Membership Benefits

As well as other membership benefits...

Everyone Can Take Advantage
of Co-op's enviable Profit Sharing

The Wetaskiwin Co-op is a business - with a difference! The difference is that the Co-op is 100% Canadian, locally-owned, controlled by its members.

What is the Co-operative Retailing System?

Membership Benefits

Membership is uniquely characterized by various membership benefits:

� The Co-op's one member-one vote system opens up exciting opportunities for members to participate in the decision-making process of the Wetaskiwin Co-op.

� Buying Power: quality products, competitive pricing, comparison price guarantees.

� Ownership: Wetaskiwin is one of more than 250 Canadian Co-ops that owns Federated Co-operatives Ltd. (FCL). This is our central wholesaling, manufacturing and administrative organization. Through FCL, our Co-op along with these other co-ops and its members share in the ownership of the following Canadian operations.

� 6 administrative or regional office facilities

� 4 distribution centres

� 7 feed plants

� 16 propane distribution centres

� A sawmill and plywood plant in Canoe, B.C.

� Consumers' Co-operative Refineries Limited - a 90,000 barrel-per-day refinery in Regina, integrated with the NewGrade Energy Inc. heavy oil upgrader

� The Grocery People Limited, the Edmonton-based food wholesaler and retailer serving accounts in western Canada, the Yukon and Northwest Territories

� Co-op Equity and Cash Back - the surplus or 'savings' generated by each retail co-op belongs to the members and can be repaid in cash or allocated to member's equity accounts. On the surface, the Co-op looks very much like any other local business. However, unlike other businesses, any savings generated by the Co-op are returned to member-owners, proportionate to the amount purchased from the Co-op during the year. These member savings accumulate as equity in each member's share account, so the more a member supports the Co-op, the greater his or her equity can become.

� Personalized Service: employees are also members and owners, like you are. They know the value of excellent customer service to the overall profitability of the co-operative.

� Experienced and Skilled Team Working for You: combine the experience, knowledge and skills of everyone associated with the co-op - many employees have been with the Co-op for several years - and you have solutions, growth, dedication and teamwork. Co-operatives provide education and training for managers and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operative.

� Pride in the Co-operative Retailing System: the system employs thousands of people within FCL and at the retail co-operatives, to serve over 1,250,000 members in western Canada. Co-operatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the co-operative movement by working together through local, regional, and national associations.

� Your co-operative provides employment for local residents and offers them competitive salaries and benefit programs. Co-op employees, together with their families, rent or purchase homes in the community, purchase automobiles, pay taxes, and use community services and facilities. As a general rule, every dollar paid to a Co-op employee as wages generates another dollar of economic activity within the community.

� Community Involvement: The Wetaskiwin Co-op recognizes its social responsibility to help improve the quality of life in the Wetaskiwin community. It has a visible presence and sustainable commitment to the members and community it serves. It support local 4-H clubs, sponsors local community events, and provides assistance to charitable organizations.

What is the Co-operative Retailing System

Wetaskiwin Co-op is part of the Co-operative Retailing System, a unique multi-billion dollar enterprise in Western Canada, composed of 269 autonomous retail co-operatives and their branches - all owned by the members they serve. Together these retail co-operatives own Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), a wholesaling, manufacturing, procurement, and refining co-operative. Today these retail co-operatives have facilities in about 550 locations across the west, employ more than 18,000 people and serve more than 1.2 million individual members. Services range from: Food, Pharmacy, Hardware, Furniture and Appliances, Family Fashions, Garden Centre, Home Centre, Building Supplies, Gas Bar, Convenience Store, Car Wash, Agro Centre, Bulk Petroleum, Bulk and Bag Livestock Feed,

Retail Operations 2006 (FCL)

       Sales

$5,293,725,000

       Savings

343,546,000

       Equity Repayments

152,472,000

       Active Membership in
                    4 Provinces
1,248,000

Co-operation is a term used particularly for both the"
theory of life" and for a" system of business",
with the general sense of " WORKING TOGETHER"