GUELPH, ON, Jan. 24 /CNW/ - The Co-operators, a leading co-operative
provider of insurance and financial services, has expanded its membership,
welcoming two new members. The Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation, and
Fédération des coopératives québécoises en milieu scolaire/COOPSCO bring to
39 the number of co-operatives, credit unions and like-minded organizations
that comprise the ownership group of The Co-operators Group Ltd.
    A co-operative is owned and democratically controlled by members who use
its services or products. The Co-operators 39 members are based in every
region of the country and represent six sectors: agriculture, finance,
retail/consumer, service, health, and labour.
    "Our members provide important links to a number of sectors of the
economy, and a variety of communities throughout the country," said
Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators. "Our membership
provides us an opportunity to more thoroughly understand the issues and
concerns of the sectors they represent, so that we can better meet their
insurance needs. The Co-operators warmly welcomes these two new members, and
we look forward to forging strong and mutually beneficial relationships with
them."
    Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation (CWCF) is a non-profit
co-operative representing approximately 65 worker co-op members and 75
co-operative developer members across Canada. Its vision is to be a growing,
cohesive network of democratically-controlled worker co-ops that provide a
high quality of life and support the development of healthy and sustainable
local economies based on co-operative principles.
    Fédération des coopératives québécoises en milieu scolaire, operating
under the banner COOPSCO, is a federation of 60 student co-ops present in the
majority of post-secondary institutions and a growing number of high schools
in Quebec. The co-ops have a combined membership of nearly 400,000 and are
governed by a Board of Directors, the majority of who are students. They work
together to make needed goods and services such as books, stationery,
computers and food, available to students and other members of the
institutions' community.
    Approximately 10 million Canadians are members of the more than
10,000 co-operatives and credit unions, whose primary purpose is to provide
products and services to their members. Governed on the basis of one
member/one vote, rather than shareholder companies' one-vote-per-share, they
provide a distinct values-based alternative to consumers in virtually every
sector of the economy. For further information about co-operatives, visit
www.coopscanada.coop.

    About The Co-operators:

    Based in Guelph, Ontario, The Co-operators is the leading Canadian-owned
multi-product insurance company, offering home, auto, life, group, commercial
and farm insurance, as well as investment products and property development.
With assets of $7 billion, The Co-operators is a co-operative owned by
39 Canadian co-operatives, credit unions and like-minded organizations. It is
well known for its community involvement, and is listed among the 50 Best
Employers in Canada.

For further information: Leonard Sharman, The Co-operators,
1-877-795-7272, ext. 2707