Sustainability is a term frequently used in today’s discourse, raising questions like, “Are we using sustainable energy?” or “Is my employment sustainable in the wake of another global pandemic?” But what truly defines sustainability? How can we quantify it reliably?
At PCS, we focus heavily on sustainability in our capacity development projects, where we enter existing spaces and assist in co-creating something new. A term that frequently comes up in this context is “Community Owned.”
What does it mean for something to be “Owned by the Community”?
The common definition of ‘Community Owned’ suggests that when an organization is influenced through ownership and/or representation by community members, it operates in a way that is available to the community at large to utilize and benefit from. When this is achieved, and especially when combined with representation from governing bodies, the organization becomes sustainable. This is because those with decision-making powers are held accountable for ensuring the organization’s continuation.
Michael Barkman, the Manitoba Network Manager at The Canadian CED Network (CCEDNet), emphasizes the transformative power of community ownership:
“When communities have the keys to lead their own community-led and asset-based development, we can see real economic transformation. Across Manitoba, Community Economic Development (CED) enterprises such as social enterprises, cooperatives, and community-based organizations (CBOs) are building up our local economies while strengthening the social fabric of our communities. They adopt a ‘triple bottom line’ approach – considering people, planet, and profit. Vital to their structure is that they are community owned – whether by workers, consumers, producers, or a mix as a cooperative, through the leadership of community members governing a social enterprise or non-profit, or other CED structures. This ensures that community members are leading, directing, and benefitting from this work, including any profits generated.”
In contrast, a privately owned organization can decide—without opposition—to cease operations at any time. They can close their accounts and shut down. However, for a Community Owned organization, this process is far more complicated.
Required Features of a Community Owned Organization
- Community Stakeholders: Members from the community that the organization serves hold stakes in the organization, either through leadership roles or ownership.
- Government Participation: Entities like the government hold shares, ensuring they remain committed to ethical and sustained participation.
- Youth Leadership and Elder Consultation: Youth hold a stake in the present and future, while Elders bring knowledge of the past.
“Owned by the Community” means meaningfully empowering the community to hold power and ensure accountability.
Unlike traditional services that can be easily discontinued if deemed ineffective, community ownership entails a commitment to perseverance, even in the face of challenges. This involves appropriating existing systems, inviting community members to participate, and ensuring they have a stake in the outcomes, thereby preventing easy withdrawal.
Lisa Forbes, Manager of Social Enterprise Development and Fund Development at SEED Winnipeg, adds:
“I further think of Community Ownership as it relates to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. It refers to ownership as sovereignty and voice in all matters related to life itself – culture, society, language, economy, children, education, health, human rights. Those are the concepts that come to mind first. Social Enterprise development is work that I’m a part of, and find to be the most practical implementation of an economic tool to achieve community development goals.”
Key Aspects of Community Ownership
- Accountability: The community and stakeholders must stay engaged and responsible, as ownership implies liability.
- Representation: Ensuring prescribed representation, such as a majority of Indigenous and women leaders, to maintain genuine community control.
- Sustainability: Sustainable projects are driven by accountable relationships rather than mere power. Relationships and shared responsibilities are crucial.
- Youth Leadership: Vital for maintaining dynamic and relevant governance, preventing stagnation seen in long-term, unchanged leadership.
- Ethical Responsibility: When entities like the government hold shares, they must remain committed to the table, ensuring ethical and sustained participation.
Lisa Forbes also shares an inspiring example:
“I’m very excited about a social enterprise that my organization works with, they are called Eadha Worker Cooperative Bakery. They strive to embed their Queer, Anti-Racist and De-colonial values into their work, and so they chose a worker cooperative as their business model. It makes room for decision-making models that make sense for the group, and to implement human resource policies that have the well-being of this particular set of worker/owners. They are intentional in embedding their values into their work and it makes people who enjoy working toward visionary goals. This approach contributes to their ability to create quality products and services.”
Michael Barkman further elaborates on the foundational principles guiding community ownership in Manitoba:
“CED in Manitoba is based on the 11 Neechi Principles, a holistic approach to social and economic development designed by Neechi Commons Worker Cooperative. These principles continue to underpin the work of CED and community ownership models in Manitoba:
- Use of locally produced goods and services
- Production of goods and services for local use
- Local re-investment of profits
- Long-term employment of local residents
- Local skill development
- Local decision-making
- Public health
- Physical environment
- Neighbourhood stability
- Human dignity
- Interdepartmental and Intergovernmental collaboration”
In essence, being “owned by the community” means embedding accountability, representation, and a sustained commitment to community-driven goals and relationships in organizational structures and practices.
This approach ensures that the organization remains resilient, responsive, and truly beneficial to the community it serves. As Michael Barkman notes,
“Across Manitoba, there are over 100 members of CCEDNet prioritizing community ownership and control, challenging the status quo, and building incredible economic alternatives.”
This model of community ownership is not only a strategy for sustainability but also a pathway to profound social and economic transformation.
