Alberta Community and Co-operative Association

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

Alberta Community and Co-operative Association Supporting our members by creating connections and opportunities to advance Alberta's co-operative sector.

Welcome to the official page of the Alberta Community and Co-operative Association. Our vision is for a strong co-operative sector in Alberta, and our mission is to provide education, advocacy and development services to support our members and raise community awareness of co-operatives. Stay connected to learn and be inspired by what is happening with Co-ops in Alberta, Canada and the world.

Alberta needs more housing. Perhaps we also need to rethink how housing is owned and managed.Housing co-operatives offer...
10/17/2026

Alberta needs more housing. Perhaps we also need to rethink how housing is owned and managed.

Housing co-operatives offer a different approach. Rather than renting from a traditional landlord or purchasing a home individually, residents become members of a co-operative that collectively manages their housing.

Members have a voice in how their community operates, elect their board of directors, and help make decisions about the place they call home, collectively.

Because non-profit housing co-ops operate to meet members' housing needs rather than generate profits for outside investors, they can offer greater long-term stability and help keep housing costs more manageable.

And housing co-ops aren't just an idea. They've been part of Alberta's housing landscape for decades, providing homes for individuals and families while demonstrating what community-focused housing can look like.

So why aren't we talking more about them?

As Alberta continues to grapple with housing affordability and availability, co-operative housing deserves a bigger place in the conversation.

Food for thought: What if the community could buy it? What happens when the owner of a small-town grocery store, hardwar...
10/17/2026

Food for thought: What if the community could buy it?

What happens when the owner of a small-town grocery store, hardware store, or other essential local business decides to retire, and there's no one ready to take over?

Too often, communities face the possibility of losing more than a business. They risk losing local jobs, essential services, and a piece of their local economy.

But closing or selling to an outside buyer aren't the only options.

Through the co-operative model, employees, customers, or community members can come together to purchase a business and keep it locally owned.

It's called co-operative business succession, and it's one way communities can take an active role in protecting the businesses and services they depend on.

As Alberta faces a wave of business owners approaching retirement, it's worth asking:

What if we saw business succession not just as a challenge, but as an opportunity for community ownership?

Because sometimes the next owner of a local business isn't one person, it’s the community.

Why local ownership matters: What took Albertans generations to build could be lost in a single sale.Decades ago, farmer...
10/15/2026

Why local ownership matters: What took Albertans generations to build could be lost in a single sale.

Decades ago, farmers and rural residents came together to bring electricity and natural gas services to communities that larger utility companies weren't serving. Today, some of these member-owned utilities face pressure to sell to investor-owned companies.

Some of Alberta's Rural Electrification Associations (REAs) have already been sold to investor-owned utilities. And as rural utility co-operatives face growing financial, operational and infrastructure pressures, difficult questions about their future remain.

What happens when a community loses ownership of the services it helped build?

Members become customers. Democratic control gives way to corporate ownership. Decisions that once belonged to the community are made by someone else. Community members are forced to buy back what was once theirs.

And once that ownership is gone, getting it back may be extraordinarily difficult. This Co-op Week, we're asking Albertans to think about something we too often take for granted: If we don't actively protect the co-operatives that already exist, will they still be here for generations to come?

Rural utility co-operatives are more than service providers. They're part of Alberta's history, our local economies, and our communities' ability to shape their own futures. Let's not wait until they're gone to recognize what we had.

For generations, Albertans have come together to build essential services where they were needed most. Rural electricity...
10/14/2026

For generations, Albertans have come together to build essential services where they were needed most. Rural electricity water co-operatives are a powerful example of what communities can accomplish through collective ownership. Did you know that over 150 water co-ops and 32 power co-ops keep the lights on and the taps flowing for tens of thousands of Albertans?
And the benefits go beyond the services they provide.

🏡 Local ownership means members have a voice in decisions that affect their communities.
💚 Local value means these organizations are built to serve their members rather than outside shareholders.
🌱 Built to last means investing in services that communities can depend on for generations.

These co-ops are part of Alberta's co-operative legacy and history, and a reminder that some of our most essential services exist because neighbours chose to work together.

This year's co-op week theme is "Power the Economy". Read the Power the Economy Report from Canada Co-o I Coop Canada here: https://lnkd.in/eDP3cqPW

Co-op Week is being recognized across Alberta!This year, ACCA invited municipalities across the province to officially r...
10/13/2026

Co-op Week is being recognized across Alberta!

This year, ACCA invited municipalities across the province to officially recognize Co-op Week, helping raise awareness of the co-op sector and celebrate the contributions co-operatives and credit unions make to Alberta's communities and local economies.

We're pleased to recognize and thank the following municipalities for supporting Co-op Week through official proclamations or letters of recognition:

📍 Red Deer
📍 Medicine Hat
📍 Wetaskiwin
📍 Leduc
📍 High River
📍 Edmonton

Co-operatives are an important part of Alberta's economic and community landscape. From supporting local businesses and creating jobs to delivering essential services and keeping ownership rooted in communities, the co-operative model makes a difference across our province.

What if we did more business with one another?It's Co-op Week, and we're taking a closer look at Principle 6: Co-operati...
10/12/2026

What if we did more business with one another?

It's Co-op Week, and we're taking a closer look at Principle 6: Co-operation Among Co-operatives.

In our latest "From Where I Sit" blog, ACCA Executive Director Corinne Remple shares a challenge from Lissette Lemus of GIA Co-operative that got her thinking:

One contract. Ninety days.

What if more co-operatives considered another co-operative when making their next purchasing decision?

And what if we did a better job of helping co-operatives discover what others across Alberta have to offer?

It's a conversation we'd love more of our sector to be part of.

Read Corinne's reflections and tell us: Does your co-operative already do business with other co-operatives?

https://www.acca.coop/newsroom/principle-6-what-if-we-did-more-business-together

🎉 Happy Co-op Week!It's a week to celebrate the co-operative difference, the impact of co-ops in our communities, and th...
10/12/2026

🎉 Happy Co-op Week!

It's a week to celebrate the co-operative difference, the impact of co-ops in our communities, and the opportunities ahead!

All week long, ACCA will be sharing co-op news, stories, updates and opportunities that highlight the strength and diversity of the co-operative sector.

We're kicking things off with Business Not As Usual and the Co-op Futures Challenge. The challenge invites post-secondary students from across Canada to explore the question: Why are co-operatives still not considered a mainstream business model in Canada? The next BNaU virtual learning session takes place at 2pm MT on October 15 via Zoom.

Join Stan Yu and other panelists at the intersection of co-ops, business, and education to explore that question further.

And you don't have to be a Challenge participant to join in. Everyone is welcome!

📅 October 15 | Via Zoom

🔗 Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oM7M0kD0Rfi3zS3VQ1nhEQ #/registration

Growing together. Building together. Owning together.Please join us in welcoming Wisdominds Co-operative as one of our n...
10/08/2026

Growing together. Building together. Owning together.

Please join us in welcoming Wisdominds Co-operative as one of our newest members!

Federally incorporated and rooted in the Black community in Ontario and now expanding to Alberta, Wisdominds is a multi-stakeholder co-operative with a vision for building economic opportunity through collective ownership, education and community empowerment.

With 185 members and a goal of reaching 1,000 by 2030, Wisdominds is putting co-operative principles into action through financial literacy, skills development, entrepreneurship and plans for affordable housing.

For Wisdominds, the co-operative model is more than a way of doing business. It's a pathway to greater purchasing power, economic participation, and opportunities for communities to build and own their future.

When asked what they hope people understand about Wisdominds, their answer was simple: “Co-operative economics is the only way to go.”

Their philosophy is captured in a familiar African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

We're pleased to welcome Wisdominds to ACCA and look forward to connecting their experience, ambitions and perspectives with Alberta's broader co-operative sector and meeting them in person at the 2026 Alberta Co-operative Conference!

As cooperatives, we often have our values figured out. The question is how can we turn those values into an organization...
10/06/2026

As cooperatives, we often have our values figured out. The question is how can we turn those values into an organizational advantage?

At the 2026 Alberta Co-operative Conference, Jessica Barbosa, CPA, CA, CCMP , and Founder of The Art Of Change, will lead the session "From Purpose to Performance: Turning Co-operative Values into Strategic Advantage".

This session moves beyond talking about purpose to explore what it looks like when purpose actually shapes how an organization operates, how decisions are made, how teams learn and adapt, how strategy gets implemented, and ultimately, how results are delivered for members and communities.

Jessica will bring practical stories and cross-sector insights to a conversation that feels particularly relevant for co-operatives right now:

How do we make sure our values aren't simply something we believe in, but something that makes us better at what we do?

Join us on November 18 in Edmonton for the 2026 Alberta Co-operative Conference: Connected by Purpose.

Good governance is key to any co-op's success. This unique course will introduce you to the foundational concepts of co-...
10/05/2026

Good governance is key to any co-op's success. This unique course will introduce you to the foundational concepts of co-op governance: using real examples, we'll uncover the practices that determine whether a co-op succeeds.

This course will be led by 2 experts in co-op governance:
Kyle White, Director of Education at Co-operatives First, and
Stan Yu, Research and Communications Coordinator at the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives.

The course will take place in-person in downtown Edmonton at 10 a.m. on November 17th, prior to the ACCA conference. The cost of enrolment is $299, which includes lunch and refreshments. And, if you're signed up for the ACCA Conference on November 18th, you can sign up with a discounted rate of $199.
Sign up and claim your spot here: https://lnkd.in/guw6mJ-c

Address

Edmonton, AB

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+17806523137

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Alberta Community and Co-operative Association posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Alberta Community and Co-operative Association:

Shortcuts

Share