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Home / Resolutions / National / Resolution 3: Think Big: co-operative and non-profit should be 20 percent of the housing market 2025 Annual Meeting: Toronto

Resolution 3: Think Big: co-operative and non-profit should be 20 percent of the housing market

SUBMITTED BY: CHF Canada Board of Directors

CONTACT: Sarah Jensen
Chair, Resolutions Committee, CHF Canada
311 – 225 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, ON  K2P 1P9
boardofdirectors@chfcanada.coop

WE RESOLVE:

  1. THAT CHF Canada has a goal that 20 percent of all housing in Canada be community housing, including co-operative housing;
  2. AND THAT this goal is communicated with governments, the media, stakeholders and the public so that they understand that it is in line with the capacity and intention of the co‑operative housing sector.

OUR REASONS FOR THIS RESOLUTION ARE:

  1. Around 3.5 percent of housing in Canada is community housing (co-op, non-profit and public housing).  This is much less than other Western countries.
  2. We need much more community housing, especially co-operative housing. This is because housing need is high and growing. It would also benefit the economy, because having secure and affordable housing makes it easier for people to pursue education and secure employment.
  3. Approximately 2.6 million Canadians are in core housing need, with various groups most affected, especially Indigenous households.
  4. In a recent study, Deloitte found that growing Canada’s share of co-op and non-profit housing to at least 7 percent by 2030 would boost economic productivity by 5.7 percent to 9.3 percent.  GDP would increase significantly, without adding to inflation.
  5. The community housing sector is beginning to unite around the goal of Canada having 20 percent of its housing stock be community housing, including co-ops.
  6. The 20 percent goal is aligned with the development capacity and ambition of the co‑operative housing sector, as outlined by the Co-op Housing for All approach adopted by the membership.
  7. New co-operative developments, redevelopments and acquisitions are taking place across the country.  In part, this is because of the 2018 decision of the membership which provided a portion of CHF Canada’s endowment for this purpose. This supported a variety of efforts, including pilot projects and the advocacy that resulted in the $1.5 billion federal Co-operative Housing Development Program, which will in turn result in new co-operative homes.

WE THINK THAT THIS WILL COST:

The goal outlined by this resolution can be communicated through activities planned for in the 2025 and 2026 operating budgets.