Nova Scotia ACORN Rallies to Ban Fixed-Term Leases!
Posted September 16, 2024
The fight to ban Fixed-Term Leases loophole roared on this week as Nova Scotia ACORN rallied in front of Province House on September 12th, calling on the Tim Houston government to give tenants a fair chance at safe and reliable housing by enforcing the option of a periodic lease. Energized by support from passing cars and people, ACORN members rallied all the way from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m! The passion to fight for tenants’ rights remains strong.
Tim Allenby from Dartmouth ACORN led the rally, speaking on behalf of ACORN members and tenants in Nova Scotia who have suffered under the abuse of fixed-term leases.
Claudia Chender, Leader of the Nova Scotia NDP, also spoke at the event, supporting ACORN in its fight for safe, secure housing and an end to tenant displacement.
While province-wide rent control has been extended to the end of 2027, it is ineffective if landlords are incentivized to evict tenants to raise rents beyond the 5% cap, especially when they continue offering only fixed-term leases to new tenants. Is it really rent control if tenants have no option for stable tenure and are forced to move annually into increasingly expensive apartments?
According to ACORN’s recent Fixed Term Lease survey, 95.9% of tenants are signing 12-month leases, meaning they are not protected by rent control.
The abuse of fixed-term leases is making Nova Scotia the eviction capital of Canada. Nova Scotia ACORN demands that fixed-term leases automatically convert to month-to-month unless the tenant submits a notice to quit. This should apply to current fixed-term leases as well, to ensure tenants are not subject to unjust evictions.
End illegal rent increases, ban the abuse of fixed-term leases! If you haven’t already, sign and share our online action to ban fixed-term leases: https://acorncanada.org/take_action/its-time-to-ban-fixed-term-leases/
