Our partners at CHF Canada have been hard at work advocating for investments to grow and support housing co-ops. Last week, they released recommendations for the upcoming 2023 Federal Budget.

This submissions outlines their recommendations for how to:

1. create more co-op homes as a solution to the housing crisis;
2. ramp up programs to support existing co-ops; and,
3. support Indigenous-led housing solutions.

2023 Federal Budget Submission

Canada’s Resilient Housing Solution: Launching the Next Generation of Co-operative Housing

The 2023 Federal Budget submission outlines four key recommendations: 

1. Launch the Co-operative Housing Development Program. Announced in 2022, this is the first dedicated federal program to support new co-op housing development in more than 30 years. It is time to launch this program to begin creating new co-op housing across Canada.
2. Fund the Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy. CHF Canada stands with Indigenous housing providers and their vision for an Indigenous-led, dedicated approach that can provide funding, capacity building, and best practices.
   Any notion of reconciliation is incomplete without adequate housing, and Indigenous people in Canada are ready to lead in the design, building, and operations of new solutions and have our full support.
3. Double the supply of non-market housing and stabilize low-income rental assistance programs. Canada is experiencing a massive non-market housing supply deficit, which is at the root of our homelessness crisis today.
   We must now redouble our efforts to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. Co-ops provide important rental assistance to low-income households and we cannot allow these programs to sunset in 2028.
4. Create a national affordable housing acquisition fund. Supporting the non-profit and co-op housing sector to purchase existing private rental properties that are for sale will preserve and enhance rental housing options in Canada.

Read the full 2023 federal budget submission here