The excitement started early for 127 delegates, alternates and observers at the CHF BC Annual General Meeting on November 19 in Richmond. As our meeting was part of the Housing Centralaffordable housing conference (the largest affordable housing conference in Canada) many arrived before the meeting to take in the conference breakfast plenary to hear the provincial Minister for Housing, Hon. Selina Robinson. After a delicious lunch, everyone joined with conference participants for a moving performance by Shane Koyczan, spoken word poet, who shared insights and impressions on the affordable housing crisis and homelessness.

And the excitement didn’t stop there. Before getting down to the business of the afternoon, CHF BC celebrated its 35th anniversary with a dynamic look at “the best reasons to celebrate our 35th” and what “successes we hope to be celebrating at our AGM in 2018”, chocolate cake, and a live performance from co-op housing “rock star” Domanique Grant who shared her impressions on the meaning of home in word and song.

CHF BC directors then shared updates and highlights on the growing successes of our Education, Group Buying, Planning and Renewal Programs and our Land Trust, and delegates passed a resolution from Killarney Gardens Co-op to “assist existing co-op developments constructed with building materials containing asbestos to obtain government assistance for asbestos abatements.”

After an interactive candidates’ panel, five directors were acclaimed to fill openings on the CHF BC board:

• Catherine Frost, Arbutus
• Charles Sandor, Salal
• Eddie Sabile, Killarney Gardens
• Sahara Shaik, Wit’s End
• Thomas Robson, Lore Krill

And Alana Van Dam, Kinross Creek was acclaimed to fill an opening on the Finance Committee.

Delegates also heard presentations from CHF Canada and from South African visitors here on a Rooftops Canada study tour. The visitors shared stories of their work as housing professionals in a “human settlement” program that works to meet housing needs in South African communities.

Some delegates stayed on to be part of the “Sector Supper” with the rest of Housing Central Conference attendees, and some registered to attend events at the conference on the Monday and Friday following our meeting.

We’ll be holding our annual meeting as part of this conference once again next year when the growing event will relocate to the Vancouver Sheraton Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver.

And there’s so much more: watch our event calendar for opportunities to get involved with us in the coming year!