Tim Ross, Executive Director of CHF Canada, Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, and Jeff Morrison of CHRA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Ottawa, April 11, 2019) – A national partnership of housing organizations announced today that CMHC has selected its proposal to create a Community Housing Transformation Centre supporting innovation, capacity building and long-term sustainability of community housing.
This National Housing Strategy initiative will invest $68.6 million over nine years into programs, grants and resources supporting community housing.
The partnership is represented by an organization incorporated last year which will oversee the project.
Partners include the BC Non Profit Housing Association, the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, the Agency for Co-operative Housing, the Ontario Non Profit Housing Association, the Housing Services Corporation, Réseau québécois des OSBL d’habitation, and the Confédération québécoise des coopératives d’habitation.
“BC’s non-profit housing providers and housing co-ops welcome this initiative,” said Jill Atkey, CEO of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association. “By directing this investment through community housing organizations, the federal government is recognizing the established track record, knowledge and efficiency of the community housing sector.”
“Canada’s housing co-ops and sector organizations are very proud to be involved in this important initiative,” said Tim Ross, Executive Director of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada. “As housing need becomes more pressing by the day for many households across the country, we are ready to engage with government and organizations to ensure resources are best deployed to make community housing, including co-op housing, more resilient.”
“The Community Housing Transformation Centre will be an important tool to assist housing organizations in exploring and implementing alternative business models to become more sustainable,” said Jeff Morrison, Executive Director of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association. “This is especially true for urban, rural and northern Indigenous housing providers, who face unique operational, cultural and funding challenges.”
“Quebec’s non-profit housing groups are excited to be part of this innovative project,” said Stéphan Corriveau, Directeur général of the Réseau québécois des OSBL d’habitation. “This arrangement will help us best direct this needed funding to the specific housing needs and circumstances of different regions.”
For more information, please see CMHC’s announcement.
About BCNPHA
Formed 26 years ago, BCNPHA is the industry association for the social housing sector in BC. It represents, educates and provides service to more than 700 non‐profit housing providers that operate more than 65,000 units of long- and short‐term affordable housing across the province.
About CHF BC
CHF BC is a co‐operative association made up of member housing co‐ops and related organizations in BC. The association represents 264 co‐op communities (comprising more than 14,500 households) across the province.
– 30 –
For more information:
- Dean Pogas, Director, Communications and Programs, BC Non-Profit Housing Association, 604-363-6590 (mobile), dean@bcnpha.ca
- Tim Ross, Executive Director, Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, 613-314-6267 (mobile), tross@chfcanada.coop
- Scott Jackson, Manager, Communications, Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, 778-227-3864 (mobile), sjackson@chfcanada.coop
- Jeff Morrison, Executive Director, Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, 613-291-9377 (cell), jmorrison@chra-achru.ca
- Stéphan Corriveau, Directeur général, Réseau québécois des OSBL d’habitation, 514-846-0163, direction@rqoh.com