2021 Offering Statement for Class C Preference Shares is Now Open!

We are thrilled to announce that CED Co-op has launched our new investment offering of Class C Preference Shares. These shares have a projected dividend payout of 4% to 5% and are available for purchase at $5.00 per share.

The Co-operative anticipates that the payment of dividends on the Class C Preference Shares will be in the form of a stock dividend rather than a cash dividend, though always subject to the decision of the Board of Directors. A stock dividend is a dividend payment to shareholders that is made in shares rather than as cash. For more information on dividends and redemptions, please refer to Section 9.2 of the Offering Statement.

Sign up here to download a copy of the Offering Statement.

To invest, download the Investment Subscription Agreement here.

To become a member of CED Co-op, download the Membership Application.

Contact us if you have any questions about investing with Community Energy Development Co-operative.

New investors should also fill out our Direct Deposit Form. This allows CED Co-op to make payments directly to your bank account. It saves you the headache of cashing a cheque, and saves the co-op time and money, allowing us to focus on our projects and returns.

Dependable Investments

Investing in Community Energy Development Co-operative (CED Co-op) supports the development of renewable energy and sustainability projects across Ontario while diversifying your portfolio and earning strong financial returns that won’t be impacted by market fluctuations.

At this time, all of CED Co-op’s projects are solar PV systems, but we are excited to look at new opportunities and expand our portfolio in the future.

To date, CED Co-op has generated over $20 million of investment in solar energy projects. In order to finance and acquire more projects, we have a new opportunity for investment in energy and sustainability projects in Ontario. Investment is open to Ontario residents 18 years of age and older.

Backed By the Sun

The sun rises every day. Predictable hours of sunlight each year based on NASA climate data means that revenue for CED Co-op is steady. You also know exactly what your investments are funding – community power where the input is sunlight, and the output is clean electricity for Ontario. That’s something to be proud of!

Investments in CED Co-op strengthen and diversify your portfolio with returns that won’t be impacted by market fluctuations.

No Roof Needed

When your home isn’t suited for solar, or you have already installed a system, investments in CED Co-op are a perfect choice. You can support solar energy without putting panels on your roof.

Our systems are built in partnership with local businesses and feed energy into the Ontario energy grid. Your investment in renewable energy makes our grid a little greener, while delivering a financial return – it’s a win-win for you and the planet.

Investment FAQs

General FAQ

Can I still invest in securities from your previous Offering Statements?

No. Our previous Offering Statements are closed, and with it the opportunity to invest in those securities. There may be an opportunity to purchase them from other investors who would like to sell. Please contact us for more information.

Can I purchase Securities from someone else?

Securities can only be purchased directly from CED Co-op, or from another member who wishes to sell theirs. We don’t pay commissions or trailers to brokers or investment managers, as we have all of our returns go directly to our members.

How do I make an e-transfer?
Every bank allows you to make an “Interac e-transfer” or “send money via email” from your account on their website to an email address. The specific actions and details will depend on you bank. Please contact us if you have any questions.
I'm moving out of Ontario. What happens to my CED Co-op investments?

Please notify us of any moves so we can keep your contact information up to date. You must be an Ontario resident in order to be a member of CED Co-op, so if you leave we will close your membership, however, you can maintain your current investments in CED Co-op, but will only be able to invest more if the next offering allows investment by non-members.

Can I transfer my investment to someone else?

Yes, you can transfer an investment to another person. The transfer must first be approved by the Board of Directors and is subject to a $75 transfer fee.

Can a business become a CED Co-op investor?

Yes. Although corporations cannot be co-operative members, they can purchase CED Co-op securities. Please fill out the Subscription Agreement, and be sure to include your Business Number instead of a SIN.

Can I gift CED Co-op securities to a child?

No, our securities cannot be gifted to a new or minor child. Membership in CED Co-op is restricted to residents of Ontario 16 years of age and older. In order to invest in CED Co-op, members must be 18 years of age and older.

Is my investment guaranteed or protected?

Similar to a mutual fund, this is not a guaranteed investment, nor is it protected under CDIC or DICO. The Co-op’s solar projects have Feed-In Tariff contracts backed by the Provincial Government through the Independent Electrical Systems Operator, for 20 years. The Co-op carries business interruption insurance to offset losses that may occur due to mechanical or extreme weather accidents.

Can I invest in one type of account, then transfer it to another at a later date?

Yes, you can always transfer your investment to a different account. Please contact us in order to set this up.

What is the difference between “interest” and “dividend” income?

To put it simply, interest is the fee you get for loaning money to the co-op/ bank / government / company / person or whomever you lend it to. A dividend is the money that a company/ co-op pays out to its owners/ shareholders.

Will I receive a statement of my account when a transfer of funds is completed?

Registered Accounts: CWCF sends out statements on an annual basis. Their year-end is September 15th. You can request a statement be sent at any time, however a fee may apply.

Questrade offers monthly account statements. To view your statement, select “Statements” under the “Reports” tab at the top of the page. Clients can also view detailed account activity information, such as when a purchase was booked in the account, deposits and transfers, and withdrawals by selecting “Account Activity” under the “Reports” tab.

Non-registered Accounts: Once your investment with CED Co-op is finalized, you will be given access to Member Zone, our online portal to view your investment information. In Member Zone you can see the current value of your investments, update your profile information, access your T5, and more.

Bonds

When will my interest be paid out and how?

Interest will be paid out on the anniversary of your bond purchase based on the schedule for each bond. For Bonds Series L1-4 this was after 8, 12, 16 and 20 years. For all other bonds payments occur annually.

Payments are directly deposited in your account. To update your banking information, please visit Member Zone or contact us

Shares

How and when will my dividend be paid out to me?

The Co-op Board decides when dividends are distributed. The Board reviews the financial performance of the projects and after paying out the Bond Investors, then a dividend may be declared. The decision to declare dividends is made on a quarterly basis. Note that dividends are not guaranteed.

You will receive a T5 tax form recording the dividend paid out each year. You simply submit this form with your annual tax filing.

For cash dividends, funds are directly deposited in your account. To update your banking information, please visit Member Zone or contact us.

For stock dividends, your share holdings will be updated automatically. Please check your Member Zone account for your current holdings.

When does CED Co-op plan to buy back Class A or Class B Preference Shares?

The original intention as outlined in the related Offering Statements was to repurchase the shares over 20 and 15 years, respectively. The Board reviews this annually and expects to repurchase shares each year, in line with the original Offerings. 

Registered Investments

Who do I contact for information about my registered investments?

While we can answer many questions for you, the team at CWCF is your best contact for statements for your registered investments, balances in your cash accounts from dividend/bond payments, and information about withdrawals. Contact Josh Dyke at CWCF, Sherry Boyko at Concentra, or Anis Gandhi at Questrade.

What happens when I receive payments as bonds mature?

Payments for registered investments are made in cash into your CWCF or Questrade registered account. This money can be withdrawn (a fee applies), moved to a registered account with another organization (a fee applies), or transferred to another investment within the CWCF.

Can I transfer a non-registered account with CED Co-op to a new registered account with CWCF?

Yes, you can transfer your investment with CED Co-op to a new registered account with the Canadian Worker Co-op Federation (CWCF). The CWCF will charge a fee for this transaction. Please contact us for more information.

When will my cheque (or transfer of my RRSP monies) be applied to my new Self Directed RRSP account?

Due to the great success and volume of investments we have received, we are finding it takes approximately 4-6 weeks to process the cheques and transfers. You will receive a statement from CWCF in the mail for your records. You can always reach us toll free at 1- 855-274-6890 to answer any questions you may have.

When will I receive a statement from CWCF?

CWCF produces their statements on September 16th each year (this date is based on their own internal audit, not a reflection of your CED Co-op investments). They will issue an account statement annually at this time.

I'm retiring. Can I invest funds from my pension?

This will depend on how your current pension company handles your funds. Upon retirement, some companies require that your funds be transferred to a Locked In Retirement Account, Locked In Retirement Fund, or similar. If this is the case, you cannot invest in CED Co-op. However, if you are able to withdraw from your pension and invest in either non-registered securities, or through a TFSA or RRSP, then we can certainly help. Please contact your pension provider to discuss your options.

CED Co-op Operations

What happens to the equipment after the FIT contract ends?

In most cases the equipment will be the property of the building owner following the contract. This was written into our lease agreements as a benefit of partnering with CED Co-op.

What does the future look like for CED Co-op with the FIT program not offering new contracts?

CED Co-op will continue to explore ways to support renewable energy and sustainability projects in Ontario. New business opportunities may include acquisitions of existing projects, but will also depend on any changes to legislation governing co-ops, and the rules for Net Metering related to virtual Net Metering or third party ownership. Regardless of what the future holds, the funds raised through this Offering Statement will support our current plans, and these projects are anticipated to deliver returns to investors as outlined.