What is a Co-op?
Co-operatives are established by groups of individuals, privately owned businesses and/or community development organizations to provide themselves with needed services. They are considered to be an integral part of this province’s social economy because they are democratically controlled and designed to meet the social and economic needs of their members. Co-operatives have helped many people in the province create effective solutions to community challenges, while building local leadership skills and maintaining local autonomy and control.
The co-operative business model brings a number of unique attributes that complement the work of other community development agencies and help them achieve their goals. Co-operatives engage local people in the collective ownership of business ventures that are serving their needs and those of their communities.
Examples of existing co-ops in this province include the Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Co-operative (NIFCO) in St. John’s; the Terrington Consumer’s Co-op in Happy Valley-Goose bay; the Advocate Youth Services Co-op in Baie Verte; the Springdale Community Development Co-op; and the North Shore Central Ambulance Co-operative in Conception Bay North. Click on the sections on the right of this page to learn more about some existing co-ops in Newfoundland and Labrador and in other parts of Canada.
