The Star: Petition and rally for affordable housing to take place in Mississauga

Posted October 14, 2021

A rally and petitioning day for affordable housing is taking place on Oct. 16 in Cooksville, Mississauga.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) Peel chapter will host the rally to push for inclusionary zoning to push back again gentrification in low-income neighbourhoods in Peel.

ACORN was founded in 2004 and currently has over 130,000 members in 22 chapters across Canada, assisting low to moderate-income residents.

The rally will start at 12:15 p.m. outside of the ArtForm Condo Development at 86 Dundas St. E.

According to ACORN, low-income neighbourhoods in Peel like Cooksville are seeing more condo developments, pricing out tenants.

“Low-income people in Cooksville have already lost important services to the community like a YMCA and an Adult Education Centre, in favour of fancy corporate developments. The arrival of the “ArtForm Condos” in 2024 will mark a major milestone in the gentrification of Cooksville,” the release noted.

The organization is promoting an inclusionary zoning affordable housing policy tool, which would make the law ensure that new housing developments protect a percentage of their units as affordable housing. The policy is currently being considered by the Peel regional government.

The policy also stipulates that:

• 30 per cent of units are set aside as affordable rental housing
• Affordable rental units remain affordable forever
• Inclusionary zoning requirements be applied to developments with 60 or more units
• Inclusionary zoning be applied in every part of Peel
• The region requires every development to include the maximum affordable rental housing feasible, based on annual feasibility studies identifying the highest amount possible in every area of the region

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Article by Clarrie Feinstein for the Toronto Star

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