2012 the International Year of Co-operatives

Celebrate the cooperative spirit and the REA advantage!

Cooperatives taken at their primary purpose imply sharing and...cooperation. Formed in the tradition of their founders and molded by a belief and value system that supports the adage "hard work reaps benefits," today's cooperatives represent the consumer-member driven businesses that encompass everything from farmers markets to banking institutions. They embody a spirit evident in its supporters who recognize the cooperative cause and uphold a system built on working toward a common good.

Rural Electrification Associations (REAs) are member-owned cooperatives dating back to the late1940's when farmers united to bring power to rural Alberta. The REA offers services to members and their families and as locally owned and operated businesses they give back to the community. By employing local people who provide a competitively priced service, the REA can keep the financial benefits within that same community. The value of an REA is rooted in the community it serves.

REAs are businesses that operate on a not-for-profit basis - their goal, to give value to their membership today while planning ahead for tomorrow. Deposit reserves maintain the future of the REA and the members they serve. Over time, the replacement of capital investments (poles, lines, etc.) is necessary to sustain the REA assets and its provision of quality service. Fees charged to a member by a cooperative are reinvested in that association.

What is the REA advantage? It is commitment to a community-based business built on honesty and social responsibility toward others. It is a passion inherent in those who continue to follow a dream founded in Alberta history. It is innovative and dynamic member-owned cooperatives who reflect with pride but move forward with power.                               (The Power to Grow © AFREA September 2009)