Our Story
The Verdun Citizens' Action Committee was created in 1975 to protect and defend the most vulnerable tenants in our neighbourhood. For nearly 50 years, we have been working to ensure that everyone has access to decent housing at a reasonable price, particularly through social housing.
Our mission
The organization supports the most disadvantaged so that they can improve their living conditions. The CACV promotes their goals and aspirations, particularly in housing and urban development. Our goals: To promote the improvement of living conditions; To promote access to information; To direct citizens to the appropriate community and institutional resources; To promote exchange, the development of critical thinking and collective awareness.
Vision
The CACV wants all Verdun tenants to be fully aware of their housing rights in order to defend themselves against injustice. Also, more and more tenants are forced to leave our neighborhood because the cost of rent has become too expensive. As a result, we want a significant number of social housing units to be built to allow lower income tenants to stay in their neighborhood.
Goal
Our goal is to make the people living in our neighborhood aware of the housing crisis, and to inform about the issues, the analysis of the problems and the potential solutions. The CACV aspires to be a place for meetings and discussions on housing, at the local, provincial and federal levels.
Work team
Lyn O’Donnell
Community organizer and intervention worker
With a background in social work, Lyn has previously worked in the field of homelessness and mental health. These experiences greatly inspired her to get involved in grassroots community organizing. After serving on the Board of the CACV, she is now a community organizer and social worker.
Camille Toffoli
Camille has a background in literature, but her activism and writing projects have led her to to fight for tenants' rights and against gentrification. In the past, she was part of the founding collective of the feminist bookstore L'Euguélionne, and of the Ville-Marie Housing Committee team. She defends a feminist and intersectional approach to tenants rights.
Mathilde Capone
Community education facilitator
A documentary filmmaker and community education facilitator, Mathilde Capone holds a master's degree in social anthropology. A feminist, anti-colonial, lesbian, and queer activist, she is involved in thought-provoking collective initiatives. Her second feature film, Eviction, which chronicles the eviction of a queer housing collective, premiered at the Montreal International Documentary Festival and received the Audience Award.
Administration Council
The CACV board of directors meets 10 times a year and is composed of 5 volunteers who support our mission. Terms of office are for a period of 2 years.
Sylvie Dorval
President
Sylvie is an engaged member involved in several causes in our neighborhood. Her leadership, human skills, and administrative abilities make her an outstanding spokesperson for our organization. Sylvie never hesitates to step up for the tenants in the neighborhood, no matter how challenging the issues they face may be.
Arnaud Duplessis Lalonde
Vice president
With several years of experience in housing committees and national groups such as FRAPRU and RCLALQ, Arnaud rejoins the CACV board for a new term as vice president.
Brunia Doiron
Treasurer
Brunia is a Verdun resident involved in defending tenants' rights, an active member of our neighbourhood and a professional in community management.
Camille Toffoli
Administrator
Camille joined our board of administrator as a representative of the work team.
Members
The CACV is proud to be a member of the Front d’Action Populaire en Réaménagement Urbain (FRAPRU) and the Regroupement des Comités Logements et Associations de Locataires du Québec (RCLALQ).
Financials Partners
The CACV greatly thanks the CENTRAIDE du Grand Montréal and the SACAIS who financially support our actions.
