Southwestern Ontario Fall Regional Education Event
Saturday, October 3rd, 2026 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Registration: 8:30 am – 9:00 am
Four Points by Sheraton London, 1150 Wellington Road South, London, ON N6E 1M3
Agenda
| Time | Activity | |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 - 9:00 am | Registration | |
| 9:00 - 9:45 am | Opening plenary | |
| 9:45 - 10:00 am | Break | |
| 10:00 am - 12:00 pm | Morning workshops | |
| 12:00 - 1:00 pm | Lunch | |
| 1:00 - 3:30pm | Afternoon workshops | |
MORNING WORKSHOPS – CHOOSE 1 OF 3 OPTIONS:
-
Board Boot Camp (full day workshop) – PART 1
Facilitator: Heather Kennedy
In this full day workshop directors and members who may one day be a director, will learn the things they need to be able to serve their co-op to ensure that the co-op is a successful viable business as well as a healthy co-operative community. This workshop is for directors who want to be the best that they can be!
These topics will be covered throughout the day:- Co-op basics (principles, structure, good governance)
- What a board needs to be successful
- What makes a good director
- Role and responsibilities of the board (including legal responsibilities)
- By-laws and updating by-laws
- Planning (annual, long-term, financial)
Note: This is a full-day workshop - participants who select this workshop in the morning will complete this workshop in the afternoon. -
From Applicant to Co-op Member: A Process for Successful Memberships
Facilitators: Denise McGahan & Joshawa Stanlake
Do the members of your co-op act more like tenants than members? Approving members for a housing co-op is not the same process as a landlord filling a unit. Members matter…our co-ops depend on them!
In this session we will explore:- What makes a good member?
- What makes a good membership approval process?
- How do we get information about co-op housing into the hands of the applicants?
- How do we accept or refuse applicants?
-
How to Get to “Yes I Will Run” - Director Recruitment That Works!
Facilitators: Dawn Richardson
Does your co-op often elect directors by acclamation, leaving members without a chance to exercise their democratic voice? Would you like to see more candidates running in your co-op’s elections? If the answer is yes, then this workshop is for you.
In this workshop we will discuss:- Why recruitment is important
- The role the board and staff can play in recruitment
- Strategies to use and pitfalls to avoid when recruiting
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS - CHOOSE 1 OF 3 OPTIONS:
-
Board Boot Camp (full day workshop) – PART 2
Facilitator: Heather Kennedy
In this full day workshop directors and members who may one day be a director, will learn the things they need to be able to serve their co-op to ensure that the co-op is a successful viable business as well as a healthy co-operative community. This workshop is for directors who want to be the best that they can be!
These topics will be covered throughout the day:- Co-op basics (principles, structure, good governance)
- What a board needs to be successful
- What makes a good director
- Role and responsibilities of the board (including legal responsibilities)
- By-laws and updating by-laws
- Planning (annual, long-term, financial)
Note: This is a full-day workshop - participants who select this workshop in the morning will complete this workshop in the afternoon. -
Continuing Conversations of Reconciliation
Facilitators: April Ager-White
Reconciliation is an ongoing process for us all. Establishing a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada will take time and effort. In this workshop about continuing conversations, we recognise that awareness and understanding is part of the journey, not the destination.
We will engage in conversation to reflect on how Indigenous Ways of Knowing can be integrated into the lives of co-op members.
Target audience: members, directors & managers -
Plan Like a Pro
Facilitators: Dawn Richardson
Have you ever heard the saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail”? You shouldn’t leave success of your co-op to chance. Planning allows the co-op to be proactive rather than waiting for things to happen and then reacting to them.
In this workshop we will talk about:- Types of planning
- Setting goals
- Evaluating our plans
Target audience: members, directors & managers
Facilitators:
Denise McGahan - Program Manager, Co-op & Planning Services, Southwestern Ontario at CHF Canada
Denise has been in her current position with CHF Canada over 20 years, serving housing co-ops in Southwestern Ontario. She is an accomplished workshop leader and facilitator with a background in accounting and over 35 years in the co-op housing sector. This experience has included various volunteer positions as a member of a housing co-op and a career as a housing co-op manager, workshop leader and consultant.
Dawn Richardson - Program Manager, Co-op & Planning Services, Ontario Region at CHF Canada
Dawn is an experienced facilitator and workshop leader within the co-op housing sector. She started her career in co-op housing in 1990 and began delivering workshops in 1996. Her roles in the sector have included co-op property management, non-resident board member, as well as positions in development and member services at the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto.
Heather Kennedy - Program Manager, Transformation, Ontario Region at CHF Canada
Heather brings with her over 25 years of experience in the co-op housing sector as a member, staff, meeting chair/facilitator, property manager and program manager. She believes that education should not only be informative and give people the tools to be an effective volunteer, it should also be fun!
April Ager-White – Director Representing Indigenous Communities, CHF Canada’s Board and Treasurer at First Nations Housing Co-operative.
April has a strong advocacy for urban Indigenous housing and co-op housing in particular. April currently serves on the CHF Canada’s Board of Directors and the is Treasurer at First Nations Housing Co-operative where she lives. April currently works with the non-profit Atlohsa Family Healing Services and was formerly a housing co-op Manager and Bookkeeper.
Joshawa Stanlake – Housing Co-op Property Manager, Southwest Ontario
Joshawa has been involved in the co-op housing sector since 2015 when he first moved into a housing co-op in Southwestern Ontario. In 2023 he started his career in housing co-op management.
Registration fees:
|
Registration type |
CHF Canada Members |
Non-members |
|
|
Early bird by Sept 18 |
Regular after Sept 18 |
||
|
First participant |
$140 |
$160 |
$360 |
|
Additional participant/s from the same co-op |
$90 |
$110 |
$360 |
|
Young member (35 & under) |
FREE After the first paid registration from your co-op |
FREE After the first paid registration from your co-op |
$360 |
Discounts
Early bird registration discount: Register online by September 18 and save $20 on each registration fee.
Additional participant discount: Once you've registered one member, you'll save $50 on each additional
registration.
Young member discount: Once you've registered one member, each additional young member (under
35 years) is free.
Travel rebate for member co-ops: If you live more than 100km away from the event venue we will provide a $100 travel rebate per co-op. If
you would like to apply for a travel rebate, click here.
Scent free event
This is a scent-free event. Please do not use scented products like fragrances, perfumes, colognes, aftershaves, hand creams or hand sanitizers.
Cancellation policy
All cancellations must be made at least 3 days prior to the event, and a $20 cancellation fee will apply. No refund will be issued for cancellations received less that 3 days prior to the event.
Questions:
Registration:
education@chfcanada.coop
Event:
Denise McGahan, Program Manager, Co-op & Planning Services, Southwestern Ontario, CHF Canada
dmcgahan@chfcanada.coop
519.453.0999 / 800.644.3949
