News and Events

Stay up-to-date on major sector research news and upcoming conferences.

New Publication: Empowering Electricity: Co-operatives, Sustainability and Power Sector Reform in Canada.

May 31, 2016 | News and Events

 From the description: “Canada is known for being an energy-producing nation – with much attention being paid to the Alberta tar sands and their large carbon footprint. This book looks at a very different part of the Canadian energy sector: the hundreds of renewable energy co-ops that have sprung up across the nation. These co-ops are democratically structured, community-based organizations that use sun, wind, rivers, tides, and plant and animal waste as sources of local power generation.

Empowering Electricity offers an illuminating analysis of these co-ops within the context of larger debates over climate change, renewable electricity policy, sustainable community development, and provincial power-sector ownership. It looks at the conditions that led to this new wave of co-operative development, examines their form and location, and shines a light on the promises and challenges accompanying their development.”

Keep an eye out for this exciting new piece in the upcoming weeks!

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New Publication: Co-ops and Universities

Apr 13, 2016 | News and Events

The University of Saskatchewan’s Center for the Study of Co-operatives has recently published Brett Fairbairns piece “Co-ops and Universities: Some Reflections.” Fairbairn notes the growing importance of a university education in the Candian economy and how co-operatives and universities can develop mutually-beneficial partnerships.

Read more here.

New Publication: The Capital Conundrum

Apr 5, 2016 | News and Events

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Co-operative Capital released this paper to highlight the complex issue of capital for co-operatives. It details how it relates to the fundamental values and how certain challenges can be overcome by co-operatives. The piece highlights a variety of global case studies, including Chapter 2: “The Co-operators Group Limited: A Canadian Perspective” by Frank Lowery and Wayne Schatz.

The paper is available here and check out the Blue Ribbon Commissions other publications here.