From the outside, a housing co-op looks like the other homes in the neighbourhood. It can be a new apartment building, a row of townhouses or a charming old triplex. What makes it different is not bricks and mortar, but the way its residents share the responsibilities and control of their homes.
A housing co-operative is more than just a place to live. It is a legal association formed for the purpose of providing homes to its members on a continuing basis. A co-op is different from other housing associations in its ownership structure and its commitment to co-operative principles. Across Canada, co-ops are home to about a quarter of a million people.