The future is built on collaboration and cooperation

The cooperative model is very much in tune with the times, offering many advantages for employee retention and performance.

Would you like to know more about the organizational structure of cooperatives? Desjardins Capital is an integral part of Canada's leading cooperative financial group. Who better to answer your questions and support you and your business plans financially!

Have you ever wondered about the cooperative model?

You might be interested to know more about what it can bring you. Basically, the cooperative model…

• Offers a performance-driven business model tailored to your current situation and the demands of the job market
• Protects and promotes the interests of each member (who are all owners)
• Pools resources around a common goal

Looking to start a cooperative? Seeking financing for an existing cooperative? At Desjardins Capital, we have wide-ranging financial expertise with all types of cooperatives. You can carry out your cooperative business projects with our easily accessible financial and strategic solutions.

Desjardins Capital: Your partner for cooperative success

The cooperative model works across every industry.

The most important thing is building a team of qualified experts to work with who care about your business and its success.

With Desjardins Capital, you have the advantage of:

• Proven know-how and in-depth knowledge of the cooperative model
• The unwavering support of our cooperative investment managers across Quebec, dedicated exclusively to your business model
• Rigorous governance support
• Support for negotiations to acquire a subsidiary through an existing cooperative
• Due diligence support for acquiring targets
• The strength of Quebec's cooperative network in which Desjardins Capital is a major player

Together with,

• Flexible, tailored cooperative financing solutions to meet your needs for capitalization and unsecured loans

What types of cooperatives are there?

Interested in the cooperative model?

The next step is to determine the best way to start a cooperative or turn your business into one.

First of all, cooperatives fall into five major categories (source: MEI website: www.economie.gouv.qc.ca).

• Worker cooperatives bring together workers who run their own business. They are both employees and owners, plus they control every aspect of the business. Examples: forestry cooperatives, business services, ambulance services and more
• Employee-shareholder cooperatives are made up of employees who want to acquire and own shares in the business they work for. The ESC becomes a shareholder of the business. Examples: consulting services, manufacturing sector, IT, multimedia and more
• Consumer cooperatives provide goods and services to their members for their personal use. Examples: grocery stores, funeral services, cable television, school-based services and more
• Producer cooperatives bring together businesses or individuals who benefit economically from purchasing the goods and services they need to practise their profession or operate their business—from their cooperative. Examples: agri-food industry, marketing services and more
• Solidarity cooperatives bring together people from different backgrounds who have a common cause or interest, yet diverse needs. Members can belong to different categories (employees, users, support). Examples: home support services, neighborhood services (such as convenience stores, gas stations and recreation) and more

If your cooperative is already up and running and you're bursting with plans…

Already in business as a cooperative? Got a well-defined business plan for transitioning to this type of structure? Wondering about the financing solutions available?

If so, keep in mind that Desjardins Capital supports cooperatives of all types and sizes, in every region and across all sectors, except for businesses in natural resource exploration, financial services and sectors in recovery.

Let's identify your financing needs to get your projects on the move!

Want to know more about cooperative financing solutions? Ever talked with an expert to get an inside view of the best way to make your projects a success?

A meeting with one of our specialized investment managers will open a window on the many advantages and financing solutions that Desjardins Capital has to offer.

Together, we'll determine the best option for your project, perhaps a loan (unsecured loan) or an equity investment in your cooperative (preferred shares).

We work closely with you over the long haul to find the right cooperative model for you so you can bring your projects to life.

"In setting up an employee-shareholder coop, management has to accept to share information they used to think of as considered confidential. Full transparency is an absolute must. In return, though, the rewards of a staff motivated by common interest to meet performance targets are reaped many times over." - François Morrissette, Investment Manager, Desjardins Capital