From idea to action - History of the coop ECTO
The coop of solidarity ECTO is the result of a mixing of ideas and observations. In early 2007, a few founding members were talking about difficulties of their freelancers and start ups without an office: isolation, consiliating work and family life, lack of professional networks, rarity of affordable working places and meeting rooms other than in internet cafés and the libraries.
Stimulated by the coworking movement, the initial group rapidly grew. It became clear that the need for a collective working space was important for Montreal.
As of Septembre 2007, meetings multiplied. By sharing the many tasks involved the project advanced collectively. By early 2008, the founding group legally constituted the coop and developed the business plan. The first general assembly of the Cooperative of Solidarity ECTO is held March 31st 2008.
Integrating into the international "coworking" movement, the group openly shares the different steps and phases of its development process via a wiki (http://www.projet-ecto.org). In this way the full documentation and the associated files of this project are available to, we hope, support the development of other similar projects, in Montreal or elswhere.