Co-ops in the time of COVID – w/ John Kay, Thom Armstrong & Ross Gentleman / special guest Adam Trott

//Co-ops in the time of COVID – w/ John Kay, Thom Armstrong & Ross Gentleman / special guest Adam Trott

Co-ops in the time of COVID – w/ John Kay, Thom Armstrong & Ross Gentleman / special guest Adam Trott

How are co-ops managing during the pandemic?

What’s the latest news on post-pandemic economic recovery? What role will co-ops play?

Listen to our monthly checkins for August 4th, 2020 and get the latest information. 

Discussions with John Kay, Thom Armstrong, Ross Gentleman and Robin

Our guest panel 

  • John Kay, President of the board Co-ops and Mutuals of Canada, Vice-Chair of the BC Co-operative Association, and CEO of Realize Strategies Co-op
  • Thom Armstrong, CEO, Co-operative Housing Federation of BC
  • Ross Gentleman, Former General Manager of CCEC Credit Union and a blogger on credit union matters at CuFutures.ca

Tonight’s discussion topics include 

    • Economic Impacts
      • Buying local with our shortened supply chains
      • Retail co-ops 
      • Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) 
      • Federal discussions on economic recovery
      • Looking forward to the next budget in February 2021
    •  Credit Unions Impacts
      • Lower interest rates 
      • Federal programs for loans 
      • Relief for consumers 
      • Growing consumer deposits (saving)
    • Housing Impacts 
      • Massive response to COVID-19 needs
      • Local housing purchase in hotels but where are the needed supports
      • Despite unprecedented housing investments, for every affordable home created, three homes are being lost
      • Lack of political will
      • City lease negotiations (yes, still an ongoing discussion, however an end may be in sight!) 

Special Guest: Adam Trott 

Adam is the first place winner of the St. Mary’s University – International Centre for Co-operative Management’s essay competition #Co-ops4JustEconomy, answering the question, What role can co-operative play to energize a just economy post-pandemic?

Adam Trott is a recent graduate of a Masters in Co-operative and Credit Union Management from St. Mary’s University. He works as the Director of Member Relations for Shared Capital Cooperative, a national CDFI loan fund that connects co-ops and capital to build economic democracy. He is also the Executive Director of the Valley Alliance of Worker Co-operatives, a co-op of worker co-ops that supports, develops and educates about and for worker co-operatives. Adam spent 13 years as a worker/member of Collective Copies, a collectively managed worker co-op and union shop offering full service printing and book-binding services in western Massachusetts. 

Adam shares his thoughts on how co-ops can help build a better world and much more. Have a listen to the full interview

 

International Centre for Co-operative Management

By |2020-09-10T10:54:56-07:00August 4th, 2020|Show|0 Comments

About the Author:

Host and executive producer Robin Puga has been with Each For All from its beginning in 2006. Robin studied at the British Columbia Institute of Co-operative Studies (BCICS) and is active in the co-op community. In addition to working in the technology sector he’s a founding member of the CanTrust worker co-op and previous board member of the BC Co-op Association.

Leave A Comment