John has served on enough boards to know that promises are easy to make and hard to keep. He says he can guarantee that he’ll show up at every board meeting and strive to represent the membership.

John’s firm belief in the effectiveness of co-op housing and its potential to solve problems that go beyond affordable housing drives his passion for seeing more co-op housing built across Canada.

Along with getting shovels in the ground, John hopes to see an expanded sense of pride within the membership of CHF Canada. From raising children in a safe, family-oriented environment to the benefits that come from living in a mixed-income community that brings people in need into a small network of support, he believes co-ops are places where people thrive, and that every opportunity should be taken to proudly state, “I live in a co-op!”

In 2018, John began his process of retiring from the landscape irrigation contracting business he has since passed on to his son. He’s on the maintenance committee of Misty Ridge Housing Co-op in Burnaby, BC, where he’s lived since 1987, and where he led an $8-million facility upgrade project.

John describes his past experience on several boards, including the Eastern Township Ski Patrol, City Alderman, and the Burnaby Winter Club, as valuable learning opportunities. He also chairs the CHF BC Aging in Place Committee

An outgoing person, John is never afraid to admit a mistake, and always comfortable asking questions to ensure he understands a concept or a perspective. Not threatened by change, and striving to embrace diversity, he hopes to drive discussion, encourage younger people to get involved, and above all, to share his enthusiasm for co-op housing.