During the lockdown, many felt a need for more interaction with nature and a desire for a lifestyle that is more about sharing and less consumer-oriented.
Co-housing initiatives, collective ventures in which people come together to buy, build or renovate dwellings, are increasingly focusing on environmental values, which are often present in choices with regard to building materials and the use of space: vegetable gardens, the use of solar panels, composting toilets, organic paint etc.
Along with these advantages, one of the most attractive aspects of co-housing is a culture of sharing , which can also be of benefit to the environment when it extends to the pooling of equipment like washing machines and automobiles.Co-housing first emerged in Europe in the latter half of the 20th century.
Canada has also joined in the movement with the vast Cohabitat Québec project with 42 private residences and extensive common areas, which was inaugurated in 2013.