By Martin Adelaar, Ottawa Citizen, July 11, 2020
In 1962, the government of Canada forcibly evicted more than 3,000 working-class residents from their homes in LeBreton Flats and transferred ownership of the 65-acre site to the National Capital Commission (NCC). Sixty years later, most of the land remains vacant and this historic injustice is largely forgotten. Now the NCC is poised to redevelop the property in ways that may again ignore the expressed needs and aspirations of the community.
The LeBreton Flats Community Benefits Coalition seeks to negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with the NCC. We’ve launched a public campaign to get the NCC to commit to a benefits agreement for LeBreton Flats.
Formed a year ago, the coalition comprises 27 organizations, including community associations near LeBreton Flats, United Way East Ontario, and groups involved in affordable housing, health care, education, labour, Indigenous services, social procurement, child care and several other sectors. The coalition shares a vision of LeBreton Flats as a vibrant, inclusive, equitable, healthy and sustainable community where everyone can work, live and thrive. We’re inviting everyone to join.
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/adelaar-lebreton-flats-must-be-about-social-benefits-as-well-as-business-ones/wcm/6d183a30-c651-4b13-9eb7-e615e3b5ec2a/