Arctic Co-ops Development Fund Services

Services Provided by Arctic Co-operative Development Fund

Arctic Co-operative Development Fund was established in 1986 to provide financial services to Co-operatives across Canada’s Arctic. ACDF is a self-managed fund of pooled financial resources, owned and controlled by the Co-operative businesses accessing the capital. ACDF provides leadership in financial planning to provide for the orderly development of the Co-operative System, while maximizing the benefits of available financial resources and maintaining the integrity of the ACDF capital.

Development Financing: ACDF provides both short term and long term financing to Member Co-operatives for the improvement, expansion and/or replacement of facilities and equipment. This financing is also available to Co-operatives to enter new business ventures and to assist emerging Co-operatives to become established.

Long-Term Financing: Provides financing to Co-operatives to stabilize and strengthen their operations while providing the Co-operative with an opportunity to reduce their existing long-term debt in an orderly manner.

Working Capital Financing: Much of Canada’s north is connected to southern Canada only by high cost air transport. As a result, businesses in the north must be supplied with products and materials on an annual resupply program. Depending on the location of the community, this resupply will be by winter road, ship or barge. ACDF provides working capital financing to Co-operatives to purchase up to one year’s supply of merchandise inventory or other material to operate their business.

Facility Development: Provides the Co-operative System in the NWT, Nunavut and Northern Manitoba with an alternative for fixed asset development. In consultation with Member Co-operatives, ACDF will develop a facility to the specifications of a Co-operative and lease that facility to the Co-operative with an option to purchase the facility some time in the future.

Co-operative Development: The Co-operative System in the NWT, Nunavut and Northern Manitoba (through ACL and ACDF) works with community groups to identify business opportunities, complete feasibility analysis, develope business plans, and where appropriate, work with these groups to develop a community based Co-operative.