Cornerstone Co-op

Cornerstone Co-op is a member-owned co-operative operating in seven communities across Alberta, Canada: Mannville, Wainwright, St. Paul, Elk Point, Vermilion, Dewberry and Provost. Founded in 1919 and formed through predecessor co-ops established in 1919, 1932, 1934 and 1938, it is owned by approximately 30,000 member-owners, local residents who choose to shop there, and its stated aim is to keep the profits it earns within the communities it serves.

The co-operative's operations span several retail and service lines, each with its own skilled workforce requirements. These include retail grocery stores and home centres covering home improvement and hardware, petroleum and fuel operations, agricultural and agro services, and pharmacy and health-related services. Work therefore ranges across retail, trades, fuel handling, agricultural supply and dispensary roles within a single organisation.

Cornerstone Co-op describes itself as community-fuelled and committed to investing in people and business so that local profits can be shared across generations. Its structure as a locally owned co-operative, rather than a branch of a distant chain, shapes how decisions are made and how returns are distributed to members.