CWCF is pleased to offer members a wide range of benefits and services designed to both help individuals and support and strengthen worker co-ops and the worker co-op sector.
Why Become a Member
- Join a network of worker co-operatives across the country
- Access to member-specific resources, including funding, group benefits, Common Good Capital Program and Advocacy & Lobbying
Member Benefits
Education & Engagement
CWCF provides opportunities for education and engagement in a variety of formats for members across the country.
- Conferences:
- Receive discounts on registration fees and travel subsidies.
- Participate in workshops on conflict resolution, crisis management, JEDDI issues, and more.
- Targeted Worker Co-op Webinars:
- Worker Co-op 101 series:
- Aimed at workers of worker co-ops to learn what you need to know about governance, finance, and the basics when joining a worker co-op.
- Webinars on current issues in the worker co-op sector.
- Worker Co-op 101 series:
- Regional mixers:
- Connect with CWCF staff and board members and your local worker co-op sector.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to learn about the latest news and events in the worker co-op sector
Funding & Grants
- Technical Assistance Grant program: Apply for grants of up to $4,000 to co-op members of CWCF to hire professional help (co-op developers and lawyers who are members of CoopZone, and potentially others, if necessary) to deal with issues they are facing.
- Technical Assistance Consultation program: Receive direct technical assistance and connections to other sources of funding.
- Tenacity Works Worker Co-op Fund: Apply for loans ranging from $15,000 to $50,000.
Democratic Member Control
Exercise the second co-operative principle by having the opportunity to run for the CWCF board of directors or serve as a delegate at the AGM.
Common Good Capital Program
To help capitalize your co-op or similar type of entity, make use of CWCF’s RRSP and TFSA program, called Common Good Capital. The program allows the members of a co-op to place shares they own in their co-op into Self-Directed RRSPs and/or TFSAs.
Co-operators Group Benefits
- Access Co-operators Programs:*
- Member Benefits Program: Provide individual members of your co-op access to exclusive, value-added coverage and savings for a wide range of products.
- Home Insurance
- Auto Insurance
- Business Insurance (for businesses operated by individual members)
- Farm Insurance
- Travel Insurance
- Co-op Guard®: Get all the protection your co-operative needs in one complete package, created by and for co-operatives.
- Essential Liability coverage
- Speciality Liability coverage, including Directors and Officers Liability
- Cyber Guard insurance
- Commercial Auto Insurance
- Property, business interruption and crime coverage
- Equipment Breakdown Insurance
- Group Benefits
- Group RRSPs
- For more information on member benefits or Co-op Guard®, or to find a co-operators agent to help you please email strategicclientmanagement@cooperators.ca or contact Kaye Grant at communications@canadianworker.coop.
Advocacy and Lobbying
Benefit from belonging to an organization that works to ensure worker co-ops have a level playing field with other forms of business and a voice when it comes to policy making.