By Hazel Corcoran CWCF is thrilled to be launching our Worker Co-op Academy this month, with three groups participating. Although the types of fledgling worker co-ops vary, the collective entrepreneurs behind them share a common enthusiasm and commitment that will serve them well during this program. We look forward to working with them as they … Report from the Executive Director, June 2021
By Kenzie Love (updated May 19, 2022) Starting any business is challenging, and co-ops are no different. As veteran co-op developer Russ Christianson observes: “Like any good business, a co-op requires an excellent business plan, sufficient start-up capital, and the tenacity of its founders. Typically, there will be long hours, many meetings, and low pay … Apply Now to the Worker Co-op Academy
By Hazel Corcoran Spring is in the air across the country and fittingly for a time associated with new projects, CWCF has plenty on the horizon. Twenty-six people gathered on Zoom for our recent workshop on Building Racial Justice in the Worker Co-op Movement in Canada. The JEDDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion) Committee … Executive Director’s Report, April 2021
CWCF is pleased to welcome Sandra Allen of Shift Delivery Co-op as its director for the BC/Yukon region. Sandra replaces Jessica Valentine, whom she’d been assisting with her director’s duties since 2019. A member of Shift Delivery for the past two years, and one of its board members for the past year and a half, … Board Member Profile: Sandra Allen
The Canadian Worker Co-op Federation (CWCF) offers grants to assist worker co-ops that are, or agree to become, members of CWCF to hire a co-op developer or other professional to help with a challenge that the co-op is facing. Assistance can be sought in any area needed such as marketing, financial administration, governance, conflict resolution, … Worker Co-ops Benefit From Technical Assistance Grants
CWCF is pleased to welcome Jared Blustein, a member of The Allium Restaurant in Calgary, to its board as a Director-at-Large. Jared and the other members of The Allium, which operates both the restaurant and a marketplace to sell unused foodstuffs, strongly believe in allyship and support of other worker co-ops as a part of … Board Member Profile: Jared Blustein
By Hazel Corcoran As we enter the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope that CWCF members and our other readers are doing okay or at least finding ways to cope with the challenges. With public health, economic, and other concerns, there is a lot to deal with. Having to be isolated from … Report from the Executive Director, February 2021
CWCF is working actively with le Réseau COOP in Quebec to adapt their worker co-op training program to English Canada, and we expect to launch it in mid to late February. It’s called le Parcours COOP, loosely translated as “Co-op Journey.” This program offers entrepreneurs a framework for setting up their worker co-operative, with the … Parcours Program Update
Co-operation between co-ops is one of the co-op movement’s seven principles, and with that in mind we’ve developed a simple way to bring this principle to life: Solidarity Shopping. Modeled on the initiative developed by the US Federation of Worker Co-ops, CWCF has established a one-stop shopping site that we encourage all of our … Shop in Solidarity
By Hazel Corcoran CWCF held its first-ever virtual AGM on November 13th, joined by over 60 participants including many of our members as well as those who came to hear our special guest speaker, Dr. Jessica Gordon-Nembhard. She gave a brief but revealing presentation on how systemic racism persists in the worker co-op sector and … Executive Director’s Report – on CWCF’s Virtual AGM