About us
Staff, faculty, research fellows, and students at one of our sustainability forums.
The vision of the Centre for Co-operative and Community-Based Economy (CCCBE) is to be a focal point on campus for the promotion of interdisciplinary research and learning on subjects related to co-operative and community-based economy, engaging faculty members from the University of Victoria and elsewhere, graduate and undergraduate students, and members of the wider community.
By "co-operative and community-based economy" we mean collective undertakings
- aimed at providing the needs and wants of some community or group, where any profits are a means of supplying those needs and wants,
- managed autonomously and by democratic processes, and
- in which persons and their participation are given priority over capital in the distribution of any surplus.
We are proud of our historical connection with the co-operative movement and acknowledge gratefully its continued support in exploring co-operative and community-based economic arrangements on a broad scale.
Our mission
The mission of the Center for Co-operative and Community-Based Economy is to
- foster and co-ordinate interdisciplinary research related to the co-operative economy in BC and throughout the world;
- promote the dissemination of research related to co-operative and community-based economy among researchers, teachers, and those in the wider community; and
- promote the development and offering of university courses that provide an understanding of co-operatives as well as the role and potential for co-operative and community-based economy broadly understood.
Our history
The Centre for Co-operative and Community-Based Economy is based at the University of Victoria. Founded in 2000 by Dr. Ian MacPherson, Professor Emeritus of History and supporter of co-operatives, the centre was then known as the BC Institute for Co-operative Studies.
In October 2009 the centre was renamed Centre for Co-operative and Community-Based Economy. This new name not only reflects the natural breadth of our interest in co-operative and community-based ways of doing things, it is also a good way of recognizing our long-time interest in the diverse forms of co-operatives and other enterprises engaged in economic activities that provide for community needs. The centre director is Dr. Ana Maria Peredo.
What we offer
The CCCBE has established a core program of activities as part of our commitment to the engagement and promotion of interdisciplinary research and learning on subjects related to the co-operative and community-based economy. A central part of that is a lecture series that features presentations by distinguished UVic academics, graduate students, visiting faculty, and community practitioners. Our "Friday Munch" gatherings are another means of connecting and engaging researchers, students, co-operatives, and members of the community. We host and encourage participation in workshops, seminars, and conferences.
An important part of our offering is a stimulating scholarly community. Stipendiary fellowships are offered to University of Victoria faculty, graduate students, and community researchers. Non-stipendiary fellowships are available for visiting and sabbatical researchers. We also facilitate grant applications (including funding and logistical support) on behalf of university researchers with projects related to co-operative enterprise.
Our Saxena Library contains a collection of books, periodicals, and reports on community-based initiatives. Additional information including resource information, authors, articles, case studies, and other reports can be found in our research resources.
Contact us
Centre for Co-operative and Community-Based Economy
University House 2 
PO Box 3060 STN CSC
Victoria, BC
V8W 3R4 Canada
Tel: 250-472-4539
Fax: 250-472-4541
Email: cccbe@uvic.ca
