What is Fair Path Delivery?
What are the project timelines? (When did this project start and when will it end?)
Who is responsible for this business?
The Better Way Alliance overall is responsible for carrying out the project. The project lead is Jess Carpinone, one of the BWA’s staff members (and founding member!). Jess’s business, Bread By Us, is based in the Ottawa neighborhood of Hintonberg, and she will be working with businesses near her neighborhood to facilitate delivery sharing.
It also means you unlock access to:
- A network of other Ethical Employers who you’ll meet at virtual and in-person events
- Opportunities to speak to journalists about how Ethical Employment has been good for your business or your experience with commercial rent issues
- Meetings with provincial and federal members of Parliament and city councillors to discuss your needs on commercial rent or your position on Ethical Employment
- Ongoing opportunities to take action in small ways, such as sending letters to your MPP in support of policy change
- Your profile on our Directory, linking members and site visitors to your website
- Being featured in member stories on social media and our newsletter, a great opportunity to tell your story and promote your business
You can be as involved as you want! We have members who are happy to send a few letters and others who love speaking to the media.
Since it’s currently zero-cost to sign up, why not try it out and see how you like it?
Who is the funder?
The City of Ottawa’s department of Economic Development has generously supported this work through their annual Community Economic Development (CED) Funding Program. This program supports selected projects that are anticipated to result in resilient job creation (continuing beyond the funding period) and/or business enterprise creation (for-profits and/or social enterprises). Our project was chosen for the potential to support resilient jobs in an industry known for precarious employment, especially for people who are already at-risk and need stable employment with progression opportunities.
What are the main objectives of the project?
We are trying to test a new business model that can elevate low-wage delivery earners by offering them greater economic opportunities and upward mobility. In proving that a business model exists to create good jobs in the delivery sector, we hope to generate a template that other business owners can follow in their own neighborhoods around Ottawa and beyond.
Is Fair Path Delivery this business’s real name?
So far, it’s what we are calling the proposed business. It might change between now and the time of business registration. We are aiming for a name that describes what the social enterprise does: create fair jobs for delivery drivers. Drop your name suggestions here!
What happens if the project isn’t able to set up a formal business?
We’re aware that sometimes pilot projects fail. That’s why they’re called pilots! But the value of pilot projects is not just the “end result”. It’s all of the learning as to why it failed, and what succeeded along the way, too. We’ve set up this little hub on our website to give a platform to our lessons as we go through the process of setting up a social enterprise. Keeping this private doesn’t help anybody! What we do, we like to do with impact over here at the BWA. We’re sharing the results of figuring out an appropriate business structure and model, design parameters so that other businesses can set up their own enterprise, emotions and thought processes. If Jess is not able to find a business partner, or not able to register, we will share the reasons why, and the insights that other business owners should consider when trying to find a solution to the delivery app conundrum.
What the heck is a cooperative and why not just set up a normal incorporated business?
Here is how Co-op Canada defines a co-operative:
“A co-operative is an organization owned by its members that share similar economic, cultural and/or social needs. Each member has the right to vote, giving them democratic power within the organization. Moreover, one of the main goals of a co-operative is to create a business that gives back to the community in which it operates.
Co-ops differ from other business models because revenue is determined by a Board of Directors as well as its members. This model can also be adapted to different types of organizations such as non or for profits.”
Co-ops are governed by a set of principles. What’s super cool (to us) is that these principles are common worldwide across all co-operatives. According to cooperatives.uk, these principles are:
- “A co-op is owned and controlled by its members. It exists for the benefit of its members, who may be customers, workers, suppliers or the wider community.
- A co-op is democratic – every member has an equal say in how it’s run and how profits are used.
- Every member contributes financially in some way – from buying products, working for the co-op, investing in it or deciding how to spend its profits.
- A co-op is an independent business, owned and controlled by its members.
- It offers education and training to everyone involved, so they can develop the co-op and promote the benefits of co-operation.
- It co-operates, works with and supports other co-ops.
- A co-op supports the communities it works with.”
Co-ops are more common than we thought! In Canada, AgroPur (dairy) and Desjardins are biggies. So is the Canadian Press (you’ll see their name in newspapers), Home Hardware, Gay Lea. Abroad, the Associated Press (again newspapers), Welch’s (remember that grape fruit advertisement on TV?), Credit Agrocole, Arla Foods, Coop supermarkets, and Mondragon.
To answer why we aren’t considering a straightforward for-profit (or non-profit) business incorporation, it’s because we are looking for a business structure that engages the business owners involved as equal partners. We want a structure that guarantees buy-in and comes with as many guidelines as possible on collaborative governance. Turns out that co-operatives are a solid answer!
Who else is thinking of getting involved in the new social business?
Can I create a version of FPD for my own business or community?
We would LOVE for you to be inspired by our work here and consider creating your own co-operative or social enterprise that supports good delivery jobs and gets your valuable goods in consumers hands, safely.
Read the information on these pages and get in touch with us to find out more and chat about how we can help you get started.