GMM Oct 16, 2024: Summary of changes to the Organizational Bylaw proposed by Bylaw #87

NOTE: This document is not for approval by the membership. It is an aid for the Organizational By-law # 87 to amend the Organizational By-law #83 – (ORGANIZATIONAL AMENDING BY-LAW #87)

Most changes relate to the changes to the Ontario Co-op Corporations Act. The amending document was developed by the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHFC).


Article 2:  Applying for Membership — Signing Application – relating to electronic updates

Article 4:  General meetings
– Continuing meetings – Continuing the meeting at a later time and Quorum
– Attendance by Non-Members – clarification

Article 6:  Member Control – Requirements for All Requisitions; confidentiality

Article 9:  Role of the Board of Directors and Board Procedures – clarification relating to electronic updates

Article 11:  Board Procedures
– Numbering changes to match CHFC’s model Organizational Bylaw
– Resolutions in Writing – new paragraph
– Board polls – clarifies procedure and refers to new paragraph

Article 12: Early Ending of Directors’ Terms
– Vacancies – clarifies what happens if there is a vacancy, if members don’t ratify an appointee and calls for an election with the new normal process.

Article 16: Staffing – Staff Information
– Backup copies – new paragraph requiring staff to keep a record of passwords, e-mail addresses, and similar data and share with lawyer or auditor

Article 17: Committees – Role of Committees – requires sending minutes to the Board

Article 18: No Payment of Directors and Officers – expansion of One Year Gap before someone connected to an out-going director can be paid by the co-op or receive an honorarium from the co-op.

Article 19: Conflict of Interest – change of just one word for clarity from “benefits” to “affects”

Article 20: Confidential Information – Access to Personal Files and Accounts
– Added (f) Staff, Board and committee access to member files which restricts access

Article 21:  Confidentiality Situations
– No Recording of Meetings – electronic update
– Disputes between members – recommendation of order changed for clarity

Article 24:  Financial – Major Commitments – clarification of length of time of contracts for member approval
– Adjusting items in housing charges –  new paragraph about changing what is included in housing charges or not included in housing charges by a vote of the members at a general meeting.
– Approval Process – How member approval is given – clarification

Article 26: Giving Notices – Delivery by electronic mail – new paragraph says what can be sent by email if the member has consented
– Notices to Co-op – new (d) Exceptions – what cannot be sent by email even with consent of the member

Schedule A: Rules of order – electronic

Schedule C: Director’s Ethical Conduct Agreement – clarification of point 1 and expansion of point 6.

This document is a summary only.
The changes are available in the amending bylaw document –
GMM Oct 16, 2024: Organizational Amending Bylaw #87 for Organizational Bylaw #83.