Elders create a co-op to preserve language and traditions
Elders from Cote First Nation have formed a cooperative to better support youth in their community and help preserve their language.
Read MoreSecuring Services
After noticing that teachers working on the Onion Lake Cree Nation weren’t receiving the same benefits as teachers in non-Indigenous communities, a local leader saw an opportunity to provide financial services for his community — and communities across the country. He created the financial services co-operative, Many Nations.
Read MoreCreating authentic art
An Alberta college saw an opportunity to help its students market their work. Through a partnership with local organizations and educational institutions, the group achieved their mutual goals by forming the Nehiyawaskiy Indigenous Peoples Art Co-op.
Read MoreCollaboration and sustainability
B.C. is home to a group of independent salmon fisheries that are owned and operated by eight First Nations fisheries. To sustainably preserve salmon numbers and to remain competitive with large-scale fisheries, the independent fisheries agreed to form a co-op to streamline their processing and marketing, making it more efficient for everyone.
Read MoreBusiness Transition and Local Ownership
When the last locally-owned business planned to sell, a remote Métis town had to brainstorm ways to save the business. Things were looking bleak until one community member had the idea to start a co-operative.
Read MoreLocal Control and Wealth Creation
For the 300 people in Old Crow, the Yukon’s only fly-in community, having a DIY mindset isn’t a trend — it’s a way of life. So, instead of renewing the lease with the company that ran their grocery store, they chose to run it as a co-op in a new facility and keep the wealth in their community.
Read MoreCommercializing Craftsmanship
A group of self-starting businesswomen in Winnipeg find interest in their blanket-making and look to formalizing their work into a business. By turning to local organizations for support and guidance, the group has their bases covered as they form a worker’s co-operative.
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