WEBVTT 00:00:12.559 --> 00:00:18.680 I'm in Parkdale here they're threatening to 00:00:14.940 --> 00:00:18.680 withhold their rent starting tomorrow. 00:00:24.439 --> 00:00:28.289 Residents living at this building 00:00:26.849 --> 00:00:31.550 here near King and Dufferin say they 00:00:28.289 --> 00:00:31.550 shouldn't be forced to pay more rent. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:36.660 They, along with tenants at other 00:00:34.530 --> 00:00:38.430 buildings owned by the same management 00:00:36.660 --> 00:00:42.270 company say they're going on a rent 00:00:38.430 --> 00:00:45.860 strike. It could be the biggest one 00:00:42.270 --> 00:00:45.860 Parkdale has ever seen. 00:00:48.329 --> 00:00:53.710 Hundreds of residents in Parkdale have 00:00:51.460 --> 00:00:55.809 refused to pay rent fighting back 00:00:53.710 --> 00:00:58.179 against rent increases in their 00:00:55.809 --> 00:01:04.959 neighborhood now tonight they plan to 00:00:58.179 --> 00:01:07.390 take their action to the next level they 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:09.280 are now planning to expand by doubling 00:01:07.390 --> 00:01:11.649 the number of buildings participating in 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:14.229 the rent strike from six to twelve next 00:01:11.649 --> 00:01:16.659 month the rent strike here in Parkdale 00:01:14.229 --> 00:01:21.759 hit a new level today as residents set 00:01:16.659 --> 00:01:23.619 their sights on the decision maker this 00:01:21.759 --> 00:01:25.690 storm the hallways of the truck you know 00:01:23.619 --> 00:01:27.880 demanding the property manager met back 00:01:25.690 --> 00:01:32.100 scrapped the above guideline rent 00:01:27.880 --> 00:01:32.100 increases for the entire neighborhood 00:01:36.010 --> 00:01:41.050 the two sides are now sitting down to 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:43.060 talk and could be close to an agreement 00:01:41.050 --> 00:01:45.220 for these tenants getting to sit across 00:01:43.060 --> 00:01:47.560 the table from corporate giants is 00:01:45.220 --> 00:01:53.290 vindicating after months of fear and 00:01:47.560 --> 00:01:55.330 criticism over their tactics what once 00:01:53.290 --> 00:01:57.910 seems like an impossible task has now 00:01:55.330 --> 00:01:59.830 empowered an entire community they hope 00:01:57.910 --> 00:02:02.320 others across the city can see them as 00:01:59.830 --> 00:02:15.010 an example that no corporation is too 00:02:02.320 --> 00:02:16.930 big to take on one of the reasons why I 00:02:15.010 --> 00:02:18.580 picked Parkdale as a neighborhood 00:02:16.930 --> 00:02:20.770 because there was a great community 00:02:18.580 --> 00:02:22.930 aspect so it just kind of feels less 00:02:20.770 --> 00:02:24.820 like you're alone in a big city there's 00:02:22.930 --> 00:02:26.860 quite a few people that I see Brian our 00:02:24.820 --> 00:02:29.290 bikes taking their kids to school 00:02:26.860 --> 00:02:30.790 was just a very welcoming community and 00:02:29.290 --> 00:02:32.110 I really enjoy that when I first moved 00:02:30.790 --> 00:02:33.730 here I was a little bit afraid cuz 00:02:32.110 --> 00:02:35.740 Parkdale has a bad rep but I soon 00:02:33.730 --> 00:02:36.910 learned that it's one of the safest 00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:39.040 neighborhoods in this city 00:02:36.910 --> 00:02:41.590 you know I like the fact that Parkdale 00:02:39.040 --> 00:02:43.300 is sort of close to everything so you 00:02:41.590 --> 00:02:44.830 know we got the gardener right here so 00:02:43.300 --> 00:02:46.660 it's easy access to get onto the 00:02:44.830 --> 00:02:48.730 freeways and highways but yet we're 00:02:46.660 --> 00:02:51.130 still in the heart of downtown you know 00:02:48.730 --> 00:02:53.170 downtown is really only five minutes ten 00:02:51.130 --> 00:02:55.660 minutes away I like living by the lake 00:02:53.170 --> 00:02:57.790 and that cool breeze in the summertime I 00:02:55.660 --> 00:03:02.200 used to live in the North End of Toronto 00:02:57.790 --> 00:03:04.330 and neighbors weren't as friendly you 00:03:02.200 --> 00:03:07.989 know more well-to-do when keeping to 00:03:04.330 --> 00:03:10.330 themselves Parkdale has a large low 00:03:07.989 --> 00:03:12.070 income tenants population we have a ton 00:03:10.330 --> 00:03:13.270 of high-rise apartment buildings and for 00:03:12.070 --> 00:03:14.530 the most part they're folks that have 00:03:13.270 --> 00:03:17.650 lived in the neighborhood for a very 00:03:14.530 --> 00:03:21.700 long time people knows me in Parkville 00:03:17.650 --> 00:03:23.990 and I don't go in maybe everybody's 00:03:21.700 --> 00:03:27.140 friendly they helpful 00:03:23.990 --> 00:03:28.700 that's why I love the faggot 90% of the 00:03:27.140 --> 00:03:31.550 20,000 people that live in this 00:03:28.700 --> 00:03:33.920 neighborhood are renters and of them a 00:03:31.550 --> 00:03:36.620 higher than average proportion are 00:03:33.920 --> 00:03:38.810 paying over 50% of their wages to rent 00:03:36.620 --> 00:03:41.090 directly it's a community that is used 00:03:38.810 --> 00:03:42.800 to working class struggles people know 00:03:41.090 --> 00:03:44.360 that we need to work together and we 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:45.380 need to kind of get on the same page if 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:47.840 we're going to see changes in our 00:03:45.380 --> 00:03:49.940 neighborhood for decades Parkville has 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:53.240 been a neighborhood where a struggle has 00:03:49.940 --> 00:03:55.550 taken place between working-class poor 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:58.280 tenants and their landlords or their 00:03:55.550 --> 00:04:00.050 bosses or the government it's a friendly 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:03.020 neighborhood and people look out for one 00:04:00.050 --> 00:04:04.610 another I met my first neighbor on the 00:04:03.020 --> 00:04:07.460 day I moved in he just said welcome to 00:04:04.610 --> 00:04:08.870 the neighborhood gave me a magnet that I 00:04:07.460 --> 00:04:10.280 saw in my fridge and that's just one of 00:04:08.870 --> 00:04:11.720 the things I have loved about Park girls 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:14.330 it's day one so the nice place to live 00:04:11.720 --> 00:04:16.610 Parkdale is really diverse and its 00:04:14.330 --> 00:04:19.070 really welcoming to lots of different 00:04:16.610 --> 00:04:20.600 folks who are able to start families and 00:04:19.070 --> 00:04:22.460 stay in the neighborhood for a very long 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:24.200 time people feel really supported and 00:04:22.460 --> 00:04:27.050 there's a lot of community services that 00:04:24.200 --> 00:04:28.940 are really in tune with different 00:04:27.050 --> 00:04:31.070 communities that they're serving there 00:04:28.940 --> 00:04:32.960 are over 20 primary languages spoken in 00:04:31.070 --> 00:04:35.900 the neighborhood and it has a high 00:04:32.960 --> 00:04:37.850 number of new arrivals from other 00:04:35.900 --> 00:04:41.210 countries to Canada living here as a 00:04:37.850 --> 00:04:43.760 refugee I've been living in other 00:04:41.210 --> 00:04:46.480 countries like Nepal in India and I 00:04:43.760 --> 00:04:49.940 never had this sense of belonging and 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:52.610 this sense of belonging that's a comfort 00:04:49.940 --> 00:04:56.030 zone for a new immigrant so that 00:04:52.610 --> 00:04:59.300 don't get lost in a new country in your 00:04:56.030 --> 00:05:03.460 culture although we Tibetan people came 00:04:59.300 --> 00:05:05.480 here as a refugee scatter Canada 00:05:03.460 --> 00:05:13.910 majority people are thinking 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:17.180 bulbulay especially if you're visiting 00:05:13.910 --> 00:05:19.730 Parkdale for the first time Gritty often 00:05:17.180 --> 00:05:22.490 in your face this neighborhood is now on 00:05:19.730 --> 00:05:30.350 the gentrification fast-track how could 00:05:22.490 --> 00:05:32.120 it not be look where it is people have 00:05:30.350 --> 00:05:35.030 talked about Parkdale facing 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:37.310 gentrification for maybe 20 years now 00:05:35.030 --> 00:05:39.080 and I think the word gentrification can 00:05:37.310 --> 00:05:41.150 sometimes make that process a little 00:05:39.080 --> 00:05:43.070 unclear for people when the process 00:05:41.150 --> 00:05:45.560 itself is very clear in our neighborhood 00:05:43.070 --> 00:05:47.750 it's a process of displacement it is 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:49.610 mostly a phenomenon of force of economic 00:05:47.750 --> 00:05:51.350 and physical force exerted on 00:05:49.610 --> 00:05:53.120 working-class people that destroys 00:05:51.350 --> 00:05:54.710 working-class life and working-class 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:58.130 neighborhoods rents are they increasing 00:05:54.710 --> 00:06:00.500 and if they increase too much rent that 00:05:58.130 --> 00:06:04.220 we cannot effort landlords trying to 00:06:00.500 --> 00:06:06.740 pick up talent so that they can get milk 00:06:04.220 --> 00:06:08.990 and from which they can get more money 00:06:06.740 --> 00:06:11.600 the landlord tries to get that tenant 00:06:08.990 --> 00:06:14.120 out so that they can do very surface 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:16.730 level renovations on the unit give them 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:18.860 new appliances a new coat of paint and 00:06:16.730 --> 00:06:22.880 then they can jack up the rent 00:06:18.860 --> 00:06:25.250 sometimes 50% and get a new sort of 00:06:22.880 --> 00:06:26.780 10-inch into the building so not the 00:06:25.250 --> 00:06:29.150 working-class tenants that live in 00:06:26.780 --> 00:06:29.900 Parkdale not immigrant families that 00:06:29.150 --> 00:06:32.870 live in Parkdale 00:06:29.900 --> 00:06:35.930 but generally young professional well 00:06:32.870 --> 00:06:38.330 off white tenants and also the state 00:06:35.930 --> 00:06:39.680 plays into it as well deportations have 00:06:38.330 --> 00:06:43.070 gutted this name 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:44.570 in a lot of really severe ways up until 00:06:43.070 --> 00:06:46.520 only recently this had been a 00:06:44.570 --> 00:06:49.100 neighborhood in which a large number of 00:06:46.520 --> 00:06:51.710 Roma and Sinti Hungarian and checked 00:06:49.100 --> 00:06:53.510 refugees came and threw the concerted 00:06:51.710 --> 00:06:55.340 effort of the state they were they were 00:06:53.510 --> 00:06:56.900 systematically removed from this 00:06:55.340 --> 00:06:58.729 neighborhood and deported back to really 00:06:56.900 --> 00:07:00.139 deplorable conditions there's large 00:06:58.729 --> 00:07:02.210 parts of our community that are missing 00:07:00.139 --> 00:07:04.970 the Tibetans have been living here for 00:07:02.210 --> 00:07:07.699 almost now 15 20 years so it seems that 00:07:04.970 --> 00:07:10.699 it's gentrification is disintegrating 00:07:07.699 --> 00:07:13.370 the social vibrancy in part a so that's 00:07:10.699 --> 00:07:15.860 really disheartening to see that part of 00:07:13.370 --> 00:07:18.229 is a poor neighborhood and everybody 00:07:15.860 --> 00:07:21.460 helped each other but other people move 00:07:18.229 --> 00:07:24.620 in this area they acting like 00:07:21.460 --> 00:07:26.630 differently like they are more important 00:07:24.620 --> 00:07:28.850 and you and you believe he loved a 00:07:26.630 --> 00:07:31.520 different kind of local spots closing 00:07:28.850 --> 00:07:33.470 they put in a Starbucks that's changed 00:07:31.520 --> 00:07:34.039 the banks are moving out that's not a 00:07:33.470 --> 00:07:36.080 good thing 00:07:34.039 --> 00:07:37.910 I know the CIBC closed down and I 00:07:36.080 --> 00:07:40.100 believe the intent is to put up some 00:07:37.910 --> 00:07:41.600 condo complexes there we have two condo 00:07:40.100 --> 00:07:43.340 projects moving in and that's just the 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:45.410 beginning that's the thin edge of a very 00:07:43.340 --> 00:07:46.820 thick wedge I think so yeah I think it's 00:07:45.410 --> 00:07:49.220 a real issue for Parkdale is 00:07:46.820 --> 00:07:51.139 gentrification Liberty Village is just 00:07:49.220 --> 00:07:56.150 across Dufferin and it's moving in this 00:07:51.139 --> 00:07:57.919 direction bloggers and today I'm in 00:07:56.150 --> 00:08:06.139 Liberty Village one my favorite hood I'm 00:07:57.919 --> 00:08:10.310 going to show you around Liberty Village 00:08:06.139 --> 00:08:12.229 is kind of a created community it was a 00:08:10.310 --> 00:08:14.389 lot of old warehouses in the 00:08:12.229 --> 00:08:17.060 neighborhood that have slowly turned 00:08:14.389 --> 00:08:18.620 into a huge condo development another 00:08:17.060 --> 00:08:21.710 version of condo land 00:08:18.620 --> 00:08:23.570 essentially it is not like single-family 00:08:21.710 --> 00:08:24.789 homes it is not large apartment 00:08:23.570 --> 00:08:27.680 buildings like it is a very 00:08:24.789 --> 00:08:30.410 intentionally designed like professional 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:31.240 development that is designed in a way to 00:08:30.410 --> 00:08:35.679 keep 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:38.580 people out brewpubs and bistros and that 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:41.890 kind of environment here 24-hour metro 00:08:38.580 --> 00:08:43.659 expensive nail salons and waxing 00:08:41.890 --> 00:08:45.220 facilities and here's the spot if you 00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:47.500 want to get a mani-pedi on Sunday with 00:08:45.220 --> 00:08:50.200 your bestie they wanted to make this a 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:53.620 Liberty Village West but it's not the 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:55.510 pretty village West it's Parkdale I want 00:08:53.620 --> 00:08:57.760 to say like I see Liberty Village coming 00:08:55.510 --> 00:09:00.160 to cocktail I see things being more 00:08:57.760 --> 00:09:01.810 expensive I see more and more changes in 00:09:00.160 --> 00:09:02.770 terms of identification and the types of 00:09:01.810 --> 00:09:04.750 people that are moving into the 00:09:02.770 --> 00:09:07.540 neighborhood that may not care about the 00:09:04.750 --> 00:09:08.080 neighborhood as much as we'd like them 00:09:07.540 --> 00:09:15.869 to 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:15.869 [Music] 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:21.930 for a lot of people in Toronto or even 00:09:20.579 --> 00:09:24.870 people who heard about the rent strike 00:09:21.930 --> 00:09:26.910 outside of Toronto it seems like it 00:09:24.870 --> 00:09:28.740 started very suddenly that it was this 00:09:26.910 --> 00:09:30.899 huge struggle of hundreds of 00:09:28.740 --> 00:09:33.990 working-class tenants that just popped 00:09:30.899 --> 00:09:36.420 out of thin air but the reality is that 00:09:33.990 --> 00:09:38.550 it didn't pop out of thin air I have 00:09:36.420 --> 00:09:41.190 seen fliers kind of going about either 00:09:38.550 --> 00:09:42.870 on lamp posts or flyers in my building 00:09:41.190 --> 00:09:44.910 or just kind of there's a bit of a buzz 00:09:42.870 --> 00:09:47.670 just happening I wasn't sure exactly 00:09:44.910 --> 00:09:49.380 what it was but I knew that I wanted to 00:09:47.670 --> 00:09:51.180 learn more about it so I reached out to 00:09:49.380 --> 00:09:52.829 Parkdale organized and then that's kind 00:09:51.180 --> 00:09:54.540 of where the ball started rolling I 00:09:52.829 --> 00:09:56.700 heard about Parkdale organized somebody 00:09:54.540 --> 00:09:59.160 put a flyer on my door so that's how I 00:09:56.700 --> 00:10:03.060 first got involved I mean colonisers 00:09:59.160 --> 00:10:05.160 really you have done good job the group 00:10:03.060 --> 00:10:07.950 Parkdale organized says they don't know 00:10:05.160 --> 00:10:09.570 just yet what their next project will be 00:10:07.950 --> 00:10:11.880 for now they're taking a much deserved 00:10:09.570 --> 00:10:13.860 break after months of organizing 00:10:11.880 --> 00:10:16.410 Parkdale organize is good with people 00:10:13.860 --> 00:10:18.240 who have come together to organize in 00:10:16.410 --> 00:10:20.220 our neighborhoods and people who are 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:21.930 hoping to build the working-class power 00:10:20.220 --> 00:10:23.370 in the neighborhood so that we can take 00:10:21.930 --> 00:10:25.890 control of the place that we live a 00:10:23.370 --> 00:10:28.860 handful of people came together to try 00:10:25.890 --> 00:10:30.300 and put an organization to the struggles 00:10:28.860 --> 00:10:32.250 that people in the neighborhood had been 00:10:30.300 --> 00:10:34.890 facing working-class people face a 00:10:32.250 --> 00:10:36.839 myriad of individual struggles within 00:10:34.890 --> 00:10:39.630 the neighborhood the idea was to 00:10:36.839 --> 00:10:40.320 collectively through solidarity and 00:10:39.630 --> 00:10:41.970 direct action 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:43.769 deal with those issues before the rent 00:10:41.970 --> 00:10:47.519 strike Parkdale organized had been 00:10:43.769 --> 00:10:49.399 around for fifty three four years and we 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:51.750 had been organizing building by building 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:52.990 knocking on doors with places where 00:10:51.750 --> 00:10:56.530 people had been facing 00:10:52.990 --> 00:10:58.870 French increases disrepair pest problem 00:10:56.530 --> 00:11:00.730 and telling people that the thing that 00:10:58.870 --> 00:11:02.680 they needed to do was get together with 00:11:00.730 --> 00:11:05.500 their neighbors and confront their 00:11:02.680 --> 00:11:09.250 landlord directly we had organized at 00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:11.380 first slowly in a few buildings and it 00:11:09.250 --> 00:11:11.920 was always a hard sell who are you 00:11:11.380 --> 00:11:13.510 people 00:11:11.920 --> 00:11:16.960 why are you knocking on my door what is 00:11:13.510 --> 00:11:19.600 it that you want me to do and we started 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:22.120 to have successes initially struggles 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:24.250 around a major new player in the real 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:26.320 estate market achelous which is a real 00:11:24.250 --> 00:11:28.480 estate fund based in Scandinavia that 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:31.090 bought up a bunch of buildings up and 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:32.860 down the boulevards in Parkdale tenants 00:11:31.090 --> 00:11:34.720 at a park dale apartment building are 00:11:32.860 --> 00:11:39.400 fighting back against their property 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:42.820 owner 188 Jameson the dreamer inside I 00:11:39.400 --> 00:11:44.500 know people on 188 where some of my 00:11:42.820 --> 00:11:46.360 relatives live also they had this 00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:48.850 problem for a few months long before 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:51.250 other struggles that had kind of given a 00:11:48.850 --> 00:11:52.930 bit broader conception of what it is 00:11:51.250 --> 00:11:54.880 that working people struggle against in 00:11:52.930 --> 00:11:56.980 this neighborhood was a worker initiated 00:11:54.880 --> 00:11:58.870 strike over a food terminal two major 00:11:56.980 --> 00:12:01.000 food hub the largest in southern Ontario 00:11:58.870 --> 00:12:04.570 I think the largest in Ontario generally 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:06.640 that employs a lot of tenants in in 00:12:04.570 --> 00:12:08.440 Parkdale they went on strike and people 00:12:06.640 --> 00:12:11.020 from the neighbourhood supported them as 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:13.630 well once we had started getting those 00:12:11.020 --> 00:12:15.340 successes are organizing became much 00:12:13.630 --> 00:12:17.950 easier pitch when a bunch of people's 00:12:15.340 --> 00:12:19.930 doors people had heard of us before we 00:12:17.950 --> 00:12:21.760 started to be able to just buzz up to a 00:12:19.930 --> 00:12:23.140 random unit in the building and say hey 00:12:21.760 --> 00:12:24.610 we're from Parkdale organized you want 00:12:23.140 --> 00:12:27.010 to come talk to you about something and 00:12:24.610 --> 00:12:30.340 people would always invite us in those 00:12:27.010 --> 00:12:31.990 campaigns started to put a different 00:12:30.340 --> 00:12:33.670 idea out there within the neighbourhood 00:12:31.990 --> 00:12:35.350 which was that the struggles that people 00:12:33.670 --> 00:12:36.610 find themselves faced with not 00:12:35.350 --> 00:12:37.680 individual struggles and don't need to 00:12:36.610 --> 00:12:40.170 be dealt with individual 00:12:37.680 --> 00:12:42.270 that organizing around those issues not 00:12:40.170 --> 00:12:43.589 just protesting not just registering 00:12:42.270 --> 00:12:45.210 dissent and not just complaining about 00:12:43.589 --> 00:12:47.550 them but something that that could be 00:12:45.210 --> 00:12:51.300 done so when this situation presented 00:12:47.550 --> 00:12:54.180 itself when met cap ridiculously applied 00:12:51.300 --> 00:12:55.589 for above guideline rent increases in 00:12:54.180 --> 00:12:57.810 several buildings throughout the 00:12:55.589 --> 00:13:00.839 neighborhood all at once this rent 00:12:57.810 --> 00:13:04.170 strike it emerged from from all of that 00:13:00.839 --> 00:13:07.470 previous organizing it for sure took the 00:13:04.170 --> 00:13:09.630 actions of grade tenants in those 00:13:07.470 --> 00:13:11.670 buildings but it had also taken a lot of 00:13:09.630 --> 00:13:13.200 groundwork to get the neighborhood to a 00:13:11.670 --> 00:13:15.800 point where it was ready for this type 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:15.800 of struggle 00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:22.620 [Music] 00:13:19.230 --> 00:13:24.270 my cap is one of two large landlords in 00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:26.880 the neighborhood those being Metcalfe 00:13:24.270 --> 00:13:29.040 and Vicki leus Brent Merrill is the CEO 00:13:26.880 --> 00:13:31.200 now of Metcalfe 00:13:29.040 --> 00:13:33.180 also directly owned some of the 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:36.750 buildings in the neighborhood he is a 00:13:33.180 --> 00:13:38.730 greedy Pig he's not thinking about poor 00:13:36.750 --> 00:13:42.590 people he think he and only but himself 00:13:38.730 --> 00:13:46.440 if they increase in each and every other 00:13:42.590 --> 00:13:49.470 rent then really we are facing problems 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:51.180 I've been here for three years and I've 00:13:49.470 --> 00:13:53.790 gotten those rent increases year after 00:13:51.180 --> 00:13:56.190 year a lot of the tenants that have been 00:13:53.790 --> 00:13:58.560 here for a lot longer than I've been for 00:13:56.190 --> 00:13:59.730 decades on top of it from the stories 00:13:58.560 --> 00:14:01.550 that they've been telling they've been 00:13:59.730 --> 00:14:04.290 going through those types of things for 00:14:01.550 --> 00:14:06.060 years and years and years has always 00:14:04.290 --> 00:14:09.090 been an above guideline rent increase 00:14:06.060 --> 00:14:10.890 and above guideline rent increase is an 00:14:09.090 --> 00:14:13.890 extra rent increased that landlords are 00:14:10.890 --> 00:14:15.990 allowed to ask for on top of the annual 00:14:13.890 --> 00:14:17.550 provincial guideline the Ontario 00:14:15.990 --> 00:14:19.500 government says landlords are allowed a 00:14:17.550 --> 00:14:21.180 certain amount and when the landlord has 00:14:19.500 --> 00:14:23.580 done extra work in the building if they 00:14:21.180 --> 00:14:25.260 have done some capital expenditures that 00:14:23.580 --> 00:14:27.990 cost a lot of money they're allowed to 00:14:25.260 --> 00:14:30.120 pass on these costs to the tenants to a 00:14:27.990 --> 00:14:33.090 maximum of nine percent over three years 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:35.610 on top of a guideline amount so there's 00:14:33.090 --> 00:14:37.320 the idea that things are can remain 00:14:35.610 --> 00:14:39.420 affordable because of rent control is 00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:42.690 actually quite a first one percent on 00:14:39.420 --> 00:14:46.260 let's say a standard $1000 is about $10 00:14:42.690 --> 00:14:48.960 right $15 to 1.5 percent whereas now 00:14:46.260 --> 00:14:51.540 you're asking for four so $40 a month 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:53.910 it may sound trivial and the small runs 00:14:51.540 --> 00:14:55.800 but you know for some of the people that 00:14:53.910 --> 00:14:58.110 live in this area it's a lot of 00:14:55.800 --> 00:14:59.760 blue-collar working-class people and a 00:14:58.110 --> 00:15:01.680 lot of people that just came into the 00:14:59.760 --> 00:15:03.930 country you know so some people have to 00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:06.690 make decisions on whether they put that 00:15:03.930 --> 00:15:09.060 extra money to rent or you know spend 00:15:06.690 --> 00:15:10.980 that money on groceries or some other 00:15:09.060 --> 00:15:14.910 people it's them staying in the building 00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:17.130 or not it's not just kind of my personal 00:15:14.910 --> 00:15:19.500 position in it it's knowing that an 00:15:17.130 --> 00:15:21.210 entire neighborhood and my friends and 00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:22.950 people that I would call family are 00:15:21.210 --> 00:15:24.960 suffering along with me because they are 00:15:22.950 --> 00:15:26.460 unable to pay their rent for these 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:28.470 unrealistic increase 00:15:26.460 --> 00:15:30.420 people have tried to fight these above 00:15:28.470 --> 00:15:31.980 guideline rent increases in the past but 00:15:30.420 --> 00:15:33.930 they were never winning like the law was 00:15:31.980 --> 00:15:36.120 not set up for tenants to win so they 00:15:33.930 --> 00:15:38.790 had to come up with a new strategy if we 00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:41.430 were going to kind of take on the law 00:15:38.790 --> 00:15:43.890 and the landlord an opinion had started 00:15:41.430 --> 00:15:44.640 to form in the neighborhood that we had 00:15:43.890 --> 00:15:46.350 had enough 00:15:44.640 --> 00:15:48.780 with the treatment that we had faced we 00:15:46.350 --> 00:15:51.090 had had enough of our neighbors being 00:15:48.780 --> 00:15:53.190 pushed out of our buildings one by one 00:15:51.090 --> 00:15:55.200 month after month and then we were going 00:15:53.190 --> 00:15:56.730 to do something about it and at the 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:58.890 something we were going to do about it 00:15:56.730 --> 00:16:02.190 was going to involve direct action and 00:15:58.890 --> 00:16:03.960 it was not going to be about advocacy it 00:16:02.190 --> 00:16:05.280 was not going to be about lobbying it 00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:07.140 was not going to be about raising 00:16:05.280 --> 00:16:09.210 awareness because all of those avenues 00:16:07.140 --> 00:16:10.590 had failed us rent strike was a tactic 00:16:09.210 --> 00:16:12.660 that had been discussed by various 00:16:10.590 --> 00:16:14.550 tenants doing various struggles up until 00:16:12.660 --> 00:16:16.110 this point what a critical mass was kind 00:16:14.550 --> 00:16:17.520 of achieved where enough people were 00:16:16.110 --> 00:16:18.810 talking about it and the people felt 00:16:17.520 --> 00:16:20.280 confident about the experiences that 00:16:18.810 --> 00:16:27.480 they had already been through that they 00:16:20.280 --> 00:16:30.840 were willing to take it on it started 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:33.630 with 87 Jameson steer the first ones to 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:36.240 go on rent strike we decide to hold back 00:16:33.630 --> 00:16:38.580 the rent for a certain time and see how 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:41.520 he's gonna respond and he wasn't too 00:16:38.580 --> 00:16:44.400 happy from that more conversation 00:16:41.520 --> 00:16:46.260 started in different buildings around 87 00:16:44.400 --> 00:16:49.170 Jameson liked on the same street in the 00:16:46.260 --> 00:16:50.880 same neighborhood to talk about if there 00:16:49.170 --> 00:16:52.350 was more people involved in this rent 00:16:50.880 --> 00:16:54.510 strike if there was more people talking 00:16:52.350 --> 00:16:56.070 to each other and organizing then we can 00:16:54.510 --> 00:16:58.260 be a lot more effective and taking on 00:16:56.070 --> 00:17:00.320 the landlord 87 Jameson have early 00:16:58.260 --> 00:17:03.390 hauled off their rent strike and 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:05.520 initially tenants from that building and 00:17:03.390 --> 00:17:07.980 members from Parkdale organize set out 00:17:05.520 --> 00:17:08.520 to to make contact with other tenants in 00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:10.439 other 00:17:08.520 --> 00:17:12.660 I think the other buildings came on 00:17:10.439 --> 00:17:15.000 board because we had people coming 00:17:12.660 --> 00:17:17.250 organizing Lobby meetings learning what 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:19.500 they've been going through and how what 00:17:17.250 --> 00:17:21.300 they were suffering through listen to 00:17:19.500 --> 00:17:22.890 what I've been going through in my own 00:17:21.300 --> 00:17:24.510 building or same thing that I'd seen 00:17:22.890 --> 00:17:26.819 other neighbors go through as well just 00:17:24.510 --> 00:17:28.740 the unresponsiveness from that cab for 00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:31.679 me personally it was a pest control 00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:34.679 issue and the lack of follow-up by met 00:17:31.679 --> 00:17:36.300 cap in terms of cockroaches and mice I 00:17:34.679 --> 00:17:38.340 joined the rent strike because of just 00:17:36.300 --> 00:17:40.170 the way madcap treats people they took 00:17:38.340 --> 00:17:41.400 you like a second-class citizen and I I 00:17:40.170 --> 00:17:43.110 just thought it was time for a 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:44.910 correction in attitude I was happy to 00:17:43.110 --> 00:17:47.160 join the rent strike and the fact that 00:17:44.910 --> 00:17:49.650 there's a fantastic community I want to 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:51.750 organize I was just like it's time in 00:17:49.650 --> 00:17:53.700 March we went to met caps corporate head 00:17:51.750 --> 00:17:56.040 office on Richmond Street I think it was 00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:57.900 about 70 or 80 of us that went down to 00:17:56.040 --> 00:17:59.610 landlord's office all together they 00:17:57.900 --> 00:18:01.410 locked us out they wouldn't take our 00:17:59.610 --> 00:18:21.480 repair request they phoned the police 00:18:01.410 --> 00:18:23.309 they told us we were trespassing we 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:25.170 managed to get up to their front door 00:18:23.309 --> 00:18:27.000 and they they were behind the glass 00:18:25.170 --> 00:18:28.559 laughing at us that's how they viewed us 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:30.929 it's not the first time they've been 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:32.610 protested and they thought this was 00:18:30.929 --> 00:18:34.950 another flashing pan it would just go 00:18:32.610 --> 00:18:37.110 away at this time it didn't go away so 00:18:34.950 --> 00:18:39.270 tenants in this neighborhood are used to 00:18:37.110 --> 00:18:40.770 having meetings in their Lobby so we 00:18:39.270 --> 00:18:42.690 just had a meeting in the landlord's 00:18:40.770 --> 00:18:44.940 Lobby to talk about like this was really 00:18:42.690 --> 00:18:46.350 disrespectful the landlord doesn't even 00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:47.880 want to speak to their own tenants 00:18:46.350 --> 00:18:51.000 they're not addressing issues they're 00:18:47.880 --> 00:18:52.740 legally required to address let's let's 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:55.260 let's talk about doing a rent strike in 00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:57.750 the neighborhood meet decide on what the 00:18:55.260 --> 00:19:00.549 next steps are providing these rent 00:18:57.750 --> 00:19:02.710 increases and forgetting the units 00:19:00.549 --> 00:19:04.990 we came here today to Trevor appeal to 00:19:02.710 --> 00:19:07.210 them as people and they wouldn't even 00:19:04.990 --> 00:19:09.400 address us so clearly the only thing 00:19:07.210 --> 00:19:10.720 that matters is money so that's probably 00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:12.520 the direction we're gonna have to go 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:14.500 there's a God to do something you got to 00:19:12.520 --> 00:19:16.950 stop because they are indifferent to us 00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:20.260 they are disrespectful they are 00:19:16.950 --> 00:19:23.289 disregarding our concern so we got to go 00:19:20.260 --> 00:19:26.230 on land right a ranch site so we came 00:19:23.289 --> 00:19:28.659 back tried to think of next steps the 00:19:26.230 --> 00:19:30.400 next test was to follow the same line 00:19:28.659 --> 00:19:33.610 that 87 was on and go on to rhetoric 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:36.309 that was a process that involves lots of 00:19:33.610 --> 00:19:39.309 door knocking lots of Lobby meetings 00:19:36.309 --> 00:19:43.650 mass meetings as well as escalating 00:19:39.309 --> 00:19:50.980 actions of engagement against my cat and 00:19:43.650 --> 00:19:54.760 the rest is sort of history now let's 00:19:50.980 --> 00:19:59.500 all go to the lobby let's all go to the 00:19:54.760 --> 00:20:02.110 lobby let's all go to the lobby to get 00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:04.059 ourselves a treat the lobby meetings 00:20:02.110 --> 00:20:06.789 were organized I believe by Parkdale 00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:09.010 organized a few people would show up and 00:20:06.789 --> 00:20:10.809 talk to us about what the living 00:20:09.010 --> 00:20:13.270 conditions were like and about the rent 00:20:10.809 --> 00:20:15.280 increases we were facing and that way we 00:20:13.270 --> 00:20:17.919 started to get to know one another and 00:20:15.280 --> 00:20:19.330 sort of explore what was happening and 00:20:17.919 --> 00:20:21.070 what we could do about it 00:20:19.330 --> 00:20:23.799 I think Lobby meetings help the good yet 00:20:21.070 --> 00:20:25.299 time to get opinions from different 00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:28.090 people different and learn how to 00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:29.350 strategize the lobby meeting this is 00:20:28.090 --> 00:20:32.169 exactly what it sounds like they are 00:20:29.350 --> 00:20:34.179 among the only public spaces in our 00:20:32.169 --> 00:20:35.860 buildings where more than four people 00:20:34.179 --> 00:20:38.260 can get 00:20:35.860 --> 00:20:39.549 and discuss anything so a lot of times 00:20:38.260 --> 00:20:41.470 at the building level that's where the 00:20:39.549 --> 00:20:43.899 meetings take place unreal 00:20:41.470 --> 00:20:46.450 talk about what's going on and what our 00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:48.490 next step on what we plan to do so you 00:20:46.450 --> 00:20:50.710 could keep anything and it will be very 00:20:48.490 --> 00:20:52.690 often they took myself just going around 00:20:50.710 --> 00:20:55.000 the building letting people know when 00:20:52.690 --> 00:20:56.140 the next Lobby meeting will be you go 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:57.669 around door to door you knock on 00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:59.110 people's doors you have conversations 00:20:57.669 --> 00:21:01.269 but what's been going on with those 00:20:59.110 --> 00:21:03.909 people what it is that they think about 00:21:01.269 --> 00:21:05.409 it and you set a date for for a number 00:21:03.909 --> 00:21:06.909 of people to get together from that 00:21:05.409 --> 00:21:08.500 building and discuss what it is that 00:21:06.909 --> 00:21:10.120 they're gonna do about it you know 00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:12.220 obviously when they first started a lot 00:21:10.120 --> 00:21:14.139 of people were very skeptical like what 00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:15.700 is this they can be chaotic sometimes 00:21:14.139 --> 00:21:16.990 it's part Dale there's a lot of 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:19.419 characters and everybody has something 00:21:16.990 --> 00:21:21.100 to say to me it struck me as being a 00:21:19.419 --> 00:21:22.269 little bit disorganized at first but I 00:21:21.100 --> 00:21:24.580 thought this is worth getting involved 00:21:22.269 --> 00:21:26.590 in it's become more commonplace for 00:21:24.580 --> 00:21:28.450 people in the neighborhood meeting 00:21:26.590 --> 00:21:29.889 people starts to know our face so people 00:21:28.450 --> 00:21:31.269 are automatically in the building start 00:21:29.889 --> 00:21:33.130 stopping and start saying hey what's 00:21:31.269 --> 00:21:34.690 going on with this will you know what's 00:21:33.130 --> 00:21:37.029 the update what's the word it made me 00:21:34.690 --> 00:21:39.880 feel I had support going door to door 00:21:37.029 --> 00:21:41.860 and putting out flyers to let people 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:45.220 know what we're all about what we're 00:21:41.860 --> 00:21:47.169 hoping to gain by the rent strike our 00:21:45.220 --> 00:21:49.090 Lobby meeting was just a good a good way 00:21:47.169 --> 00:21:50.860 to get our neighbors connected and get 00:21:49.090 --> 00:21:51.940 them informed and make sure that they 00:21:50.860 --> 00:21:54.039 knew that they weren't alone in the 00:21:51.940 --> 00:21:56.320 situation some decisions get made their 00:21:54.039 --> 00:21:58.149 tops are giving up and then and then 00:21:56.320 --> 00:21:59.919 those tasks are carried out and then you 00:21:58.149 --> 00:22:01.779 have another Lobby meeting to go over 00:21:59.919 --> 00:22:04.389 what's taking place and make further 00:22:01.779 --> 00:22:06.760 decisions talking to each other trying 00:22:04.389 --> 00:22:08.139 to get a consensus important thing is 00:22:06.760 --> 00:22:10.980 this every can and get involved 00:22:08.139 --> 00:22:10.980 inclusive nest 00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:17.540 [Music] 00:22:14.710 --> 00:22:19.790 one of the things I enjoyed the most was 00:22:17.540 --> 00:22:22.160 the march through Parkdale lots of 00:22:19.790 --> 00:22:24.500 support horn honking and people waving 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:26.390 at us the march through Parkdale which a 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:28.190 huge amount of people showed up for the 00:22:26.390 --> 00:22:29.810 day we marched meeting in front of the 00:22:28.190 --> 00:22:32.930 library and staying there with a few of 00:22:29.810 --> 00:22:35.390 my friends and taking up space and being 00:22:32.930 --> 00:22:37.940 loud and unapologetic about the fact 00:22:35.390 --> 00:22:40.670 that we weren't going to tolerate that 00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:43.040 cat's behavior any longer and getting 00:22:40.670 --> 00:22:45.110 out into the community and just like 00:22:43.040 --> 00:22:47.180 marching around and just picking up 00:22:45.110 --> 00:22:48.860 people as we went along there were so 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:51.020 many actions it kind of took on a life 00:22:48.860 --> 00:23:00.590 of his own at protesting one of the 00:22:51.020 --> 00:23:02.750 owners in Forest Hill this morning a few 00:23:00.590 --> 00:23:05.150 dozen tenants they boarded a yellow 00:23:02.750 --> 00:23:06.920 school bus and took the protest right to 00:23:05.150 --> 00:23:28.130 the front doorstep of one of the 00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:29.900 property owners going to the tribunal 00:23:28.130 --> 00:23:34.430 and everyone showing up there inside 00:23:29.900 --> 00:23:36.290 court we almost nearly hundred people it 00:23:34.430 --> 00:23:38.270 was a raucous start at the landlord and 00:23:36.290 --> 00:23:40.820 tenant tribunal hearing young and st. 00:23:38.270 --> 00:23:43.070 clair protesters delay the hearing by 00:23:40.820 --> 00:23:44.690 more than an hour calling for Metcalfe 00:23:43.070 --> 00:23:46.190 to give in to their demands 00:23:44.690 --> 00:23:48.740 it was the incident when they tried to 00:23:46.190 --> 00:23:51.080 run somebody over the truck incident was 00:23:48.740 --> 00:23:53.450 friend Merrill a protest in June saw 00:23:51.080 --> 00:23:55.700 Metcalfe CEO Brent Merrill narrowly 00:23:53.450 --> 00:23:56.540 avoid hitting a protestor outside one of 00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:58.340 his bill 00:23:56.540 --> 00:23:59.720 having seen the video now I don't know 00:23:58.340 --> 00:24:01.430 what it would happen if if I had gone 00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:02.690 under the car as it goes off to the side 00:24:01.430 --> 00:24:05.930 I really thought at some point he would 00:24:02.690 --> 00:24:08.060 slow down it was really shocking really 00:24:05.930 --> 00:24:10.490 shocking you always expect the worst for 00:24:08.060 --> 00:24:12.260 Metcalfe that just blew me away I mean 00:24:10.490 --> 00:24:15.980 that was just they just took the cake 00:24:12.260 --> 00:24:19.520 that day they had messed up in a massive 00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:23.450 way thankfully Kevin was all right but 00:24:19.520 --> 00:24:24.620 in that moment I just like got them you 00:24:23.450 --> 00:24:25.970 know I don't want to make this the 00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:27.560 centerpiece of what's going on today I 00:24:25.970 --> 00:24:29.120 think that what needs to happen is that 00:24:27.560 --> 00:24:31.040 they need to recognize that this 00:24:29.120 --> 00:24:33.590 community is not backing down we're not 00:24:31.040 --> 00:24:36.500 leaving not the one force in all the 00:24:33.590 --> 00:24:38.180 building not one force everybody that's 00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:40.370 the highlight more than anything that 00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:44.300 the collective will and the collective 00:24:40.370 --> 00:24:48.500 strength was being fully accessed in 00:24:44.300 --> 00:24:50.720 order to carry this out and that was a 00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:58.070 hell of a thing to watch and participate 00:24:50.720 --> 00:25:00.770 on my favorite part of the rent strike 00:24:58.070 --> 00:25:02.990 was the way that it seeped into our 00:25:00.770 --> 00:25:04.910 everyday lives he didn't feel as alone 00:25:02.990 --> 00:25:08.570 in the building as you may have before 00:25:04.910 --> 00:25:10.730 or you knew who was kind of fighting 00:25:08.570 --> 00:25:12.170 with you I think it has been like such a 00:25:10.730 --> 00:25:14.720 positive thing for the neighborhood 00:25:12.170 --> 00:25:16.970 thing I think neighbors are now way more 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:18.290 open to having conversations for a lot 00:25:16.970 --> 00:25:19.760 of us you know I didn't really talk to a 00:25:18.290 --> 00:25:22.670 lot of people in my building before this 00:25:19.760 --> 00:25:24.680 and now it's sort of it brought people 00:25:22.670 --> 00:25:26.750 together I started running into people 00:25:24.680 --> 00:25:31.190 on the street that would say hello to me 00:25:26.750 --> 00:25:33.980 and I asked about the rent strike and it 00:25:31.190 --> 00:25:35.480 just made for a much closer community 00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:37.760 yeah I just helped build a community 00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:41.030 quite a bit I feel like even those who 00:25:37.760 --> 00:25:42.830 are not living in madcap tenants were 00:25:41.030 --> 00:25:45.440 asking what's going on with madcap 00:25:42.830 --> 00:25:48.290 what's happening now what the decision 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:50.300 it got pretty normal that there would be 00:25:48.290 --> 00:25:51.440 an impromptu meeting in the produce 00:25:50.300 --> 00:25:55.220 section of the no-frills 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:57.320 and it was those those moments that they 00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:59.870 were honestly beautiful for me because 00:25:57.320 --> 00:26:02.690 so often politics are 00:25:59.870 --> 00:26:05.150 just wiped from from our daily lives and 00:26:02.690 --> 00:26:07.490 you know people might go to a protest on 00:26:05.150 --> 00:26:09.320 a Saturday you know somewhere that's 00:26:07.490 --> 00:26:12.620 like half an hour transit ride from the 00:26:09.320 --> 00:26:15.590 house but this reality of not being able 00:26:12.620 --> 00:26:17.120 to stand on my balcony not being able to 00:26:15.590 --> 00:26:19.790 go out on the street without meeting 00:26:17.120 --> 00:26:21.380 someone who was in this struggle with me 00:26:19.790 --> 00:26:23.780 who had been thinking about it all day 00:26:21.380 --> 00:26:25.640 just like me who was worrying about it 00:26:23.780 --> 00:26:27.470 who was making plans and really that 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:30.350 feeling that we were in this together 00:26:27.470 --> 00:26:32.630 it was the only time in my life when I 00:26:30.350 --> 00:26:35.570 had really felt that level of 00:26:32.630 --> 00:26:37.460 camaraderie with the people who I lived 00:26:35.570 --> 00:26:41.890 with the people I was surrounded by and 00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:45.110 it just added this wait this this 00:26:41.890 --> 00:26:47.090 content to both our daily lives and the 00:26:45.110 --> 00:26:48.920 struggle you know we were all at home 00:26:47.090 --> 00:26:50.660 thinking oh my goodness what's the next 00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:52.700 thing I can do what else can I do to 00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:55.130 help us win because the stakes were so 00:26:52.700 --> 00:26:58.100 high it was so real and people are 00:26:55.130 --> 00:26:59.510 really curious about what's going on and 00:26:58.100 --> 00:27:01.220 are kind of really hopeful because they 00:26:59.510 --> 00:27:02.990 see that the tenants are like making 00:27:01.220 --> 00:27:04.520 some really huge wins and like wondering 00:27:02.990 --> 00:27:05.660 like well how can we do this in our 00:27:04.520 --> 00:27:09.170 building like how can we get involved 00:27:05.660 --> 00:27:11.390 people wants to do something and they 00:27:09.170 --> 00:27:13.130 like what is happening being the 00:27:11.390 --> 00:27:15.110 different people that sort of jumped on 00:27:13.130 --> 00:27:17.420 board along with us social support so 00:27:15.110 --> 00:27:19.070 you know Queen Victoria all the teachers 00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:20.990 there stood out on the block and made a 00:27:19.070 --> 00:27:23.420 lot of noise on the corner of King and 00:27:20.990 --> 00:27:25.880 the Jameson which is really amazing to 00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:27.920 see it hundreds of residents here in 00:27:25.880 --> 00:27:31.070 Parkdale are heading into their second 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:34.130 month refusing to pay rent in protest of 00:27:31.070 --> 00:27:35.750 rent hikes here in Parkdale and now 00:27:34.130 --> 00:27:38.420 they're getting the support of some 00:27:35.750 --> 00:27:39.860 unlikely allies in the heart of South 00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:43.690 Park dale right at the corner of King 00:27:39.860 --> 00:27:46.190 and Jameson is a huge elementary school 00:27:43.690 --> 00:27:47.120 so many of the kids from South Park Dale 00:27:46.190 --> 00:27:49.100 go to that school 00:27:47.120 --> 00:27:51.770 the Parkdale elementary school is 00:27:49.100 --> 00:27:54.200 surrounded by 19 buildings owned by 00:27:51.770 --> 00:27:56.179 Metcalf living five of them are facing 00:27:54.200 --> 00:27:59.350 rent increases above the provincial 00:27:56.179 --> 00:28:01.460 maximum conditions of poverty of 00:27:59.350 --> 00:28:04.980 displacement those are things that are 00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:07.380 felt most strongly by children 00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:08.880 and the teachers in the schools are very 00:28:07.380 --> 00:28:10.799 aware of that they see it in their 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:12.659 students every day they see when they're 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:14.880 tired they see when they're hungry they 00:28:12.659 --> 00:28:16.169 see when they have bed bug bites or when 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:17.850 they're afraid that their parents are 00:28:16.169 --> 00:28:19.470 going to lose their home they see it 00:28:17.850 --> 00:28:20.639 when the students don't show up at the 00:28:19.470 --> 00:28:22.350 next school year because they've been 00:28:20.639 --> 00:28:23.760 displaced from our neighborhood you know 00:28:22.350 --> 00:28:26.909 there were teachers at Parkdale 00:28:23.760 --> 00:28:29.190 elementary who tried to take action when 00:28:26.909 --> 00:28:30.899 Roma students were being deported on 00:28:29.190 --> 00:28:33.299 mass from the neighborhood there were 00:28:30.899 --> 00:28:35.010 you know teachers who have talked about 00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:36.149 the conditions at the school who have 00:28:35.010 --> 00:28:38.190 talked about conditions in the 00:28:36.149 --> 00:28:40.559 neighborhood but it's always a problem 00:28:38.190 --> 00:28:43.950 when those actions take the form of just 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:46.679 advocacy or raising awareness often the 00:28:43.950 --> 00:28:50.029 worst conditions that that we face are 00:28:46.679 --> 00:28:52.710 things that are very legal but are wrong 00:28:50.029 --> 00:28:54.419 these above guideline rent increases 00:28:52.710 --> 00:28:58.289 that have been displaced in our 00:28:54.419 --> 00:29:01.409 neighbors are absolutely legal and what 00:28:58.289 --> 00:29:03.210 was so amazing about the support that we 00:29:01.409 --> 00:29:06.299 had from teachers in the neighborhood 00:29:03.210 --> 00:29:09.419 was they've seen how this legal regime 00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:12.630 of above guideline rent increases has 00:29:09.419 --> 00:29:14.940 stripped our our neighborhood of its 00:29:12.630 --> 00:29:17.149 working class qualities has forced 00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:21.029 working-class people out of Parkdale and 00:29:17.149 --> 00:29:23.750 they were willing in fact enthusiastic 00:29:21.029 --> 00:29:26.039 about the opportunity to support 00:29:23.750 --> 00:29:28.169 working-class people the parents of 00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:30.419 their students in their formation of 00:29:28.169 --> 00:29:32.610 working-class organizations that were 00:29:30.419 --> 00:29:34.139 capable of taking on the things that are 00:29:32.610 --> 00:29:36.480 legal but wrong 00:29:34.139 --> 00:29:38.940 I'm in Parkdale we're striking tenants 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:41.250 are putting away their protest signs and 00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:43.740 banners now that a three month rent 00:29:41.250 --> 00:29:45.870 strike has ended with a negotiated 00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:48.299 agreement with the landlord working 00:29:45.870 --> 00:29:51.360 class people sat down across the table 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:53.730 from people that represented hundreds of 00:29:51.360 --> 00:29:55.620 millions of dollars in capital and 00:29:53.730 --> 00:29:57.899 didn't budge I was there for the 00:29:55.620 --> 00:30:01.289 negotiation process and that cap came 00:29:57.899 --> 00:30:02.320 and they had various employees from 00:30:01.289 --> 00:30:04.330 Metcalf 00:30:02.320 --> 00:30:07.390 when their main investor showed up I 00:30:04.330 --> 00:30:09.970 think our tenon team really walked well 00:30:07.390 --> 00:30:12.610 we had discussions and meeting before 00:30:09.970 --> 00:30:16.980 the negotiations and we we knew what 00:30:12.610 --> 00:30:19.690 they were up to and we knew our demand 00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:21.790 usually had one or two representatives 00:30:19.690 --> 00:30:24.490 from each building who'd been involved 00:30:21.790 --> 00:30:26.410 in the rent strike all along each of the 00:30:24.490 --> 00:30:27.790 main buildings that were participating 00:30:26.410 --> 00:30:29.290 in the rent strike had a couple of 00:30:27.790 --> 00:30:31.660 building representatives that kind of 00:30:29.290 --> 00:30:33.760 spread information to the rest of their 00:30:31.660 --> 00:30:34.930 pens in their building as well as speak 00:30:33.760 --> 00:30:36.640 to all of the tenants in the building to 00:30:34.930 --> 00:30:38.560 see what people wanted to do moving 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:41.320 forward the height there were close to 00:30:38.560 --> 00:30:43.930 300 people on the rent strike and the 00:30:41.320 --> 00:30:45.970 people at the bargaining table were 00:30:43.930 --> 00:30:48.010 about 20 of us we went in there with 00:30:45.970 --> 00:30:50.560 very very firm demands we had to 00:30:48.010 --> 00:30:52.750 negotiate courts were not professional 00:30:50.560 --> 00:30:54.220 negotiators so it was quite a learning 00:30:52.750 --> 00:30:56.260 experience for sure 00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:57.550 so Parkdale Community Legal Services 00:30:56.260 --> 00:30:59.260 worked with those building 00:30:57.550 --> 00:31:01.540 representatives through negotiations 00:30:59.260 --> 00:31:03.400 with the landlord and the investment 00:31:01.540 --> 00:31:05.650 person all in all the negotiation 00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:07.300 process of it really really well and it 00:31:05.650 --> 00:31:09.250 was a very good deal for Parkdale I 00:31:07.300 --> 00:31:11.470 would definitely consider this a win I 00:31:09.250 --> 00:31:13.300 think the tenants are really going to 00:31:11.470 --> 00:31:16.440 want to talk about what the winners were 00:31:13.300 --> 00:31:19.420 from the from these negotiations 00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:21.760 unfortunately the details are 00:31:19.420 --> 00:31:25.540 confidential the numbers are good so 00:31:21.760 --> 00:31:26.430 good that Metcalfe has required a gag 00:31:25.540 --> 00:31:28.410 order on 00:31:26.430 --> 00:31:31.080 the actual specific numbers I would say 00:31:28.410 --> 00:31:32.760 that we won yes and there's a lot of 00:31:31.080 --> 00:31:34.320 people with smiles on their faces in 00:31:32.760 --> 00:31:37.860 Parkdale I think the biggest and most 00:31:34.320 --> 00:31:39.660 important result of the red strike is 00:31:37.860 --> 00:31:42.840 that the Rennes strike has been 00:31:39.660 --> 00:31:46.920 recognized by those that carried it out 00:31:42.840 --> 00:31:48.450 as a tactic not an end in and of itself 00:31:46.920 --> 00:31:52.250 and a tactic that's employed by 00:31:48.450 --> 00:31:54.810 organizing by organizations that are 00:31:52.250 --> 00:31:57.150 developed by working-class people there 00:31:54.810 --> 00:31:59.040 is a shift socially and politically 00:31:57.150 --> 00:32:01.050 underway within this neighborhood and 00:31:59.040 --> 00:32:02.930 hopefully hopefully outside of the 00:32:01.050 --> 00:32:05.700 neighborhood as well which is that 00:32:02.930 --> 00:32:08.130 people are capable of doing things that 00:32:05.700 --> 00:32:10.410 they are otherwise told by legal 00:32:08.130 --> 00:32:12.750 convention and economic mandate that 00:32:10.410 --> 00:32:15.180 they cannot do cheers at a park dale 00:32:12.750 --> 00:32:17.880 building as residents mark the end of a 00:32:15.180 --> 00:32:20.010 long battle sadly there's no shortage of 00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:22.140 things for us to organize around so the 00:32:20.010 --> 00:32:24.000 lesson that people should take is not 00:32:22.140 --> 00:32:26.160 that they should move to a few other 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:27.960 neighborhoods in cariocans activity and 00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:29.730 other neighborhoods should carry on this 00:32:27.960 --> 00:32:31.290 activity different types of problems are 00:32:29.730 --> 00:32:33.120 there each and every losing 00:32:31.290 --> 00:32:34.950 gentrification is happening all over the 00:32:33.120 --> 00:32:36.630 city it's not just in Parkdale so I 00:32:34.950 --> 00:32:38.610 think it's important that people get the 00:32:36.630 --> 00:32:40.320 message that when you stick together we 00:32:38.610 --> 00:32:42.330 have a lot more power as a group than we 00:32:40.320 --> 00:32:43.200 do as individuals I would suggest that 00:32:42.330 --> 00:32:46.320 anyone 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:48.810 hi rent increases to get together with 00:32:46.320 --> 00:32:50.790 their neighbors don't go alone you know 00:32:48.810 --> 00:32:53.070 get your neighbors involved he organized 00:32:50.790 --> 00:32:55.140 go as one which caused a unified front 00:32:53.070 --> 00:32:56.790 get organized meet with people in your 00:32:55.140 --> 00:32:58.140 building meet with people outside your 00:32:56.790 --> 00:32:59.790 building you're more powerful than you 00:32:58.140 --> 00:33:02.600 think a lot of people are really 00:32:59.790 --> 00:33:05.820 skeptical I mean I remember back in 00:33:02.600 --> 00:33:07.320 March and even an April we're starting 00:33:05.820 --> 00:33:09.330 to organize the rent strike like even 00:33:07.320 --> 00:33:11.160 some of the main organizers now we're 00:33:09.330 --> 00:33:11.970 like you guys are nuts like this is 00:33:11.160 --> 00:33:14.040 never going to work 00:33:11.970 --> 00:33:15.480 everyone's they get evicted nobody in 00:33:14.040 --> 00:33:17.250 this building wanted to get involved I 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:19.140 was the only person some people told me 00:33:17.250 --> 00:33:21.630 don't watch the boat it doesn't affect 00:33:19.140 --> 00:33:22.980 us but now that the rent strikes over 00:33:21.630 --> 00:33:25.320 and the negotiations 00:33:22.980 --> 00:33:27.690 everybody was everybody just cheering 00:33:25.320 --> 00:33:29.730 this on right this is the greatest thing 00:33:27.690 --> 00:33:32.370 since sliced bread some people are still 00:33:29.730 --> 00:33:35.010 calling us iMac so some other and strike 00:33:32.370 --> 00:33:37.920 like that Oh y'all did a great job when 00:33:35.010 --> 00:33:41.490 y'all get started how y'all do this how 00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:45.240 y'all do that you make you feel good but 00:33:41.490 --> 00:33:46.440 the nation a difference I'm happy we 00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:51.560 work out very well 00:33:46.440 --> 00:33:54.590 I'm emboldened by this right people 00:33:51.560 --> 00:33:56.510 now even if something that happens next 00:33:54.590 --> 00:33:58.820 I'm having more people with joint 00:33:56.510 --> 00:34:01.610 because you had that piece of big thing 00:33:58.820 --> 00:34:03.920 there's power in numbers and we had a 00:34:01.610 --> 00:34:05.150 loud voice in our voice with hurt that's 00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:07.970 what people in the neighborhood have 00:34:05.150 --> 00:34:11.870 learned from this experience is that 00:34:07.970 --> 00:34:14.960 while there are individual working-class 00:34:11.870 --> 00:34:17.150 people that are commendable the strength 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:18.920 and authority that is latent within the 00:34:17.150 --> 00:34:21.199 working class which annually is 00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:22.969 something that no other social force can 00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:24.980 actually touch and it just has to be 00:34:22.969 --> 00:34:27.469 organized and that organization takes a 00:34:24.980 --> 00:34:29.510 lot of work the lesson to take is do the 00:34:27.469 --> 00:34:32.300 work do the organizing carry out the 00:34:29.510 --> 00:34:34.659 action win the day and prepare for the 00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:34.659 next day 00:34:36.880 --> 00:35:01.179 [Music] 00:34:56.110 --> 00:35:01.179 [Laughter]