Resolution 2: Fix the Funding Formula for Ontario’s HSA Co-ops

SUBMITTED BY: CHF Canada Board of Directors
CONTACT: Simone Swail
Manager, Government Relations
CHF Canada
225 Metcalfe Street, Suite 311
Ottawa, ON K2P 1P9
Tel: 1-800-268-2537, ext. 223
Email: sswail@chfcanada.coop
______________________________________________________________________________

WE RESOLVE:

1. THAT co-ops from across Canada call on the Government of Ontario and municipal leaders,
   to support a better future for housing co-ops and non-profits under the Housing Services Act
   (HSA) in Ontario;
2. THAT the Government of Ontario fix the funding model so that the mortgage savings of
   HSA co-ops at the end of their mortgage can be reinvested in the repair and renewal of these
   communities;
3. AND THAT the Government of Ontario ensures that the funding for rental assistance for
   low-income households cannot be clawed back.

OUR REASONS FOR THIS RESOLUTION ARE:

1. Across Ontario, there are 21,000 households, approximately, 75,000 people living in HSA co-ops.
2.  These co-ops are vibrant mixed-income communities that provide affordable homes to lowand moderate-income households.
3. After 35 years these co-op homes need repair and renewal, just like federal housing co-ops, so that they can continue to provide good-quality housing for the next 35 years.
4. If the funding formula is not fixed, a co-op’s service manager can claw back the entire mortgage savings at the end of mortgage, leaving these co-ops with no ability to reinvest in their buildings and address the capital repair backlog.
5. HSA co-ops would be perpetually dependent on grants from governments to look after their buildings.
6. Federal housing co-ops in many provinces have been able to access private investment to proactively address capital repair and renewal because the federal or provincial governments committed to providing support for low-income households, and did not claw back this support.
7.  Across Canada, these co-ops have leveraged over $180 million for repair and renewal, including over $150 million in Ontario alone.
8. The Government of Ontario and municipal leaders should learn from the success of federal housing co-ops.
9. The Government of Ontario has recognized the need for change in their Community Housing
   Renewal Strategy.
10.  With 47 different municipal service managers, the Government of Ontario needs to fix the
    funding formula in provincial regulation so that all HSA co-op and non-profit communities
    are protected.

WE THINK THAT THIS WILL COST:

Funding for the CHF Canada’s government relations and lobbying activities have been included in the 2021 operating budgets.