Published 7 September 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
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Get My Free Estimate →Maurice Coulter Housing Co-operative at 174 John Garland Boulevard is a 110-unit non-profit housing co-operative that opened in September 1989. You cannot buy a unit in it, and no real estate agent — including me — can sell you one.
It shows up in condominium directories because it is housing on a street full of condominium corporations. It is not a condominium. This post explains the legal difference plainly, because it comes up constantly and almost nobody explains it properly.
The co-op itself
It opened in September 1989 with 110 units ranging from one to four bedrooms — a mix of townhouses and apartments, including a few accessible apartments. It sits on John Garland Boulevard in Rexdale, about a ten-minute walk from the Finch West LRT.
Its origin is unusual and documented. It was sponsored by unions at the McDonnell Douglas aircraft plant — Locals 1967 and 673 — in partnership with the de Havilland union, with organising led by engineer and union activist Glyn Wood. It is named after Maurice Coulter, a long-time de Havilland employee.
Aircraft workers in north Etobicoke built themselves permanent affordable housing, and it is still doing that job nearly forty years later. That is a genuinely good piece of local history.
Why you cannot buy a unit
| Condominium | Non-profit housing co-operative | |
| Governing statute | Condominium Act, 1998 | Co-operative Corporations Act |
| Who owns the land | Unit owners own their units; common elements owned collectively | The co-operative corporation owns all the land. Members own nothing in the land |
| What the resident holds | Title to real property | Membership rights in a non-profit corporation |
| Can it be listed and sold | Yes | No |
A law firm writing in The Lawyer’s Daily states it plainly: in a co-op the land is owned by the co-operative corporation, and members receive only membership rights in the non-profit entity. Members do not own real property, and they may not accept compensation when leaving their housing units.
That last clause is the whole answer. There is no property interest to convey, and a departing member cannot be paid out. There is nothing to list, no title to transfer, and no commission — which is exactly why co-ops stay affordable, and exactly why the real estate industry has no role in them.
Some other things that follow from this
The City of Toronto states that co-op residents are members, not tenants, that co-ops are not considered landlords, and that the Residential Tenancies Act does not apply — with the single exception that Landlord and Tenant Board rules about evictions do apply.
CHF Canada states that co-op housing stays affordable because it is run on a non-profit basis and is never resold, and that members can live there as long as they like, subject to the members’ by-laws. CHF Toronto adds that there is no landlord, that members vote on budgets and elect the board, that housing charges rise with operating costs, and that co-ops include both market-rate and subsidised units.
How you actually get in
You apply directly to the co-op. CHF Toronto explicitly states that it does not accept applications and has no role in administering co-op applications or waiting lists. Each co-op runs its own process, and Maurice Coulter is currently showing no vacancies.
The co-op is self-administered with its own office, reachable at 416-748-6470 or mchc@rogers.com.
A 2024 article reported one- to four-bedroom units at Maurice Coulter at roughly $900 to $1,400 per month, against surrounding Rexdale one-bedroom market rents approaching $3,000.
That figure is from 2024 and is likely out of date. I include it because the gap it illustrates is the entire point of non-profit co-op housing, not because you should rely on the number.
Why I am writing about housing I cannot sell
Because a real estate agent’s job includes telling you what things are. When you search condominiums on John Garland Boulevard, this comes up. If nobody explains it, people waste weeks trying to buy into something that cannot be bought, or worse, assume a co-op share works like a condominium unit and make a financial decision on that basis.
There is no commission here and there never will be. It is still worth understanding.
The takeaway
Maurice Coulter is a 110-unit non-profit housing co-operative built by aircraft workers’ unions in 1989, and it is not for sale — not now, not ever. Members hold membership rights in a corporation that owns the land, not title to property, and they cannot be compensated when they leave. If you want to live there you apply directly to the co-op, not through an agent and not through the Co-operative Housing Federation.
Thinking about this building?
Send me the unit number or the listing link. I’ll tell you what I actually know about the building, what I’d want to see in the status certificate, and whether the price makes sense against what has sold. No pitch, no obligation.
connect@jatindua.com · 437-987-1925 · Book a free consultation
Confidential. Reviewed personally and answered within 24 hours. I never share, sell or distribute your information.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy a unit at Maurice Coulter Housing Co-op?
No. It is a non-profit housing co-operative under Ontario’s Co-operative Corporations Act. The corporation owns all the land, members hold only membership rights rather than title, and departing members may not accept compensation for leaving. There is nothing to list, transfer or sell.
What is the difference between a co-op and a condominium in Ontario?
A condominium is governed by the Condominium Act, 1998 and owners hold title to real property. A non-profit housing co-operative is governed by the Co-operative Corporations Act, the corporation owns the land, and residents are members holding membership rights. Condominium units can be listed and sold; co-op units cannot.
How do I apply to live at Maurice Coulter?
Directly to the co-op. It is self-administered, reachable at 416-748-6470 or mchc@rogers.com, and currently shows no vacancies. The Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto explicitly states that it does not accept applications and has no role in administering co-op waiting lists.
Does the Residential Tenancies Act apply to co-op members?
No. The City of Toronto states that co-op residents are members rather than tenants, that co-ops are not considered landlords, and that the Residential Tenancies Act does not apply — with the single exception that Landlord and Tenant Board rules about evictions do apply.
Who built Maurice Coulter Housing Co-op?
It was sponsored by unions at the McDonnell Douglas aircraft plant, Locals 1967 and 673, in partnership with the de Havilland union, with organising led by engineer and union activist Glyn Wood. It opened in September 1989 and is named after Maurice Coulter, a long-time de Havilland employee.
Why does co-op housing stay affordable?
Because it is run on a non-profit basis and is never resold or flipped for profit. Members vote on budgets and elect the board, and housing charges rise with operating costs rather than with the market. Co-ops include both market-rate and subsidised units.
Thinking about buying or selling here?
I work this area every week and I will give you a straight answer, including when the answer is to wait. No pressure, and no drip campaign you cannot get out of.
Call or text 437-987-1925 Send me a message
Jatin Dua, Broker of Record — RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with another brokerage.
Sources
Everything above that is a number or a name comes from one of these. Anything I could not source, I have marked as unverified in the text.
- The Local — housing co-ops in Rexdale, Maurice Coulter. The September 1989 opening, unit mix, the McDonnell Douglas and de Havilland union sponsorship, Glyn Wood, the naming after Maurice Coulter, the Finch West LRT walk and the 2024 housing charge range. Accessed 7 September 2026.
- Maurice Coulter Housing Co-operative — official site. The mix of townhouses and apartments including accessible units, and the co-op’s own contact details. Accessed 7 September 2026.
- Pallett Valo LLP in The Lawyer’s Daily — co-ops, co-ownerships and condos: crucial differences (PDF). That the co-operative corporation owns the land, that members hold membership rights rather than real property, and that members may not accept compensation when leaving their units. Accessed 7 September 2026.
- City of Toronto — co-operative housing information. That residents are members not tenants, that co-ops are not landlords, and that the Residential Tenancies Act does not apply except for Landlord and Tenant Board eviction rules. Accessed 7 September 2026.
- Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto — what is a co-op. Non-profit operation, no landlord, member voting on budgets and board elections, the mix of market and subsidised units, and that co-op housing is never sold or flipped for profit. Accessed 7 September 2026.
- CHF Toronto — find a co-op. That CHF Toronto does not accept applications and has no role in administering co-op applications or waiting lists. Accessed 7 September 2026.
- CHF Canada — about co-op housing. That co-op housing stays affordable because it is non-profit and never resold, and that members may live there as long as they like subject to the by-laws. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Related reading
- The Etobicoke condo directory — every condominium corporation I could find, by neighbourhood
- Boutique low-rise condos between Islington and Kipling
- The condos within walking distance of Islington station
- All of my Etobicoke real estate writing
About the author — Jatin Dua, Etobicoke real estate agent
I’m the Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, 799 The Queensway in Etobicoke, a few minutes from every building on this page. I work with buyers, sellers and investors across Mimico, Humber Bay Shores, New Toronto, Long Branch, Alderwood and the Stonegate–Queensway corridor. I write these building guides the way I’d brief a client at my own kitchen table: what is documented, what isn’t, and where the published numbers disagree with each other.
Questions about a specific suite? connect@jatindua.com or 437-987-1925.