Montreal unites for housing justice

CUTV attended the Housing Justice Convergence in Montreal for its latest Metropolis episode, covering an event that brought together over 200 participants to address Canada’s housing crisis. Organized by SEIZE, the convergence aimed to unite tenant unions, developers of alternatives, policy experts, funders, and housing advocacy groups to share grassroots perspectives and encourage nationwide collaboration. The event featured over 60 panelists and 33 community partners, creating an opportunity for knowledge exchange and solution-oriented discussions.

Participants came from various cities, including Toronto, New York City, and Victoria, reflecting a broad interest in addressing housing challenges.

The convergence placed a strong emphasis on the communities most impacted by the housing crisis, including immigrants, women, single-parent households, elders, people with disabilities, and victims of domestic violence. Organizers stressed the importance of accurately framing the crisis, as how it is defined could shape policy decisions for years to come.

The panel discussions covered a wide range of topics, including migrant justice, movement building, housing justice and anti-colonial movements, big tech, homelessness, tenant organizing, and accessibility, among others. The event aimed to move beyond identifying the problems to proposing practical solutions and empowering activists to build power for their policy demands ahead of the federal election.

CUTV interviewed several key figures, including Lena, founder of Tenant Rights QC; Olivia, general coordinator of SEIZE; Malcolm, operations coordinator at SEIZE; and Quinn, a tenant organizer and member of SLAM. The interviewees shared tools and strategies for grassroots activism, such as working with media and financing housing projects. Some highlighted successful tenant union initiatives from across the country, and others advised listeners and watchers on how to become more knowledgeable about their rights.