The Latest News From Canada's Worker Co-op Sector
May 2020 Volume 12 Issue 5
In This Issue

  • CWCF Announces Supports to Worker Co-op Members During Pandemic
  • The Allium Does Food Differently, by Kenzie Love
  • Welcome New Members!
  • CWCF Virtual Coffee Break May 26 at 11:30 ET
  • Board Member Profile: Eric Tusz-King, by Kenzie Love
  • Lessons from Argentina’s Worker-Recuperated Enterprises: Co-operatives in Times of Crisis (with Marcelo Vieta)
  • Co-operatives in a Time of Crisis Conversation Series
  • PCC & Mondragon Offer Online Course to Incubate Platform Co-ops
  • Info Réseau COOP, Québec
  • CoopZone's Online Training Open for September 2020!
  • NEW LOGO AND WEBSITE FOR CWCF!
CWCF Announces Supports to Worker Co-op Members During Pandemic
CWCF is pleased to announce that it is taking a series of measures to supports worker cooperative members with the challenges many of them are facing resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The measures CWCF is taking include committing $165,000 to the Tenacity Works investment fund for patient capital investments of up to $20,000 per co-op; increasing by $25,000 the budget for the Technical Assistance grant program, which will provide grants of up to $2,000 for co-ops to work on worker co-op survival planning; and offering Solidarity dues of $10 to worker co-op members for the 2019-2020 year.

The Allium Does Food Differently

By Kenzie Love

When The Allium was conceived in early 2019 in Calgary, it came into being as a worker co-op first and a restaurant second. Its founders knew they wanted to establish one of the former, and their collective interests and experience led them to choose the latter as the kind of business it would be.

Welcome New Members!

CWCF is pleased to announce two new members, VALU Co-op of Vancouver and Send It Courier of Toronto. Please join us in welcoming them to the federation!
CWCF Virtual Coffee Break
May 26 at 11:30 ET

In times like these staying connected to our communities–sharing stories and support–becomes more important than ever. We would like to create a safe space for worker owners to gather, get to know each other, and share collective knowledge on issues specific to worker owners. We invite you to join us, in our virtual “coffee hour” through our screens, to help us rebuild and strengthen our incredible community from a place of mutual care and respect. 

Update on CWCF's Government Relations Work
CWCF continues to seek support from the Government of Canada to strengthen Canada’s Worker-Owned and Solidarity Co-operative movement as part of the response to the pandemic. CWCF has retained on a temporary basis the same Government Relations firm which Co--operatives & Mutuals Canada has hired for over 18 months, FleishmanHillard HighRoad. We have also retained Russ Christianson, who coordinated the writing of our current Strategic Plan, and past Financial Officer Peter Hough to write the proposal. We have received formal support from: CCEDNet, the Saint Mary's University Co-op Management Education Co-operative, la Fédération des coopératives forestières du Québec, le Réseau COOP, ICA director for Canada Alexandra Wilson, the Chair of the ICA Research Committee Prof. Sonja Novkovic, and others. 
Board Member Profile: Eric Tusz-King

By Kenzie Love
Eric Tusz-King has served as the Atlantic region director on CWCF’s board since 2007, and will conclude his final term in office later this year. His introduction to the worker co-op movement began with the development of EnerGreen Builders’ Co-operative, which was created to build energy-efficient homes in 2006.


Webinar: Lessons from Argentina’s Worker-Recuperated Enterprises: Co-operatives in Times of Crisis (with Marcelo Vieta)
Wed, May 27, 2020 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM MDT

in this webinar we will ask: What can the co-operative and social and solidarity economy learn from the Argentine economic crisis of 2001 and the worker-recuperated enterprise movement?

Co-operatives in a Time of Crisis Conversation Series
Co-operatives and credit unions are member- and community-focused organizations known for their resiliency. In this series of conversations, the Canadian Centre for the Study Co-operatives asks leaders in co-operatives and credit unions, big and small, how they are making use of their co-operative structure to address the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis.

PCC & Mondragon Offer Online Course to Incubate Platform Co-ops
The Institute for the Cooperative Digital Economy (ICDE) at The New School in New York City (USA) and MONDRAGON Co-op. & MTA-MONDRAGON UNIVERSITY Mondragon, Gizpuzkoa (Spain) jointly offer an emergency online course to introduce, incubate, and accelerate platform cooperatives, June 1 - July 24, 2020. If you’d like to be informed once registration for this course becomes available, please email pcc@newschool.edu

Info Réseau COOP, Québec
Réseau COOP souhaite vous partager quelques informations concernant les avancements de nos projets, nos prochaines formations et celles de nos partenaires ainsi que quelques ressources concernant avec la situation actuelle.

CoopZone's Online Training Open for September 2020!
Co-op development is a challenging process that requires a diverse array of skills. Becoming an effective co-op developer requires not just knowledge and creativity, but most of all practice working with many different types of co‑ops. The CoopZone Developers’ Network Co-operative has developed an online live training program which is unique in Canada! It is now possible to take courses with an a-la-carte approach. For more information and registration, please,  visit our website  or   register  online. 

NEW LOGO AND WEBSITE FOR CWCF!
CWCF is currently doing a soft launch of its new logo and website! Stay tuned for the hard launch in the coming weeks.
The Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation (CWCF) is a national, bilingual grassroots membership organization of and for worker co-operatives, related types of co-operatives (multi-stakeholder co-ops and worker-shareholder co-ops), and organizations that support the growth and development of worker cooperatives. CWCF's e-newsletter is available free of charge to anyone with an e-mail address and an interest in worker co-operative developments in Canada. Please send any comments and suggestions, or news about your co-op, to:  

Kenzie Love
Editor of CWCF Newsletter 
(403) 276-8250 
CWCF | 104 402 30 Ave NE, Calgary, AB T2E 2E3 | 403-276-8250 |