SUSTAINABILITY
NEWSLETTERS

CHF BC started its Sustainability Newsletter in summer 2021. Articles from the newsletters will be archived here.

To be kept up to date—and be the first to receive our next edition—sign-up for the sustainability report and other e-news communications.

Report #1 | Report #2 | Report #3 | Report #4 | Report #5 | Report #6
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Report #1

Our first sustainability newsletter!

The past month has seen the hottest temperatures on record in BC, accompanied by forest fires and many people dying*. Climate change is real and is being felt now. What can we do?

We’ll be looking at different ways we can adapt and mitigate. Adaptations are actions we can take to minimize the harms that are already appearing because of climate change; mitigations are actions we can take to reduce the heat-trapping gases that human activities have been adding to the atmosphere and that are impacting climate.

In each issue – there’ll be four a year – we’ll try to offer some suggestions and look at environmental sustainability more broadly, especially as it connects to housing.


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Report #2

Our second sustainability report highlights CHF BC's new sample "Sustainability Policy" and its associated discussion notes. We also offer a report from a recent co-operative conference and some links to consider when thinking about the connections between environmentalism and equity.

Please log in to access our full Sample Policies and Procedures page. (If you’re a member of a CHF BC co-op but haven’t created an account already, please register — it doesn’t take long.)


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Report #3

This issue is centered around actions that you can take to further ideas and goals around sustainability at your co-op and within your community. (The third newsletter was delayed: the good news is that means the wait until the fourth will be shorter!)

  • Energy Conservation Assistance Program
  • Small Sustainability Grants
    Have an idea with a sustainability or environmental focus that’s on a smaller scale? You might be able to make it reality through one of these small grant programs. Learn more here.
  • Plant Life
    Does your co-op have some existing green space? Or are you perhaps thinking about putting in plants or a garden? Here are a few things to think about.

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Report #4

This issue touches on a range of sustainability issues, from heat pumps to grants to environmental justice.

  • Heat Pumps
    Heatwaves and extreme heat events (like the heat dome in 2021) are becoming more common, and we’ve received questions over the past while about how housing co-ops might adapt. Heat pumps are an increasingly popular tool used.
  • Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program
    Electric vehicles (EVs) are more and more common here and people are looking at ways to make the switch easier. Improving access to EV chargers is one of the pieces of the puzzle, and there are financial incentives your co-op might access.
  • CHF BC Sustainability Grant
    Does your co-op have an idea for a sustainability-focused project? CHF BC’s Sustainability Grant might be able to help. Applications are open until June 24, 2022!
  • Environmental Racism & Justice
    Resources on environmental racism and justice.

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Report #5

In this issue, learn how benchmarking can help your co-op achieve its sustainability goals and more!

  • Energy Benchmarking Program
    Is your housing co-op interested in environmental sustainability? If you are, you might also be interested in CHF BC’s new Energy Benchmarking Program.
  • CHF BC Sustainability Grant Recipient
    Congratulations to Granville Gardens Housing Co-operative in Richmond, recipient of CHF BC’s Sustainability Grant.
  • Virtual Food Justice Town Hall
    Join community leaders, food policy researchers, and community members on September 27 for a discussion on the vision for a just, resilient food system in Vancouver.
  • Environmental Racism & Our Food System
    Environmental racism and our food system can be interlinked in various ways. Learn more.

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Report #6

In this issue, you can find resources on sustainability, upcoming learning opportunities, and more.

  • Creating More Energy Efficient Homes
    Heating costs during the cold months giving you trouble? There are some accessible ways to reduce heat loss, starting with weatherstripping and sealing up gaps.
  • Vancouver’s Zero Emissions Building Program
    The City of Vancouver is aiming to cut carbon pollution from buildings in half by 2030. This will include the introduction of regulations that require large multi-family buildings to annually report their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The City is also launching retrofit programs to help residents in multi-family buildings.
  • Granville Gardens’ Grant Project
    Granville Gardens, recipient of CHF BC’s 2022 Sustainability Grant, installed a heat pump to serve its common room and created an outdoor cooling area. Here’s a quick follow up since the last newsletter: see how the project turned out!
  • Greener Co-op Microgrants
    Does your co-op have an idea for a project that helps the environment? CHF Canada’s Greener Co-op Microgrants are now open for applications. Deadline to apply is March 20, 2023.