Co-operative Development Toolkit

FactSheets

The following factsheets provide a general overview and guide to selected topics in co-op development.  They are suitable for those people that need to answer a particular question quickly or need a fast overview of a particular topic.  These factsheets are also suitable to be distributed in hardcopy as part of a literature rack or as a resource to clients.

Currently, they are only available for download as PDFs, but we are working to provide them in different formats to make them easier to access and search for relevant text.  We plan to have them available as part of a full toolkit early in 2008.

 What is a Co-operative?

 How to incorporate a co-operative in Ontario

 Federal vs. Provincial incorporation for co-ops

 What is the difference between a co-op and a private business?

 What is the difference between a co-op and a not-for-profit corporation?

 Financing your co-op Financing your co-op Financing your co-op

 Co-ops and Charities

 Share capital vs. non-share capital co-ops

 For-profit vs. not-for-profit co-operatives

 Using the 7 International Principles of Co-operation in Practical Ways

 Directors' Liability

 Changing your co-op

In addition to the above topics, we have also started preparing a series of sector-specific factsheets that provide an introduction to co-operatives in different sectors across the province.

 Childcare Co-ops

 Renewable Energy Co-ops

 Housing Co-ops

We have also developed an list that defines many of the common acronyms, nicknames and short forms that are used in the co-op and credit union sector:

 Glossary and Acronym Listing

For more information on the Guide and Factsheets, please contact Jen Heneberry, Co-operative Development Co-ordinator at 519.763.8271 x 23 or by email at jheneberry@ontario.coop.