Submission to Ottawa City Council's Community Services Committee about the update on Ottawa’s Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy (ITHS).
The Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa recently wrote to Ottawa City Council's Community Services Committee about the update on Ottawa’s Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy (ITHS).
We urge Council to prioritize investments into housing loss prevention and permanent housing solutions, rather than short-term shelter responses.
We're hiring a full-time (37.5 hours per week) Office Administrator to support bookkeeping, payroll, membership database management, mailings, support to the Board of Directors, and other administrative duties.
Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA)
Presented by Meg McCallum | Interim Executive Director | Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa | Monday June 17, 2024
How do affordable housing and sustainable building practices align? This was the central question at our latest discussion panel co-organized by the Alliance, Cahdco, and Ottawa Community Land Trust (OCLT).
With Ottawa’s housing landscape in turbulence, Canada’s new 2024 federal budget unveils measures to boost affordable housing nationwide. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key points and their potential impacts for Ottawa’s residents and communities.
By: Karen Umurerwa, Expert Steering Team Member
Housing and Mental Health in Black Communities
In 2012, my family made the hard decision to move from Rwanda to Canada. The transition from my homeland to Canada was the toughest process I could have gone through. Canada was a land of opportunities, but it was one that was completely foreign to us as we had no friends or family that could ease our integration.
By: Yetunde Amanda Ona
Embracing Identity: The Bonds of the African Diaspora
The following piece was written by Yetunde Amanda Ona who arrived in Canada 6 years ago with her young children as a refugee claimant. She navigated the homelessness system, and is now an Alliance staff member working to create a more effective and dignified housing and homelessness system. These are her reflections on identity and the African Diaspora.
By: Gail Gallagher
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Dec. 6th)
On this day, we remember the innocent lives lost and of the murder of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montréal on December 6, 1989. As a result of this tragic event, December 6 was designated as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
In addition, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence begins on November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) and ends on December 10 with International Human Rights Day. The 16 Days of Activism are an opportunity to come together to speak out and renew our commitment to end gender-based violence.
Wednesday, Nov 29th - Planning & Housing Committee Budget
Good Morning Chair and Members of Committee,
As you know, the Alliance to End Homelessness represents over 75 agencies working in the housing and homelessness sector in Ottawa. On behalf of our members - we commend you for the biggest increase in the capital budget for affordable housing since 2014. This increase is more than just additional money, it’s a signal that this Council is prioritizing the need to tackle the housing and homelessness crisis.
We’re also encouraged by the introduction of the vacant unit tax this past year as a new source of revenue for affordable housing. This funding is vital to our ongoing efforts to provide long-term affordable housing options for people in our community, and I encourage you to ensure all of it is used for affordable, non-profit housing.
Hear our Executive Director Kaite Burkholder Harris share long-term solutions to Ottawa's housing crisis at the Community Services Committee.
Tuesday, Nov 28th - Community Services Committee - Budget 2024
Good Morning Chair and Members of the Committee,
Over the course of the past year, as the City faces the full impact of a housing crisis out of control, I want to start by pointing to actions that are working. In June, this Council approved an Integrated Transition to Housing Plan that City staff built with community partners. The result in the short term is an enhanced rent subsidy with greater flexibility, enabling people who have been stuck in homelessness to rapidly move out of the PDC’s. By allocating resources towards flexible subsidies like this, we enable people to secure stable housing.
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