we are the canadian chapter of the speciality coffee association

The goal of the Canadian Chapter is to serve the community with transparency and inclusion. No one is being excluded from being involved in the chapter, though with no existing method of communicating to all parties involved in specialty coffee in Canada, it is difficult to communicate to everyone. All existing Canadian members of the SCAA or SCAE are now part of the SCA Canadian Chapter, but there are many more people and companies we want to be involved in a Canadian-run organization

The Canadian Chapter of the Specialty Coffee Association is a National Chapter of the SCA . We are registered as a non-profit organization in Alberta. The National Coordinators are considered to be ‘board members’ of the organization and are elected by the membership every two years in May. There is limited oversight from the SCA in terms of governing the way each country’s chapter is run. This allows the Canadian Chapter to represent Canadian members in the most flexible and nimble way possible.

The Canadian SCA has the following roles of equal prominence:

National Coordinators

Elections for the National Coordinators are executed by the SCA, and thus applicants must be members of the SCA. Applicants can either self-nominate or be nominated by others. National Coordinators hold at least monthly conference calls through Google Hangouts. National Coordinators are expected to make every effort to attend, however schedules are challenging to match at it is acknowledged that these positions are on a volunteer basis. Minutes are to be taken and posted for public viewing via the Chapter Website. If a Committee Member is not performing requested projects or attending a majority of the calls, their volunteer role can be discontinued by a majority vote of the National Coordinators.

Decisions must be made by the National Coordinators on behalf of the membership of the Chapter. These decisions are passed by a majority vote by the National Coordinators.

COMMITTEES

There are three Committees that are led by the corresponding National Coordinators: Events, Education, and Marketing & Communications. Committee Members do not have to be members of the SCA, they simply have to be dedicated to helping. The number of Committee Members will vary per Committee and is at the discretion of the National Coordinator. Interest in being a Committee Member should be sent through the Chapter Website, and all Committee Members must be approved by a majority vote of the National Coordinators.

Committee Members are on their given committee for 2 years, starting in May of even years. This allows for continuity across new National Coordinators. It is expected that Committee Members will attend at least monthly conference calls through Google Hangouts and additionally handle assignments/projects outside of those calls. If a Committee Member is not performing requested projects or attending a majority of the calls, their volunteer role can be discontinued by a majority vote of the National Coordinators

Code of Conduct & Conflict of Interest

The Chapter follows the SCA’s Code of Conduct. A Conflict of Interest is a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity and must be avoided by National Coordinators. If a National Coordinator has a Conflict of Interest during a vote of any sort, they are not allowed to vote on that topic.