Over thirty Peel ACORN members demand rental replacement!
Posted July 8, 2025
BRAMPTON, ON—On July 7th, Peel ACORN organized a rally before Brampton’s public meeting on a potential rental replacement bylaw.
We had a great turnout, especially from tenants at 507 Balmoral drive who shared stories of how their lives would be impacted if they were forced to move because their property owner wants to demolish the building.
Several asked the question, “Where would I go? I can’t afford market rent.”
After the rally, ACORN members joined the city’s public meeting in council chambers. 9 ACORN members spoke in strong support of a bylaw that would put the cost of displacement onto developers should they want to demolish affordable housing. Councillors listened to what we had to say and we were consistent in our message – which hasn’t changed. Our primary concern is that tenants need temporary accommodations, rental top ups and support for moving costs if they are going to be forced out of their homes temporarily while the new development is being built – which takes years.
During that time, tenants’ rents would explode without these protections as many have lived in their rent control protected apartments for many years.
We told Councillors loud and clear: no loopholes, no watered down version, tenants right over developers profit ! The developer lobbyist that presented last night argued that ‘one for one replacement of lost affordable housing isn’t economically feasible’. ACORN must have developers spooked because they tried to (unsuccessfully) counter every argument we made in our delegations to committee. They say that to fix the housing crisis we need supply supply supply, ignoring that none of these new buildings are affordable, they won’t be subject to rent control and many new units are sitting vacant already because no one can afford the high rents!
Peel ACORN is standing firm and urging the City of Brampton when they vote on a final bylaw this Fall to protect tenants’ affordable housing at all cost, even if that means smaller profits for developers.
