Government Modernizes Provincial Co-op Legislation to Support Economic Growth

Released on December 2, 2025

Today government introduced updated provincial laws concerning co-operatives. This new legislation brings Saskatchewan co-operative legislation into alignment with other provinces and creates a better legal and economic environment to support the province's co-operatives. 

"Co-operatives make a positive impact on the day-to-day lives of Saskatchewan residents, employ thousands of people, and have been part of the fabric of our province for over a hundred years," Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod, K.C. said. "With more people choosing to invest in Saskatchewan and establish businesses here, this legislation reduces red tape and creates greater flexibility that will make it easier to build and operate co-operatives in Saskatchewan communities for years to come."

The Co-operatives Act, 2025 combines the current Co-operatives Act, 1996 and New Generation Co-operatives Act into a single, modernized piece of legislation. The new Act is the result of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's ongoing efforts to update business legislation to support economic growth in Saskatchewan. 

One of the largest changes in the legislation is the creation of a new multi-stakeholder co-operative. Multi-stakeholder co-operatives are owned and controlled by more than one type of membership class such as consumers, producers, workers, volunteers or community supporters. Another significant change is revised provisions that provide all co-operatives clearer authority to raise capital through the sale of preferred shares to non-members. 

Additional changes have been made to create clear rules around the use of electronic technology, simplify liquidation and dissolution procedures, and make co-operatives more business friendly by removing the requirement that at least 25 per cent of a co-operative's directors be Canadian residents. 

The Act is based on a thorough review of existing Canadian co-operative legislation and feedback from Saskatchewan co-operatives.

A co-operative is a business entity owned and controlled by its members to fulfill a common purpose, such as providing groceries, housing or daycare. Over 50 per cent of Saskatchewan residents are a member of at least one of the almost 800 cooperatives operating in the province. The province's top five co-operative sectors are agriculture, retail, arts and entertainment, childcare, and financial and insurance services.

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