Who owns quebec canada

As of , Canada had a population of Canada has one of the highest per-capita immigration rates in the world as a result of strong economic policy and robust safety nets for its population such as universal healthcare.

Given how vast the country is and its comparatively tiny population, the population density of Canada is at 9. Only 9. The land is administered on behalf of the Crown by various agencies or departments of the government of Canada. The Canadian Act has no provision for any Canadian to own physical land in Canada. Canadians can only own an interest in an estate. The Crown Land administered by the federal and provincial governments can be defined as land not assigned in freehold tenure.

While co-operatives serve a wide variety of functions, they generally fit one of the following four types:. In Canada, a co-operative must incorporate under a specific co-operative Act at the provincial, territorial or federal level. These Acts govern all types of co-operatives, with the exception of financial co-operatives which are governed by separate legislation. The nature of the co-operative business model and how they operate is largely defined by these Acts.

Whatever the governing Act may be, co-operatives share three common characteristics in areas of ownership, governance and distribution of profits. Ownership: A co-operative is a business jointly owned by its members who use its products or services.

In some cases, co-operatives can have members who do not use its services or products e. This right is exercised at the co-operative's annual general meeting AGM , where members can vote directly for the board of directors. This democratic governance structure is reinforced by the co-operative's by-laws and the legislation under which the co-operative is incorporated provincial, territorial or federal. Distribution of Profits: Any surplus of a co-operative is owned by the member-owners who can decide how to distribute the profits at the AGM , which can include the following decisions:.

In addition, depending on the governing legislation, a co-operative may become a non-profit entity. These non-profit co-operatives do not provide members with a patronage dividend. All surpluses are directed eventually into the general reserve. In general, a membership share may not increase in value. It can usually only be redeemed by the coop at its par value. A common share may increase in value. A shareholder may sell his or her shares to another person at an agreed upon price.

Generally, anyone can be a member on payment of a fee and in accordance with the requirements of the articles and by-laws. A cooperative must have at least three directors or any greater minimum number that is set out in the articles.

A corporation shall have one or more directors. Corporations that report to a securities commission shall have not fewer than three directors, at least two of whom are not officers or employees of the corporation or its affiliates. A not-for-profit corporation shall have one or more directors, but a soliciting corporation shall not have fewer than three directors, at least two of whom are not officers or employees of the corporation or its affiliates. Directors are elected by members.

The articles of the cooperative may permit investment shareholders to elect directors by reason of a condition that has been fulfilled; or a fixed number or a percentage of the directors.

Directors in exercising their powers and discharging their duties shall act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the cooperative; and exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. Every director in exercising their powers and discharging their duties shall act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the corporation; and exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances.

Directors in exercising their powers and discharging their duties shall act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the corporation; and exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. A member is entitled to only one vote at a general meeting, regardless of the number of shares he or she holds.

A shareholder is entitled to the number of votes based on the type of share he or she holds in the company. Some cooperatives with a large and dispersed membership have a delegate structure for representing members e.

Dividends on any membership share are limited to the maximum percentage fixed in the articles. Profits may be distributed in the form of dividends according to the provisions for each class of shares, or reinvested in the company. The value of shares reflects the net value of the corporation. Surpluses do not belong to individual members but to the organization. They may, therefore, not be redistributed among the members but must be returned in full to the indivisible general reserve of the organization.

Some cooperatives, such as housing, health and day-care cooperatives are structured as non-profit entities. Surpluses are not distributed to members. Some provincial legislation may stipulate that a cooperative's general reserve is indivisible, or divisible in whole or in part. Shareholders may dispose of all of the assets of the business in accordance with certain legislative provisions. Legislation and the articles of incorporation may specify how assets are to be disposed upon dissolution.

The purpose of this tool is solely for general comparison and is not intended to be used as legal advice on corporate structures. It is recommended to seek legal counsel for your specific business needs. A distinguishing feature of co-operatives is that they share the same values and guiding principles that are exercised in their governance and operations. The statement is the result of a long process of consultation involving thousands of co-operatives around the world.

Many of Canada's governing co-operative Acts refer to the Statement on Co-operative Identity to define the co-operative basis. A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise. Co-operatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.

In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring for others. The co-operative principles are guidelines by which co-operatives put their values into practice. Co-operatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political, or religious discrimination.

Co-operatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary co-operatives members have equal voting rights one member, one vote and co-operatives at other levels are organized in a democratic manner. Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their co-operative.

At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the co-operative. They usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing the co-operative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the co-operative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.

Co-operatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their co-operative autonomy. Co-operatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives.

They inform the general public - particularly young people and opinion leaders - about the nature and benefits of co-operation. Co-operatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the co-operative movement by working together through local, national, regional, and international structures.

Co-operatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members. A co-operative is both an association of people and an enterprise. It therefore has two different structures:. A co-operative's articles of incorporation may vary according to federal or provincial legislation. For example, under the Canada Cooperatives Act , your articles of incorporation determine the name of the co-operative, the municipality and province where the co-operative's registered office is, any restrictions of the business or membership classes of the co-operative, membership share capital or member rights, among other provisions.

You must submit articles of amendment for any proposed changes regarding your articles of incorporation, continuance, amalgamation or revival. A co-operative's by-laws are like a government's constitution.

They define the rights and obligations of each member of the co-operative, and they constitute a legal document. In many cases, they may only be amended by a majority two-thirds of the members at a general meeting. Under the federal Act , by-laws are strictly internal to the co-operative.

They can be amended internally, according to the procedure set out by the co-operative. For example, at the federal level, neither by-laws nor by-law amendments have to be filed with the government. The board of directors must call and organize an annual general meeting. The by-laws may provide for a quorum number of members or percentage of total members , without which a general meeting may not be held.

One member may not vote on behalf of another member no proxy voting. In particular, the members at the the annual meeting have exclusive authority to this can vary by jurisdiction :. The board of directors governs the co-operative on behalf of members. It usually has exclusive authority to:. The Director General has the same responsibilities and powers as in a private company, i. The person in this position must report directly to the board of directors and keep them informed on the activities of the enterprise.

The Director General has the power to hire and fire employees of the enterprise in accordance with the provisions of the by-laws and with the directives and policies issued by the board of directors. If this preliminary study is not conclusive, the group should re-evaluate its business idea. If this study shows that the planned co-operative is feasible, the group can proceed to the second phase. If this study concludes that the co-operative's business idea is not financially viable, the group should consider terminating the project.

If the study shows that the new co-operative will be financially viable, the group can proceed to the third phase. If you are a young entrepreneur looking for advice and guidance, Futureprenuer Canada's moMENTum program may be of interest.

A business plan is a document that provides a complete description of the co-operative enterprise you wish to form. It describes in detail the products or services that will be produced or sold; the organization of work and management approach; results of the market study and marketing plan; characteristics of the paid and unpaid human resources the members ; equipment and material needed; financing requirements and plan.

The business plan must be written in clear and straightforward language, and be relatively brief no more than thirty pages, plus appendices , since the people who will consult it before deciding whether or not to invest in your co-operative, loan it money, or give it a grant often have no time to waste. They have to be able to understand your plan and the exact nature of what you are requesting very quickly. Find out more information on business plans on the Canada Business and Industry. The act of incorporating means that the co-operative becomes a legal entity.

This means that the co-operative has the same rights as a natural person: it can acquire assets, go into debt, enter into contracts, etc. The act of incorporation limits the liability of a co-operative's members. As a general rule, members are not liable for a co-operative's debts. Finally, raising capital is easier for incorporated entities than for others.

Specific information on the 14 co-operative statutes can be found in this Guide. The number of people you need to incorporate a co-operative varies according to the legislation governing your co-operative. For example, federal legislation requires at least three persons to incorporate a co-operative and they must be at least eighteen years of age, of sound mind and not bankrupt.

One or more federation s of co-operatives can also incorporate a co-operative. Under some provincial and territorial legislation you are obligated to have a minimum of six founding members. A co-operative is both an association of members and an enterprise. Members can vote for the board of directors or delegates from the membership and other important business decisions. Membership in a federally incorporated co-operative is governed by its by-laws. When you become a member of a co-operative it generally means you have access to the co-operative's products or services and you can actively participate in the organization's decision making process such as the right to vote for the board of directors or delegates.

In general, members can voluntarily withdraw from a co-operative and be redeemed for membership shares or amounts owed to the members. You can have a membership in more than one co-operative. Depending on the governing legislation, a co-operative may decide not to distribute surpluses, and in some situations will meet the definition of a non-profit organization, except in Quebec where this possibility does not exist for co-operatives. This is often the case when co-ops aim to address social needs, such as housing, day care, and health care co-operatives.

Co-operatives can also obtain registered charitable status should they meet all the necessary requirements. Instead of generating a profit for investors, co-operatives try to provide services to their members at the lowest possible cost. Public safety and Emergencies. Emergency situations and disasters Preparing for emergencies Fire safety Show more. Tourism and recreation. Sporting and outdoor activities Tourism industry services Show more.

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