Here you'll find co-op development guides and resources, information about co-ops, a link to our newsletter, teacher resources and Co-op Week publications and features.
If you have discovered other useful co-op resources from Saskatchawan, Canadian or international sources that we could link to on this page, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. us with the details.
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- SCA Newsletter
- Teacher Resources
- Co-op Development Guides and Resources
- Hand in Hand: Co-operative Guides for Newcomers to Canada - NEW! Volume 2 just added!!
- Information About Co-operatives
- Co-op Week publications and news features
SCA Newsletter
SCA publishes an e-newsletter called "Co-operative Spotlight" that is emailed to subscribers about every two weeks. It's a brief recap of news and information for Saskatchewan co-ops, credit unions and stakeholders, as well providing information on upcoming SCA and SCYP programs and events. It's a complement to our social media feeds.
To subscribe, click HERE. To review past issues, click HERE.
Teacher Resources
We’ve developed co-operative education resources for high school and middle school teachers (and others who want to educate others on co-ops). Download them for free HERE.
Co-op Development Guides and Resources
General Co-op Development:
Co-operative Development Steps: Although every co-op (and co-op working group) will approach development in its own way, there are several key steps that successful co-operatives follow to get started. We’ve summarized the co-operative development steps for your reference.
Co-operative Development Self-Assessment Tool: This self-assessment tool will assist your group in understanding how far along you are in developing your co-op, and will identify some of the concepts and components that should be involved.
A Guide to Incorporating a Co-operative in Saskatchewan: This guide was developed by SCA to assist groups in understanding how to complete the co-operative incorporation process in Saskatchewan. Included are
- Details on the steps to the incorporation process,
- Links to forms you'll need to complete,
- Tips, and
- A checklist to help you successfully submit your incorporation paperwork.
Understanding Financial Statements:
SCA's executive director, Victoria Morris, has created two blog posts on understanding financial statements. View Understanding Financial Statements: Some Basics and Understanding Financial Statements Part 2 - Using the Statements to Assess Financial Health.
Co-op Creator has published this handy guide on how to read financial statements.
Co-operative Conversions and Worker Buy-outs
The Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation has assembled a page of resources on business succession planning and creating a co-operative through the conversion of an existing business.
Co-opConvert. The Conversion to Co-operatives Project (CoopConvert) aims to better understand business conversion to co-operatives (BCCs) as outlets for saving jobs, addressing business succession needs, and creating new cooperatives across Canada.
Co-operative Law:
Understanding Co-operative and Non-Profit Law, by Robert Dobrohoczki: A work commissioned by Saskatchewan Co-operative Association and Le Conseil Économique et coopératif de la Saskatchewan to clarify the relationship between co-operative law and non-profit and charitable status in Saskatchewan. Available materials include the complete paper and a fact sheet.
Worker Co-operatives and Employment Law in Canada: This paper, provided by the Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation, examines the relationship between worker co-operatives and employment law in Canada. It provides information on the definition of an employee, the rights of members, the rights of employers, the method of proper termination and the role of labour unions. The paper provides recommendations for worker co-operatives to consider as they navigate the legislation in order to create a strong co-operative and a workplace beneficial to its membership.
Sector specific
Childcare Co-operatives:
- The Ontario Co-operative Association has assembled a Childcare Co-operative Toolkitt that includes a guidebook to starting a childcare co-op, financial planning templates, a business planning guide & much more!
- The Parent Co-operative Pre-School Corporation also has a website full of helpful information and resources for those looking to start their own childcare co-operative.
Co-operative Farming:
The Greenhorns, a non-traditional grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to recruiting, promoting and supporting young farmers, have produced Cooperative Farming: Frameworks for Farming Together, an in-depth resource for farming collaborative businesses.
Indigenous Co-operative Development:
SCA partnered with the Saskatchewan First Nations Economic Development Network to develop Local People, Local Solutions: A Guide to First Nation Co-operative Development in Saskatchewan, resource to support First Nations' co-operative development.
Indigenous/Local Food Co-ops:
Local Food Co-ops:
Working Together for Local Food is a detailed resource guide aimed at inspiring and encouraging people involved in local food activities to form co-operatives. It also includes a resource guide for new and emerging co-operatives. Developed by the Canadian Co-operative Association and hosted by the Canadian CED Network.
Solar Co-operatives:
SES Solar Co-operative, from Saskatoon, developed a very useful and comprehensive guide to help new solar power groups work through the development process. Check it out HERE.
Understanding Financial Statements
Co-op Creator has prepared this handy guide.
Hand in Hand: A Co-operative Guide for Newcomers to Canada
Hand in Hand (Volumes 1 and 2) are integrated skill resources approproate for adult ESL/EAL learners. The manuals focus on topics related to ESL/LINC theme Commercial Services and Business and may also work as supplementary material for Employment and Career programs. They are designed to align with Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels 1-4 (Volume 1) and 5-12 (Volume 2).
Read more about Hand in Hand HERE.
Volume 1 focuses on CLB Levels 1-4
Volume 2 focuses on CLB Levels 5-12
Contact SCA for print copies of Hand in Hand, or click on the images to download or view a digital copy.
Information About Co-operatives
SCA’s Co-operative Information Booklet
"Saskatchewan Co-operatives: Supporting Economic Growth and Sustainability" contains basic information about co-operatives, statistics, stories, and ideas about where the co-operative model can support continued economic growth in Saskatchewan. (Please note that while this remains a very useful snapshot of the Saskatchewan co-operative sector, some of the statistics are becoming dated.)
Co-op Week Publications and News Stories
2021 Co-op Week News Stories
- Co-op Week feature (8-page free standing version)
2020 Co-op Week News Stories
- Co-op Week feature (8-page free standing version)
- Link to Oct 1, 2020 issue of Planet S Magazine, which includes the Co-op Week feature
- Link to Oct 1, 2020 issue of Prairie Dog Magazine, which includes the Co-op Week feature
2019 Co-op Week News Stories
2018 Co-op Week News Stories
2017 Co-op Week News Stories
- Planet S Magazine
- Prairie Dog Magazine
- Saskatoon Star Phoenix Newspaper page 1, page 2
- Regina Leader Post Newspaper view articles online, or each page: page 1, page 2
2016 Co-op Week News Stories
- Saskatoon Star Phoenix
- Battlefords News Optimist
- Regina Leader Post
- 2016 Planet S/Prairie Dog Co-op Week Inserts
2015 and earlier Co-op Week Publications
- 2015 Planet S/Prairie Dog Co-op Week Inserts
- 2014 Co-op Week Publications
- Planet S/Prairie Dog
- Star Phoenix
- Leader Post
- Globe and Mail
- The Battlefords Regional Optimist: October 23, 2014, November 6, 2014
- 2013 Planet S/prairie dog Co-op Week Insert
- 2012 Planet S/prairie dog International Year of Co-operatives & Co-op Week Insert
