Update your membership

Keep your information up-to-date so we know where to send important information and your annual refund.

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Transfers

Membership shares (“equity”) may be transferred for the following reasons:

  • divorce – splitting equity into two memberships,
  • marriage or creating a joint membership – combining equity into one membership,
  • estate – transferring entire membership and equity to another person,
  • leaving Alberta (aka the “trading area”) – transferring membership equity to another family member.

Applications to transfer joint membership shares must be signed by everyone on the membership to be transferred, except where there is only one surviving member, or the signing member wishes to leave the membership and forfeit all rights to equity and purchases.

All transfer applications are reviewed and approved by the Membership Services department.

Withdrawing equity and cancelling membership

You can apply to have your membership shares redeemed and/or withdraw from membership if:

  • you’ve left Alberta (the “trading area”) – membership cancelled.
  • you’ve moved within Alberta, but to a location where you can’t access Calgary Co-op’s services and locations* – membership cancelled, at the discretion of Calgary Co-op.
  • you’ve reached age 65 (or both have, in the case of a joint membership) – equity paid out, keeping $1 and the membership, OR membership cancelled and share equity totally repaid.
  • you’re in bankruptcy and a written request is sent by a bankruptcy trustee for redemption of your shares – membership cancelled.
  • you have a request for compassionate reasons (e.g., serious illness) – equity paid out, keeping $1 and the membership, at the discretion of Calgary Co-op.

In the case where a member has died, the membership can be transferred, or paid out and cancelled if a single membership.

Applications for membership cancellations are reviewed semi-annually, with payouts in February and August. You must provide a forwarding address where the final cheque is to be mailed.

T4A info

Member refunds over $100 require us to send a T4A for your taxes. The total on your T4A will be different from the refund cheque you received last year, since it includes the cash and share equity you earned.

We’re required to report all refunds over $100, and to withhold and remit 15% of anything above that amount to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

But good news—your refund isn’t necessarily taxable! Refunds from consumer goods (groceries, household items, gas for private car use, etc.) for personal use are not subject to tax. Any withheld tax as outlined on your T4A can be claimed as a credit when you file your personal taxes. Just write “Consumer Goods Only” on the face of your T4A.

Businesses

Patronage returns are taxable for business persons, farmers, contractors or anyone who purchased goods for business use and used the cost of the goods to reduce their taxable income. If this applies to your tax situation, then the member refund earned on the goods purchased is taxable. You must include the amount in your income on your tax return. The amount of the withholding tax can be claimed as a credit as tax paid.

If you forget how to report this information on your filing, you can reference the back of your T4A for all the info.