Save Water
Sounds simple, but if every member uses less water, you can shrink your co-operative’s water bill, leaving more money for other priorities. Water rates may rise in future; now is the time to take action.
Sounds simple, but if every member uses less water, you can shrink your co-operative’s water bill, leaving more money for other priorities. Water rates may rise in future; now is the time to take action.
Are outdoor lights on sensors or timers? Has your co-op switched to LED lighting in your common spaces? Good investment! Not only will it use 75 to 90 % less electricity than incandescent, but the bulbs will last much longer.
Encourage your members to cut energy use too. They can turn down the
Grants and loans come and go, as government priorities change at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. Those that support environmental sustainability in not-for-profit housing are no different. Opportunities can change without notice, so when you discover one, go for it right away.
Even a modest property can look beautiful when it includes colourful gardens and mature trees. People will want to live there and the co-op’s neighbours will love you.
Some co-ops have generous outdoor common space with plenty of room for a community garden. Others were built almost to the lot line
Co-ops that care about climate change and want to shrink their environmental footprint should consider approving their own Environmental Sustainability Policy. A model is available from the Co‑operative Housing Federation of Canada. It was written so that you can easily remove any points that don’t
The Agency has learned about several Ontario programs that can help co-ops and their members save energy—and money. While your co-op will need to invest some money in order to benefit in some initiatives, these measures offer long-term value. If this idea interests your co-op, you may wish to check
This program is delivered through participating local electrical utilities. It involves energy-efficient incentives for co-ops with buildings of six or more separate units.
Options include support for:
Would you like your co-op to have a positive impact on the environment? Do you want to decrease your consumption of non-renewable resources and save money while doing it? Maybe you’d like to start a community garden, or install a few rain barrels? Do you want to explore adding solar panels or a roof
Business continuity planning is the process of developing strategies aimed at reducing the impact of a disruption to normal business operations. The goal of business continuity planning is to ensure that, even during a disruption, a co-operative’s business operations can continue at a reduced but
Co-op members serving on the board of directors have a big responsibility. They’ve been entrusted to make decisions, but knowing how and why to make certain decisions isn’t always easy.
To make well-informed choices, it’s important to have all data and facts in front of you. And that same
Half the Agency's clients have member arrears and bad debts below $44 a unit, and half above. In 2007, the midpoint was $86. Great news in a challenging year.