Skip to content
Logo of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada), featuring a stylized blue house icon and organization name in blue text on a light background, reflecting its commitment to co-operative housing. Logo of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada), featuring a stylized blue house icon and organization name in blue text on a light background, reflecting its commitment to co-operative housing.
Contact
Back to Archive
Archived

2023 Annual Meeting - Ottawa

June 15 - 17, 2023

More than 600 co-op members and supporters attended CHF Canada’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Ottawa from June 15 to 17 to learn, network and make important decisions in support of our shared vision of Co-op Housing for All.

Two women with conference badges hold coffee cups and green tote bags, smiling at the camera in a busy event hall at CHF Canada’s co-operative housing conference.
Two women wearing conference badges stand close together and smile at the camera in a brightly lit indoor setting at a CHF Canada co-operative housing event.
Four people stand together indoors, three in matching light green "Ottawa Co-op Housing" shirts and one in a patterned shirt with a conference badge, highlighting their commitment to co-operative housing and CHF Canada.
Four people wearing conference badges pose together indoors, one seated in a wheelchair, highlighting the inclusive spirit of Co-operative Housing at a CHF Canada event.
Two people wearing conference badges and lanyards stand indoors, smiling at the camera at a CHF Canada Co-operative Housing event. The woman holds a cup and the man wears a backpack.
Four adults stand indoors at a co-operative housing conference, wearing name badges and casual clothes, smiling at the camera with large windows in the background—a welcoming event by CHF Canada.

Hundreds of co-op members and staff participated in more than 40 workshops organized into nine learning streams; there was a lot of learning packed into two days!  All of the workshop materials can now be found in the Resources section of our website: select Member Education Forum or Co-operative Management Conference.  We’ve also created a digital display table where you can browse all the latest resources and materials CHF Canada had on display at the Annual Meeting.

Three people sit at a table with papers and a coffee cup, one man in the center smiling at the camera while another hands something to the group, highlighting a collaborative moment in co-operative housing with CHF Canada.
A woman stands at a podium labeled “Centre Shaw Centre” presenting to an audience about Co-operative Housing, with a large screen displaying “Who Are Our Members?” in the background at a CHF Canada event.
A man with glasses speaks into a microphone at a conference table, gesturing with his hand while discussing co-operative housing. Two women are seated nearby, one blurred in the background.
Two women sit at a conference table with notebooks and drinks, attentively listening and smiling during a co-operative housing meeting or CHF Canada workshop.

At a breakfast plenary on June 16, we heard supportive messages from Soraya Ferrada Martinez, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion and Adam van Koeverden, MP for Milton. We were also treated to a keynote from Marie-Josée Houle, Canada’s first federal housing advocate who spoke about the right to housing. And longtime co-op housing advocate Harvey Cooper received CHF Canada’s Honorary Lifetime Associate award.

A woman stands at a podium labeled "Centre Shaw Centre," speaking into a microphone with a blue-lit background behind her, addressing key issues in Housing and representing CHF Canada’s commitment to Co-operative Housing.
Soraya Ferrada Martinez, Parliamentary Secretary
A man in a suit speaks passionately at a podium labeled "Centre Shaw Centre," raising his fist in the air against a blue-lit background, championing Co-operative Housing and the mission of CHF Canada.
MP Adam van Koeverden
Two women sit on stage in conversation; one woman in focus is holding papers and smiling, while the other is blurred in the foreground. The event centers on Housing and features discussions from CHF Canada about Co-operative Housing.
Marie-Josée Houle

At the Ontario regional meeting on Saturday, June 17, members gave a rousing round of applause to thank the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Steve Clark, along with his Associate Minister, for responding to the Fix the Funding Formula campaign, which impacts half of Ontario’s housing co-ops.

Three individuals stand on a stage at podiums; one, representing CHF Canada, holds a feather and speaks into a microphone. Blue lighting and a textured backdrop highlight their discussion on co-operative housing.
Elder Dr. Claudette Commanda
A woman stands at a podium speaking into microphones, with a presentation on Co-operative Housing projected on a screen behind her at a CHF Canada event.
Gabrielle Fayant

Members engaged in the democratic process, and approved three board-sponsored resolutions and one member resolution. Members voiced their support to advance our shared vision of Co-op Housing for All by supporting sustainable development goals, recognizing the important role of property management and staff, and advocating for improved rental assistance and building  more non-market housing in Canada.

Members also supported an amendment from CHF BC Board President Suzann Zimmering to direct CHF Canada to “call on the federal government and the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion to fund and launch without further delay the new Co-operative Housing Development Program first promised in the 2022 federal budget.”

Resolutions passed at the 2023 Annual Meeting

  1. Promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Co-op 2030 Vision
  2. Build more non-market housing in Canada
  3. Recognize and support co-operative property management staff
  4. Stabilize rental assistance

And finally, there were elections that saw changes to CHF Canada’s Board of Directors.  April White was acclaimed as the new Director Representing Indigenous Communities and David Corson was acclaimed to the Finance and Audit Committee.

CHF Canada’s 2023-2024 Board of Directors.

John Bathurst and Lee Campbell-MacDonald were elected to three-year terms as Directors-At-Large.

We said thanks to departing Board Members David Boyde, Anne Davidson, David McFarlane and Tina Stevens for their many years of leadership and service.

CHF Canada Executive Director Tim Ross paid tribute to departing staff member Linda Stephenson and thanked Yes We Plan event planners Nick Sont and Marie Marin for their 15 years as part of our annual meetings. After the Annual Meeting at their first meeting, the new CHF Canada Board of Directors selected Cassia Kantrow as President, Sahara Shaik as Vice-President, and John Bathurst as Treasurer.