This Halloween, Ontario Tenants Are Fighting Ford’s Housing Nightmare: Bill 60

This Halloween, tenants across Ontario took to the streets to expose Doug Ford’s latest housing horror — Bill 60 — and his attempt to eliminate rent control through fixed-term leases.

From Ottawa to Hamilton, Toronto to Mississauga, London to Kitchener, ACORN members rallied in costume with chants, signs, and petitions to demand real protections for tenants.

After 23,000 tenant emails in just four days and an emergency meeting of over 500 renters, Ford was forced to pause his plan to remove rent control through fixed-term leases.

But the fight isn’t over — Bill 60 will still accelerate to the homelessness crisis by speeding up evictions and taking away tenants’ rights at the LTB.

Ontario ACORN is demanding Doug Ford:

• Commit to never bringing in fixed-term leases
• Close rent control loopholes — end the exemption for post-2018 buildings and ban Above Guideline Increases (AGIs)
• Strengthen rent control through vacancy control
• Withdraw the harmful eviction measures in Bill 60 that fast-track evictions and limit tenants’ ability to defend themselves at the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)
• While the government claims it wants a “balanced” approach to the LTB, it hasn’t proposed a single measure that would improve tenants’ access to justice — only landlords’. If Ford wants balance, he should start by restoring in-person hearings and reducing tenant wait times, which are currently 2–3 times longer than landlords’.

Action Highlights from Across Ontario

Toronto:
35 ACORN members rallied in College Park with allies from the York South-Weston Tenant Union, FMTA and Toronto & York Region Labour Council. Members then led a march to the Ministry of Housing, where private security blocked the doors. ACORN leaders negotiated delivery of a demand letter to the 14th floor then moved on to the Ministry of the Attorney General where we took over the lobby. Leaders, Stacey Semple and Marcia Stone, successfully delivered the demand letter after some creative persistence. The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

Ottawa:
ACORN members and allies from Horizon Ottawa and Community Legal Services rallied in the rain at the Human Rights Monument to denounce Bill 60 as a gift to greedy landlords. Speakers reminded the crowd that tenants have power — and when we organize, we win. Housing is a human right!

Hamilton:
Two T-Rexes, Halloween candy, and over 50 members and allies made for a spirited rally outside MPP Monica Ciriello’s office. Supporters from Guelph and St. Catharines joined in, with coverage from the Hamilton Spectator and speeches from Environment Hamilton, Hamilton and District Labour Council and HCBN. Thank you to everyone who came!

London:
Outside the downtown Service Ontario, members demanded full rent control with no loopholes and gathered 70 petition signatures in just one hour. Members celebrated stopping fixed-term leases (for now!) and emphasized the need to keep growing the movement to defeat the rest of Bill 60.

Kitchener:
Waterloo Region ACORN members gathered at Service Ontario to call out Ford’s “scariest attack yet” on rent control. Members made it clear: the time for killing rent control is NEVER! Creative costumes and strong chants drew support from passersby all afternoon.

Mississauga:
Peel ACORN leaders delivered a strongly worded demand letter to PC MPP Natalia Kusendova-Bashta (Mississauga Centre), outlining the serious problems with Bill 60 and calling for full rent control and tenant protections. Enough of giving landlords the treats and leaving tenants with the tricks!

Keep the Momentum Going

ACORN’s campaign has already forced Ford to back down once — now we need to finish the job.

👉 Keep handing out flyers.
👉 Sign the online action to send an email to Doug Ford and your MPP demanding a commitment to NEVER bringing in fixed term leases and the withdrawal of Bill 60.