Co-operative excellence

FECHIMM adds its voice to the Canadian co-operative housing movement to acknowledge the work done by the executive director of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT), Tom Clement, who was awarded the title of honorary lifetime associate of CHF Canada at the 2016 AGM, in Hamilton.

An employee of CHFT since 1981, Mr. Clement has been the executive director of the largest regional federation of housing co-operatives in Canada since 1993. This strong steadfast believer in the power of co-operatives to create a better world is noted for his contributions to the success of various projects.

He participated in the establishment of the first co-operative mediation service in 1985. He also played a crucial role in the development of the housing co-operatives’ purchasing groups program in Ontario and across the country.

Among his achievements are the launch in 1999 of the Here To Stay Fund, a rent bank that helps members with short term arrears stay in their co-ops and the development of CHFT‘s Diversity Scholarship program, which has awarded over one million dollar scholarships to members of housing co-operatives.

The executive director of CHFT is also behind the closer relations between his federation and FECHIMM. In February 2014, the end of the federal operating agreements was the subject of a first meeting between representatives of FECHIMM and CHFT Toronto. This meeting and the participation of Tom Clement at FECHIMM’s 2014 AGM revealed the similarity of urban problems experienced in major Canadian cities. CHFT has also contributed to the renewal of the purchasing groups with Bétonel at FECHIMM.