230 Fightback

Royal York Action – Report back

TAKING ACTION AT THE DEVELOPER’S HOTEL On December 20, a group of 230 Fightback members invaded Toronto’s Royal York Hotel, with its plush and festive atmosphere, to take forward our fight against the agenda of greed and exclusion that the developers are inflicting on communities across the city. The majority owner of the hotel is none other than KingSett Capital, the developer that has plans to build a massive luxury condo tower at 214-230 Sherbourne, in a poor working class neighbourhood in desperate need of housing that meets the needs of local residents. Since this developer has invaded our community with this destructive project, we thought it only right that we should return the favour. We entered the hotel and unfurled a banner reading ‘We Won’t Be Pushed Out’ above the crowd of guests, as they enjoyed their fine dining and cocktails. At the same time, other 230 Fightback members handed out a leaflet explaining why we were paying our visit to this charming establishment. This challenged KingSett’s plans and pressed our demand for social housing at the site. We had not mobilized for a stubborn occupation of the hotel and had agreed to make this a fairly short action that would deliver a clear message. When security staff gathered in order to remove us, we withdrew and gathered outside the main entrance of the hotel before bringing our intervention to a close. In the New Year, 230 Fightback will continue the fight to prevent plans to build the condo from moving forward and to win social housing in the community. KingSett can expect more surprise visits and other challenges that won’t be to their liking. We will also confront the politicians at City Hall with our demand that they stop grease the wheels for the developers and provide housing that communities need, at 230 Sherbourne and across this city. We won’t be pushed out.

230fightback

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