[homeles_ot-l] Reminder: Ottawa Tenants Conference, May 12, 2012

[Rob MacDonald]

Hi, everyone,
Apologies for any cross postings.

Just a reminder that the 6th Ottawa Tenants Conference will be held at
City Hall at 110 Laurier Avenue West on Saturday, May 1 2012 from 9:am
to 2:00pm.  Registration is required.  It is open to tenants who live
on the private market or in social housing.  There will guest speakers
who are experts in the field of tenant issues as well as workshops
covering maintenance, public health, bedbugs, social housing and
francophone issues.  There will also be games, prizes and legal
services available throughout the day to assist tenants with specific
problems,

Unique in Ottawa and Ontario, the goal of the Ottawa Tenants
Conference is to address the imbalance of power that exists between
landlords and tenants by providing a safe environment to engage
tenants in dialogue. It strives to reduce the isolation tenants
experience in dealing with their housing problems by bringing them
together collectively and empowering them to advocate for themselves.
The organizers believe in education of tenants about structural
legislation and systemic policy to ensure they have a better
understanding of the broader guiding principles and the decisions at a
political level that impact on their lives.  It is through this
understanding that tenants learn to participate in the system.

As both provincial and federal governments are freezing wages and
implementing austerity measures, landlords in Ontario are collecting a
3.1 percent rent increase from tenants who are barely scraping by in
recessionary times In addition to higher rents, we continue to lose
housing through fires and demolitions only to be replaced by high end
of market condominiums. Affordable rental housing is becoming an
endangered species.

Admission to the conference is free and lunch is provided. Bus tickets
and a limited number of daycare subsidies are also available on a
first come, first served basis.

To register, visit our website at ottawatenantsconference.ca or phone
613-563-4532, extension 456.

-- 
Rob MacDonald,
Advocate for Tenants

"Warriors, warriors we call ourselves.  We fight for
splendid virtue, for high endeavour, for sublime wisdom,
therefore we call ourselves warriors."
Aunguttara Nikaya
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