Ontario Co-operative Association

Ontario Co-operative Association
Name	Ontario Co-operative Association
Type	Nonprofit
Founded	1991
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario
Region served	Ontario
Affiliations	Co-operative Federation of Canada, International Co-operative Alliance

Ontario Co-operative Association The Ontario Co-operative Association is a provincial co-operative apex organization based in Toronto that supports co-operatives, credit unions, and mutuals across Ontario, engages with federal actors such as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and provincial entities like Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Ontario), and collaborates with national bodies including the Co-operative Federation of Canada and international networks such as the International Co-operative Alliance and United Nations forums.

History

Founded in 1991 amid regional restructuring influenced by policy shifts following the Meech Lake Accord debates and economic changes from the era of Brian Mulroney governance, the association emerged alongside contemporaneous organizations like the Canadian Co-operative Association and provincial partners including the Quebec Co-operative Federation. It developed during the same period as notable Canadian co-operative developments such as the restructuring of the Desjardins Group and movements connected to the Rural Electrification Act-era legacies. Through the 1990s and 2000s the association engaged with stakeholders like the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade on policy files intersecting with social finance trends influenced by actors such as the Caledon Institute of Social Policy and initiatives resembling the Social Enterprise Fund.

Mission and Objectives

The association's mission emphasizes co-operative development, capacity building, and promotion of co-operative principles consistent with statements from the International Co-operative Alliance and policy frameworks echoed in documents from the Ontario Human Rights Commission and reports by the Parliament of Canada. Objectives include supporting community-owned enterprises similar to models used by the Antigonish Movement, facilitating access to capital reminiscent of the Community Futures Network of Canada, and advocating for legal and regulatory environments aligned with precedents like the Co-operative Credit Associations Act and provincial statutes such as the Trustee Act (Ontario).

Structure and Governance

Governance follows a membership-driven board model reflecting governance practices seen in organizations like the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada and the Canadian Worker Co-op Federation. The association maintains a board of directors elected by members, with committees comparable to those in the Canadian Union of Public Employees and reporting structures similar to entities such as the Ontario Nonprofit Network. Its executive officers liaise with regulatory authorities including the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario and interact with academic partners like University of Toronto and Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University).

Programs and Services

Programs encompass co-operative development, training, and legal advisory services akin to offerings by the Small Business Advisory Services and financial literacy campaigns similar to those run by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. Services include start-up incubation, governance workshops, and financing referrals paralleling mechanisms used by the Community Economic Development Technical Assistance Program and investment vehicles like Vancity Credit Union-style social finance instruments. The association runs sectoral initiatives for agricultural co-operatives, credit unions, and worker co-ops, coordinating with sector groups such as the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the National Farmers Union.

Membership and Affiliates

Membership comprises consumer co-operatives, credit unions, worker co-operatives, and federations similar to affiliates like the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada and provincial analogs including the Federation of Community Social Services of BC. Affiliates include provincial credit union centrals, national associations such as the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, and international partners like the International Labour Organization and European Association of Co-operative Banks for comparative exchange. The association engages with community partners including the Ontario Trillium Foundation, foundations like the McConnell Foundation, and municipal networks comparable to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

Impact and Advocacy

Advocacy work targets policy changes in legal frameworks impacting co-operatives, engaging legislative bodies such as the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and federal committees like the Standing Committee on Finance. Impactful campaigns have paralleled national efforts seen in submissions to the House of Commons and were informed by research partnerships with institutions like McMaster University and Queen's University. The association's projects have contributed to community economic development examples similar to those documented by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and cooperative success stories echoing international cases from the Mondragon Corporation.

Funding and Financials

Funding sources include membership dues, project grants from bodies such as the Ontario Trillium Foundation, federal programs like Employment and Social Development Canada funding streams, and philanthropic support from organizations such as the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. Financial oversight adheres to nonprofit reporting standards referenced by the Canada Revenue Agency charitable regulations and auditing practices used by firms serving entities like the United Way Centraide network. Annual budgets reflect program priorities comparable to other sectoral intermediaries including the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation.

Category:Co-operatives in Canada Category:Non-profit organizations based in Ontario