Today’s launch of Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC) represents a new united voice for Canada’s co-operative and mutual businesses. A national, bilingual association, CMC represents 9,000 co-operatives with a total membership of 18 million.
This new association brings together the wisdom, historical roots and experience of two large networks that developed largely in isolation from one another: the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and le Conseil canadien de la coopération et mutualité (CCCM).
CMC activities will be targeted at helping co-operatives form, develop and thrive. Through advocacy with the federal government, CMC will provide a knowledgeable voice to encourage national policies that strengthen the co-operative economy. CMC will also support wide-ranging research in partnership with leading research institutions and government to inform policy.
Co-operatives support sustainable social, economic and environmental goals through adherence to the International Co-operative Principles and Values. There are ambitious plans at the international level to make co-operatives the fastest growing form of business by 2020 and today’s launch is Canada’s first step in doing our part to achieve that vision.
