Island members filled the room February 24 for the Vancouver Island Council meeting, connecting with familiar faces, delegates and the latest new co-op members.Vancouver Island directors Patty Shaw (CHF BC President) and Art Farquharson presented the board report and gave a review of major events and achievements of the You Hold the Key campaign since the last Council meeting.The directors encouraged members to stay active in the campaign until it achieves the goal of a replacement subsidy program. Member Services Director Kerry Panter advised delegates of an upcoming Island co-op survey, the deadline for this year’s CHF BC scholarship program applications (March 1 at 4:30!) and a member appreciation event coming on April 20.CHF BC Commercial Services Director, Arnold Sang updated delegates on the new Co-op Telecom program which provides heavily discounted rates for HD television, high-speed internet and home telephone services. The meeting’s guest speaker was Tiffany Duzita, Director of Development at the Community Land Trust Foundation of British Columbia. Tiffany gave a brief history of community land trusts in BC and outlined how the land trust model could be used to address many of the challenges facing the co-op housing sector. She reviewed some current land trust projects as examples of how well served co-ops can be by adopting the land trust model for development, redevelopment, relocation and remediation projects.CHF Canada President Anne Davidson delivered the CHF Canada report. She spoke about the You Hold the Key campaign at the national level and encouraged co-op members to stay involved until the campaign achieves its objectives. Anne described the successful merger of eight housing co-ops in Saint John, New Brunswick. She also urged Island co-ops to send representatives to the 2016 CHF Canada AGM in Hamilton and outlined the positions to be filled on the CHF Canada board.The next Vancouver Island Council meeting will be held on May 25, 2016.   Photo: From left to right – Brenda Nazarchuk (Pheasant Meadows), Avis Michalovsky (Pioneer), Kyrie Smith (Homeward), Dave Maier (Greenway)