Thank you for your question. I would say it could have several answers. I will look at it from a very specific standpoint.
Cooperatives are created to meet a need. The closing of a company with 25 employees in a village of 1,000 has a much greater impact on its community than the closing of a company with 500 employees in Montreal or Toronto. People will join forces to try to relaunch that company and keep its services.
An example of local services was provided this morning. I have another example for you, if you have time for it. People will use that service because they see its impact on their community.
A cooperative is a company, but it is more than just a company. It is a company that affects its surroundings and is anchored in its area. It is a catalyst of change for its community. Yes, people are going to use it.
Let's say, for instance, that people lose a service, such as the last grocery store in their village. If those people join forces to keep that service, they will certainly use it, even if they know they will pay a bit more than they would at a big store 100 km away. They know that, without the store, their municipality would lose its vitality. Cooperatives' survival rate is attributable to the fact that they are created to meet a people's need, but also to the usefulness people see in it.
In addition, it belongs to them.