In some cases, roads, parkland and community facilities continue to be owned by the co-operative.
Father James (Jimmy) Tompkins and Dr. Moses Coady were key organizers in Nova Scotia of the first building co-operatives.
In 1936, Father Tompkins helped found the first self-help building co-operative in North America near Glace Bay (Reserve Mines), Nova Scotia, Canada.
A group of coal miners formed a housing cooperative with a loan of CAN $22,000.
Each miner's personal contribution consisted of his labor or "sweat equity".