The Fédération des coopératives
d'habitation intermunicipale du Montréal métropolitain
(FECHIMM) is an amalgamation of self-governed collective businesses
working in the real-estate sector. Its members are self-governed
collective businesses.
FECHIMM regroups more than 400 member cooperatives
and close to 8 500 cooperative households spread out on the Island
of Montréal, Laval and Basses-Laurentides territories. It
represents about 2/3 of the cooperatives on its territory for an
approximate property value of around 500 million dollars.
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THE ROLE OF THE FEDERATION
The Federation offers housing cooperatives
services specially adapted to the housing cooperative sector in
four different and complementary ways:
- education and management services
- products resulting from group buying plans
- defence, promotion and political representation
- development and support services for cooperative
entrepreneurship
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25 years of history
 Founded
in April 1983, FECHIMM celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008.
At the beginning, the name was Fédération des coopératives
d'habitation de l'Île de Montréal. Around twenty housing
cooperatives in Montréal wanted a collective tool to develop
services for their particular needs, to defend their interests and
to see that new housing cooperatives would see the light of day.
In 2002, the Federation extended its action
to Laval and to the MRC de Deux-Montagnes, Mirabel and Thérèse-de-Blainville
and changed its name to Fédération des coopératives
d'habitation intermunicipale du Montréal métropolitain.
Today, more than 400 cooperatives are a member of FECHIMM with some
9000 cooperative households. It represents about 2/3 of the cooperatives
on its territory for a real-estate value of around 500 million dollars.
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A democratic organization
The existence and the vitality of the Federation
depends widely on the membership and mobilization of its members.
It is not a private enterprise looking to make its clientele, the
housing cooperatives, dependent on its services.
Created by its members, its rationale is to
serve them and it is fully accountable to them. The annual general
assembly of the members elects the administrators, all from member
cooperatives.
Just like a housing cooperative, and governed
by the same Law, the Federation is managed by its members and is
financed mostly by them. There is usually one general assembly per
year to make the administrative decisions and to determine its orientation.
At the fall symposium, the members take part in a few training workshops.
Various committees work on different mandates.
The Board of directors, composed of nine (9)
elected members, and its executive committee see to the well-being
of the Federation and step in to defend the interests of the cooperatives.
The annual contribution (membership fee) paid by the members of
the Federation is determined by the general assembly at the lowest
possible cost all the while making sure to give its members the
best services and economic advantages possible.
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declaration of fechimm's mission
Approved by the general assembly of
April 22, 2006
The elements that guide us form a whole
and are indissociable from each other. They are :
- intercooperation by
which cooperatives put their resources together, value cooperation
and reinforce the cooperative movement body;
- membership that is voluntary and
available to all, favouring cooperative action in respecting
its values and principles;
- democratic authority
guaranteeing that the members decide together according to the
rule of one person, one vote;
- economic participation
by the members contributing to the registered capital which is
a shared property;
- autonomy allowing relations
with society’s other partners while respecting the cooperatives’
independence;
- education by which cooperatives
contribute to the development of society, training its members
and keeping the people informed;
- social solidarity
by which cooperatives actively promote social progress and permanent
development.
The values
which inspire our orientation are :
- democracy : promote
everyone’s participation in the decision-making, complete
access to information and collective responsibility;
- equality: not allowing
any discrimination on the basis of the person's identity and status;
- equity : treat
differences clearly and rightly;
- solidarity : endeavour
to share all available resources in view of a permanent development
of society and expose, wherever they are, all unfair situations.
Our mission,
the rationale of our organization, is determined as follows :
- SUPPORT the individuals
and the incorporated housing cooperatives, in their desire to
consolidate and to expand, here and abroad, the cooperative movement
: collective property, democratic way of life and of citizen participation.
- ADVISE the cooperatives
and their members, in order to allow them the greatest autonomy
possible and to make choices in their image.
- CONTRIBUTE to the development,
by collective entrepreneurship and putting together all available
resources, of an exemplary level of solidarity with all the sectors
of the cooperative movement, in Québec and in the World.
Our vision : the Federation is
an association at the service of its members. To this end, it must
be :
- A LEADER able to bring
together and to mobilize all the concerned parties with a view
to reinforcing and expanding the housing cooperative movement.
- A MODEL in the society
as regards to setting up permanent development policies seeking
the best quality of life for its members and all the citizens,
on all economic, social and environmental levels, in Québec
and in the World.
- A REFERENCE as regards
the quality of the economic services and the advice it offers
its members and the whole community housing sector.
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FECHIMM'S CODE of ethics
Approved by the general assembly of
April 22, 2006
Join the Federation, act in and for the
Federation, rule the Federation is what the concerned parties closely
tied to the activities of FECHIMM do. With a view to keeping true
to the values, the principles and the mission of the Federation,
these parties – the members, the staff and the administrators
– favour the following behaviour :
Loyalty (faithfulness in keeping
its commitments) :
Each and everyone is responsible
towards his group and the people in it.
The staff and the directors
worry about the Federation’s notoriety and about abiding by
its commitments in carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to
them. They contribute to the improvement of the organization and
to the harmonious work environment.
The Federation recognizes
the value of intercooperation and more widely of inter organizational
partnerships. It seeks constructive equity in its relations with
the partners and its public behaviour respects the cooperative values.
Honesty (uprightness, integrity, probity)
:
Each and everyone
collaborates with uprightness and frankness in view
of shared goals.
The staff and the directors
show team and solidarity spirit in their decisions and in the course
of action.
The Federation respects
the democratic functioning and in a socially responsible way, contributes
to finding consensus.
Transparency (limpidity, clarity) :
Each and everyone
relays all required and available information while respecting the
standards of confidentiality.
The staff and the directors
practice, and encourage its members to favour participation, information
and free speech in the debates; they favour participative management.
The Federation reports
its activities and its goals to its members, to the population,
to its partners and to the concerned authorities.
Solidarity (community of interests
leading to mutual assistance, interdependence) :
Each and everyone
listens in and gives his support to anyone following cooperation
goals.
The staff and the directors
promote equality of chances and of fair working conditions.
The Federation shares,
according to its means, its available resources with other organizations
that have the same concerns, notably in favor of permanent development.
Respect (to not violate integrity
and dignity):
Each and everyone
respects the integrity, the opinion and the work of others and fights
distrimination in every way.
The staff and the directors
respect the autonomy of the cooperative; they support its demoratif
functioning and favour its development.
The Federation submits
to the laws and regulations which governs it and respects its commitments
in society, here and everywhere else.
Responsibility (moral obligation
towards shared property) :
Each and everyone
acts as a responsible citizen in his choices and in his actions.
The staff and the directors
make sure there is a healthy management and promote its protection.
The Federation
favours partners who aim for social progress and permanent development.
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