Calgary Co-Operative Memorial Society

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The purpose of funeral co-ops is to provide funerals at cost and in a compassionate way. Usually the funeral co-op runs its own funeral company complete with standard services. The funeral company is owned by the members it serves. People join funeral co-ops in anticipation of their own deaths at some point in the future as well as that the deaths of those they love. The funeral business has been changing in recent years. In the past, funeral homes were family-owned businesses with strong ties to their local community. Today, most funeral homes are owned by large corporations who keep the original "family name" on the door so people are not even aware the business is owned by a large corporation. In Quebec, a network of over 30 funeral co-ops provides approximately 17% of all funerals in the province. The model functions very well especially in smaller communities. The largest funeral co-operative is in the City of Quebec with over 25,000 members and a 50% market share. The funeral co-op movement in Quebec has created their own federation to provide the local co-ops with various services.

In April 1966, a group of people from different co-operatives and the Unitarian Church in Calgary wanted to start a memorial society to provide lower cost funeral services for the members in the Calgary area. Harold Webber, the Supervisor of Co-operative Activities for Alberta attended the planning meeting at the Brentwood Co-op. He explained the advantages of becoming a co-operative over a society because a co-operative could hold property, sign agreements and conduct business without the need to appoint trustees. The Calgary and District Funeral Co-operative Ltd., was registered under the Act and a charter was granted. The initial co-operative representatives were: Les McNichol, Southern Alberta Dairy Pool, Alan Gant, Co-operators, Arthur Turner and Alan Gibson representing Calgary Co-op Centre Credit Union and Alberta Wheat Pool. The first annual meeting was held in September 1966 and Gil Jamieson became Chairman, and Phil Davidson, Paul Greig, Allan Grant, Allan Gibson, Art Norington, Walter Vysohled and Les McNichol became directors. Irene Stobbe replaced Les McNichol as director at the next meeting.

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