Atlantic Canada Co-operatives

Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better Atlantic Canada

As 2012 is the International Year of Co-operatives, there has never been a better time to get familiar with the great products and services provided by co-operatives in your area–and all the benefits that co-operatives bring! Of course, to learn more about co-operative financial institutions, visit the credit union nearest you!

Nova Scotia

  • Halifax Circus Co-op (created Atlantic Canada’s first circus school)
  • Careforce Home Careworker Co-op (established Atlantic Canada’s first Alzheimer cafes)
  • CKRH-FM (one of several co-operative radio stations in region; this one serves Francophone population in Metro Halifax)
  • JustUs! Coffee (Canada’s first fair trade coffee roaster)
  • Connecting People for Health Co-operative (Health Connex is Canada’s first and to date only online health care clinic)
  • Atlantic Filmmakers Co-operative (Canada’s oldest English-speaking film co-op)
  • Co-operative Artisanale (rug-hooking co-operative based in Cheticamp; sells crafts online and keeps tradition alive)
  • Lunenburg Balsam Fir Co-operative (Shipped Christmas trees to Dubai this past holiday season)
  • Acadia Cinema Co-operative (formed to purchase and refurbish Acadia cinema in Wolfville)
  • Halifax Seaport Farmers market
  • Cape Breton Stage Company
  • Cape Breton Music Industry Co-operative
  • East Coast Organic Milk Co-operative
  • Scotian Gold co-operative (jointly owned, controlled by more than 60 apple growers in Annapolis valley)
  • Deep Roots Music Co-op (holds yearly music festival in valley)
  • Healthy Minds Co-operative (peer group for those suffering from mental illnesses)
  • Cape Breton Organic Beekeepers Co-operative
  • Atlantic Council for Bioenergy Co-operative
  • Maritimes Rideshare Cooperative (carpooling co-op for Maritime provinces)
  • CarShare Halifax (car sharing co-operative in Halifax; first of its kind for region)
  • EduNova (association of education and training providers)
  • Halifax Local of Dominion Newspaper Co-operative (alternative online newspaper)
  • Antigonish Farm & Garden Co-op (provides land to grow vegetables)
  • View Point Gallery (artists gallery on Barrington Street, Halifax)
  • Sunset Sands RV Park (run by Port Hood co-op)
  • Off the Hook Co-operative (created by fishers to get fair prices for their catches)
  • Bear River Farms (first biodynamic farm co-op)
  • East Coast Organic Milk Co-operative Ltd.
  • Scotsburn Co-operative Services Ltd. (Scotsburn Dairy)

New Brunswick

  • Carleton Community Forest Co-op (created in wake of mill closures to ensure sustainable future for region’s forestry industry)
  • Caisses Populaires Acadiennes (In 2010: $3 billion in assets, $7.6 million in dividends $1.9 million in community donations)
  • Theatre L’Escaouette (formed 35 years ago by first graduates of Universite de Moncton’s theatre program to create jobs for themselves)
  • NB Film Co-operative
  • Downtown Daycare Co-op (recently opened in Moncton’s new Peace Centre)
  • Lotus Co-operative (has helped low-income women and immigrant women establish small business; in April will share space in Moncton’s downtown, including yoga studio,
  • market, etc.)
  • Open Sky Co-operative (residential and charitable farm for families who want to be self-sufficient)
  • TBA Collective (promotes established and emerging artists and musicians; holds popular annual Messtival)
  • Knowledge Atlas Co-op (describes itself as “first social media co-op in the world”; building map of human knowledge on the web)
  • Ville de Lameque (supports Acadian arts and culture)
  • Sun Farm Kitchens Co-operative (serves nutritious local foods using solar-powered kitchen trailer in Moncton)
  • Fundy Funeral Co-op (hailed as most successful funeral home in Atlantic Canada; increased number of families it serves in 2009 by 22% with revenues of $7 million)
  • Health care co-operative provides services for acute and chronic care in the Acadian peninsula
  • Traveling Knitters Co-operative (formed by Co-op Atlantic leaders (Chair, CEO, family members)  who knit while on the road touring Atlantic Canada, visiting co-op stores: create and donate knitted products to worthy causes
  • Brunswick Co-op Housing (one of a number of co-ops that provide safe, affordable housing for seniors)
  • Tannery Court (one of a number of residential buildings constructed by Avide, a division of Co-op Atlantic, to provide safe, affordable housing for low-income people and their families)
  • Peoples Park Tower (one of a number of senior housing complexes built by Avide)
  • Sussex Artists Co-op Atlantic
  • Lameque Co-op Wind Farm
  • Northumberland Lamb Co-op (celebrated 75th anniversary recently)
  • Taco Pica (a Saint John restaurant and worker co-op, owned and managed by immigrants from Guatemala)
  • Richibucto-Village Fishermen’s Co-operative (processes seafood for markets like Haiti; operates a fishing supplies and hardware store)

Newfoundland

  • Atlantic Studios Co-operative (provides professional services and equipment to motion pictures and television productions including CBC’s popular show Republic of Doyle)
  • St. John’s Farmers market
  • Confederation Building Daycare
  • Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John’s
  • Cab Co-op (a co-operative of cab drivers in St. John’s)
  • Fogo Island Co-operative Society (reintroducing agriculture to the island)
  • North Shore Central Ambulance Co-op (jointly owned by ambulance attendants and community;  provides ambulance services for communities on the Bay De Verde Peninsula)
  • The Extension Community Development Co-operative (worker co-op comprised of former Memorial University of Newfoundland Extension Service employees; provides consulting services in adult education, socio-economic research and community economic development.

Prince Edward Island

  • PEI Certified Organic Producers Co-op
  • Evangeline Community Health Services (founded by residents to fill gap created by retirement of local doctor; provides bilingual health services including dental care, speech pathologist)
  • Tignish Fisheries Co-op Limited (operates one of largest and most modern seafood processing plants in Eastern Canada; products sold under name of Star of the Sea)
  • PEI Vegetable Growers Co-op (grades, packages and markets root crops on the Island and abroad, with Caribbean, Europe and Scandinavia among export destinations)
  • Co-op Taxi Line Limited
  • Black Islanders Co-operative Limited (promotes recognition of contribution African-Canadians have made to PEI’s heritage and culture)
  • Prince Edward Island Eco-Net (a non-profit network of Islanders who care about the environment)
  • Woodlot Stewards Co-operative (provides woodlot management and marketing services for its members)
  • La Co-operative Le Chez-Nous (operates a supporting housing development that delivers care to Francophone and bilingual seniors)

Regional / National

  • Mountain Equipment Co-op
  • The Co-operators
  • Co-op Atlantic

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Special thanks to Rayanne Brennan, editor of the Atlantic Co-operator magazine, for supplying this list.

Is your co-operative missing from the above? Email communications@atlanticcentral.ca to have it added!