Webinar: Employee & Community-based Ownership Succession and Buy-outs
10:00-11:00 am Pacific
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Mountain
12:00-1:00 pm Central
1:00-2:00 pm Eastern
2:00-3:00 pm Atlantic
2:30-3:30 pm Newfoundland
Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, business succession was a growing challenge due to Canada’s aging population. A 2018 study of small and medium-sized enterprises found that nearly 50% of owners intended to exit their business within the next five years. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have only intensified those pressures.
Small businesses are the heart and soul of many communities and neighbourhoods. Wide-spread closures due to gaps in succession planning could be devastating for many cities, towns, and villages across Canada. Social enterprise and co-operative models are proven to be better adapted to challenging market conditions and more resilient in times of economic downturn. Small business closures could in many cases be addressed by employee or community buyouts, thus preserving jobs and services as well as the life-blood of the community.
Why isn’t everyone doing this? There are many barriers to employee and community-based succession, including policy barriers as well as a lack of awareness that these models exist.
Join us on October 14 to learn more about this issue and hear from the people advocating for policy change and from some folks who have made employee and community-based succession a reality!
Speakers:
- Wunmi Akinlosotu, Founder and CEO, Blooming Ladies
- Victor Beausoleil, Founder and Executive Director, Social Economy Through Social Inclusion
- Russ Christianson, Co-Chair, Canadian Worker Co-op Federation’s Business Succession Committee
- Marc Henrie, Directeur général, CDR-Acadie
- Sarah Leeson-Klym, Regional Networks Director, Canadian Community Economic Development Network
- Taylor Sekhon, Director - Strategy and Investments, Social Capital Partners
- Marcelo Vieta - Researcher, Coop Convert
- Moderator: Raissa Marks, Government Relations Director, Canadian Community Economic Development Network
Please join us on October 14!
Register for Webinar: Employee & Community-based Ownership Succession and Buy-outs
The Strengthening Community Economies Series is designed to build skills, provide support, and strengthen a culture of political action among CCEDNet members. To join CCEDNet or to find out more about our barrier-free membership policy, click here.
Worker co-operatives have demonstrated resilience and solidarity throughout the Covid19 pandemic, although many have faced significant challenges. We will share particular strategies of worker co-ops in dealing with crises such as the pandemic. Further, this theme will cover how communities would benefit from building more worker co-operatives, including through the lens of racial and economic justice. As always, there will be sessions on topics of practical interest for worker co-operators. 
Game Changers! Seizing the Circular Opportunity
Project 10 is an initiative of Edmonton Community Development Company that is uniting diverse partners around a bold plan to buy, demolish and redevelop 10 derelict properties in McCauley, one of the city’s oldest urban neighbourhoods. Drug trafficking, homelessness, gambling and gangs are a current reality for McCauley. These challenges are counterbalanced by the deep love and loyalty that many residents have for their neighbourhood. This commitment was powerfully demonstrated when, in just six weeks, neighbours contributed $1.1 million to join local leaders as investors in a plan to buy, and revitalize a long-time problem strip mall property. This significant show of support is an important victory in the incredibly complex and challenging work of revitalizing communities.