By Kenzie Love Lichen Community Systems was founded in 2024 by four people dedicated to growing the practice of community-led design. Building on the principle of “nothing about us without us”, community-led design goes beyond consultation and co-creation. It supports technologies and systems that are designed by, accessible to, and ownable by communities. The Co-op’s … Lichen Celebrates Community-Led Design
By Kenzie Love Pansy Club started in Calgary in 2021, inspired by the legacy of previous grassroots queer parties. From modest beginnings, it has since grown to become an important part of the city’s queer culture, with the aim of eventually becoming a queer cafe and social space actually owned by the queer community. Pansy … Pansy Club Helps Queer Community Blossom
By Kenzie Love Seize the Means of Production Video Co-op is a unionized video production worker co-op based in Vancouver, BC. Established in 2022, it was founded by five long-time collaborators who saw an opportunity to do art-based, nonprofit work. “We wanted to start a business, but were also thinking about the co-op model as … Worker Co-op Seizes Opportunities
By Kenzie Love Black Women Professional Co-operative (BWP Co-op) is a multi-stakeholder co-op that aims to empower women professionals and entrepreneurs to operationalize their businesses and scale up products and services to mainstream local channels and international markets. Founded in March 2020 by ten Black women professionals, the Co-op was formally incorporated in 2024. Ada … BWP Co-op’s Members Succeed by Coming Together
By Kenzie Love OUR Eco Village Cooperative is an organization with a unique vision and a rich history. OUR stands for “One United Resource,” a philosophy that emphasizes the contributions and gifts each member brings to the collective. The Co-op began as a community group in Victoria, BC, in the 1990s, united by a passion … OUR Eco Village Cooperative: A Story of One United Resource
By Kenzie Love The Cleaning Co-op’s journey began in late 2022, born out of a desire to create a different kind of work environment. Cofounder Lulu Hernández was working for an exploitative cleaning company in Vancouver whose clients included the company for which another cofounder, Hayley Postlethwaite, was managing, an Airbnb. Postlethwaite saw an opportunity, … Cleaning Co-op Offers Empowerment Over Exploitation
By Kenzie Love Black women in Canada face significant barriers, including high levels of violence, lack of access to employment, higher education, and housing, and disproportionate rates of incarceration. Research shows that the cumulative impact of racism, discrimination, poverty and other structural and systemic inequalities profoundly impact the physical, emotional and mental health of all … Worker Co-op Development Program Empowers Black Women
By Kenzie Love Dream Bike Co-op originated from a group of friends in Toronto who were involved in the cycling and game development communities. Cofounder Brendan Lehman was inspired by the cooperative model of other businesses in the cycling community, including as a member of Send It Courier, and saw an opportunity to engage their … Dream Bike Envisions Change From the Screen to the World
By Kenzie Love In 2012, thousands of Quebec students engaged in protests over the provincial government’s increase in post-secondary tuition fees. With the repeal of the fee increase later that year, it might have seemed to some as though the issue was over. But the activists and organizers continued to meet and decided their work … Solidarity Co-op Members SEIZE the Opportunity, in Quebec and Beyond
Winnipeg’s Eadha Bakery Worker Co-op began as the brainchild of Cora Wiens, who started selling bread at farmers markets, and finding success with this venture, eventually moved into a bricks and mortar space. The onset of the pandemic, however, highlighted the challenges of running a sole proprietorship, and the worker co-op model beckoned. Beginning late … Workers Free to Pursue Their Passion at Eadha Bakery