Well-known Canadian co-ops

Desjardins: Canada's sixth largest financial institution with more than $190 billion in assets and 5.8 million members. It is a network of financial services co-operatives - caisses populaires -- and some 20 subsidiary companies in insurance, securities, venture capital and asset management.

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL): Provides central wholesaling, manufacturing and administrative services to some 250 consumer co-operatives across Western Canada.

La Coop fédérée: Canada's largest agricultural co-operative organization, made up of 100 affiliated co-operatives with 51,000 individual members. La Coop fédérée is best known across Canada as the producer of Olymel meat products

The Co-operators:  Insurance group owned by more than 40 Canadian organizations, including co-operatives and credit union centrals from every region of the country. The Co-operators Group Limited is a Canadian-owned co-operative with more than $42 billion in assets under administration. Through its group of companies it offers home, auto, life, group, travel, commercial and farm insurance, as well as investment products.

Agropur: This Quebec-based dairy co-operative is best known for its Sealtest, Yoplait and Natrel milk products. Other Canadian dairy co-operatives include Gay Lea Foods, Farmers Dairy, Scotsburn Dairy, Northumberland Dairy and Organic Meadow.

 UFA Co-operative Limited: Created in 1909 as United Farmers of Alberta, UFA now has a network of more than 110 petroleum outlets, 35 retail stores, four fertilizer plants and an agriculture construction division.

Co-op Atlantic: The second-largest co-operative wholesaler in Canada (after FCL) and the largest co-operative organization in the Atlantic provinces. Co-op Atlantic is owned by more than 100 co-operatively owned retail businesses across Atlantic Canada.

Mountain Equipment Co-op: This outdoor clothing and equipment retailer has 14 stores across Canada and more than 3 million individual members.

Arctic Co-operatives Limited (ACL): A network of 31 autonomous Inuit and Dene co-operatives in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. These co-operatives operate retail stores, hotels, cable operations, construction, arts and crafts production and property rentals.

 Vancity : Created in 1946, Vancity is Canada's largest single credit union with nearly 60 locations across British Columbia serving over 400,000 members. Vancity is known across Canada for its commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability