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Archive Record
Metadata
Item ID# |
UCO fonds |
Title |
United Co-operatives of Ontario fonds |
Object Name |
Archival Fonds |
Dates of Creation |
[Between 1914 and 1991] |
Description |
This fonds consists of records created by the United Co-operative of Ontario and affiliate Co-operatives. Series list includes: Series 1: Port Elgin Co-operative Series 2: Paisley Co-operative Series 3: Saugeen Valley Co-operative Series 4: United Co-operative of Ontario (U.C.O.) Series 5: Co-operative Products Series 6: Grey-Bruce and Durham Co-operatives Series 7: Mildmay Co-operative The records not included in the above series are attached to the fonds level, and come from unidentified Co-operatives or from Co-operatives with little to no records in the collection. These consist of: A2004.019.018 A2004.019.019 A2004.019.020 A2012.013.061 |
Admin/Biographical History |
The agricultural Co-operative movement in Ontario was established in 1914 as a marketing and purchasing society with the goal of providing farmers with fair prices. The organization, known as the United Farmers' Co-operative Co. Ltd., was farmer-owned through direct membership. Each farmer "loaned" money to their local co-operative (as their membership fees) to finance their local operations. Ownership and control of the co-operative was exercised by the members at their annual meetings. In 1948 a major change took place. 120 local co-operatives in Ontario signed affiliation agreements with the provincial body. Once known as the United Farmers' Co-operative Co. Ltd., the organization became the United Co-operatives of Ontario. Collectively, local co-operatives owned and controlled the central provincial co-operative through delegate representation with voting rights at annual meetings. This affiliation enabled wholesale buying and marketing on a larger scale, and a greater ability to be competitive, with the benefits felt at all levels. An excerpt from the Employee Benefits package of 1955 [A2012.013.044] summarizes: "The Farmers' Co-operative is a farmer-owned organization providing a business where fair and equitable trading may be carried on -- including the purchasing of feed and farm supplies, and the marketing of livestock, poultry products and grain. The sole purpose of this business is to serve farmers by quality, price and service." In Bruce County the Co-operatives (with the exception of Teeswater) began as buying clubs. The Grey-Bruce co-operatives began in th following years: Port Elgin in 1928, Lucknow in 1936, Elmwood in 1940, Mildmay in 1942, Wiarton in 1942, Kincardine in 1945, Paisley in 1945, and Teeswater in 1950. In 1948 when a lot of co-operatives became affiliated with the United Co-operatives of Ontario, Mildmay, Lucknow, and Teeswater remained independent, however, Mildmay joined the affiliation in 1970. By the "1990s, there were 86 UCO branches as well as 42 independent co-ops". In 1991 they "returned the local [businesses] to their communities", however, many co-operatives were forced to merge in order to succeed independently. Teeswater (which had always been independent) took over Mildmay; Durham merged with North Wellington; Lucknow continued to operate independently; and Owen Sound, Wiarton, Chesley, Markdale, Port Elgin (Saugeen Valley), and Kincardine all joined together to become the Grey-Bruce District Co-operative after raising a large amount of money. In 1993 Kincardine and Port Elgin closed their stores. (Powers, James W., A Record of Achievement, page 59 [AX2004.0902]). United Co-operatives of Ontario was purchased by American company Growmark (FS) in 1994 releasing its final 37 members. Port Elgin Farmers' Co-operative Association Ltd. / Port Elgin Co-operative Inc. The Port Elgin Farmers' Co-operative Association Ltd. held its first annual meeting on June 13, 1933 at S.S. No. 4 Saugeen Township. Twenty-one members were present. Over the course of the previous year, the group obtained a Charter for the Association. By-laws for the Association were read and passed. As was the practice of Farmers' Co-operatives, the members owned and controlled their local co-operative. The Port Elgin Farmers' Co-operative first opened a store in 1938. Over the next decade, it saw steady growth and expansion. Although the Port Elgin Co-operative began entirely as a farmers' business, its membership was not confined to rural residents. Anyone who was a resident of the district served by its stores was welcome to make application for membership - especially welcoming the town to take out membership. In 1948 the membership ratified and confirmed the Affiliation Agreement [A2012.013.020] entered into by their directors with The United Farmers' Co-operative Co. Ltd (which then became known as the United Co-operatives of Ontario). Shortly thereafter, the local co-operative became known as Port Elgin Co-operative Inc. Paisley Co-operative Association The earliest records of the Paisley Co-operative Association in the BCM&CC collection are dated 1947, and include membership applications; records of memberships paid; and loan receipts (to the Co-operative from the member as per their membership practice). The initial entry in the minute book of the Association [A2012.013.026] is dated October 1, 1952, and states, "The first meeting of the board of directors was held on the above date…." Paisley Co-operative Association records would suggest some financial difficulties were being experienced. Effective December 1, 1960, Paisley Co-operative Association was purchased by the Port Elgin Co-operative Inc. On May 16, 1961, a special General Meeting of Paisley Co-operative Association members was held to confirm its intention to apply to the Lieutenant Governor for an Order accepting the surrender of its charter and declaring it to be dissolved. This action was ratified at May 31, 1961 at the annual meeting of the Port Elgin Co-operative [A2012.013.037]. Port Elgin Co-operative Inc. and Paisley Co-operative Association merge to become Saugeen Valley Co-operative. Saugeen Valley Co-operative At the first Annual Meeting of the Saugeen Valley Co-operative, held on May 1962 [A2012.013.038], the Directors' Report stated, "The merger of the Paisley Co-operative Association and the Port Elgin Co-operative Inc. has been finalized. The names change to Saugeen Valley [Co-operative] has been approved." The "Paisley Co-op" store closed its doors on Saturday, December 1984, due to continuing substantial losses. (Paisley Women's Institute Tweedsmuir collection , Volume 2, p. 4). The Port Elgin Co-op Food Store closed in 1975. United Co-operatives of Ontario carried on business under the "UCO" sign. (Port Elgin Women's Institute Tweedsmuir collection , Volume 1, p. 207). Grey-Bruce and Durham Co-operatives The Grey-Bruce Co-operators began as a buying club. In 1940 the Malcom Club of Bruce County merged with the Marmion Club of Grey County and became the Grey-Bruce Consumers' Co-operative. In 1952 the first Grey-Bruce feeder sale was held in Wiarton by the Grey-Bruce Livestock Co-operative branch. In 1965 the members voted to join with the United Co-operatives of Ontario (UCO) along with many other Co-operatives. In 1968 Kincardine, Saugeen Valley, Elmwood-Chesley, and Durham Co-operatives merged under one board functioning under one management. Sources: "Fonds F229 - United Co-operatives of Ontario Collection." University of Guelph Library Archival and Special Collections, University of Guelph, 2004, https://archives-catalogue.lib.uoguelph.ca/f229, Accessed 11 Oct. 2024. "Growmark History." Growmark Inc., 15 Jun. 2008, https://web.archive.org/web/20080615170006/http://www.growmark.com/gmksyst/history.htm, Accessed 11 Oct. 2024. MacPherson, Ian. "United Farmers of Ontario." The Canadian Encylcopedia, 4 Mar. 2015, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/united-farmers-of-ontario, Accessed 11 Oct. 2024. Powers, James W. "A Record of Achievement: Bruce County's Leadership in Farm Organizations." Guelph: Bruce County Federation of Agriculture and Gunbyfield Publishing, 1994. Print. Pages 55-59, BCM&CC #AX2004.0902. Wilson, Barry. "U.S. Company Buys Ontario Farm Co-Op | the Western Producer." The Western Producer, Glacier Farm Media, 23 Feb. 1995, www.producer.com/news/us-company-buys-ontario-farm-coop/, Accessed 11 Oct. 2024. |
Provenance |
Some of these records were collected by a representative of United Co-operatives of Ontario from a Hanover office where records of closed Co-operatives were gathered. Others were collected by James ("Jim") Powers, including the Grey-Bruce and Durham and Mildmay records, as well as minutes from Port Elgin, Paisley, Saugeen Valley, Kincardine, and the Grey-Bruce U.C.O. branches, U.C.O. general correspondence, a United Farmers' Share Certificate, and a booklet titled "Co-operation - The Plan for Tomorrow". (A2004.019.003-020). e was Fieldman for the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture. Jim participated in the organization of groups including the Hog Producers and Cream Producers Marketing Boards and the Co-operative Medical Services Plan. He was also involved in initiating Co-op Insurance for farmers. |
Collection |
United Co-operatives of Ontario fonds |
Level of Description |
Fonds |
Physical Description |
84 cm of textual records |
Places |
Brant Township Bruce County Durham Grey County Kincardine Mildmay Paisley Port Elgin |
Search Terms & Subjects |
Agricultural machinery & implements Agricultural organizations Agriculture Cooperatives Farmers |
Child Records |
A2004.019.018 A2004.019.019 A2004.019.020 A2012.013.061 UCO S1 UCO S2 UCO S3 UCO S4 UCO S5 UCO S6 UCO S7 |