Co-operatives in Canada in 2015

From: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Distribution by Region
• Distribution by Industry
• Table of figures
  • Figure 1: Co-operatives by Head Office
  • Figure 2: Total Number of Reporting Co-operatives by North American Industry Classification System, 2015
• Annex A: Detailed Data Tables
• Annex B: Methodology and Definition

Overview

Co-operatives In Canada

In 2015, there were a total of 7,887 incorporated non-financial co-operatives in Canada. Of these, 4,960 co-operatives responded to the 2015 Survey of Canadian Co-operatives, representing a 63% response rate.^{Footnote 1}

Types Of Co-operatives

In 2015, 69% (3,440) of reporting co-operatives were consumer co-operatives and 14% (716) were producer co-operatives. In addition, 10 % (485) of reporting co-operatives in 2015 were multi-stakeholder and 5% (228) of reporting co-operatives in 2015 were worker co-operatives. Approximately 1% (52) of the reporting co-operatives in 2015 was a federation.^{Footnote 2}

Representing less than 1% (39), worker-shareholder co-operatives are a form of worker co-operatives found in Quebec.

Size Of Co-operatives (Business Volume & Employment)

In 2015, 50% (2,488) of all reporting co-operatives were non-employers (0 employees); 47% (2,318) of reporting co-operatives were small enterprises (1 to 99 employees); 2.5% (128) were medium-sized enterprises (100 to 499 employees); and, 0.5% (26) were large enterprises (over 500 employees).

Finance Performance

Non-financial co-operatives reported a total business volume of $44.1B in 2015. This was a 2% increase from 2013.

Three sectors generated 94% of total business volume: wholesale and retail ($24.7B), agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ($7.9B), and construction and manufacturing ($8.9B).

Reporting co-operatives held $29.9B in assets in 2015. The four largest sectors that account for 90% of all assets include: wholesale and retail ($13.6B), real estate ($4.2B), construction and manufacturing ($5.6B) and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting ($3.4B).

In 2015, reporting co-operatives paid out $765M in patronage dividends to their members and communities.

Employment

Reporting co-operatives in 2015 contributed over 101,567 full-time and part-time jobs to the Canadian labour market. This represented a 6.8% increase from 2013.

In 2015, almost 75% of co-operative jobs were held within three sectors: wholesale and retail trade (39%), agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (20%), and, construction and manufacturing (16 %).

From 2005 to 2015, the total number of people employed by reporting co-operatives increased by 16%. ^{Footnote 3}

Memberships

In 2015, reporting co-operatives had a total of 9.1M memberships^{Footnote 4}, which represents an 8.3% increase from 2013.

Most or 87% (7.9M) of these memberships were within the wholesale and retail sector.

Industry Sectors

In 2015, 44% (2,180) of all reporting co-operatives were classified under the real estate sector, which primarily consist of housing co-operatives.

Retail trade accounted for 11% (536) of all reporting co-operatives, followed by agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 8% (385), and health care and social assistance sectors, which was 7.3% (363) of the total.

Governance & Volunteers

In 2015, non-financial co-operatives, excluding those in Quebec, reported 17,558 directors on Boards of Directors elected by their membership to help guide the co-operative's operations and make key business decisions for the continued viability of their organizations.

Housing co-operatives had the highest number of directors (over 5,800), followed by retail and wholesale (over 2,700), and then health care and social services boards (1,800).

There were approximately 32,723 volunteers involved in the day-to-day operations of co-operatives in 2015, excluding co-operatives in Quebec. Housing co-operatives account for 62% of the total volunteers.

Age Of Co-operatives

In 2015, 27% (678) of reporting co-operatives were established over 40 or more years ago; 53% (1,320) were established between 21 and 40 years ago.

Distribution by Region

In 2015, there were 7,887 incorporated co-operatives^{Footnote 5} registered under a federal, provincial or territorial co-operative Act. Quebec had the highest share of incorporated co-operatives (36%), followed by Ontario (23%) and Saskatchewan (11%). There were 4,960 co-operatives that responded to the 2015 Survey of Canadian Co-operatives.

Figure 1: Co-operatives by Head Office

Distribution by Industry

Co-operatives in Canada are involved in a wide range of activities, from manufacturing and processing to housing, daycare and health care services in communities. They run regional wholesale and retailing systems that provide millions of goods and services to Canadians, and they are also involved in the provision of local community utilities such as gas, water and electricity.

Out of all reporting co-operatives 44% (2,180) were classified under the real estate sector primarily as housing co-operatives. Retail trade was 11% (536), followed by agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting was 8% (385) and health care and social assistance sectors was 7.3% (363).

Figure 2: Total Number of Reporting Co-operatives by North American Industry Classification System, 2015

Annex A: Detailed Data Tables

Table 1: Overview of reporting Co-operatives by Province and Territories (based on headquarter address) 2005–2015

Table 2: Business volume of Co-operatives by North American Industry Classification System and Province and Territory, 2015^{Footnote 12}

X = suppressed data due to confidentiality; .. = no reporting co-operatives; and, Unknown NAICS = suppressed aggregate NAICS 2-digit data due to confidentiality.

Table 3: Assets of Co-operatives by North American Industry Classification System and Province and Territory, 2015

X = suppressed data due to confidentiality; .. = no reporting co-operatives; and, Unknown NAICS = suppressed aggregate NAICS 2-digit data due to confidentiality.

Table 4: Membership of Co-operatives by North American Industry Classification System and Province and Territory, 2015

X = suppressed data due to confidentiality; .. = no reporting co-operatives; and, Unknown NAICS = suppressed aggregate NAICS 2-digit data due to confidentiality.

Table 5: Employment of Co-operatives by 2-digit North American Industry Classification System and Province and Territory, 2015

Annex B: Methodology and Definition

Methodology

Co-operatives in Canada (2015) is a biennial publication that provides baseline data on the co-operative sector in Canada. The 2015 publication is the 81^st edition and has been prepared by the Co-operatives Policy Unit, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. The Unit provides analysis, advice and support to promote co-operative business innovation and growth in Canada.

The Co-operatives in Canada (2015) publication classifies co-operatives using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

The report is based on unweighted data gathered from the 2015 Survey of Canadian Co-operatives conducted by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, the publication has been prepared with data from the reporting co-operatives that responded to this biennial survey. Estimates were only conducted for the co-operatives that submitted a survey in 2013 and were still in operation in 2015. The 2015 survey response rate is 63% (4,960) reporting co-operatives out of 7,887 incorporated co-operatives, a slight decrease from the 2013 response rate of 66%.

This report uses aggregate data from the Ministry of the Economy, Science and Innovation in the Government of Quebec. As of 2011, the Government of Quebec conducts surveys of Quebec co-operatives every two years (biennial). Therefore, this report compares data between 2013 and 2015 as it is only for those years that full national level data is available.

Definition

This survey defines non-financial co-operatives as corporations incorporate under specific federal, provincial or territorial co-operative statutes. Financial co-operatives such as credit unions and caisses populaires are not included in this survey. Non-financial co-operative corporations generally operate based on seven internationally established core principles including: voluntary and open membership; democratic member control; member economic participation; autonomy and independence; education, training and information; co-operation among co-operatives; and, concern for community including sustainable development. 

While co-operatives serve a wide variety of functions, they generally fit one of the following four types:

• A consumer co-op provides products or services to its members (such as a retail co-op, housing, financial, health-care or child-care co-op).
• A producer co-op processes and markets the goods or services produced by its members, and/or supplies products or services necessary to the members' professional activities (such as independent entrepreneurs, artisans, or farmers).
• A worker co-op provides employment for its members. In this type of co-op, the employees are the members and the owners of the enterprise.
• A multi-stakeholder co-op serves the needs of different stakeholder groups—such as employees, clients, and other interested individuals and organizations. This type of co-op is usually found in health, home care and other social enterprises.

For more information on the co-operative business model, please visit the Information Guide on Co-operatives.

The Co-operatives Policy Unit has streamlined the format and reduced the content in the 2015 publication in order to ensure easy reader accessibility and a timely release. The publication still contains many of the same data variables and information. For additional information or data variables, please contact: ic.statscoopstatscoop.ic@canada.ca.