On May 31st 2020 Cohousing Options Canada Non-profit in collaboration with Cohousing Hamilton, Cohabitat Sweetfern Cohousing (Sudbury) and Cohousing Toronto hosted a Cohousing 101 Webinar.
COHOUSING 101 WEBINAR EVENT DETAILS
Join us for an introduction to cohousing, its origins and learn about communities forming here in Ontario! Find out what all-ages and 50+ cohousing looks like in Canada, the US and other parts of the world. Learn how cohousing helps address:
The loneliness epidemic
Co-care and support of young families and active elders
Issues of affordability
Social, economic and environmental sustainability
Kristopher Stevens, Executive Director of Cohousing Options Canada will be delivering the core presentation and will touch on the following topics in add-on to the issues above:
The difference between cohousing and other forms of coliving
The community led development process
The maximization of both privacy and community access through smart design and community governance
The role of developers, architects, planners and other professionals
The different legal and financial structures and more.
Members of Cohousing Hamilton, Cohabitat Sweetfern Cohousing (Sudbury) and Cohousing Toronto will provide an overview of their community, where they are in the development process, how people can learn more and most importantly how people can get involved.
4. The Cohousing
Options Canada team
Kristopher Stevens
Executive Director
Mark Powell
Director of Community Development
Maike Althaus
Director of Communications
Mike Labbé
Development Consultant
4Image by Kristopher Stevens, Windsong Cohousing, Langley, BC - 2018
5. Agenda
• Log on
• Traditional lands acknowledgment
• Welcome, agenda, intros & check-in
• Cohousing 101
• Why?
• What?
• How?
• Where?
• Hamilton, Sudbury and Toronto
• FIN
5
9. Trends behind
Cohousing
• Smaller families
• Extended families living apart
• People are living longer
• Desire for more traditional neighborhood
where you know your neighbors
• Desire to live a more sustainable lifestyle
that is less car dependent
9
Image by Kristopher Stevens, Toronto, ON - 2019
10. What is cohousing?
Drawings by Schemata Workshop, Capitol Hill Cohousing, Seattle WA – 2018
McCamant & Durrett Architects, Quimper Village, Bainsbridge Island, WA - 2018
11. Privacy AND community
Image by Kristopher Stevens, Cranberry Commons, BC & Quimper Village, Port Townsend, WA - 2018 11
12. • Affordable
• Safe
• Proximity
• Social
• Sustainable
• Independent
• Co-care
• Secure
12
Images by Kristopher Stevens, Harbourside Cohousing, Sooke, BC - 2019
15. It can even be more
than one
neighbourhood!
15Images by McCamant & Durrett, Caddis and Wonderland, Silver Sage and Wild Sage Cohousing – 2018 - 2020
16. Of 50+, all ages or even
young people
Images by Philip Krabbendamm and Kristopher Stevens, Munksøgård – 2018 - 2019
18. Images by Charles Durrett - 2018 & Kristopher Stevens, Harbourside Cohousing, Sooke, BC - 2019 18
• Ideas
• The ups and downs of life
• Community meals
• Common house
• Caregiver suite(s) & services
• Cleaning & maintenance
• Tools & equipment
19. • Gardens
• Workshop & craft spaces
• Exercise facilities
• Child-minding
• Utilities
• Teen & children rooms
Image by William Right Photography, Capitol Hill Cohousing; Susie Fox, Songia - 2018 & Kristopher Stevens - 2019
20. What legal forms
can it take?
Image by Kristopher Stevens, PDX Commons, Portland, OR - 2019 20
23. Considering challenges
• What if I do nothing?
• Am I too young or old?
• What can I afford?
• Can I build community where I am?
• What if I don’t like the people?
• What if they don’t like me?
• Will I have enough privacy
• Will I be able to do my “fair share”
• What are my other fears?
• Is there a market?
• What is your timeline?
Image by Kristopher Stevens, Toronto, ON - 2018 23
26. Building capacity!
Gaining momentum!
Cohabitat in Quebec City
Terrafirma in Ottawa
Hamilton Cohousing
Sweetfern in Sudbury
Cohousing Toronto
Kawartha Commons in
Peterborough
Convivium in Ottawa
Concord in Ottawa
London Cohousing
Image by Kristopher Stevens, Cohousing infographic postcards - 2018 26
33. History – Hamilton Aging in Community
Founded in 2013
Promotes mutual support and innovative
housing alternatives.
Created website,
https://hamiltonagingtogether.ca, in 2017
• With funding from New Horizons for Seniors
grants, Grace Lutheran Church, and personal
donations
Blog informs the Hamilton community about
supports, featuring cohousing and other coliving
opportunities.
34. History
• In 2015, Jocelyn set up
CoHoHo-Cohousing Hamilton
on Facebook & Hamilton
Cohousing on Meetup
• Provides information on
Cohousing and other forms of
CoOwnership and CoLiving
• Jocelyn is now focused on
CoOwnership and CoLiving
35. The Formation of
Cohousing Hamilton
Fall 2019
• Ten-week course with Charles Durrett
January 2020
• Project is spearheaded by Hamilton
Aging in Community members.
• Establishment of the steering
committee
• Hiring of Cohousing Options Canada
consultants
36. Vision
• Inclusive, intentional community
• Healthy, sustainable, and fun environment
• Caring neighbours
• Build upon each other’s strengths
• Respectful of each other’s privacy
• Collaborative
• Sharing of meals, resources and social
connections
• Welcoming others into our neighbourhood
37. Next Steps
ü Deciding whether
we will be all-ages
or adults only (50+)
ü Continue to grow
our membership
ü Incorporation
ü Site Selection
38. See our member profiles on our Facebook page.
cohousinghamilton@gmail.com
Facebook.com/CohousingHamilton/
Wednedsays @ 3:30pm
Fridays @11:00 am
47. Vision and mission
- Vibrant
- All-ages
- Independent with meaningful
social connections.
- Private homes with shared
indoor and outdoor spaces
- A healthy, joyful, and
sustainable community life.
54. If you are looking
for coliving options
like co-buying,
home sharing
55. Upcoming events
• Cohousing 101 – May 31, 2020 @1pm
• Cohousing 102 – June 21, 2020 @ 1pm
• Core skills for cohousers
• Facilitation – July
• Conflict Resolution – July
• Is cohousing right for you? interactives
• Personal vision and values - June
• Getting it built basics - TBD
• Living in community - TBD
• Hopes and fears - TBD
55Image by Kristopher Stevens, Quimper Village, Port Townsend, WA - 2018
56. ALL DONE! THANK YOU!
Let us know if we can help!
Kristopher Stevens, Executive Director
Kristopher@CohousingOptions.ca
416-303-1201
Mark Powell, Community Development
Mark@CohousingOptions.ca
416-988-0050
Maike Althaus, Communications
Maike@CohousingOptions.ca
647-984-0618