What is a co-op?

What is a co-operative?

A co-operative is a business owned and democratically controlled by its members, who use its services or work within it. A co-operative is a corporation, similar to a limited company, but unlike the conventional business model, co-operatives are structured and guided by a set of principles that put people before profit, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interests of members and the communities they serve. In British Columbia, co-operatives are governed by the Cooperative Association Act, which sets the legal framework for how they are formed, operated, and governed. This legislation covers everything from member rights and voting rules to financial reporting and dissolution, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Co-operatives can take many forms depending on who their members are. You may be familiar with consumer co-operatives, where the members are the customers who use the co-op’s products or services, such as the co-op gas stations or credit unions, which are all over Vancouver Island. In a worker co-operative, the members are the people who work for the business. Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative is a worker-member co-operative, meaning our arborists, climbers, and support staff are the members and are collectively responsible for managing the business.

Each worker-member has an equal vote in major decisions, regardless of their role, seniority, or the amount invested in the co-op; members elect a Board of Directors and directly vote on allocation of profits. This structure ensures that those doing the work on the ground every day also have a direct say in how the co-op operates and evolves.

Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative is the only worker-member tree service in BC, and as far as we know, all of Canada. We combine the professionalism and efficiency of a for-profit business with the fairness and shared decision-making of a democratic organization. Profits are reinvested in the co-op or distributed to members based on their work contribution, not to outside shareholders or to a single owner. This model encourages long-term commitment, high-quality service, and a shared responsibility for the co-op’s success.

By choosing to work with a co-operative, you are supporting a business model that keeps decision-making local, treats workers as active and engaged stakeholders rather than just employees, and invests in community well-being. For Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative, this means every project we take on is not only about delivering excellent arboricultural work, but it is also part of our mission to foster a sustainable, member-driven business that benefits our clients, our members, and our community.

For more information on worker co-operatives in Canada, click here, and check out the Canadian Worker Co-op Federation.

7 Principles of Co-operatives

1. Voluntary and Open Membership

Cooperatives are intended to be open to anyone who is willing to accept the responsibilities of membership without any discrimination based on gender, social status, race, political affiliation, or religion. Membership should also be voluntary, meaning that members want and choose to be a part of the co-op, are not coerced into joining, and are free to leave. At Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative, we have some stipulations for membership. Employees must work for the co-opfor a year and then can apply for membership and purchase a membership share. As a worker-member cooperative, membership is based on and employment and working for the co-op. Beyond these ground rules, the co-op does not discriminate and is bound by our ethical commitment to the cooperative principles to be open and welcoming.

2. Democratic Member Control

Cooperatives must be democratically controlled by their members who actively participate in shaping the rules and policies of the co-op. This follows the principle of one member, one vote, which is a key distinction from other corporate forms where votes can be distributed based on ownership; each member has a vote irrespective of whether the hold any shares in the co-op. At Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative, the members elect a Board of Directors from amongst the membership and worker-members meet regularly to discuss business operations, strategy, and policies.

3. Member Economic Participation

Members democratically control the capital of the cooperative. At Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative, members have input into how capital is allocated, and members directly vote on how any surplus is allocated at the Annual General Meeting.

4. Autonomy and Independence

Cooperatives are autonomous and independent corporations that can enter into agreements with other organisations and do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy. This principle was the inspiration for the name "yeomen," referring to free, independent, and autonomous landholders who farmed their own land and not the land of a lord or liege.

5. Education, Training, and Information

Cooperatives should provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development and future success of the cooperative. At Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative, we take this seriously and actively invest in our members and have paid for further training of members every year.

6. Cooperation among Cooperatives

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement when they working together with other cooperatives. Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative supports other local cooperatives and is proudly a member of Mid Island Co-op, Coastal Community Credit Union, and BC Co-operative Association.

7. Concern for Community

Cooperatives take in to account the welfare of the communities that they are embedded in. Yeomen Tree Service Co-operative is responsive to community through its accountability to the membership. Overall, one of our mandates is to provide responsible and sustainable longterm stewardship of the urban tree canopy and we are committed to building and living in a healthy community.