Co-op Housing Development Group Inc.

The Co-op Housing Development Group (CHDG) is a multistakeholder cooperative that involves professionals, cooperative developers, and community members in supporting the development of co-op housing. We do this by promoting the co-op model, encouraging ongoing learning about innovations in the co-op housing sector, and linking community members with experienced development resource people. The CHDG came about as a small group of co-op housing activists and champions who were determined to keep talking about building new co-ops even though the federal government had abandoned social housing construction in the 1990’s.

That perseverance lingered, and in 2012 the CHDG started re-defining itself. Activity moved from small group discussions towards planning events with a broader appeal. The first Co-op Housing Learning Symposium was held at the Millennium Library, and proved popular with a variety of stakeholder groups. In early 2016, we are now on the eve of our 4th Annual Symposium, which is the “anchor benefit” of belonging to CHDG. We also understood a restructuring of our governance, so that the varying interests of co-op developers, professionals and community supporters would be represented in decision making.

2016 also marks the launch of a re-designed website, in a style that will not only provide the public with basic information, but will more easily facilitate linking the public to co-op development resources. As we identify new professionals and co-op developers, we will list them here, with the hope that this becomes a primary point of first contact for Manitobans looking to establish a new housing co-operative. We hope you find the website interesting, and if you are moved to join us, please click on the Membership link in the menu.