Ottawa Rally for Affordable Housing Beyond the Official Plan

Posted October 28, 2021

Yesterday, Wednesday October 27th, Ottawa ACORN members held a rally at Marion Dewar Plaza in front of City hall immediately before the city voted on the updated Official Plan.

Members planned this rally in response to the city’s terrible redefinition of affordable housing in the Official Plan, which has since been amended due to members’ tireless work, changing the definition of affordable housing from the city’s initial $2500 a month, to a much more reasonable $730-$1150/month. ACORN members’ efforts also increased targets for affordable housing to 20% citywide, 70% of which should be deeply affordable. Good work everyone – organizing works!!

While these are good first steps, they are still nothing more than targets with no policy or budget commitments from City Hall to back them up! As such, 40+ people attended to show support for ACORN’s demands of an anti-displacement policy, a strong inclusionary zoning bylaw and increased money in the city budget for affordable housing.

ACORN members battling the housing crisis gave speeches, as well as Councillor Catherine McKenney, and Sam Hersh representing Horizon Ottawa.

Press to come: 

CKCU
CityNews
LeDroit 

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