2012 . International Year of the Co-operative (Co-op).

2012 has been recognised as the International Year of Co-operatives by the United Nations. This is an acknowledgement by the international community that co-operatives drive the economy, respond to social change, are resilient to the global economic crisis and are serious, successful businesses creating jobs in all sectors.

Co-operatives are a reminder to the international community that it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility.
- Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General

The Cooperators tell us why co-ops are better!

Why co-ops are better

The Co-operators Group Limited (CGL) is a Canadian-owned co-operative with over 65 years of history. Our member-owners include co-operatives, credit union centrals and organizations that operate using co-operative principles. From communities across the country, they represent a variety of sectors, including agriculture, finance, service, retail/consumer, health and labour.

Business based on shared values

Our business decisions are guided by our co-operative principles, so the need for profitability is balanced with the needs of our member-owners and their communities. Making people a priority and taking a long-term view of business decisions makes The Co-operatorsfundamentally different from most insurance companies.

It's In Our Name

What is a co-operative?

Generally speaking, a co-operative is a business owned and democratically controlled by the people who use its services. The user-owners are called members and they benefit in two ways from the co-operative:

• Products and services are customized to suit their needs
• Profits are distributed to members based on the amount of business they do with the co-operative.

Co-operatives can provide almost any product or service, can be either non-profit or for-profit organizations, and thrive equally in urban and rural centres.

What’s the difference between co-ops and corporations?

Co-operatives are community-based organizations that care not only about their business’ bottom line, but also about their members’ needs and the quality of life in their communities. Co-ops and credit unions successfully compete in the marketplace without abandoning the values and principles that set them apart from other business models. Co-operatives and credit unions differ from other businesses in terms of purpose, control structure and allocation of profit.

For more informaiton please go to: http://www.cooperators.ca/en/About-Us/why-coops-are-better.aspx

HHEAT Workshop in Burlington!

The HHEAT hosted its third and final introductory workshop for 2011 in Halton last night at the Burlington Central Library. This event was held collaboratively with the assistance of local green pioneers Burlington Green as part of their 2011 AGM's event 'Burlington: Our Energy Future". There was a huge turnout as more than 70 people came out for an evening of discussion, networking and fostering community connections. With noted speakers such from Mayor Goldring, Amy Schnurr, Ken Woodruff and HHEAT's very own Jeff Harti, it was a lively and engaging atmosphere that sparked and heightened interest locally towards renewable energy and community power. We would like to thank everyone for coming out and we urge you to keep in touch with us by joining our HHEAT blog, visiting our websites and getting in contact with the HHEAT Coordinator: Anuja at here.anujar@gmail with any questions or comments about the project or the upcoming 2012 workshops.