The Common Share

In this episode, Karri-Lynn Paul tells our Indigenous Relations Lead Trista Pewapisconias about the "abundance" approach to economic and community development. In this approach communities ask, "what gifts and talents do we already have?" and build on those advantages. 

Across Canada, housing costs are rising. Housing co-operatives have often been used to provide stable, affordable housing, and more people are interested in how co-ops can work in the current environment. Union Co-operative is a new housing co-op in Waterloo, Ontario that aims to provide permanent affordable housing by having members collectively purchase properties. Its Executive Director, Sean Campbell, spoke to us about this co-op, how it works, and what it hopes to provide in the context of an ever-increasing cost of living. 

In this helpful discussion, entrepreneur and consultant Cathy Edwards gives insights into the process of starting a co-operative and how to plan for sustainability and success. 

Living in small towns shouldn't be seen as just a cheap alternative to cities. People should choose to live in rural areas because they love their communities and the lifestyle they provide. Rural futurist Mary Doyle, founder of ruralonpurpose.com, spoke to us about intentional rural living and envisioning the future of small communities. 

Co-ops tend to choose their boards of directors through elections at their annual meetings. But are there other methods? In this episode, Dr. Simon Pek from the University of Victoria discusses the idea of using a lottery instead of an election to select a co-op board. Check out this episode for a breakdown of an interesting and innovative democratic process. 

Not every co-op project works out. Sometimes groups with good intentions decide the business won't pan out the way they'd hoped — but even the "unsuccessful" projects provide valuable progress. In this episode, Co-operatives First board member and cattle producer Eric Moes talks about starting and ultimately letting go of a co-op project, and the lessons learned along the way.

Tanner speaks with Gordon Casey from Brave Co-op — a tech co-operative in  BC that's created overdose-preventing apps and products. This incredible co-op is making a real difference in people's lives, and Casey talks about the company's approach and how its products save lives. 

In this episode, Business Development Lead Heather Hallgrimson spoke to Jessica Mason, Co-director of Start.coop. This organization helps get co-ops started in the United States, and Heather and Jessica speak about their experience with co-op start-ups, whether co-ops need to scale, and much more.

Montreal-based Eva Co-op is a rideshare and delivery service co-operative that puts its members in the driver's seat. Eva was launched in 2019 in part as a response to similar companies that often failed to support their workers.
 
In this episode, Tanner spoke to Eva COO Dardan Isufi about this innovative co-op and how it has adapted to the changing economy.

Canada has work to do when it comes to providing childcare options for families. But by starting a co-op, parents can create a daycare that provides them with the spaces and services they need. In this episode, Dr. Jen Budney from the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives talks about the landscape of Canadian daycare and how co-ops can play a part in making things better.