CO-OP
MEET-UPS
CHF BC brings co-ops and their members together through our general meetings, regular communications and our annual co-op housing summer barbeque. But we also facilitate smaller, neighbourhood gatherings.
Since 2020, we have arranged co-op meet-ups across the Lower Mainland and on Southern Vancouver Island. These events give participants a chance to meet their co-op neighbours in new ways. We offer conversation, food, news updates, topics of shared concerns and even the occasional walking tour! See below for some images of events held in Burnaby, Vancouver, Victoria and more.
Would you like to host a meet-up with nearby co-ops in your neighbourhood? Contact members@chf.bc.ca and we will see what can be arranged!
Burnaby Mtn Meet-up
Burnaby Mountain is home to some larger co-ops that sit close together, including Whattlekainum, Pine Ridge, Misty Ridge and Hillside Place.
This autumn meet-up took place at Whattlekainum in October 2023.
Grandview-Woodland Meet-up
The Grandview-Woodland neighborhood is home to many housing co-operatives. On a warm summer day, members had the chance to meet first at the CHF BC offices -- also located in Grandview Woodland -- and then head off for a neighbourhood tour.
Conversations included a discussion about emergency preparedness and responses across co-ops, and one on succession planning. It was a great event and participants saw the results of co-ops looking after their properties, reinvesting in them and undertaking building renewal projects.
Interior Meet-up
We supplement our regular visits to the Interior to offer education and advice with community events. In 2023, we added a food truck to the festivities.
Killarney Gathering
Our first Lower Mainland meet-up in 2024 was in southeast Vancouver. About 50 participants were hosted at one of BC's newest and largest co-ops, Fraserview Towers.
The get-together benefited from have participants from co-ops connected to Community Land Trust and others that were originally funded through federal programs in the 1980s. MLA, George Chow and representatives from South Vancouver Neighbourhood House also dropped by to share some information and support.
Kitsilano Small Co-ops
The west side of Vancouver has quite a number of small co-ops in the 15-35 home size. CHF BC brought members together and shared the chance to visit several of the co-ops to get a better idea of how present co-op housing was in the neighborhood.
Featured co-ops included Kitsun, Sam Greer and Community Alternatives.
Marpole Gathering
The Marpole area is home to a cluster of co-ops. Meet-up participants first went on a walking tour and then got together indoors at the local neighbourhood house for food and conversation.
Marpole-area co-ops include David Wetherow, Marpole Terrace, Marine Court, Rishon and Wits End. We toured the neighbourhood in July 2023.