We are a Tenants Union organizing in Victoria, BC, Canada.

VicTU Mission Statement

We are a tenant led, democratic movement, whose members are the highest decision-making body. We are an independent organization and believe that good quality, affordable, accessible, and secure housing is a human right and should not be a commodity or an investment for the purpose of profit. Our immediate goals are to empower all tenants regardless of political affiliation, economic status, lifestyle, ability, age, gender, race, sexuality, or citizenship through education and direct action to enable them to independently unionize their buildings and use that collective power to improve their quality of life and protect themselves against landlord harassment, rent increases, and evictions. Through these actions we intend to enable the forming of a province-wide grassroots BC Tenants Union with the collective power and leverage to transform and build stronger and healthier communities, and benefit the larger efforts of building a world of justice and equity. To this end, our long term goals include among others:

The collective power for tenants to withhold rent and protect each other from exploitation and abuse, in order to win better living conditions.
Tenants having the right to collective bargaining, along with the same legal protection and recognition as labor unions.
Protections against evictions during the school year for students and during the winter for all.
Legal protections in the event of no-fault evictions and “renovictions”.
The burden of proving the need for eviction/ending a tenancy being on the landlord alone.
Improved regulation of rent rates, including vacancy control.
Rent rates being based on peoples incomes with a fixed rate of 30% house-hold income limit.
De-commodifying housing, including but not limited to transforming the housing industry from a private into a public sector of the economy.

VicTU Anti-Bullying Statement

All members of VicTU (including non-member observers/guests) have the right to safety and respect, all meetings are a safe space where members have the right and freedom to express their viewpoints. No member shall be subjected to scolding, ridiculing, shaming, or any other kinds of degrading/demeaning treatment whether emotional or physical. All criticisms of member’s viewpoints shall only be that of constructive criticism. All members have the responsibility to follow the “principle of charity” (that one should try to properly understand an idea before criticizing it) during discussions. The purpose of discussions shall not be to “win” an argument but to achieve consensus through the use of evidence based facts and reason. All members have the right to be actively listened to and not just heard when they express their viewpoints. All members have the responsibility to follow the principle that it is the impact of their actions that matter regardless of intentions. All members shall practice empathy and introspection. All members have the collective responsibility to call out and hold each other accountable to said policies and principles. These policies and principles apply to all members regardless of position or seniority, and members shall be subjected to recall and other necessary corrective actions to restore safety and trust within the organization by the membership for failure to follow said policies and principles. When dealing with violations of said policies and principles, all members have the collective responsibility of prioritizing the welfare of the victim.