Fighting Evictions in Nova Scotia!

With the rent cap now in place until the end of 2025, landlords are unable to increase rents above the 5% rent cap, unless the units they own happen to be vacant. The desire to have vacant units amongst landlords is why more and more tenants are facing eviction and displacement in the HRM.

NS ACORN is pushing for a renoviction ban to be put in place as well as putting up a fight to stop evictions as they happen.

You have likely seen long-time ACORN leaders Marjorie Pemberton and her partner Pat Donovan in the news talking about the need for a rent cap or landlord registration.

Turns out their landlord VIDA Living didn’t like their outspoken nature that much. In July, VIDA served Marjorie and Pat an eviction notice.

The first reason given for the eviction notice was that Pat and Marjorie spoke about the building in the media and were posting ‘illegal’ ACORN fliers. The second reason was that VIDA claimed their apartment unit was too ‘cluttered’.

VIDA Living did not know what they were up against.

Marjorie and Pat gathered evidence to prove that their unit was not cluttered. They didn’t respond to the claim that being an ACORN leader in the media is grounds for eviction. Marjorie and Pat knew that you cannot be evicted for being an ACORN member and organizing in your building.

Days after handing in their evidence to the Residential Tenancy Branch to dispute the eviction, VIDA dropped the eviction altogether.

Marjorie and Pat can finally rest easy knowing that their affordable housing remains secure. Instead of relaxing, however, they are more likely to be found busy organizing the next Mainland HRM Chapter meeting or helping other tenants to stop their evictions. That is just the way they are.