A total of 89 organizations and more than 350 individuals across the city of Ottawa have submitted Budget 2021 input to the Mayor, asking him to prioritize affordable housing near rapid transit stations.
The groups and individuals have asked City Council to put a minimum of $20 million in Budget 2021, to pass a strong inclusionary zoning bylaw, and to ensure government-owned land near rapid transit stations is used for non-profit, co-op housing.
You can read the letter below, or in PDF format here.
Individuals are invited to email the Mayor in support of these Budget 2021 requests here.
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November 3, 2020
Dear Mayor Jim Watson, and Ottawa City Councillors,
Research from Carleton University indicates that Canada lost 322,600 affordable rental units between 2011 and 2016 in the private market. In the same period, government investments in affordable housing built only 20,000 units. We are losing 15 affordable units for every one being built.
Despite significant investments of City money to build new affordable housing in both Budgets 2019, and 2020, there are still more than 12,000 households on the Centralized Waiting List for affordable housing.
We are losing ground. The number of family units accessing an emergency overnight shelter increased by 70.1% since 2014. The staff report on the updated 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan detailed what is at stake:
“It is well documented that poor housing conditions and high housing costs leads to stress for individuals and families, affecting their physical and mental health and resulting in increased use of health and social services. Children who experience housing insecurity due to frequent moves have been found to under-perform in school with lasting consequences on their capacity to participate in the labour market.”
Much more needs to be done. Budget 2021 is an important opportunity to make progress on the Housing and Homelessness Emergency, and to build a city for all.
We ask that the City of Ottawa:
- Commit at least $20 million in Budget 2021 of City funding, over and above federal and provincial grants, to build new affordable housing near rapid transit stations;
- Pass a strong citywide inclusionary zoning by-law that ensures 25% of new development is dedicated to affordable housing and places a special emphasis on deeply affordable housing within 1 km of rapid transit stations; and
- Ensure that all available government-owned land within 1 km of current & future rapid transit stations is used for non-profit and co-op housing (and that the City provide land to the newly established Land Trust in Ottawa specifically for affordable housing near rapid transit).
Please ensure City Council follows through on the commitments made through the Interdepartmental Task Force for Affordable Housing Near Transit Stations.
We would appreciate it if you can please respond to the specific asks above (items 1, 2, 3).
Sincerely,
613/819 Black Hub
Robin Browne, Co-Lead / Founder
613/819 Black Hub
ABLE2 (formerly Citizen Advocacy Ottawa)
Heather Lacey, Executive Director
ABLE2 (formerly Citizen Advocacy Ottawa)
Action-Logement
Marie-Josée Houle, Executive Director
Action Housing
Alex Laidlaw Housing Co-op
Kaeli Van Regan, Housing Manager
Alex Laidlaw Housing Co-op
Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa
Kaite Burkholder Harris, Executive Director
Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa
Andrew Fleck Children's Services
Kim Hiscott, Executive Director
Andrew Fleck Children’s Services
Anglican Diocese of Ottawa
PJ Hobbs, Director of Community Ministries
Anglican Diocese of Ottawa
Bruce House
Lorraine Kelly, Senior Management / Manager of Finance & Administration
Bruce House
Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime
Aline Vlasceanu, Executive Director
Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime
Carlington Community Association
Charity Bartlett, President
Carlington Community Association
Carlington Community Health Centre
Cameron MacLeod, Executive Director
Carlington Community Health Centre
Causeway Work Centre
Hailey Hechtman, Executive Director
Causeway Work Centre
Centre 454
Rachel Robinson, Executive Director
Centre 454
Centre 507
Richard Leblanc, Executive Director
Centre 507
Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation
Ray Sullivan, Executive Director
Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation
Centretown Community Association
Shawn Barber, President
Centretown Community Association
Centretown Community Health Centre
Simone Thibault, Executive Director
Centretown Community Health Centre
City for All Women Initiative (CAWI)
Valerie Stam, Executive Director
City for All Women Initiative
Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres of Ottawa
Michel Gervais and Kelli Tonner, Co-Chairs
Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres of Ottawa
Community Legal Services of Ottawa
L Landry, Community Developer
Community Legal Services of Ottawa
Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association
Mireille Brownhill, President
Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association
Coopérative d'habitation Voisins
Suzanne Guénette, Housing Manager
Coopérative d'habitation Voisins
Co-operative Housing Association of Eastern Ontario (CHASEO)
Jovette Fournier, Executive Director
Co-operative Housing Association of Eastern Ontario
Cornerstone Housing for Women
Martine Dore, Interim Executive Director
Cornerstone Housing for Women
Counselling and Family Services Ottawa
Ann Carson-Tempier, Clinical Supervisor
Counselling and Family Services Ottawa
CUPE 2626
Patricia Magazoni Gonçalves, President
CUPE 2626
Dalhousie Community Association
Michael Powell, President
Dalhousie Community Association
Dalhousie Food Cupboard
Margie Christin, Secretary
Dalhousie Food Cupboard
Dalhousie Non-Profit Housing Co-operative
Sarah Lorenz, Housing Manager
Dalhousie Non-Profit Housing Co-operative
Daybreak Housing
Richard Johnson, Operations Manager
Daybreak Housing
Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre
Nathalie Lafrenière, Executive Director
Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre
Ecology Ottawa
Robb Barnes, Executive Director
Ecology Ottawa
Elmvale Co-op
Lynne Labelle, Vice President
Elmvale Co-op
Federation of Citizen’s Associations of Ottawa
Alex Cullen, President
Federation of Citizen’s Associations of Ottawa
Free Transit Ottawa
Donald Swartz, Coordinator
Free Transit Ottawa
Friends of James and Bay
Maria Luisa Marti, Co-founder and executive member
Friends of James and Bay
Gignul Non-Profit Housing
Marc Maracle, Executive Director
Gignul Non-Profit Housing Corporation
Glebe Community Association
Laura Smith, President
Glebe Community Association
Greater Avalon Community Association
Rachelle Lecours, President
Greater Avalon Community Association
Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
Paul Johanis, Chair & Treasurer
Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital
Healthy Transportation Coalition
Terrie Meehan, Vice-President of the Board
Healthy Transportation Coalition
Hintonburg Community Association
Linda Brown, President
Hintonburg Community Association
Housing Help
Shea Kiely, Executive Director
Housing Help
Housing Managers Collective
Kaeli Van Regan, President
Housing Managers Collective
Interval House of Ottawa
Keri Lewis, Executive Director
Interval House of Ottawa
Jewish Family Services Ottawa
Sarah Caspi, Executive Director
Jewish Family Services Ottawa
John Howard Society of Ottawa
Tyler Fainstat, Executive Director
John Howard Society of Ottawa
Just Food
Moe Garahan, Executive Director
Just Food
Lowertown Community Resource Centre
Matthew Beutel, Executive Director
Lowertown Community Resource Centre
Manor Park Community Association
Elizabeth McAllister, President
Manor Park Community Association
March of Dimes Canada, Durham East Region
Lisa Swant, Program Manager
Stacey Moore, Regional Director
March of Dimes Canada, Durham East Region
Monfort Renaissance
François Hamel, Director, Housing Services
Monfort Renaissance
Multifaith Housing Initiative
Suzanne Le, Executive Director
Multifaith Housing Initiative
Nelson House
Zahra Alam, Program Manager
Nelson House
Nepean Housing Corporation
Lynn Carson, President
Nepean Housing Corporation
Nepean, Rideau and Osgoode Community Resource Centre
Anita James, Executive Director
Nepean, Rideau and Osgoode Community Resource Centre
Options Bytown Non-Profit Housing Corp.
Catharine Vandelinde, Executive Director
Options Bytown
Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre
Luc Ouelette, Executive Director
Orleans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre
Ottawa & District Labour Council
Sean McKenney, President
Ottawa & District Labour Council
Ottawa ACORN
Ashley Reynes, Head Organizer
Ottawa ACORN
Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women
Erin Leigh, Executive Director
Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women
Ottawa Disability Coalition
Jerry Fiori, Chair
Ottawa Disability Coalition
Ottawa Food Bank
Rachael Wilson, Interim Chief Executive Officer
Ottawa Food Bank
Ottawa Inner City Health
Wendy Muckle, Chief Executive Officer
Ottawa Inner City Health
Ottawa Mission
Peter Tilley, Chief Executive Officer
Ottawa Mission
Ottawa Social Housing Network (OSHN)
Fran Childs, Co-Chair
Ottawa Social Housing Network
Ottawa Transit Riders
Sally Thomas, Board member
Ottawa Transit Riders
Ottawa Victim Services
Melissa Heimerl BA, M.Ed, Executive Director
Ottawa Victim Services
Parkdale Food Centre
Karen Secord, Executive Director
Parkdale Food Centre
Peace and Environment Resource Centre
Kathryn Norman, Coordinator
Peace and Environment Resource Centre
Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre
Christopher McIntosh, Executive Director
Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre
Pineview Community Association
Heather Marie Scott, President
Pineview Community Association
Refugee 613
Louisa Taylor, Director
Refugee 613
Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre
Yacouba Traoré, Executive Director
Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre
Joe’s Supper Table
Ryan J. Mitchell, Manager of Operations
St. Joe’s Supper Table
Luke’s Table
Rachel Robinson, Executive Director
St. Luke’s Table
SafePet Ottawa
Dayna Desmarais, President & Executive Director
SafePet Ottawa
Sandy Hill Community Health Centre
David Gibson, Executive Director
Sandy Hill Community Health Centre
Shepherds of Good Hope
Deirdre Freiheit, President & Chief Executive Officer
Shepherds of Good Hope
Social Planning Council of Ottawa
Sophia Jacob, President
Social Planning Council of Ottawa
Somerset West Community Health Centre
Naini Cloutier, Executive Director
Somerset West Community Health Centre
South East Ottawa Community Health Centre
Kelli Tonner, Executive Director
South East Ottawa Community Health Centre
Vanier Community Service Centre
Michel Gervais, Executive Director
Vanier Community Service Centre
Walk Ottawa
John Woodhouse, Co-Chair
Walk Ottawa
The Well
Rachel Robinson, Executive Director
The Well
Wellington Village Community Association
Dave Allston, President
Wellington Village Community Association
Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre
Michelle Hurtubise, Executive Director
Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre
Women's Initiatives for Safer Environments (WISE)
Valerie Collicott, Policy & Administrative Coordinator
Women's Initiatives for Safer Environments
Youth Services Bureau
Larissa Silver, Associate Executive Director
Youth Services Bureau
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Trevor Haché(November 3, 2020)