Please contact us if your question is of the “infrequent” variety.
What is UCCC’s relationship with BCCA?
The Upper Columbia Co-op Council is a regionally-based, independently incorporated association. It has been developed through collaboration with, and financial and technical assistance from, the BC Co-op Association, the apex organization for co-operative enterprises across the province, based in Vancouver. Most members of the UCCC automatically become members of BCCA, and are entitled to voting rights and member benefits in both organisations. For more information on the BC Co-op Association, visit www.bcca.coop .
What is the geographical scope of your potential membership? ( or where is “Upper Columbia?”)
The Upper Columbia region of Southeastern British Columbia embraces the East and West Kootenays, and the Boundary region. In an effort to be as inclusive as possible, the Council will accept membership applications from throughout Southeastern BC.
How did UCCC come to be?
Please see here for details.
Who are your members?
Please see here for a list of our members, as well as links to their respective websites.
Are you really regionally-based? I see your mailing address is in Nelson.
Yes we are. The Council’s development meetings were held in Nelson, and our postbox lives there, but meetings and AGMs are proposed to rotate throughout the region. Diverse regional representation is essential to making the Council effective. In our first year of operation, we had members from Castlegar, Salmo, the Eastshore of Kootenay Lake, the Slocan Valley, and Nelson. In 2013, representation has grown to include Cranbrook, Grand Forks, and Edgewood.
How many members do you have?
At our first AGM in May, 2009, the Council had 12 members. By January, 2013, it had risen to 17.
Where Can I learn more about co-ops?
The UCCC offers presentations to co-op and credit union boards on the fine points, benefits and values of co-op enterprises. These 20-minute presentations provide board and staff of regional co-ops with a good orientation/ primer on what it is to be involved in a co-op. The presentation can be adapted for any economic development agency or educational institution’s audience.
The UCCC also delivers 3 hour Co-ops 101 presentations in communities throughout the region. Please contact us for details.
Please see the resources section of this site for more information.
What is the difference between a co-op and another kind of business?
Please see here for a chart representing the differences between a co-op and other investor-owned businesses, and non-profit societies.
What are our options for financing a co-op?
The UCCC can work through some financing options with your group.
The Co-op Zone online resource also provides some useful resources on financing a co-op. Click here to go to that section of their site.
Does UCCC have grants for emerging co-ops?
UCCC does not currently have funds for grants for emerging co-ops. The Council does, however, work with BCCA to provide technical assistance by a regional co-op developer to consult with your group around feasibility of your co-op idea, and to strategise around steps to its implementation. Please contact us for details.
Can I attend your meetings?
UCCC meetings are open to any member, and are open to others at the discretion of the Chair. Please contact us first.