ACORN Canada had a year full of successes, and as December came to a close, many took time out to celebrate the ACORN community and all it has done. ACORN Ottawa hosted a “People Power Party” where over 50 members gathered to honor the hard-fought wins and progress made throughout 2024, including stopping multiple renovictions, launching the Eco-Tenant platform, and forming new tenant unions—so much to celebrate!

ACORN Canada had a busy month, with over 100 ACORN Ontario members organizing critical next steps for full rent control in the face of imminent early elections. Ottawa ACORN amassed over 70 ACORN members and tenants from across the city in front of city hall to show city council how important and urgent an anti-renoviction bylaw is to the tenants in this city! When we fight together, we win!

On November 22nd, ACORN Canada participated in National Housing Day by holding actions in 9 cities across the country to send a clear message to the federal government: prioritize social and non-market housing.  ACORN did this in solidarity with the Social Housing and  Human Rights Coalition.

ACORN Canada secured a major win in Toronto, where they helped pass a Renoviction bylaw through city council, and in Alberta, ACORN members hosted a successful community forum on campaigns for rent control, building momentum and spreading the word!

ACORN New Brunswick held a rally to advocate for raising the rates of social assistance to a livable wage. Meanwhile, ACORN Alberta members organized a highly successful powwow that addressed local issues of colonization and systemic racism against Indigenous and First Nation people, and the effects we still see today in housing injustice, economic disparities, and social inequalities.

ACORN Canada celebrated 20 years of community organizing at their 7th Biennial National Convention in Oshawa, with over 250 members attending from coast to coast!  Members marched to the CMHC office in Toronto to deliver 300+ tenant testimonials and demand that the Renters Bill of Rights set National Tenant Rights Standards.

Big win for Toronto ACORN when members won a unanimous council vote to beef up an inspection bylaw that ensures healthy homes for renters- ensuring it will be adequately enforced to protect residents.  ACORN Canada members gathered outside of city hall in Ottawa to launch the Roadmap to ‘Save Affordable Housing’ platform, pressuring council members to vote YES on a Renoviction Bylaw that would protect renters.

ACORN Ontario released a new report detailing the effects on renovictions on tenants, and called on cities across the country to stand in solidarity. ACORN Canada has called on the federal government to tax excessive profits from grocery stores across the country, which they have been raking in profits while working people struggle.

After five years of tireless organizing, ACORN Hamilton had a MAJOR win in January, when the city became the first in Ontario to pass a bylaw to restrict renoviction! ACORN Canada is keeping this incredible momentum going to pass similar legislation in Waterloo and London!

Today, December 6th, over 30 ACORN members braved the frigid cold and rallied outside city hall right before the 2024 Ottawa City Budget vote to demand a significant allocation of $40 million for affordable housing! Co-Chair of the Central Ottawa ACORN Chapter Pascal Kakule was a dynamic force at the forefront of this rally and advocated for the crucial need for city councillors to act now and increase the affordable housing fund in the city budget to finally create some meaningful impact on the lives of Ottawa tenants. Read more here!