<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
The definition of a co-op in Canada is not exactly the same as the
definition as provided in a previous posting to this list.  The co-operative
movement in Canada has a long history, rooted primarily in rural Canada.
 Today, there are many co-operatives - housing, daycare, retail, farm, etc.
 They all have one thing in common, the co-operative is owned by the
membership who make the decisions concerning its operation.  My family
belongs to a co-operative where we purchase our week's groceries, our spring
garden supplies, clothing, footwear, appliances, hardware items, etc.  We
pay a weekly membership fee which pays for the day-to-day operational costs
and we own shares in the co-op.  As a member I am able to ask for special
items to be carried on the store shelves and so the co-op carries a number
of gf products at a considerably lower cost to us than what we find at other
local gf suppliers.
 
Janet Thomas, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
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