The 2020 Vision project recognises that the co-op housing movement in Canada is at a crossroads. “The co-ops we live in are getting older. The needs of co-op members are changing. With very few exceptions, we are not adding new co-ops to our sector,” says CHF Canada. In Canada almost all housing co-ops operate under government housing programs that provide financial assistance, limit their purposes to non-profit affordable rental housing and provide a safety net if co-ops fall into financial difficulty. Over the next decade these programs will end for many co-ops, leaving them to operate without government support. CHF Canada wants to ensure that Canada’s investment in co-op housing is safeguarded and that the principles of member control and non-profit ownership are preserved. The 2020 Vision project will help housing co-ops build a strong foundation for the future, based on shared cooperative values. The Project’s name comes in part from a question CHF Canada is asking its members: “What kind of a co-op do you want to be in the year 2020?” To help housing co-ops prepare for the future, 2020 Vision has developed a series of educational and training resources and a certification programme. For co-ops that want to become designated as 2020 Coops, CHF Canada has developed a series of benchmarks - for example, a co-op must have a mission and vision that reflects the values of its members. It must uphold the international co-operative principles, keep its operations nonprofit and offer housing hat is as affordable as possible. A 2020 Housing Co-op cooperates with other co-ops through membership in the cooperative housing sector. Sound financial planning and expert property maintenance are other prerequisites. A 2020 Co-op demonstrates good governance and principled leadership and understands that sound management is key to operating successfully and offering its members good service. Finally, a 2020 Co-op is committed to a sustainable future, both for the co-op itself and for the global community. Just like Arcadia Housing Co-operative, located on the Toronto waterfront, which won a City of Toronto environmental Award of Excellence in 2006 for its efforts in water and energy conservation. 2020 Vision is in the early stages, but Canadian housing co-ops are enthusiastic and keen to get involved and to use the 2020 Vision tool kit as it is developed. CHF Canada has started a 2020 Vision website, click here to see the website.