Candidates

I am Namulinda Lester, a passionate advocate for cooperative housing and social equity. I bring a blend of knowledge, leadership, and a deep commitment to community development through my experience in affordable housing administration and arts management. Working as a co-op housing Manager and serving on the Board of the Cooperative Housing Federation of Toronto has given me a solid experience in representing and serving members of the cooperative movement.  

Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to accessible and sustainable housing options for marginalized communities, focusing on approaches that support and uplift individuals facing housing insecurity. I have worked on the operational and strategic aspects of affordable housing, overseeing policy development, and management systems. My experience with governance and oversight has strengthened my ability to contribute to organizations that prioritize accountability and transparency in their operations.  

In my current role with Nia Centre for the Arts, I supported the renovation of Canada’s first professional multi-disciplinary Black arts centre, ensuring that the organization’s capital project aligned with its strategic goals – creating a safe space for Black youth and emerging artists to explore their artistic passions. This experience strengthened my project management capacity, equipped me with strong financial literacy and governance skills, as well as a deep understanding of the importance of strategic planning to drive long term success. I am especially committed to creating environments where diverse voices are heard, where collaboration is key, and where policies reflect the lived realities of those we serve.  

I have firsthand experience how co-ops can make a difference in people’s lives because I grew up in Riverdale Co-operative and I remain a member over 20 years later. When my family moved to Toronto in 2002 after many years overseas the co-op provided us a stable and affordable home in a diverse, welcoming community. When the time came, after eight years in the co-op, the CHFT Diversity Scholarship was important to my success in university.  

I have a strong commitment to the values of cooperation, and equity, which resonate deeply with my own lived experiences. I believe that diverse perspectives and lived experiences are essential in creating meaningful and impactful policies that truly reflect the needs of the people they serve. I am passionate about contributing to CHF Canada’s mission of strengthening a united co-operative housing movement across the country.  

I bring to the table my expertise in strategic oversight, policy development, and community engagement, as well as my dedication to the principles of governance, financial accountability, and sustainability. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to a movement that enables affordable, sustainable, and inclusive housing solutions for Canadians. I am committed to supporting CHF Canada’s vision of creating communities that are not only affordable but also equitable, vibrant, and resilient.  

Thank you for considering my nomination. I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with fellow board members in shaping the future of co-operative housing in Canada. 

Hello! I’m Don Goss and here are the reasons why I want to represent you as your Newfoundland & Labrador / Nova Scotia Regional Director on the CHF Canada Board.  

If you believe that we need a representative to CHF Canada that actually lives in one of the two provinces they seek to represent, I ask for your support.  

If you think we need someone who actually lives in a housing co-op to represent us, I ask for your co-op’s vote. This has not been our recent history.   

There is and should always be a place for Allies, and I endeavour to be an ally to the First Nations Peoples; to People of Colour; to New Canadians, and to Women. However, my belief is that I do not have the right to speak on behalf of any group that I am not a part of, as doing so takes away leadership roles from people in these movements.  

Housing is a right. Housing Co-ops are the most economical and affordable, good solution to the housing crisis. A recent national, Abacus poll showed that 73% of Canadians say non-profit and co-op housing can help solve the housing crisis.  

We need our members (folks living in co-ops) to advocate for co-op housing – we need to empower you to lobby not only federal, but municipal and provincial governments for more supports and resources. Our strength and our power is that we vote. This is the power of our movement.  

We are the stewards of our homes, and so we must ensure they remain an enduring legacy for future generations. This can only be done if we have adequate resources to maintain our homes and that decision making remains with those of us living in co-ops.  

I believe and am committed to ensure:  

• That our housing co-ops represent real people and not just structures.  

• That democratic control is maintained by people living in housing co-ops.  

• That more is needed to assist collaboration among our Atlantic Canadian housing co-ops and continue to build capacity among co-ops.  

I will continue to bring my passion, creative thinking, plainspoken, collaboration, and my strong belief in our co-operative principles and values to the role of NS/NL Regional Director.  

Some of my qualifications: previous CHF board experience; co-op leadership roles; library worker experience; activism in the queer community and as a trade unionist.  

Recently I have taken on the role of co-chair with the Nova Scotia Non-Profit Housing Association 2SLGBTI working group. It is important that we continue to build links with other like-minded organizations.  

As a proud member of High Hopes Housing Co-op in HRM, I want to continue the work to expand the co-op housing movement in Atlantic Canada.   

This is our time! I kindly ask for your support.  

I live in Keegano housing Cooperative, located in Edmonton, Alberta. 

I have a background in Accounting and Project Management. Educated at the University of Ife (OAU), and Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), I have over 30 years of experience in Accounting, Construction and Project Management roles.  

I have lived at Keegano for over 15 years and served on the BOD as Treasure and Vice President at different times. I have also attended every flavor of Regional and National Coop meetings. I have learnt a lot and offered my time in supporting our programs and upkeep. 

For the last 7 years, I have worked as a Senior Accountant – Community Development with Melcor Developments Ltd, Edmonton. My previous work experiences were with Statisticsn Canada, Triton Projects, Robert Half Management resources and Phoenix Industrial Constructors. 

I seek to lend my talent to the Board of CHF to support our executives in their assignment of fulfilling the Mandate of the federation and to be a voice of members from Alberta and The Northwest Territories. 

I look forward to serving with integrity and vigour to meet the challenges and opportunities of the times as CHF continuous to promote resourcing for Good Governance amongst it members and Expansion of the coop sector in meeting the housing challenges for the future.