Co-operative living involves group decision making, community events, and a philosophy of shared responsibility. Co-ops are run by the people living there. There is no landlord. Members are considered owners of the cooperative.

Members of non-profit housing co-ops come from a variety of backgrounds and have a range of incomes making all co-ops "mixed-income communities." Some members pay a full housing charge. Other members with lower incomes may pay less based on a model of providing rent geared to income or RGI, and sometimes with a rental subsidy for those with an existing agreement with the government.

No. Non-profit housing co-ops are mixed income communities with homes for people with a range of income levels. Generally, co-ops house people of low and moderate incomes.

Housing co-ops are independent organizations and each one has its own application process. NACHA does not accept applications for housing co-ops. You can find listings for all co-ops in our co-op directory at You can select for co-ops with open waiting lists and read their instructions for how to apply. Some co-ops will ask you to send a self-addressed stamped envelope so they can mail you an application. Others will provide a downloadable application or a link to an external website where you can find an application. Still others will ask you to come to an orientation meeting to get an application.

Non-profit housing co-ops that still receive support from the government (federal or provincial) to help house some lower-income members sometimes call that support a subsidy or rent supplement. Housing charges for subsidized units are adjusted to fit with household income ("rent-geared-to-income" or "RGI") usually based on calculating with the formula that 30% (or a another percentage) of the member's income on rent (or housing charges) is the most someone should have to pay. Subsidy (or a rent supplement) makes up the difference between what the member pays and the co-op’s normal ("full" or break-even) housing charge. However, the amount of subsidy is limited and just because someone is eligible does not mean the co-op will have the subsidy to help.