Members earn at all Calgary Co-op locations, including Cannabis. It's one of the smartest investments you can make.
A Calgary Co-op membership offers a lifetime of benefits: special offers, equity in the co-operative and the ability to earn cash back on your purchases every year.
Co-op is short for “co-operative” meaning our business model doesn’t have traditional shareholders or a small group of owners to report to… our members are our owners.
Our purpose is different than other businesses—Calgary Co-op provides benefits to its members. Other businesses maximize returns for shareholders. Calgary Co-op is different in two other ways: profit distribution and control structure.
Business earnings are distributed to members based on their purchases in a given year through patronage and equity. Other businesses distribute earnings according to the number of shares someone holds, or their role in the company.
The control structure is also different—all members own one share, get one vote and can run in our Board of Directors elections.
Get rewarded for your everyday purchases, every day! Use your membership number whenever you shop at Calgary Co-op Food and Pharmacies, Gas Stations, Wine Spirits Beer, Home Health Care and Cannabis locations to earn “patronage” and equity.
We enrich our communities through our environmental, social and governance initiatives. Our goal is to protect our environment, support those who most need it and guarantee our co-operative’s long term sustainability.
Patronage is a term in co-operative businesses to mean that when you spend with us, the profits go back to our members… you! Each year you’ll get a member refund cheque, based on your annual spending at Calgary Co-op* stores.
Shopping at Calgary Co-op earns you a member refund (our version of profit sharing) once a year. We mail you a cheque in early March, along with the voting ballot for the yearly board election.
Purchases that don’t count towards your total patronage: bus passes, tickets for events and activities, the purchase of gift cards (the person using it will earn towards their refund), lottery tickets and stamps. This list is subject to change.
*Please note: shopping at other co-operatives doesn’t contribute to your refund. Calgary Co-op stores are found in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, High River, Okotoks and Strathmore. Other co-operatives are operated separately and require their own membership to take part in this profit sharing benefit.
Equity is the term we use to describe the shares you’ve accumulated through your patronage earnings (the longer you’re with Calgary Co-op, the more equity you have).
All members start out with the $1 share they purchased to become a member. Every year, some of your year-end patronage may be returned in shares (and some will be cash aka the member refund).
Your full equity account can be paid out when you move or reach retirement age.
Membership with Calgary Co-op brings you all kinds of benefits, at all of our locations: Food Stores, Gas Stations, Home Health Care, Wine Spirits Beer and of course here at Cannabis.