Co-operatives have been helping people work together to meet shared needs for generations. They have enabled farmers to collectively process and market their products, consumers to improve access to goods and services, and workers to create businesses they collectively own and govern. At their heart, co-operatives remain a relatively simple…
We often talk about community as if it were a thing. A place. A group. A membership. A collection of people who share something in common. But what if community is not something we have? What if community is something we do? Perhaps community is not a noun at all.…
The commons refers to shared resources - both natural and cultural - that are managed collectively by the community for the benefit of all users. This concept originates from medieval Europe, where communities managed land held "in common" and governed through self-established rules to ensure sustainable and equitable access. The…
CLTs have measurable effects on housing, equity and community stability. They ensure the land of the speculative property market and make it available for future generations. Affordability and Access to Resources By holding land in trusts and leasing it below market rates, CLTs make it affordable for individuals, small businesses,…
Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are non-profit entities that hold land on behalf of a community, taking it off the speculative property market and serving as long-term stewards for affordable housing, community gardens, civic buildings, commercial or community spaces, and other community assets. CLTs balance the needs of individuals who want…
Cooperatives are an essential mechanism for community wealth-building and local job creation. Through co-operative ownership of workplaces, retail businesses and value-adding infrastructure, communities can retain stakeholder control and keep wealth and employment opportunities local. Profits that once went to financial centres now go to co-operative members, who are more likely…