Tag: waiting lists

Time requirements for joining the lists, offers, refusals, moving dates

Woodsworth Membership Bylaw #84: Schedule B, Summary of Time Requirements

Schedule B at the end of the Membership (Member Approval and Unit Allocation) Bylaw is a summary of the time requirements for some actions by the co-operative or by applicants as required under this Bylaw and the Co-operative Corporations Act. In case of conflict the Co-operative Corporations Act and the Bylaw will govern over Schedule B.

Schedule B details the time requirements in the membership bylaw, including:
– restrictions and waiting periods for some new members can join the waiting lists for relocation
– expiry date for membership application forms after an information session
– timelines for Management and those on waiting lists when accepting or refusing unit offers, including priority moves
– move-in dates for internal and external waiting list members after accepting a unit
These were approved by members when they approved the Membership Bylaw.

Time restrictions on joining the internal waiting list for internal applicants
  • Long-term guests (who become members):

Article 2.3.3 (h) A resident who has become a member by living with existing member(s) must wait two (2) years from the date of becoming a member to take sole responsibility for that unit or to apply to relocate independently of that member.

Those already on the internal waiting list prior to confirmation of this bylaw by members on Sept 26, 2023 who joined the waiting list with a one year wait time are exempt from the new time period.

Article 2.3.3 (i) They cannot join the internal waiting list until the required waiting period of two (2)  years has elapsed. Any period of time before Board approval as member is not included in the two years. However, they may be eligible to move with the rest of the household.

Article 2.3.3 (j). They cannot inherit a unit alone until they have lived with the household for two (2)  years. Exception:  Occupancy Bylaw, Article 10.4 Death of a member.

  • Turning Sixteen’s (turning 16) who become members after living with members as a child or young teen

Article 1.3. Special Meanings  Persons living in a member’s household between the ages of 16 and 19. There are special rules that apply when they become an applicant for membership. See the Occupancy Bylaw, Article 8.3. Turning Sixteen (16) and Article 8.1 (a) Who is part of a household.

Articles 2.3.4  (h-i) A resident who has become a member by living with existing member(s) must wait two (2) years from the date of becoming a member to take sole responsibility for that unit or to apply to relocate independently of that member.

They cannot join the internal waiting list until the required waiting period of two (2) years has elapsed. Any period of time before Board approval as member is not included in the two years.

Those already on the internal waiting list prior to confirmation of this bylaw by members on Sept 26, 2023 who joined the waiting list with a one year wait time are exempt from the new time period.

Time restrictions on applying as a returning member

Article 2.3.5 Returning members:  

The applicant(s) must have formerly resided in the co-op as a member for two (2) years.

Delays after information session and submission of application form:

Article 2.4  Internal and external applicants: Applicants must have attended an information session within three (3) months of submitting an application for membership.

Refused membership and appeals about membership:

Article 3.2  Refused membership: Notice in writing within ten (10) business days of the date of the Board meeting.

Article 3.3  Appeal of membership refusals:  Notice of appeal must be received at the co-operative office within twenty (20) business days.

The co-operative will notify the applicant in writing of the Board’s decision within ten (10) business days of the Board meeting at which the decision was made.

Article 3.5 Record of refusals – The co-operative will maintain a written record of refusals for a period of at least seven  (7) years after the day the letter was given to the applicant.

Internal unit offers

Minimum Period of Residence for internal waiting list

Article 5.1.2 (a)  Joining the internal waiting list: Must be a member resident for a minimum of two (2) years immediately prior to submitting an application to transfer. Article 5.1.2 (a) Minimum period of residence

Restrictions on joining the internal waiting list – arrears

Article 5.1.2  (c) A household in arrears cannot be on the internal waiting list except a rent-geared-to-income household that is required to move due to government requirements

If member cannot be contacted, it is considered a refusal 

Article 5.5.1  If the co-operative is unable to contact the member next in line on the internal waiting list within three (3) business days, the unit will be offered to the next eligible member on the internal waiting list.  It is considered a refusal.

Notification of Acceptance of a unit by applicant:

Article 5.5.2 Households on the internal waiting list that have been offered a unit for which they are eligible, must notify the co-operative within three (3) business days whether they wish to accept the unit.  If they fail to do so, they will be considered to have refused the unit.

Refusal of a unit (number of units before losing their position on the internal waiting list):

Article 5.5.3. Households that are not required to move that have requested a transfer, may refuse up to two (2) units that have been offered and retain their position on the internal waiting list. After the third refusal, the household is moved to the bottom of all waiting lists.

Refusal of a unit if required to move

Article 5.5.4 Households required to move are allowed three (3) refusals only.
See Housing Charge Subsidy Bylaw, Article 2.6. Procedures for over-housing and Occupancy Bylaw, Article 9.4 (d) Three offers

Priority status waiting list and refusals

Article 5.5.5 Households that have been given special priority status for an internal move as defined in Article 5.2 1 (Priority Internal Waiting List) will be offered three (3) opportunities to accept a unit based on their Accommodation Plan. After three refusals, the household will be removed from the priority waiting list. The member can apply for the internal waiting list.

External unit offers

Offers to applicants on the external waiting list

Article 6.2 (a) Time limit

A household offered a unit will be given three (3) business days to decide whether to accept the unit and sign the Occupancy Agreement.

Article 6.2 (b) Missed time limit considered refusal

If the household does not within three (3) business days, inform the co-operative office that it accepts the unit and signs the Occupancy Agreement, it will be considered to have refused the unit.

If an external applicant cannot be contacted

Article 6.2.4 If the co-operative is unable to contact the household with top placement on the external waiting list within three (3) business days, the unit will be offered to the next eligible household. The first household will be skipped over but will retain its rank on the waiting list.

Refusal of units  (number of units before losing their position on the external waiting list)

Article 6.2.5 Households may refuse up to three units that have been offered and retain their position on the external waiting list. If they refuse three units that meet their stated criteria, they will be moved to the bottom of the waiting list.

No matter how many unit types or sizes or criteria the applicant indicates on their application form, the number of allowed refusals does not change. Management will keep a record of refusals.

Moving into the unit – timeline

Moving date when relocating (from the internal waiting list)

Article 5.5.7 Once a member on the internal waiting list has accepted a unit, the member must vacate their unit and move into the new unit on the date specified when the unit was offered.

Members will be provided with at least thirty (30) days notice for an internal relocation.

Moving date when moving into a unit (from the external waiting list)

Article 6.2.8 If a household on the external waiting list accepts a unit that has been offered to them, they will not be required to take occupancy and commence payment of the housing charges until the first day of the third month following the offer.

If the unit is vacant earlier, the household must make all reasonable efforts to move in and commence paying the housing charges earlier, if it can be done without financial loss to them.

Appeals of waiting list decisions

Article 7.2 Appeals for the waiting list

The applicant will receive ten (10) days’ notice in writing of the consideration of the appeal by the Board of Directors.

The co-operative will notify the applicant in writing of the Board’s decision within ten (10) business days of the Board meeting at which the decision was made.

 

Relocation, the internal waiting list and unit allocation

Summary

If you are a Woodsworth member currently living in the co-op and wish to move to a different unit:

  • Apartments and townhouses are allocated based on waiting lists.
  • Complete the Internal Relocation Form (available online or in the Photocopy Room).
  • Management is responsible for maintaining the lists and making offers based on the lists and the Membership Bylaw and the Occupancy Bylaw.
  • You may check the internal waiting list at any time (copy room) or speak with Management, who oversees waiting lists and unit allocations.

1. Qualifications for a unit in Woodsworth

(Member Approval and Unit Allocation (Membership Bylaw), Article 4.2)

(a) The co-operative must be satisfied that the household will meet the obligations to pay the monthly charges to the co-operative in accordance with the bylaws and their occupancy agreement. The co-operative will take into account whether or not the household qualifies for a subsidy in the new unit if a subsidy is available. See also Article 5.1.2 (c) Household in arrears.

(b) The household must meet occupancy standards. [See Occupancy
Bylaw, Article 9 for details and about when the standards do not apply.]

(c) The households must qualify based on Articles 5 (Internal) or 6 (External).

2.   Types of waiting lists

Internal waiting list for unit allocation – Membership Bylaw, Article 5.

External waiting list for unit allocation – Membership Bylaw, Article 6.

3.   Who can join the Internal Waiting List? 

The Internal Waiting List is made up of members or households who live in the co-operative who are:

(a) Want or need to move to a different unit, or
(b) Are required to transfer under the co-operative’s Bylaws or any requirements of a rent-geared-to-income program or the Occupancy Bylaw, or
(c) Are former members who have been approved as returning members.[Membership Bylaw, Article 5]

Not a Woodsworth member?

→ See External waiting lists and moving into Woodsworth.

4. Additional eligibility restrictions

(Membership Bylaw, Article 5.1.2)

To join or remain on the internal waiting list, members must meet all of the following:

Minimum residency

Members must have lived in their unit for at least 2 years before applying. The Board may approve exceptions.

New members who joined as long-term guests or Turning 16’s

These new members must be members for 2 years before joining the internal waiting list. Time before becoming a member does not count.

Financial requirements

Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility.

Verifiable proof of income is required.

Arrears

Households in arrears may not apply or transfer units.

Exception: required rent-geared-to-income (RGI) moves.

Occupancy rules

Members may apply only for units they qualify for based on occupancy standards.

After moving, households must meet occupancy standards for three years. Otherwise, they are considered over-housed and must move to a smaller unit to meet occupancy standards.  See Occupancy Bylaw, Article 9.4

All prospective occupants of the household must be listed on the relocation request and waiting list.

5. Occupancy Standards

  • Who counts toward occupancy:
    * Members
    * Children
    * Long-term guests with a signed long-term guest agreement.
  • Casual guests do not count.
  • There must be at least one member living in each unit.
  • There is no co-op-specific maximum occupancy, but all units must comply with City of Toronto property standards.
  • You must meet minimum occupancy standards to be eligible for a certain unit size:

Unit size

Minimum people

Exceptions
1 bedroom Minimum – 1 occupant None
2 bedroom Minimum – 1 occupant in mid-rise and Wilton Street only 2 occupants required for 2-bedroom townhouses.
3 bedroom Minimum – 3 occupants None
4 bedroom Minimum – 4 occupants None

Source:  Occupancy Bylaw, Article 9.3

6. Choosing unit preferences

You may have requests up to two unit types at a time.

Preferences may include:
Unit type
Street or floor
Specific unit(s)

Tip: Narrow preferences (for example, a specific floor or street) do not lower your position on the list, but may delay offers. You will only be offered units that match your stated preferences.

Adding preferences does not give the household any priority for units.

7. How units are offered

When a unit becomes available:

Management offers it to the first qualified applicant based on:

For details, see Alternating between internal and external waiting lists – unit allocation.

8. Offers, refusals and contact rules

The co-op will try to contact you within 3 business days.
You have 3 business days to respond.
No response counts as a refusal.
After 3 refusals, you are moved to the bottom of the internal waiting list.

Important notes:

One refusal is counted per offer, not per preference.

The number of preferences you list does not affect refusal counts and does not give any priority when a match for your preferences comes up.

9.  Move-in timelines for internal relocations

After accepting an offer, you will receive at least 30 days to move into the unit.

You must move on the specified date.

Once you accept a unit, you are removed from all other waiting lists.

10.  After you accept a unit:

Your household is removed from all waiting lists.  [Membership Bylaw Article 4 (k) ]

Members in your unit must sign a new Occupancy Agreement.

You will receive at least 30 days’ notice for an internal relocation.

 Withdrawing acceptance / refusal after acceptance of a unit
Acceptance of the unit may not be withdrawn by the member without the consent of the Board. Members of the household cannot appeal the Board’s decision. [Membership Bylaw, Article 5.5.6]

External moves follow different timelines.  They are given more time to move in. If the unit is ready earlier, the household should move in sooner if it won’t cause them financial loss. [See Membership Bylaw, Article 6.2.8.]

The household must pay or update the first and last month’s housing charges and a maintenance deposit equal to half of the last month’s charge. If you receive a subsidy, different rules apply. Refer to Occupancy Bylaw, Article 3.5.

You must vacate your current unit and move into the new one on the specified date. [Moving date when relocating, Membership Bylaw Article 5.5.7]

You must live in your new unit for at least two years before rejoining the waiting list. [Membership Bylaw, Restrictions on joining the internal waiting list, Article 5.1.2 (a) Minimum period of residence]

In some cases, the Board may make an exception to the residency requirements. If you need an accommodation for accessibility reasons, Woodsworth has a policy in place to support you. [Membership Bylaw, Waiving residency requirements, Article 5.2.5]

Your household must continue to qualify for the unit size based on the occupancy standards for 3 years.  [Membership Bylaw, Article 5.1.2 (d) Restrictions on joining the internal waiting list]
See also: See Occupancy Bylaw, Article 9.4

11. When should you update your Internal Relocation Form?

You should update your form as soon as possible if:

                • Your household size or composition changes
                • Your accessibility needs change
                • You now qualify for a larger unit
                  (Example: a couple or parent with a child may qualify for a 2-bedroom townhouse; single applicants qualify only for mid-rise or Wilton Street units)
                • Your contact information changes (phone or email)
                • Your income changes (affects affordability and subsidy eligibility – (Membership Bylaw, Article 4.2 (a))

Reminder:

Updating your information or preferences does not affect your position on the waiting list.  (Membership Bylaw, Article 4 (g) and (h))

12.  Where to Get the Form

Schedule E of the Member Approval and Unit Allocation Bylaw – Internal relocation application form

Copies are available:
– In the Photocopy Room
– On this website

13.  Moving out of the co-op

If you move out of the co-op, you lose your membership. Former members cannot join the Internal Waiting List unless they have been formally approved as returning members.

[Membership Bylaw, Article 8. Moving out of the Co-op
A notice to end occupancy is also a notice to withdraw from membership and a notice to withdraw from membership is also a notice to end occupancy rights.
The Occupancy Bylaw in Article 10 outlines:
• How a member gives notice that they are moving out.
• What happens when only part of a household ends membership and occupancy
• Death of a member

14.  Recommended reading for details

Member Approval and Unit Allocation Bylaw
→ Article 4: Allocating Units
→ Article 5: Internal Waiting List
Occupancy Bylaw
→ Article 9.3: Occupancy Standards

Alternating waiting lists
How alternating between the internal and external waiting lists works and what the bylaw says.

Final reminder:

If you’re thinking about relocating, make sure your form is up to date.
Accurate information helps ensure that:
– You don’t miss an offer
– You don’t receive offers for units you no longer want or qualify for
– You avoid unnecessary refusals

Woodsworth Co-op’s waiting lists

Woodsworth Housing Co-operative – Membership and Housing Update

Updated: August 4, 2026

Sorry, our waiting list is closed.

Housing Applications – Important Notice

Woodsworth Co-op is not currently accepting new housing applications due to the high number of applicants already on our internal and external waiting lists.

Woodsworth advertises an information session for external applicants within the co-op and on the CHFT website

Looking for Other Co-op Housing?

If you are seeking co-op housing elsewhere in Toronto, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) maintains a list of housing co-ops, including those with open waiting lists.

You may also find helpful information through the City of Toronto and other housing resources:

If you’ve already attended a Woodsworth external information session

– and the Board of Directors has approved your membership

You may wish to contact the Woodsworth Management Team to ensure that:

  • Your contact information is up to date, and
  • Your waiting list request meets Woodsworth’s occupancy standards.

Please notify Management if your household composition has changed since your membership approval or your contact information needs to be updated.

⚠️ Note: Some unit allocation procedures in the Membership Bylaw have been updated.

If you need further assistance, please contact the office. Management is responsible for maintaining the waiting lists and handling unit allocations.

See more information here including occupancy standards and moves.

External waiting lists and moving into Woodsworth

If you live in Woodsworth and wish to relocate to another unit

see   Relocation, the Internal Waiting List and Unit Allocation.

External waiting lists and moving into Woodsworth

This explainer is for people who do not live in Woodsworth but wish to get an apartment or townhouse in the co-operative.

There are two steps to moving into a unit in Woodsworth Housing Co-op.

– First, you must apply for membership. However the external route to membership is only open when there is a reasonable path to residency. See Vacancies

– Once your application is approved by the Board of Directors, you will join the external waiting list, as housing units are offered through the waiting lists.

If  you already live with a Woodsworth member—such as a long-term guest, resident teen, or returning member — you would follow the similar internal membership process. See  Membership guide

Membership process:

To be placed on the external waiting list, external applicants must first attend an information session. These sessions are held infrequently and only when the external waiting list is open.

At this time, we do not anticipate opening the external waiting list in the near future, as it is currently full.

When an information session is scheduled and the external waiting list opens, Woodsworth will:
– Announce it to members through the Weekly Newsletter so they can
– inform family and friends
– Publish the notice on the Woodsworth website
– Ask the Co-op Housing Federation of Toronto to post the information on its website

Membership approval

All new members moving into the co-op must complete the membership process outlined in Member Approval and Unit Allocation Bylaw #84. This includes:
– Attending an information session
– Being interviewed by the Membership Committee
– Receiving final approval from the Board of Directors

Membership criteria:

See Criteria

About Woodsworth’s housing stock

Woodsworth has apartments in the mid-rise building at 133 Wilton Street, townhouses on George Street South, Albert Franck Place, and Frederick Street. There are also street access units on Wilton Street. Only the 1-bedroom units in the mid-rise building are stair-free accessible units. Woodsworth also has three (3) wheelchair-adapted units.

Unit allocation and waiting lists

Housing units are offered through waiting lists. External applicants are offered units based on their position on the External Waiting List. Woodsworth staff are responsible for managing waiting lists, offering units, and coordinating move-ins.

When applying for membership, external applicants indicate their requested unit size and type on the membership application form. Management transfers these requests to the appropriate external waiting lists after approval by the Board of Directors.

Occupancy standards

Applicants will only be offered units for which they qualify under the Occupancy Bylaw.
Specifically, Article 9.3(a) sets out the minimum number of occupants required for each unit size.

Applicants will only be offered a unit that they qualify for based on the Occupancy Bylaw’s occupancy standards:

Occupancy Bylaw, Article 9.3 (a) describes the minimum number of persons for each of the co-op’s unit sizes.

Unit size

Minimum people

Exceptions
1 bedroom Minimum – 1 occupant None
2 bedroom Minimum – 1 occupant in mid-rise and Wilton Street only 2 occupants required for 2-bedroom townhouses.
3 bedroom Minimum – 3 occupants None
4 bedroom Minimum – 4 occupants None

The number of persons does not include short-term guests or visitors.

The number of persons does includes babies and children.

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

There is no maximum number of people except as set by the City of Toronto bylaws.

Your household

If your household composition has changed since your Board approval, you must notify Management.

Any new co-residents over the age of 16 must apply for long-term guest status.  Management will assist with this process; however, Board approval is required. Approved long-term guests may attend the next annual internal membership information session. Note that those who become members in your unit have equal rights and responsibilities as you.  (Membership Bylaw, Article 2.3.3 (c) Long-term guests applying for membership)

There are rules about pets and number of pets. See Rules Bylaw, Article III.

Unit offers and acceptance

Management is responsible for issuing unit offers and coordinating all tasks related to moving into Woodsworth. All members are required to sign an Occupancy Agreement for their unit.

Woodsworth’s members have approved a bylaw which includes alternating between internal and external waiting lists. While there will likely be a long wait to be offered a unit, it should speed up the process. For more information see
Alternating between internal and external waiting lists

Timelines, offers, refusals and contact rules

There are timelines for replying to unit offers from Management and to move-in dates.

Co-op tries to reach you within 3 business days.
You have 3 business days to respond.
No response is counted as a refusal.

After three (3)  refusals you are bumped to the bottom of the list – for more information, see #9 on this summary of the rules: https://www.woodsworthcoop.ca/index.php/unit-allocation-procedures/

Refusal count does not depend on how many preferences or size units you’ve listed.
One refusal is counted per offer that meets your criteria, not per type of unit.

Limiters (Special Requests)

Applicants may specify preferences such as unit location or other features. However, if an available unit does not match these preferences, the household will be skipped and not offered the unit. This is not considered a refusal under Article 4(h) of the Member Approval and Unit Allocation Bylaw.
Please note that adding special requests or limiters may delay the time it takes to be offered a unit.

Changes to unit requests

Applicants may change their requested unit size, unit type, or location preferences at any time without affecting their position on the waiting list, in accordance with the Membership:  Membership Bylaw: Member Approval and Unit Allocation, Article 4(g).

If your household size or makeup has changed, your accommodation needs (accessibility) or ability to pay for a unit has changed, you should consider adjusting your unit request.

Move-in timelines

If a household on the external waiting list accepts a unit that has been offered to them, they will not be required to take occupancy and commence payment of the housing charges until the first day of the third month following the offer, approximately sixty (60) days.

If the unit is vacant earlier, the household must make all reasonable efforts to move in and commence paying the housing charges earlier, if it can be done without financial loss to them. (Membership Bylaw, Article 6.2.8 Moving date: taking occupancy in Woodsworth)

The move must happen on the specified date.

Once a unit is accepted, you’re removed from all other waiting lists for Woodsworth.

The members in the household must sign the Occupancy Agreement. See Management.

Maintaining your application

If you are on a waiting list, it is essential that Woodsworth management has your current contact information, including your mailing address, phone numbers, and email address.

Your place on the external waiting list

To check your position on the external waiting list or to update your contact information, please contact the Office by phone at 416-363-3418 or by email using the Contact Woodsworth link.

Please note that Woodsworth also maintains a priority waiting list for special circumstances, particularly for disability-related accommodation, as required under human rights legislation. As a result, it is not possible to determine an exact position on the waiting list.

For more information:

Unit allocation, time lines (offers, refusals), and more:  unit allocation

Unit types and floor plans.

Other related topics:  Membership, long-term guests, relocation & unit allocation

For details, see the Membership Bylaw, Membership Bylaw: Member Approval and Unit Allocation

Alternating between internal and external waiting lists – unit allocation

Woodsworth alternates between waiting lists for units of the same size.

This is based on the Membership: Membership: Member Approval and Unit Allocation Bylaw Article 4.1].

Management must follow the bylaw when units become available.

1.  Woodsworth has two waiting lists – internal and external.

Explainers

Internal:

For information about how the internal waiting list works, see Relocation, the internal waiting list and unit allocation

External:

For information about the external waiting list, see External Waiting Lists and moving into Woodsworth

Priority internal waiting list:

The priority internal waiting list is separate and is not part of the rotation but relates to human rights and accommodation.  See Priority waiting list 
See also 2 (f).

2.  How alternating works

(a)  The co-operative will fill vacancies alternately from the internal and external waiting lists unless there is someone with established special priority for that sized unit. See Article 5.2.1 about priority list.

(b)  Alternation of waiting lists applies to all sized units: 1, 2. 3 and 4 bedroom units.

(c)  One (1) of each unit size will be filled from the internal waiting list and then the next available of that unit size will be filled from the external waiting list. Each unit size (bedroom) waiting list operates independently.

(d)  One bedroom units will be filled alternately between the one bedroom internal and external waiting lists.

Two bedroom units will be filled alternately between the two bedroom internal and external waiting lists.

Three bedroom units will be filled alternately between the three bedroom internal and external waiting lists.

Four bedroom units will be filled alternately between the four bedroom internal and external waiting lists

(e)  If no one on the appropriate waiting list is qualified for or accepts the available unit, the alternate waiting list for that size unit will be used.

(f)  Only moves from the regular internal and external waiting lists count for alternating between internal and external wait lists.
– A priority move doesn’t count as an internal move.
– Allocation of wheelchair adapted units does not count as an internal or external move.

3.  Membership Bylaw

To see this in context, visit the full Membership Bylaw – Member Approval and Unit Allocation bylaw #84.