About Co-ops
Co-operative housing is a distinctive model where all members share equal ownership of the co-operative corporation — collectively governing their community and treating housing as a shared human necessity rather than an investment vehicle.
What are housing co-ops?
Members live in homes owned by their collective, with the people making decisions being the same people who live there.
Co-operative housing is a distinctive form of attainable housing where all members share equal ownership of the co-operative corporation jointly, but not severally.
Jointly
Members own the co-op together and share all ownership rights as a group.
Not severally
No member can separate or sell their "portion" of ownership apart from the group's ownership.
This model challenges the over-commodification of housing by removing it from the speculative market. By prioritizing collective well-being over individual profit, co-operatives ensure that homes remain affordable for current and future members, build stability that supports long-term community relationships, and reinvest any surplus back into improving the living environment — rather than extracting wealth from the community.
In a housing co-op, members collectively govern and operate their community. Ultimate authority rests with the members as a whole, who elect a Board of Directors from among themselves. The Board sets policies, oversees daily operations, ensures legal compliance, and safeguards the co-op's goals.
What are the perks?
As a member, you have a direct say in decisions about your home — voting on everything from housing charges to renovation priorities. The power of self-governance is one of the greatest advantages of co-operative housing over renting.
Co-ops foster a strong sense of community. Members contribute volunteer hours each month, working together to maintain and improve their shared home. This hands-on involvement builds trust, connection, and pride in the place you live.
Co-ops typically offer housing charges below market rates. LCCH goes a step further by providing access to abundant, healthy food through our integrated vertical farm — further lowering the cost of living while supporting your well-being.
Member expectations
Members are expected to work together with their neighbours and co-op staff to create a better quality of life for everyone in the community.
Members contribute a set number of volunteer hours over a given period, with the exact amount decided by a vote of the membership. For LCCH, preliminary estimates suggest about four hours per week per household.
Members are also encouraged to actively participate in the life of the co-op — attending and voting at the Annual General Meeting, joining committees and work groups, and approaching co-op life with a community-minded outlook.
LCCH fosters a learning organization mindset, helping members develop skills, share knowledge, and contribute to effective governance and operations. By working together in this way, members help the co-op thrive while also supporting their own personal and community growth.
LCCH Values
A full statement of LCCH's values and member expectations is available as a PDF from the co-op.
Neighbourhood health
Healthy neighbourhoods bring together homes, employment, amenities, and services within close proximity — and co-operative housing embodies these principles.
Healthy neighbourhoods encourage active transportation such as walking, cycling, and public transit, and offer housing choices that meet the needs of people across a range of incomes, life stages, and abilities. Housing affordability, accessibility, and neighbourhood well-being are deeply connected to cultural recognition, environmental sustainability, and public health.
LCCH embodies these principles. By providing secure, affordable, and accessible homes in a mixed-use, community-oriented environment, LCCH strengthens neighbourhood resilience and inclusivity. Our integrated vertical farm reduces food insecurity, ensures year-round access to fresh, healthy produce, and supports local food sovereignty.
Green building features — net-zero energy design, solar PV cladding, and geothermal systems — reduce our ecological footprint while lowering utility costs for residents. Through shared governance and active participation, members help shape not only their co-op but the surrounding community, fostering mutual support, environmental stewardship, and social connection.
The need
Household incomes are increasingly polarized, with a clear divide between renters and owners. Demand for attainable housing is projected to grow — particularly from these groups.
Younger seniors
In-migration from this age group is driving growing demand for attainable, community-rooted housing options in Kingston.
Young families
Households priced out of ownership who still want stability, space, and a voice in how their home is run.
Students & entry-level workers
Post-secondary students and entry-level workers beginning adult life in Kingston who need attainable, safe, community-rooted housing.
LCCH will ensure that approximately 250 mixed-income individuals and families have safe, attainable, and well-maintained homes — increasing Kingston's long-term housing supply and helping to reduce inflationary pressure on accommodation costs.
Do members pay rent?
Co-op members do not pay rent to a landlord or make mortgage payments to a bank. Instead, each household contributes a monthly "housing charge."
Housing charges are fundamentally different from rent. They are not designed to generate profit for an owner or investor — in fact, housing co-operatives exist specifically to remove housing from the profit-driven market. In a co-op, the members collectively own the housing through the co-operative corporation, and any money collected is used exclusively to cover the real costs of running the community.
Typical expenses covered by housing charges include building maintenance, utilities for common areas, insurance, financing costs for the property, taxes, administrative expenses, and contributions to long-term capital reserves for future repairs or upgrades. Because the co-op is governed democratically, members themselves vote on the annual budget and decide what the housing charges will be.
The Co-operative Corporations Act strictly prohibits housing co-operatives from operating on a for-profit basis. This means that once the bills are paid and reserves are funded, there is no surplus taken out by an owner — any savings or efficiencies are reinvested directly into improving the housing, enhancing member services, or reducing future housing charges.
This model keeps housing costs stable and predictable over time, shields members from the volatility of the rental market, and ensures that the focus stays on providing secure, well-maintained homes rather than maximizing revenue.
Cost of living
LCCH addresses not just housing costs, but the full picture — water, energy, transportation, and food — through integrated sustainable systems.
LCCH collects rainwater for non-potable uses such as toilets and laundry, lowering monthly water bills while reducing strain on municipal supply.
A geothermal heat pump system leverages the earth's stable underground temperature — typically 10–16 °C a few feet below ground — to pre-condition the building, reducing energy costs significantly year-round.
Solar PV panels harness sunlight to generate clean electricity that powers co-op operations and supports an EV rideshare fleet — freeing residents from car ownership costs and reducing transportation expenses.
Our on-site vertical farm provides affordable, fresh produce directly to residents. For vegan members, this can virtually eliminate their food budget entirely.
As a non-profit co-operative, LCCH operates at cost. Housing charges are set democratically by members and applied strictly toward operational and maintenance costs — no profits are extracted from the community.
Feasibility study
Based on Class D building cost estimates, worst-case funding scenarios, and CMHC data for mean market rents in Kingston in 2023.
| Unit type | Size | LCCH projected | Kingston average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 450 sq ft | $756 | $1,035 |
| 1 Bedroom | 560 sq ft | $940 | $1,329 |
| 2 Bedroom | 660 sq ft | $1,109 | $1,609 |
| 3 Bedroom | 800 sq ft | $1,344 | — |
These projected housing charges would generate a robust LCCH reserve fund for long-term maintenance and upkeep of the property. The City of Kingston supports affordable housing by eliminating planning fees for affordable units and not-for-profit housing. A more detailed feasibility study is underway to strengthen LCCH's ability to secure grants and attract capital investment.
