CO-OPERATIVE SPOTLIGHT NEWSLETTER FOR MARCH 17, 2021
SK CO-OPERATIVE SECTOR MAKES IMPRESSIVE SHOWING ON THE SASKBUSINESS TOP 100 LIST
Every year, SaskBusiness Magazine releases the official list of the Top 100 Companies in Saskatchewan. A number of SCA members, including Federated Co-operatives Limited, The Co-operators, Access Communications Co-operative, Concentra Bank and SaskCentral appear on the 2020 list.
In total, four credit unions, 25 co-operatives which are part of the Co-operative Retailing System, plus four other co-operatives appear on the list -- a total of 33 organizations which fall under the banner of the Saskatchewan co-operative sector.
First published in 1984, the Top 100 List is a tribute to the province’s leading companies. Based on total sales revenue, participants of the Top 100 represent the most prominent businesses in Saskatchewan.
Here are all 33 co-ops and credit unions appearing in the Top 100 List.
2. Federated Co-operatives Limited (last year #2)
11. Co-operators Life Insurance Company (12)
20. Saskatoon Co-operative Association (19)
22. Lake Country Co-operative Association (24)
23. Concentra Bank (26) 25. Pioneer Co-operative Association (25)
28. Conexus Credit Union (27)
31. Affinity Credit Union (27) 34. Sherwood Co-operative Association (30)
43. Lloydminster & District Co-operative Association (42)
45. Innovation Credit Union (48)
46. Discovery Co-operative Association (46) 50. Moose Jaw Co-operative Association (64)
51. Prairie North Co-operative Association (55)
53. Legacy Co-operative Association (52)
60. Prairie Co-operative Association (59)
64. Meadow Lake Co-operative Association (61)
66. Access Communications Co-operative (66)
68. Prairie Sky Co-operative Association (63)
71. Pineland Co-operative Association (77)
73. Southern Plains Co-operative Association (71)
75. Riverbend Co-operative Association (85)
77. Delta Co-operative Association (79)
78. Central Plains Co-operative Association (82)
80. Borderland Co-operative Association (81)
86. Southland Co-operative Association (84)
87. Beeland Co-operative Association (92)
89. Humboldt Co-operative Association (94)
92. Turtleford & District Co-operative Association (93)
94. Hometown Co-operative Association (98)
98. Weyburn Credit Union (new to the list)
99. Carrot River Co-operative Association (new)
100. Last Mountain Co-operative Association (new)
YOUR WAY, TOGETHER: RESOURCES FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO GROW THEIR LOCAL ECONOMIES
Co-operatives First has launched “Your Way, Together”, a collection of resources designed to inspire co-operative business development in Indigenous communities.
The goal of Your Way, Together is to start a conversation about how Indigenous people can use co-operatives to grow their local economies.
The program includes:
A downloadable guidebook to starting a co-op, including information specific to First Nations
An exclusive workshop about how Indigenous people can capture opportunities by building a co-operative
The Your Way, Together newsletter, which will highlight Indigenous content monthly
Stories of successful Indigenous co-ops and their impact on communities
Ongoing Indigenous-focused content: blogs, podcasts, and tools
“Indigenous communities are growing, vibrant, and actively exploring opportunities to develop, strengthen, and prosper,” said Audra Krueger, Co-operatives First's Executive Director. “We hope to put the co-operative model within the context of these discussions and inspire a conversation.”
“The guidebook provides a pathway around common barriers,” said Trista Pewapisconias, member of Little Pine First Nation and Indigenous Engagement Lead at Co-operatives First. “For the questions it doesn’t answer, we offer suggestions and point to supports along the way.”
CREDIT UNION NATIONAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM BEGINS SOON
The Canadian Credit Union Association is launching its annual National Mentorship Program (NMP), which runs from April to November. NMP pairs credit union leaders with employees and directors identified as future leaders in the credit union system. The program is fully funded by CCUA and offers mentorship opportunities across four streams in full digital format.
Mentorship streams include:
Director Stream: Collaborate and connect with directors from other provinces or credit unions.
Women’s Stream: To give women additional support and confidence to take that next career step.
Leadership Stream: Open to leaders in senior positions wanting to mentor an employee in any operational area and those who are looking to build leadership capacity.
NEW! Diversity and Inclusion Stream: More details coming soon.
Moose Jaw Co-op is accepting donations for the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce program, The Big Give.
The Chamber aims to raise $20,000 through donations, which will be used to buy pre-packaged frozen meals from local restaurants. These will then be donated to the Moose Jaw Food Bank and Hunger in Moose Jaw.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce via email or phone, or donate directly at any Co-op food store and gas bar location in Moose Jaw.
Read more HERE.
FCL RELEASES 2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) has posted its 2020 annual report. It combines financial reporting with sustainability highlights, which have previously been showcased in the FCL Sustainability Report.
The move to an integrated report is indicative of the overall CRS Sustainability Strategy, which aims to embed social, economic and environmental impacts of the business into planning and decision-making. View the annual report HERE.
CCUA DISCUSSES OPEN BANKING
Below is a summary of an article on digital transformation by the Canadian Credit Union Association (CCUA). Read the full article HERE.
Financial services are in the process of being reshaped globally, and Canada is no exception, as Open Banking is putting consumers in control of their data and allowing them to dictate with whom and how it is shared.
When the Canadian government announced that an Open Banking Framework was under development, naturally most financial institutions were concerned that a highly valuable asset, consumer data, would no longer be owned’ by them. However, as part of co-operative member-owned institutions, credit union members have always been the owners of their data. This type of governance and ownership structure changes the lens through which credit union leaders examine Open Banking, as their primary focus is on member benefits as opposed to profit incentives.
CHF CANADA PROVIDES FEDERAL BUDGET SUBMISSION
35,000 Canadians experience homelessness on any given night. More co-op housing will help prevent homelessness by providing affordable housing, says a recommendation by the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada in its federal budget submission. Read the submission HERE.
FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS FOR CONCENTRA
Concentra Bank has posted strong fourth-quarter financial results, as reported to shareholders during the company’s Q4 2020 Investor Relations webinar.
The Concentra Board of Directors declared a fourth-quarter cash dividend representing a $1.34 million total quarterly payment to common shareholders. Since 2005, Concentra has returned more than $90 million in dividend payments to common shareholders, executing on its strategy to drive growth in the credit union system. MORE
BLOG POST: WHY IRISH CREDIT UNIONS ARE SO GOOD AT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT... AND WHAT CANADIAN CO-OPERATIVES CAN LEARN
In 2014 SCA’s executive director, Victoria Morris, did her Master’s research on engaging youth in co-operatives and credit unions and how Ireland excels in this area. (The Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives later turned her work into a publication.)
In her newest blog post, Victoria explores some key learnings and details from that research. She also shares four tips to increase youth engagement based on her findings.
Here is Tip Number One:
Dedicate permanent human and financial resources to youth involvement. Many Irish credit unions (even small ones) have permanent Youth Officer staff positions, which provides a dedicated resource to focus on youth initiatives.
Check out her BLOG POST to read all four tips, and learn about some of Ireland's local, regional and national initiatives to increase and retain members and engage youth.
#DidYouKnow A round up of some social media posts we’ve seen recently.
The Estevan Mercury has partnered with Southern Plains Co-op to feature an article on a local non-profit making a difference in the lives of people in the southeast. Here is the first Co-op Cares article on the Warm Welcome Kitchen. https://buff.ly/3qP5Q7Q
#DidYouKnow. The Co-op Retailing System maintains a list of all careers offered by local co-ops and Federated Co-operatives Limited across Western Canada. https://buff.ly/37naqmG
@CCUA_ACCF: DYK? Credit unions were among the first financial institutions & cooperatives to become Certified B Corporations in Canada. Learn more and join the 5.9 million Canadians who bank with a #creditunion: https://t.co/jscKfmolaR
@CrossroadsCU: It's here... The Crossroads Country Calendar Photo Contest! We are looking for photos for our 2022 Calendar! 📸 For details and to enter your photos, visit our website at https://t.co/G04HRwnAIH We can't wait to see the entries!! #cccc2022 https://t.co/RvsxS50CfN
@The_Cooperators: #Spring is a great time to check and replace #batteries in your home fire and carbon monoxide alarms. https://theco-op.ca/3cwDoT0
Co-op news is even better when it's shared! If this copy of the SCA Co-operative Spotlight newsletter was forwarded to you, please SUBSCRIBE so you can stay connected. We usually publish about twice a month.
Click on the links below to share this newsletter to others.
Saskatchewan Co-operative Association (SCA) is the apex organization for the province’s 850 co-operatives and credit unions. SCA is incorporated as a community service co-operative and is owned by its members, many of which are co-op federations or associations.
On behalf of the Saskatchewan co-operative community, SCA works to support and promote the co-operative model for community and economic development.
Every year, SaskBusiness Magazine releases the official list of the Top 100 Companies in Saskatchewan. A number of SCA members, including Federated Co-operatives Limited, The Co-operators, Access Communications Co-operative, Concentra Bank and SaskCentral appear on the 2020 list.
Concentra Bank has posted strong fourth-quarter financial results, as reported to shareholders during the company’s Q4 2020 Investor Relations webinar.
