Get in touch!
LIFE's office is in the Treehaus Collaborative Workspace, 260 King Street West, Kitchener, N2G 1B6.
Office hours are by chance or appointment. Please call us at 1-866-889-9155, or email info@lifecoop.ca, to schedule a visit.
Check out LIFE's new Facebook Page!
.Downloads
NEW!: LIFE's Draft Business Plan
Coming Events and Appearances
Come out and hear more about our work (and that of our friends)!
Watch here for upcoming events in the Spring of 2012.
Recent Appearances
January 10, 2012: LIFE Co-op and CREW co-hosted "Local Opportunities in Green Energy" at Kitchener City Hall. This presentation outlined existing and upcoming community renewable power initiatives and ways community members can get involved - including through investment in renewable energy projects - and the environmental, social and economic benefits available. Featured opportunities included LIFE Co-op's St Agatha Wind Project, CREW's Solar City Initiative, CREW's Solar City Co-op Project, and Guelph Solar Community Co-op.
November 28, 2011: LIFE and CREW co-hosted a public meeting on LOCAL RENEWABLE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES at Kitchener City Hall.
November 23, LIFE held another community meeting at Angie's Kitchen in St Agatha. November 15, at the 11th Annual OSEA Community Power Conference, LIFE presented its project at the session on "Community Power Offerings". November 1-2, Montreal: Shane's presentation on community power was well received at Climate Action Network Canada's conference on provincial leadership in climate change and clean energy. LIFE's AGM was held October 26 at Angie's Kitchen in St Agatha. The AGM was preceded by a *public presentation from ENERCON*. October 22: LIFE's held its Annual Renewable Energy Tour! Tour participants visited a local biogas installation, a 10 kW solar array, and a biodiesel-powered pick-up. October 20: LIFE participated in a Co-op Biogas Workshop at the Holiday Inn, 510 Norwich St., Woodstock. Hosted by the Agrienergy Producers of Ontario and TREC(Toronto Renewable Energy Co-op). October 19: LIFE attended the 11th Annual Co-op Conference and Gala, hosted by On Co-op, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. Sept. 29, LIFE participated in an candidates' forum on environmental issues at Rockway Mennonite Church. A video recording of the event can be viewed at this Youtube link. Sept. 15, LIFE hosted the "Roadmap to Success": OSEA's Community Energy Information Session at City Hall in Kitchener. Sept. 6: LIFE Co-op held a community information meeting at Angie's Kitchen in St Agatha. August 27: Potatofest at the Laepple Organic Farm, 2298 Bleam's Road, 1-7pm. Linda Laepple is a founding director of LIFE Co-op. See http://laeppleorganic.ca/.
August 25: CREW Green Movie Night, featuring "Powerful: Energy for Everyone". LIFE Co-op shared information on the St Agatha Wind Project. August 14: LIFE's project manager discussed the co-op and the St Agatha wind project as part of "Get FIT: A Green Energy Act Information Session", held in Downtown Waterloo. The event was hosted by Waterloo PIRG and Reduce the Juice. July 20: Community Meeting at Angie's Kitchen, St Agatha. June 30: LIFE presented its project opportunities as part of the Climate Action Network's "Harvesting Clean Energy on Ontario Farms" Speaking Tour, at Ignatius Jesuit Centre, Hwy 6 North, Guelph February 14, 2011Press Releases
LIFE Co-op Receives CEPP Grant
for Wind Project
Get Involved!
Join the Co-op!
A co-op is made up of its members. The first step in participating in LIFE's vision is to join the co-op!
A membership share costs $175, and entitles you to vote at meetings, and to receive regular updates on the co-op and its projects.
As a member you can also invest in the co-op by purchasing Preference shares. Early shares will receive a 20% premium over shares sold later (after an offering statement is receipted by The Financial Services Commission of Ontario***.
(For more details on the Co-op share structure and the FSCO, scroll down or click here.)
Property Owner Opportunities
Do you have land suitable for a wind turbine or solar project? The Waterloo Region has reasonable wind resources, which could be profitably developed under the FIT program. LIFE would like to hear from landowners who might want to consider leasing a site for a future wind turbine. You can earn substantial payments, help build a greener energy future, and provide a solid, local investment opportunity for members of the community.
Volunteer Opportunities
LIFE Co-op has been built on volunteers sharing their skills and knowledge, by serving as a director, joining a project working group, assisting in day to day operations, or by representing the co-op at events and meetings. We are fortunate to have experts from different areas among our members, and are eager to hear from other members who want to use their skills to assist the co-op.
Please get in touch with us if you would like to volunteer.
Investment Opportunities
In Ontario, all Co-op shares are "par value" shares, meaning they retain their purchase price for the life of the share. A LIFE Co-op membership share with voting rights has a par value of $175. Each member also commits to purchasing a minimum of 5 Preference Shares at $50 each (par value) upon FSCO approval of our offering statement.* Preference shares receive dividends prior to member share dividends; annual dividend payments will be determined by the Board of Directors. Members are encouraged to purchase their shares early to assist the co-op's operations and development. Members are welcome to make larger investments by purchasing 10, 20 or more shares. Non-member investment loans are invited, also: terms and interest rates will be negotiated, and individual investor meetings can be arranged.
Early investors are needed to help finance development by purchasing Class A (Series 1) shares. These shares will pay dividends at a rate of 120% of other shares in perpetuity. Series 1 shares will no longer be sold once LIFE's offering statement is "receipted".
Click here for a Preference Shares Order Form.
*** In Ontario, co-ops are limited in the funds they can raise before having an offering statement passed ("receipted") by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO). Offering statements contain full and complete disclosure of information that members and other investors need in order to decide whether to invest in the co-op's securities (shares and member loans). The offering statement will describe the co-op's business and how the funds raised by selling securities will be used.
Added Value
LIFE Co-op is committed to ensuring its projects give back added environmental, social, and economic benefits:
Ecological/Environmental Benefits
- A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 1000 tonnes/year.
- Education through local community meetings, environmental fairs, energy tours, and working with other local environmental groups.
- Building awareness and acceptance of renewable energy.
- Proving the model of community-owned power.
Economic Benefits
- Overall returns (pre-tax IRR) for the project in the 8-9% range.
- Dividends to local investors of 4-6% for 20 years.
- LIFE is committed to employing local businesses where possible for development, construction and operations.
Community Benefits
- The project, and profits, will be owned by community members and other Ontario residents.
- LIFE’s Community Fund will distribute 10% of returns to community initiatives, including further environmental and educational efforts.
- Community co-operation can help build a sense of pride and collective achievement.
A $7,000 investment in our wind turbine project will enable the generation of a share of electricity equal to that used in an average household. A $2000 investment will satisfy the demands of the "One Tonne Challenge" - to offset one tonne of carbon emissions annually - for 20 years! Your investment will provide monetary returns directly to you, while helping deliver green electricity to all Ontarions. (As the electricity cannot be fed directly to your house, it must be sold to the distribution grid.) For more information, see the Ontario Power Authority Feed-in-Tariff Program.