Aboriginal Co-operatives in Canada - Centre for the Study of Co ...

~ C A S E S T U D I E SAmachewespimawin Co-operativeLac la Ronge BandStanley Mission, SaskatchewanCare Study Analysis Prepared by Juliano TuponeStanley Mission is an Aboriginal community located in northern Saskatchewan, approximatelyone hour northeast of Lac la Ronge. The community is made up primarily of First Nationspeople and is part of the Lac la Ronge Indian Band, one of the largest First Nations in theprovince of Saskatchewan. The community’s name is derived from an Anglican mission thatwas established there in the 1850s. Lush green forests, rivers, and lakes surround the communityand this natural beauty makes Stanley Mission a popular destination for tourists.A co-operative store was established in Stanley Mission between 1972 and 1973. Prior to this,Northern Co-op Trading Services operated a store in the community, but when it began toexperience difficulties, the community decided to purchase the assets from the company. Existingequity was used to purchase the assets and no financial assistance was required. Sevencommunity members played the largest role in founding the Stanley Mission co-op, whichis now called Amachewespimawin Co-op. Approximately eighteen hundred people live inStanley Mission, more than half of whom are members of the local co-op, and several ofwhom are actively involved in its operations.HistoryThe Amachewespimawin Co-op has become very successful over the years, and has undergoneconsiderable change with respect to operations and expansion since it was founded. Initially,the co-op operated a retail store in the community, which was forced to expand over the yearsas the co-op’s membership grew and more people began to shop there. In the early 1980s,when the original store had become too small, the community constructed a second retailbuilding with the assistance of a $72,000 grant from the federal government. The co-opcontinued to grow and expand throughout the eighties, and the current building housing theretail store was constructed when the second building became too small for all the merchandisethat was being carried. The co-op currently operates a large retail store that carries a widerange of merchandise including groceries, sporting goods, clothing, housewares, and more.The co-op also operates a gas bar and fast-food restaurant.The co-op has not received a great deal of financial assistance from outside sources. Thefederal government has provided two grants of approximately $50,000 each during the pastdecade. One was used for construction on the new building, which was finished about seven~ 373