housands of people gathered in downtown Toronto joining in a demonstration as part of the “Enough is Enough” campaign across the province. The rally and march was several months in the making, spearheaded by the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (MWAC) and Justice for Workers, among others.
The province-wide actions are among the largest social movement demonstrations since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Key campaign demands include $20 per hour minimum wage, halting the privatization of public healthcare and education, price caps on groceries and fuel, rent control and affordable housing, and increasing taxation on corporations and the wealthy. A full list of demands is available on the OFL’s website. The majority of these demands are the purview of the provincial Conservative government.
“[We want] affordable housing,” said Megan Kee, a tenant organizer with No Demovictions, a coalition representing buildings across Toronto. “[We want to] make sure that people can live in their homes as long as possible, reducing turnover and displacement.”
The action was prominently promoted by numerous organizations, including the Canadian Union for Public Employees, Showing Up for Racial Justice and various teachers unions. Dozens of labour and grassroots community groups came together in Toronto and other cities.
The march went from Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto through the financial district to Dundas Square, ending at Queen’s Park.
“The best way to have a safe society is to make sure people have a decent wage, a $20 minimum wage, affordable housing, where we make mobility and transit affordable,” said Alejandra Bravo, City Councillor for Davenport. “We cannot see the quality of life for workers and communities further eroded. This is the most unequal city in Canada.”
The Enough is Enough campaign has been organized for the past several months across Ontario. The cities of Brantford, Brampton, Cornwall, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, North Bay, Orillia, Sudbury, and Windsor also held Enough is Enough demonstrations on Saturday,
The Enough is Enough campaign includes a cross-issue coalition in the province. Many organizations, such as CUPE-OSBCU, the Ontario Health Coalition, Justice for Workers, and MWAC have been fighting their own related struggles for months or years.
