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BC Housing Co-op Forum Spotlights Urgency on Affordability
At CHF BC's Spring Forum, co-op members discussed rising costs, expiring operating agreements, and the push for federal capital grants ahead of the 2026 National Housing Strategy.
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CHF BC held its Spring Forum 2026 in Vancouver on May 24, drawing co-op members, staff, and sector partners from across British Columbia. The theme was “Community Starts Next Door,” and the day mixed educational workshops, networking sessions, and the federation’s Semi-Annual General Meeting. The keynote came from Jessica Barrett, the journalist and author of “No Place Like Home: The Missing Key to Our Housing Crisis.”
Barrett’s remarks pushed past individual housing problems to examine the broader systems shaping affordability and stability in Canada. She argued that housing co-operatives offer a proven model for below-market, secure homes – exactly the kind of option that has drawn fresh attention as traditional rental markets tighten.
CHF BC represents roughly 260 member co-ops across the province, operating more than 14,000 units. The sector has grown slowly, constrained by limited federal and provincial funding for new construction. For co-op members and housing policy watchers, the forum served as a biennial check-in on where the model stands and where it is headed.