This January, CHF Canada submitted our 2026 Pre-Budget Submission to the Ontario government, titled Unlocking Co-op Housing in Ontario.
CHF Canada presented recommendations to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs in Kitchener, together with the Central Ontario Co-op Housing Federation (COCHF).
Together, the co-op housing sector is asking the province to take action to protect existing co-op homes and unlock the sector’s potential to build thousands of new affordable, community-oriented co-op homes.
Housing co-ops already house about 125,000 Ontarians in 550 communities and have a 50-year track record of delivering secure, affordable homes. But co-ops face financial pressures and regulatory challenges, especially as service agreements end and municipal implementation varies. This is putting both affordability and long-term sustainability at risk.
We recommend the province of Ontario:
- Strengthen implementation of the provincial Service Agreement framework so all co-ops receive fair, predictable funding.
- Partner to build new co-op and non-profit housing, leveraging federal investments with provincial tools like a Construction Guarantee Program, pre-development funds, and surplus land initiatives.
- Support an Indigenous-led housing strategy to address persistent disparities for Indigenous households across Ontario.
The housing challenges in Ontario are solvable. With provincial partnership, Ontario’s co-ops can both safeguard existing homes and play a central role in meeting the urgent need for affordable housing across the province. We look forward to building a better, more affordable path forward for all Ontarians.