Herongate ACORN Forces Concessions While Council Votes for Redevelopment
Posted September 9, 2021
Posted September 9, 2021
On September 8th 2021, City Council passed Hazelview’s Official Plan Amendment application with 18 yeas to 6 nays. This will allow Hazelview to redevelop the rest of Herongate over the next 25 years.
ACORN member’s 3 year long campaign of actions, meetings, surveys, petitions, rallies, and media attention, culminated in a final rally at City Hall on the morning of the 8th.
The rally was led by Marie Lourdes Garnier, Love Affinotan, and Davette Nyota with speeches by Faiza Ibrahim and Ilhan Ali and Councillors McKenney and Leiper.
Leaders led the 40 person crowd in chants outside the Mayor’s office and then outside near the council chambers once the council meeting had started.
While the overall vote was disappointing, the tireless persistence of Herongate ACORN members, secured rental replacement subject to rent control for tenants whose homes will be demolished, at the same rent and type of unit that they have now.
The Herongate ACORN Tenant Union will continue to organize in the neighborhood, and is now gearing up for the first site plan, where they will fight for more benefits for tenants and hold Hazelview to their agreement.
Herongate ACORN members are still fighting for:
- 25-35% affordable housing with an emphasis on deep affordability
- Rental replacement for tenants who were previously evicted in 2016/2018 who want to return at the same rent they previously had.
- City-led proactive maintenance inspections to ensure that Hazelview is keeping units up to code
Press:
Ottawa Citizen: Council approves controversial redevelopment plan in Heron Gate that will make 1,000 units ‘affordable’
CBC News: ‘Fix this’: Heron Gate redevelopment hits city council amid resident frustration
CTV News: City approves Heron Gate redevelopment plan
