Rural and Aboriginal Communities in Western Canada Murray Fulton, Dionne Pohler, Darcy Overland, Wu HaoTao, Merle Massie, Bev Fairful Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan November 30, 2015
Co-operative Innovation Project Project Background In November 2013, Federated Co-operatives Limited entered into a partnership with the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives to examine: Is the co-operative model relevant to meet needs in rural and Aboriginal communities in Western Canada? If so, what is needed to effectively develop new co-operatives and sustain the existing ones? Research partners Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (U of S) Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (U of S) Edwards School of Business (U of S) Institute for Northern Governance & Development (U of S) Plunkett Foundation (UK)
The Research Team Project Management Group Dawn Brinkmeier, Ken Coates, Peter Couchman, Murray Fulton, Dionne Pohler Researchers Bev Fairful,Wu Haotao, Rhiannon Klein, Dazawray Landrie-Parker, Merle Massie, Nicole McLaren, Darcy Overland Research Assistants Miranda Gouchie, Paula Mowat, Kyle White
Findings The co-op model remains feasible in rural and Aboriginal communities as a locally-driven solution to address unmet needs. People will explore and create innovative and thriving coops if they are inspired to do so, and supported through politically-aware relationship-building and connections throughout the process. What is needed is a dual approach: vigorous co-op development activity at the community level; and focused effort at the pan-provincial level to leverage economies of scale and connect the western Canadian co-operative community.
Background Rural and Aboriginal communities in western Canada have been under increasing social and economic pressure due to changing demographic patterns, market forces, urbanization, and government priorities & programs. Communities, and individuals within communities, need to take advantage of innovative ideas and practices if they are to maintain and improve their quality of life. Communities have different strengths to leverage and challenges to overcome solutions must be community focused and locally driven. There is no silver bullet.
What is Needed? Social Innovation Ideas to address complex social problems in new ways. Social Enterprise Social innovation that involve businesses blending profit earning with the achievement of social outcomes. Co-operatives A critical element in social innovation and social enterprise Owned and democratically controlled by the people that use or benefit from the service that the enterprise provides Are often able to meet the needs that arise because of market or government provision failure
Research Design Definition of rural communities Use Statistics Canada definitions Census Subdivision (CSD) as community. Eliminated any CSDs in Census Metropolitan Amalgamations (CMAs), Census Agglomerations (CAs), strong Metropolitan Influenced Zones (MIZ) Province Total CSDs With Population > 0 CMA/CA CSDs Strong MIZ CSDs Rural CSD (Study Population) Manitoba 279 19 17 243 Saskatchewan 903 64 62 777 Alberta 421 81 52 288 British Columbia 656 199 34 423 Total 2259 363 165 1731
Research Design Definition of Aboriginal communities use Statistics Canada definitions for CSDs. Multiple CSDs were associated with the same community name. For some analysis these CSDs were combined. Prov. Aborig. CSDs Aborig. CSDs Associated With Community of Same Name Total CSDs (Study Population) Modified Population After Combining Aboriginal CSDs MB 72 8 243 235 SK 112 40 777 737 AB 59 20 288 268 BC 244 83 423 340 Total 487 151 1731 1580
Data Collection Literature review Statistical data collection 26 community visits to 13 Aboriginal and 50 rural communities Phone survey of 2,025 rural and Aboriginal residents Web survey of 359 community administrators Reached 37% of rural and Aboriginal communities in W. Canada Analysis of provincial co-operative association websites Interviews with co-op developers across western Canada
Community Visits (26)
Communities Reached
Research Challenges Data was often difficult to access, unavailable, or not in a format useful to the project. Timelines 18 months of data collection and analysis lots more to do. Data collection and reporting mechanisms to serve co-op development and the co-op sector in general are lacking. Data on new start-ups are costly to obtain, and data on overall co-op activity are extremely dated. The up-to-the-minute data required for development and policy work do not exist.
Overall Community Information Information is at a western Canada level by community type. Based on 2006 Census and 2011 Census and National Household Survey. The same information is available at a provincial and community level, where not suppressed by Statistics Canada.
Key Lessons: Comparison of Provinces BC has older mean age; SK and MB have highest dependency ratio. MB and SK have highest international immigration in last 5 yrs. MB and SK have highest % Aboriginal population. MB and SK have lowest median income. SK has fastest income growth. MB and SK have smallest income % in Wages & Salaries; Highest % in Self-Employment.
Key Lessons: Rural versus Aboriginal Aboriginal population younger; most of population is 3 rd generation or more. Rural population has higher post-secondary education, and greater % in business, life sciences, math/engineering. Very different pattern of home ownership. Aboriginal population has a lower median income, but similar % of income from wages and salaries. Rural population has higher participation rate, lower unemployment, higher rate of self-employment, and smaller % in education, law and social services.
Community Visits (26)
Community Cluster Characteristics Cluster Pop Age Migration Education Income 1 Stable Older Low Higher Higher Major Occupation Sales Trades 2 nd Impt Source of Income Pensions Main Business Construction Agriculture 2 Growing Younger Low Higher Higher Sales Invest Agriculture 3 Growing Average to Younger 4 Stable Younger High Higher Average Average to High Average Higher 5 Growing Younger Very low Lower Lower 6 Stable to Falling Average to Older High/Low Averagelower Higher/Lower 7 Falling Average High/Low Lower Lower Trades Sales Sales Trades Mgmt. Sales Educ/Law/SS Trades Trades Management Trades Sales Ed/Law/SS Invest Pensions Child Child Pensions CPP Child Agriculture Construction Real Estate Agriculture Retail Agriculture Agriculture Construction Agriculture Clusters: #1 Lac Du Bonnet MB, Dauphin MB; #2 Humboldt SK; #3 Laird SK, 40 Mile AB, Mountain View AB, Kootenay BC, Smokey Lake AB ; #4 Ponoka AB, St. Paul AB, MacKenzie AB; #5 Div. #18 SK, Div. #/22/23 MB, St. Louis SK; #6 Arborfield SK, Skeena BC; #7 Central Kootenay BC, Kitimat BC.
Questions?