Celebrating Co-op Week in Canada!

This week is our week to celebrate our co-operative heritage, principles and values; nation wide.

Co-op Week appears to be a uniquely Canadian phenomenon. In the US, October is Co-op Month, and the International Co-operative Alliance and United Nations have an International Day of Co-operatives on the first Saturday in July.

Co-op Week has been celebrated by francophones throughout Canada since 1958. In 1981 celebrations were held among Anglophone co-ops in the Maritimes and Saskatchewan. The event went national in 1982 with the encouragement of the Co-operative Union of Canada, a predecessor of the Canadian Co-operative Association.

The co-op sector has deep roots in Canada. In the late 19th century, farmers in Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada developed co-operative creameries and cheese factories to meet the needs of the growing dairy industry. Alphonse Desjardins founded Canada’s first caisse populaire in Lévis, Quebec in 1900. And in the first decade of the 20th century, farmers in western Canada organized co-operatives in an effort to market their products.

In Ontario, a united agricultural-based co-op network began in 1914 when a group of farm leaders met and developed the concept of connecting Ontario farmers into one organization. In reality, two similar organizations emerged, but The United Farmers Co-operative Company (UFCC) quickly became the accepted trading medium. Its first commercial venture as a co-operative was to purchase twine from Ireland in an effort to break a monopoly of Canadian twine manufacturers who had previously controlled the supply of twine to farmers.

During Co-op week, Canadian co-ops including GROWMARK and the Ontario FS Co-operatives will celebrate by raising the co-op flag, offering special customer appreciation activities, fund raising for community (locally or globally) and hosting various events that educate and bring awareness to the diverse co-op sector.

Fundraising efforts from GROWMARK Ontario employees are geared towards supporting the Co-operative Development Foundation that provides financial support and guidance to global communities in need of a new start through co-operative practices.

    

Click here to read Prime Minister Harpers 2013 Co-op Week Message