On June 8, Alexandra Mendès, Member of Parliament for Brossard – Saint-Lambert, tabled Bill C-286: An act respecting the establishment of a framework to promote the development of co-operatives in Canada and amending the Department of Industry Act and other Acts.
The purpose of Bill C-286 is to provide for the establishment and implementation of a framework to promote the development of co-operatives in Canada and to amend the Department of Industry Act and the Regional Development Agency Acts to specify that, within their mandates, federal ministers and agencies are to develop and promote the co-operative model in Canada.
“This legislation is the continuation of the work started by my colleague, the Honourable Mauril Bélanger, (Ottawa-Vanier) and the recommendations that came from the Special Committee on Co-operatives in 2012. The aim of the act is to legislate a “home” for the co-operative sector within the department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development,” said Alexandra.
This bill would require the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, in collaboration with other federal ministries, agencies, provincial and territorial governments and the co-operative sector to develop and implement a framework on co-operatives. The framework will help coordinate the work of the government and the co-operative sector.
“We want to promote the co-operative movement, to contribute to its development and to facilitate exchange and dialogue between the federal government and the co-operative sector. At the same time we want to instruct our regional economic development agencies to highlight the importance of co-operatives to Canada’s economic development, and to promote their business model on par with other business models,” added Alexandra.
The Bill would also amend The Department on Industry Act and the regional development agencies Acts to add the word “co-operatives” after small and medium sized enterprises.
- Read the text of the Bill and follow its progress in the House of Commons
For more information:
Office of Alexandra Mendès, Member of Parliament
613-995-9301
