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

~ T W O H O U S I N G C O - O P E R A T I V E SQuint Development Corporation 1Saskatoon, SaskatchewanQuint Development Corporation, established in 1995, is a community economic development(CED) initiative representing five core neighbourhoods in Saskatoon: Pleasant Hill, Westmount,King George, Riversdale, and Caswell Hill. Quint emerged from a community planningprocess that identified the common issues and challenges faced by the five communities, whichare characterized by low income levels, high unemployment, a significant number of familieson social assistance, a large proportion of rental properties, vacant houses, and an ageinghousing stock.Emphasizing both community and economics, Quint facilitates access to skills and resourcesnot otherwise available to low-income individuals and families. It is working to increaseparticipation and facilitate socio-economic and cultural understanding within the core communities.As a community economic development organization, its goal is to “enable minorityor low-income groups to pool their resources and talents to create ownership, opportunity,jobs, training, and income for themselves and fellow community members. It uses businessmethods to provide social and economic benefits in urban pockets of poverty” (Quint Document1) 2 . To this end, it has formed partnerships with various levels of government andbusinesses, which are compatible with community cultures and values. Its mission statementindicates that “Quint exists to strengthen the economic and social well being of Saskatoon’sfive core neighbourhoods through a community-based economic development approach”(Quint Document 1).Quint and its projects are almost entirely government funded. In 1999, 45.37 percent of itsfunding came from the Government of Saskatchewan, 31.27 percent from the Government ofCanada, and 3.67 percent from the City of Saskatoon. Remaining funding came from corporatesponsorship—3.67 percent—and self-generated or -collected funds—16.01 percent. Quintwould prefer to be more independent than it is currently, as the majority of the funding hasspecific and predetermined requirements attached. Since focussing on helping low-incomeindividuals has severe limitations for generating revenue, however, it is doubtful that Quintwill ever be reasonably independent or self-sufficient.1This case is excerpted from “Quint Development Corporation Ltd.: A Case Study of Co-operatives as a Means forAboriginal Economic Development,” written by Nikki Hipkin and Neville Fernandes for an MBA course titledIndigenous People and Economic Development, taught by Warren Weir and Kelly Lendsay.2 Quint Documents 1–4, referenced in this article, are unpublished internal documents prepared by the QuintDevelopment Corporation. Interested readers may contact Quint directly for further information (230 Avenue RSouth, Saskatoon, SK, S7M 2Z1; phone: (306) 978–4041; fax: (306) 683–1957).~ 393