Member Profile

The Kootenay Boundary Community Services Co-operative (KBCSC) is an organization directed by its members to provide resources and services to people in the southeastern part of British Columbia known as the West Kootenay and Boundary regions. Its mission is to work to strengthen its members and address issues of social well-being in the Kootenay-Boundary region.

The members are all community-based social service organizations and operate in communities located throughout this region.

A Unique Partnership

These member organizations work together to plan and deliver services that are regional in nature, to develop new ideas through projects, and to support each other to maintain and improve the quality of services they provide.

The co-operative is characterized by:

• voluntary and open membership
• democratic control (one member, one vote)
• member economic participation (both in financial contribution and financial benefit)
• co-operative effort
• concern for community
• placing high value on self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.

History and Development

The Kootenay Boundary Community Services Co-operative was born out of discussions among leaders of community service agencies in 2001 as they addressed the challenges of imminent funding reductions and the tendering of government contracts in larger regional pieces through the BCBid mechanism.  These leaders were looking for a strategy that would facilitate co-operation among the organizations of the region, yet maintain community-based decision-making regarding services to communities of all sizes in the region.  The group decided to pursue the formation of a co-operative as a cornerstone of this collaborative strategy.

With funding support from the Community Economic Development Technical Assistance Program (CEDTAP) of the Centre for the Study of Training, Investment and Economic Restructuring at Carleton University and the Kootenay Regional Office of the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development, the Kootenay Boundary Community Services Co-operative developed and incorporated the Co-op and adopted a plan to develop four streams of activity.

1. Services to Members: mutual support; alliance and partnership development; cost sharing of common activities; proposal coordination and support.
2. Co-op Projects: short-term, time-limited activities operated for members and on behalf of members; pilot projects.
3. Service Programs: the operation of services in the region that members agree are best operated by the KBRR Co-operative rather than a member agency.
4. Business and Service Enterprises: activities in which the primary benefit to the members is revenue generation for the Co-operative.

Later, with funding from Agriculture Canada’s “Co-operative Development Initiative,” the Co-op developed a management and policy infrastructure and hired a part-time Executive Coordinator.

Starting in the 2006-2007 fiscal year, the Co-op generated sufficient revenue through its activities to support a small administrative support structure.

Visit online: www.thekoop.ca