Membership levels

[adamundefined @ Halifax Makerspace]

Halifax Makerspace has been homeless for a long while but we are finally getting back into a space very shortly; just waiting on our occupancy permit. We are ramping up in memberships and are heading into an AGM as well. Like a lot of other spaces, we decided to offer two levels of membership. Core members ($50/mth) will get 24/7 access and voting rights while Associate members ($25/mth) will get access several times a week and will not have voting rights. While figuring out what parts of our bylaws might need updating I noticed a part of the Nova Scotia Societies Act that states "every member of a society shall have a vote". I'm thinking that maybe we can clarify that for the purposes of the Societies Act that the Associate level is not an actual "member". One of our directors feels like we should not use the term "member" at all for the Associate level if that is the case. Or maybe we are stuck with having to provide a vote to everyone. I'm curious if any other groups have come across this before or any other cases where provincial policy/law is at odds with how you wanted to define your bylaws. It seems most provinces have a different take on societies/non-profit groups; some wildly different that the others.

[Derek Jacoby]

Victoria makerspace had this distinction initially and struggled with the same question. We moved through the upper level being "keyholders" and the lower "associates". I think we called the lower level patrons for a while. It was never clear if we were legally ok, so we eventually moved to a single level. It was also because we went to electronic access and no longer needed keyholders that we changed.

On Aug 10, 2017 10:05 PM, "adamundefined @ Halifax Makerspace" <adam.un...@gmail.com> wrote:

Halifax Makerspace has been homeless for a long while but we are finally getting back into a space very shortly; just waiting on our occupancy permit. We are ramping up in memberships and are heading into an AGM as well. Like a lot of other spaces, we decided to offer two levels of membership. Core members ($50/mth) will get 24/7 access and voting rights while Associate members ($25/mth) will get access several times a week and will not have voting rights. While figuring out what parts of our bylaws might need updating I noticed a part of the Nova Scotia Societies Act that states "every member of a society shall have a vote". I'm thinking that maybe we can clarify that for the purposes of the Societies Act that the Associate level is not an actual "member". One of our directors feels like we should not use the term "member" at all for the Associate level if that is the case. Or maybe we are stuck with having to provide a vote to everyone. I'm curious if any other groups have come across this before or any other cases where provincial policy/law is at odds with how you wanted to define your bylaws. It seems most provinces have a different take on societies/non-profit groups; some wildly different that the others.

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[Byron Hynes]

We will have to deal with this sooner rather than later. In the meantime we are de-emphasizing the term "member" in marketing (preferring generally just "maker"). We also use "key holder" more and more because a "member" may not necessarily have a key, even though that's not a function of the amount they pay. 

Philosophically (and since we are incorporated under the Companies act, not the Societies act, but as a non-profit Company)... answer the question "Who is a shareholder?"  Who (jointly) owns the laser cutter and the lathe? If not limited, who's on the hook for unpaid rent? Who could go to jail if the company/society breaks the law?

If the lower-tier members are shareholders, then they get a vote. If they are "users/customers" of some sort, then they don't. 

To further muddle things, I am a member of the local Co-op. I am a "member" of Costco (yes, they call us "members", and I am a member of MEC and REI. All of these use the term "member" to mean different things. 

"Member" isn't defined in our articles of association and the way it is defined in the Act isn't how most people use the word. 

Amending your bylaws may be easy or having "members" and "guests" or "associates" (avoiding "associate member" as a term). 

I'd be happy to hear what you settle on. 

Byron

Calgary Protospace

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