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April 2012
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Over 80 local businesses participated recently at the Chamber of Commerce 9th Annual Chamber Tabletop Tradeshow at Cutten Fields. Over 300 visitors attended the event, which showcased businesses from areas including landscaping, renovating, retail, photography, financial services, catering and more. Participants pictured above are left to right: Lloyd Longfield, Guelph Chamber of Commerce; Michele Mactaggart, BenSol Consulting Inc.; Al Pentland, Guelph Business Machines Ltd.; Vanessa Hovius, Cutten Fields; Giorgio Boccalon, Guelph Hydro; Amy Pickernell, Guelph Humane Society; and Cathe Lovell, Meridian Credit Union. (supplied photo: Natasha Persaud)
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Near the end of 2009, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution proclaiming 2012 the International Year of Co-operatives, in recognition of the contribution co-operatives make to the social and economic development of communities around the world. Owned by the members who use the services, co-operatives are unique in that they operate in virtually every sector of the Canadian economy, including financial services, retail, agriculture, housing, health care and energy. Collectively, it is a business model that not only touches the lives of 18 million members, and 150,000 employees across Canada; nationally co-operatives control assets of more than $330 billion. In Ontario, there are 1300 independent organizations, operating in 1900 locations across 400 communities. Provincial housing co-ops account for almost half (45%), with financial services including credit unions and insurance, and child care
both accounting for 17% each. With 25% of the organizations in South Western Ontario, Guelph holds a good share of them with over 32 co-operatives and credit unions, employing over 1300 people locally. Some of the country’s best-known co-ops have offices here in Guelph, including The Co-operators, Desjardins Group, and Gay Lea Foods. Owned by students, for students– the Campus Co-op at University of Guelph, having operated since 1913, is the oldest student co-operative in Canada, owning both student housing and the student bookstore. Three recent studies provided by the Ontario Co-operative Association demonstrate that co-operative enterprises have significantly higher survival rates than other business corporations. In the first year of business co-operatives have a 94% survival rate over the 75% rate for other business corporations. By year five 65.8% of co-operatives are going strong over 39% of other businesses
by Heather Grummett
and in year ten the rates are 44.3% to 19.5%, with twice as many co-operatives surviving. The International Labour Organization has released a new report showing that not only has the co-operative model been resilient to economic crisis compared to the majourity of other enterprises–many co-operatives have actually thrived. The Ontario Co-operative Association has created a learning module called All 4 Each, to inspire a co-operative conscience and to assist high school educators in teaching students about the co-op business model. It is the first time standardized co-operative teachings have taken place in high schools for many years. All 4 Each is a series of five lessons, suitable for high school civics, business and world studies classes, which present co-op philosophies and introduce the co-operative business enterprise model in an intriguing and informal setting.
The All 4 Each program was launched this year as one of ON Co-op’s projects for the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives, with the big push in schools beginning this September. Schools in Ottawa, Halton and the Guelph region have already been involved in a soft launch of the program. “The response has been amazing,” says Kerr Smith, Education Manager for the Ontario Co-operative Association. “This is a unique situation. Usually business and social consciousness fall into two very different streams of learning,” adds Smith. “This program brings them together combining entrepreneurship and concern for the community.” “We are working with Ontario Co-operative Association and getting involved in schools. Generally the co-op business model is not widely understood. Students learn about sole proprietors, partnerships and – continued on page 11
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