(In)Frequently Asked Questions

What is Treehouse Village Ecohousing?

Treehouse Village Ecohousing is a 30-home registered condominium complex in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada. We are a cohousing community —  collaborative housing that seeks to overcome the alienation of modern housing. Cohousing aims to create a greater sense of community and connection with one’s neighbours through design, shared amenities, and self-governance. There are dozens of cohousing communities across Canada, both completed and in development. Treehouse Village Ecohousing is Atlantic Canada’s first completed cohousing development.

What is e(cohousing)?

“Ecohousing” is our twist on the cohousing name, a mash-up of “eco”, “collaborative” and “housing” — words that describe our project. Learn more about cohousing on our What is Cohousing? page.

How communal is life at Treehouse Village?

We get together for common meals and potlucks on a regular basis, and our homes are designed so that kitchens and other front rooms face the Common Green to encourage serendipitous encounters with our neighbours. The community benefits from a 4000-sq.ft. Common House, which includes shared laundry facilities, a fitness studio, guest rooms, a kids’ playroom, and a large shared kitchen and dining area. There’s also a 1000-sq. ft. shared workshop, as well as community gardens and other outdoor shared spaces. While there are many opportunities to connect with neighbours, there is no requirement to do so. Each home is a self-sufficient condo unit and privacy is respected.

Who lives at Treehouse Village?

  • We are parents, children, retirees, teachers, writers, digital workers, social workers, carpenters, environmental educators, and more.
  • We hail from Bridgewater, elsewhere in Nova Scotia, across Canada, and internationally. 
  • Besides English, we speak French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Dutch. 
  • We range in age from one year to 80+.

Are pets welcome?

Most definitely! Many of our residents share their homes with both cats and dogs!

Who built Treehouse Village?

As with most cohousing developments, Treehouse Village Ecohousing was designed, financed, and overseen by the founding owners — private individuals who invested in the project and acted as our own developer, with no government support. As our own development company, we hired professional architects, engineers and construction managers to shepherd the construction process, and we hired many local contractors and tradespeople. We also had to do considerable work ourselves (both physically and administratively) to bring the project to fruition.

What choices did we make when building on the land?

We concentrated our buildings in one corner of our forested property to minimize impact on the rest of the land. Of the ~15 acres on our property, >10 acres remain forested.

How much did it cost to build our homes?

The founding owner-shareholders were the “developer” and so there was no developer profit. However, our project went significantly over budget, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing global supply-chain crisis, labour shortages, inflation, and increased costs.

Our site also proved much more difficult than anticipated to build on, which caused our civil engineering costs to double. Since we built on sloped and wooded land, this required significant digging and mounding of soil to create infiltration galleries and rain gardens.

We maintained our commitment to building to PHIUS (“passive house”) standards, which creates healthy homes that are extremely well-insulated and airtight, with triple-pane windows. This choice meant higher construction costs at the outset, but is resulting in low energy costs now and over the long term — along with the solar panels we installed on the rooftops of all our buildings. Our ultimate goal is to reach net zero with all our energy needs.

All 30 homes at Treehouse Village have been purchased and we are now a registered condo corporation. Sales and rentals are private transactions, with owners setting their own prices.

Do members share meals together?

Sharing meals is an important part of all cohousing communities. We typically share anywhere from a few meals per month to several nights per week. It depends entirely on the wishes of the residents, and participation is up to each individual. Social activities are always optional.

What is our governance and legal structure?

Treehouse Village Ecohousing is a registered condominium corporation, subject to the laws governing condominiums in Nova Scotia. We have a Board of Directors, who are elected at an annual general meeting. Residents work collaboratively to maintain the property, manage the administrative needs of the condo corporation, and foster our cohousing community spirit.

Like many established cohousing communities, we use sociocracy (aka: dynamic governance) for our governance structure and decision-making. Sociocracy is a participatory, consent-based process that distributes power non-hierarchically among members. The community receives training and ongoing support in using sociocracy.

Do I have to get along with everyone?

No. As in any community, residents will naturally be closer to some than others. However, our members all expect and deserve to be treated with respect, which fosters a healthy community. As well as designing the physical structures, community members design the social structures that enable respectful relationships.

To help guide our interactions, we created these Community Standards:

Communicating in ways that are honest and transparent, while doing our best to be courteous and considerate, welcoming and inclusive, compassionate and empathetic.

Contributing in ways that enrich the social fabric and physical space of our community and that encourage each other to share our varied gifts, abilities, and insights while also recognizing our own needs. 

Collaborating in ways that are intentional and where challenges and disagreements are met with curiosity, openness, and the understanding that we are all learning together. 

Caring for ourselves, our neighbours, and our earth, while celebrating diversity, offering hospitality, living lightly, and being grateful on our journey. 

And…together we create a community, a village we can call home.

Can I expect child care or help if I get sick?

Cohousing is envisioned as a community in which people are friendly and supportive to each other – especially in times of need. However, this support is always voluntary and is usually arranged between individuals.

Is meeting attendance mandatory?

Our full membership strives to meet approximately once a month. Relationships are strengthened through discussion at meetings, by working together in circles (committees), and by socializing at community events. An effective and cohesive community is best forged by working and making decisions together. Attendance at meetings is not mandatory. However, you are expected to abide by the decisions made by the community in your absence.

Are there condo fees?

Similar to other condominium corporations, there are monthly fees that go toward the upkeep of all common elements, such as the building exteriors, the common house, and the grounds. Our condo fees also cover the 30 homes’ heat, power, water, AND high-speed Internet! Currently, monthly condo fees range from $300 to $420, depending on the type of home that you own.

What is Bridgewater like?

Bridgewater is a progressive town that has developed a reputation for innovation in sustainability and is gaining national exposure for its efforts. It has also been recognized as the best community in Atlantic Canada for young families. As a regional hub, it is home to many excellent amenities, and is surrounded by the natural beauty of the ocean and the scenic South Shore of Nova Scotia.

I still have questions! How do I find out more?

Read our blog post, Common Cohousing Myths and Misconceptions.

To learn even more, contact us at info@treehousevillage.ca