Information and Learning Sessions

Worker Co-operative Conferences, Workshops
The CWCF has held annual meeting and conferences in all regions of the country. The highlights of these conferences are the person-to-person networking which occurs and the practical workshops directed at enhancing the skills of the CWCF's members. Members receive discounts on fees (and travel subsidies, for worker co-op members) to attend the CWCF annual conference. The conference includes training workshops, worker co-op business tours and great opportunities for networking. Workshops on such topics as capitalization, conflict resolution, crisis management, strategic planning, the RRSP program, and gender issues have been held.

Tele-learning Sessions and Web-based Training
CWCF provides conference call training sessions ("tele-learning") to co-op developer members. Anyone may access the transcripts and/or audio recordings at: http://www.coopzone.coop/en/taxonomy/term/167/9 . These sessions cover topics as diverse as marketing, taxation and co-op legislation - and many more. Similar sessions are tentatively planned for CWCF's worker co-op members, starting in fall 2008.

Information on Worker Coop Issues
Receive hard to find information on subjects such as how to find capital for a worker co-op, EI eligibility, taxation and sweat equity, and about other worker co-ops in Canada and internationally. The web sites which we maintain are: www.canadianworker.coop (CWCF), and www.coopzone.coop (for CoopZone - resources on development of co-operatives of all types, including worker co-ops).

Archive of Worker Co-op Policies and Bylaws
CWCF seeks to create an on-line archive of WC policies and bylaws. Any member with such documentation to share is asked to forward them to CWCF's Executive Director.

Access to Technical Assistance, Capital and Development Grants

Access to Start-Up and Development Grants, and Capital
The CWCF allocates small CDI AS grants to start-ups and already-operating worker co-ops who meet the criteria set by the CWCF. Further, in some cases CWCF may be able to provide capital to your co-operative through our Tenacity Works Worker Co-op Fund, typically with loans in the range of $20,000 to $50,000.

RRSP Program
Members have access to the CWCF RRSP program. The program facilitates the members of a worker co-op to invest any shares they own in their worker co-op into individual member's Self-Directed RRSPs. (For more information on this program see http://www.coopzone.coop/financing. Choose RRSP's for Co-op Capital.doc for a summary explanation; and RRSP Support Manual Fnl.doc for a detailed explanation of the program.

Access to Professionals who provide Technical Assistance to Worker Co-ops.
The CWCF has formed a Network of Worker Co-op Developers which is part of CoopZone Developers’ Network Co-operative to help ensure that there are competent consulting resource people available to groups wishing to start a worker co-op, or who need assistance once the co-op is operating. The grants noted in the prior section can be used to help subsidize the cost of assistance by a developer in the CWCF Network.

Group Plans

Group Purchasing Programs 
Through membership in the CWCF you have access to a large co-op buying group sponsored by the CCA. Currently discounts on office supplies, long distance, cell phones and Purolator courier are available. E.g., the long-distance program available provides service for under 2 cents / minute, anytime and anywhere in North America, with a very inexpensive calling card option. CWCF members can ask the Executive Director for the member login to retrieve this information the the site of the Credit Union Central of Canda (www.cucentral.ca).

Provision of information on the Co-operative Pension Plan
CWCF provides to members basic information and contact information for the Co-operative Superannuation Society Pension Plan, a plan which any co-operative or credit union in Canada may join, as follows. Plan members are eligible to set any rate of contribution; the Society suggests a contribution rate of 5% of salary to be matched by the employer's 5%. Note that only incorporated co-operatives and credit unions are eligible for this plan. For more information, see www.csspen.com; or request a basic information package through: www.csspen.com/contact/ContactRequest.aspx .

Group Insurance Plan
The Co-operators Group and CBA offer a group insurance plan to CWCF members.

Government Relations

Lobbying Efforts on Behalf of Worker Co-ops
The CWCF is committed to ensuring that worker co-ops have a level playing field with other forms of business. For example, when worker co-op shares were not included in the RRSP regulations allowing small business shares as eligible investments, the CWCF lobbied successfully for their inclusion. In recent years, CWCF has been actively engaged in the lobby to renew the federal Co-op Development Initiative.

Model Co-op Legislation
The CWCF participated in the development of the model legislation for co-ops. This initiative, co-sponsored by the CCA and the CCC, was the basis for a new federal Cooperatives Act in December, 1999. The CWCF drafted the specific sections which deal with worker co-ops. The federal Act, in turn, has also served as the basis for several provincial Co-op Acts.