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We Believe More Canadians Deserve the Stability, Community and Affordability of Co-operative Housing
The sector is ready. Canadians are waiting. Let’s build the next generation of co-operative homes together.
Let’s Grow Housing Co-ops Together
The co-op housing sector is ready and able to help the governments 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.
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.
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 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.
CHF Canada is working with Indigenous housing providers to advance and expand Indigenous-led co-op and non-profit housing across urban, rural, and northern communities.
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.
A fully funded Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy delivered for and by Indigenous communities 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 us to ensure a fair service agreement framework, so Ontario’s co-ops can reinvest in their communities and protect these affordable, community-controlled homes.
Every Co-op Mortgage Eventually Comes to an End
For many Ontario housing co-ops, what should be a milestone to celebrate can quickly become a point of uncertainty and risk.
In Ontario, housing co-ops administered and funded by municipal service managers are governed by the provincial Housing Services Act (HSA). Under the Act, co-ops may not be able to benefit from their mortgage savings once their mortgage is paid off and instead may face a dramatic drop in the funding they receive to provide housing to households in need of rental assistance.
CHF Canada is deeply engaged in helping co-ops governed by the Housing Services Act. Wherever possible, we, along with co-ops and regional federations, are working in partnership with municipal service to ensure they remain viable, affordable, and community focused.
We are asking the Ontario government to help protect existing co-op homes by ensuring the implementation of the service agreement framework is fair for everyone.
With planning and reasonable funding for those on rental assistance, HSA co-ops can transition into a future of sustainable, community-controlled co-operative housing.
A Proven Solution to the Housing Affordability Crisis
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.
We Advocate with Governments to:
Support existing co-ops through policies and funding.
Grow co-op housing through construction and acquisition, to meet growing demand.
