The Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (CCSC) has published its tenth annual survey of co-operative leaders in Canada, providing insight into some of the most pressing issues facing the sector.
More than 145 respondents – spanning CEOs, directors, managers, board members, and researchers of co-ops – shared their views on the state of Canadian co-operatives.
According to CCSC, “half of the survey respondents said they held management (49%) roles, while 24% said they were on the board of a co-operative, 9% of respondents were co-op developers and 6% were co-operative researchers/academics/scholars. The remaining 13% described themselves as legal partners, consultants, advisors, experienced staff, retired executive members, or involved co-operative members.”
Many of the issues identified are the same as those shared in earlier annual surveys.
For example, a “lack of awareness of the co-operative model” features as the sector’s greatest challenge for the eighth year in a row. 30% of all 2025 respondents voted this the biggest issue for the sector right now, up on 28% in 2024. Respondents said that Canadians are “generally not aware of the co-operative model”, with this lack of awareness perceived to be increasing. Participants warned this could hinder the co-op sector’s ability to remain competitive in future.
One co-operative leader said: “Lack of awareness leads to a host of issues from governments not recognising the benefits that co-operatives can provide to the Canadian economy and Canadian communities, not including co-operatives in key economic-oriented legislation and tax incentives, and the like.
Related: Canadian renewable energy co-ops form national apex
“Not including the co-operative model in contemporary business school and economic education leads to lack of awareness of how and when the co-operative model may be the right model for a particular opportunity (for example, a business or other provider of services and products in a community where other alternatives would not be viable).”
Access to finance and capital, meanwhile, ranked as the second-most pressing issue for the fifth year in a row. According to the report, many respondents highlighted challenges around growth owing to traditional lenders misunderstanding the co-operative model.
“Co-operatives are often limited to growing their organisation through using their retained earnings,” the study says, “but then must navigate between prioritising member patronage and long-term investments. As a result, long-term investments for growth and innovation are typically underfunded, which poses future risks to their co-operative.”
One respondent explained the financing issue by saying: “In the context of co-operatives, the challenge of access to capital and financing stems from a fundamental conflict between their democratic ownership structure and traditional investment models.
“Unlike conventional businesses that prioritise investor returns, cooperatives distribute surpluses to members, who typically have one vote regardless of their financial contribution. This makes them less appealing to conventional equity markets and high-growth investors.“
Others went on to suggest the need for different forms of capital and investment options.
The survey shows that other long-term issues continue to trouble Canadian co-operatives, including the need for co-operation and collaboration between co-ops; succession issues and leadership development; governance; policy changes and more.
