In the past year, Ottawa’s housing prices have increased by 25-30%. Housing has become an investment, a commodity to build wealth. We have a housing market that incentivizes speculation, leading more and more people who rent vulnerable to losing their homes. Housing is not being treated as a basic human right, nor a fundamental tool to build a vibrant city. The people who work here are increasingly unable to live here.
With Prevention and Permanent Solutions, We Can End Homelessness
I want to start this with one critical number - zero. That’s the number of chronically homeless families in Waterloo’s shelters right now. London, Ontario recently reached zero chronic veterans homelessness. Medicine Hat has reached zero for overall chronic homelessness. Ending homelessness is not a pipe dream. It’s happening in communities across the country, and it’s happening now. But it requires a change in approach.
Make Affordable Housing Truly Affordable: Alliance Response to Hazelview's Plan Amendment
The vote to approve Hazelview Properties’ Official Plan Amendment (OPA) has set a troubling precedent in the fight for affordable housing. The affordability standards defined by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) are too low and members of the Herongate community have been left underserved. In the midst of a housing and homelessness emergency, this agreement misses the mark.
An Urgent Call to Amend the Plan: Alliance Deputation to City of Ottawa Planning Committee
We urge the City to renegotiate the terms of Hazelview's Official Plan Amendment (OPA) to create a more effective agreement for affordable housing. Despite significant efforts by City staff and Councillor Cloutier to negotiate the inclusion of affordable housing in the OPA for the Herongate community, the commitments by Hazelview are simply not good enough. As this deal with Hazelview is the first of its kind, it is critical to get this right.
We Must Move From Planning to Action: Alliance Deputation to City of Ottawa FEDCO and Community Protective Services Committee
Communities are reducing homelessness all over this country and showing that it can be done. Just two weeks ago, London, Ontario ended veterans' homelessness. Ottawa City Council declared a Housing and Homelessness Emergency last year in January, and while many of the key ingredients to reduce homelessness are outlined in the work plan, there is not enough urgency.
Ottawa Housing Blitz Update
Aimed at housing 100 households in 100 days, the Housing Blitz was a community-wide effort to get people housed quickly and learn more about the barriers to affordable housing in our city. The initiative was led by the City of Ottawa and the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa, working closely with Indigenous housing partners.
We must fund affordable housing: Alliance Deputation to City of Ottawa Community Protective Services Committee
Alliance Deputation to City of Ottawa Transportation Committee
Blitz shows critical need for more affordable housing
Alliance Deputation to Ontario on the Evictions Moratorium
Dear Minister Phillips,
We are grateful to the Ontario government for the moratorium on evictions in Ontario during a critical time to protect families and households at the beginning of the crisis.
As the moratorium on evictions has been lifted however, we are seeing evictions starting up again.
We are hearing from partners and landlord associations that 6-20% of rental
Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa Statement on the Rapid Housing Initiative
Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa Statement on the Rapid Housing Initiative
On September 21, the federal government announced a $1 billion initiative to create 3,000 new affordable units across Canada. The Rapid Housing Initiative announcement is an important investment into our communities. More investments