A brief history of the Co-operative Retailing System (CRS)

In the early 20th century, people worked together to create retail co-operatives in many towns in the four western Canadian provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia). In 1928, these retail co-ops joined to form provincial wholesale co-operatives. They did this as a way to increase their buying power. These co-operative wholesales and Consumers’ Co-operative Refineries Limited (CCRL) in Regina, Saskatchewan joined together to form Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL).