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Research - Solutions and Alternatives
Stephen's brief notes on Calgary Dollars...http://www.calgarydollars.ca/
Calgary dollars a few brief notes
-2002 $38,000 worth of Calgary dollars was printed
- This system of currency was to replace the previous barter system
of Bow
Chinook Hours.
-The value of a Calgary dollar is equivalent to that of a Canadian
dollar.
- The system is set up similar to a club or association.
-People join for the cost of $12 annually. Their name and services
go onto a
listing posted on the web site and they receive $40 in Calgary
dollars.
-This serves to get to currency out into circulation and it also
helps
networking among members and increases trade.
-So far about $24,000 has been put into circulation. Local currencies
as said
to change hands about 4 times annually. So Calgary dollars contribute
about
$100,000 annually to the local economy.
-There is a Calgary dollars newspaper that is printed by monthly
and mailed
out all the members. It's also included in one of the free weekly
newspapers
in Calgary.
-The intention of the currency is not to replace the Canadian
dollar only to
supplement local trade.
-The organization has set up monthly put luck dinners where members
and anyone
else interested can attend.
-The potlucks serve as a time for members to get together and
trade. Members
have tables and displays set up, kind of farmer¡¯s
market style.
- The dinners also serve as a forum for decision-making and member
input into
to policy decisions.
-There is a steering committee made up of staff and volunteers
that meet
monthly to discuss policy. Any issue that they feel demands member
input is
brought up at the potlucks.
-The Calgary dollars also supply interest free loans or grants
to local
businesses. These grants have gone to fund the arts locally as
well as to
environmental groups. The approval for these loans and grants
comes at the
monthly potlucks.
That's all the info I have right now. I still have a few questions
such as
how the whole operation is funded, do they make enough on membership
fees or
do they have other donors? How much does it cost them annually
to service the
currency? What is the number of businesses that accept this currency?
Is it
possible to trade my Calgary dollars in for Canadian currency?
I e-mailed them with a request for more info so we¡¯ll
see what happens.
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