Torontonians are speaking out about rental evictions. On Monday night, demonstrators stormed Mayor John Tory's condo during a Keep Your Rent protest. The movement was in response to the recent amendments to Bill 184. Photos of crowds of protesters began popping up on Twitter on July 6, highlighting the size of the movement. Keep Your Rent, a group that is calling on Toronto tenants to stop paying their rent during the pandemic, claims that the provincial government’s changes to Bill 184 will allow landlords to remove thousands of residents from their homes. On its website, the group states that “The Ford government is making its move to mass evict Toronto tenants." "While tenants hoped for relief, the Ford government snuck through amendments to Bill 184 that clears the way for landlords to evict 1000s of Toronto tenants who have been unable to pay rent during COVID-19. This bill could be voted on as soon as Tuesday morning.” Hundreds of protesters gathered in Queen Park on Monday before marching over to Tory’s condo building. More photos from this afternoon's rally at Queen's Park and march to Mayor John Tory's $2.4 million condo.#Toronto tenants continue to press their demands for no evictions and forced payments for unpaid rent during #COVIDー19.#NoCovidEvictions pic.twitter.com/zUmMXPyeU7— Keep Your Rent Toronto (@KeepYourRent) July 7, 2020 Demonstrators held signs which called for no evictions or forced payments. The group also posted an N7 eviction notice on the building where the mayor lives. “Today tenants from across Toronto issued an N7 eviction notice to John Tory. You come for us, we come for you. That is what good neighbours do,” the group said about the incident. Today tenants from across Toronto issued an N7 eviction notice to John Tory. You come for us, we come for you. That is what good neighbours do.#NoCovidEvictions pic.twitter.com/YVqAFUZ3g1— Parkdale Organize (@ParkdaleOrg) July 7, 2020 However, according to Now Toronto, the amendments to the bill, which were announced on March 12, will include fines for landlords caught abusing their power. “We’ve heard the concerns from tenants who have been forced to leave their homes due to renovations. That’s why we are taking action to increase fines, raise tenant compensation, and tighten the rules to encourage everyone to follow the law," said Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark, in a statement. According to CP24, the protest also led to a tense situation between police and demonstrators, as officers attempted to pull people down from the building.
