Why start a co-op?
Co-op and credit union owners are a special bunch. They’re social entrepreneurs who care about having successful businesses, delivering quality products and services in their local economies, and strengthening their communities.
They’re also big-picture innovators who want to be a part of the new economy and make positive, lasting contributions to society. Starting a co-op can be your entry point to becoming one of these changemakers.
BC is the Place to Be for Co-ops
- British Columbia has one of the most vibrant co-operative movements in Canada, with almost 700 co-op businesses and growing
- BC is home to some of Canada’s largest, most established and innovative co-ops and credit unions such as MEC, Vancity Credit Union, and Stocksy — and they’re all BCCA members
- The BCCA offers extensive support to prospective co-op startups through the comprehensive Cultivating Co-ops Guide, free introductory consulting services with professional co-op developers, and the Cooperate Now start-up bootcamp
The Co-op Business Model is Solid
- Co-ops are incorporated businesses with legal rights, protections and obligations, and are set up to fare just as well as traditional businesses in the marketplace
- Total membership in BC co-operatives exceeds 2 million people; collectively, these people control more than $48 billion in assets through ownership of their co-ops
- Research shows that co-ops often fair better than traditional businesses over the long term.
Co-ops Balance People and Profits
- The co-op model balances the need for your co-op business to make a profit with the needs of the people in your community
- Depending on the type of co-op you establish, profits from your business may be distributed to co-op members through patronage payments
- That money stays and circulates in your community, further benefitting and strengthening your local economy