Coop Living

Housing cooperatives provide not-for-profit housing for their members. The members buy an equity share to live in the coop but do not own equity in their housing. Members pay rent while they live in the coop. If a coop member moves, their unit is returned to the coop to be offered to another individual. The departing member receives their equity share back with no interest; there is no profit for the member.

Coops charge their members only enough to cover costs, repairs, and reserves; they can offer housing that is much more affordable than average private sector rental costs. Coop housing offers safety and security. Coops are controlled by their members who have a vote in decisions about their housing and there is no outside landlord. Each housing cooperative is a legal association, incorporated as a cooperative.

If you live in a non-profit housing coop you are:

• A voting member who contributes to the governance of the coop

• Part of a community where neighbors look out for one another

• Living in housing that can stay affordable because it’s run on a non-profit basis and is never resold

Coop members have the right to:

• Vote on the annual budget which sets the monthly housing charges and affects the quality of your housing - for example, how much the coop will spend on property upkeep.

• Elect a Board of Directors made up of people who live in your coop and community.

• Run for the Board of Directors.

• Receive audited financial statements that show how the coop spent your money.

Dugald Place Non-Profit Housing Cooperative Ltd. is officially incorporated in the Province of Manitoba, and is operated by a dynamic volunteer board of community leaders. We are a member of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada.