NCBA - National Cooperative Business Association
10/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/20/2026 20:34
Co-ops contribute $61+ billion to Canadian economy, sector report reveals
This year's report on Canada's cooperative sector has been released, revealing that it contributes CAD $61.1 billion to the national GDP.
The report, called Power The Economy, was compiled by the Canada Co-operative Business Association (Canada Co-op) as the country celebrates national Co-op Week.
It shows that the cooperative sector supports 745.946 jobs-3.6% of Canadian employment-and contributes $12.3 billion in tax.
There are 6,173 co-ops, credit unions and mutuals operating in every province and territory, across more than 20 sectors.
Total membership is more than 14 million, with one in three Canadians belonging to a co-op and another third interested in joining one.
And the public view of the sector is positive, the report finds: 83% said co-ops stabilize communities and help them survive tough times better; 84% said collective ownership helps build stability ad security; and 86% said co-ops are accountable.
There is also public support for co-ops in specific sectors, the report finds. When given an equal choice, 41% of Canadians would choose cooperative housing, its survey revealed, while 72% say housing co-ops should be part of the affordability solution.
And Canadians are significantly more likely to view cooperatives, compared to private businesses, as organizations that strengthen communities and put people first: 52% say cooperatives invest in the long-term success of communities, compared with 31% for corporations; 51% say cooperatives do the right thing for employees, compared with 31% for corporations; and 46% believe cooperatives give employees a say in how businesses are run, compared with 25% for corporations.
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"Canada is facing a stability challenge," the report warns, pointing to affordability concerns and "a deeper sense of precarity about whether the systems and institutions people rely on will continue to provide security, opportunity and control."
Cooperatives can answer these challenges, the report argues, "because they provide a proven mechanism for delivering many of the outcomes Canadians are seeking: housing affordability, economic resilience, local ownership, community stability and trusted service delivery.
"They are not a theoretical alternative. They are already operating in communities across Canada."
However, the public and policy profile of cooperatives remains low, the report adds, urging co-operators to "seize the moment" and make their case.
"We have a clear opportunity to strengthen the role of cooperatives in building one Canadian economy that reflects our many regional realities," Canada Co-op President John Kay and CEO Michael Toye write in their executive summary. "No sector offers more tangible benefits for Canadians.
"As governments look for ways to improve productivity, affordability, competition and service delivery, Canada's more than 6,100 cooperatives, credit unions and mutuals are a proven business model that can complement existing market structures while delivering broader value across the economy."
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