Many people gathered in Dartmouth on Saturday with large signs and bright red shirts, calling on the Halifax Regional Municipality to implement an owner licensing system, which advocates believe will improve ownership standards.

In an interview with CTV Atlantic, Hannah Wood, president of NS-ACORN, said the licensing system would include proactive annual inspections of rented buildings, a step that would replace the current complaint system.

Wood said, "This will allow buildings to be kept in better general maintenance and prevent the demolition of affordable units; right now we are losing affordable units."

The protesters also urge the regional council to put the matter to a vote, asking property owners to register the buildings they own and pay licensing fees.

Also, Wood stated that property owners can pay the licensing fees by charging $1 per unit, making it easier for owners and tenants to pay this amount.

Currently, tenants have to file complaints to the owner; if these complaints are not addressed, tenants can file a complaint under the law, where regulatory officers then assess the complaint and order accordingly.

However, Kevin Russell, executive director of the Investment Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia (IPOANS), said there are already rules and regulations in place and that owner licensing is not the solution, saying, "Data shows there have been 237 non-compliance order issues against rented residential buildings since 2017 — this represents about only 79 violations annually."

ACORN is submitting a petition for a three-year owner license, as advocates believe this will improve living conditions and renovations.

For tenant Patricia Butler, pests and unsafe living conditions are a reality she cannot afford to leave: "Rent is not affordable for me: I have a disability and cannot afford anything else, so I have to endure it."

Meanwhile, ACORN plans to hold more gatherings in Halifax.