The GHCHF is a member-based, democratic, non-profit organization which acts as a collective voice for housing co-ops and associated organizations in the Hamilton / Niagara Regions.

Member co-ops provide direction through their delegates at federation meetings, through the GHCHF Board of Directors elected at our annual general members' meetings and by serving on GHCHF committees.

The GHCHF is financed by annual member dues, fees for services, revenue sharing with CHF Canada, and contracts for special projects.

The Golden Horseshoe Co-operative Housing Federation currently has 52 members: 44 Housing Co-operatives, 2 Service Managers, 5 Property Management Companies and 1 Staff association.

We have 9 Directors, 7 elected by our housing co-op members, 1 elected by the Property Management Companies and 1 elected by the Staff Association.

As in a housing co-op, the federation takes direction from its membership.

The federation was founded in 1986 as the Co-operative Housing Federation of Hamilton and, in 1994, changed its name to The Golden Horseshoe Co-operative Housing Federation to better reflect its expansion to include member co-ops throughout the Niagara Peninsula. 

The following Mission Statement has been established:

The GHCHF provides management, consultation and educational services to co-op members and co-ordinates political lobbying at all levels of government. In addition, we provide a resource library, co-ordinated "bulk purchasing", financial services, staff resources and telephone consulting. A newsletter is published four times per year and an update with time-sensitive information is published when needed. A neutral chair service is also available for difficult meetings.