Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that we are now one year into the COVID-19 pandemic that has so drastically upended our way of life. 

Many housing co-ops, and the organizations that serve them, have shown strength and resolve through this emergency. We recognize this has not been easy, nor universal to all housing co-ops.CHF Canada is here for you, and it is together that we survive and thrive. The resilience of the co-operative business model has been proven many times, and we are prepared to do so again.   

CHF Canada is proud to have supported Canada’s housing co-ops through the unique challenges of the past year. Working remotely, we have set up new ways to help members stay informed, connected and adaptable. Indeed, this crisis has pushed us towards some innovations that we will want to continue long after the pandemic is over.

We’ve also stayed on track with important strategic objectives, completing CHF Canada’s governance changes, and establishing long-term strategic plans to achieve the sector goals established by members in the visioning process of “Co-op Housing for All”.

With the Federal Community Housing Initiative firmly in place to 2028, we can celebrate the completion of our “You Hold the Key” campaign goals, and turn to other advocacy priorities such as maintaining assistance for low-income households in co-ops that rely on funding from other orders of government and boosting the supply of non-market and co-operative housing across the country.

In Ontario, the “End of Mortgage” campaign in support of HSA co-ops is a top priority.  We can also devote more advocacy towards growth through new supply of co-op housing, with COVID-19 demonstrating the importance of secure, affordable housing to health, wellbeing and security.

Last year also put a spotlight on issues of racism and inequality. CHF Canada is committed to exploring how to counteract systemic racism and to take stock of how we can better support diversity, equity and inclusion in our sector. This includes taking the next steps on our journey of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, after the launch of our Reconciliation Toolkit in 2020.

Strong partnerships are vital to moving forward on our strategic objectives. We continue to cultivate collaboration with co-op housing sector partners, regional federations, governments and their housing agencies, and other housing stakeholders. This includes our role in initiating the Community Housing Transformation Centre, where community housing organizations can share best practices and innovations, access funding to build our capacity and develop an even stronger public voice.

And we remain committed to co-operation among co-operatives through groups such as Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada, the International Co-operative Alliance and of course Rooftops Canada which in 2020 celebrated 35 years of vital work around the globe. 

We are proud and grateful for how CHF Canada members have demonstrated strength, solidarity and concern for community this past year. We’ll get through this trial and achieve even greater things when we’re through this!

Full Report