Rain Can’t Stop Tenant Power: Nova Scotia ACORN Members Rally Outside Landlord Conference

ACORN members and supporters gathered at Peace and Friendship Park for our Tenant Power Rally, showing that not even a torrential downpour can stop tenants from organizing together.

Despite the heavy rain, 18 people came out to stand up for tenant rights and help strengthen the city-wide tenant union we’re building across HRM. We were especially excited to see some new faces joining us alongside longtime ACORN members and leaders. 

The rally took place across the street from a conference of landlord associations and housing providers. While landlords and corporate interests gathered to discuss their interests, we came together to build tenant power and send a clear message: landlords have associations and lobbyists, but tenants have power together.

And they definitely heard us!

Throughout the rally, members led chants that carried across the street to the conference venue:

“The people united will never be defeated!” “

Hey hey ho ho, these slumlords have got to go!”

“Who are we? ACORN! What do we want? Tenant rights! When do we want them? NOW!”

ACORN leaders Tim Allenby (Dartmouth ACORN Chair), Darryl King (Peninsula ACORN Chair), and Mariah Baker (Mainland Chapter leader) spoke about the reality tenants are facing across HRM, including skyrocketing rents, neglected repairs, pest infestations, bad-faith evictions, fixed-term leases, and the looming expiry of Nova Scotia’s rent cap in 2027. Members emphasized that affordable housing continues to disappear while governments too often prioritize the interests of landlords and developers over the needs of tenants.

Members also shared powerful personal stories. Shailagh spoke about her ongoing fight against a demoviction after coming home to find her building partially demolished, while Heather and her son Martin shared their experiences dealing with serious pest and repair issues as well as threats of eviction because they own a support dog, even though their lease does not prohibit pets. Valerie spoke about living with pests and dealing with landlords who fail to properly maintain their buildings. SHAME on all these landlords!!

The rally was also a chance to celebrate the organizing ACORN members have been doing across HRM. Members shared updates from Dartmouth, the Peninsula, and Mainland chapters, where tenants are organizing around issues like pests, disrepair, water shutoffs, high power bills, and bad-faith evictions. We also reflected on ACORN Canada’s National Convention earlier this month, where more than 300 members from across the country came together to share ideas, build skills, and fight for stronger housing protections.

Together, we renewed our call for governments to stop putting landlords first and start listening to tenants:

To the Province, we demand:

• Real, permanent rent control, at a reasonable rate (not this unaffordable 5%!!)
• Ban fixed term leases
• Real enforcement of tenancy law, with real consequences for landlords who break the law

To the City, we demand:

• REAL landlord licensing with TEETH to hold landlords accountable when buildings are chronically neglected
• Rental housing protection policies like the ones in Hamilton Ontario, to stop us from bleeding out all affordable housing left in the city

The Tenant Power Rally showed what happens when tenants come together. Every person who showed up in pouring rain helped make our movement stronger.

Rain or shine, tenant power is growing in Halifax.

What’s Next?

Want to help build tenant power?

• Sign our online action calling on the Housing Minister to meet with ACORN members and take action on the housing crisis.
• Join your next local ACORN meeting and get involved in organizing for change in your community. Email us at [email protected] to find out when your next chapter meeting is taking place.

The more tenants who get involved, the stronger our movement becomes. Together, we can build the power needed to win safer homes, stronger protections, and housing that puts people before profits.