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We Believe More Canadians Deserve The Stability, Community And Affordability Of Co-op Living.
We advocate at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to:
Grow co-op housing through construction and acquisition, to meet growing demand.
As Canada faces an ongoing housing affordability crisis, co-operative housing offers a proven, people-first solution, one that Canadians support.
Our movement is resourceful, passionate and dedicated to a future with more co-operative housing.
The sector is ready. Canadians are waiting. Let’s build the next generation of co-operative homes together.
Focus Area
Let’s Grow Housing Co-ops Together
The co-op housing sector is ready and able to help the federal government meet its housing goals by quickly delivering affordable co-operative homes at scale for low-, moderate- and middle-income Canadians.
By leveraging CHF Canada’s connections to experienced development partners and several hundred co-operative assets, we can scale up existing efforts to build new co-operative housing.
CHF Canada seeks continuous portfolio growth by acquiring and converting private rental housing into permanently affordable co-operative housing, and to amalgamate existing co-op housing assets to stronger, sustainable co-operatives for the future.
The Co-operative Housing Development Program, along with other federal supply programs, have generated large numbers of shovel-ready projects across the country.
We urge governments to invest now in acquisition funding so housing co-ops can preserve at-risk rental homes and keep them affordable for the long term.
Focus Area
Acquisition Protects Renters Now and Forever.
Canada is losing affordable homes faster than we are building new ones.
Many older apartments offer relatively affordable housing, but they are being lost to rent hikes, renoviction, conversion etc.
The best way to preserve these homes is for governments to provide the support housing co-ops need to acquire them – purchasing rental buildings at risk, and then working with the tenants to convert them to the co-op model. This will secure the homes of renters who would otherwise be at-risk, provide permanently affordable homes for generations to come and grow the co-op housing sector.
Make rental assistance permanent, expanded, and consistent across Canada, so every co-op household can afford their home and every co-op can stay strong.
Focus Area
Rental Assistance Is A Simple But Powerful Tool.
Rental assistance keeps people with low-income in their co-op homes and out of homelessness.
Rental assistance is financial support provided by the government. It allows low-income households living in co-ops to affordably pay their co-op housing charge (rent) by covering the gap between what they can afford and the co-op housing charge. This is usually modest support, since co-op housing charges are almost always less expensive than the private market.
Without assistance, many households face difficult choices between paying rent, buying food, or covering basic needs. Co-ops may wish to help – but they need to ensure they have the finances to keep the building in good shape..
Rental assistance ensures the housing co-op remains financially sustainable while keeping housing charges (rents) affordable for everyone. This results in inclusive, mixed-income communities.
Rental assistance must evolve to reflect the federal government’s investment in affordability. Long-term rental assistance will preserve affordability in housing that is already managed democratically and not subject to the speculative market.
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Housing Is Foundational To Advancing Reconciliation.
CHF Canada continues to stand with Indigenous housing providers and their vision for Indigenous-led co-op and non-profit housing that meets the housing and cultural needs of Indigenous people in urban, rural and northern communities.
This will help address the disproportionate housing need experienced by Indigenous people across the country. When an Indigenous-led approach is used, the housing created will be culturally appropriate, designed to uphold the varying values, traditions, and governance approaches of Indigenous communities.
Work with Indigenous housing providers to advance and expand Indigenous-led co-op and non-profit housing across urban, rural, and northern communities.
Work with us to ensure a fair service agreement framework, so Ontario’s co-op homes remain secure, affordable, and community-controlled.
Focus Area
Every Co-op Mortgage Eventually Comes To An End – in Ontario, it’s a risk.
For Many Ontario Co-op Housing Communities, This Moment Marks A Critical Turning Point.
CHF Canada is deeply engaged in helping housing co-ops navigate this transition so they remain viable, affordable, and community focused.
In Ontario, housing co-ops administered by municipal service managers are governed by the Housing Services Act.
CHF Canada continues to push for protections for HSA co-ops as they reach the end of their mortgage.
We are asking the Ontario government to preserve existing co-op homes by ensuring the implementation of the service agreement framework is fair for everyone.
With planning and smart advocacy, co-ops can transition into a future of sustainable, community-controlled housing.
