Introducing 2020 Certification

CHF Canada has created a set of eight standards that define the 2020 standard of excellence to measure the performance of housing co-ops. We created these standards after our members told us about their most important priorities as they look ahead to the year 2020.

A 2020 Co-op has:

1. A mission statement and a vision for its future

2. A commitment to the values of the Canadian co-operative housing movement

3. A capital reserve and investment plan

4. A long-term financial plan

5. Good governance and principled leadership

6. A comprehensive maintenance plan

7. Sound management

8. A commitment to environmental sustainability

Co-ops can measure their operations against the eight standards. Those that set out to meet all of them can register to become certified as 2020 Co-ops by CHF Canada.

The program is completely voluntary of course. No co-op has to become 2020 certified. But we’re betting that many will want to – co-ops take pride in how well they run their affairs and in the great communities they’ve created.

How we set the standards

Although there are many parts to CHF Canada’s 2020 Vision project, it is founded on the three building blocks that will ensure a strong future for a housing co-op:

• good governance and principled leadership
• sound management
• shared co-operative housing values.

Our aim in setting the eight 2020 standards was to build a profile of a co op that has these three building blocks firmly in place.

We also wanted to make sure that the standards for becoming a 2020 Co-op are set at just the right level – not so high that co-ops won’t be able to reach them at all, yet high enough that becoming a 2020 Co-op really means something to those that reach it. So we’ve been careful to try to find the right balance in creating the 2020 Co-op standards.

The process for becoming a 2020 Co-op

The gateway to becoming a 2020 Co-op is through the 2020 Vision website. In a way, that’s the first test. The web is now such an important management tool for housing co ops that to be a 2020 Co-op you really do need to be hooked up to the internet.

But accessing the certification process through the internet is more than a test – it’s the best, most efficient way for CHF Canada and your co-op to keep in contact as you start out to become a 2020 Co-op. Here’s how it works.

When your co-op tells us you want to register to become a 2020 Co-op, we’ll set you up with your own password-protected 2020 webpage. Your page will identify your co-op and some facts about it, such as the government program that applies to you.

Your co-op’s webpage will set out the eight 2020 standards and how you can show us that you meet them. You’ll check off each standard that you think you have met and send CHF Canada the information we’ll need for confirmation. Once that’s done, we’ll add our own checkmark to yours, and that’s it – you’re one step closer to being a 2020 Co-op!

And here’s the good news – you don’t have to meet all of the standards all at once. The time allotted for co-ops to meet all the standards and be certified has been increased to four (4) years from one year. However, a co-op must meet at least one standard in each of the four years.

And when you do meet all the standards, CHF Canada will certify you as a 2020 Co-op. This is a formal designation. We have reserved 2020 Vision as a registered certification mark for housing co-ops. Only co-ops that meet the standards can use the designation. 2020 Co-ops will receive official recognition of their status and be honoured in CHF Canada’s publications and at our annual meeting.

Keeping your 2020 Certification

2020 Certification means that a co-op has reached a high level of excellence. To make sure that the certification continues to be an indicator of superior performance we’ll be asking each 2020 Co-op to check back in with us after five years, so we can confirm that the 2020 standards are still in place. We’ll have more to say to our members about this as co-ops start to go through the 2020 Certification process.