This report is a response to a request from the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), the body that regulates co-operatives, and contains information about the status of renewable energy co-op development across Canada and internationally including regulatory procedures involved in those jurisdictions. It concludes that there has not been enough experience to articulate exactly what the best policy and regulatory environment is in Canada, but that early experiences in lead provinces and in European leaders suggest a combination of favourable electricity policy and a competitive rate for the power produced. On the regulatory side, simplified incorporation and public offering processes appear to be important factors for raising project finance. A favourable tax framework like RRSP eligibility would also appear to be important.