The Canadian Worker Cooperative Federation (CWCF) is pleased to be able to offer the services of our Registered Plans Program, Common Good Capital, to any entity that is a member of CWCF and whose securities are a qualified investment to be held in Registered Plans. In order to make use of the Program, members must remain in good standing by paying their annual membership dues. The first year’s membership dues must be paid at the time of application.
An enterprise that is a worker co-op can apply for Regular Membership with CWCF. The dues rate for Regular Members is $50 + applicable G/HST for the first two years, after which time the dues rate is determined by a sliding scale based on the co-op’s payroll figure for the year. The application for Regular Members can be found here.
Current Regular Members who wish to begin making use of the Registered Plans Program Program must complete a new application form specific to Common Good Capital. That form can be found here.
An enterprise that is another type of co-op or similar entity (e.g. Community Economic Development fund), or a Non-Profit Organization (NPO) can apply for Associate Membership with CWCF. The dues rate for Associate Members is $100 + applicable G/HST annually. The application for Associate Members can be found here.
In addition to completing the appropriate CWCF Membership Application form and remitting payment for dues, prospective Common Good Capital Members must review and sign an Agency Agreement, which is essentially the contract between the organization and CWCF. A Declaration Regarding Directors and Officers must also be completed by the Board President and most senior manager of the organization, and a list of Authorized Signing Officers must be provided. Please email rrsp@canadianworker.coop to obtain these forms.
It is recommended for the Designated Representative from your organization to reach out to Common Good Capital staff when considering applying for membership so that we can assist you with the process. CWCF provides a Support Manual for its Registered Plan Program Members, which details the requirements for membership, how to complete the various forms, and important information about the Program. The Support Manual for co-operatives can be found here, and the Support Manual for non-co-op entities can be found here.
Once all required application paperwork has been received by Common Good Capital staff, it will be vetted and then forwarded to CWCF’s Board of Directors for review and approval at their next meeting. CWCF’s Board meets approximately every two months. Application paperwork must be received no later than 2 weeks prior to an upcoming Board meeting for consideration at that time.
Common Good Capital staff will reach out to the Designated Representative upon membership being granted to provide access to the remaining required documents for the organization’s investors, as well as answer any questions regarding next steps. It is possible that the Board may grant conditional acceptance of a member and require additional information before membership is fully approved. If the membership application is rejected, the Designated Representative will be notified.
For more information regarding general CWCF Membership, please contact Hazel Corcoran, Executive Director, at (403) 276-8250 or hazel@canadianworker.coop.
For more information regarding membership in our Registered Plans Program, please contact Kristin Van Hattem, Common Good Capital Manager, at (902) 678-1683 or rrsp@canadianworker.coop.