Media advisory - Hundreds of housing co-op members to gather at Parliament Hill Rally to fix looming housing crisis

OTTAWA, June 2, 2014 /CNW/ - The Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) and representatives from regional co-op federations, co-op members and supporters will gather in Ottawa to raise awareness about expiring federal housing assistance that threatens the affordable housing of over 50,000  low-income Canadians in existing co-op housing after federal housing agreements end.

As part of a national campaign called You Hold the Key - Fix the Co op Housing Crunch, a rally on Parliament Hill will feature speakers from Canada's housing co-ops, federal MPs and concerned co-op members.

CHF Canada and regional partners are advocating for long-term, cost-shared rent supplement programs, including federal funding, delivered by provinces and territories (and municipalities in the case of Ontario).

Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Time: 12:30 PM to 1:15 PM
Location: Parliament Hill (between the Centennial Flame and the Peace Tower)

CHF Canada's Executive Director, Nicholas Gazzard, representatives from Canada's housing co-ops and co-op members, will be available to talk to the media before and following the rally.

For more information on the campaign, go to www.chfcanada.coop/youholdthekey

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.

SOURCE: Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada

Nicholas Gazzard, Executive Director, 613-293-8913, [email protected]

David Granovsky, Government Relations Co-ordinator, 1-800-465-2752 ext. 222, 613-290-7687, [email protected]

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