CHF Canada, in partnership with regional co‑op housing federations, has declared 2011 the Year of Getting Governance Right.

Why? Governance is the cornerstone for success in our housing co‑operatives and for the whole movement. When we don’t get governance right, we put everything else at risk. By getting governance right now, we ensure that our co‑ops can plan for a bright future, prepared for anything that comes their way – including the end of operating agreements.

What do we mean when we talk about governance? It is how directors, and the members who elect them, set and control the overall direction of the co‑op to ensure its success as a viable business and a co‑operative community.

And it’s also one of the Standards of a 2020 Vision Co‑op.

This year CHF Canada has developed several resources to help co‑ops learn more about good governance, and we are challenging all of our members to take action as follows:

• complete our Good Governance Survey online, or distribute the Test at the board or members meetings
• do the Management or Governance? quiz
• have your board circulate the Member Satisfaction Survey at your co‑op
• achieve the 2020 Vision Governance standard
• do an online survey just for your co‑op's members. The 2020 Vision Coordinator will help create your co‑op's survey, and send a Good Governance Report and Action Plan back to the board once the survey is complete.

You can see that there is a lot for CHF Canada members to learn about Governance in 2011, so take a look through our Year of Getting Governance Right pages to find out more about why good governance should be your co‑op’s top priority this year, and how you can get it right.

For more information please contact goodgovernance@chfcanada.coop.