SUBMITTED BY:
Lakewood Terrace Housing Co-operative

CONTACT:
Sue Moorhead
2075 East 12th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5N 2A9

Tel: (604) 737-7893

Email: skm1234@telus.net

This resolution is for the meeting of:
✓ all CHF Canada members
Ontario Members

CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT AND GROW CO-OPERATIVE HOUSING

WE RESOLVE:

1. THAT CHF Canada will continue to campaign for adequate, long-term housing assistance that meets the real needs of low-income members of housing co-operatives across the country, including more targeted lobbying of provincial and territorial governments, where required;
2. THAT CHF Canada continue to lobby for housing co-operatives whose federally administered operating agreements expired before April 1, 2016, to promote their eligibility for housing assistance programs offered under the National Housing Strategy;
3. THAT CHF Canada leverage the National Housing Strategy’s stated goal of developing 100,000 new units of affordable housing to support the growth and expansion of housing co‑operatives across the country;
4. AND THAT CHF Canada advocate for policies and programs that recognize sound management, good governance and principled leadership while respecting the autonomy and independence of member co-operatives in Canada.

OUR REASONS FOR THIS RESOLUTION ARE:

1. The goal of the You Hold the Key Campaign is to secure long-term housing assistance for low-income members living in housing co-operatives across the country. The engagement of CHF Canada’s members and stakeholders has been vital to the success of the campaign so far. In 2017, members and stakeholders contributed over 2,000 actions in support of the campaign.
2. The federal government released its National Housing Strategy in November 22, 2017. The strategy plans to extend housing assistance for low-income members living in housing co‑operatives for ten years, to 2028. Housing assistance is to be delivered by two initiatives, the first of which will be delivered by the federal government, and the second by provincial and territorial governments. Co-ops whose federally administered operating agreements expired before April 1, 2016 are currently ineligible for this assistance.

3. Much of the federal government’s housing strategy relies on agreement and cost-sharing with provinces and territories. As such, it will be important to strengthen CHF Canada’s lobbying efforts with provincial and territorial governments in order to protect and build co-operative housing.
4. CHF Canada continues to advocate for adequate housing assistance programs that offer an appropriate breadth of support across households, at the right depth of support that is sufficient for the needs of individual households. Furthermore, these new programs must be developed and delivered in a timely and seamless manner.
5. Under existing programs, subsidies have been eroded, and in many cases the breadth and depth of assistance is insufficient relative to need. CHF Canada continues to advocate for adequate successor programs that address the real need for housing assistance for low-income members.
6. The National Housing Strategy set a target of 50,000 new units of mixed-income community housing, and an overall target of 100,000 new units of affordable housing. As CHF Canada secures government commitments to protect co-operative housing, there is an opportunity to prioritize the growth of co-operative housing in the organization’s lobbying campaigns. CHF Canada’s advocacy priorities will need to be responsive to this shift from the protection of co-operative housing to the growth of co-operative housing.

WE THINK THAT THIS WILL COST:

CHF Canada’s Government Relations program is included in the 2018 operating budget.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS  ( X ) SUPPORT   (  ) NON‑SUPPORT    (  ) NEUTRAL

BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMENTS:

The Board of Directors supports this resolution, as it is fully aligned with our ongoing advocacy agenda. We will continue to advocate for renewed, long-term housing assistance for low-income members living in housing co-operatives, while also advocating for our sector’s fair share of development programming. Furthermore, we value our co-operative identity, and pledge to protect the autonomy and independence of housing co-operatives as we develop new partnerships with government.