What is a Co-op?
Here's what you need to know
We can all agree that living in the Kootenays is pretty awesome; there are so many unique aspects within our communities that make us lucky to be here. One prominent feature of West Kootenay communities is the presence of co-ops.
Co-ops in our area take the form of businesses that offer products and/or services to their members: public services that offer child or health care, social groups providing services such as housing or employment assistance, and financial co-ops such as credit unions.
The definition of a co-operative is a community-based democratic institution that is owned and controlled by its membership to provide a unified voice and structure to a group of individuals who have pooled their resources to achieve common goals.
Co-ops provide an environment where members and the community benefit from working together. By purchasing a share in a specific co-operative, one becomes a member responsible for assisting in the co-ops decision-making process. In this decision-making process, each member, regardless of number of shares, position in community or amount of investment, is entitled to one vote.
Organizations operating as co-ops around the world follow this set of common principles:
1. Voluntary and Open Membership
2. Democratic Member Control
3. Member Economic Participation
4. Autonomy and Independence
5. Education, Training and Information
6. Co-operation among Co-ops
7. Concern for the Community
If you would like more information on co-operatives, please check out these very informative sites.
links
| BC Co-operative Association | www.bcca.coop |
| BC Institute for Co-operative Studies - | www.bcics.org/ |
| Canadian Co-operative Association | www.coopcca.com |
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