We are
IRECUS
We put our research and education skills to work for a more just, equitable and sustainable world. To do this, we adopt a position of scientific and critical allies of the cooperative and mutualist movement.
IRECUS is an essential crossroads of expertise and cooperative and mutualist thinking that contributes to building a better world.
Latest news from IRECUS
With the support of its partners, IRECUS has been pursuing its mission for over 45 years
On May 24, the 46th Annual Meeting of the IRECUS took place at the main campus of the Université de Sherbrooke.
For the occasion, the members of the Orientation Council and the IRECUS team met face-to-face for the first time since Fall 2019. Discussions focused on IRECUS' accomplishments over the past year and current projects. The Annual Meeting was also an opportunity to announce the renewal of funding agreements with Agropur Dairy Cooperative, Sollio Cooperative Group, Co-operators and Promutuel. These commitments attest to the relevance of research on cooperatives and mutuals by the players in the field.
Financed by the cooperative and mutualist movement in Quebec, the Interdisciplinary Research and Education Fund for cooperatives and mutuals is mandated to support IRECUS' activities in terms of research and dissemination of results. It makes it possible to conduct research projects rooted in the community, to support training on the cooperative and mutualist model and to consolidate relations between the practice and research communities. The 2014-2021 campaign had raised $850,000. For every $1 contributed to the Fund during this period, IRECUS was able to secure an additional $0.32 in research grants. For the 2022-2026 campaign, Agropur Dairy Cooperative, Sollio Cooperative Group, Promutuel, Co-operators and other community partners continue their commitment to IRECUS and this tradition of mutual support between practice and theory. Large and small organizations of the cooperative and mutualist movement are invited to contribute to the 2022-2026 campaign, which aims to raise $200,000 per year.
Members of the IRECUS orientation council present on site:
Claude-André Guillotte (director of IRECUS), Manon Monette (Co-operators), Andréa Renaud (Sollio Cooperative Group), Jean-Philippe Marcoux (SOCODEVI), Marc Picard (Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins), Mohamed Majdi (Fédération québécoise des coopératives en milieu scolaire), Kristalna Vincent-Douville (Coopérative de développement régional du Québec, Estrie and Montérégie), Guillaume Brien (Fédération des coopératives d'habitation de l'Estrie).
Were present online:
Simon Robert (Chair of the Orientation Council and representative of Agropur Dairy Cooperative), Jean Roy (Dean of the School of Management) and Stéphanie Morin (Fédération québécoise des coopératives forestières).
IRECUS fund
Created and financed by the movement of cooperatives and mutuals in Quebec, the Fund's mandate is to support our activities in terms of research on cooperatives and mutuals and the dissemination of our results, academically and through the cooperative and mutual community.
Do you want to become a privileged partner of IRECUS?
Thanks to all of our contributors!
And to our past contributors
Alliance funéraire du Royaume
Centre funéraire coopératif du Granit
Coopérative funéraire de l'Estrie
Coopérative funéraire de l'Outaouais
Coopérative funéraire de la Mauricie
Coopérative funéraire des Deux Rives
Coopérative funéraire des Eaux Vives
Coopérative funéraire du Bas-Saint-Laurent
Coopérative funéraire du Grand Montréal
Coopérative funéraire Haute-Côte-Nord Manicouagan
Résidence funéraire de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Résidence funéraire du Saguenay
Résidence funéraire Maska
Citadelle
La Coop Novago
Agriscar Coopérative agricole
Agiska Coopérative
Coop Avantis
Areas of intervention
Conducting research in partnership
Educate for cooperation and mutuality
Be a place of convergence and dissemination of knowledge
Maintain relationships with organizations interested in our mission
Our History
1967 - Creation of the Cooperation Chair
Creation of the Cooperation Chair at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of the University of Sherbrooke, at the instigation of the Director of the Department of Economics of the University of Sherbrooke, the President of the Regional Union of Credit Unions of Estrie as well as the Director General and President of the Quebec Cooperation Council (now the Quebec Council for Cooperation and Mutuality). Its objectives are to better define the specific nature of the cooperative through research, to infuse new ideas and a new dynamism to the cooperative movement and to promote succession.
1976 - Creation of IRECUS
At the request and in collaboration with the Quebec cooperative movement, the Research and Education Institute for Cooperatives of the University of Sherbrooke was created, with the support of the Department of Economics of the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences. , the involvement of the Department of Social Service and the Faculty of Administration. The Institute replaces the Cooperation Chair, while ensuring its continuity. Its function is to design and carry out multidisciplinary teaching and research programs in the field of cooperation, to promote publication and student research in this field, to make existing documentation accessible in addition to organizing conferences, seminars and conferences.
Establishment of a cooperative Masters program by IRECUS - then the first, and only, Canadian graduate program specifically focused on cooperatives. Cooperation is approached from the angle of sociology, economics, administration, law, psychology and philosophy.
1981 - Establishment of the first master's degree in cooperatives in Canada
Establishment of a cooperative master's program by IRECUS - then the first, and only, Canadian graduate program specifically focused on cooperatives. Cooperation is approached from the angle of sociology, economics, administration, law, psychology and philosophy.
1996 - Transfer to Administration Faculty
IRECUS moves to the Faculty of Administration, several professors of this faculty being already involved in the research and teaching activities of IRECUS. The Masters in Cooperation becomes the Masters in Cooperative Management to respond more effectively to the growing management challenges facing cooperatives. The following year, in response to the need to further develop research on cooperatives, a research path was added to the master's degree.
1998 to 2001 - Research on cooperation as a mode of management
Participation of IRECUS in the management and research of the McConnell Chair in Local Development, the Desjardins Chair in Community Cooperation and Development and the Center of Excellence in Local Development Management, all of which are interested in cooperation as a mode of management in the private and public sectors, and in particular as a development tool to support communities in social and economic hardship.
2001 - Establishment of the network of universities of the Americas on UniRcoop cooperatives
Establishment of the Network of Universities of the Americas in Studies on Cooperatives and Associations (UniRcoop) and the journal of the same name in 2002. The UniRcoop Network brings together more than 150 professors and researchers, of whom about fifty are actively involved in the projects, attached to 22 member universities from 15 countries of the Americas. The objective of this network is to establish an interactive, dynamic and lasting link between universities and cooperative movements in the Americas, in order to contribute to the development of cooperatism and face the challenges of the new millennium. IRECUS occupies a leadership role in this organization.
2005 - New management for IRECUS
In order to renew the partnership relationship which has linked IRECUS to the Quebec cooperative movement since its inception, a new formulation of the mission and the statement of functions of IRECUS was proposed in 2002. The orientation council and The IRECUS management committee confirm that it is a research and education university institute dedicated to cooperatives, their management and development in their specific environment, first nationally, then internationally. IRECUS is now continuing its international activities through closer collaboration with SOCODEVI. Mutual insurance is officially added to its fields of interest. Endorsing these new directions, IRECUS becomes the research and education institute for cooperatives and mutuals at the University of Sherbrooke; the acronym "IRECUS" is retained.
2012, 2014, 2016 - International Summit of Cooperatives
IRECUS carries out research for the three editions of the International Summit of Cooperatives. This international and national research is carried out in partnership with cooperative groups and researchers from other Canadian universities.
2019 - ICA Major International Conference
IRECUS organizes the Joint Annual Conference of the Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance for Cooperative Research (ACI-CCR), the Canadian Association for Cooperative Studies (CCAC-ACÉC) and the Association of Cooperative Educators (ACE).
Our team
We are a research team, scientists, inspired people. We approach our work with curiosity, diversified visions and authenticity, using our learning in the service of our cooperative and mutual partners.
CLAUDE-ANDRÉ GUILLOTTE
Director of IRECUS
Assistant Professor, School of Management
Interested in cooperative entrepreneurship and the evolution of the cooperative and mutualist business model
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JOCELYNE CHAMPAGNE
Associate Professor,
School of Management
Has a great concern for people working in cooperatives and takes an interest in them through organizational culture and change management.
JOSÉE CHARBONNEAU
Research Professional, IRECUS
Has a particular interest in everything surrounding the contribution of cooperatives to sustainable development.
ANNE MARIE MERRIEN
Postdoctoral researcher
Lecturer, School of Management
Uses her great capacity for analysis and synthesis to explore her interest in cooperatives and First Nations and Inuit.
ÉTIENNE FOUQUET
PhD student
Lecturer, School of Management
Is interested in cooperation as a human behavior and in the cooperative model in its function of concretizing these behaviors aimed at meeting needs.
Our Orientation Board
Francois Coderre
Dean of the UdeS School of Management
Colette Lebel
President of the Orientation Board
Director of Cooperative Affairs, Sollio Groupe Coopératif, Montreal
Claude-André Guillotte
Director of IRECUS
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Jocelyne Champagne Racine
Representative of lecturers
Guillaume Brien
General Director, Federation of housing cooperatives in the Eastern Townships (FCHE)
Sherbrooke
Marie-Claude Duquette
President of the Quebec Federation of School Cooperatives (COOPSCO / FQCMS)
Michelle Giasson
Graduate representative
Manon Monette
Strategic Client Manager, The Cooperators
Jocelyn Lessard
General Manager, Quebec Federation of Forestry Cooperatives (FQCF)
Sainte-Foy
Martin Paquette
Chairman of the Board of Promutuel Assurance Vallée du St-laurent
Marc Picard
General Manager at Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins
Simon robert
Cooperation Director, Agropur
Helene Turcotte
Regional Director of the Quebec Regional Development Cooperative , Estrie region
Sherbrooke
Our Orientation Board
Francois Coderre
Dean of the UdeS School of Management
Simon Robert
President of the Orientation Board
Cooperation Director,
Agropur Dairy Cooperative
Claude-André Guillotte
Director of IRECUS
Jocelyne Champagne Racine
Lecturer Representative
Guillaume Brien
General Director, Fédération des coopératives d'habitation de l'Estrie (FCHE)
Mohamed Majdi
Chairman, Fédération québécoise des coopératives en milieu scolaire (COOPSCO / FQCMS)
Jean-Philippe Marcoux
General director,
SOCODEVI
Manon Monette
Strategic Client Manager,
Co-operators
StÉphanie Morin
Director of Human Resources, Cooperation and Management Consulting Services, Fédération québécoise des coopératives forestières (FQCF)
Martin Paquette
Chairman, Promutuel Assurance Vallée du St-Laurent
Marc Picard
General Manager,
Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins
Francois Rancourt
Graduate representative
AndrÉa Renaud
Director of Cooperative Affairs,
Sollio Cooperative Group
Kristalna Vincent-Douville
Regional Director - Estrie and Montérégie,
Coopérative de développement régional du Québec
Our services
Our services
Research
Research
Carried out applied research in partnership with cooperatives and mutuals
Carried out applied research in partnership with cooperatives and mutuals
Conferences
Conferences
Shares and popularizes cooperative and mutualist
knowledge
Shares and popularizes cooperative and mutualist knowledge
Education
Workshops
Education workshops
Promotes collective learning
Promotes collective learning
Services &
advice
Services &
advice
Supports the cooperative and mutual community in its projects
Supports the cooperative and mutual community in its projects
Annual Reports
