Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada

What Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada does

Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (Coopératives et mutuelles Canada, CMC) is the national bilingual apex association representing Canada's co-operative and mutual sector, headquartered at 123 rue Slater Street, Suite 610, Ottawa, Ontario. The organization represents approximately 7,500 co-operatives, credit unions, caisses populaires, and mutual insurance companies serving over 11 million Canadians, spanning financial services, insurance, agriculture, retail, housing, Indigenous, worker, and multi-stakeholder co-operative models. CMC operates as a private non-profit membership association governed by a Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Michael Toye, with a small Ottawa-based staff.

CMC's core offering is a portfolio of programs and services rather than a unified product. These include the annual CMC Congress (Congress CMC), the CMC Awards Program across six categories, the Investment Readiness Program for capacity building, a public Canadian Co-ops Map & Directory, bilingual newsletters, federal government relations and advocacy services, and research and publications (including 2025 Abacus Data public opinion research co-commissioned with CHF Canada). The underlying technology stack is administrative only — an internal CiviCRM-based member management system at crm.canada.coop — with no proprietary technology products and no public APIs.

The business model is a recurring annual membership subscription supplemented by event-based revenue from the annual Congress and sponsorships. Members include credit unions (Assiniboine Credit Union, Caisse Alliance, Me-Dian Credit Union), insurance mutuals (Co-operators), agricultural co-ops (United Farmers of Alberta, Sollio Groupe Coopératif, Agropur, Gay Lea Foods), retail co-ops (Red River Co-op), and numerous smaller organizations across Canada. Strategic tier partners include Co-operators, Desjardins, Sollio, Agropur, CDF Canada, CHF Canada, CCUA, CAMIC, and international bodies such as ICA, CICOPA, JCCU, and the Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance. Specific membership pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada

Legal name

Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (Coopératives et mutuelles Canada)

Website

https://canada.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada is the national bilingual apex association representing Canada's co-operative and mutual sector, providing federal advocacy, the annual CMC Congress, research, capacity-building programs, and member services to approximately 7,500 co-operatives, credit unions, and mutuals serving over 11 million Canadians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Co-operative Sector Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Co-operative sector advocacy
• Mutual sector representation
• Federal government relations
• Membership association services
• Annual congress events

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CMC generates revenue through membership fees from co-operatives, credit unions, mutuals, and other organizations in the Canadian co-operative sector. Members receive access to resources, research, advocacy services, and representation at the federal level.
2. Congress and Event Fees: Revenue generated from the annual CMC Congress and other sector events, including registration fees, sponsorships, and related activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CMC is the national bilingual apex association for Canadian co-operatives and mutuals. It sells annual membership to co-operatives, credit unions, caisses populaires, mutual insurers, and housing co-ops, and delivers federal government advocacy, research and publications, the annual CMC Congress event, an awards program, the Investment Readiness Program, and a public co-op directory. The organization does not sell products to individual consumers; it represents the sector to the federal government.

Product overview

Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC) is the national bilingual association and apex organization for Canada's co-operative and mutual sector. Rather than a unified software product, CMC offers a portfolio of programs and services: annual Congress events, an awards program recognizing sector leaders, the Investment Readiness Program for co-operative development, a public co-op directory and map, bilingual newsletters, government relations advocacy, and research publications. The organization also operates an internal CiviCRM-based member management system (crm.canada.coop) for organizational operations. These offerings collectively serve CMC's mission of representing, advocating for, and building capacity within Canada's co-operative movement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Congress CMC Annual national congress bringing together co-operative and mutual sector leaders, practitioners, researchers, and emerging voices for dialogue, learning, and networking. The 2026 edition was held at York University, Toronto on June 8-10.
• CMC Awards Program Annual awards recognizing individuals and organizations in Canada's co-operative and mutual sector for outstanding contributions, with categories including Co-operator of the Year, Young Co-operator of the Year, Small Co-operative of the Year, Large Co-operative of the Year, JEDI Initiative, and Environmental Initiative.
• Investment Readiness Program Capacity-building program supporting co-operative development by helping organizations prepare for investment and growth.
• Canadian Co-ops Map & Directory Public online map and directory of co-operatives, credit unions, caisses populaires, and mutuals across Canada, enabling discovery and networking within the sector.
• CMC Newsletters Bilingual newsletters including biweekly News from the Co-operative Sector and monthly CMC newsletter, keeping members informed about sector developments and CMC activities.
• Government Relations Services Federal advocacy and representation services ensuring the co-operative and mutual sector's voice is heard by government officials, including meetings with MPs, senators, and civil servants on sector priorities.
• Research and Publications Research reports, publications, and studies on the co-operative sector including economic impact reports, public opinion research (such as 2025 Abacus Data research with CHF Canada), and policy analyses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 11 million Canadians served by member co-operatives, credit unions, and mutuals
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered major sponsor, core partner, project partner, international partner, sponsor, provincial partner and academic partner.

• Co-operatorsmajor sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor sponsor of CMC Congress 2026. Insurance co-operative with carbon-neutral headquarters in Guelph, Ontario. Co-operators has been a long-time supporter of the co-operative movement in Canada.
• Desjardinsmajor sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor sponsor of CMC Congress 2026. Leading financial co-operative group in Canada with major presence in Quebec and Ontario.
• Canadian Co-operative Investment Fund (Fonds canadien d'investissement coopératif)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of CMC Congress 2026. Provides investment capital and support for co-operative development across Canada.
• Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF Canada)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore partner and sponsor of CMC Congress 2026. Supports international co-operative development and runs the Women's Mentorship Program bringing international participants to Canada.
• Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation (CWCF)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of CMC Congress 2026. National organization supporting worker co-operative development across Canada.
• Fédération de l'habitation coopérative du Canada (CHF Canada)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of CMC Congress 2026. National voice for housing co-operatives in Canada. CMC collaborated on public opinion research with CHF Canada and Abacus Data.
• CICOPA (International Organisation of Industrial, Artisanal and Service Co-operatives)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational sectoral organization. CMC's Executive Director Hazel Corcoran serves on the CICOPA Board of Directors.
• International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal apex organization for co-operatives. CMC participates in ICA initiatives and represented at international forums including Codex Committee sessions.
• Abacus Dataproject partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted 2025 Canadian public opinion research on co-operatives with CMC and CHF Canada, demonstrating co-operative value proposition and public perception.
• Australian Co-operative Housing Allianceinternational partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian counterpart organization. Delegation visited Canada to meet with CHF Canada and participate in CMC Congress 2026.
• Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU)international partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresents over 300 consumer co-operatives and 31 million members in Japan. Representatives attended Codex Committee session in Ottawa and connected with CMC.
• Co-operatives Firstcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports co-operative development across Western Canada with free services, contributing to over 300 projects and 170+ rural and Indigenous co-operatives. Supported by Co-operative Retailing System/Federated Co-operatives Limited.
• Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (CCSC)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at University of Saskatchewan within Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. Interdisciplinary research centre serving as key resource for sector leaders, researchers, and policymakers.
• Canadian Credit Union Association (CCUA)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational trade association for credit unions and caisses (excluding Desjardins). Holds annual conference and represents sector at national level.
• Canadian Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (CAMIC)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational voice for mutual insurance companies in Canada. CMC participates in CAMIC Lobby Day activities on Parliament Hill.
• Co-operative Superannuation Society (CSS) Pension PlansponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Canada's oldest and largest defined contribution pension plans with $5.7 billion in assets serving co-operative and credit union sector employees. Sponsors P6 Hub Space at CMC Congress 2026.
• Sollio Groupe Coopératifmajor sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of CMC Congress 2026 and largest agri-food co-operative in Canada with Quebec roots.
• SOCODEVI (Société de coopération pour le développement international)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational co-operative development organization. CMC member Roseline Roy serves as expert advisor on international mandates for SOCODEVI.
• Agropurmajor sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of CMC Congress 2026 Co-operator of the Year Award. One of Canada's leading dairy co-operatives.
• Manitoba Co-operative Associationprovincial partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvincial association member of CMC. Hosts Co-op Connections webinar series featuring CMC presentations on the Canadian co-operative ecosystem.
• Ontario Co-operative Associationprovincial partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvincial association sponsor of CMC Congress 2026. Represents and supports co-operatives in Ontario.
• Realize SolutionssponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of CMC Congress 2026 Environmental Initiative Award.
• Saint Mary's University - International Centre for Co-operative Managementacademic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers the CanadaDE international certification program for co-operative leadership in partnership with Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions and WOCCU.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation (CWCF): National organization supporting worker co-operative development in Canada and a CMC core partner/sponsor. CWCF is a sub-sector apex directly comparable to CMC for the worker co-op segment.
• International Co-operative Alliance (ICA): Global apex organization for the cooperative movement, with CMC as its Canadian member. ICA and CMC share the same mandate - representing and advocating for cooperatives at a higher (global vs. national) jurisdictional level.
• Canadian Credit Union Association (CCUA): National trade association for Canadian credit unions (excluding Desjardins). CCUA overlaps with CMC on federal advocacy for financial cooperatives and is a CMC core partner, but competes for the same member institutions on credit-union-specific representation.
• National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA): U.S. national apex for cooperatives and mutuals. Operates a directly comparable mandate to CMC - federal advocacy, sector representation, and international engagement for the U.S. cooperative ecosystem.
• Canadian Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (CAMIC): National voice for mutual insurance companies in Canada; CMC participates in CAMIC Lobby Day on Parliament Hill. CAMIC is a sub-sector peer apex with overlapping federal advocacy mandate for the mutual insurance segment.
• CHF Canada (Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada): National voice for housing co-operatives in Canada and a CMC core partner that co-sponsored Abacus Data public opinion research. CHF Canada operates as a sub-sector apex, directly comparable to CMC's role but for the housing co-op segment.

Regional players

• Ontario Co-operative Association: Provincial co-operative association for Ontario and CMC partner. Provides comparable services (advocacy, networking, events) but at provincial scope rather than national.
• European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB): European-level trade association representing cooperative banks. Comparable to CMC as a sectoral apex with federal/regional advocacy and policy engagement, though focused exclusively on financial cooperatives.
• Manitoba Co-operative Association: Provincial co-operative association for Manitoba and CMC provincial member. Operates as a regional peer with similar mandate but smaller geographic scope.
• Co-operatives UK: UK apex body for cooperatives, mutuals, and social enterprises. Operates an analogous national trade association role to CMC for the UK cooperative movement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CoopsCanada
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBs3aVQSk1sO3ryW5pjdE-A
• Facebookfacebook.com/coopscanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/co-operatives-and-mutuals-of-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada