Resources Master List
Governing and managing a thriving housing co-op can be challenging and complicated. CHF BC is here to help. We offer a robust education program and extensive online resources for our members to use in their own time.
Access to our online resources is restricted to CHF BC members. You will need a member account to login to the members’ only pages — find out how here.
We offer tools such as sample agendas, minute taking templates as well as an overview section that covers general information about meeting notice, quorum, ordinary and special resolutions etc.
Meetings are the foundation of your housing co-op’s democratic governance structure, which means that everyone should have an equal opportunity to productively take part. This, along with legal requirements set out in the Cooperative Association Act and your Rules, means that you will want to pay careful attention to how your meetings are organized and run.
Our Model Rules are written with the best legal advice and offer a bold new standard in housing co-op governance.
These Rules are full of fresh ideas and best practices to address the current day needs of your business and community. With a simple step-by-step process and complete set of online tools and resources, you can make the process of updating your Rules and Occupancy Agreement as easy as it can be!
The Rules are fully compliant with the Cooperative Association Act and other acts of legislation.
- How do I start?
- Step-by-Step Guide
- Quick Access – Rules Tools At a Glance
- Stage 1: Preparation and Review
- Stage 2: Choose a membership model
- Stage 3: Tailoring your Rules
- Stage 4: Drafting new Rules
- Stage 5: Adopting your Rules
- How can CHF BC help?
- Quick access – Stages and steps
Personal Information Resources [LINK]
Your housing co-op must comply with the provincial Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) which includes having a PIPA policy and a designated PIP Officer.
We are pleased to provide a dozen regularly-updated PIPA tools to help you ensure your housing co-op is in compliance. These include a PIPA checklist, a sample PIPA policy, PIP Officer job description, a new member application form and a complaints form.
- Privacy Tools Introduction
- Privacy Tools
- Ten Principles of Personal Information Protection PDF
- PIPA Checklist PDF
- Personal Information Protection Officer (PIP Officer) PDF | Word
- Sample PIPA Policy PDF | Word
- Sample Confidentiality Agreement PDF | Word
- Sample Complaints Procedure PDF | Word
- Sample Application Form to to live in a co-op PDF | Word
- Once a new member has been accepted by the board use an intake form on move-in. Sample intake forms are available here.
- Sample Personal Information Protection Statement
- Sample Memo to Members
- Record keeping tips PDF
- Sample Reference Consent Form PDF | Word
- Inventory of Personal Information PDF | Word
- Useful websites and contacts PDF
- Need More Assistance?
The Guide to the Co-op Act [LINK]
The Guide to the Co-op Act will help you understand and comply with the Cooperative Association Act (the Co-op Act).
All housing co-ops in BC are incorporated under the Co-op Act. Your co-op’s governing documents must comply with this legislation. This easy to use 50-page guide has sections on membership, shares and mortgages, directors, meetings, voting, auditors and records, registers and filings.
Policies, Samples and Templates [LINK]
Regularly reviewed and vetted to ensure current best practice, sample policies, procedures, job descriptions (for various committees and roles) and forms are available as templates to be adapted for use at your co-op. Guidance documents complete the full set of support materials.
With 55 individual templates and guidance documents within the areas of housing co-op board and governance, finance, maintenance, membership and community there is no need for you to reinvent the wheel.
Only for CHF BC members, you will need to be logged in to review the resources here.
- Job description for the Board of Directors
- Board President and Vice-President job description
- Chair job description
- Board Treasurer job description
- Board Secretary job description
- Personal Information Protection Policy (for board)
- Confidentiality Agreement (not for directors – for staff and designated members with access permission)
- Ethical Conduct Declaration (for directors)
- Co-op Principles
- Finance – Discussion Notes
- Finance – Committee Job Description
- Financial Reporting Policy
- Spending Policy
- Arrears Policy and Discussion Notes
- Housing Charge Assistance Policy – Section 95 and Discussion Notes
- Subsidy Policy – Homes BC and Discussion Notes
- Subsidy Policy – ILM
- Monthly Arrears Report to the Board
- Notice of Board Meeting for Termination for Arrears
- Sample Arrears Payment Agreement
- Sample Demand for Payment
- Share Purchase Loans available to Co-op Applicants
- Maintenance Policy
- Maintenance Designate, Staff or Maintenance Company – Job Description
- Move-in Move-out Inspections Procedure
- Paint and Alterations Policy
- Purchasing and Repairs Policy
- Keys and Locks Policy
- Member versus Co-op Responsibility
- Annual Unit Inspections Procedure
- Emergency Procedure
- Preventative Maintenance Annual Calendar
- Work Order Co-ordination Procedure
- Membership Committee – Job Description
- Membership Policy – Discussion Notes
- Member Selection Policy
- Over-under Housing Policy – Homes BC
- Over-under Housing Policy – ILM
- Over-under Housing Policy – Section 95
- Over-under Housing Policy – Notes
- Membership Application Form – Sample
- End of Participation Newsbriefs Article (2008)
- Beyond Participation: Building a Foundation for Real Member Involvement – 2020 resource
- Parking Policy and Discussion Notes
- Pet Policy and Discussion Notes
- Sample Complaint Form
- Good policies, happy members – from Scoop magazine 2015
- CHF BC Sustainability Policy – v1.0 (2021-12-09)
- CHF BC Sustainability Policy – Discussion Notes – v1.0 (2021-12-09)
Joint Members
One Member or Principal Membership
Associate Member
Associate Member – Current Resident
2020 Guides
CHF Canada’s 2020 Vision certification program is finished, but several of the resources that came out of that program remain valuable, looking at general principles, good governance and sound management.
CHF BC members can access the three core guides and other materials:
Other Resources