Housing co-ops meet in Niagara Falls to protect thousands of low-income units at risk from expiring federal funding

NIAGARA FALLS, ON, June 6, 2012 /CNW/ - Participants at the 2012 annual meeting of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) are gathering in Niagara Falls to help preserve thousands of income-assisted co-op units threatened by soon-to-expire federal funding agreements. More than 750 people will arrive in Niagara Falls today from housing co-ops across the country for this annual meeting.

Delegates at the meeting will vote on resolutions calling on governments to support affordable housing infrastructure for Canada's cities and to help protect the affordability of existing housing.

"Canada is fast approaching the day when the federal agreements providing rental assistance to low-income households will end," says CHF Canada Executive Director Nicholas Gazzard. "We are determined to protect the 200,000 rent-geared-to-income households for seniors, the disabled, new Canadians and the working poor in non-profit and co-operative housing across Canada."

Canada's housing co-ops are celebrating the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives. Special guests joining housing co-ops in Niagara Falls include leaders from other Canadian co-ops, including credit unions, and from the International Co-operative Alliance, the organization representing one billion co-op members across the globe.

"As the worldwide slogan says, co-operative enterprises build a better world," says CHF Canada President Wes Hosler. "Canada's housing co-op members are very proud of our safe, secure, self-reliant, mixed-income communities, and we are here to devise new strategies to ensure the sustainability and growth of our movement."

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati will be on hand for the opening of the national business meeting at 9:00 am on June 9.

CHF Canada is the national voice of the Canadian co-operative housing movement. Its members include over 900 non-profit housing co-operatives and other organizations across Canada. More than a quarter of a million Canadians live in housing co-ops, in every province and territory.

Scott Jackson, Program Manager, National Communications 778-227-3864(cell), [email protected]