EAST HAMILTON ACORN MEMBERS PRIORITIZE TENANT SAFETY, BILL 60 AND FOOD ACCESS

On Feb. 26, the East End Hamilton chapter of ACORN met at Pat Quinn Parkdale Arena for its second organizing committee meeting.

The meeting was one in a series intended to help establish a stronger presence in the neighbourhood, identify local priorities and build toward a formal leadership structure. 

The discussion opened with introductions and a review of the chapter’s organizing structure. Kayla Leet, the chapter chair, and Jerry, an organizer with ACORN Ontario, reminded members that the first meeting had produced a broad list of neighbourhood and tenant concerns. This second meeting, they said, was meant to narrow those concerns into a smaller and more actionable set of priorities. 

Kayla and Jerry also outlined the organizing timeline ahead. That plan includes a short-term action to build momentum and visibility, a larger meeting in late March and a chapter election in April that will formalize leadership roles before a larger spring action. 

As members revisited the issues raised at the previous meeting, discussion increasingly focused on 355 Melvin Ave., where tenants have been organizing around poor living conditions. Members described persistent maintenance problems, unreliable or absent on-site staff, heating and elevator issues and one tenant injury reported to be connected to building conditions. 

Jerry then spoke about the options available to tenants, including coordinated bylaw complaints and joint applications to the Landlord and Tenant Board. By the end of that discussion, members agreed that 355 Melvin Ave. would become the focus of the chapter’s immediate small-action because it presented both urgent need and a clear target for organizing. Further details, including timing, are expected to be discussed at the next meeting. 

After settling on that short-term priority, the meeting shifted to broader issues that could shape the chapter’s larger campaigns. Much of that conversation focused on Bill 60, particularly Section 12, which Jerry and Kayla described as a threat to tenant protections. 

Jerry connected the bill to a broader provincial pattern of reforms that favours landlords and contributes to worsening housing instability, according to ACORN. 

The final major topic was food insecurity in East Hamilton. Members described parts of the neighbourhood as functioning like a food desert, pointing to limited grocery access, rising food prices and transportation barriers for residents who do not have access to a vehicle.

 Ideas discussed included mobile produce markets, expanded community gardens and working with grocery corporations to make food more affordable. While no single food-related action was finalized, members agreed that food access should remain a major organizing priority alongside rent caps and opposition to Bill 60. 

By the end of the meeting, attendees had identified three main campaign areas moving forward: rent caps, Bill 60 and food access. They also confirmed 355 Melvin Ave. as the focus of the chapter’s next immediate action and discussed holding another meeting in March and an April 23 neighbourhood election meeting at Solidarity Place.

Key takeaways

• East Hamilton ACORN members selected 355 Melvin Ave. as the focus of their next immediate action because of reported unsafe and neglected building conditions.

• Members identified Bill 60, rent caps and food insecurity as the chapter’s main longer-term campaign priorities.

• The meeting was part of the East End chapter’s relaunch and helped set an organizing timeline that includes a larger March meeting and an April neighbourhood election meeting.

On-the-ground observations from our documenter, Jack cochrane

From my perspective, this meeting was very focused and intentional. People were talking about what to do next and who to put pressure on. The discussion about 355 Melvin Ave. showed how serious these issues are. Reported lack of building maintenance and care can create a very real risk for tenants, particularly in icy conditions.

The meeting provided a lot of evidence that Bill 60 is a serious threat to tenant protections because it shifts power toward landlords and makes it harder for residents to stay safe and stable in their homes. I think rent caps are equally important since affordability directly affects whether families can meet basic needs. 

CHECK YOUR FACTS

• ACORN Tenant Survey Flyer
• ACORN Bill 60 Petition Flyer
• Ontario Bill 60 (See schedule 12) 
• About Us- ACORN Canada
• Acorn AGI Report 
• East End ACORN Flyer
• East End OC Meeting Agenda