NATIONAL TENANT ORGANIZING FUND
THE PROBLEM
Lack of National Infrastructure & Funding
Canada has no national tenant organization, no national tenant advocacy, and no funding streams dedicated to building tenant power.
Isolated and Under-Resourced Local Organizing
Most tenant groups operate with minimal support, particularly outside major cities, limiting their ability to sustain campaigns or expand their reach.
Fragmented Tenant Rights and Protections
Tenant rights vary drastically across provinces, with no consistent national standards or protections for renters.
OUR SOLUTION
Build a National Tenant Organizing Fund
Create a centralized fund to support grassroots tenant organizing projects, prioritizing capacity-building and regional equity.
Establish a Tenant-Led National Governance Structure Equity
Develop a transparent, regionally representative structure to direct funding decisions and drive a national tenant movement agenda.
A Platform for National Coordination
Prototype the formation of a national tenant infrastructure capable of advocating for national standards, soliciting major funding, and coordinating across provinces.
Fund Overview
The primary objective of the National Tenant Organizing Fund (NTOF) is to establish a national funding source dedicated to tenant organizing.
This fund will provide consistent, accessible, and transparent financial support to both established and emerging tenant unions across Canada. It will also serve as a venue to foster cross-regional solidarity, strengthen tenant leadership, and lay the groundwork for additional elements of a transformative housing justice movement.
National Advisory Committeee for Decision-Making
The National Advisory Committee is composed of tenant union representatives from across Canada. This body sets the funding priorities, reviews applications, makes funding decisions and adminsiters the appeals process.
Steering Committee
for Fund Administation
The volunteer Steering Committee provides strategic leadership, fundraising direction, and communication infastructure. Always to ensure the fund's direction reflects the needs of tenant organizers nationally.
Fiscal Sponsorship
for Financial Administration
The NTOF is fiscally sponsored by SEIZE who oversees donations, fund disbursement, and ensures financial transparency and compliance.
Specifically, the Fund Will:
1. Resource grassroots organizing
Support activities such as outreach campaigns, equipment and space rental, events, tenant education, conferences, travel, and communications infrastructure.
2. Address regional inequities
Support initiatives in under-resourced provinces and territories where tenant organizing faces structural barriers.
3. Ensure democratic tenant-led governance
Ensure that tenant representatives from coast to coast (not external institutions) decide funding priorities and oversee the allocation of resources.
4. Build national movement infrastructure
Convene tenant leaders, facilitate collaboration, and amplify a unified voice for tenants across the country.
Stay Tuned...
The Advisory Committee is currently surveying tenant union leaders from across Canada to help determine the fund’s initial priorities. We expect to publish funding eligibility guidelines and priority areas by the end of November, with the official launch of the fund tentatively scheduled for January 2026.