Mobilizing local capital—community investment co-ops in rural B.C.

Discuss the local investment movement in B.C. at Community Investment sessions

Eden Yesh is Invermere Branch Manager for Kootenay Employment Services (KES), consultant to the Creston & District Community Investment Co-op and Chair of the BC Community Impact Investment Coalition. — Photo courtesy Eden Yesh

Community Impact Investing is the process of connecting local investors to local investment opportunities. While the demand for investing locally is increasing, traditional options available to investors limit where they can invest. The result is that most local investment capital leaves our community and is invested into far off stock markets and corporations. An unintended consequence is that while our investments create significant jobs and wealth elsewhere, the places we live, work and play are overlooked.

Eden Yesh, Invermere Branch Manager for Kootenay Employment Services (KES), consultant to the Creston & District Community Investment Co-op and Chair of the BC Community Impact Investment Coalition, will host Community Investment sessions in most communities throughout the Kootenays. These sessions will highlight examples of how local investment vehicles have successfully met community needs across Canada such as affordable housing, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and food production, locally-owned small business, technology and community economic development projects. 

The purpose of these sessions is to discuss the local investment movement in British Columbia and the opportunity to establish two new Community Investment Co-ops in Southeastern B.C. in 2018. The initiative will be facilitated by Eden Yesh and funded in part by the Province of BC, Kootenay Employment Services and the BC Rural Centre.

Each Community Investment session is open to the public. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided and admission is free. There is limited seating in each community so please RSVP right away.