For additional information, see “Student Handout #10: What is a Co-op?” used in Unit 2; or access the International Cooperative Alliance Web site at http://www.coop.org

Why are cooperatives formed?

• People feel they have no power in the market place.
• No one, or no existing organization, is providing a service that is needed.
• People’s jobs or communities would disappear if the people did not join together to save them.
• There is a desire to keep the control and profits of business in the community.

What is a cooperative?

• A cooperative is an organized group of people working together for the good of the whole group.
• People join together to meet their own needs in a co-op.
• The co-op members own the organization and benefit from its successes. The community also benefits because the wealth of the co-op stays in the community.

What are the different types of cooperatives?

• producer or marketing (frequently owned by farmers to market agricultural products)
• consumer/retail (owned by consumers, e.g., Steephill Foods in Saskatoon)
• worker/employment (the workers also own the business)
• housing (people jointly own and live in these co-ops, including houses, townhouses, mobile homes and apartments)
• service (provide the members with a special service, such as a health
• financial (a credit union is a financial cooperative that provides services similar to a bank).