fuel trade shows and to visit operating biodiesel facilities in Germany and Switzerland.

"It was time and money well spent," says Carl Bangert, vice-chairman. "The equipment and technologies for producing biodiesel were much better than those in Canada, where we could not find a plant that produced biodiesel that met government fuel standards."

Bangert says there are numerous unethical individuals and companies selling substandard biodiesel technology and equipment that is priced to sell but not to produce.

"It's a buyer-beware market where due diligence on behalf of the purchaser pays off," he says.

Brad Saluk, secretary-treasurer, says the co-op will purchase its Canola crushing machinery from Germany, where farmers are burning 100 per cent biodiesel in their machinery.

"At this time, we are considering either a Swiss firm or a U.S. firm to supply the equipment to refine the oil from the crushed canola," says Saluk.

After myriad meetings, miles of government paperwork, and the hectoring of naysayers, the nascent co-op was recently launched, attracting members by word of mouth and a mail-out flyer.

"The first farmers to sign up paid a $500 membership fee and invested $6,500 for a share," says Saluk. "Now that the groundwork is completed, the share cost is $13,000 for new investors, with membership remaining at $500."

Saluk says the co-op has close to $900,000 in the bank and expects the total cost of construction to be around $2.5 million, providing work for local contractors where possible, and at least two full-time jobs for plant operators.

To date, the co-op has 24 member-farms, including four Hutterite colonies, most within an eight-kilometre radius of Beausejour, where the plant will be built at the corner of Hwy. 44E and 12N.

Each member will deliver a sufficient number of bushels of canola to the processing facility to produce biodiesel to provide his farm's fuel requirements for a year, says Bangert.

"We will purchase two tandem trucks to deliver refined fuel to the farm gate free of charge," he says.

He estimates one bushel of canola yields eight to nine litres of biodiesel, which looks like extra light olive oil when refined.

The "green" fuel produces more horsepower and far less harmful emissions than ordinary diesel, thus reducing farming's carbon footprint, says Bangert, adding that engines burning biodiesel run quieter and last longer because it is a purer product.

Other environmental pluses include renewable electric power to operate the plant, no water requirement (ethanol production uses huge amounts of water) and 99 percent of production chemicals recovered and reused.

As well, a canola meal by-product leftover after crushing can be sold as feed for weanling pigs, chickens, hogs and other livestock, says Bangert.

Saluk says there is potential to pay off the cost of the plant in five to 10 years, with sales of canola meal paying for daily operations and employees.

"Down the road, I think each member will receive a dividend on top of his yearly fuel allotment," he says.

Groundbreaking for the plant is to take place this fall with operations beginning in the new year.

Credit unions continue to lead in customer service

Web Admin — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:42:29 -0700

Independent survey shows credit unions beat banks in many categories

TORONTO - For the fourth year in a row, an independent survey of thousands of Canadians has shown that credit unions rank first in overall quality of customer service among all financial institutions.

"Synovate's research has shown that Canadians like dealing with organizations that reflect their values," said David Phillips, president and CEO of Credit Union Central of Canada. "The co-operative principles that credit unions adhere to lead us to focus on meeting peoples' needs and serving the communities where we live.

"Credit unions have more than five million members across the country and do an excellent job of providing the service people want," Phillips said. "We are pleased to win the Best Banking Awards, but not surprised."

The 2008 Synovate Customer Service Index found credit unions ranked ahead of all banks and other financial institutions in the following categories:

Overall Customer Service Excellence
Values My Business
Financial Planning and Advice
Branch Service Excellence

Credit unions also tied for first in the following categories:

Recommend to Friends and Family
Telephone Banking Excellence

The Synovate Customer Service Index survey had more than 35,000 responses among a regionally and demographically representative sample of Canadians. The survey has been conducted annually since 1987.

The 452 credit unions affiliated with Canadian Central have assets of $106 billion and more than five million members. Credit unions are provincially regulated financial institutions owned by their member/customers that provide a full range of financial services.

Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions.

The new credit union boom

Web Admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:32:37 -0700

Customers disillusioned with traditional banking in the wake of the credit crunch are turning to credit unions in search of a safer, more ethical place to save and borrow, it has emerged.

Some big banks took too many risks, lending aggressively during the boom years. Their actions may yet provoke a UK recession and credit unions look set to benefit.

'Credit unions are a very good way of keeping banking in check,' says Mark Lyonette, chief executive of the Association of British Credit Unions Limited.

'Since the Northern Rock crisis, we've seen a lot of people gravitate towards the neutrals of the banking industry and there are already a number using these schemes to great benefit.'

Credit unions work as 'neutral' organisations in which customers and shareholders are one and the same, united through a 'common bond' such as location or employer.

'This structural advantage means credit unions are able to serve their members exclusively,' says Lyonette.

'With conventional banks there is a difference of interest between shareholders and customers; by steering clear of this, credit unions are able to avoid pitfalls such as those the banks have experienced with the credit crunch this year.'

Several leading UK credit unions have enjoyed surging interest in the last few months as growing numbers of individuals struggle to finance their day-to-day expenses.

Leeds City Credit Union, which now has over 20,000 members, is one of those that has prospered.

'The banks are increasingly pointing people in our direction as the credit crunch bites because we offer a more rounded assessment of credit rating than banks do, which can really help individuals,' says James Hook, head of marketing at Leeds City.

A more recent development for credit unions, though, is the interest being shown from more affluent sectors of society, many of whom are making a lifestyle choice in the search for a 'more honest' form of banking.

'Concern for ethical issues has always been there for some, but it is now becoming more widespread,' says Karen Fraser, a leading consumer research strategist.

Hook agreed: 'The current economical climate means that we are able to promote ethical financing, as all the money that comes in [to the union] goes back out into the community,'

A traditional drawback with credit union borrowing has been the rates offered. Unions often struggle to compete with bank loans and offers vary significantly between providers. Most charge a maximum of 1% interest per month on the money they lend to their members, although by law this can be up to 2% a month, which would work out at between 10% and 24% APR. Currently, many rates are around 13%.

Also, in February 2007 the Financial Mail revealed that six credit unions had been declared insolvent in as many months, providing evidence of possible dangers surrounding unions. In the intervening time, though, most credit unions have stabilised, adjusting to the the stricter standards imposed after the FSA began governance of credit unions in 2002, and are hoping to prosper.

The potential benefit of saving into a credit union is that the dividend paid out to members each year is not dependent on the base rate set by the Bank of England. This means that at Leeds City Credit Union the 5% per annum dividend given to those who hold a Premier Account - which must contain between £1,000 and £100,000 - is less likely to be affected by bank rate cuts.

Dividend rates instead depend on the individual performance of the union throughout the year and are set annually, in accordance with FSA regulations. Many unions also offer Isa accounts, again at competitive rates. Portsmouth Savers Credit Union currently offers a 5% Isa rate alongside its 4% standard rate, further demonstrating credit unions' ability to challenge most high street banks in terms of savings.

Instant access accounts are less competitive, though, and are usually offered at a slightly reduced rate, often around 2-3%; whilst regular saver and loyalty accounts are also often provided, with rates varying between 3% and 5%.

Strong support for credit unions has surfaced from many quarters in recent months with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, praising the 'locally-based, entirely trustworthy, user-friendly, educationally sensitive and confidence-building methods of managing debt' offered by credit unions.

'All over the world in both highly developed and less economically developed nations, from Brazil to the US, credit unions are actually part of the mainstream financial landscape and are helping a broad range of people from different sectors of society,' says Lyonette.

'In the US around a quarter of the population use credit unions – that's over seventy-five million in the states alone.'

He also gives encouraging news for UK credit unions, citing proposed legislation that will come into effect next May and will 'put our credit unions on a par with those around the world and help them to really compete with the banks.'

The new regulations will give greater flexibility to the common bond guideline for credit unions and will also allow payment of interest on savings, instead of the dividend that is currently permitted.

'The legislation will mean that employers will be able to use payroll deduction to help people save or repay their loans each month. This will make saving so much easier for people and is something that the banks would give their right arm for – it's such a powerful tool,' says Lyonette.

'It helps people in a brilliant way because most people really struggle to save and often only succeed when they get into the habit.'

Kitty Ussher, ecomomic secretary to the Treasury, has also backed the changes. 'We can give cooperatives and credit unions the chance to compete much more fairly and freely with companies – and we can take a huge step towards making common ownership a genuine alternative to the company form, which has been one of my main objectives over the past year.'

Whelk holds promise for Northwest Island, N.L.

Web Admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:17:48 -0700

An edible sea snail is creating viable work in the once-thriving fishing community of Northwest Island, N.L.

A new fish plant used to process whelk has created jobs and generated hope in the small town of Ramea.

The plant, financed by the Ramea Community Co-operative, employs about 20 people full-time. They process the edible mollusk that is popular in Asian markets.

The co-op sold $100 shares to members of the community and raised about $30,000 to cover start-up costs.

The new plant has been operating full-speed all summer to the delight of the town, said Mayor Lloyd Rossiter.

"It gives everybody a bit of a lift when you see those 20 people walking down to the facility in the morning, and you know, working there pretty well full days, and sometimes it's overtime and whatever," he said. "It certainly does good for people when you see that happening."

The plant is also a source of pride for co-op members who see it as a way to strengthen the community, "rather than, like people say, relying on the government to keep us going," said co-founder Reg MacDonald.

The plant will close for the winter season at the end of October.

Ramea's old cod plant hasn't operated since the 1992 moratorium.

Lake Forest Co-op wants to have Youbou Lands business park, run marina, boat ramp

Web Admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:15:10 -0700

The Cowichan Lake Community Forest Cooperative is interested in acquiring the proposed business park at the old Youbou millsite, as well as managing the proposed marina and boat ramp.

Pending rezoning approval, a spokesman for the owners of the property, Thomas Kreilein, said he’s interested in the idea.

Lorne Scheffer, chairman of the Forest Co-op, wrote to Kreilein saying he believes it’s an excellent opportunity for the Forest Co-op. In a telephone interview, Scheffer said this would come under the Forest Co-op’s mandate to create jobs.

“If the Forest Co-op is to survive, we need to look at different ways to create jobs,” said Scheffer. “I can’t tell you how excited I am about the possibilities.”

He suggested the business park could include a small cabinet making business, for example.

Kreilein — whose Youbou Land Development Group is proposing a 1,950-unit residential development, resort and marina on 673 acres at the old Youbou millsite — said the group wants to turn over the 10-acre business park to a non-profit group that can create jobs.

“There still needs to be some discussions about this and our rezoning would have to be approved, but this is something we could support,” said Kreilein.

The Forest Co-op is still waiting for official word on its application for a land-based licence that would increase the fibre it can access. It currently has a non-renewable licence for an annual harvest of 13,885 cubic metres, which expires in 2015. In a partnership between the Forest Co-op and the Pacheedaht First Nation based in Port Renfrew, Qaly’it Community Forest Limited has been formed that would manage the new licence, if granted.

Money & morals: Faith-based credit unions lend more than a helping hand

Web Admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:08:26 -0700

As foreclosure rates rise to new heights, Mary Rhodes is counting her blessings.

The Rankin County School District bus driver recently moved with her 17-year-old son into a new home in Morton.

"The Lord led me to this," she said about the three-bedroom, two-bath house she closed on in June. "It was move-in ready. All I had to do was paint."

Photo Brian Albert Broom/The Clarion-Ledger

Frenchell Gowdy (left) of Jackson talks with program officer Andrea Morris about opening a checking account at Hope Community Credit Union. Like a traditional bank, Hope's deposits are federally insured and provide a competitive rate of return.

Rhodes said she couldn't have gotten her house without the help of her lender, which not only gave the single mother a mortgage, but helped her get a $15,000 grant toward the down payment.

"I don't make a lot of money so I wasn't sure I'd even be able to get a home," she said. "I'm just tickled to death to get it."

Rhodes got her house with help from the Hope Community Credit Union, which got its start in 1995 when some members of Jackson's Anderson United Methodist Church decided to organize the state's only church-sponsored credit union.

With branches now in three states, Hope provides banking services in underserved communities while investing its deposits in community development. Its business model offers the chance for something called mission-related investing, which allows people to put their money where their morals are.

"Mississippi often leads the nation in the amount of charitable giving yet typically we don't think of that in terms of where we bank," said Bill Bynum, CEO of Hope Community Credit Union/Enterprise Corporation of the Delta. "We generally think about it as giving on Sunday morning or supporting a museum or other charities, which is important. But it's also important that people realize they can make a difference when they purchase a CD (Certificate of Deposit)."

Hope Community Credit Union was initially founded to serve communities where it's more likely to find a pawn shop or payday loan store than a bank.

Over the years it has grown through its partnerships with other community development-minded churches and faith-based organizations.

In 2002, the Enterprise Corporation of the Delta became Hope's sponsor, which expanded the institution's reach into more low-income communities.

Hope provides the same services as a commercial bank - from checking accounts to consumer loans - while particularly targeting people who were previously "unbanked."

Like a traditional bank, Hope's deposits are federally insured and provide a competitive rate of return.

Credit unions are cooperatively owned by their members and aim to provide financial services at reasonable rates. Some are employer-based, and others have an open membership.

Photo Brian Albert Broom/The Clarion-Ledger

Hope Community Credit Union teller Quaysha Lowe helps customer Janice Yancey of Jackson. Even though the market is down, some take comfort in investing with institutions that help underserved neighborhoods.

"It gives us a great ability to bring on members who support our mission of mission-driven investment," Bynum said. "Today we have members from 49 states who know about this region."

After building a track record in the Delta, Hope expanded its reach to the Gulf Coast.

"We opened in New Orleans eight months before Katrina," Bynum said about the August 2005 hurricane. "We were in a good position to help with rebuilding there."

And Hope Community Credit Union will open a branch in Biloxi by the end of the year, Bynum said.

The credit union's growth not only shows how many people need affordable financial services, but how many people want to invest in building communities.

The credit union's membership has more than doubled from 4,000 before Hurricane Katrina to 9,800 today, Bynum said. During the same time, Hope's assets have grown from $4 million to $63 million.

Bynum said while some 90 percent of the credit union's members live in "economically distressed communities," 95 percent of its deposits come from socially responsible investors.

"They want a double return," he said about those who deposit their money in the Hope Community Credit Union. "They want a solid return but also want their funds to be used in a way that help improve the quality of life."

Along with individuals, faith-based organizations and like-minded institutions, banks and investment adviser firms such as the Florida-based Community Capital Management have put money in Hope.

Community Capital Management has also invested about $100 million in Hurricane Katrina-relief projects including a low- to moderate-income housing development in Hancock County and a Harrison County finance program that helps local governments rebuild.

"One of the biggest obstacles we've had to overcome is the disbelief that you can invest in activities that promote positive impact in communities and deliver returns," said Community Capital Management's president & chief investment officer Todd Cohen.

Over the last nine years, Community Capital Management - which operates in the bond market - has invested $2.5 billion in community development activities in all 50 states, Cohen said.

"It's becoming more popular," he said about mission-related investing.

Until a friend suggested she contact the Hope Community Credit Union for help getting a mortgage, Rhodes hadn't even considered she'd be eligible.

Now she's enjoying gardening around her one-and-a-quarter acre plot, using the rake and shovel her loan officer gave her as a housewarming gift.

"I thought unless you were a member for a long time you probably couldn't even think about getting a loan," Rhodes said. "As it turns out they help all kinds of people from all different walks of life. If it wasn't for them some people wouldn't be able to afford a home."

Co-op stores launch Eat Atlantic Challenge Sept. 4

Web Admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:47:04 -0700

Co-op stores are inviting Atlantic Canadians to take part in the Eat Atlantic Challenge on Thursday, Sept. 4, by eating only Atlantic products for the entire day.

While the challenge is for Atlantic Canadians to eat Atlantic for a day, the larger goal is to help people understand the benefits of choosing food produced here whenever possible.

Locally, Beaubear's Co-op will host a free barbecue Thursday featuring Atlantic products at their location in Nelson from 11 a.m to 2 p.m.

"Atlantic Canadians increasingly understand that there are huge benefits to eating food that's been produced in our region," said Bertha Campbell, a member of Co-op Atlantic's Board of Directors, from Kensington, P.E.I. "We want to make it as easy as possible to make the Atlantic choice." Co-op Atlantic is the wholesale and services business owned by the region's Co-op stores.

From an economic point of view, eating food grown in Atlantic Canada means supporting producers across the region who make a living producing food. Many of these farms and businesses have been contributing to our communities and economy for generations.

Eating food from close to home also reduces the distance items need to travel before reaching our plates. This is important when you consider that 25 per cent of all greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide produced in Canada is linked to the transportation of goods.

New Brunswick Agriculture Minister Ronald Ouellette applauded the initiative of Co-op Atlantic to encourage consumers to buy local agri-food products.

"Buying the high-quality, nutritious products grown by our producers will help to ensure that our province's agriculture industry remains profitable and sustainable for future generations," said Ouellette.

Throughout the first week of September, Co-ops stores across Atlantic Canada will actively promote products from our region. All food produced in the region is identified with special "Atlantic Produced" tags on the shelves, and on Sept. 4 various in-store events will help consumers understand the benefits of choosing Atlantic.

For Robert Bourgeois of the Belliveau Orchard in Pré-d'en-Haut, New Brunswick, this type of initiative is important. "It's great to see that more and more Atlantic Canadians are understanding that food doesn't simply come from the grocery store, but that it originates from someone's field, or farm operation. I think the more people grasp this notion, the more they will buy into the benefits of eating locally produced items," he said.

With more than 75 Co-op food stores, plus substantial agriculture, real estate and energy businesses, the Co-op system is one of Atlantic Canada's most important employers and economic drivers.

"We want people to think about their food and where it comes from," Campbell said. "Co-ops not only support their members but they strive to ensure the sustainable development of their communities. Buying food grown by our neighbors is an important part of that."

Immigrants paying 120% interest on loans get relief

Web Admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:39:45 -0700

A Saskatchewan community is helping newly arrived immigrants clear off some high interest loans associated with moving to Canada.

In the last year and a half a group of immigrants from Ukraine settled in the North Battleford area, west of Saskatoon, with many borrowing money to finance the journey.

According to the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress some were paying interest rates of 10 or 12 per cent, per month, to lenders in their home country. On an annualized basis that works out to an interest rate of 120 per cent to nearly 150 per cent, leaving some immigrants struggling to meet payments.

When the area's Ukrainian-Canadian community learned about the situation they approached a local credit union, which agreed to provide new loans at a lower rate of interest.

John Jangula, spokesman for Innovation Credit Union, said he did not view the new loans as high risk.

"I guess I'm looking beyond just the normal credit score and looking at the situation," Jangula said.

One of the people benefiting from the lower-interest loan program is Nick Ivanchenko, who has been working as a welder in Battleford for 15 months.

"I want to buy house, nice car, and get married," he said.

Now his $7,000 loan — which had an interest rate of 12 per cent per month — has been paid off. Ivanchenko has a new credit union loan with payments that are more manageable and is also building a positive credit rating.

Strait bus service could soon hit road

Web Admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:34:43 -0700

PORT HAWKESBURY - It will be a bit later than originally planned, but a local transit service is expected to hit the streets by the end of next month.

The official launch of the Strait Area Transit Co-operative service has been set for Sept. 19, with vehicles expected to begin their routes soon afterward.

This spring, general manager Malcolm Beaton indicated he hoped the service might be functional in June. But the many details required to address prior to launching a public transit service took a bit longer than anticipated.

The most recent delay came in getting the drivers trained, Beaton said. The Strait Regional School Board agreed to provide the training, but wasn't able to co-ordinate that until mid-September due to vacationing staff.

"They just didn't have the resources to put on the training," he said. "We're expecting to be up and operating by the end of the month."

Initially, the co-op had hoped to have buses on the road by January, but that was slowed as it waited for funding approvals.

"It's been a long haul, with many obstacles ahead of us, public transportation is a very complex issue, the licensing, regulations, the insurance issues, it's a lot of T's to be crossed and I's to be dotted," Beaton said. "Even where we have our bus stops, we have to have those always reviewed by the Utility and Review Board."

The co-op's 26-passenger bus will be delivered next week. It's a standard-size bus, but the service decided to go with modifications such as coach-style seating and wider aisles.

"Usually on a bus you have 50 or 60 seats and on ours we only have 26, we wanted to give a lot of space and nice big seats because we don't know if we're going to maybe be renting the bus out on a Saturday to someone doing excursions, we could be driving for two hours so we want sure our clientele are very comfortable," Beaton said.

Communities including Port Hastings, Mulgrave and Louisdale would have access to the bus, which will make two daily trips into Port Hawkesbury.

The service will make pit stops in areas such as L'Ardoise, St. Peter's, Chapel Island, Arichat and Petit de Grat, and then transfer users to the bus in Louisdale and that vehicle will take them into the town.

In addition to the bus, the service will have two seven-passenger vans.
There's been a lot of public interest shown in the project, said Beaton, who is also a member of Richmond County council.

The transit co-op is working with Service Canada, which will assist with wages under the pilot project.
In April, the province announced it would contribute $120,000 to the system. The Strait Area Transit Co-operative would use the one-time contribution to purchase three vehicles, construct bus shelters and other related infrastructure to support a transit-service pilot project.

Funds announced to study economic opportunities

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:05:27 -0700

The Venables Valley Producers Co-op and the Seton Lake Indian Band were recipients of federal grants that were announced in Ashcroft last week.

The Producers Co-op received $25,200 to conduct a feasibility study for a facility to compost pine-beetle killed trees, while the Seton Lake Indian Band received $99,000 to develop an economic plan and two feasibility studies to strengthen the local economy, thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada, through Western Economic Diversification Canada.

Economic development officer for the Seton Lake Indian Band, Cliff Casper (left) and Venables Valley Producers Co-op director Jim McComb (right) received the good news on funding from MP Chuck Strahl last week in Ashcroft

The funding was announced by the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Member of Parliament for Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources. Funding is provided under the Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI), a component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program.

“Developing a strong, diversified economic foundation is vital to the region in order to overcome the challenges posed by the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation,” said Minister Strahl. “This federal funding will enable the region to explore ways in which to strengthen the local economy.”

“With this funding, we will be able to explore various methods of composting,” said Jim McComb, Director, Venables Valley Producers Co-op.

The Venables Valley Producers Co-op will conduct a feasibility study examining the use of pine beetle wood-chips to create compost. The region is well suited to host such a study, and the results could create employment in new areas of agriculture. Additionally, the production of viable compost would assist local producers and growers of products to raise their crops in a more environmentally sustainable fashion.

The Seton Lake Indian Band will use its funding to create a project team and conduct a detailed study of current labour, capital resources and assets within the Seton Lake community. Once the plan is complete, feasibility studies for two business opportunities will be developed. Those studies will describe the business opportunity, which services and goods will be considered, identify markets for the goods and/or services, identify value-added products, and determine the supply chain infrastructure needed to support the new businesses.

“Today’s funding will allow us the opportunity to identify business opportunities and markets,” said Chief Larry Casper, Seton Lake Indian Band. “We look forward to creating new revenue streams and providing our people with the tools required for economic success.”

The Cook’s Ferry Indian Band in Spences Bridge also received $200,000 to build a First Nations interpretive centre and another $150,000 for a feasibility study to develop certified wood products and non-timber forest products - such as jams, soaps and teas - made with resources harvested from the forest.

In Lytton, the Fraser Thompson Indian Services Society received $79,920 to for a feasibility study into bioenergy production, and a marketing analysis on value-added wood products, that will identify products in demand both domestically and overseas and expected social and economic gains.

Fair trade a fair shake for farmers

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:40:05 -0700

The fair trade certified coffee market is not only fairer to farmers than the conventional coffee market, it is a uniquely remarkable way to stimulate economic growth in some of the poorest communities on the Earth.

My perspective is in direct contrast to an opinion column by Gene Callahan that appeared on this page Aug. 14.

Callahan's writing comes to us through the very conservative Foundation for Economic Education, whose perspective is akin to the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, Britain's Adam Smith Institute and Canada's Fraser Institute.

The Foundation for Economic Education is funded by businesses and individuals who receive tax deductions for donations. Callahan is in no way exposed to the vagaries of the market, unlike most of the world's small-scale farmers.

He begins his critique of fair trade with a classic economic discussion of the "law" of supply and demand.

According to free-marketistas, demand will dictate supply and the market will develop a "natural" equilibrium between the two.

Maybe, but it never has. Pesky "lawbreakers" like the World Bank and the World Trade Organization are always messing with "nature" and creating the conditions for shocking market volatility.

For example, in the late 1980s, arabica coffee prices soared as a result of frost, which damaged a significant part of the harvest in Latin America, limiting supply. This brought in the speculators, more of those "lawbreakers" who further drove up the price.

Subsequently, in one of those uncanny light bulb moments at the World Bank, the bank's economists noticed that the price of coffee was going up so they decided it would be a good idea for the farmers of Vietnam to stop growing food and get into coffee.

They set up attractive financing mechanisms to encourage farmers to switch over.

Coffee takes several years to bear fruit, so by the time the Vietnamese brought their coffee to market, the price had started to recover from the frost. Suddenly there was a massive oversupply, which drove the price into the ground. Coffee farmers around the world were devastated in what has become known in the industry as the "coffee crisis."

This spring, the prices of agricultural commodities like coffee began to rise as capital from the turmoil of the U.S. credit crisis flowed to commodities. This resulted in coffee speculators making billions of dollars, not a penny of which has gone to the farmers.

It is important to note that the market price of coffee is determined at the New York Commodities Exchange not at the farm gate. The price of coffee can go up, down or sideways, but the market price never reflects what the farmer gets.

The farmer always gets a lower price, in some cases a fraction of the commodities exchange price, especially when the market price is down.

Callahan may be shocked to discover that most of the world's small-scale coffee farmers live in earthen huts, have limited or no access to clean water, cook over open fires with wood they have gathered themselves, do not have electricity, and certainly do no have a high-speed Internet connection to the New York Commodities Exchange so they can monitor the price of coffee to get the best price at their farm gate.

Market interventions and speculation are the reality of global trade. One Guatemalan farmer told me that at the time of the coffee crisis, they were getting 35 cents a pound for their raw coffee. Seventy-five cents is the internationally agreed upon cost of production per pound.

The fair trade certified minimum price starts at more than $1.30. Guelph's Planet Bean pays farmers between $1.55 to $2.75 per pound.

Callahan suggests farmers faced with difficulty making a living should migrate to someplace else. In fact this is exactly what happened following the "coffee crisis."

Many coffee farmers are now a part of the global migration of people from rural to urban areas. Research has shown that very few of these migrants find work in the city and instead find themselves living on the streets or worse. Research has also shown that fair trade certified coffee farmers have a low level of migration and stay on their farms.

Migration is a brutal way to solve a trade problem, and the existence of borders makes it more so.

Interestingly, Adam Smith identified borders as an impediment to free trade. He reasoned that people without the freedom of mobility would never have the ability to freely move in the market.

I wonder if the elimination of the U.S. border is part of Callahan's free trade prescription.

In the midst of this nightmare market scenario, allow me make a small proposal.

What if we, as agents in the marketplace, were to develop a system that would allow us to avoid the New York Commodities Exchange and all the speculators and middlemen in the market?

What if we could have a direct trade with coffee farmers and participate in negotiating a price that reflects our notion of value and that is reasonable to the farmer? Would that not be approaching the kind of trade system that would enable us the freedom to collectively benefit from a global free exchange of goods and services?

Fair trade certified products provide us with this unique way of interacting with the market. The process is globally organized by the Fair Trade Labelling Organization and various national initiatives like Transfair Canada.

These third-party entities ensure the authenticity of the fair trade relationship communicated through the Transfair label and are run not by stock traders or government officials but by citizens.

Callahan expresses the need for coffee farmers to learn new and more viable trades. There is no doubt that coffee-growing regions need to diversify their economies, but how should they go about it?

These regions are very isolated, and rarely have anything resembling a community infrastructure. Even roads, which our friend Adam Smith described from a market development perspective as "the greatest of all improvements," barely exist.

What is most amazing about fair trade, from my perspective, is its ability to create social and economic infrastructure in a vacuum.

The market brings people together and the face-to-face nature of fair trade causes people to create community organizations, co-operatives, credit unions, crop improvement groups, schools and even roads.

With a fair price for farmers' products, there is enough wealth in the local economy to create the diversity and new enterprise development that Callahan advocates.

At one point in Callahan's text he makes a sudden U-turn from his free market fundamentalism and advocates that people should buy shade-grown coffee to help the environment. For folks interested in this coffee you should know that virtually all of the fair trade certified arabica coffee sold in North America is shade grown, but beware, it also helps farmers.

From Ethiopia to Peru, we have measurable examples of positive changes that have resulted from people in Guelph buying Planet Bean's fair trade certified coffee.

I am not suggesting that fair trade is perfect. It is, however, a far more equitable exchange of goods and services than is the conventional market. It is, in fact, another kind of market driven by people making informed, ethical and ecological choices.

And it actually exists, unlike the "free market" fantasy world of Mr. Callahan.

Bill Barrett has been involved in experiments in economic democracy like fair trade and co-operatives in Guelph for two decades. He is a founder of one of Canada's first fair trade certified coffee companies, Planet Bean Coffee.

Mountain Haven a home at last

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:32:08 -0700

Twelve years of hard work, setbacks and determination have given Donna Kubista her dream home at the Mountain Home Cooperative Homes complex in Three Sisters.

“I never imagined it would take this long,” said the mother of three. “There were times we thought it was too much work, but we never doubted it was worth it for a minute.”

The project began in 1996 and grew to reality with a cooperative of Canmorians moving into Perpetually Affordable Housing on Saturday.

From the original 73 families in the Mountain Haven Cooperative, only three are left to finally move in to stable, affordable homes.

“We’ve been through four town councils,” Kubista said. “We’ve processed more than a thousand people over the years and more thousands attended information sessions.”

She wanted the project for her children, who are now living on their own. One is in a PAH unit in another complex and another is on a waiting list. “There’s been a lot of people in and out,” said Nicole Tremblay, Mountain Haven Cooperative Homes board member.

“When we got new funding in 2006, our (income limits) went down and we lost most of the board members.”

Income limits are set by those who give grants to make the dream of affordable housing a reality. PAH’s top income is $88,800 and applies to some units, Tremblay said. Qualifying incomes for other units are capped at $30,000 for a one bedroom up to $53,000 for a three bedroom.

The stacked townhomes were built in Edmonton, transported to Canmore’s Three Sisters Village and completed on site. Prices are set by the construction cost and range from $167,000 to $235,000. A dozen units are rental and 31 are owned.

MHCH members buy a share for $5,000, which they recoup when they sell. They must sell back to the coop, which puts the unit back in the rental pool to keep it affordable, a requirement overlooked in other affordable housing projects which saw prices rise to market values on resales, said Tremblay, a glass blower who joined the coop when she moved back to Canmore four years ago.

“We have a restrictive resale cap, so the most we can sell for is 90 percent of market value. They are quite a bit below that now.”

The complex is on land leased from the Town of Canmore in the Three Sisters Mountain Village on the sunny side of the mountain.

“It sits in a really sunny area,” said Tremblay, who will be one of the first six members to move in August 23. “There are seven buildings which climb up the mountainside. We are moving into block one this week, the top building, and block four will be filled by September 1. We’re going from highest to lowest.”

All should be occupied by the end of October, she said.

Members include teachers, mountain guides, health care workers, entrepreneurs and tradespeople, 43 of them moving into stable, affordable housing for full time residents of the Bow Valley.

Included in the design are environmental and sustainable features for the 700- to 1,500-sq. ft. homes.

There is a waiting list for the rent-to-own non-equity units, but equity townhomes are available. What is lacking now is time.

“We do have lives,” said Kubista who works at the Canmore Hospital and described the effort as a ‘David and Goliath’ story, “we’d like to get them back, so we will have interviews for prospective members starting after we move in. Everyone is stoked to get in the Coop.”

City seeds farmers market

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:30:55 -0700

A woman checks out some of the fresh flowers at the Halifax Farmers Market in this file photo. (INGRID BULMER / Staff / File)

The proposed Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market is $1 million closer to reality after a funding boost from regional council.

The manager of the waterfront market, slated to go next to Pier 21 and expected to cost roughly $10 million to develop, said the one-time grant will also help in ongoing negotiations with the federal government.

"I’m ecstatic," Fred Kilcup said in an interview Wednesday morning, after spending most of the previous night awaiting the outcome of council’s debate.

Last year, the province announced $2.25 million for the project, but the funding was contingent upon the market securing funding from other partners, he said.

Now, the market — which has already received $1.1 million from the Halifax Port Authority and $760,000 through its own investment co-op — will look to the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency for $2 million.

"They were all looking to one another to ensure that all three (levels of government) would part of the package."

Councillors made their decision well past 11 p.m. Tuesday. The vote was 15-7.

"There was a lot of bickering," Coun. Dawn Sloane (Halifax Downtown) said Wednesday morning.

The councillor says she’s a proponent of "buy local" and would like to see Haligonians buying Nova Scotian products.

While the market dates back to 1750, just after the founding of Halifax, it’s been in the historic Keith’s Brewery buildings on Lower Water Street since 1982.

"It has a wonderful ambience, but it’s tight in there," Ms. Sloane says of that complex, where every Saturday shoppers can buy from more than 200 vendors selling meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, baked goods, crafts and local wine.

The move to the new facility will also permit daily openings — not just Saturdays — bringing it more in line with markets across the country.

It will also ensure that the municipality has a showcase for the farmers and craftspeople who come from every corner of Halifax Regional Municipality, which is as large as Prince Edward Island.

One rural councillor says that was a selling point with him.

"In my mind, I felt it was a good opportunity to mend the rural-urban split," said Coun. Steve Streatch (Eastern Shore-Musquodoboit Valley) said in an interview Wednesday.

"This is a project that benefits everybody in this municipality, so it’s an opportunity to use the differences to build bridges of understanding."

Last summer, councillors turned down a request from the market for funding because it’s not in their mandate to give such organizations money.

Coun. Sue Uteck (Northwest Arm-South End) asked city staff to try to find a way to help fund the project.

This week, staff came back to council with a new Community Facility Partnership Fund.

While the money set aside in the program is a one-time amount earmarked in the 2008-09 budget, the program could be used every year to provide "broad community benefit" at council’s discretion, a staff report says.

The program has Ms. Uteck’s vote.

"This is a good news story for the farmers’ market and HRM," Ms. Uteck said Wednesday. "In keeping with our economic, cultural, environmental and immigration strategies, the market aligns itself perfectly with our goal of uniting our communities and providing opportunities for new vendors in the urban core."

Others had concerns.

Coun. Andrew Younger (East Dartmouth-The Lakes) said Wednesday he has some questions about the new program and its first recipient because there was no "open call" for groups to apply.

"Basically, we’re giving a $1 million grant from a newly formed grant program without inviting applications," he said.

Another organization might be more worthy, he said, but there would be no way of knowing because there are no parameters set down for the awards process.

"It certainly gives the impression that you have a program created to fund this specific project, and the optics of that are really bad," he said.

Mr. Kilcup, who spent part of Wednesday happily informing vendors that the city funding had come through, hopes a tender for the project will be issued in early fall.

He’s hopeful that construction could get underway by December.

Centre helps kids in Cloverdale (Quebec) community

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:15:18 -0700

Marie Schaap-Cawlishaw helps Sami Bolombe with his homework. In the background, La Corde staff member Andrea Gariepy is tutoring Chika Okereke.

A new initiative in the Cloverdale community of Pierrefonds aims to nourish the bodies and minds of underprivileged kids.

La Corde Cloverdale Community Project, founded by Montreal Youth Unlimited [MYU] in partnership with World Vision, was established this past March and will re-open its doors on Gouin Blvd. in eastern Pierrefonds in late August as children prepare to go back to school.

The centre's goal is to help youth between the ages of 10 and 17 attain academic success via bilingual workshops on life skills and goal-setting, as well as by offering a breakfast and lunch program and homework counseling.

Centre coordinator Marie Schaap-Cawlishaw said she recognized a need in the Cloverdale area while working at Terra Nova, another MYI centre for children in Dorval.

"A group of about 30 kids from Cloverdale were sponsored to come to our day camp [at Terra Nova] two to three years ago. There was just something about them that tugged at my heart, and I wanted to do something within the area," Schaap-Cawlishaw said.

"We had volunteers already doing soccer meetings in the area, we were already involved there," she explained.

"But we felt we wanted to be more involved in a more practical way."

The Co-op de Cloverdale is the largest housing co-op in Canada. The area has a population of 3,000 - 1,750 of which are children under the age of 18.

Families tend to have three to six children, and 40 percent of families are single parent ones. Thirty-five percent of families live below the poverty line and 65 percent of families are at the poverty line, with a median income of $12,000.

The mostly immigrant population in Cloverdale represents 53 different ethnic groups.

Schaap-Cawlishaw and Jeff Simunic, the West Island Director of MYI, spent four months assessing the needs of families in the Cloverdale area.

"The list was endless," she said. "At times it was overwhelming, the amount of needs in that community. So we put it under one umbrella. Our hearts were really towards kids, and helping them succeed. The best way out of poverty is to keep kids in school... Why can't a police officer, or a doctor, or a lawyer come from Cloverdale? Those are the ambitions that kids have, but the way that poverty is... They tend to say, 'Well, that can't happen to me,'" Schaap-Cawlishaw said.

Schaap-Cawlishaw said she lived in the West Island her entire life and although she'd heard of Cloverdale from time to time, she never fully grasped the extent of the poverty there.

"But once I was working through the community, I said, 'Okay, I have this knowledge, I'm responsible, I can't just turn a blind eye and be apathetic about it,'" she said.

Schaap-Cawlishaw added that she hopes the kids in the community come to trust and rely on the services offered at La Corde.

"They've had a lot of different organizations come in and it's always been very temporary. It takes time to prove that any organization is going to stick around long enough to make real changes in the community, she said.

However, La Corde can't accommodate every child in need.

After school sessions are separated into two blocks - about 15 to 20 elementary school students come from 3 to 5 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. the same number of high school students can visit the centre.

The groups are small so that the participating students "can be monitored closely," Schaap-Cawlishaw said.

"But if kids drop out during the year, then it leaves spaces open."

Only 30 students are permitted to participate in the breakfast and lunch programs because there isn't enough space at the centre for more than 30 kids at a time.

"We've had to turn away kids before. That's really hard. The thing we'll do is give them food for that day, but then tell them, 'You're not registered so make sure you have a lunch for the next day,'" she said.

La Corde relies solely on donations from local churches and corporations to feed the kids and run its operation.

Students are required to register at the beginning of each school year and are selected on a first-come-first-served basis. The individual students' needs are also taken into account.

If we have students [registering] who are pulling [straight As] then the homework help isn't beneficial for them. We're really trying to make it for the ones who are struggling to pass, to help them succeed.

The centre currently has three paid staff and about 10 volunteers. Schaap-Cawlishaw said they are looking for more people to volunteer, especially those who can help with homework and lead life skills discussions and that kind of thing.

On Aug. 27, La Corde will be holding a school supply event at the centre from 6 to 8 p.m.

About 100 to 150 school bags with gift certificates for the local pharmacy or Bureau en Gros will be handed out to students on a first-come-first-served basis.

The centre is located at 9572 Gouin Blvd.

For information on how to donate to La Corde or become a volunteer, contact lacordemontrealyouthunlimited.org or 514-676-0761.

Cortlandt looking to form oil-purchasing cooperative

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:04:09 -0700

The town of Cortlandt is looking to start an oil-purchasing cooperative as a means of lowering energy costs for local residents.

Dr. Rich Becker, a town councilman, is putting together the terms of a deal with regional oil distributors that would give residents access to lower fuel-oil prices by purchasing in bulk. The cost to the consumer would be closer to the wholesale cost of heating oil, as opposed to the retail rate, and Becker expects the average homeowner in town could save $200 during the cold-weather months.

The venture could be the first in the state.

Becker, a cardiologist who won a seat on the Town Board last year running on an environmental platform, said he was moved to action by rising energy costs and the heavy financial burden it places on older residents living on fixed incomes.

"I've been very concerned about what's going to happen this winter. I'm afraid people aren't going to afford their heating bills in certain parts of town," he said.

Becker said a half-dozen local and regional fuel-oil distributors have expressed an interest in the plan, which was outlined Tuesday at Town Hall. The co-op would allow local residents to buy fuel oil at 30 to 40 cents more than the per-gallon wholesale price of heating oil. The retail rate is typically 60 to 70 cents more per gallon than the wholesale price.

"It's not a huge savings, but it's a help," Becker said. He noted that older residents are more prone to infections and breathing problems when they don't heat their homes in the winter, a condition he has seen in his medical practice. People who heat their homes with natural gas would not be eligible to participate.

Becker said he researched the project and found that several municipalities on Cape Cod offered an oil cooperative to local residents. The councilman is working with the town administration and its legal staff, and Becker noted that residents who sign up for the purchasing plan would also be eligible for lower rates on emergency-maintenance provisions and energy audits. Residents would probably be able to keep their current service contracts.

The town administration is looking to approve the program on Sept. 16. Residents would begin signing up in a few weeks' time.

An analyst based in Albany said she had not heard of any other municipalities getting involved with bulk purchasing of heating oil.

"It's an interesting idea," said Laura Haight, a senior environmental associate with the New York Public Interest Research Group, a good-government advocacy group. She said the town needed to do its homework to make sure hidden costs aren't involved.

"When you buy in bulk, you can buy at better rates. But you have to take a close look," Haight said. Noting that alternative-energy sources and projects are gaining higher visibility, Haight said: "There are new opportunities out there for government to rethink their energy policies and purchasing choices."

Nora Hogan, a social worker who works with the elderly population in Cortlandt, has spoken with many seniors who are anxious about heating their homes. A Westchester County program offers financial aid to seniors for their energy costs, but it has fairly strict income eligibility requirements, she said.

"Most definitely, it's an issue," Hogan said. "I get a lot of inquiries about it. A lot of seniors are on very, very fixed incomes. I hear from seniors (asking): 'Am I going to have to put my money toward heating, food or medication?"

New co-op gives artists a place to share their work

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:41:15 -0700

A new co-op on Argyle Street near Third Avenue is giving a handful of artists another venue to show their work in Port Alberni.

The Artists’ Co-operative comprises four separate businesses under one roof: Free Burde Studio, owned by DJ Burdett; Captured Images by Don Osborne of Ucluelet; The Shutterflies Kiss, by Dana Lloyd-Walker; and Woodswork art by Liam Tromans.

Don Osborne and DJ Burdett are two of four artists who have put together a new co-op on Argyle Street. SUSAN QUINN Alberni Valley News

The germ of an idea for an artists’ co-operative began with Burdett, who moved into the old Queen Bee Books space along with Heartspun Wool with the intent of running a co-op. Burdett is primarily a painter in different media, but favours charcoal and acrylics. The majority of her work is figurative, and she uses bright colours to create mood in each piece.

Burdett sells “chakra bling” – jewelry – that she creates using semi-precious stone chips in the colours of a body’s chakras (she’s been selling her bling in other shops for a few years).

The other aim Burdett has is to keep the artwork available at the co-op affordable. “I’m aware that I live in Port Alberni, and I want people in Port Alberni to be able to afford original artwork,” she said.

“We have so many talented artists in this community that export everything because they can get a good price for it. I aim for the local economy. That’s very important.”

The next artist to join Burdett at the co-op was Lloyd-Walker’s Shutterflies Kiss studio. And when Burdett realized that Heartspun Wool was going to close at this location, she started thinking about recruiting another artist. She had seen Osborne’s work at the weekly Farmer’s Market, and approached him.

Ironically, Osborne was looking into the feasibility of starting a similar operation in Ucluelet as a venue to sell his wildlife photography.

Osborne commutes two days a week from Ucluelet to mind the shop – not only do the artists share space and rent at their Argyle Street location, they also share the duties that come along with having a retail shop.

Osborne credits the West Coast with reminding him of the passion behind photography. Originally from Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, Osborne met his partner online. He first came out to visit her in Ucluelet in 2001. Five years of red tape later, he joined her.

Osborne had been working in a Kodak one-hour photo lab and had lost his love of taking photos. He put down my camera for awhile.

“The wildlife as well as the scenery here are just incredible,” he writes in his artist’s biography. “I wanted to share the trip with family and friends, and bought my first digital SLR (camera).

“Coming up here renewed my enthusiasm for photography,” he said. “I think you see that in my photographs.”

Lloyd-Walker’s focus in the Artists’ Co-operative is a portrait studio. She has a mid-range professional studio in the back of the shop, and also sells some of her artwork.

Tromans was born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and has been exploring and painting nature and wildlife since childhood. A professional pulp cutter for 20 years, Tromans began carving animals at worksites in 1997 with self-taught chainsaw techniques.

Tromans could be seen last month at Art in the Park held at Harbour Quay, where he carved an eagle onsite throughout the weekend.

Burdett and Osborne are hoping more artists can eventually be brought into the fold.

The Artists’ Co-operative is open for summer hours from Monday to Saturday. For more information, please call DJ Burdett at (2150) 730-7300.

Cinnamon buns with grandma

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:38:32 -0700

REGINA -- Baker Michelle Haines says she knows at least one way towards a more satisfying and healthy life -- spending time in the kitchen with a grandma.

It doesn't even have to be one's own grandma. Haines spent Thursday morning learning the cinnamon bun recipe that 93-year-old Mary Rink used while working at the café in the Co-op during the 1960s and 70s.

Every work day for 18 years, Rink made around 100 buns in time for customers' afternoon coffee break. People would line up the length of the Co-op building, then located at the corner of Albert Street and Victoria Avenue, for one of her buns.

Ninety-three year old Mary Rink teaches Silver's baker Michelle Haines and her grandson and Silver's Assistant Manager Andrew Rink the fine art of making cinnamon buns. Mary cooked at the Co-op restaurant at Albert Street and Victoria Avenue for 18 years.

Roy Antal, Leader-Post

Rink wanted to get back in the kitchen and found an eager learner in Haines, who works at Silver's Steakhouse in northwest Regina. Rink's son Jerome owns the restaurant while her grandson Andrew is the assistant manager.

"It's her chance to show a new dog old tricks," said Andrew.

"Since I was a baby, Grandma's been making these. They're a real treat ... Mom tries, but they're not the same."

Haines already knew how to make cinnamon buns, learning from her grandmother, who would let her dough rise on a woodburning stove.

She says learning from one's grandmother isn't just about the taste and techniques. It's about learning how to slow down and gain the perspective of an earlier generation.

"Today's society is fast. They don't want to sit down and eat or learn anything," said Haines.

"They didn't have easy access to already made stuff. They had to learn to make this from scratch, whereas we can to Tim Hortons or the grocery store and buy a cinnamon bun."

Understanding and controlling the ingredients is another important lesson Haines said can be learned from previous generations.

"They say eat healthy. This way, you know how much sugar and how much salt is in it. You keep track of it," said Haines.

Rink had the recipe written down on a card in her purse, but using that card wouldn't have taught Haines all she needed to know.

For example, Rink doesn't measure the flour she uses in her dough -- which she says is the most important element of great cinnamon buns. It is only by feeling the dough that she knows if she has put in enough.

"When your mothers or grandmothers are gone, who's going to teach you? If you don't (learn from grandma), it's lost. That recipe you remember as a kid isn't there any more," said Haines.

"If there isn't a family member wanting to learn, find someone willing to learn because no one can make stuff like grandmas. Not even moms."

Co-worker Rachelle Ash agree with Haines that is important to spend time with one's grandmother in the kitchen. As a child, she loved to bake cookies with her grandmother and she intends to learn more of her recipes.

"Spending time with grandma -- it's awesome," she said.

"What's a day or three or four hours? Go spend the time with your grandmother," said Haines.

She wishes she had spent even more time in the kitchen learning from her grandmothers, including how to pull strudel dough. Now, she hopes to learn from someone else -- any grandmothers ready to teach?

Inspection of hail-damaged crops in Osoyoos completed

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:32:51 -0700

Damage to apricot, cherry and peach crops in the areas hardest hit by a powerful hail storm that swept through Osoyoos on July 3 has been inspected by crews from the provincial Agriculture Ministry, a gathering of the B.C.

Fruit Growers' Association heard at a special meeting in Osoyoos on July 30.

Nearly 40 people came out to the meeting at the Holiday Inn to discuss the impact on fruit production in the area in the wake of the storm, which decimated farms in a three-kilometre stretch between the U.S. border and the Sunfresh Cooperative Growers packing house on Hwy. 97.

"This is a wakeup call; our weather is changing," said association President Joe Sardinha. "We have to prepare ourselves for what is coming."

Kevin Daniels, a Kelowna-based production insurance claims manager with the ministry, said three inspection crews were working in the Osoyoos areas that experienced "severe" damage from the storm.

He added that it was expected that apples would be inspected by the end of the long weekend.

Claims are currently being written for cherries and apricots with claims for peaches and apples to follow.

Daniels added that producers should receive payment 30 days after the claim is written.

Lonny Steward, a production and marketing manager in the ministry's business risk management branch, said the reason cherries and apricots were inspected before apples is because hail damage becomes more visible closer to the harvest.

Waiting, he said, means a proper assessment of the damage.
One concern that was brought up during the meeting was the affordability of production insurance in the wake of this hail storm.

Sardinha said claims from this storm, coupled with three years of high weather-related claims, will likely mean that insurance rates will go up.

He added, however, that the association is working with the province to keep rates affordable.

Glen Lucas, the association's general manager, told the gathering that the idea of approaching the province to offer some of its carbon tax revenues to offset insurance premiums is being discussed, a concept that was met with approval by most of the people in attendance.

Steward said production insurance is funded by growers, the province and the federal government.

Farmers in B.C., he added, pay "significantly less" than producers in other provinces.

Steward said farmers here contribute about 25 to 30 per cent of the cost while farmers in several other provinces pay as much as 40 per cent.

Any fruit producers in the area who had crops damaged and are signed up with the federal AgriStability program can apply for an interim relief payment from the program.

Patrick DeBoer, a manager with the program, said that producers, if they qualify, can receive 50 per cent of their estimated losses from the hail storm back.

About 10 growers present at the meeting said they had enrolled for the program this year.

Aside from financial concerns, the producers in attendance at the meeting were also instructed to maintain their trees by removing damaged fruit as soon as possible.

"The later you pick the less recovery time the tree has," said Hilary Sampson, a member of the Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative's field service.

She said leaving damaged fruit on the tree could invite harmful insects such as cherry fruit flies, coddling moths and leaf rollers which, if left unchecked, could damage future crops.

Sampson also advised soft fruit growers to remove damaged fruit to prevent brown rot from developing and eventually growing into the tree.

Don Westcott, the co-operative's sales and logistics director, said the good news is that Sun-Rype, a company that makes fruit juices and snacks, has agreed to pay growers between five and six cents a pound for apples damaged by hail or frost during this growing season.

He said the company needs roughly 50,000 tonnes of fruit for their production needs.

"We will serve half that amount," Westcott said.

Cape Breton farmers fear loss of crops after heavy rain

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:00:22 -0700

The five Cape Breton farms that make up the Bras d'Or Producers Co-operative may collectively lose hundreds of thousands worth of crops if the heavy rain that has been falling for the past week doesn't stop soon, estimates farmer Joe King, a member of the co-op.

King, manager of the produce division at Eyking Brothers farm, said there's so much water on his fields they look like lakes.

His operation grows turnips, cabbage, cauliflower and several kinds of lettuce. He said the young plants are afloat, and ducks and seagulls are also damaging his crops. Mud has made it difficult to harvest and replant crops.

"Bottom line, it's dollars," King said, estimating the potential crop damage to his co-op's members at a total of $250,000 to $500,000.

King said the labour shortage in Cape Breton has forced him to hire 12 people from Jamaica to work on the farm. But with the heavy rain, King said, he's having a hard time keeping them busy.

"I want to hang on to them until this weather breaks. Today I'm making work cutting cabbage that I don't even have an order for, so they can have a day's pay," King said.

Just down the road, Conrad Niesten of Hank's Farm Market is having the same problems. It's the wettest growing season ever, he said, and his late cauliflower crop is under water.

"We're hoping for some drier weather in the next few days. We hope to save it, to stop it from drowning," Niesten said.

"We can't work the fields or fertilizer the fields. We can't do much of anything right now but sit in the house."

King said Cape Breton farmers are singing a song by rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival.

"They want to know who will stop the rain."

Lake View Credit Union picks Open Solutions' core platform

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:36:01 -0700

In a bid to extend its long-standing relationship with Open Solutions Canada, Lake View Credit Union has chosen their The Complete Credit Union Solution along with a comprehensive suite of Open Solutions' complementary strategic products, as the advanced technology platform for enabling them to better serve the growing needs of members.

The Complete Credit Union Solution is built on a centralized Oracle relational database that is designed to be an open architecture application.

The solution helps credit unions streamline both front and back office processes and creates a centralized view of members, employees and business partners.

Lake View CEO, Rene George, said that like many financial institutions in Canada, they're now facing a much bigger field of competitors and their growth is harder won than ever before. To remain competitive, they have selected Open Solutions' relationship-based technology to help them take their business to the next level - to make their already great service even better; enable them to provide innovative and relevant products to their members; and give their staff access to the information they need to more effectively cross-sell products and services.

George noted that Open Solutions' suite of technology products is well designed to address the issues and challenges financial institutions face in today's very competitive market.

Lake View Credit Union also said it has decided to continue using Open Solutions' data center for its data processing needs and will implement Open Solutions' Financial Accounting Suite, Asset/Liability Management, ProfitVision, Digital Document Systems and cView ReportWizard.

"We are very pleased Lake View Credit Union is extending its business relationship with Open Solutions Canada and has chosen Open Solutions' technology as the platform for its continued growth and success," said Blair Goulet, president of Open Solutions Canada.

Open Solutions Canada designs, builds, integrates and operates advanced banking and payment technologies for financial institutions, retailers, independent sales organizations (ISOs), third-party organizations and processing centers worldwide.

Lake View Credit Union boasts assets of more than $200CDN million and serves 15,500 members through three branches. This year, the credit union celebrated its 65th anniversary of providing cooperative financial services to residents of British Columbia's Peace Country.

Anuradha Shukla is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Anuradha's article, please visit her columnist page.

Sussex Co-op to serve up organic feed

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:19:44 -0700

SUSSEX - The local Co-op mill will soon become the first in the Maritimes to process organic feed.

In late June, the Sussex Co-op received organic certification from Ecocert a private certification company based out of Quebec and will begin processing organic feed after this year's crops are harvested in late summer or early fall.

The Sussex mill was chosen because it's a fairly modern facility centrally located in the province.

"It's also a small enough that we can shut down conventional operations one day a week, when the organic feed needs to go through to process both conventional and organic feed at the same time," said Dave Arsenault, general manager of the Sussex Co-op, who hopes having local organic grain will help encourage people "on the fence" to make the move and become certified.

"If the price of organic feed wasn't a deterrent, likely more would switch over [to organic farming]," he said.

Co-op's goal for the first year of processing the organic feed is to replace the amount they sell from out of province with the new local grain. After that, they're hoping the market will grow.

There are currently only 40 organic producers in New Brunswick but according to Arsenault, the organic sector is a rapidly growing market outside of this region. He believes the new feed mill will bring that growth home.

Beth McMahon, executive director of the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN) agrees with Arsenault's predictions.

"To finally have a local, certified organic feed mill is just fantastic for the farms, both for the growers and for the end users who are actually buying (organic products)," she said.

McMahon, like Arsenault, said having local organic grain available to producers at a lower price is great news for organic farming in NB.

"There are people right now who aren't buying organic feed just because of the expense, it's not going to be a huge price difference, but even just that little bit I think will spur people to reconsider it," she said. "And I think the other thing is, for the growers who are growing grain and don't have to ship it to Ontario or Quebec, and they pay for the shipping on that. That means more money in those farmers pockets."

According to Arsenault, not having to ship the feed is also good news for the environment.

"We are trucking our organic grains to feed mills in Ontario and Quebec and then we have to transport the feed back before selling it to our clients," he said. "Manufacturing the feed in Atlantic Canada will have a positive environmental impact because less transportation will result in reduced emissions."

Organic milk to be made here

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:10:30 -0700

Winnipeggers should be able to buy Manitoba-produced certified organic milk for the first time later this year.

Organic Meadow Inc., the leading producer of organic dairy products in Ontario, will sell the milk under its label as early as October, said Andrea Ramlogan, the farm co-operative's operational planning manager.

Val and Conrad Zacharias surrounded by their soon-to-be certified organic dairy herd in Reinland. bylineBracket(" PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES");(Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press Archives )

"This is our first new production centre outside Ontario, so we're very excited about this," she said in an interview Monday.

A Boissevain dairy farm became the first in the province to be certified organic last November, and a second farm at Reinland, near Winkler, is set to receive its papers later this month.

That will give Organic Meadow the volume it needs initially to serve the Manitoba market. It has contracted with Notre Dame Creamery Ltd., in Notre Dame de Lourdes to process the milk in one- and two-litre plastic jugs.

"Right now, any organic milk or any organic dairy products at all in Manitoba are coming from out of province," said Conrad Zacharias of Reinland, who expects his farm will be certified Aug. 23. He milks 40 cows with his wife Val.

Jan Braun, a member of the Organic Planet Worker Co-op in Wolseley, said Monday she was pleased that there would finally be a local supply of organic milk.

"That's fantastic... I can pretty much guarantee that that will be the only milk that we will carry, then," Braun said, citing the co-op's commitment to purchasing food within a 100-mile radius.

Gerry Dickson, owner of the Organza Market on Osborne Street, said his store would also carry the local product.

At first, Organic Meadow will limit its locally produced product offering to fluid milk, adding other dairy products if the market warrants it, Ramlogan said.

David Wiens, chairman of the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, the province's milk marketing board, said he's pleased local farmers will soon be able to fill a market that has so far been supplied by Ontario and British Columbia producers.

Dairy Farmers of Manitoba negotiated a 30-cent a litre premium (above the conventional milk price) with Organic Meadow on behalf of the organic producers, Wiens said. The farmers will likely keep about 18 cents of that premium, once additional segregation and transportation costs are deducted, he said.

Three other Manitoba dairy farms are said to be converting to organic production.

Meanwhile, Zacharias said that in converting from conventional to organic milk production he had to farm his land without chemical inputs for three years and feed his herd organically produced feed for a year. As well, he had to scrap the use of antibiotics for treating illness and infection in his cows.

-- with files from Lindsey Wiebe

Modern-day family business

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:29:04 -0700

It's been five years since the Café Co-op Touski opened its doors on Ontario St. near Dufresne, a good reason to kick off a weekend of celebrations.

Started by three young women from Centre-Sud who were frustrated there were no family-friendly restaurants and cafés in Ste-Marie, Café Touski has become a neighbourhood hangout for area workers, residents and families as well as a venue for local artists. It's also building bridges in the community and giving plenty back.

The café-restaurant includes a play area for kids and serves as a drop-off point for community-supported agriculture baskets. In a neighbourhood where fries and steamed hot dogs are common fare, Touski offers fair trade coffee and affordable, healthy meals with fresh ingredients bought as locally as possible.

"People rave about our breakfasts," says Nicolas Rivard, a Touski worker-member for more than three years. But while the weekend brunch menu draws crowds, Rivard points out Touski's chefs strive for creative, experimental cuisine. On Saturdays Café Touski runs a kiosk at the Marché Frontenac selling pastries, coffee and smoothies, and a chef creates different types of sandwiches.

Since 2003 the workers' co-op has grown from seven to 19 workers. "We're all friends," says Rivard, adding that not only are workers committed to Touski, there's a feeling of family.

As owners, all workers follow an "autogestion" approach and make key decisions together. There are also 15 volunteer members - current and former workers who contribute to Touski's well-being by donating time on initiatives.

Rivard and member Catherine Lalonde also run a non-profit arts group called Péristyle Nomade. Since May they've expanded Touski's cultural activities, staging a photo exhibit and an urban arts festival in Centre-Sud.

Rivard, who's also involved with the Cabaret Fin de mois, says on Aug. 2 the Cabaret will mark Touski's fifth birthday with a special show featuring storytelling, music, poetry and sketch comedy. On Aug. 3, Touski celebrates with a family party that includes storytelling and animation for children. Saturday's show happens from 4 to 7 p.m.; Sunday's activities take place from noon to 5 p.m. at Café Touski, 2361 Ontario E. (metro Frontenac).

Car sharing one way to beat pumps

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:25:37 -0700

Christine Lovelace thinks the hassles of owning a car just aren't worth it.

Not when she can get one now and then from a car-sharing co-op.

Lovelace sold her 1994 Toyota Tercel in 2005 after she moved from Nova Scotia to Washington, D. C., for work.

While in the American capital, Lovelace relied on so-called car-share co-operatives to run errands and take weekend trips.

Now back in Halifax, Lovelace, 41, says she is pleased to see car-share coops popping up across Canada.

"With the price of gas the way it is, it's a perfect opportunity now for this kind of thing."

The members of car-sharing co-operatives sign out cars online and pick them up from parking spots scattered around their community, using a personal swipe-key to unlock the door and drive off.

Members pay a one-time fee to use the vehicles, then an hourly fee -- between $5 and $9 per hour -- each time they use a car. Insurance, repairs and car payments are already covered.

The base day rate at Toronto-based AutoShare is $67, but certain plans cost as little as $45.

Each co-op charges various fees and offers differing levels of service. Generally, the cheaper plans restrict the distance you can drive before a per-kilometre charge kicks in.

Lovelace, who now works at the provincial archives in Halifax, says she used the Washington car-share co-op about two or three times a month, and usually spent about $25 each time.

"I never had any problems," Lovelace says. "But sometimes people would get there and the car wasn't there, or it wasn't returned on time."

Still, with fuel prices soaring, a major plus to car-sharing networks is that the cost of gas is built into the hourly price of the car.

"Users may have to put gas into the car, but they won't have to pay for it," says Kevin McLaughlin, founder of AutoShare. "You get reimbursed. Cars might have a company credit card, or users might submit receipts to the car-share."

Most car-share networks have had to re-adjust their rates as gas prices have rise, says McLaughlin, 40. "But for a typical trip in Toronto ... the increase in gas has only added about a dollar."

McLaughlin and his wife have a three-year-old son and use AutoShare twice a week to run errands, avoiding the stress of subjecting the tot to a busy public transit system.

For McLaughlin, who used to work with an environmental group in Vancouver, car-sharing helps the environment.

McLaughlin helped establish Vancouver's Co-operative Auto Network in 1997, before moving back to his hometown Toronto, where he started AutoShare.

It now has a fleet of about 200 cars and more than 7,000 drivers.

Other car-share organizations, like Montreal's Communauto and Zipcar in Toronto and Vancouver, have sprouted up all over Canada.

Ottawa is home to about 50 cars, and Montreal has a network of about 600. Calgary has about six cars, and Halifax is close to launching a network of its own.

McLaughlin says car-share organizations often have a hard time setting up shop in smaller communities

"In a dense city like Toronto it's easier to find a market for a new idea," says McLaughlin. "People are going to have to be more creative to make it work in smaller communities."

Cuba to let farmers buy equipment on credit

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:03:17 -0700

HAVANA -- Communist Cuba has begun offering private farmers equipment and other resources on credit along with more land, as President Raul Castro seeks to reform agriculture by loosening the state's grip.

Just days after a government decree authorizing land grants to farmers, they are being called to meetings and asked what machinery and other resources they need to make the best use of it.

"They told us to present our requests immediately for what we need and that Venezuela, Iran and other countries had given credit to cover the resources," the treasurer of a private co-operative said by telephone after attending a meeting this week.

Iran recently agreed to increase trade credits to Cuba from 200 million euros to 500 million euros, and Venezuela already finances dozens of factory and farm projects.

Hundreds of farmers were told at the meeting in central Cuba called by the Association of Small Farmers not to hold back on their requests.

"We can ask for whatever we need. Machinery, spare parts, irrigation systems, wind mills, land clearing kits, you name it," the co-operative member said.

Decision-making in the sector was recently decentralized, and redundant state-run companies merged. The state, which purchases 70 per cent to 80 per cent of farm output, has doubled or even tripled the prices it pays.

The remaining 20 per cent to 30 per cent of production is sold on the open market.

Cuba's 250,000 family farmers and 1,000 private co-operatives produce as much as state farms do on just 25 per cent as much land.

Farmers' market awaits its rainmakers

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:52:30 -0700

Citizens have plopped down almost three-quarters of a million dollars of their retirement money to invest in a new harbour-side home for the Halifax Farmers' Market, bringing the structure one step closer to realization. But while organizers are optimistic, some of the government funds needed to move forward with the project remain unsecured and each delay sees staggering increases in construction costs.

By moving from its present cramped Keith's Brewery locale to Pier 20, the market hopes to gain some much-needed breathing room, pull in a few dollars from cruise-ship tourists and give farmers the opportunity to hawk their goods throughout the week. The design of the proposed Seaport Farmers' Market is cutting edge on the energy efficiency front, incorporates wind and solar power, a green roof and on-site composting.

Financing for the project is just as innovative as the building design. The market cooperative, which runs the weekly market and is controlled by farmers, established a separate Farmers' Market Investment Cooperative to own the new building and lease it to the farmers. That way the farmers can attract outside investors and funders for the new building without giving up control of the day-to-day operations.

The Farmers' Market Investment Cooperative was certified as a community economic development investment fund, which provides provincial tax breaks to those investing their RRSPs, on the condition that the market raise at least $500,000 from 50 investors by this week. The market passed that mark, with an estimated 175 investors providing about $740,000. On top of that, about $16,000 has been invested by casual investors who get no tax breaks.

"As long as we put the other funding packages together, we have a project thatcan go forward" with the $10 million Seaport project, says market manager Fred Kilcup.

That other funding includes $2.25 million committed by the provincial government and $1.1 million promised by the Port of Halifax, which owns Pier 20. Additionally, Kilcup hopes HRM will pony up $1 million, and the federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency will provide $2 million. That leaves a balance of slightly less than $3 million, which Kilcup says the farmers' organization will borrow. But neither HRM nor the ACOA parts of the package are confirmed. The Halifax council didn't allocate the money in its most recent budget and is presently on its summer break. Kilcup thinks the council may commit the money available in August or September, but the matter hasn't been put on an agenda. He says the market has recently submitted an application for ACOA funding, but, contacted Friday, David Harrigan, spokesperson for ACOA, was not yet aware of that submission.

"My understanding is they've had a lot of problems with HRM, only because---and that's the problem we have, too---because they're going to be located on a federal government property [the port land], it makes it more difficult for us to fund as well," says Harrigan. "A lot of government organizations tend not to want to fund organizations located on government-owned facilities."

Still, Harrigan is upbeat about the market's federal prospects, even if funding ultimately doesn't come through ACOA. "I assume there are all kinds of federal agencies out there, from Industry Canada to Agriculture Canada that seem to be a fit."

Kilcup says getting all the funding pieces together by September, putting tenders out in October and beginning construction in December is "doable." But the market is already a year behind its rosiest projections and each delay increases the cost of construction. Statistics Canada reports that non-residential construction costs increased 5.2 percent from the first quarter of last year to the same period this year, before the recent acceleration in fuel costs. And developers are fearing 30 and even 40 percent increases in costs this year.

"I've heard rumours to that effect as well," says Kilcup. "But we won't know the actual price until we go to tender. We've done calculations on price escalation, and we've also done calculations on how we could reduce costs depending on how all those numbers come together. There's a whole host of possibilities there. We'll find a way to control the costs."

Local Initiative "Blows Away" City Councillor

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:47:06 -0700

The answer to renewable energy might just be blowing in the wind.

Doug Patterson is a Brandon City Councillor, “Manitoba not only has lots of water power to generate energy with but also we have wind. Manitoba’s probably, if you look at a wind map, it’s one of the top places in Canada for wind.”

Patterson is hoping to take advantage of the often windy conditions in our part of the province.

That’s where the Elton Energy Cooperative comes in.

Dan Mazier founded the Elton Energy Co-op, “There is no other model out there for communities or people to be involved in.”

The model has towns or municipalities purchasing the land and turbines for the wind energy, not for exporting, but to use themselves. Patterson thinks Brandon should be one of those communities.

“If we can support a neighbour in a cooperative wind farm and we can earn some money off it I don’t see why we wouldn’t.”

Mazier says, “I guess it’s up to Brandon if they want to become part of it. There is no other model out there for communities or people to be involved in renewable energy in Manitoba.”

Not everyone is blown away by the idea.

“It has been recommended not to go forward by administration,” explains Mayor Dave Burgess. “And I agree with them the return on investment for the city of Brandon would be questionable.”

With our without the Wheat City, the Elton Energy Co-op is moving forward with its plan. The next step is to measure how much wind blows in the area.

Credit Unions Slowly Fill Void As Payday Lenders Leave D.C.

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:29:42 -0700

Stephanie Vann used to rely on payday loans to cover her rent and summer camp for her three children. She felt ashamed and kept her finances secret. But the short-term, high-interest loans seemed to be her only option.

Now, if the single mother needs a loan, she works with the Treasury Department Federal Credit Union. She can get longer-term loans for small amounts to tide her over -- and at vastly lower interest rates.

Stephanie Vann got a loan from a credit union at 16 percent, a far lower rate than a payday lender would have offered. (By Marvin Joseph -- The Washington Post)

In January, legislation went into effect capping interest rates in the District at 24 percent, effectively driving out the area's payday lenders, whose business model is wedded to annualized rates of 300 percent and above. Credit unions are now slowly filling the void in small-dollar loans. At least half a dozen District institutions are attempting to reinvent the loans as a tool to help bring hard-pressed borrowers closer to financial health.

The credit unions' products vary, but generally they are loans of $300 to $1,000 with an annual percentage rate of up to 18 percent. Unlike payday loans, in which borrowers sign over part of their next paycheck for the cash advance, the credit unions' new products have longer terms, from thirty days to a year.

Vann, 43 and a former clerical worker who is pursuing a career in TV production, got a $500 six-month loan from the Treasury's credit union in January, at a 16 percent annual percentage rate. The money cleared her payday debt and put her on her feet. Now she has a checking account with the credit union.

"Credit unions were created to offer credit to people with modest means," said Leslie Parrish, a senior researcher at the Center for Responsible Lending. "So, historically, it's very much in keeping with their mission."

The small-loan alternatives could be key to making the District's new interest rate cap work without unintentionally harming low-income borrowers. Although their terms can be onerous, payday lenders do help some people meet their bills. Their absence can be a hardship. A 2007 study, for instance, found that bankruptcy and bounced-check rates increased in North Carolina and Georgia after the states swept out the lenders.

Now that payday lenders have vanished from the District, some residents go to Virginia to find them, according to officials at the District's Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking. Other borrowers rely on family or Internet lenders that offer money at rates that exceed the District's legal caps, said Marcel Reid, president of D.C. ACORN, one of the main activist groups that drove the crusade against payday lenders.

"And there are people absolutely who are falling through the cracks," Reid said.

Unlike commercial banks, credit unions are nonprofit institutions co-owned by their members. They are usually chartered by the federal government, which caps their interest rates at 18 percent.

The small loans provide a new, though minor, source of revenue for the institutions. The number of loans they issue is tiny compared with the large volume once generated by the payday lenders. In 2006, the latest year for which figures are available, the two largest payday lenders in the District made a total of 260,000 loans, worth $125 million. This year, by comparison, "stretch pay" programs -- payday-loan alternatives offered at 43 credit unions nationwide -- have issued only 8,656 small-dollar loans. Just a few hundred of those were made in the District.

"It's not something we really make money on," said Suzanne Curren, director of member education at Andrews Federal Credit Union. "Our intent is to get people in the door and introduce them to traditional banking products."

Some activists say Washington's credit unions haven't courted low-income customers aggressively enough. "I think they have made an effort," Reid said. "I do think they could make a greater effort."

Many in the credit-union industry acknowledge that marketing and outreach have never been their strong suit. Traditionally, they have focused on advertising to existing members. They also have limited budgets and typically stress a risk-averse approach in managing their members' money.

But credit unions are evolving, said David Colby, chief economist at CUNA Mutual Group, a financial-services provider for credit unions and their members. More credit unions have been granted community-based charters in the past five years, allowing them to do business outside their traditional membership base. As a result, they're slowly acquiring new skills.

"[Credit unions] are in their formative years of learning to deal with the community charter and learning marketing," he said.

D.C. Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3), who spearheaded the legislative battle to pass the interest cap, said that finding replacement institutions for the payday shops was crucial. She consulted with banks and finance companies, and together they decided that the District's credit unions seemed best suited for the role.

"They were enthusiastic and looking into it and prepared to fill the breach," Cheh said.

It was partly a matter of timing. In the past few years, many credit unions around the country, especially ones serving the military, realized that their members were borrowing from payday lenders. By the time Cheh was trying to pass the interest rate cap, several had already begun offering payday alternatives, including a few in the District.

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"It was kind of a convergence of two different trends," said Jennifer Porter, chief advocacy officer at the Maryland and D.C. Credit Union Association.

The HEW Federal Credit Union, which does a significant amount of its business in Anacostia, has run a program issuing small-dollar, six-month loans for decades. But it began promoting such loans as payday alternatives only in 2007, during the legislative debate, and it has since seen an uptick in the business. Like many other credit unions, though, it has found it difficult to keep those customers.

"I think the community sees it as an easy fix," said Gloria Bowden, HEW's senior vice president. "It's hard to get persons to talk to our financial counselor so that we can get their financial status in a better position."

Ethanol producers downplay potential provincial policy shift

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:00:09 -0700

Despite strong hints the Ontario government may back away from its earlier ethanol commitments, it’s full steam ahead for the $132-million ethanol plant in Aylmer, says a company official.

"The statement by Premier (Dalton) McGuinty will not affect our plans," says Tom Cox, chairman of the Integrated Grain Processors Cooperative (IGPC), which owns the plant. "You need to set fairly ambitious targets to kick start this. The mandate for 10 per cent is nice to have but a small shift for the time being won’t change things.

Cox says the plant’s first shipment of corn is due mid-August. After testing and some preparation work, the plant will begin production in September.

What has many industry observers concerned are remarks in early July from McGuinty that he is rethinking his commitments to increase the ethanol content in gasoline to 10 per cent in 2010. "The issue for us is whether it would be in the public’s interest to stretch it to 10 per cent," the premier said. "I think we’ve got to pay attention to some of the other developments, including food costs."

With the province already investing $32-million in three major ethanol plants in Aylmer, Hensall and Cornwall, Cox suggests these comments don’t represent a shift in government policy.

Cox says the premier’s recent comments are largely based on worries over unstable corn prices. "The kind of hammering corn took recently is typical of summertime grain commodity pricing," he points out. "Some people watching the price fluctuations just don’t understand the market that well."

He believes the real challenge is trying to introduce ethanol into a petroleum market controlled "from one end to the other" by petroleum companies.

"Certainly I don’t want to see the government back away completely but in the short term, if officials want more time to look at the situation, I don’t have a problem with that because there is a lot of taxpayers’ money involved here," he says.

He says plans for the Aylmer plant remain the same: to produce about 150-million litres of denatured fuel-grade ethanol annually and 120,000 tonnes of Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS). With a staff of about 38 (six in management and 32 in operations), the plant will use about 15-million bushels of corn yearly – about seven per cent of Ontario’s average annual corn production. A grand opening is likely four to six weeks after the plant has been running.

Meanwhile, representatives for Suncor Energy’s St. Clair ethanol plant got better news from the federal government in the form of a $25-million investment. That funding prompted an announcement the plant would double its yearly production of ethanol to 400-million litres. The plant, expected to be completed in September 2009, has also received equity investment from farmers to the tune of $12.5-million.

As for the premier’s comments, an optimistic plant manager Andre Boucher says it will have no effect on Suncor’s plans.

"We are proceeding with our expansion and I don’t believe it will have any effect on our plans," he adds. "We’re going ahead, absolutely. In fact, I see some foundations going in as we speak." BF

Can BC make solar bloom?

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:04:38 -0700

The sun is just a hazy glow behind thin cloud cover, but still high in the sky over Vancouver on this June evening, one of the longest of the year.

Today the solar panels on Doug Horn's roof generated enough electricity to power his small North Vancouver home for roughly 48 hours.

Horn installed the panels two years ago with help from Vancouver's Renewable Energy Co-operative. Once an electrician inspected the wiring, BC Hydro installed a net-meter to measure the amount of electricity coming from and going to the grid, and Horn was in business... kind of.

It will take him roughly 250 years to pay off his $15,000 investment based on the value of the electricity it produces.

For Ontario homeowners, however, investing in solar pays off in something more like 25 years, thanks to a feed-in tariff for renewables that was introduced last year in the province. It offers 42 cents per kilowatt hour for solar electricity, and around 11 cents per kW-h for wind and bioenergy.

Tying small producers into the grid

In a year's time, the Ontario Power Authority achieved what it intended to do over 10 years: secure 10,000 MW of small-scale renewable energy. It's made power producers out of urbanites, farmers and community co-ops.

A group of Toronto homeowners were among the first group to take advantage of the offer -- which is currently on hold as it undergoes review -- with help from the Toronto Renewable Energy Co-op.

They formed the West Toronto Solar Initiative, and by pooling their resources were able to get a good deal on the solar system components and also hire a Waterloo consulting firm to handle all the paperwork required to enter into a standard offer contract with the Ontario Power Authority.

"We were really looking for a genuine turn-key solution," says Ken Traynor, a WISE volunteer and member of the renewable co-op board.

"It was a learning experience all around... but by the end it was happening much quicker and much more straightforwardly. We feel we made a contribution to the whole process."

"It's really valuable to have a significant portion of Toronto's energy needs being met from sources within Toronto," he adds.

"And there's lots of potential uptake by people out there."

'Lot of talk, no government incentives'

Kevin Pegg, president of Alternative Energy, a renewable energy supplier in Victoria, says many B.C. homeowners are also interested in power generation.

His company supplies all the components of renewable electricity systems, from solar panels to micro turbines to batteries and inverters.

Traditionally, his clients have been off-grid -- people looking to power research stations, fishing lodges, hunting camps and other remote properties.

Now, he says, there is more interest from urban residents. On the positive side, he says, systems are become easier to install and cheaper, with prices continuing to drop, says Pegg.

On the negative side, he says, there still isn't enough support from the provincial government to make installing a system worthwhile for many.

"This trend has probably been one of the more challenging trends that we've seen over the last few years," says Pegg.

"There's a whole lot of talk, a whole lot of interest from consumers, but there are no government incentives whatsoever."

British Columbia does offer PST breaks on renewable systems, and BC Hydro's net-metering and standing offer program are two avenues that allow customers to tie their systems into the grid (provided they have access to a transmission line).

One of the barriers to living off-grid is the fact that electricity storage is costly. A grid-tie makes it possible to draw power from other sources when the wind is not blowing or the sun not shining, but Pegg says it is not a "magic pill" to achieve green power.

Efficiencies yield savings

"The grid tie is part of an overall process where someone is trying to lower the amount of energy their household uses," says Pegg.

"It has to do with the economics of everything. Every dollar you spend on efficiency, you save five on generation."

This is a formula Horn knows well. Before installing his system, he knocked his power usage down from 15 to 3 kW hours per day -- as much as his old fridge alone was sucking -- by replacing appliances and light bulbs and switching his electronics to a power bar.

"If you don't do the energy efficiency stuff, putting the PV panels on is more of a statement than anything else," says Horn.

"We've become accustomed to using so much energy so easily."

The provincial government has set a goal to meet 50 per cent of the province's forecasted energy needs over the next 20 years -- about 10,000 GW-h -- through conservation.

One of its tactics in achieving this is to reduce the demand, through campaigns, incentive programs for efficiency upgrades and penalties for over-consumption.

Upping the kilowatt cost

Next October, BC Hydro consumers will be charged an extra .70 cents for every kilowatt hour of electricity they use beyond a fixed amount.

However, in terms of overall energy conservation, addressing our heating and hot water demands are just as important.

Two-thirds of the average home's energy consumption is thermal, everything from showers to dishes to drying clothes.

And, in British Columbia, about 90 per cent of those homes use natural gas to meet these energy needs.

Terasen Gas, the largest natural gas provider in the province, serves 900,000 clients in 125 communities. According to its figures, the typical Lower Mainland mid-sized home uses 43.2 GJ of natural gas per year -- that's equal to two tonnes of carbon.

With rising natural gas prices and now a carbon tax to answer to, municipalities are taking conservation more seriously, and they are also looking closely at bioenergy options.

CCA Honours Leaders in Co-op Governance; Coast Capital, MEC

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:41:34 -0700

Winnipeg â€” Four Canadian co-ops were recognized for their innovations in co-operative governance today during the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA), in Winnipeg.

â€œIn 2007, a CCA Good Governance Committee was tasked with the dual objectives of overseeing the development of governance indicators that measure effective, distinctive, and innovative co-operative governance practices, as well as criteria for co-operative governance awards. The Innovations in Co-operative Governance Awards gives our co-operative movement an opportunity to showcase the best in terms of governance practices and innovations; learn from each other; and hopefully strive to be the best that we can be as co-operatives,â€ CCA President Dave Sitaram said during the ceremony.

Coast Capital Savings was recognized in the Large Co-op Category (more than 5,000 members) for its efforts to determine the â€œideal skill setâ€ for its board of directors, and its implementation of a competency-based approach to director selection and recruitment. Bob Garnett, Director of the Board of Coast Capital Savings, accepted the award.

â€œThe CCA award recognizes our innovation and desire to engage in best practices, and shares our ideas with other organizations seeking to build a solid foundation of corporate governance,â€ says Mr. Garnett. â€œCoast Capital Savings' Board is committed to strengthening its governance through processes that are purpose-driven, transparent, and align with our credit union's democratic values. Our goal is to ensure our Board is comprised of skilled and effective directors to lead our vision to become a national financial services provider.â€

The adjudicators also recommended that an honourable mention within the Large Co-op Category be given to Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) in recognition of its innovation in undertaking a â€œFutures Project.â€ This project was a board-led member outreach program to drive forward and support a long-term vision for the cooperative that was shared by the Board, staff and members alike. MEC Director Sara Golling accepted the award.

â€œThe Futures Project was about looking ahead ten to 15 years to identify areas where MEC can make a difference within Canadian society and, at the same time, continue to thrive as a leading co-operative business. If the initiative serves as a model that helps other co-operatives navigate their own future, so much the better,â€ Ms. Golling says.

In the Medium-Sized Co-op Category (between 500 and 4,999 members), Gay Lea Foods Co-operative was given the award for its approach in addressing board and delegate engagement within complex operational and governance structures.

â€œThe recognition of leadership, achievement and innovation in governance is an important element within the co-operative sector, says Michael Barrett, Gay Leaâ€™s Chief Operating Officer, who accepted the award on behalf of the co-op. â€œIt is imperative that governance is recognized as a pillar in the co-operative society. Since the beginnings of the co-operative movement, a pillar of our valuesâ€”and strengthâ€”is our ability to be responsible to those who own the co-operative.â€

The Nova Scotia Co-operative Council (NSCC) received the award in the Small Co-op Category (less than 500 members). The award adjudication committee recognized the commitment taken by the Council board to be the best in all aspects of governance. This entailed research on best practices, both in the co-operative and the private sector, hiring specialists to conduct board workshops on governance, ongoing discussions at board meetings about policies and procedures that they would like to see in place, and an agreement to have â€œgovernanceâ€ as a standing agenda item at every board meeting. Norma Tomiczek, Director of NSCCâ€™s Board accepted the award.

â€œI have worked with many volunteer and private sector boards, and none compare to the Nova Scotia Cooperative Council, when it comes to how serious they take their governance mandate,â€ says Dianne Kelderman, NSCC CEO. â€œTwo years ago they began an intensive and comprehensive governance development process that has resulted in a strong governance system and future foundation for the organization. They have shown that you can never be too small to have a serious focus on governance.â€

â€œOver the years, CCA has built a reputation for providing content-rich materials relating to corporate and cooperative governance. It has consistently raised the bar in terms of the systemâ€™s understanding and knowledge of the latest thinking and activities relating to governance and the role of the board and directors. The range of entries we had in our first year was widespread in terms of innovations and governance practices,â€ CCAâ€™s President Dave Sitaram said. â€œThe adjudicators all commented on the high standard of entries and we hope to continue this in years to come.â€

Coast Capital Savings receives national award

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:59:55 -0700

SURREY - Coast Capital Savings has been honoured with the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) Innovations in Co-operative Governance Award.

The acknowledgement recognizes Coast Capital Savings for its strong governance practices and innovations, providing a model from which other credit unions and co-operatives may learn.

"The CCA award recognizes our innovation and desire to engage in best practices, and shares our ideas with other organizations seeking to build a solid foundation of corporate governance," said Bob Garnett, Vice Chair of Coast Capital's Board of Directors. "Coast Capital Savings' Board is committed to strengthening its governance through processes that are purpose-driven, transparent, and align with our credit union's democratic values. Our goal is to ensure our Board is comprised of skilled and effective directors to lead our vision to become a national financial services provider."

Specifically, the credit union was recognized for the work its Board Governance and Nominations committees do with respect to selecting and recruiting potential Directors who possess the right blend of skills, knowledge, attitude, and commitment. The judges acknowledged the value of recommending well-qualified individuals for election to the Board, as well as staff's role in explaining the election process to members.

CCA President Dave Sitaram said the Awards allow the co-operative movement to showcase the best in terms of governance practices.

"Over the years, CCA has built a reputation for providing content-rich materials relating to corporate and co-operative governance," Sitaram said. "It has consistently raised the bar in terms of the system's understanding and knowledge of the latest thinking and activities relating to governance and the role of the board and directors."

The CCA represents more than nine million co-operative and credit union members from over 2,000 organizations nationwide.

Coast Capital Savings is Canada's second largest credit union with total assets under administration of $11.9 billion, 380,000 members and 51 branches in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island regions of British Columbia.

The credit union is the recipient of the Canadian Co-operative Association Innovations in Co-operative Governance Award, is one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies and is designated a Caring Company by Imagine Canada.

Mountain Equipment Co-op tops off Mount Benson campaign

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:05:20 -0700

It has taken more than two years, but the Nanaimo and Area Land Trust has finally made it to the top.

A $50,000 grant from Mountain Equipment Co-op means the organization will be able to pay off the line of credit needed to make the final payment on a 212-hectare parcel of land on Mount Benson.

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Â	Dean Gaudry, Nanaimo and Area Land Trust co-chairman, hoists a $50,000 donation presented Friday by Mountain Equipment Co-op representative Claire Pearce to pay off the purchase of the top of Mount Benson. CHRIS BUSH/The News Bulletin	Â

Dean Gaudry, NALT director, and Gail Adrienne, executive director, were all smiles Friday as Claire Pearce, Mountain Equipment Coop representative, handed them the cheque.

â€œItâ€™s just a very excellent fit with MEC and the fact that they (NALT) had gotten so far with their fundraising and that we were able to contribute to the final phase of it,â€ said Pearce

The donation marks the completion of â€˜phase oneâ€™ of the Mount Benson campaign â€“ the acquisition of the 212-hectare parcel on the upper front face of the mountain.

It is also the only portion of the $475,000 not raised by the community.

â€œMore than 1,400 local donors and sponsors have contributed to the purchase of the mountain in small and large ways, from cash donations of less than $20 to more than $95,000 in shares donated by one very dedicated Mount Benson supporter,â€ Adrienne said.

But while NALTâ€™s staff, board and volunteers can take a break to bask in the glow of a job well done, the trek is still not over.

â€œ[This] is far from the entire mountain,â€ Adrienne said. â€œWe will be looking at other properties that we might be able to add to the park.â€

Consequently, NALT will continue to accept donations and fundraise for future Benson acquisitions, though not to the same scale.

â€œWe know that the community that gave so generously this time around cannot be expected to dig so deep into their pockets again and again,â€ Gaudry said. â€œAny future properties that are negotiated will be over a longer timeline, requiring much smaller sums to be raised annually â€“ less pressure on NALT, and less demand on our wonderful supporters.â€

The grant is one of three land acquisition grants approved by the Co-op for a total of $99,360.

â€œWeâ€™re very pleased that they did come in with funding and it was what we asked for,â€ Adrienne said. â€œThey were impressed that the community has been so supportive of the whole campaign.â€

Filmmakers co-op calls on aspiring screen writers

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:50:31 -0700

The New Brunswick Filmmakers' Co-operative is calling on area residents to get their creative juices flowing.

In lieu of Fredericton being named a Cultural Capital of Canada for 2009, the co-op, celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, is encouraging the public to submit short scripts until July 25 regarding what makes Fredericton a cultural capital.

Top submissions will be turned into a series of 10 short films as part of the Cultural Capital Film Project. The co-op will be producing and screening the films throughout 2009.

The project is being funded by the City of Fredericton and the Cultural Capital program.

Co-op executive director Tony Merzetti said involving the community in the process is a great way to fish out interesting stories.

"(Local theatre group) NotaBle Acts developed about 40 or 50 plays from people that submitted ideas to them, so we thought it would be neat to do the same thing", he said.

â€œWe want to delve into that pool of people who have these amazing stories to tell and through the co-op we can work with them to develop the stories, shoot them, and edit them into something special."

Merzetti said he wants the scripts to be detailed, artistic, compelling accounts about Frederictonâ€™s past and present from a cultural perspective that would come to life on film.

"Fredericton's history and heritage has been written about in books before and there are other things out there where you can learn about it, but it has never been depicted on film," he said.

Selected stories will go through an editing process, where scriptwriters will work with a professional writer to polish the story before it goes into production.

Coun. Tony Whalen, who also runs a production company with his wife Gia, said he's interested in getting involved with the film project and that it will help showcase Fredericton's vibrant filmmaking community.

"There are countless stories out there that people could be telling through this project," he said.

"Through film we can provide a permanent record of interesting stories and events from our history, people like Boss Gibson, the Maliseet, or the story of Fort Nashwaak, for example."

"This is a great opportunity to get citizens engaged in the community."

The finished products will be released to the public via a compilation DVD, and eventually screened at the Silverwave Film Festival and the Under the Stars outdoor film series.

Selected scriptwriters will receive a $200 honorarium, a one-year membership to the Co-op and a cash prize For more information, contact the co-op at 455-1632 or by visiting www.nbfilmcoop.com.

UN Secretary-General: Cooperatives have key role combating climate change

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:03:53 -0700

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today underscored the part that in addressing the issue that can be played by cooperative enterprise.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message marking the International Day of Cooperatives, whose theme this year is â€œConfronting Climate Change through Cooperative Enterprise.â€ underscored the part that in addressing the issue that can be played by cooperative enterprise.

â€œEvery coordinated effort, no matter how small, can contribute to and form a larger, more powerful response,â€ Mr. Ban said

â€œIt is in keeping with this focus that cooperatives are expanding their development efforts creatively, into areas such as environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality, as communities around the world are struggling to adapt to climate change and strengthen their resilience against its impacts,â€ the Secretary-General noted.

Ban cited the example of such agriculture and energy sector cooperatives' abilities to concurrently address food and energy security locally as well as environmental deterioration.

â€œOn this International Day, I strongly encourage Governments to carry out measures and regulations that will be supportive of partnerships with cooperative enterprises,â€ the message said. â€œLet us redouble our efforts to find new points of collaboration as we address the daunting challenge of climate change.â€

Health co-op board gets vote of approval

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:55:51 -0700

The votes are in for Victoria's new community health co-operative.

The co-op is a community-owned service that bills itself as an alternative to private health care. Roughly 70 people gathered in the Fairfield United Church yesterday to elect a board of directors at the group's first general meeting.

"Now it gets exciting," said Mark Sherman, a family physician and newly elected president of the co-op. "Now we have to start listening to the community and addressing their concerns."

The co-op plans to offer Greater Victoria residents health and wellness programs and services publicly and more cheaply through subsidized rates. Organizers say the general meeting turnout was surprisingly strong, with 12 new members signing up.

Sherman said the votes establish the co-operative as a legitimate, publicly supported health organization -- a fact that could make secure funding and other health partnerships easier to secure.

"Since April, we've been sitting and waiting to be here," he said. "Now we can go forward showing public support, saying 'Work with us.'"

Still, the new co-operative faces steep challenges. The group's funding remains up in the air, making finding new money a top priority.

The co-operative must also convince those in the health industry and the public that these community health groups have value. Many still equate it with private health care, Sherman said.

"People love the philosophy but are wondering how to put it into practice," he said. "It's public, absolutely, but it's also community-based. We're a third option."

At the general meeting, residents' main concerns were keeping health care public, improving accessibility, especially with complementary or alternative health services and providing better education about health services to the community.

Co-op members say they're optimistic the group can address these concerns. Once set up, the co-operative plans to offer a broad range of educational programs and a website showing residents the health services available in each city area.

Deanna Wildeman said the co-operative offers a chance to fill the gap between public health care and individual residents. Wildeman works as a professional midwife and joined up after the James Bay forum, motivated to find an alternative to giving birth in a hospital or private home.

"There seems to be a real interest from the public in this," she said. "It might be one of the ways the co-operative can start leading the way."

Calgary [credit union] close to major merger

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:49:46 -0700

First Calgary Savings and Credit Union, along with Envision Financial and Valley First Credit Union, both of British Columbia, said Friday they are in talks to closely align themselves and create a $7 billion financial services organization that would be the largest of its kind in Canada.

The trio said the talks are not aimed at producing a merger -- which a number of rivals have done recently -- but rather a model that will allow each to retain its local identity, community focus and local decision-making. It would represent the largest interprovincial credit union network in Canada.

"We are moving quickly to stay ahead of the curve to make sure we stay relevant," said Harley Biddlecombe, president and chief executive of Penticton, B.C.-based Valley First.

"This partnership holds tremendous potential for our organizations, as well as for our member-owners," added First Calgary Savings president and chief executive officer Dave Gregory.

"Our member-owners have been telling us that they value expanded service locations, but still want us to act locally and maintain our community focus. This partnership does just that," Gregory added.

Together, the network would manage more than $7.4 billion in assets, employ more than 1,625 people and have a membership base of approximately 265,000 people in two provinces. The partnership would serve its members from more than 52 branches, 28 insurance offices and 39 financial planning centres.

First Calgary Savings and 19-branch, Langley, B.C.-based Envision Financial have already achieved a high level of co-operation since starting to work together in 2004. Since then, the two credit unions have built a joint executive team, moved to a common banking system provider and now share several corporate services, including technology, marketing, communications and human resources functions.

Envision's chief executive, Gord Huston, said the new combination, if achieved, would be a new step for the Canadian financial services industry, which in recent years has been marked by considerable consolidation within the credit union realm. On Feb. 8, two major Edmonton-based credit unions, Servus Credit Union Ltd. and Common Wealth Credit Union Ltd., along with a Red Deer-based counterpart, Community Savings Credit Union Ltd., announced a blockbuster merger in part, they said, to face competition from B.C.-based rivals.

That deal created a combination with 93 locations in 64 Alberta communities, including Calgary, and which controls about $8.5 billion in assets.

Women's sewing co-op gets a hand

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:07:47 -0700

A local co-op that helps Afghan refugee women with employment, work skills and English was saved from closure thanks to local MLA John Nuraney.

The Malalay Afghan Women's Sewing and Crafts Cooperative in Burnaby was on the verge of folding last summer due to lack of funding. Nuraney heard of the women's plight and helped secure two government grants to cover the group's rent for about a year-and-a-half.

"I was so happy," said co-op board member Leila Akhtary. "Not only me, all the ladies were happy. We didn't know how to say, 'Thank you, God and John.'"

Nuraney said the co-op had been asking him for help for a long time.

"They are the women who have come from Afghanistan. They are in their 40s and 50s now, with very little working experience," Nuraney said. "When they came here, they found themselves totally isolated. ... I felt they needed help."

Nuraney helped secure a $40,000 grant from the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance, arguing it was in the government's best interest to support the co-op as it keeps the women independent and off welfare. He then helped get a second gaming grant of $26,000.

Helping hands: Leila Akhtary, seated, with (from left) Sedigheh Derkhshan, John Nuraney, Najiba Ahmadzai and Alya Sarwari at the women's sewing co-op.

Photo contributed/BURNABY NOW

"So, they are very happy," Nuraney said, adding the co-op helps the women psychologically and financially as they can earn an income while learning skills to use in Canada.

"It has been a great help to them," he said. "It's to make them independent."

Akhtary concurred.

"These ladies ... are coming here, they have depression because they come from (a war-torn) country. They've lost so many: husband, brother, sisters, family," she said, adding to sit and talk in their language also helps.

The grants came through around March. When asked why there wasn't a press release issued, Nuraney said, "This was a real community cause. I didn't want to give it a slant, that I did it for some media publicity. It was genuine help."

The co-op borrowed money to cover rent until the grants came through.

Akhtary said the co-op can now stay open until August 2009.

There are 12 women in the co-op; all are from Afghanistan but now live in Burnaby and Surrey. See www.malalaycooperative.com.

Some companies see gold at bottom of deep fryers

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:10:39 -0700

NANAIMO -- Bubbling vats of restaurant cooking oil hold more than bits of yesterday's fried fish special -- some companies see gold at the bottom of those deep fryers and they're scrambling to get it.

Used vegetable oil -- a product used in the production of some biodiesels -- is becoming a hot commodity as soaring fuel prices pique corporate interest in the stuff. Restaurants won't make big profits by selling it off at the moment, but with only a limited quantity available one biofuels expert said demand for that crunchy, old oil could rise quickly.

Dean Gaudry, owner of Windward Pub in Nanaimo, recently had offers from two companies vying to purchase his old cooking oil: A Vancouver-based company and Nanaimo's Island Processing.

Gaudry Decided to Go Local.

Although the money isn't big -- he gets just five cents a litre for the stuff, which works out to about $200 a year -- in the past, some restaurants had to pay recycling companies to take the waste away. But those days are long gone.

Gaudry used to give his used oil to a local biodiesel co-op, which uses the stuff to power their own modified diesel cars, but that group now has all the oil they can use.

Nanaimo's Thirsty Camel Cafe received a similar offer to sell off its old oil, said owner Ilan Goldenblatt, who is also part of the local co-op.

Karel Roessingh, with Victoria-based Island Biodiesel Co-op, said over the last few months he's noticed more companies vying for restaurants' used veggie oil in that city, which could make it tougher for the co-op to secure a supply.

"Just in the last few months, we have been seeing that kind of activity. We're going to have to make more of a concerted effort as a co-op to campaign and get more oil. There is already more competition," said Roessingh. "Certainly, it's going to be more valuable when people realize it's perfectly good fuel."

This could be just the beginning, said Warren Mabee, a forest products biotechnology professor at the University of B.C.

He points out that there is a limited supply of used vegetable oil and in the not-too-distant future it could fetch far more than just a few pennies a litre.

He hopes restaurants consider that when signing any long-term contracts for their veggie oil with companies.

"If someone's offering a good deal today, it might not be a good deal tomorrow," said Mabee.

Policies announced last month by the federal government encouraging biofuel production might have some influence on companies wanting to get their hands on used oil, he said, but points out that biofuel from veggie oil certainly won't meet all of our transportation needs because of its limited quantity.

Despite the recent hype, working with recycled vegetable oil isn't new, said Doug Davidson, production manager at Island Processing which collects used vegetable oil from hundreds of Vancouver Island restaurants.

"A lot of people see it as a brand new industry, and it's not new," he said, adding that the company, a division of West Coast Reduction, has been recycling veggie oil for 50 years.

Their product is used as an ingredient in animal feed and in the production of biodiesel.

He's also noticed more interest in veggie oil as fuel prices rise.

"Right now we have less market share than we did 10 years ago because there are more people getting into it," he said, while pointing out that so far no one in Western Canada is making certified biofuel, although there are small co-ops and distributors of the product.

Eat closer to home

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:06:44 -0700

Starting today, eating local foods will be easier than ever in Sudbury after the grand opening of the Eat Local Sudbury Co-operative store at 11 a. m. at Market Square.

The goal of the co-operative is to only carry local produce, defined as food grown or raised within 150 miles of Sudbury.

"What we're hearing from people is they want a convenient location, like a one-stop shop, similar to a grocery store where they could just get all their local food products in one place rather than travelling from farm to farm, so that's where the idea came from," said Allison Muckle, the project co-ordinator for the Eat Local Sudbury Cooperative.

Muckle became interested in opening a local food cooperative after she found it difficult to eat locally without travelling long distances or to out-of-the-way places.

"Having that experience, about how challenging it can be to get those products, it's

Although most foods available at the co-operative come from within the 150-mile radius of Sudbury, some foods, like peanut butter and oils, will have to come from outside the area.

nice to have this idea come together to make it easier for people who are interested in eating locally to get the products that they want," said Muckle.

Foods available at the cooperative will include cranberries, different varieties of juice, wild herbs, wild rice, honey, elk, venison, beef, pork, stone-ground flour, dried beans, cheeses, vegetables and fruit to name a few.

"Basically, our goal is to connect consumers with their local farmers and we saw a need for that in Sudbury," said Muckle.

"There's been a lot of interest in the community from quite a few people," she said. "I think it's going to be a successful endeavour."

Although most foods available at the co-operative come from within the 150- mile radius of Sudbury, Muckle said some foods, like peanut butter and oils, will have to come from outside the area.

Although Sudbury isn't an agricultural powerhouse, there are areas within the 150-mile radius -- such as Thornloe, Verner and St. Charles -- that have large farming communities, said Muckle.

"In terms of getting produce, we're a little more challenged than southern Ontario," she said. "But there are so many people up here that are making really unique products -- especially meat products."

The Eat Local Sudbury Cooperative will carry elk, bison, ostrich and other specialty meats. They'll also carry all the more common meat choices, except for chicken because Northern Ontario farmers don't have quotas for chicken.

"Basically, our goal is to connect consumers with their local farmers and we saw a need for that in Sudbury,"

Allison Muckle, Eat Local Sudbury Co-operative

When it comes to produce, Muckle said there will be a wide variety as well.

"It'll be in-season produce of course, so right now we're looking at lettuces, radishes -- spring vegetables," she said.

"We'll have a wide range of vegetables as the season goes on."

Some farmers are growing exotic vegetables, like Chinese cabbages and other Asian foods, she said.

Currently, about 10 farmers are participating in the cooperative. Muckle expects that number to rise and food variety to increase as interest in Eat Local Sudbury grows.

"There's a lot of interest with farmers and a lot of interest with consumers," she said.

But for what reason do people want to eat locally so much?

"A big one for a lot of people are the environmental reasons, just buying food that hasn't been transported across the globe or across the continent," said Muckle. "Reducing the amount of transportation and the amount of fossil fuels and greenhouse gasses is a big one."

Another important reason people want to eat locally is to support the agriculture centre.

"We're losing farmers and we're losing farmland all the time and we tend to be more reliant on a more global food system.

"It's kind of important that we strengthen our local food system for our local farmers," she said.

It's also a way for small, local farmers to sell their products, because it's difficult for them to sell them at large grocery stores, she said.

Although it will cost more for consumers to eat locally, Muckle said it's all about creating a system that benefits everyone.

"What we're trying to do is get a fair price for farmers and consumers," she said.

"The farmers and consumers are part of the food system. We want everybody's input."

And although prices appear to be cheaper at the grocery store, it's often an illusion, said Muckle.

"Prices at the grocery store often have hidden costs," she said. "The prices might be cheap, but you're paying for it in other environmental costs and, you know, social costs as well."

The current food situation and the variety of food available at the co-operative leaves Muckle optimistic about the store's success in Sudbury.

"I think we won't have trouble finding our market," she said.

After its grand opening today, the Eat Local Sudbury Co-operative will be open Saturdays, 8 a. m.-3:30 p. m.; Sundays, 10 a. m.-3:30 p. m.; and Wednesdays, 4:30 p. m.-6:30 p. m. at Market Square.

Making bed and breakfast a booming business

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:32:37 -0700

Meandering through the pristine neighbourhoods of southwest London on a sunny afternoon is part of the charm of finding a great place to spend the night.

"This is a place where guests get spoiled during their stay and get hugged as they leave," quips Joan Heard, owner and operator of Trillium Woods Villa Bed and Breakfast on Ski Valley Crescent.

London Ontario Bed and Breakfast Network member Aileen Parsons in the backyard of Parkview Bed and Breakfast. (SUSAN BRADNAM, Sun Media)

"It's certainly not a sterile hotel room, where the only people you might actually get to talk to during your stay are those at the check-in counter."

For about $100 a night, guests get a plush private suite, breakfast featuring "killer scrambled eggs," and access to a tranquil garden with romantic gazebo overlooking the flowers that gave the B and B its name.

They also get a heaping helping of the host's personal attention and warmth.

"From businessmen and musicians, to couples cerebrating a special occasion and young women travelling alone and looking for a safe place to stay, I've had amazing guests from all over the world stay here and love getting to know all of them," says Heard.

Trillium Woods is one of the eight thriving B and Bs in the London Ontario Bed and Breakfast Network.

"It's actually kind of funny how well we're getting to be known internationally, while few people within the city actually know the network exists at all," says Peggy Moffat, who helped organize the network in 2003 and runs Ambleside Inn at 943 Waterloo St. with her husband, Tom.

Co-op members inspect each other's locations as a benchmark to ensure high-quality service standards and share advertising and marketing costs, including a website, says Moffat.

"A web presence is the way of the B and B these days and all of our network members are available to the world by e-mail to book rooms."

Because each B and B only has one to four rooms, they refer overflow guests to their partners to ensure as many rooms as possible are occupied at any time, she adds.

That is, if a room actually becomes available.

"Business is going well among our members these days, because we're not dependent on leisure guests and there have been thoughts of expanding the network in the next few years," says Moffat. "But, unlike a hotel chain, no matter how much we grow, we're still limited by the number of guests we can accommodate at any given time."

Aside from offering guests three cozy bedrooms, a full breakfast and afternoon tea with divine homemade pastries, Ambleside also provides a complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport or train station -- all for less than $100 a night.

But it's not just the glazed lemon loaf that's a huge hit with guests, it's also the location.

Being close to St. Joseph's Hospital and the University of Western Ontario in Old North makes for steady business -- something she took into account when the house was purchased in 2000.

Moffat, who has a background in marketing, also keeps meticulous statistics on all her guests.

"Fifty-eight per cent of my guests come here on business, 25 per cent for family reasons, nine per cent for medical reasons, only eight per cent are leisure guests," she says.

Keeping this type of information, and sharing it within the network, has led to ongoing improvements -- such as the recent addition of high-speed Internet and desks -- to give the small B and Bs a leg up on larger competitors."

All the things this network is doing are very clever ways to meet their market's needs," says entrepreneurial ventures expert Ken Hardy, a marketing professor at Western's Richard Ivey School of Business. "They can absolutely react to their consumers much faster than large-scale hotels and it's this type of innovation and rapid response approach to improvements that can keep their service quality high and make them successful."

He adds that working within a co-operative not only helps cut costs, but also helps establish credibility for each location online.

"This is a classic example of applying the Internet to connect prospective guests worldwide with a standardized, high-quality product within an established association," he says. "This is vital to success for small businesses."

It's also why Aileen Parsons, operator of Parkview Bed and Breakfast, became the newest member of the network a year ago.

"I didn't have any business experience, but I knew this would be an amazing opportunity to meet people from around the world," says Parsons.

"So far, it's been a fantastic social experience."

She says she got the idea while working as a medical assistant at Western and noticed the large number of people coming to the campus each year from all around the world to interview for jobs.

"I knew this would be a prime market to tap into and that's why, as I was nearing retirement, we bought this house near the university," backing on to Gibbons Park, says Parsons.

More than $100,000 in renovations later, Parkview's three bedrooms, including its grand Garden Suite -- a self-contained apartment with full kitchen and office -- are open to the public.

And business is booming.

"We've already noticed that business has gone up from last year," says Parsons.

"In our first year, the three bedrooms were used over 700 times and in the last three weeks, we've been totally booked solid."

But for Parson, and the other network members, it never seems to be as much about the business as it is about the people.

"There are just so many wonderful people, young, educated people, that stay here while they're trying to get settled," she says.

"We just love to try to keep in touch with all of them after they leave, as we do welcoming them and taking care of them while they're here."

LONDON ONTARIO BED AND BREAKFAST NETWORK

What: Network of eight privately operated B and Bs

Where: Various locations across London

How much: $75-$130 a night

Information: www.londonbbnetwork.com

B.C., Ontario central credit unions announce merger

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:47:12 -0700

The central credit unions of B.C. and Ontario will officially merge on July 1, creating a new Vancouver-based entity with aspirations to become a national financial-sector force.

Credit Union Central of B.C. and Credit Union Central of Ontario will join forces to create Central 1 Credit Union -- providing banking, treasury and trade services to more than 200 credit unions in the two provinces.

Central 1 chief executive officer Don Rolfe said the merger is a very significant development because it's the first step in creating a national organization that can support credit unions from coast to coast.

Quebec has its own Caisses populaires Desjardins (Cooperatives - Desjardins Group), but Rolfe hopes the credit union systems of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada will join Central 1 in the future. He said Central 1 could even work with Quebec on "certain opportunities" ahead.

"Our focus now is to demonstrate the benefits and capabilities of the merger," Rolfe said.

"We have spoken to [other credit union systems] but realize they want to wait and see how it goes before they commit to it. It's what you would expect."

The merger has been delayed several times, with the most recent delay caused by issues surrounding the value of about $200-million worth of asset-backed commercial paper held by Credit Union Central of Ontario.

The two sides decided to move those assets into a limited partnership owned by Ontario credit unions.

Central 1's head office will be in Vancouver, but it will also maintain an office in Mississauga, Ont. The offices will employ about 500 people, with about two-thirds of them based in Vancouver.

Rolfe said job losses from the merger will be minimal because the transaction is a growth strategy and there are substantial growth opportunities in the two provinces.

He noted B.C. credit union members enjoy certain products and services not currently available to Ontario credit unions, including mobile banking technology.

"That's an obvious product for us to introduce to Ontario because it attracts a younger audience," Rolfe said.

"Obviously we're interested in attracting more younger members."

He said one in three Canadians deal with a cooperative financial institution, and the merger of the two central credit unions is one way to offer them more services and get them to do more business at credit unions.

Central 1 will have nearly $8 billion in combined assets and will represent credit unions that serve 2.7 million members in B.C. and Ontario.

B.C. credit unions have about $45 billion in total assets, compared with about $19 billion in Ontario.

In Trust We Trust

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:11:51 -0700

Grameen Bank, the brainchild of microfinance guru Mohammed Yunus, lends money to the poorest people in the world. Its 7.5 million clients are people who not only have no assets and no jobs, but in many cases they have never even handled money before. Yunus himself describes these borrowers as "sub sub sub subprime." The loans are based on nothing more than trust, yet they are paid back an astonishing 98% of the time, at rates of interest as high as 20%. This is not a charity. Grameen is a business with a social goal--to eliminate poverty--and it consistently makes money. The system works because Grameen understands what motivates its customers, and it wants them to achieve their goals.

It is perhaps one of the world's great ironies that, even as Yunus was receiving the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for finding innovative ways to extend credit to the traditionally uncreditworthy, American bankers who claimed they were doing the same thing with creative subprime schemes were actually laying the groundwork for a global financial crisis. The numbers are staggering: The bailout currently moving through Congress earmarks $300 billion (U.S.) to rescue over 500,000 struggling borrowers and home prices south of the border are expected to fall as much as 25%. (By the way, Canada's subprime market was growing at a rate of 50% a year. Given a bit more time, we easily could have had a similar blow-up here--we escaped a bigger crisis mostly because we were slow and lucky.) Irresponsible borrowers, predatory lenders and greedy investment bankers all played roles in the breakdown of the U.S. subprime system, but perhaps the key thing that people at every level forgot was the fundamental premise that sustains an operation like Grameen's: that the business of lending ultimately relies on character, trust and community, none of which can be established unless the banks spend some time getting to know their customers.

In today's world of mortgage brokers, ATMs and Internet banking, we are far more likely to have a personal relationship with our Starbucks barista than with the person funding the biggest purchase of our lives. Approving a mortgage once involved sitting down with a loan officer to discuss our jobs, our families and our goals; now, it is accomplished with a few clicks of a mouse and the automatic retrieval of our FICO score. What used to be a personal appraisal of character is now merely an equation. You are your credit rating; nothing more, nothing less. This situation is bound to get worse as banks continue to get bigger, abandon neighbourhoods and generally become more distant from their customers. (Since 1990, Canadian banks have shuttered more than 2,000 branches across the country, mostly in poor or rural areas, and we have the most ATMs per capita of any nation.)

The success of Grameen Bank, on the other hand, hinges on being close to the communities it serves. Bank officers regularly visit clients to check in with them and collect payments. More importantly, most of Grameen's borrowers belong to "lending circles" with other people in their community. If one person in the circle defaults on a loan, it puts the borrowing ability of other members at risk. Credit unions, which are owned by their members, naturally foster a community attitude: If Joe doesn't pay back his loan, there might not be enough money to help Bill remortgage his farm. That sense of solidarity could help explain why, in the U.S., smaller banks and credit unions saw fewer defaults than bigger organizations, even when the loans were just as risky based on the borrowers' FICO scores. Non-profit housing enterprises, which have long focused on extending mortgages to risky clients, see their subprime loans repaid nearly 95% of the time, compared with less than 80% in the rest of the subprime market. When Jim Rawson, a manager with Invis, Canada's largest mortgage broker, is asked why he thinks non-profits fare better, his answer is clear: "They actually know who they are lending to." What a concept.

Maintaining a good reputation within a community for repaying one's debts has a long and storied history. In the Middle Ages, Italians who were unable to repay their debts were required to present themselves nude in public at the "stone of shame." They would bang themselves against the stone three times while yelling "I declare bankruptcy!" before being banished from town. In medieval France, the bankrupt were forced to wear le bonnet vert (the green cap) wherever they went, and townsfolk were welcome to pelt them with stones. As early as the 17th century, Dutch writers lamented liberalized lending laws that no longer demanded public displays of nudity as a prerequisite to being granted bankruptcy.

No doubt, many subprime lenders now look back on the Middle Ages as a time of enlightenment. It's far too easy today to walk away from debts or even houses, lenders complain. But who's to blame? As the example of Grameen shows us, the way that people respond to debt is highly influenced by their relationship to the person or group that's lending them the money. If you treat people as nothing more than a number, they're likely to respond in a way that's just as cold.

J.P. Morgan had this figured out. In 1912, he was called before a congression-al committee to explain the lending practices of his bank. The feeling at the time was that commercial loans were being extended only to a tight cabal of insiders. Morgan denied this, pointing out that he had lent $1 million to men on more than one occasion, based solely on their character. When pressed by government lawyers to admit that all he cared about was assets, the world's most famous banker restated emphatically that it was trustworthiness above all else that mattered to him, "because a man I do not trust could not get money from me on all the bonds in Christendom." Mohammed Yunus would probably not use the same words, but the sentiment behind his bank is the same, and it is something that all of us should keep in mind.

Grocery Co-op Leads Province on Plastic Problem

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:50:50 -0700

Sointula - On May 31, the Sointula Co-operative Store Association became the first retailer in British Columbia to eliminate the use of plastic bags for carrying groceries, a move they hope other retailers will follow.

"We wanted to see less garbage going into the landfill on our island, so we decided to eliminate the use of plastic bags," said Michael Seaborn, one of the Co-op's directors. "The initial response from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive, so we are encouraging other retailers to do the same thing. Consumers today are willing to accept a slight reduction in convenience for the sake of a benefit to the environment."

More than one billion tons of plastic has been manufactured since it was developed 50 years ago, and scientists estimate the time for plastic to biodegrade to be in the order of 100,000 years.

"There is already too much plastic in our environment," says Seaborn. "If all retailers in Canada stopped using plastic bags for carrying groceries it would significantly reduce the amount of plastic going into our environment."

While paper bags will still be available at a cost of 10 cents a bag, the Sointula Co-op is hoping most customers will switch to reusable cloth bags, which only cost $1.50.

The village of Sointula is on Malcolm Island, located between the north end of Vancouver Island and the mainland. Originally settled by Finnish emigrants over 100 years ago, Sointula, with a population of under 1,000, boasts a long history of independent thought, an emphasis on self-reliance and a strong sense of community.

The Sointula Co-op is the oldest operating co-operative in Canada and will turn 100 next year.

Innovative Art Co-op Scores Tax Victory for All Commercial Non-profit Co-ops

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:10:43 -0700

Under the leadership of its Co-Chair, Sid Gould, InsideArt Cooperative has been successful in stating its case to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that this non-profit cooperative is not subject to the payment of corporate tax on its net income.

InsideArt was counseled by an accountant specialized in co-op taxation that it must file a T2 (corporate tax return) as a Canadian Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC), and would be taxed at the CCPC rate on their net income. This position was affirmed as one commonly held by many co-op developers in BC.

After having reviewed available technical and information bulletins, relevant sections of the federal Income Tax Act, previous Ministerial decisions, and previous court rulings on this issue, Mr. Gould argued to CRA in August that InsideArt Cooperative was exempt under section 149(1)(l), outlining these points:

InsideArt Cooperative was incorporated specifically as a non-profit cooperative.
Members of the cooperative may not, given the non-profit status, receive any benefit from any funds in excess of those necessary for the operations of the cooperative (profit) and further, are not entitled to any funds or assets should the cooperative cease operations and be required to disburse the same.
Although the cooperative engages in commerce, it does so with a specific mandate to improve the conditions of its members, most of whom exist on the margins of society. Similar rules and precedent exist for exempt organizations under section 149 (1) (l) as exist for charities. That is to say the mere existence of commercial operations does not automatically deny an organization the exemption. In this case, it is the very commercial operations which are so necessary to achieve the social benefit for which the cooperative was formed.
The cooperative was started as a community economic development project as a method to build capacity of those in the less enabled strata of our society, using business skills to enable the marginalized to exist with less reliance on the social safety net.

'Nil' T2 returns were filed with the letter of argument, along with InsideArt's mission and vision statements (pasted to the end of this email). Last week, Letters of Assessment were issued by CRA agreeing with the 'nil income tax owing' claim.

This, we believe, sets a useful precedent for those operating non-profit cooperatives which engage in commerce specifically for the purpose of empowering the marginalized.

The Fraser Valley Centre for Social Enterprise continues to work on CRA issues related specifically to social enterprise operations in Canada.

Credit union merger to create powerhouse

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:53:01 -0700

It was, at times, a rocky road to the altar. Now the impending union is being cautiously celebrated as the critical first step toward creating a national financial co-operative that could up the ante on big banks.

Years in the making and temporarily thwarted by the commercial-paper crisis, the long-awaited merger between Credit Union Central of Ontario Ltd. and Credit Union Central of British Columbia is finally set to close July 1.

With $8 billion in assets, the combined entity will be known as Central 1. It will act as an umbrella organization for about 195 member credit unions in both provinces, providing a slew of payment, treasury, banking and trade services.

Chief executive officer Donald Rolfe's long-term goal, however, is to have one central for all provinces. Preliminary discussions have already taken place and official merger talks will probably begin in September. Even so, he describes the interest from other provincial centrals as "cautious."

"I say it is cautious because they want to see the benefits first," Rolfe said in a recent interview at his office in Mississauga. "Our challenge is how well we do the integration and how well we demonstrate that the benefits are actually being captured."

Rolfe understands the need for prudence. Just getting to this point has proved challenging. The merger of the Ontario and B.C. centrals has been in the works since the fall of 2006. Originally scheduled to close last October, the move was twice delayed after both companies became entangled in the non-bank asset-backed commercial paper crisis.

The Ontario central had about $161 million in non-bank commercial paper, while the B.C. central was holding about $23 million worth of the short-term paper. With those "troubled" debt investments threatening to derail the merger, the companies resolved to park that non-bank paper in a limited partnership, segregating those assets from Central 1.

The close of the transaction next week also comes nearly five years after legislative delays scuttled a previously planned merger between the two centrals.

Now, persuading others to get on board hinges on Rolfe's ability to prove this merger makes sense. Part of that involves Central 1 demonstrating it is adept at building consumer awareness and market share for credit unions.

Across the country, roughly one in every three people â€“ some 11 million Canadians â€“ deal with financial co-operatives. During the first quarter of 2008, affiliated credit unions and caisses populaires across the country reported total system assets of $106.4 billion, a 10.2 per cent increase over the last 12 months.

Deposits and demands for loans continue to blossom, but credit unions are more popular in certain provinces than others. Quebec has the highest penetration rate: roughly half of all residents conduct some type of business with a caisse populaire. In Saskatchewan, about 45 per cent of the population are credit union members. British Columbia has the third highest rate at 35 to 40 per cent.

That stands in sharp contrast to Ontario, where only about 1.2 million people â€“ roughly 10 per cent of the province's more than 12 million residents â€“ use credit unions.

Despite touting the benefits of membership â€“ credit union members are also shareholders â€“ Rolfe concedes that snagging significant market share from big banks in the Greater Toronto Area will probably be an uphill battle.

So, credit unions are focusing the bulk of their efforts on bolstering their membership in small-town Ontario, particularly communities proving popular with retiring baby boomers. The hot spots include Cobourg, Port Hope, Elliot Lake and Port Perry.

"I am often amazed why banks want to leave smaller communities if the clients with the money are going to smaller communities â€“ not that I want to be telling the banks this," Rolfe said.

Organic growers bringing produce to the people

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:14:53 -0700

KITCHENER

The strawberries are ripe, the tomatoes are plump and the lettuce is crisp.

All they need now are buyers.

A new co-operative of Waterloo, Perth and Wellington county organic farmers are hoping to gather a critical mass of residents who want to eat locally grown, pesticide and fertilizer-free foods on a weekly basis.

For $35, consumers can have a bin of fresh produce, meat and breads delivered to one of eight depots around the region. The co-op asks that buyers sign on for a minimum of 10 weeks.

The bin program, which will run year-round, is the creation of a new group called Local Organic Food Team, or LOFT.

For small, organic farmers such as Linda Laepple, the LOFT co-op gives her an accessible market for her grass-fed beef and the grain and potatoes she grows near New Hamburg. She's one of 15 producers who will supply everything from snow peas to duck meat and pumpkin pie.

More and more consumers are interested in buying local foods, she said, but the inconvenience and gas costs associated with gathering it has kept them away.

"Now we can get better access to the people," she said. "And the people can get everything in one box, instead of driving out to five or six different farms."

Yesterday, supporters for the new co-op crammed into the Joseph Schneider Haus to celebrate its launch and sample some local edibles. The co-op will eventually need about 400 weekly buyers to be sustainable, said Martha Gay Scroggins, a grower and one of LOFT's creators.

There are about 120 members now, she said. But numbers are growing every week, in part thanks to word-of-mouth and a website, www.localorganic.ca/loft.

When people taste the difference between mass-produced produce and the stuff coming out of local fields, there's no need to do any advertising, Scroggins said.

"This has spread so much simply because the food tastes amazing," she said.

Co-ops performing well in suspect economy

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:35:53 -0700

TRURO - Nova Scotia's co-op businesses are reporting significant growth at a time when the economy is suspected to be slowing down.

Speaking at the 59th annual meeting for the Nova Scotia Co-operative council in Truro, council CEO Dianne Kelderman announced a business growth of 5.6 per cent. This equates to an increase of $80 million since this time last year.

Kelderman attributed the growth to a number of factors and initiatives, which have been implemented over the last few years.

For instance the small business loan guarantee program provided $23 million in investment and capital to 343 businesses last year. The council has also launched a youth strategy, which delivers hands-on experience to young people.

Deputy minister of economic development Paul Taylor also said a few words at the banquet.
Taylor said the co-op council's programs, "helped to create and maintain 2,300 new jobs, which is equivalent to two brand new Michelin Tire plants."

There are 402 co-ops and credit unions in Nova Scotia. They employ more than 7,000 people and generate revenues in excess of $5 billion annually.

Subprime crisis a failure of values

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:33:15 -0700

THE WORD "values" has been thrown around a lot in business circles over the past few years. Everyone talks about them. Everyone has them written down. I was beginning to think they were just words in a corporate annual report. But values have meaning, and the recent subprime mortgage crisis has taught us that.

Many have heard of the subprime crisis by now, but just let me give you a little primer. First of all, the word "subprime" does not actually refer to the mortgage itself or the interest rate on that mortgage, but rather refers to the borrower. These are real people. A "subprime" borrower is a person of below-average income, often with past credit problems such as missed payments or a low credit rating. In other words, in a financial sense, these are among our most vulnerable citizens.

So a subprime mortgage is really just a mortgage that was provided to a subprime borrower. Except is wasnâ€™t just a simple mortgage; it was a modified mortgage that included exotic terms and conditions such as "teaser interest rates" or "rate reset triggers" or "negative amortizations" in which the monthly payment was set so artificially low that the principal balance actually went up each month.

Interestingly, although the subprime mortgage crisis was a problem across the United States, it was localized in eight American cities, where 50 per cent of the subprime mortgages were created. And do you know what those eight cities had in common? They had well-defined neighbourhoods of low-income households, often in immigrant communities or low-income minority communities, which were clearly among the most vulnerable, financially, in the U.S.

The other significant factor in this crisis is the unprecedented degree to which these subprime mortgages were packaged up into groups of hundreds or thousands of similar mortgages and sold off to Wall Street investment banks. However, default rates have been soaring, well beyond the expected level. As it turns out, when the person selling the mortgage, on commission, knows that his company will not actually own it, he cares very little about its collectability.

We have all read about the multibillion-dollar writeoffs, but the real story â€” the human story â€” is the financial devastation that has been inflicted on thousands of families and entire neighbourhoods. Who was looking after their interests? The answer is: No one. This was a complete failure of values.

The conclusion to me is clear. The only sustainable business is one that is serving the best interests of its customers. You may sell them products that make their life easier or better. You may lend them money to help them send their kids to school, buy a home, build wealth; you may provide them with the right advice to get ahead, protect their property or save for retirement. These are sound, sustainable business practices, but enticing people to take on more debt than they can afford, and taking advantage of their financial vulnerability, is not.

Luckily for us, the subprime mortgage crisis never really got going in Canada. But the fact remains that it could have, as there is no law to prevent these kinds of predatory lending practices from occurring. So I think it is important that the federal and provincial governments learn from the U.S. experience and enact laws to protect our own financially vulnerable citizens from these terrible practices.

The topic is one of great interest to credit unions. Although we provide a wide range of financial products and services to all members of the public, we are also known for the extra work we do with people who are financially vulnerable. In many ways, the people that were so abused by the subprime crisis are our customers.

And yet there is no subprime mortgage crisis with credit unions. And I believe the reason is twofold.

First, we have our unique ownership model; our customers are also our owners. They are our shareholders who enjoy all the rights and privileges, and respect, that ownership implies. The second reason is our time-tested credit union values, as articulated by Moses Coady.

If we take this same concept and expand it to our province, we can build a modern economy while holding true to the values that we hold so dear. As it turns out, Coady had it all figured out 70 years ago: A good education, self-help, local decision-making and investment in your own community are the keys to building a sustainable economy.

This brings me to the question of public policy.

John Kenneth Galbraith said: "Most economists believe the answer to economic underdevelopment is massive infusions of capital. They are wrong. The answer is massive infusions of education." We have a good system, but we need to make the system more accountable, with more testing and reporting of results.

We also need more investment in our local infrastructure. Perhaps rather than arguing about whether we should have private investment, let's look at what public assets are most appropriately held in government hands and which no longer need to be.

Of course, we also need to stay focused on paying down our provincial debt, which is still too high and restricts the ability of government to do good things.

I have learned that government is capable of great things, such as making daily life a little better for many people, particularly those who need help the most. But it is also true that society can only reach its true potential when all its resources, both public and private, are working together.

French-fry grease to liquid gold

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:28:05 -0700

VANCOUVER -- What was once considered trash has become treasure for B.C. restaurateurs.

Until recently, vats of old cooking oil had to be hauled away - at a cost. But the detritus of a million French fries is now liquid gold, with companies competing to buy the leftover grease to convert it into biodiesel, an environmentally friendly fuel. Unlike other biofuels, this biodiesel is not affecting the food chain because it is recycled.

Two years ago, restaurateurs in the Lower Mainland paid a Vancouver rendering operation, West Coast Reduction, to pick up their waste oil. Now, with the rising cost of crude oil and the increase in interest in alternative fuels, restaurants are receiving between 5 cents and 10 cents a litre for their old grease from several small, biodiesel startup companies. West Coast Reduction has been forced to reassess and now either picks up for free, or pays for the oil.

"There's lots of people getting in on it," said Barry Glotman, president and CEO of West Coast Reduction. "It's a gold rush right now."

West Coast Reduction doesn't make biodiesel. It combines the oil it picks up with rendered animal fats to create a product called Feed Fat, an ingredient in food for animals. Its fleet of trucks run on biodiesel and the company is still the leading importer of the fuel to B.C. from the United States.

"The U.S. gives a $1 per gallon subsidy on biodiesel blends," said Rob Jones, West Coast Reduction's director of sales and marketing. "Right now, it's cheaper for us to bring it up and distribute it than to build a plant and process it ourselves."

Mr. Jones said the arrival of small competitors buying up waste vegetable oil is a concern, as is theft of oil from West Coast Reduction's collection drums, some of which are kept outside. Both trends are connected to the rise in fuel prices.

"Every day the price of oil goes up, someone figures restaurant grease can be had for free and goes and fills their jerry can from the back of a fast food outlet," said Mr. Jones, noting that the problem is much greater in the U.S., due to the higher quantity of fast-food outlets.

Alex Rotherham, executive chef of Darby's Pub in Kitsilano, now gets 5 cents a litre for his used oil from local biodiesel producers ERM BioSource.

"The cost of a litre of fresh vegetable oil is now $2.50 - double what it cost a year ago," he said. "Any revenue is good. We also like the fact that it's food waste, rather than actual food being used."

ERM BioSource recycles 175,000 litres of used vegetable oil a month, mostly for industrial use. It plans to expand into the consumer market if it can find enough waste oil. Approved by the Recycling Council of British Columbia, ERM has initiated a program called the Restaurant Green Zone, in which restaurants that sell non-hydrogenated waste oil to ERM are included in marketing materials that advise consumers that members are not only committed to recycling, but are trans-fat free.

"One hundred per cent of our products are recycled, even our byproducts" said ERM's project resource manager, Robert Greene. "There is no waste - not even water waste."

The old oil is put through a process to remove carbon-emitting glycerides before alcohol is added. The resulting biodiesel is then mixed with a percentage of regular petro-diesel - B5 contains 5 per cent biodiesel, B50 has 50 per cent, etc.

The cost of blended biodiesel typically runs one cent per litre cheaper than petro-diesel for B5, and up to three-and-a-half cents per litre cheaper for B50. The cost of biodiesel is connected to the cost of gas, not simply because of the blend with petro-diesel, but also due to rising costs of transporting it to the point of sale.

Biodiesel is available at four Lower Mainland Autogas locations - supplied by West Coast Reduction. On Saturday, vancouverbiodiesel.org - a local biodiesel co-op - will, in association with Recycling Alternatives, launch a new downtown pump and will be the only outlet offering B100.

Recycling Alternatives' biodiesel manager Jean-Michel Toriel would not say where the co-op will get the fuel or how much it will cost, except that it would be "very competitive and the best value available." The fuel will conform to international standards and be derived from 100 per cent recycled oil.

Vancouver-based business development executive Paul Kamon replaced his old car three months ago. He bought a diesel vehicle so he could switch to biodiesel as part of an ongoing personal environmental commitment. "It does smell differently," he said. "But it runs great." The cost is less of an issue for him. "I believe we have to account for the environment in all our decisions."

After 40 years, housing co-ops needed more than ever

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:29:58 -0700

The Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada celebrates its 40th anniversary with the publication of a new history of co-operative housing in Canada. Under Construction: A History of Co-operative Housing in Canada is a success story, built on the principles and perseverance of people who just wouldn't take no for an answer in their pursuit of a place for housing co-ops in Canada.

"A small but determined group got together to lobby for co-operative housing in 1968, and that has given birth to a powerful movement," says Nicholas Gazzard, CHF Canada's executive director. "It is an extraordinary fact that the calls for more co-operative housing in Canada are heard loudest from housing co-op members, who seek nothing for themselves but rather the advantage for others of what they already enjoy."

The official launch will take place at CHF Canada's annual general meeting in Toronto, on June 14, at the Westin Harbour Castle. Author Leslie Cole will speak to more than 700 housing co-op members from across Canada.

There are more than 93,000 co-op homes in Canada, providing affordable housing for a quarter of a million Canadians. But the number of co-ops cannot meet the demand for affordable housing. Most co-ops have long waiting lists and the problem will become more acute as the government funding programs that help house low-income residents come to an end.

CHF Canada members are working with other organizations and calling on all levels of government to help the 4 million Canadians in core housing need.

Delegates will not only celebrate 40 years of success, but examine current housing needs and make plans for the future.

Big fuel costs have cabbies thinking small

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:25:11 -0700

If Joni Mitchell were to rewrite her hit Big Yellow Taxi, she might be inclined to call it Little Green Hybrid instead.

It wouldn't be nearly as catchy and it has a strange Martian ring to it, but with fuel costs and greenhouse gases both crowding the upper atmosphere, it might prove more accurate as cabbies look to more efficient cars to preserve their livelihood.

In Toronto last week, the council committee that oversees taxis endorsed a fuel surcharge in the face of $1.30-per-litre gasoline, while Vancouver, where gas costs even more, is being hit with a similar charge that was approved yesterday. B.C.'s Passenger Transportation Board has introduced a temporary fuel surcharge of 3.5 per cent on all taxicabs in the province. The surcharge will be implemented on July 12 and is effective until there is a significant change in fuel prices.

Toronto is also looking at relaxing its taxi legroom requirements to allow smaller cars and more hybrid models onto the streets.

The measures can't come soon enough for Louis Seta, president of the Toronto Taxi Industry Association, who says his city has dragged its feet too long at the increasing expense of beleaguered cabbies.

While the fuel surcharge will increase fares by 11.4 to 17.5 per cent, depending on the length of the trip, gas prices have soared more than 30 per cent since the last big increase in 2005, and insurance costs are up 20 per cent this year alone, Mr. Seta said.

"The industry has traditionally been willing to eat the extra costs, even though it means every time we have to eat extra costs, our standard of living goes down, which people don't seem to understand," he said.

While New York has mandated that all 13,000 of the city's cabs be replaced with hybrids by 2012, and that all new taxis meet certain emissions and mileage targets as of this year, Toronto has so far "just said no" to smaller cars and mandatory fuel-saving measures, Mr. Seta said. "I believe that we should be moving toward hybrid fleets or fuel-efficient cars, whatever it is that we can get. It only makes sense to operate something that's more efficient."

Opinions differ on what that "something" will be.

With a grant from the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, Co-op Cabs launched a one-year test last November to compare 10 Toyota Camry hybrids to 10 conventionally powered Camrys in terms of performance and fuel efficiency.

The jury is still out.

"There is some savings, no doubt about it, but it's not very much," Co-op CEO Peter Zahakos said. "These are preliminary statistics that we have, so it's not 100 per cent sure, and that's without factoring in the costs for maintenance," which are unknown for hybrids over the five-year lifespan of a high-use cab in Toronto, he said.

Hybrid or not, fuel-sipping cars are fast becoming a no-brainer in the taxi world, and if one upstart American company can pull it off, interior space won't have to be sacrificed in the process.

The Standard Taxi, as it will be called, is not exactly pretty; the boxy yellow prototype, which produced great buzz at trade shows in Seattle, Las Vegas and New York during the past two years, is the automotive equivalent of SpongeBob SquarePants, the homely-but-loveable cartoon character.

Still, if it can deliver fuel efficiency through an engine specially tuned to cab-driving cycles, it stands to win industry hearts with its low-floored, high-ceilinged cabin, bus-like seats, roll-on wheelchair accessibility and flat, easily replaceable body panels.

"I've got deposits on a couple of them," said Jim Bell, general manager at Diamond Taxi in Toronto, who had a quick ride in the Standard during a trade show and loved it.

Production, originally scheduled to begin late last year, was delayed after Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced New York's tough new efficiency requirements for taxis, Mr. Bell said, which prompted Standard to take its drive train back to the drawing board.

Others aren't as enthusiastic about the car. Mr. Seta called the design "terrible," while Mr. Zahakos said it does not meet the TTC's current regulations for wheelchair accessibility.

Historic Amalgamation of Cooperative Packinghouses

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:00:31 -0700

(Kelowna) Four cooperative packinghouses today executed the final legal agreement for their amalgamation. The Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative is the culmination of decades of consolidation and mergers in the tree fruit packinghouse industry.

The new cooperative will receive, store, grade and pack over 130,000 tons of tree fruits consisting of conventional and organic apples, pears, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, crabapples, prunes, plums and grapes. The wholesale value of fruit packed by the four packinghouses was $100.1 million in 2006, with shipments to Western & Eastern Canada, USA, Mexico, Latin America, Dominican Republic, Europe, South East Asia and Saudi Arabia.

Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative will service almost 12,000 acres of orchard land from Osoyoos in the south to Salmon Arm in the north, from Keremeos in the west to Creston in the east. The merger accounts for $54.1 million in assets and employs 640 people.

In 1957, fifty one years ago, there were thirty-six cooperative societies, twenty independent shippers, and five grower-shippers selling their product through B.C. Tree Fruits Limited. By 1972, the number of packinghouses had consolidated to fourteen cooperatives and four independent shippers. The previous round of amalgamation, to four cooperative packinghouses, occurred in 1998.

Today marks the penultimate amalgamation of the Okanagan s cooperative packinghouses a single cooperative packinghouse has been formed marketing fresh product through B.C. Tree Fruits Limited. The new cooperative needed to form to meet the competitive pressures of the marketplace. The drivers of this amalgamation are the market deman for consistently high-quality tree fruit produce and the need for improved efficiency. Now begins the work on delivering on the promise of the consolidation.

"Our staff looks forward to serving the 910 growers who will ship to the Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative", said Gary Schieck, CEO of the newly formed cooperative.

In the previous three years, the cooperatives formed an operating company, Okanagan Tree Fruit Company Ltd. to manage the cooperatives as a common organization. However, the cooperatives continued to keep their financial records, assets, and boards separate. Growers recently voted to merge into a single cooperative, with all packinghous assets owned by the new cooperative, and with a single board and financial reporting system in place.

An interim Board of Directors, composed of representatives from each of the existing cooperatives, will be in place until the first Annual General Meeting of Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative in August 2008.

The Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative owns and operates 6 packing facilities, in addition to 9 satellite locations with storage or warehousing. Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative also owns subsidiary companies B.C. Tree Fruits Limited (a broker), and Growers Supply Company Limited (a farm and irrigation supplies store).

The growers of Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative are members of the BC Fruit Growers Association which represents commercial orchards in BC, with a mandate to foster a business environment for the long-term prosperity of BC tree fruit growers.

Food co-operative plays matchmaker by linking local farmers with locavores

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:07:53 -0700

Good things grow in Oklahoma, including an idea that has inspired a co-op connecting Niagara's farmers with the region's locavores.

The brainchild of Yvette O. Plentai, project manager for the Niagara Agritourism Centre, and aptly named the Niagara Local Food Co-operative, it's a virtual market for anyone wanting to eat locally produced food.

"The whole issue is that farmers and people who have small business are so used to working 365 (days a year) that they don't come up for air and they can have problems with marketing," Plentai said.

To help, twice a month starting this fall, the co-op will allow producers to post online what crops they have available. Consumers have a week to place orders over the Internet, paying the farmer via PayPal.

Growers will then bring their produce to a designated distribution centre, where it will be sorted by volunteers before going to customer pick-up sites throughout Niagara.

In the spirit of a co-op, farmers and consumers will pay a membership fee. To cover operating costs, producers will also be charged for selling through the co-op, while locavores will pay five per cent for using the service.

The inspiration came to Plentai from an Oklahoma co-operative run in a similar manner. What started off with a handful of growers has morphed into a statewide operation projecting sales of more than $1 million by 2010.

Plentai, who visited Oklahoma in April to learn more, envisions the Niagara Local Food Co-op capturing a large following of both farmers and customers.

"The problem is going to be whether producers are producing enough for the co-op," she said.

As such, Plentai sees the co-op providing opportunity for more than just farmers who are already established. It will also appeal to anyone with a parcel of land - big or small - and an entrepreneurial streak.

"It almost becomes like an economic propeller," said Plentai, who is recruiting grower members now. "I'm hoping that people will go back to farming and make a livelihood out of it."

Albert Witteveen, president of the Niagara North Federation of Agriculture, said farmers are starting to realize the business opportunity that is local food.

The Grassie, Ont., poultry and fruit farmer plans to shift his own operation to include a garden market to sell his wares. "Farmers are seeing that it's not fluff and will make investments toward that," he said.

"It gives farmers an option - smaller to medium-sized agriculture producers - to service that smaller to medium-sized market."

Witteveen, who sits on Niagara Region's agricultural task force, said the groundswell of interest in local food has prompted the task force to establish a subcommittee to co-ordinate the efforts of locavore-oriented organizations, such as the Niagara Local Food Co-op and the Niagara Culinary Trail.

Plans are also afoot to develop a food procurement policy that would see regional institutions buying local food.

"Instead of everyone going off in their own direction ... we're working collectively," Witteveen said. "There's many things going on, and it's good to see things co-ordinated."

For more information, contact Plentai at 905-714-0491.

Kootenay Co-ops Rise to Carbon Challenge

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:59:25 -0700

(Nelson) Nelson lived up to its reputation as a "green" community and rolled in as one of the leading cities across the country in last week's National Commuter Challenge.

The Commuter Challenge is an annual event in the first week of June aimed at getting Canadians to choose sustainable forms of transportation, such as, cycling, walking, ridesharing, bussing, and teleconferencing. Nelson had the second highest result for percentage of community member participation and the highest for a city its size.

As part of the nation-wide Commuter Challenge - Nelson & District Credit Union challenged other local cooperatives to determine which organization could leave a lighter commuter carbon foot-print from June 1st-7th. A grading system of walking, cycling, teleconferencing, public transit, car-pooling and driving solo was used.

The local co-operative in Nelson which accepted the credit union's challenge was the Kootenay Co-op Country Store. Bragging rights for the winning team and $200 being paid by the losing team to the West Kootenay Eco-Society was laid down.

Though $200 was paid by Nelson & District Credit Union as their staff used the most fuel to get to and from work, the real challenge was to each individual staff member to make a minor adjustments to their commuting habits...and many did.

Following the challenge, many success stories were shared benefiting the environment. Some staff cycled to work or took public transit for the first time. Others had a social week of filling up their cars with newfound car-poolers.

22 staff from Nelson & District Credit Union participated in the challenge, collectively saving over 3,500km of driving over the week.

Youth Pioneering Co-operation around the World

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:29:05 -0700

(Vancouver) On June 2 and 3, young people from around the world met to discuss how co-operatives can offer solutions to a sustainable future - and they did it without a single plane trip.

The annual Building Co-operative Futures youth conference was held simultaneously in Vancouver, Saskatoon, Guelph, Karachi (Pakistan) and Buenos Aires (Argentina) this year, linked together by video conference.

The 2008 theme, "Building Co-operative Futures... in a Carbon Neutral World" inspired the organizers at the BC Institute for Co-operative Studies (BCICS) and the BC Co-operative Association (BCCA) to minimize the carbon footprint of the conference.

By pursuing web-based opportunities to link participants instead of air travel, it is estimated the conference avoided producing more than 300,000 lbs of carbon dioxide.

In addition to those participating at the Regional Forums in the five cities, people from around the world could view the conference online as it happened and submit questions to the presenters.

Participants at each Regional Forum also discussed regional activities and issues outside of the portions of the agenda that were webcasted.

In Vancouver, particular attention was paid to learning about co-operative values and structure, including how to form and develop co-ops of all types, and the potential of co-operatives to "re-localize" economies.

A substantial delegation of high school students from Victoria presented on their innovative retail co-op, through which they sell fairly traded products to their classmates and community, donating the surplus to charity.

The Co-operative Auto Network, Sustainability Solutions Group Workers Co-op, Sprouts Co-op, and the Post Carbon Institute also gave presentations illustrating the natural relationship between co-operation and environmental leadership.

The New Practice, themselves a co-op of young facilitators, presented on the history of their co-op and led the Vancouver participants through a series of activities and workshops focussing on co-operation.

The 2008 Building Co-operative Futures conference was made possible through contributions from Coast Capital Savings Credit Union, BCICS, and BCCA.