The federal government's Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI) was formally approved to start April 1, 2009. The program is $19.1 million investment over the next four years aimed at the creation of new co-operatives, support for existing co-operatives and the promotion of innovative ways to apply the co-operative model to meet social and economic challenges. The program provides important new support for co-operative development across Canada. Both start-ups and existing co-ops are eligible to apply for support.

The overall CDI has two main components:

Advisory Services provides assistance to groups who want to start new co-ops, or who need help to manage existing ones. This component is managed jointly by the Canadian Co-operative Association and the Conseil Canadien de la Coopération. The CWCF is one of the delivery partners, as are the regional organizations associated with CCA and CCC. Having been involved in the lobby to obtain this program over several years, CWCF is very pleased to now be one of the delivery partners, able to provide services to worker co-ops in development under this program.

The Innovative Co-operative Projects is the second CDI component. It is also managed by the Canadian Co-operative Association and the Conseil Canadien de la Coopération. The program is aimed at the creation of new co-operatives or existing co-operatives that are innovating new ways to apply the co-operative model to meet social and economic challenges.