Learn More About Solid State’s Co-op Development Program

Solid State’s intake for new co-ops is open November 17th to January 7th, 2026. Come to this hybrid information session, Monday December 15th 5-7PM to see if your project is a good fit for our program.

• Learn about Solid State

• Understand our co-op development roadmap

• Prepare for our application process

You’re Invited to Solid State’s Year End Celebration!

Turn up to our annual winter party! Our 2025 Year End Celebration will have the classic huge meal, gift exchange, and opportunities to socialize with our staff and co-op network.

10326 Whalley Blvd.

Friday, December 19th 5-8PM.

Hope to see you there!

Support a National Effort to Provide Resources to Gazans and Palestinians

City in Colour’s Growing Roots and Safer Workplaces Projects Continue to Make Change

City in Colour (CiC) and project partners recently met with BC Labour Minister, Jennifer Whiteside, to share updates on their Safer Workplaces project.  They discussed key barriers faced by racialized immigrant women, explored ways to advance the project’s goals, and identified opportunities for Ministry support. The conversation was productive, encouraging, and full of momentum for the next phase of the work.

“We look forward to continuing this collaboration toward safer and more equitable workplaces for all.”

-City in Colour Cooperative

City in Colour’s Growing Roots Project has been taking root in multiple ways starting with its presentation at BC’s 2025 Affordable Housing Conference by Housing Central.

"Growing Roots: Refugee-Centric Housing Solutions is a participatory action research project led by City in Colour Urban Consultancy Cooperative in partnership with DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society and lived-experience co-researchers from four refugee communities.

Building on earlier work in Surrey, the project addresses the housing challenges faced by Government-Assisted Refugees and Refugee Claimants, including hidden homelessness and systemic barriers. Through multilingual learning and co-design sessions, refugee co-researchers and the CiC team collaboratively developed Refugee-Centric Housing Guidelines; practical, culturally responsive tools to inform more inclusive housing solutions."

Working with Professor Magdalena Ugarte, Growing Roots made its way into the classroom at Toronto Metropolitan University where students got experience acting as consultants with CIC members acting as their clients.

CIC presented both projects at the Pathways to Prosperity Conference in November this year.

GenConnect Hosts Hundreds at their 2025 Culture Showcase!

GenConnect held their Culture Showcase 2025 on December 4th, 9AM–2PM at Grand Taj Banquet Hall. Students from LA Matheson, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, and Frank Kurt presented work and Panorama Ridge Secondary student filled the event as attendees. GenConnect conducted workshops at these high schools inviting Punjabi seniors to help students create cultural artifacts. Over 350 community members were present at the event! This was their second annual Culture Show and again, a huge success.  Click the link to watch their feature on OMNI News and look out for their shout-out at the House of Commons.

Request for Proposals: Market Research, Business & Financial Planning

CultureLinks Co-op is seeking qualified consultants to support their next phase of growth.

With support from a Co-operators Co-operative Development Program grant, they are looking for expertise in:

• Market Research - certifications, new service lines, project-management tools

• Business Planning - 2-3 year strategic plan

• Financial Planning - projections, budgeting systems, sustainability strategies

  
  

For more info or questions email Iva Jankovic at hello@culturelinks.coop with subject: “CultureLinks RFP - Market & Business Planning.”

The deadline to send proposals is December 25, 2025

The Animation Co-op (TACO) is Ready for New Projects!

“TACO is excited to announce we’ve officially launched, and are actively seeking value-aligned clients! Big thanks to co-op developer, Arshia Uppal, and all of Solid State for the support and guidance.

We invite you to share our newly completed demo reel, along with our website, with any of your networks looking to liven up their content.

We've been increasing posts to our socials every week. If you’re looking to collaborate and cross-post, please get in touch!

We’re also proud to be supporting the Gaza Media Co-op as part of their B-Team.”

Solid State Affordable Housing Society (SSAHS) Year in Review

Based on initial research, and inspired by initiatives such as the Halal Housing Solutions Lab, Solid State’s Affordable Housing Society (SSAHS) has two priorities, project design + construction and tenant support. On the design front, SSAHS seeks to support the development of affordable housing units that accommodate larger family sizes and multi generational living. On the tenant support front, SSAHS seeks to address barriers that racialized migrant communities often face when pursuing housing, through tenant education and wrap-around support.

SSAHS will be building dignified, vibrant, and community-centred housing so that residents can experience stable, connected, and economically viable lives. SSAHS plans to initially deliver its solutions through a partnerships model, with development handled by a partner and the design and operation handled by SSAHS.

This year, SSAHS got plenty of footing with capacity building support from Purppl. With consulting and coaching from Purppl’s Brianna Ennis-Brown, SSAHS completed a Theory of Change process, supported a core staff, created groundwork for key partnerships in housing and funding, conducted ongoing research in tenant support and project design, and much more. 2026 promises more hard work towards this more and more tenable goal of creating affordable, culturally informed housing and housing support for racialized, migrant communities.

Surrey Rainbow Project Hosts Consistent Social Events for the

2SLGBTQIA+ Surrey Community

SRP is working on the upcoming issue of their zine, Duh, Babe!, titled “Rainbows and Butterflies” with Migrant Students United to highlight stories and experiences of queer migrants. In October, they hosted a Zine workshop. SRP’s community gardening volunteers, who meet weekly, completed the fall harvest and are currently planting for winter.

In November, SRP held a winter clothing swap at the Black Arts Centre in partnership with Uncommon Clothing Co. In December, they hosted a successful queer speed-friending event at Solid State, creating space to make new friends in Surrey!

SRP is a community service co-operative offering programs and events that create a welcoming space to build connections, address the lack of queer spaces in the South of the Fraser, and celebrate the cultural and social diversity within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.