Amachewespimawin Co-op gives back to community

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When the people of Stanley Mission go to the Amachewespimawin Co-op, whether it's to buy groceries, get gas, or eat a meal, they are not only getting what they need, but also giving back to their community.

The Amachewespimawin Co-operative has been operating in this northern community since the early 70s, starting out as the Stanley Mission Co-op, a small retail store. Since then, the co-op has grown, both in physical size, and in the service it offers to the community.

"We have a general store, where we sell just about everything. And we also have a gas bar, confectionery store, and a restaurant," said co-op manager Bob Walker.

Having a co-op in the community has a number of benefits for the people of Stanley Mission, Walker explained, the main benefit being that the money made by the co-op stays in the community. Any profits realized by the co-op are paid out to members as dividends. Walker estimates the current active membership in the co-op at about 900, which is about half the total population of Stanley Mission.

By having the Amachewespimawin Co-op operating in the community, residents of Stanley Mission also benefit by having access to lower-priced goods. Unlike standard businesses, co-operatives aren't profit driven, which means they can offer their customers products and services at more reasonable prices.

The co-op also contributes to the local economy by providing employment opportunities. Currently, about 45 local people are working for the co-op.

Another advantage to having a co-op operating in the community is that members can have more input into what products and services are available than they would in a standard retail business. "We listen probably more when they ask for things. We can't sell everything here. It's just impossible. But we try to sell all of the stuff that they need in their everyday life. They have a board of directors that basically bring stuff from the membership on an ongoing basis to the management, things that they feel they need," Walker said.

Co-operatives are also a good way for communities to meet demands for products and services that aren't being met by other businesses, because low profit margins would keep those businesses from setting up shop. An example of that is the restaurant run by the Amachewespimawin Co-op, the first and only restaurant in Stanley Mission.

While working to meet the needs of community members in this way, the Amachewespimawin Co-op also contributes to the community by sponsoring local events and activities, Walker said.

"We probably donate to everything that happens in the community. We have an ongoing thing where they built an indoor rink here, and every year we make a donation to that. They put on a big poker rally where they raise a lot of money for this rink, and that's a major donation that we make to that. We have an annual scholarship fund for one of the grads going on to post-secondary education. That's probably the two main ones that we do."

The co-op will also be helping out with a new in school meal program being started up by the health clinic.

"We'll get involved and donate food towards that. But just about anything that they do, we make donations towards it," Walker said.

Although the initial start up of a co-op may be more work than setting up a standard retail business, the end result is worth the extra effort, especially in the north.

"Co-ops make a lot of sense in these northern communities. Personally, I think a lot of the northern communities could put co-ops into them and do quite well for the community. The private businesses . . . they don't give back to the community as much."