our board
The business of the Canadian Housing & Renewal Association (CHRA) is managed on behalf of the membership by a Board which consists of fifteen elected directors and the Immediate Past President, who serves as a Director ex-officio of the Association. Directors serve for 3-year terms and elections take place annually prior to the Association's Annual General Meeting.
Download the Terms of Reference for the Board of Directors.
Click here.
2012-2013 CHRA Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Phil Brown
Director At-Large
Phil Brown is the former General Manager of the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration Division at the City of Toronto, which funds and administers approximately 90,000 social housing units, oversees the operation of more than 60 shelters and offers a range of other supports, including the delivery of the federal Homelessness Partnering Strategy and the City´s Streets to Homes program. Prior to 2000, Phil was senior consultant to the Canadian Home Builders' Association. Phil has also held senior management positions at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) over a career spanning more than 20 years, including Manager of Operations for the Ontario Region of the CMHC and National Director of Program Evaluation. Phil was a founding board member of the Ontario Social Housing Services Corporation (SHSC) and SHSC Financial Inc. Phil has a B.Sc. from the University of Bristol and a Master´s degree from the University of Toronto.
PAST PRESIDENT
Bruce Pearce
Director At-Large
St. John's Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness
Blending a passion for social justice and the environment, Bruce works to develop solutions for healthy, sustainable communities. Before arriving in Newfoundland in 1998, Bruce was executive assistant and policy advisor to Ontario Premier Bob Rae and Metro Toronto Councillor Jack Layton, supporting local and provincial strategies to create affordable housing and end homelessness. In 2002 he became the community development worker for the 30-member St. John's Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness, which guides local planning and investments under Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy. He is a co-founder and steering committee member of the Newfoundland & Labrador Housing & Homelessness Network, established in 2009. He is an associate member of Eva's Initiatives' national learning community on youth homelessness, and in 2006, he co-chaired Canada's first national youth homelessness conference. Bruce also serves on the Board of Green Communities Canada, an association of community-based environmental groups collaborating with CHRA to tackle energy poverty through low-income energy efficiency. Recently, Bruce helped develop new CHRA policies on homelessness, and green housing & green jobs; and is assisting CHRA's efforts to create a pan-Canadian learning network of communities working to end homelessness.
VICE-PRESIDENT
Danielle Juteau
Director At-Large
Directrice Générale, Corporation d’habitation Jeanne-Mance
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Danielle Juteau has been working in social and affordable housing for over 30 years. As Housing Director for the société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal, Danielle was involved in the rehabilitation of thousands of affordable housing units. In 1985, she received an award from the Québec Minister of Housing for her work in social and community development and it was this award – which she received at the age of 26 – that propelled her into a lifelong career committed to improving the housing situations of Canadians.
Currently, Danielle serves as directrice générale to Corporation d’habitation Jeanne-Mance in downtown Montréal, which manages approximately 800 social housing units. built during the late 1950s, today Habitations Jeanne-Mance is the oldest and largest real estate complex of its kind in Québec; housing nearly 1700 residents from 70 different countries.
In 2011, CHRA honoured Danielle with the CHMC Award in recognition of her many years of promoting the cause of housing in Canada.
TREASURER
François Vermette
Regional Director, Quebec
Development Coordinator, Chantier de l’économie sociale
François Vermette is Executive Director of the Quebec network of non-profit housing corporations, a postion he's held since 2003. He holds a Masters degree in urban studies from University of Montreal and his thesis was centered on housing issues. He has worked with many community organizations on the problems around community based housing. He worked with a community consultation group in the South-central area of Montreal (South-central Alert), and then spent time working for Vélo-Québec. François is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Community Housing and Social Industry Fund. He also represents the Network at many consultation tables with various ministries (Social Service and Health) as well as the SHQ. The Network represents eight regional federations of non-profit housing corporations not served by regional authorities. Over 400 non-profits are affiliated with the Network, which sees its role as the advocate for non-profit housing corporations and the tenants they serve.
SECRETARY
Karen Hemmingson
At-Large Director
Research Director, BC Housing
Karen has been involved in housing policy and planning work more than 20 years, and is trained as an urban planner. She started her planning career developing affordable housing projects before moving into municipal planning for the City of Vancouver. Karen was the Director of the Vancouver Agreement Unit for the provincial government from 2001-2004, where she was responsible for implementing a variety of housing and community development initiatives. She now works for BC Housing and has been there since January of 2005.
For the past two years, Karen has chaired the CHRA Policy Advisory Committee where she has led the successful development of several policy statements and contributed to the successful planning of events and workshops. Karen brings a perspective to the CHRA board that sees housing as a foundational investment for community revitalization. In her new role on the CHRA board, she intends to continue her important contribution to CHRA´s policy leadership and to help CHRA in building new partnerships to strengthen the sustainability of the organization.
William K. Buckland
Regional Director, Nova Scotia & PEI
Administrator, Seton Foundation
Bill is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and also a Certificate with The Canadian Institute of Management. Bill also serves as a Commissioner of Oaths for the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. Bill is married with three children and resides in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He is employed with Seton Foundation as Administrator and has been with the Foundation for 32 years. Bill serves as Vice President for the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia and current Board Member for N.S. and P.E.I. on the CHRA Board.
David Eddy
At-Large Director
Executive Director, Vancouver Native Housing Society
Dave has been working in social and affordable housing with a particular focus on the eastside and downtown eastside of Vancouver for over 20 years. He spent 12 years with the Downtown Eastside Residents Association Housing Society working in maintenance and building management, as well as staff training. He was the principle of a company that provided maintenance supplies and services to the non-profit housing sector. Dave has also worked for, or provided services to many not-for-profit organizations and housing cooperatives in the Metro Vancouver area. He has been with Vancouver Native Housing Society since 1998 and has been the organization´s Executive Director since 2001. He is a past Board member of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association serving as the Vancouver representative and sat on the executive as Secretary. Dave has a Masters degree in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University in Victoria BC.
Gary Glauser
Regional Director, New Brunswick
Executive Director, New Brunswick Non-profit Housing Association
Gary Glauser comes to the CHRA board with after a career spanning three decades with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). After retiring from CMHC in 2003, he began work with the New Brunswick Non-profit Housing Association (NBNPHA) as a consultant in conference coordination and policy and research. As of June 2010, Gary has taken on the role of Executive Director at NBNPHA. Over the course of his career in affordable housing, Gary has established a good network through participation on housing committees, and housing initiatives with government at all levels along with other interest groups. He brings this wealth of experience and network of connections to the CHRA board with the intention of representing a New Brunswick perspective and contributing to national discussions on affordable housing while keeping abreast of best practices in other jurisdictions.
Val Hinsperger
At-Large Director
Executive Director, Nepean Housing
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Val Hinsperger has worked for over 15 years in the non-profit housing sector. Her work in Executive Director Positions throughout the Violence Against Women’s sector and non-profit housing sector has fueled her passion for systems thinking and coordinated strategies when working with federal, provincial and local sector partners. Val is a long time owner of a tourism business which has educated her to understand the needs of private sector thinking. As the Executive Director of Nepean Housing and having benefited from CHRA membership and meeting partners at the congress, Val is prepared to work hard with the CHRA Board and members to bring a successful 2013 congress to Ottawa as well as to help ensure face to face representation with Federal Members of Parliament. Val will continue to lobby for a national housing strategy that encompasses a number of housing options to meet the needs of Canadians. She has been an active ONPHA member and understands the particular needs of small and municipal non-profits. Well known in Ottawa, Val is now stepping up to the call of federal housing sector leaders who are seeking replacements as part of a vital component of our national housing sector succession plan.
Patsy Kuksuk
Regional Director, Northern Territories
Vice President, Nunavut Housing Corporation
Patsy Kuksuk works as a Vice President for Nunavut Housing Corporation and has been in the housing field for over 20 years. Most of her work has been around the Social Housing sector in Nunavut. She also has worked extensively in the development of housing designs that are compatible to northern living and have a particular interest in pursuing innovative solutions to addressing energy efficiency within residential dwellings. An aboriginal person, Patsy received her further education in the Provinces of British Columbia and Ontario when she left her Arctic home as a young teenager. Since then she has remained in the north to ensure she helps make the north a better place to live by providing homes that are safe, healthy and secure.
Ronald Lamb
Regional Director, Saskatchewan
Board member, Saskatoon Housing Authority
Ronald is a retired educator, former teacher, university lecturer and K-12 Language Arts Consultant. Over the course of 32 years in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he has worked in education. His interest in joining CHRA's Board of Director began when his mother moved into a Moose Jaw Housing Authority facility. While she was a resident there, Ronald became aware of the issues involved with senior housing. As an educator, he saw first-hand various housing situations, particularly in the inner city where he worked and many First Nations dwell. Because of his background, he was asked to join the Saskatoon Housing Authority Board in 2006. He is currently a board member of the Saskatoon Housing Authority, a full member of the Finance Committee and has been Board Representative to CHRA's National Congress for the last 5 years. On behalf of the Board, he has attended many openings of housing projects in Saskatoon, attended local housing conferences and took part in many CHRA Webinars. Ronald brings to CHRA a background in education and community involvement to the issues of affordable housing.
Tina Larouche
Director, Aboriginal Community
Executive Director, Aqanttanam Housing Society,
Cranbrook, British Columbia
Tina has been the Executive Director of the Aqanttanam Housing Society for the past 8 ½ years. In this position, she has increased the portfolio size of AHS and successfully executed expiry of operating agreement plans, allowing AHS to successfully sustain and expand social housing in a tough economic climate. Tina comes to the CHRA board with board experience with AHMA and the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA). As an effective advocate and now, as a CHRA board member, Tina intends to draw attention to the housing needs of urban aboriginals and to represent the collective interests of aboriginal people with passion, ability and perseverance.
His experience of more than a decade in the land and property development industry, combined with over two decades of property management and over three decades of construction, have provided a base of knowledge that has allowed Bryan to meet the affordable housing needs for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
During his tenure as President of Wood Buffalo Housing & Development Corporation he has developed and implemented short and long range best land use scenarios for rural and urban residential and commercial lands. Planned, implemented and managed single and multifamily residential and commercial land development and construction projects.
Sheldon Pollett
Regional Director, Newfoundland and Labrador
Executive Director, Choices for Youth
As Executive Director of Choices for Youth, Sheldon is responsible for leading program development which responds to the needs of youth. Since beginning his tenure at Choices in 2001, the organization has grown substantially to now include the operation of a multi-tenant youth services facility. In addition to overseeing the design and construction of the facility, which provides core programming to youth in the St. John´s metro area, the organization now runs a shelter for homeless young men, an Outreach and Youth Engagement Program, a supportive Housing Program, an intensive support program for youth with mental health issues, and training and employment programs.
Sheldon has been a contributor to the National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness (Eva´s Initiatives), is a current member of the Advisory Committee for the Canadian Homelessness Research Network and is also the current Co-Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing and Homelessness Network.
Linda Ring is a retired Neighbourhood Planner with the City of Winnipeg. Her career focus has been participatory planning and policy development specifically in the field of housing and community revitalization. She continues to participate in the voluntary sector with organizations focused on housing and health including: SAM Management Inc., a non-profit housing corporation that manages and develops affordable housing for moderate and low-income households; Housing Opportunity Partnership (HOP), a non-profit home ownership program developed through the Winnipeg Real Estate Board; and NorWest Co-op Health, a community health service delivering community development and primary health care to residents in the Inkster Park Community of Winnipeg.
Brigitte Witkowski
Regional Director, Ontario
Executive Director, Mainstay Housing
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
In 1987, Brigitte saw the impacts of systemic homelessness on men and women in downtown Toronto. She joined Homes First Society, a pioneering housing provider, that made the connections between homelessness and housing; continued with WoodGreen Community Services as it launched its housing program and, became, in 1997, Mainstay Housing’s Executive Director, Ontario’s largest mental health supportive housing agency. Making connections led her to creating ‘Beyond the Key to the Front Door’, to help homeless persons keep their home; publishing ’40 is too young to die’, examining the intersection of homelessness and early onset mortality and helping launch HomeComing to fight NIMBY.
Brigitte is an active ONPHA member (board and committees), involved in Housing Services Corporation’s sector renewal committee, on the Wellesley Institute Board, and engaged in her regional health authority. She knows that the work to end homelessness and insure housing affordability requires strategic partnerships and believes that she brings knowledge, skills and passion to CHRA’s goals, as a national vehicle, to connect, across jurisdictional and service boundaries, with public and private sector advocates and agencies, who know safe, quality affordable housing is the keystone for healthy lives and healthy communities.
