Membership in Woodsworth – Woodsworth Housing Co-operative

Proof of principal residence for internal membership applicants and Photo ID

Long-term guests and teens between the ages of 16 and 19 (Turning 16s) cannot receive an application form for membership in Woodsworth without presenting two (2) documents showing their name and their Woodsworth mailing address to prove that Woodsworth is their principal residence.

Two (2) types of documentation from the following list must be presented.
Unless stated otherwise, documents can be paper or a digital copy / screen print (but not a photocopy). The Membership Committee does not keep copies of the documents.
However Woodsworth Board may require to see the original copy.

According to human rights legislation, Woodsworth must deal with residents’ needs in a way that is inclusive and free of barriers based on disability, a duty to accommodate.

If you need help with the list of required documents, please ask Management or the Membership Committee for confidential help.

Bring the TWO documents from this list to the information session:

Valid Ontario driver’s licence (or valid license with previous address and a temporary license with Woodsworth address). An application for a change of address is not accepted.
Valid Ontario Photo Card (only if a driver’s licence is not presented)
Ontario vehicle permit (ownership) (green form) with Woodsworth address
Bank statement with name and membership applicant’s address. (recent)
A major credit card (show physical card) plus a copy of a recent statement for that credit card. (Counts as 1 item.)
Income tax Notice of Assessment or T4 (recent)
Statement of direct deposit for Ontario Works (recent)
Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) (recent)
Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid (T4E) (recent)
Statement of Old Age Security (T4A) (recent)
Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits (T4A) (P) (recent)
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits (T5007) (recent)
Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions
Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) correspondence
Recent correspondence from the Federal or Ontario governments addressed to the membership applicant at Woodsworth, received within in the last 3 months. (Not forwarded mail)
Any of the following recent statements from a bank, trust company or credit union: TFSA RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP statement

Turning 16s: 16-19 year olds may present any of the above for long-term guests or any of the following:

School, college, university report card or transcript or letter from the school or institution on letterhead showing applicant’s name and Woodsworth address
Employer record (e.g. pay stub, letter from employer on company letterhead)

The list is part of the Membership Bylaw, Attachment B.
The Board enhanced the list in June 2024.

PHOTO ID:

Additionally, membership candidates attending an info session must show one item of photo ID with your name. (Address is not necessary.)

Photo ID you can use includes your passport, your school ID card, work ID card if there is a photo, drivers license, Ontario photo card, or if you choose, your health card (OHIP card).

Please note that your drivers license or Ontario photo card that you use as photo ID can also be used as one of your documents for proof of residence.

Woodsworth households: makeup and impact on status

Who is part of a Woodsworth household?

In the co-op’s by-laws, household means:

any members living in the unit
children of the members who are under sixteen (16) and live in the unit
children of the members who have turned sixteen (16) and continue to live in the unit, and
long-term guests approved by the board of directors and have signed a long-term guest agreement for that unit.

The Ontario Family Law Act determines whether a child is considered the member’s child for the purposes of housing in Woodsworth.

Members have been approved by the Board of Directors as members and have signed an Occupancy Agreement for the unit.

The co-op gives members these rights:

live in their housing unit
use their parking space if any
use the co-op’s common facilities, and
be involved in the governance of the co-op

However, co-op by-laws limit members’ rights.

All members in a unit share equal rights and responsibilities with no priority for any member in the household.

Normally, income from all those in a household counts towards subsidy calculations. Talk to Management if this applies to you.

Who is not part of a household:

Only persons mentioned above are part of a member’s household. Others can stay in a member’s unit but only as casual guests.

They can also be sub-occupants (sub-lessees) and only if permitted by the by-laws and according to the Occupancy Bylaw.

Rights of occupants of a unit who are not members:

Long-term guests are not members but have co-op status. They have been approved by the Board of Directors as long-term guests when the members in their household have requested it and have signed a long-term guest agreement.

Long-term guests have

no right to occupy the unit independent of the members
no right to occupy any other unit in the co-op
no right to a place on the co-op’s internal waiting list.

However, long-term guests may apply for membership with the agreement of the co-op members in their household.

What this means for unit selection – occupancy standards:

“Occupancy standards” means the minimum number of persons required to qualify for each of the co-op’s unit sizes. The standards restrict the maximum unit size that a Woodsworth member can apply to move into or relocate to.

There must be at least one member in a unit.
All who have Woodsworth status including members, children, and long-term guests count towards the household size for occupancy standards.
Guests without long-term guest status do not count towards household size for occupancy standards. Neither do visitors or sub-lessees.

Woodsworth’s occupancy standards (Occupancy Bylaw):

one-bedroom – a minimum of 1 person
two-bedroom- a minimum of 2 persons, except a single person may occupy a 2 bedroom unit in the mid-rise including Wilton Street
three-bedroom – a minimum of 3 persons
four-bedroom – a minimum of 4 persons.

The co-op bylaws don’t specify maximum household size, but say it is determined by the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Property Standards, Occupancy Standards.
(See Occupancy Bylaw Article 9.3).

Non-member occupants can become members:

Long-term guests and young people age 16 or over who have not become members are all non-member occupants. While they have status with the co-op and count for household size, they do not have member rights.

The minimum age for becoming a member is sixteen (16).There is a slightly relaxed membership process for those between the ages of 16 and 19. (Turning 16s).

In all cases, applying for membership starts with attendance at an information session held by the Membership Committee.

Membership criteria

Woodsworth’s membership bylaw defines a member as a person who has completed the co-operative’s membership process, has been accepted for membership by the Board of Directors, and has signed an occupancy agreement.

Membership criteria:
Applicants for membership in the co-operative must meet the following standards:
(a) At least one member of the household is aged 16 years or older

(b) The household‘s credit and rental history together with other financial information can give the co-operative reasonable grounds to believe the household will pay the housing charge.

Applicants should have:
(a) An understanding of co-operative principles and member participation

(b) A positive attitude towards living in a community with people from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds and have a commitment to treating other members with respect

(d) A willingness to accept their responsibilities as co-operative members

(e) Indication of permanency or long-term commitment to the co-operative

Non-discrimination
In assessing applications for membership, the co-operative will comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code and will not discriminate against anyone in a way that is prohibited by the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of age, ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, disability, family status, marital status (including single status), gender identity, gender expression, receipt of public assistance, sex, or sexual orientation.

The co-operative will take all reasonable steps to adjust any restriction, qualification or factor in the co-operative’s operations that results in indirect discrimination contrary to the Human Rights Code.

Source: Membership Bylaw #84: member approval and unit allocation