Dear members, 

2020 and 2021 have been two very different years for our co-operatives, small businesses, and residents. With COVID-19 shutting us down and hindering our ability to interact and do business for over a year, many are struggling to get restarted and to get back to the level of service that they provided pre-COVID.  Staffing, product supply, and safe service delivery are still very concerning to many businesses.  It is my hope that the dedication and perseverance of business operators shown during these unprecedented times will help maintain these necessary businesses into the future. Through all the tribulations we have experienced during the COVID pandemic, we commend Dr. Fitzgerald and her team for doing such an awesome job in keeping the residents of Newfoundland & Labrador safe and maintaining a structure for us to continue to operate as we progress through the levels of living with COVID-19.  

At the NLFC we have developed a five-year Strategic Plan and are working diligently on the objectives we identified. This plan was developed to propel both the Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of Co-operatives and the co-operative sector of Newfoundland & Labrador forward; it involves our members, partners, stakeholders, funders, partners, staff, and board of directors. When I look at all the different groups involved in this plan, I see them as a community. The seventh co-op principle comes to mind, concern for the community. While the NLFC focuses on the needs of its members, co-ops work toward the long term sustainably of their communities through policies and procedures developed, and accepted, by their members. They are set up to meet the common economic needs within communities for buying quality food and services at an affordable price, marketing local products and creating local jobs. Co-ops have had a long history of meeting the social needs of Newfoundland & Labrador by delivering services to their communities.  Throughout these difficult times, many co-ops have demonstrated an immeasurable capacity to care for others and have made significant contributions to the human and financial resources of their communities.

As the President of the NLFC and on behalf of the entire board of directors, I want to be there for you, our members, to help develop our sector and make our communities more sustainable. 

We are co-operatives, and that means we are truly in this together. 

Quote of the day: If you think you can or if you think you can’t, you’re absolutely right.


Cooperatively yours,

Lloyd Hayden
President, NLFC

additional pharmacy partners added, in support of affordable prescription medications for all

The Co-Pharm program is set to expand in Newfoundland & Labrador, which means affordable prescription medications for all are within our reach.

Over the next several weeks more pharmacies along the Avalon peninsula will be announced, including an independent pharmacy in Conception Bay South. Genrus United is also in the process of securing a partnership with an exciting local retailer & service provider that will see more of the island able to access this incredible low-cost prescription medication savings program.  

If you are interested in seeing Co-Pharm offered in your community, we encourage you to let us know! We would love to discuss options for getting your co-op or credit union members enrolled in this amazing program.

Genrus United has prepared a General Interest Questionnaire to gauge the level of community interest, which is available online and takes less than five minutes to fill out. We encourage you to share this survey with your members in an effort to help us determine the level of interest in your area.

Completing the questionnaire is in no way a commitment to join the program, it is simply intended to gauge the level of interest in your communities. 

Though it may not seem like it, October is just around the corner which means Co-op Week is fast approaching. With less than 10 weeks before our biggest week of the year, it's important to think about how your co-op or credit union will be marking the occasion. 

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing ideas and inspiration for Co-op week celebrations on our Facebook page on Tuesday afternoons. We're really looking forward to Co-op Week and encourage you to take part in the conversation. 

The Ontario Co-operative Association, in partnership with the Saskatchewan Co-operative Association, put together a comprehensive Co-op Week celebration guide in 2015, and they included some neat ideas about how to celebrate this special occasion. If you're searching for inspiration for your own events, this publication is a great place to start: Co-op Week Tool Kit

We have started the planning process for our celebration, and we would love to have your input! Help us plan an inclusive & enjoyable Co-op Week by completing our survey. Click Here!