Scholarships & Funding

Welcoming people with disabilities into our co-op communities.

People with disabilities face many struggles which affect their quality of life. Affording housing should not be one of them. The Disability Trust provides loans with no fee or interest to qualified beneficiaries to pay for housing co-op share purchases.

Who can apply?

In order to be eligible for a Disability Trust loan, applicants must meet three criteria:

• Be accepted as a member of a British Columbia housing co-operative
• Have a permanent disability
• Demonstrate financial need

How does it work?

• A person with a disability applies to join a housing co-op.
• Once accepted both the new member and the co-op fill out the application and submit it to the DT.
• The application is reviewed for eligibility and completeness. If the new member qualifies for a loan, contracts are prepared and mailed to the co-op. The loan is a three-party agreement between the new member, the co-op and the Land Trust.
• When signed contracts are received by the Trust, a cheque is sent directly to the co-op on behalf of the member.

All loans are interest-free and repayable within five years. After a one year grace period, the member makes small monthly repayments to the co-op who submits a cheque to the DT annually on the member’s behalf. The current loan maximum is $2,000, and eligible applicants may apply to the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance for an additional loan.

Statistics show that one in four women are the victim of domestic abuse. Women leaving abusive relationships cite not having access to affordable housing as one of the major barriers to leaving an abusive relationship.

Housing co-ops can provide affordable homes in safe and nurturing communities that can foster growth.

The Domestic Violence Relief Fund (DVRF)  assists women who have experienced or are at risk of abuse, threats, or violence, who cannot afford to pay for their shares when they move into a housing co-op. The DVRF helps by providing loans with no fee or interest to qualified beneficiaries. In the event that a woman leaves her co-op without repaying her share purchase loan, CHF BC will forgive the loan to the co-op.

How it Works

The DVRF helps by providing loans with no fee or interest to qualified beneficiaries.

• A woman leaving an abusive relationship applies to join a housing co-op
• Once accepted both the new member and the co-op fill out the application and submit it to the DVRF
• The application is reviewed for eligibility and completeness. If the new member qualifies for a loan, contracts are prepared and mailed to the co-op. The loan is a three-party agreement between the new member, the co-op and the land trust
• When signed contracts are received by the Trust, a cheque is sent directly to the 
co-op on behalf of the member

Paying Back the Loan

• All loans are interest-free and repayable within five years
• After a one-year grace period, the member makes small monthly repayments to the co-op who submits a cheque to the DVRF annually on the member’s behalf
• The current loan maximum is $2000, and eligible applicants may apply to the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance for an additional loan

Opening Doors

Women leaving abusive relationships cannot afford to wait on a list.

Co-ops can help by providing priority access into their co-op communities. Please consider meeting with your co-op members to discuss whether you would like to adapt a policy which provides women who leave abusive relationships with priority status in co-ops.

Once your co-op has developed a policy to welcome women into their housing co-ops, we recommend that you begin building relationships with transition and second stage housing staff so they can suggest suitable applicants. Co-ops can also contact BC Housing’s priority placement for applicants as well. Subsidized units are in high need.
Use your co-op’s own selection process to choose the best candidate for your co-op.