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BC Housing is now accepting applications for the BC Temporary Rent Supplement Program (BC-TRS).  Some housing co-ops and their members are eligible to apply.  More information will be available from BC Housing soon. The BC-TRS will cover partial rent or housing charge payments for eligible tenants or co-op members for three months (April, May and … Continued

Some co-ops have been worried that they won’t be able to hold their Annual General Meeting (AGM) by the deadline set out in section 143 (2) of the Cooperative Association Act.  In normal circumstances a co-op must hold an AGM within four months of its fiscal year end. We offered some advice on March 18 … Continued

Housing co-ops and their members are understandably worried about the financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.   CHF BC and our allies at Housing Central have been following the news closely to keep track of the support being offered by various levels of government to housing co-ops and their members. Here are two charts: A summary … Continued

We are all dealing with unprecedented challenges navigating the COVID-19 outbreak and deciding how best to support and communicate with members.  No one has everything figured out, but we are all in this together and together we will find the best way forward. On March 24, CHF BC issued a memo to all member co-ops … Continued

CHF BC is working hard to maintain services during the COVID-19 pandemic while placing the highest priority on the health and safety of our staff, members and many partners.  Here’s the latest on what you can expect from our Group Buying programs as we work to “flatten the curve” and deliver value for your membership … Continued

CHF BC makes food bank donation on behalf of members Housing co-ops are resilient communities.  Their members believe in the values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.  Today we are calling on housing co-ops in BC to respond in these challenging times by turning the co-op principle of Concern for Community into … Continued

The COVID-19 outbreak caught everyone by surprise.  Now we are living through a pandemic, and it’s difficult to remember what “business as usual” looks like.  As more businesses close their doors – temporarily or otherwise – the resulting layoffs are creating widespread financial distress and uncertainty.  So far almost one million Canadians have applied for … Continued

Advice to Members on Meetings Every business and community in BC is being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and housing co-ops are no exception.  CHF BC members have been asking us for advice on a range of issues.  The two most commonly asked questions so far are: Can we or should we postpone our Annual … Continued

This morning at 9:30 a.m. we made the difficult decision to cancel all CHF BC events scheduled for the months of March, April and May, including our April 4 Education Conference and our May 3 Semi-Annual Meeting. This decision was later reinforced by the Province’s ban on organized gatherings of more than 50 people. The … Continued

Sunday March 8 is International Women’s Day, an initiative to raise awareness and mobilize action to achieve gender equality and human rights for all women and girls.  Co-operatives are uniquely positioned to foster gender equality.  Here are some stats for CHF BC staff and directors: Some themes for this year’s campaign are #BecauseofYou highlighting the … Continued