Canada Cooperatives Act

Marginal note:Purposes of Act

• 3 (1) The purposes of this Act are

  • (a) to set out the law applicable to the business endeavours of persons who have associated themselves in a democratic manner to carry on a common purpose; and

  • (b) to advance the cause of uniformity of cooperative business law in Canada.

• Marginal note:Carrying on business in more than one place

  (2) No cooperative may be incorporated under this Act unless

  • (a) it will carry on its undertaking in two or more provinces; and

  • (b) it will have a fixed place of business in more than one province.

• Marginal note:Application

  (3) This Act applies to cooperatives incorporated under this Act that have not been discontinued.

• Marginal note:Non-application of certain Acts

  (4) No provision of the Canada Business Corporations Act, the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act or the Winding-up and Restructuring Act applies to a cooperative.

• Marginal note:Limitation on business that can be carried on

  (5) No cooperative may carry on the business of

  • (a) a bank;

  • (b) a company to which the Insurance Companies Act applies;

  • (c) a company to which the Trust and Loan Companies Act applies; or

  • (d) an association to which the Cooperative Credit Associations Act applies.

• Marginal note:Prohibition on granting degrees

  (6) No cooperative may carry on business as a degree-granting educational institution unless expressly authorized to do so by a federal or provincial agent that by law has the power to confer degree-granting authority on an educational institution.