Come As You Are (CAYA) opened in 1997 with a mission: to provide Toronto with an ethical, feminist, sex-positive sex shop. Inspired by San Francisco’s Good Vibrations, which at the time was a worker co-op, CAYA’s founders had all previously worked in the industry as sex educators, retailers, or as manufacturers of related products. None … Co-op Sex Shop Invites People to Come As They Are – Kenzie Love
Based in Toronto, Reba Plummer has served on CWCFs board since 2010, and as board President since 2016. The Co-executive Director of Toronto’s Urbane Cyclist, Reba started out as the proprietor of her own bike shop before joining Urbane in 2000. She attended her first CWCF conference in 2006, and has been present at … Board Member Profile: Reba Plummer
By Kenzie Love Much like the components of the bicycles they sell, the members of Winnipeg’s Natural Cycleworks all have defined jobs but play an equally important role. It’s an aspect of the worker co-op model that appeals to member Zach Allard, now in his sixth year with the co-op. “It does provide a really … Natural Cycleworks Succeeds With Shared Ownership, Divided Responsibilities
Jessica Provencher has served on CWCF’s board since 2011. She got her introduction to worker co-ops as a bartender at La Barberie, a microbrewery in Quebec City. During her time there, she spent six years as head of co-operative life, representing the co-op at conferences and on various boards. She currently is on the board … Board Member Profile: Jessica Provencher
Yvonne Chiu was elected to CWCF’s board of directors in November 2019. A founding member of Multicultural Health Brokers Co-op (MCHB) in Edmonton, she has served with MCHB since its establishment as a worker co-op in 1998. Yvonne joined CWCF’s board out of a desire to support its strategic priority of honouring diversity and inclusion, … Board Member Profile: Yvonne Chiu
When a group of tech professionals in Toronto decided they wanted to band together in late 2018 to create Hypha, the worker co-op model seemed like a natural fit. It was such a natural fit, in fact, that no one can pinpoint the precise moment when they decided to go that route. “When we first … Hypha Worker Co-operative Seeks to Build Bridges – Kenzie Love
Eric Tusz-King has served as the Atlantic region director on CWCF’s board since 2007, and will conclude his final term in office later this year. His introduction to the worker co-op movement began with the development of EnerGreen Builders’ Co-operative, which was created to build energy-efficient homes in 2006. His interest in the co-op model, … Board Member Profile: Eric Tusz-King
CWCF is pleased to welcome Jessica Valentine to its board of directors, acclaiming her as its director for the BC/Yukon region at its 2019 AGM. Jessica has been a member of Woodshop Worker’s Co-op for the past six years, currently serving as its marketing director. She brings 15 years of sales and marketing experience to … Board Member Profile: Jessica Valentine
Over more than 40 years, the Winnipeg store now called Organic Planet has had several different names but one common mission: the distribution of food that matters. This long journey began when a consumer co-op known as Harvest Collective opened in 1978, which ultimately declared bankruptcy in 1999 and closed its doors. A former member … Organic Planet Offers Food With a Philosophy- Kenzie Love
By Kenzie Love From humble beginnings as a pilot project focused on expecting parents in Edmonton’s Chinese immigrant community, Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative (MCHB) has grown to a worker co-operative of 100 workers serving members of all ages from 30 different ethnolinguistic communities. Yvonne Chiu, the co-op’s executive director, has been with MCHB for this … Multicultural Health Brokers Creates Health Through Community