OTTAWA--John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond) seconded a motion in support of housing co-operatives, moved by Gilles Bernier (Tobique-Mataquac):

That, in the opinion of this House, the government should take all necessary steps to ensure the continued viability of housing co-operatives administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Since March 1996, the federal government has been committed to devolving administration of social housing to the provinces. This transfer includes co-ops, private non-profit and public housing.

Co-op members across Canada are deeply concerned about this transfer, which will affect 250,000 residents in over 60,000 co-op homes and apartments. The down loading plan threatens to destroy a unique Canadian success story that has taken 30 years to build. In the province of Saskatchewan the management of the individual co-ops was taken over by the provincial government, removing the ability of residents to control their own project.

Perhaps nowhere in Canada is co-op housing more important than in British Columbia. In the lower mainland of B.C., affordable housing is often not available. Even modest housing can be extra-ordinarily expensive. Co-op housing in B.C. fills a need for affordable housing for families, seniors and low-to-moderate income households. In some cases it satisfies a philosophical preference for co-operative living.

"Co-ops empower ordinary Canadians to manage their own housing."