CHF Canada’s Ontario Region is working to create more co‑op housing in this province. There is a desperate shortage of affordable housing in Ontario and co‑op housing can play an important role in solving the problem. See Housing need in Ontario for more on the need for affordable housing in Ontario.

During the 2007 provincial election, the Region campaigned to make affordable housing an issue. We won commitments from all three major parties to take action if elected. Each party specifically mentioned co‑op housing as part of the solution. The Liberals, who were re-elected, promised to put in place a long-term affordable housing strategy to replace the piece-meal approach of the recent past.

In addition to working to build political support for co‑op housing, CHF Canada has been working on the ground to get new co‑op units built.

In late 2006 the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, CHF Canada and the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association agreed on terms of a partnership agreement to support the development of more housing co‑ops and community non-profits under the Affordable Housing Program (AHP).

The partnership made small grants available to help co‑op groups put together development proposals. We also provided direct help to groups to apply for CMHC seed funding and AHP funding from municipalities.

As a result of this work 116 units of new co‑op housing is in the early stages of development in three co‑ops. At least 10 more co‑ops are working on proposals that could be approved in future funding allocations.

We are pressing the Province to follow through on their election promises on affordable housing and to include funding in the 2008 budget. We are also working to get the partnership agreement extended.

The AHP has a number of rules that block the development of co‑ops. We are working with the Province and municipalities to improve the program design to make it easier for co‑ops to develop and operate successfully.

If your co‑op is interested in increasing the number of units on your site or one nearby, or if you are thinking about creating a new co‑op, please contact Tim Welch, CHF Canada's Housing Development Specialist at twelch@chfcanada.coop or by telephone at (519) 658-3124.