Community Investment Co-ops are an exciting way to support community development. They allow people to invest their money in local businesses and initiatives. A CIC — also known as an Opportunity Development Co-op in Alberta — pools the investment money of local residents, and lends it to start-ups, uses it for renewable energy projects, and more. Investors get to see their dollars at work in their own backyards, and get a return on their money as well. 

Investment co-op experts Seth Leon with the Alberta Community and Co-operative Association in Calgary, and Eden Yesh with Kootenay Employment Services in Creston, BC, talk to us about this great model.