Lead Department: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Start Date of the Horizontal Initiative: 1 April 2003
End Date of the Horizontal Initiative: 31 March 2008
Total Federal Funding Allocation: $15.0 million over five years

Description

The Co-operatives Secretariat was established in 1987 to help the Government of Canada respond more effectively to the concerns and needs of Canadian co-operatives. The Secretariat advises the government on policies affecting co-operatives, co-ordinates the implementation of such policies, promotes co-operatives within the federal government, and provides a link between the co-operative sector and the many federal departments and agencies with which they interact.

Shared Outcome(s)

The end outcome of the Government of Canada with respect to co-operatives is the expanded use of the co-operatives model to enhance economic growth and social development of Canadian rural and urban society. The objectives are to:

• raise awareness of the co-operative model and of the role that co-operatives can play in both social and economic development;
• promote policies, programs and legislation that support co-operatives development to achieve federal policy objectives, and greater harmonization of efforts; and
• encourage the use of new co-operatives to meet social and economic needs of Canadians.

Governance Structures

The Co-operatives Secretariat was created in 1987 from the Co-operatives Section of Agriculture Canada to improve the relationship between Canadian co-operatives and the currently 17 federal departments and agencies known to have legislation, policies or programs affecting co-operatives. The formal mechanism for the collaboration is through the Interdepartmental Committee on Co-operatives, provincial collaborators and sector working groups. The Co-operatives Secretariat, working closely with the Minister responsible for co-operatives, acts as a coordinator for interaction between the government and the co-operative sector. The Minister also receives advice on a regular basis from the Co-operative Development Initiative Steering Committee, composed of people involved in, and knowledgeable of the co-operative sector and community development. The Secretariat is headed by an Executive Director and administrative services for the Secretariat are provided by AAFC. More detail on the functions of the Secretariat is available at Co-operatives Secretariat

Partners

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
• Co-operatives Secretariat

A listing of the 17 departments and agencies with legislation, policies and programs affecting co-operatives is available at Co-operatives Secretariat.

Contact

Donna Mitchell, Executive Director
Rural and Co-operatives Secretariats
(613) 759-7113