• Organisational name change, new logo & wordmark;
• Organizational staff changes;
• Invitation to Quebec International Summit of Co-operatives;
• Co-operative Housing International board meeting & symposium

Welcome Message from The President

Greetings, and welcome to the first Co-operative Housing International e-Bulletin for 2014. As the newly elected President of the housing sectoral organization of the International Co-operative Alliance, I’m looking forward to working with our new board of directors on an exciting and challenging work program in support of the global co-operative housing movement. Co-operative Housing International is committed to aligning its priorities to the Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade, and we will be reporting on our progress in future bulletins. For details on our workplan for 2014, please click here.

Our New Organization Name Change

The International Co-operative Alliance is no longer referring to itself as ICA, preferring either to use its full name, International Co-operative Alliance or to be known as just the Alliance. In order to align our identity with the Alliance, ICA Housing has changed its name to Co-operative Housing International. Our initials are now CHI, but in written materials we will try to use our full name as often as possible. Our new wordmark and logo will be used on all communications, publications and resource documents.

Our New Logo and Wordmark

New Organizational Staff Changes

Julie LaPalme will be taking on the main staffing duties effective immediately as Co-operative Housing International’s new Program Director. She will not attend the Versailles meeting but she has already begun her duties with us. Julie will be at our Quebec City meeting and will be organizing our symposium there.

Christine Seguin, CHF Canada’s Manager, Finance and Administration, is serving as Co-operative Housing International’s Finance and Administration Co-ordinator. Christine is managing CHI’s finances, working with your head office in Brussels. Christine is taking care of our meeting arrangements for our Versailles board meeting on July 2.

Jane Cameron formerly of CDS Co-operatives in London, England is our Website Co-ordinator, managing our website and helping out with design and working with Julie on communications. Jane used to work with David Rodgers, the former president of ICA Housing.

Invitation from the International Co-operative Alliance and Desjardins

The International Co-operative Alliance and Desjardins have the honour of inviting you to participate in the 2014 International Summit of Cooperatives. We are therefore pleased to send you information on the Summit to be held October 6–9, 2014, in Quebec City, Canada.

With the theme “Co-operatives’ Power of Innovation”, the Summit is an ideal place to forge high-level strategic alliances on economic and financial issues.

You will have a chance to listen to world-class speakers and discuss and share your concerns about your current and future business challenges.

As a participant, you will be the first to hear the results of groundbreaking studies on conference themes: developing co-operative and mutual enterprise economics, financing, and capitalization; food security; health and social care services; and employment.

The Summit’s hosts, the International Co-operative Alliance and Desjardins, would be honoured to welcome you to this must-attend event for cooperative and mutual leaders worldwide.

Invitation to the Members

The Co-operative Housing International Board of Directors is taking this opportunity to invite all members to participate in this exciting event.

Schedule of Co-operative Housing Summit Events

1. Co-operative Housing International Board of Directors meeting – October 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Québec Convention Centre

2. Co-operative Housing International Symposium: Legal Frameworks for Housing Co-operatives – October 6, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Québec Convention Centre.

3. Co-op Housing Tour followed by cocktail reception – Date and time to be confirmed.

Summit Registration

To facilitate the registration process, the Summit Registrar has requested a list of participants. If you are planning to attend this event and wish to register for the Summit, please contact Catherine Cummings at ccummings@chfcanada.coop with your contact details and credit card information.

 

Hotel Accommodation in Quebec City

Co-operative Housing International’s Board of Directors will be staying at the Delta Québec Hotel, 690 Boulevard René Lévesque E. Québec, Québec G1R 5A8 Canada. Phone: 418-647-1717

In order to ensure the accommodation for the board, we have been asked to provide a rooming list of expected guests. If you wish to reserve a room at the Delta Hotel, please contact Catherine Cummings at ccummings@chfcanada.coop

Please Note: You will be required to provide arrival and departure dates and credit card information to guarantee your hotel reservation. Each person will be responsible for their own hotel costs at their time of departure. In the event that you have to cancel or simply do not check in to the hotel on the specified date, you will be responsible for any/all costs associated with late cancellation or no show fees.

Tell us What you Need from Co-operative Housing International

A key part of Co-operative Housing International’s strategy is to offer support and respond to the needs of members. Please contact us if you need information and/or assistance and let us know what additional services you think we could provide to members.

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