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May 2026 Newsletter
Volume 18 Issue 5
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CANADIANS’ TRUST IN CO-OPS ENDURES THROUGH TOUGH TIMES
Canadians believe in co-ops, want more of them, and want to belong to them.
Photo by Ronda Dorsey on Unsplash
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EXPERTISE HUB HELPS ITS MEMBERS PUT THEIR EXPERIENCE TO USE
The Co-op provides immigrant professionals with opportunities they might otherwise have difficulty obtaining.
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EXPERTISE HUB AIDE SES MEMBRES À METTRE LEUR EXPÉRIENCE À PROFIT
La coopérative offre aux professionnels immigrants des opportunités qu'ils auraient autrement du mal à obtenir.
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DID YOU KNOW?
CWCF is part of an ad-hoc committee assembling a list of Co-op-knowledgeable accountants & bookkeepers across Canada. We’d like to know if you have any accountants and/or bookkeepers who’ve worked with your co-op (and ideally others) whom you’d recommend. Anyone you suggest for this list will be asked in advance if they’re comfortable with their names and contact information being listed on the CMC and CWCF websites.
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CMC CONGRESS 2026 and CWCF MIXER, TORONTO
Join CWCF staff, board, and members at the 2026 CMC Congress, taking place June 8–9, 2026, at York University, Toronto!
We encourage worker co-op members and supporters to attend the Congress Reception on Monday evening and connect with co-operators from across the country. CWCF will be hosting a brief Worker Co-op Mixer (for WC members, WC developers, and CWCF staff, board, advisors, and members) within the CMC Reception. Watch for the signs!
CMC Congress Reception
Date: Monday, June 8, 2026 | 6:30–8:30 PM
Location: York University
Tickets: Reception tickets can be purchased directly here. Registration closes May 29th.
We hope to see you there!
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GUIDE TO NEW INCENTIVE TO CONVERT TO
WORKER CO-OPERATIVES
The Canadian government has made amendments to the Income Tax Act (ITA) to exempt the first $10 million of a business owner’s capital gain from the sale of their existing business to a worker co-operative, or employee ownership trust. These provisions have recently been made permanent, which is a huge success in our lobbying efforts; shout-out to Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada, and Social Capital Partners for their support in CWCF's efforts on this critical issue! Co-op lawyer Brian Iler, a member of CWCF's Business Succession Committee, summarizes the amendments and their implications.
Photo by PiggyBank on Unsplash
| | PERMANENT TAX RELIEF FOR CO-OPERATIVE CONVERSIONS | The government has officially proposed to make the $10 million capital gains tax exemption for business sales to worker co-operatives and Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) permanent. CWCF and CMC extended their thanks to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finance Minister Champagne for this decisive measure, which directly addressed Canada’s looming $2 trillion small business succession crisis. | | |
MESURES FISCALES POUR LES CONVERSIONS EN COOPÉRATIVES DANS LA MISE À JOUR ÉCONOMIQUE DU PRINTEMPS
Le gouvernement a officiellement proposé de rendre permanente l’exonération de l’impôt sur les gains en capital de 10 millions de dollars applicable à la vente d’entreprises à des coopératives de travail et à des fiducies pour les employés (fiducies collectives des employés – FCE). La FCCT et CMC ont exprimé leur reconnaissance au premier ministre Mark Carney et au ministre des Finances, François‑Philippe Champagne, pour cette mesure déterminante, qui répond directement à la crise imminente de la relève des petites entreprises au Canada, estimée à 2 000 milliards de dollars.
| | CWCF YOUNG ADULT ARTS AND CULTURE GRANT FUNDS SONG | |
Ivan Jankovic, recipient of CWCF's 2025 Young Adult Arts and Culture Grant, performed the song "In Our Hands" at an all-day festival in honour of International Labour Day on May 1, funded in part by the grant with the support and collaboration of Venue Co-op YVR. A professionally recorded version of the song, which centres on worker ownership, is also available.
In addition, the song will be aired live on radio at the following stations and times:
- CiTR 101.9 FM (Vancouver/UBC) - May 21st @ 5pm PT
- CFRO 100.5 FM (Vancouver) - Wednesday, May 27 @ 2:30pm PT (on "No Apologies Necessary" show)
- CJTR 91.3 FM (Regina) - Saturday, May 30th @ 6am CT (on "The Philp Side" show)
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CWCF CONFERENCE 2026: BUILDING RESILIENT WORKER
CO-OPS
The world today is in crisis, and worker co-ops are not immune. How do we attain safety amidst uncertainty, profitability amidst precarity, and grow and change so we can not just survive but thrive? The answer lies in building resilient worker co-ops that can help us find our footing on uneven ground and prepare ourselves for the journey ahead.
The 2026 CWCF Worker Co-op Conference will take place online, from November 3 to 5, 2026.
If you are interested in presenting, please apply through this form by June 30, 2026.
For more information, consult the application requirements here or contact Kaye Grant at communications@canadianworker.coop.
| | PANSY CLUB SEEKS INVESTORS | Pansy Club is currently looking for investors in order to raise funds for the purchase of a permanent facility to house the Pansy Club Multi-Stakeholder Cooperative. | | |
COOPZONE MEMBER SURVEY
CoopZone Developers' Network is conducting its first survey since 2017 and would love your input! Whether you're a current or former CoopZone member, a co-op development practitioner, or simply someone connected to the co-operative ecosystem: your perspective matters! The survey takes about 5 minutes and will directly inform CoopZone's programming, value proposition, and strategic directions: Fill it out here.
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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 organizations that support the growth and development of worker co-operatives. 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 comments, suggestions, or news about your co-op to:
Kenzie Love
Editor of the CWCF Newsletter
admin@canadianworker.coop
(403) 276-8250
La Fédération canadienne des coopératives de travail (FCCT) est une organisation issue de la base, pancanadienne et bilingue. En son cœur se trouvent les coops qu’elle sert (coopératives de travail, de solidarité et de travailleuses et travailleurs actionnaires) ainsi que les organismes qui soutiennent la croissance et le rayonnement du modèle coopératif. L’infolettre de la FCCT est offerte gratuitement à toute personne disposant d’une adresse courriel et souhaitant en savoir davantage sur le développement des coopératives de travail au Canada. Veuillez soumettre vos commentaires, vos suggestions ou des nouvelles de votre coopérative aux coordonnées suivantes :
Kenzie Love
Rédacteur en chef de l’infolettre de la FCCT
admin@canadianworker.coop
(403) 276-8250
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