WOMEN AGAINST POVERTY COLLECTIVE

NOW Magazine on Abandonment Issues

2007-11-10T15:06:00.000-05:00

"One of the best ways to put poverty issues on the agenda is to threaten to take away rich people's stuff."
Read NOW's coverage of a discussion about abandoned housing stock in Toronto.

WAPC Stencil Making Workshop!

2007-09-11T11:25:00.001-04:00

Get Your Message Out!

Stencil Making Workshop
Saturday September 15
1:00 - 4:00 pm
17 Phoebe Street
(north of Queen St. E, East of Spadina)
Wheelchair Accessible space
Child Friendly space

The Women Against Poverty Collective is planning the next steps in our campaign to create housing for women and trans people, that is accessible and controlled by those who live in it. We continue to demand that all levels of government make access to affordable and safe housing a priority, particularly for survivors of violence. As we approach the October 10th provincial election, we invite women and trans people to "Get Your Message Out!" by joining us at workshop that will be a space for participants to create stencils and plans for use during the weeks leading up to the provincial election and beyond. We are
looking at ways to create public messages that will keep the need for housing for women and trans people visible.

All women and transfolk welcome
For more info: womenagainstpoverty@gmail.com
womenagainstpovertycollective.org

2007-09-11T11:24:00.001-04:00

CHARGES AGAINST WOMEN'S HOUSING TAKEOVER ORGANIZERS WITHDRAWN!

2007-07-27T12:31:00.000-04:00

Just days after members of the Women Against Poverty Collective (WAPC) packed the court room in support of four women charged with break and enter and mischief, the crown has withdrawn the charges! The four women were part of a collaborative effort to convert an abandoned building at 4 Howard St. into useable, safe housing for women, transfolks and our kids.

On June 3rd, 2007 WAPC held a rally, march and housing takeover to raise awareness about the connection between poverty, violence and homelessness in women's lives. Lack of affordable housing and pitifully low social assistance rates force many women and transwomen to choose between living with violent partners or living on the street. Once on the street though, homeless women are so marginalized that they are assaulted, raped and murdered at 10 times the rate of other women in Canada.

WAPC aims to stop this violence by creating housing that is controlled by us and for us. The tent city and housing takeover on June 3^rd was one such action. In response to the 'threat' of women and trans folks creating their own solutions to homelessness, police violently attacked the participants with horses, assaulting and targeting racialized women/transfolks in particular. To date, the mayor, police chief and police services board have all refused to acknowledge this brutality and have denied WAPC's requests for a meeting.

The charges against the four are being withdrawn as part of the Community Justice Program, where each of the four charged will donate $50 to a social justice organization, in this case the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, in exchange for a withdrawal of the charges. All four women will continue to organize with the WAPC. One woman who was outside the housing takeover is still facing a charge of obstruction and WAPC will continue to support her in her legal case and calls on her charge to be withdrawn as well.

The crown's decision to withdraw the charges affirms what we already know: that the police reaction on June 3rd was politically motivated- a violent attempt to frighten and silence women and transfolk willing to take direct action to gain safe housing for ourselves and each other. That we've continued organizing, continued speaking out and continued struggling collectively shows that they've failed! We will keep on fighting for all people's right to have safe homes, live free of violence and have enough money to live in dignity.

COME OUT TO THE NEXT WAPC MEETING ON AUGUST 1ST AT 5PM AT PARKDALE COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES (1266 Queen St. W) AS WE CONTINUE IN OUR STRUGGLE TO WIN HOUSING BY US FOR US NOW!

For more info on the Women Against Poverty Collective go to www.womenagainstpovertycollective.org.

Wimmin and Transfolk of Colour/Indigenous Track Meeting

2007-07-21T18:23:00.000-04:00

What: Wimmin and Transfolk of Colour/Indigenous Track Meeting
When: Thursday July 26th 4:30PM - 6:00PM
Where: 100 Devonshire (1 block east of St.George, just south of Bloor) @ the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS)

On June 3rd, 2007 hundreds of women, kids, trans people and male allies marched to 4 Howard Street to reclaim an abandoned building for housing for survivors of violence and their families. Our spirited peaceful protest was arbitrarily ended that evening by police on horses and on foot who pushed and shoved protestors into busy streets, tore down tents, limited our movement and otherwise acted with unnecessary and excessive force.

On July 19th, the WAPC rallied once again to take over the space in front of Toronto Police HQ to speak out about the violence at the June 3rd action and raise the broader issue of police complicity in women abuse through street theatre, spoken word, an open mic and several speakers.

Among the concerns raised at our last action was the targetting of police violence on women and transfolk of colour and indigenous women and transfolk. The WAPC is committed to providing a safe space for women and transfolk of colour and indigenous women and transfolk to discuss and act on these and other issues. Join us this Thursday July 26 4:30PM - 6:00PM at APUS located at 100 Devonshire for our Women and Transfolk of Colour/Indigenous Track Meeting.

Please note that this meeting is for women and transfolk of colour and indigenous women/transfolk. New members are welcome and encouraged! Also, stay tuned for the WAPC's upcoming general meeting in early August.

Women Speak out Against Violence

2007-07-20T19:05:00.000-04:00

On July 19 the Women's Collective Against Poverty and supporters rallied at Toronto Police HQ.

This event was to support a court appearance by four women arrested and charged with trying to create accessible and affordable housing as part of a WAPC event on Sunday June 3. The event was also part of the fight to provide housing by women for women now.

About fifty women, transfolk and their supporters took over the courtyard of the police building with improvisational theatre, amazing poetry and compelling stories from a range of participants. Women spoke on the many types of violence we and our sisters face in Toronto: from lack of housing, from abusive partners, from poverty and from police. Thank you to Tommee, Anna, Jen, Mike, Truth Is, Helen and all our amazing speakers and performers for sharing with us.

Today's brief court appearance was to get disclosure and set a future court date. The four charged will be back in provincial court again August 10.

Local photojournalist John Bonnar was on hand with camera, check out his photos and videos of this and other WAPC events. Graeme has also posted photos.

Upcoming action - WAPC needs your support!

2007-07-17T13:14:00.000-04:00

What: Women Against Poverty Collective (WAPC) Media Conference + Rally + Speak Out
When: Thursday July 19 11Am - 1:30PM
Where: Police HQ @ 40 College (Yonge and College)

The Women Against Poverty Collective are holding a media conference as a follow up to the June 3rd action to raise the issue of overpolicing and underpolicing with regards to women abuse.

The Toronto police force demonstrated at the WAPC's most recent June 3rd action that the police are just as fast to crack down on survivors speaking out against women abuse as they are slow to act when the same survivors need protection from their abusers. The WAPC has requested a meeting to discuss these issues within the broader context of epidemic women abuse in Toronto with the Mayor, Chief of Police and Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board. All three offices rejected our request, so in true WAPC fashion we are taking matters into our own hands and bringing the meeting to them!

Join us this Thursday July 19 from 11AM - 1:30PM @ 40 College as we speak out on the issue of policing and women abuse, take back Police Headquarters for the community and make it clear that the silence on women abuse in Toronto stops now! In addition to speakers, performances and street theatre we will also have an open mic so come to share your stories as well.

Video Clip of the Housing Takeover

2007-06-14T07:42:00.000-04:00

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzTvUhzR8ms to view a one-minute video on youtube of the Housing Takeover Action.

2007-06-05T11:21:00.000-04:00

News Coverage

2007-06-04T22:15:00.000-04:00

Here are the latest news articles covering Sunday's action.

Housing Protests End in Four Arrests: 150 had occupied an empty building near St.Jamestown

Police Clash With Protesters At Affordable Housing Rally

Anti-poverty protesters arrested in Standoff

Oliva Chow's Address to the House of Commons

2007-06-04T22:08:00.000-04:00

Below is an exerpt from Olivia Chow's address to the house of commons today, June 4, 2007.
She mentions the housing action in the fourth paragraph, see bolded passages

Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is
national hunger awareness day. This budget could have done a lot to deal
with child poverty, yet there is hardly any investment in it to reduce
poverty. In just over 15 years, there had been a 99.3% growth in food
bank use by hungry Canadians, yet we have the means to provide all
Canadian adults and children with a fair share of food if we have the
political will to do so.

The face of hunger will surprise all of us because it is the face of
children. We need to recognize the reality and the depth of hunger that
Canadian families face every day. Forty-one per cent of them are
children and 13.4% are people who have full time jobs, and 53% of
households visiting food banks are families with children. Many of them
of course are working several jobs, yet still cannot pay the rent and
feed their kids. This is according to the hunger count of 2006.

In March 2006, more than 753,000 individuals in Canada used the food
banks because they were hungry. We know that there are many hungry
people across Canada in our neighbourhoods and our communities, and that
we all need to take action to make sure that all Canadians have their
fair share of food and no one is going hungry.

To reduce the root causes of hunger in Canada, we absolutely have to
invest in affordable housing and child care, and increase the minimum
wage to at least $10 an hour.I want to speak a bit about building
affordable housing.

Yesterday, hundreds of women in my riding in Toronto and their allies
walked through the streets of Toronto and went to a building in the
riding at 4 Howard Street. It is one of the hundreds of buildings in
Toronto that has been allowed to sit empty and deteriorate until they
either fall down or must be torn down.

These women are saying that we need to build affordable housing because
some women are victims of domestic abuse, and their kids are stuck in
shelters, in unsafe housing. They have to move every two or three
months, sometimes even sooner because they cannot find affordable
housing. They do not go to the same schools. Their kids cannot form any
kind of friendships because they do not have permanent housing.Some even
go back to their abusive relationships because they have no place to
live and they are desperate. Homeless women face violence every day on
the streets, whether they are in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal or
Halifax, in big cities or in small towns and communities.

These women yesterday said that we have to push the Canadian government
to establish a decent, affordable housing strategy and that there needs
to be extra money in the federal budget to build affordable housing.

We know that the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has a budget
surplus of at least $5 billion in its reserve funds, and that while this
money is sitting in the reserve funds, there are hundreds and hundreds
of Canadians who are homeless and have no place to live, so in this
budget it is really a complete missed opportunity.

There are also people who live in affordable housing now but their
buildings are falling apart. Just in Toronto alone, the Toronto
Community Housing Corporation said that it is in need of at least $300
million to maintain these buildings, because they are falling apart. The
elevators do not work. Many of these building are heated by electric
heat, and a lot of the tenants end up paying a lot of money in heat or
hydro electricity, with very little money left for buying food and
paying for transportation. There is a huge backlog of maintenance and
yet there is no money to support the existing affordable housing in this
budget.

Next Steps Planning Meeting

2007-06-04T22:05:00.000-04:00

Come on out.

WHAT: Organizing meeting for women and trans people only
WHEN: 10am-11am there is a women/trans people of colour/Aboriginal women's caused, followed by a meeting for all women and trans people from 11am-1pm.
Where: 17 Phoebe St.

This is a wheelchair accessible space.

The Women Against Poverty Collective is a group of women and trans people who are working together to advocate for safe, affordable and accessible housing for women experiencing violence.

For any further information please contact: 416-417-8962.

2007-06-04T10:06:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2007

WOMEN AGAINST POVERTY DEMAND GOVERNMENT ACTION ON HOUSING –

Toronto – On Sunday June 3rd, hundreds of women, trans people and their allies marched through the streets of Toronto to 4 Howard Street, one of hundreds of buildings in this city that have been allowed to sit empty and deteriorate until they fall down or must be torn down. Four Women Against Poverty Collective members had already entered the building, claiming it for affordable housing for women by women. We erected a tent city in support of the women inside, but several hours into our peaceful gathering, police used excessive force to move us - giving little or no warning before aggressively clearing our demonstration, and using horses to push women into small confined spaces, creating a very unsafe situation.

Speakers will address the police response as well as the following demands:

• We call on Mayor Miller and City Council to force developers to create safe affordable housing when they: ask for zoning variances, don’t pay their taxes, or allow their buildings to fall apart.

• We call on Premier McGuinty to immediately raise social assistance rates by 40% and to develop a coherent, well-funded province–wide housing policy that has timelines, clear number of units to be built, and accountability components included.

• We call on Prime Minister Harper to develop a coherent, well-funded Canada–wide housing policy and program, and to devote 1% of the federal budget to affordable housing.

Too many survivors of violence and their kids are stuck in shelters, unsafe housing, or abusive homes because they have no place to live. Homeless women face violence every day on the streets. We will continue to demonstrate for change until it happens.

WHAT: Media Conference and Community Meal
WHEN: Monday June 4th, 12 Noon
WHERE: 519 Church St. Community Centre
WHO: Women Against Poverty Collective (WAPC)

The Women Against Poverty Collective is a group of women and trans people who are working together to advocate for safe, affordable and accessible housing for women experiencing violence.

- 30 –

For more information: Anna Willats, 416-417-8962 (cell); Magaly SanMartin, 416-906-4399 (cell)
www.womenagainstpovertycollective.org

Press Conference & Community Meal

2007-06-04T00:15:00.000-04:00

Please come join us:

WHAT: Media Conference and Community Meal
WHEN: Monday June 4th, 12 Noon
WHERE: Cawthra Square (Just north of 519 Church Street)
WHO: Women Against Poverty Collective (WAPC)

The Women Against Poverty Collective is a group of women and trans people who are working together to advocate for safe, affordable and accessible housing for women experiencing violence.

WHAT: Organizing meeting for women and trans people only
WHEN: Sunday June 10th, 1-4pm
Where: 17 Phoebe St.
This is a wheelchair accessible space.

For any further information please contact: 416-417-8962.

2007-06-03T21:30:00.001-04:00

The squatters at 4 Howard Street were evicted and arrested by the police around 7pm. Shortly after the tent city was packed up.

By 8pm cops surrounded the house, the park and the street infront of the house.

We are currently re-grouping and will post a more detailed update soon.

We have Occupied!

2007-06-03T18:28:00.000-04:00

The Women against Poverty Collective has occuped a house on 4 Howard St and a tent city has sprung up in the park across the street. Howard Street is located just South of Bloor St and Sherbourne.

Come on out and join us!

The house is currently surrounded by the police and the police are surrounded by us. Anything could happen at any moment.

There are tents up around the house, tents up across the street and many people inbetween. Still, support and solidarity is needed. It may be a long night.

Hope to see you here!
(4 Howard St, just South of Bloor and Sherbourne)

2007-06-01T13:25:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2007

HOUSING ACTION
WOMEN AGAINST POVERTY TAKE OVER ABANDONED BUILDING

Toronto - Low income women are forced to raise their children in unsafe neighbourhoods where apartments are often overcrowded, in need of major repairs, and vermin infested. Poverty, lack of housing and fear of losing their children to child protection agencies are among the biggest concerns of women living with violence who want to leave.
The Women Against Poverty Collective (WPAC) is holding a rally, march and housing takeover in downtown Toronto on Sunday, June 3rd. “We have learned through history that sometimes we don’t get anything unless we struggle and demand to get it.” says Anna Willats of WAPC. “On June 3rd we will create our own housing. Housing that is controlled by us, for us, that is safe and accessible.” Willats went on to say that the building being taken over on Sunday is one of hundreds of buildings that are sitting empty and unused for years in this city.

Abused women’s shelters designed to house women and their children for a few weeks are now sheltering women for months because they can’t find a place to move to. Many women and girls who are living on the streets experience sexual and physical abuse. The early death rate for homeless women is ten times that of women who are housed. “Too many women and children have suffered from violence and neglect. Safe affordable housing is a human right, and it’s our right to demand it,” says WAPC member and violence survivor Josephine Grey.

WHAT: March, Rally and Takeover of Abandoned Building
WHEN: Sunday, June 3rd, 12 Noon
WHERE: Cawthra Park (Just north of 519 Church Street)
WHO: Women Against Poverty Collective (WAPC)

The Women Against Poverty Collective is a group of women and trans people who are working together to advocate for safe, affordable and accessible housing for women experiencing violence.
- 30 –

For more information:
Anna Willats, 416-417-8962 (cell); Josephine Grey, 416-827-7119 (cell)
www.womenagainstpovertycollective.org

2007-05-31T11:17:00.000-04:00

Women's Housing Takeover- June 3rd

Women’s Housing Takeover Action!

Support this exciting work by women and trans people in Toronto to set up housing for those of us experiencing violence and our children.

Sunday, June 3rd, Noon

Rally: 12 noon at Cawthra Square, Toronto (North of 519 Church Street Community Centre)

March: 1:00 pm- Led by women, trans people and our kids

ALL ARE WELCOME

HOUSING BY WOMEN 4 WOMEN NOW

What is the Women’s Poverty Collective Women’s Housing Takeover?

The Women Against Poverty Collective (WAPC) is a group of women and trans people who have been meeting regularly since March 2006. We are working together to advocate for safe, affordable, and accessible housing for women experiencing violence. Poverty is one of the biggest concerns identified by women living with violence, and coupled with a lack of access to housing, it keeps women stuck in abusive situations.

Women living in poverty have repeatedly identified the important, but often unrecognized, links between poverty and women’s experiences of violence, asking for policy changes such as those that are being advocated for by the current Raise the Rates and the Ontario Needs a Raise Campaigns. The Women Against Poverty Collective is organizing in solidarity with the Step It Up! Campaign, a broadly based effort that aims to address the link between poverty and gendered violence, organized by Ontario’s women’s equality-seeking groups, shelters, rape crisis centres, unions, anti-poverty groups, and community groups.

In November 2006, over 50 women from the community and the Collective gathered to discuss a future action to draw public attention to the links between safe housing and women’s ability to live free from violence. Participants decided that they would like to do a Women’s Housing Takeover in Toronto – an action that would be both symbolic and practical to support women living in poverty and at risk of experiencing violence. For several months, the Collective has been meeting and strategizing with women in the community who are interested in planning and participating in a Women’s Housing Takeover Action.

Women are organizing to take for themselves what the government - through chronic under-funding of social housing and shelter services - has failed to provide: safe, accessible, and affordable housing for women and their children. We strongly believe that the success of the Women’s Housing Takeover will depend not only on the women participants and organizers themselves, but on building a strong and vital network of endorsers and supportive allies.

Our Demands

The right to adequate housing means that EVERYONE should have access to a safe, habitable, and affordable home. This housing requires that the space must fulfill the needs for: personal space, security, and protection from the weather. Women and trans folk and their children who are/have been survivors of violence should have priority to housing that allows them: to have security of tenure; housing which is affordable, is habitable, and is accessible.

Therefore we demand:

1) That the Federal government institutes and adopt Right to Housing legislation.

2)
That the different levels of government develop a coherent, well-funded Canada–wide housing policy that has timelines, clear number of units to be built, and accountability components included in it.

3) That the building(s) that have been taken over in this action be turned immediately to safe, habitable, affordable spaces controlled by the women living in them.

4) That Social Assistance rates be increased by 40% immediately and be indexed thereafter to inflation rates.

5) That the criteria for inclusion on the highest priority housing list for affordable housing be amended to include all homeless women and those women who have been abused by their partners but who do not live with them.

6) That women should have access to universal subsidized childcare. That violence against women should be understood as an equality rights issue.

***Our demands continue to be developed - we will consult with women who participate in the action to include their feedback and demands.

Allies: Solidarity and Participation

The Women Against Poverty Collective’s Housing Take Over Action, is made up of a few concrete actions to draw public attention to the links between safe housing and women’s ability to live free from violence.

Allies can participate in many aspects of these events such as:

Endorse – sign up to endorse WAPC’s demands

March/Rally – create a marching contingent, help make this issue visible on June 3rd

Tent – set up a tent, rotate occupancy if needed; donate a tent/camping gear

Meal(s) – Take on organizing a meal/ donate nutritious foods/ food staples

Donations – See the list below

Entertainment – bring your talent to the front lines, help keep the party going!

Solidarity Actions –organize a solidarity action the week of June 3rd with sister organizations; post a sign in your window; take up a neighbourhood park for an evening with tents, write letters to government officials…be creative.

Donations List (Please note that this is a preliminary list, we will up date our website/contact allies as our needs change.)

Financial support: We are a group of women who have come together, donating our own time, energy and collective means ($) to keep things going. We are not a registered charity, nor do we have a working budget. Funds go towards making our meetings and actions accessible through TTC tickets, food, and supplies for our events.

Donations can be made out to: Parkdale Community Legal Services - memo should read "Fred Zemans fund for Women Against Poverty Collective."

Donations should be sent to: Parkdale Community Legal Services, 1266 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6K 1L3.

Food Supplies: Staples: Chicken, fish, fruit, and veggies, water, juice, coffee, tea, whitener; baby food; formula; digestives…ice.

Tenting Supplies: Tents, Tarps, Coolers, Sleeping Bags (washed), blankets, Rope, duct tape, Garbage bags, Camping mats/air mattresses, Ground pads Meal/Misc: Paper towel, Utensils (forks, knives, spoons, cups, plates), Dish towels, Napkins, glycerine soap, Water bottles, Storage bins, Pots/pans Placard making materials: Nails, screws, hammer, poster boards, art supplies Child Care: Art Supplies, Kids games, kiddie pool (it’s June) Personal: Toilet paper, Diapers, feminine hygiene products, soap, wet wipes, toothpaste, and towels First Aid Supplies: Band aids, alcohol/swabs, gloves, sunscreen, hats

For more information on WAPC, the housing takeover, and how you can be involved or provide support, contact WAPC's general line at 416-417-8962 or email us at womenagainstpoverty@gmail.com

Audio Story with WAPC Member

2007-05-30T11:39:00.000-04:00

Audio Story:

Interview with WAPC member in the lead-up to the Takeover

On Sunday, June 3rd, the Women Against Poverty Collective is staging a housing takeover in Toronto with the ultimate goal of winning 'right to housing legislation' in Canada.

They say that while governments have done virtually nothing to help poor and working class women access safe, affordable housing, women have continued to survive cycles of homelessness reinforced by abusive men who use violence to control them.

Their lobbying and pleas haven’t won them the things they need so they are demanding immediate action to create affordable and safe housing for women who are living on the street, trying to leave violent homes, and making new lives for themselves and their children.

Today, via telephone, I spoke with Jen, a member of the Women Against Poverty Collective…

Listen to or download the audio story.

Message of Solidarity from the TSU-OECTA

2007-05-01T20:32:00.000-04:00

To the Women’s Housing Takeover:

The Toronto Secondary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (TSU-OECTA) supports your action to create housing for women and children.

We know that there is an insufficiency of low-income and subsidized housing in the province of Ontario that often leaves women trapped in abusive situations or forced to live in poverty, as they try to provide adequate food for their children.

Such a situation constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights for women and children.

We commend the Women’s Housing Takeover for your action in bring attention to this deplorable situation. We hope your action will evoke a positive response from all levels of government and bring hope to the women who suffer indignity every day.

Our best wishes for a successful action.

In solidarity,

Toronto Secondary Unit -Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (TSU-OECTA)

Message of Solidarity from OAITH

2007-05-01T20:27:00.000-04:00

To the Women’s Housing Takeover:

The Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH) supports your action to create housing for women and children.

We know that women are often trapped in abusive situations because they can’t find low-income and subsidized housing in Toronto and many other parts of Ontario. We also know they can’t afford to pay market rents and are forced to live ‘hand-to-mouth,’ making unthinkable choices between feeding their children and paying for shelter.

No woman should have to choose between violence and poverty; between a violent home and no home.

After 30 years of work on violence against women, we know that lack of shelter, poverty and violence are violations of women’s fundamental human rights. We know for Aboriginal women, women of colour, women living with disabilities and women marginalized by all forms of oppression, the level and impact of poverty, violence and homelessness will be different and more severe.

Violence against women will not end as long as women face poverty and homelessness. So far, governments at all levels are doing little to help. We are honoured to support the women in the Women’s Housing Takeover who are doing something!

Your action is important and valuable. It sends a positive, hopeful message to all communities of women that they are important and valued and that they deserve better— better support, better housing, better government response.

Our wishes for a very successful action! In solidarity,

Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses (OAITH)