British Columbia

These days, Bruce Woodrow gets most of his groceries at one of two places: Costco and a small grocery co-operative nestled in an alley in the heart of Toronto.

The retired lawyer — along with many Canadians over the past couple of years — had been growing more concerned with the grocery industry and the profits it was turning as food prices climbed.

Woodrow joined Karma Co-op as a member last spring and now volunteers on the store's finance committee.

"The money, I know, is going to make an operation that I believe in better," said Woodrow.

Co-operatives are found in many forms, from agricultural co-ops to grocery stores, gas stations and car-shares. Their exact business models vary, but what they have in common is that they are owned by their members, who have a share in the organization and a say in how it runs.