Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives' 40th Anniversary

 If the Co-operative Movement is to benefit from this research, it needs to encourage the enquiring, critical, and creative spirit which exists at the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives.

Chris Axworthy, first director of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, 1987 

In 1984, the members of the co-operative sector (including Federated Co-operatives Limited, Credit Union Central of Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool) partnered with the University of Saskatchewan and the Province of Saskatchewan to support the creation of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (now Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, or CCSC), a research and education centre devoted to co-operatives. At the time, this type of tripartite partnership between the co-operative sector, university, and government – as well as the model of the Centre – was unprecedented and a first of its kind. 

Since its inception, the CCSC has both produced interdisciplinary research, analysis, and conceptual tools that strengthen the co-operative sector and provide postsecondary-level educational programming for students and co-operative practitioners. 

2024 marked the 40th Anniversary of the CCSC - this was an opportunity to celebrate our first 40 years and toast to the future of interdisciplinary, collaborative, co-operative research, education, training, and engagement.

The CCSC's 40th Anniversary was held on November 21, 2024, at the Diefenbaker Building (i.e. the home of the Centre since its inception) on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. 

Below, you will find full coverage of the 40th Anniversary event.

As part of the 40th Anniversary Event, Dr. Marc-André Pigeon, Director and Strategic Research Fellow for the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, delivered a passionate and thought-provoking speech to address three timely questions:

1. Are co-operatives more virtuous than corporations? 
2. Is cooperation and are co-operatives still relevant? 
3. Has the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives earned its keep?

Woven into his response to these questions comprises a reflection of the CCSC's past and his vision for the Centre and co-operatives for the future. 

Recording by Matt Braden Photo

The 40th Anniversary Event was marked by the unveiling of the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives' new logo. 

The journey to developing a new logo was inspired by an interest to find a symbol that captured the CCSC's mission, commitment to research that was academically rigourous, policy relevant, and meaningful to the co-operative sector, and one that could easily connect with the co-operative community. 

CCSC Director and Strategic Research Fellow, Dr. Marc-André Pigeon, describes the significance of the symbolism behind this new logo: 

The hexagon is associated with bees and honeycombs and, as such, has led to its symbolism being linked to community, cooperation, and hard work. "Bees, known for their diligent work in building intricate hexagonal structures, have long been seen as symbols of industry and collaboration.

The hexagon's symmetrical and interconnected nature has also been associated with the concepts of interconnectedness and interdependence. Just as the sides of a hexagon rely on each other for stability, so too do all aspects of life rely on one another for harmony and balance."¹ 

In co-operative land, the shape of the logo is described as a shield symbolizing strength and co-operation. The top of the shield represents the roof under which it is possible to come together, as a family does, for important events.   

The bottom of the shield represents the foundation for co-operation, the ideal that the co-operative empowers and enables.

The CCSC would like to sincerely thank Arcana Creative for all of their expertise, time, and effort in helping to bring this new logo to life. 

¹ Aura Health Team: Decoding the Spiritual Meaning of a Hexagon: Symbolism Revealed.

Enquiring, Critical, and Creative Spirit is a history of the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (formerly the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives) from its conception to 2018. This work was commissioned by the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and researched and written by Dr. Merle Massie, PhD.

This print edition was published in 2024 and officially launched at the 40th anniversary event. 

You can access a digital copy of the book via the following link: Read Enquiring, Critical, and Creative Spirit

As part of the CCSC's 40th Anniversary event, testimonials were provided from recent community research partners.

This compilation features community research partners who submitted testimonials that speak to the impact of CCSC research on their organizations. 

As part of the CCSC's 40th Anniversary event, this compilation features CCSC Research Fellows who shared their personal highlights and memorable moments from their time as a Centre Research Fellow. 

Photos by Matt Braden Photo

You can read more on the CCSC’s 40^th anniversary via the following articles:

• University of Saskatchewan News, "USask's Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives celebrates 40th Anniversary"

• Prairie Dog Magazine, "40-Year Mission: Meet the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives"