I am writing this petition with a heavy heart, sharing a personal story that reflects the plight of many. As a member of a Canadian co-operative housing community, I have experienced firsthand how for-profit management companies, trained and empowered by CHF Canada, exploit co-ops. These companies often intimidate and bully residents, instigating a host of unethical practices such as unjust rent hikes and financial mismanagement. Many members now face threats of eviction simply because they dare to question their exploitative policies.

It is shocking that co-ops, meant to be a sanctuary of affordable living and mutual support, are being overrun by these profit-driven entities. The governing structure, orchestrated by CHF Canada, enables these for-profit companies to dominate co-op boards. These boards should act in the interest of their members, but instead, they are often manipulated into decisions that benefit the management companies' bottom lines. It's an absurdity that must be rectified if we are to preserve the essence of co-operative living as a non-profit venture.

CHF Canada, originally established to support co-ops for a fee, now appears to be perpetuating a system that prioritizes profit over people. The presence of CHF-trained managers has led to corrupt practices, including opening offshore accounts and imposing exorbitant rent increases, jeopardizing the financial stability of numerous co-ops. CHF Canada's role in creating and altering by-laws seems to facilitate these injustices rather than prevent them. This structure must be dismantled to protect co-op members from abuse and discrimination.

It is time for action. We must advocate for legislative changes that prohibit for-profit management companies from infiltrating co-op communities. A thorough investigation into the practices of CHF Canada is imperative to reveal the systemic issues and hold them accountable. We need to return the power to the people who make co-ops their home, ensuring transparency, fairness, and the original non-profit ideals of cooperative housing.

Join us in calling for the dissolution of CHF Canada's training programs and for stricter regulations that barricade for-profit entities from exploiting co-ops. Your signature could be the first step in reclaiming co-ops as spaces that truly reflect their members' collective ideals and not as a profit mine for management enterprises. Stand with us to reshape the future of co-op housing in Canada. Sign this petition and help ensure a fair and just system for all current and future co-op members. Together, we can make a difference.