The recently formed Nelson Street Tenants Association is continuing to fight against the redevelopment of two Esquimalt residential buildings which they say will push working-class families out of their homes amid the ongoing housing crisis.
On Tuesday, Oct. 29, the association, along with the Victoria Tenants Union, were speaking with passersby in tandem with an open house being held by Intracorp, the developer looking to construct a mixed-use building made up of 335 homes on the site of the two buildings on Sussex Street and Saunders Street which currently has 67 units.
"We're ready to lay options on the table. First and foremost we want to stay in our home. Ultimately, the offer that we're seeing in the tenant assistance policy offer is inadequate to assist these people. If they, you know, if they want to kick us out of our homes, then they need to pay a fair, a fair amount," said Dan McDonald, a representative of the association who lives in one of the buildings.
At the Intracorp open house, a company representative explained the tenant assistance policy includes rental compensation for current tenants based on the length of their tenancy, a flat rate for moving compensation, relocation support, and providing returning tenants with 20 per cent below-market rent.
In an emailed statement, Intracorp B.C. president Evan Allegretto said, “It’s of the utmost importance to Intracorp to ensure that current tenants understand the process and the supports available to them. The Township of Esquimalt’s tenant assistance policy ensures that existing tenants are provided with relocation assistance, financial compensation, and the first opportunity to return to the building at below-market rents."
He also pointed to a third-party tenant support team, which is in the process of contacting existing tenants to walk them through the process, timeline and the assistance program.
"We continue to have ongoing contact with existing tenants on a 1:1 basis to ensure they are provided with all supports available to them through the tenant assistance policy," he noted.
Other advocates say the policy isn't enough.
"It says in there that the tenants will have right of first refusal and they'll be able to return with a rent rate that's 20 per cent below the market value. But how high will the rent market value rent be by then?" said Quin Jones, a representative for the Victoria Tenants Union, who called it a "meaningless gesture."
The association, which was formed in September, has started a letter-writing campaign as they've been building their membership base, and they've since been in contact with former Esquimalt council member and newly elected MLA Darlene Rotchford, who they say is "fully onboard" with what they are advocating for. They've also been talking with an organization to have a nonprofit agency operate the buildings so they retain their affordable housing status.
"We were surprised that they would do this [open house], and we believe it's in response to our letter campaign to the council that they're trying to establish a good relationship with the community, when in fact... they're the ones that are knocking down our buildings and displacing us," said McDonald. "We have one blind man in our buildings who doesn't want to leave because he's comfortable living in the neighborhood, to navigate around is very difficult for him."
Moving forward, McDonald said they feel "cautiously optimistic" as the situation progresses they will gain more support
"We're seeing examples of the same thing happening all over Canada and so we know we're not alone," he said. "Maybe we're on the leading edge. Maybe other people will learn by our example and be able to move forward with defending their own homes and their own and their own lives."
The building is expected to enter the development application process in 2025.
