Feeding Community
From a focus on local products to neighbourly vibes, food co-ops offer a healthier — and kinder — way to fill your cart.
By Valerie Howes | Illustrations by LeeAndra Cianci
FOR MANY CANADIANS, it’s routine to load up on groceries every week at a big-box store. But for those seeking out an ethical, sustainable, community-focused alternative, it’s worth considering joining your local food co-operative (co-op). Operating from storefronts or distribution points, co-ops are designed to benefit their members, who generally pay an annual fee to vote on how the co-op is run and take advantage of favourable pricing. Many co-ops host community events to help members connect with one another and with their food producers. They typically prioritize local, seasonal and fair-trade products. You might not find strawberries in December, but you will find fresh fruits and veggies in season, friendly neighbours, and opportunities to learn more about the people who grew (or made) your food. The history of food co-ops in Canada dates back to the 1860s in Nova Scotia, where British miners wanted to replicate the model they’d used back home to buy collectively and save on food costs. During the 20th century, co-op popularity waxed and waned with the economy and world wars. They truly came into their own in the 1970s, when organic farming took off. Today, there’s a resurgence of interest in how food co-ops support local communities, as grocery-store monopolies have made headlines for price fixing, and the climate crisis and tariff wars have made many people think more deeply about where their food comes from. Now, with a growing appetite for food that’s fairly priced, local and rooted in community, co-ops across Canada are proving there’s more than one way to stock a pantry.
Big community benefits
A self-described “small big store,” Steep Hill Food Co-operative has served Saskatoon’s Broadway community since 1978, providing a way for locals to share the cost of organic, fair-trade and bulk goods. When a larger chain grocery store closed on Broadway’s vibrant strip of music venues and indie shops in 2023, Steep Hill stayed, expanding its grocery offerings while staying true to its co-op roots.
While the store has core staff, volunteers stock shelves, sort compost, write the newsletter and sit on the board. Shoppers range from university students to families to seniors. “We get complimented all the time on how fun it is to shop here — on how kind our employees are. How friendly we are to kids. How open we are to having a chat with our regular customers,” says manager Amielle Christopherson. What’s more, Steep Hill donates surplus food to a community fridge or to neighbourhood folks in need, hosts cooking classes and participates in street fairs and events. Christopherson says, “I think communities... would be better if spaces were less focused on how many dollars they could squeeze out in profits, and more on the larger community benefit they could provide people coming into their building.”
“Good for the spirit”
Back in the 1970s, when Winnipeg was a city with no health-food stores, a group of local families founded Harvest Collective, a food-buying club. When the Collective shuttered in 1999, several members banded together to form Organic Planet Worker Co-op. Over the decades, it has evolved through growth spurts, fire and financial ups and downs; today, Organic Planet is run as a workers’ co-operative, with employees buying shares of the business and making decisions collectively. “It feels good for the spirit to be operating in a structure like that, where we all play equal parts,” says worker-owner Brandon Enns.
The co-op is a vibrant hub for organic, local and wholesome foods, with a grocery store and vegan deli. Customers come by for tasty sustenance like tofu salads, spicy lemon soup and nutty fudge bars, all made in-house.
Enns calls the co-op a “gathering place” in a rooted neighbourhood, and says the worker-owners thrive on all the positive feedback. “We have one long-time customer with cancer, and we make her very specific foods that suit her dietary needs. She’s been telling us that we’re keeping her alive,” Enns says.
Strengthening the local economy
A fixture in Toronto’s West End since 1972, Karma Co-op is a small full-service grocery store. “The founders were, in their own words, a bunch of hippies and draft dodgers,” says general manager Zach Weingarten. They sought to make organic and sustainable foods more accessible right in their neighbourhood.
Tucked away in a Seaton Village alleyway, Karma offers mostly organic and Canadian packaged and frozen foods, as well as bread and sweet treats from local bakeries. Farmers drop off vegetables and fruits in person, and more than 400 items are sold in bulk. You can stock up on everything from flour, nuts and cereals to locally fermented kombucha in funky flavours such as crabapple and sage or beet-Meyer lemon.
These days, Karma is open to members and non-members alike for shopping, but members access the best prices, and volunteers snag extra discounts for helping with tasks such as governance, writing the newsletter or running the store. Customers come from all walks of life, says Weingarten, but hold shared values. “They love food, they love community, and they love being part of a food system that strengthens the local economy.” CAA
If you enjoy your food with a side of community and a dash of conscience, a co-op might be your jam (locally made, of course). Find one near you to experience the benefits of joining a food co-operative firsthand. Check out the edible offerings and friendly vibes, then sign up as a member and help shape the food system you want to see.