National Housing Day: Shining a spotlight on co-operative housing growth and development

Published November 22, 2024

November 22nd is National Housing Day: a time to reflect on the progress made and acknowledge the important work still needed to ensure everyone in Canada can access safe, affordable housing. 

Federations, co-ops, and their members are dedicated to building and expanding so more people can call co-ops homes. For National Housing Day, CHF Canada is shining a spotlight on inspiring stories of co-op housing development across Canada. From coast to coast, co-ops are expanding, new co-ops are being built, and affordable rental homes are being protected through co-op conversions. 

This year, the co-op housing movement has had incredible momentum toward growth and development:

• In June, the $1.5 billion federal Co-operative Housing Development Program launched in Winnipeg, Manitoba (read more) 
• Kingston Co-operative Homes completed their third successful expansion project, welcoming 38 new households (read more) 
• A new project in Toronto led by the City of Toronto, Windmill Developments and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto is planning over 600 new co-op homes – the largest co-op housing development project in Ontario in 25 years (read more) 
• The Fédération intercoopérative en habitation de l’Ouest du Québec (FIHAB) announced plans for a new 108-unit housing co-operative in Gatineau, at the former site of a fast-food restaurant (read more) 
• Tenants in Hamilton, Ontario successfully purchased their private rental building and converted it into a housing co-op, keeping their homes affordable long-term (read more) 
• Construction is set to be completed on the Compass Nova Scotia’s Unity North Neighbourhood, a two-building co-op neighbourhood in Halifax’s North End
• Two new co-op conversion projects are planned in rural Nova Scotia. With federal and provincial government funding, Compass Nova Scotia is converting a former school in Barton and a historic hall in Shelburne into co-ops (read more)

These are just a few stories of co-op growth and development underway across Canada. Together, the co-op housing movement is working to build the next generation of co-op homes. 

If your co-op is exploring a growth or development project, visit our development resources page or fill out a form to connect with our Co-operative Housing Development Team.