About Us
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How we came to be
In February 2010, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) awarded $1 million towards a new suite of research projects concerning Canada's co-operative sector. Led by the Canadian Co-operative Association in partnership with four Canadian universities (St. Mary's University, Mount Saint Vincent University, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Victoria), the research network is funded for a five-year term to conduct research on the social, economic and environmental impact of co-operatives on Canadians and their communities. More than a dozen other co-operative associations, co-ops, credit unions and academic researchers will also participate in this CURA research collaboration.
View a powerpoint that describes our Network: MCD Research Network Introductory Powerpoint
Our funding
The Network is funded through the Community University Research Alliance (CURA) program of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
What is a CURA?
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council's Community University Research Alliance (CURA) program supports the creation of alliances between community organizations and
post-secondary institutions to foster innovative research, training and the creation of new knowledge in areas of importance for Canada's social, cultural or economic development.
1) Produce and disseminate knowledge about the co-operative form of organization within the wider economy, with particular focus on the social, environmental and economic impacts of co-operatives (attention will be given to comparative performance of co-operatives where feasible);
2) Create tools to measure the value added by co-operatives, and use tools that include co-operative principles and values to capture the ‘co-operative difference';
3) Deepen existing linkages and networks within the co-operative movement (at academic, community, national and provincial levels), and / or initiate networks of co-operatives within the social economy around common issues;
4) Inform public policy on the role and value of co-operatives in meeting social, economic and environmental goals within a public and social policy context; and
5) Build capacity within academia and co-operatives (especially the various second and third tier co-operatives) to frame an operationalized understanding of the ICA principles, and to measure social and environmental as well as financial performance.
Our structure
The Network is made up of four research Clusters and an overall Hub. The Hub is the Canadian Co-operative Association, as the organization of John Anderson, the Principal Investigator for this Network. In the spirit of partnership between communities and universities, the research network will be directed by one representative of the co-op sector and one university representative. You may review a simple organizational chart of our Network here.
John Anderson, Principal Investigator and Community Co-Director
John is the Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy at the Canadian Co-operative Association. John has a strong history in co-operatives, employment and labour issues, social research, and has authored many papers on a variety of social justice issues.
Dr. Sonja Novkovic, Academic Co-Director
Sonja is a Professor of Economics at Saint Mary's University and also teaches within the Master's of Management in Cooperatives and Credit Unions program. She has been involved in research on participation in co-operatives and has recently received the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation's Award of Merit.
The Research Clusters
Our research structure consists of four research clusters; three based at Canadian universities at one at the CCA. Each of the Cluster Leads below will be working closely with many community and academic partners throughout the duration of the research process. Clusters are currently identifying their Cluster Co-Leads that will ensure both a community and university presence at every level of this network.
Atlantic Cluster
Dr. Leslie Brown
Mount Saint Vincent University
Leslie is a Professor in the Sociology and Anthropology Department at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her teaching and research interests include organizational democracy, co-operatives, community development and social accounting among others. For the past five years, she has served as Director of the Atlantic Social Economy and Sustainability Research Network.
Prairie Cluster
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Dr. Lou Hammond Ketilson
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Western Cluster
Dr. Ana Maria Peredo
Centre for Co-operative and
Community-based Economy,
University of Victoria
Ana Maria is the Director of the Centre for Co-operative and Community-based Economy at the University of Victoria. She is also an Associate Professor in Sustainable Entrepreneurship and International Business with a research background in globalization, alternative business models and rural poverty among others.
National Cluster
Quintin Fox
Canadian Co-operative Association
Quintin is the Director of Consultancy and Training at the Canadian Co-operative Association. He has worked both in Europe and Canada on a number of co-operative, rural development, social research and consultancy projects. He is currently leading the development of CCA's new training and consultancy arm, the Research, Education and Co-operation Hub (REACH).
Many of the projects are just getting underway and establishing research partnerships, but there are a number of active partners already involved:
• Peter Hough, Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation
• Dr. Luc Thériault, University of New Brunswick
• Prof. Ian MacPherson, Professor Emeritus, University of Victoria
• Dr. J.J McMurtry, York University
• Wendy Keats, Co-operative Enterprise Council, NB
• Elizabeth Hicks, Mount Saint Vincent University
• Prof. André Leclerc, Université de Moncton
• Co-op Atlantic
• Dr. Ryszard Stocki, Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu - National Louis University, Poland
Thanks to partners who helped support the initial application and for those who continue to be invovled:
• Advantage Credit Union (SK)
• Affinity Credit Union (SK)
• Alberta Co-operative & Community Association (AB)
• BC Co-operative Association (BC)
• Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation
• Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (QC)
• Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité
• Co-op Atlantic
• Co-operative Enterprise Council (NB)
• Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada
• Credit Union Central of Nova Scotia (NS)
• Co-operative Management Education Co-operative
• Co-operatives Secretariat
• Federated Co-operatives Ltd.
• Harrop-Procter Community Co-operative (BC)
• Manitoba Co-operative Association (MB)
• Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of C0-operatives (NL)
• Nova Scotia Co-operative Council (NS)
• Ontario Co-operative Association (ON)
• PEI Co-operative Council (PEI)
• Quint Development Corporation (SK)
• Saskatchewan Co-operative Association (SK)
• South Islands Regional Co-op Council (BC)
• Sustainability Solutions Group
• The Co-operators Group Limited
• United Community Services Co-op (BC)
• Upper Columbia Co-operative Council (BC)
• Victoria Community Health Co-op (BC)
Thank you!
If you are a partner and are not listed here, please contact us. If you would like to become more involved in the network or a particular project, please contact Erin Hancock.
