Dec 21st, 2016

Ottawa Community Housing Partners with National Capital FreeNet to Offer Low-Cost Internet Services to OCH Tenants

(OTTAWA) December 21, 2016 – Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH) is excited to announce a new partnership with National Capital FreeNet (NCF) which will facilitate access to affordable internet for OCH tenants. OCH worked closely with the local, not-for-profit provider to encourage the best technical packaging of services and improve the tenants’ ability to access the internet through affordable options.

NCF’s Community Access Fund Plan for OCH tenants        

Thanks to generous donations, NCF  a low-cost internet plan offer specifically designed for OCH tenants. The plan offered is $25.00 for unlimited internet access.

OCH is committed to bridging the digital divide that affects the tenants and enable them to build digital and online skills, which are increasingly needed for academic success and gainful employment. Recognizing that tenants living in social housing have limited financial resources, OCH has partnered up with NCF to facilitate access to affordable internet. It is part of OCH’s commitment to enable tenants to fully participate in the socio-economic opportunities in Ottawa.

Tenants are encouraged to contact NCF to find out more about the promotion or to subscribe. The offer is available starting January 3, 2017.

National Capital FreeNet (NCF)

613-721-8445 www.ncf.ca  caf@ncf.ca

QUOTES

“The City of Ottawa recognizes the importance of access to affordable internet for all residents, and I applaud the partnership between Ottawa Community Housing Corporation and National Capital Freenet. This collaboration is essential in providing affordable internet access and bridging the digital divide for OCH tenants. They will now have easier access to online tools and be able to learn more skills, which in turn will build stronger communities all across Ottawa. Digital literacy is key in creating more opportunities for our residents, both now and for the future.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Mayor Jim Watson, City of Ottawa

“I am excited by the possibilities this partnership can offer to our tenants.  Access to the internet has become a basic service in the 21^st century.  For children internet access can mean keeping up with peers, for students it offers the opportunity to research from home, and for the majority the internet is a library and a primary source of information.  This partnership with National Capital FreeNet and OCH means removing barriers for low-income tenants by providing affordable access to information and opportunities.”

                                                    Councillor Mathieu Fleury, Chair of the OCH Board of Directors

“In today’s interconnected world, affordable internet access has become increasingly important. OCH understands the need to connect tenants with our partners and promote the digital inclusion of our tenants. We worked closely with National Capital FreeNet to facilitate affordable, broader internet access for our tenants allows us to continue to deliver quality services to tenants. We commend NCF for their initiative.”

                                                                                                                                                 Stéphane Giguère – Chief Executive Officer, Ottawa Community Housing

“When NCF started in 1992 we knew getting online could help people live their best lives. To support that, we offer affordable rates and help people understand how to use the internet. We specifically designed Community Access Fund plan because too often,low-income users are stuck with low bandwidth packages and high charges for additional bandwidth that restricts what they can do online.”

                                                 Shelley Robinson, Executive Director, National Capital FreeNet

About National Capital FreeNet

National Capital FreeNet is a local, not-for-profit alternative to commercial internet service providers. Since 1992 they have served more than 100,000 members. They believe that everyone in Canada’s National Capital Region should have access to the internet, meaning they can afford a high-quality connection, understand how to use it, and feel safe online. They work to fill this gap by investing in bandwidth and community services, keeping prices as low as possible while staying sustainable. They offer high speed DSL from 6mbps to 50 mbps, free locally-hosted email, basic web hosting, skills workshops, and dial-up. In addition to their staff support, they also have an award-winning volunteer-driven Help Desk so their members can ask questions about a range of internet and computer-related issues.

About OCH

Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) provides approximately 15,000 homes to over 31,000 tenants, including seniors, parents, children, couples, singles and persons with special needs, within many communities across the City of Ottawa. OCH houses a diverse population of varying languages, ethnicity and cultures. OCH is the largest social housing provider in Ottawa, managing two-thirds of the City’s social housing portfolio, and is the second largest in Ontario.

Media Contacts:

Niki Kerimova | Media Relations & Events Coordinator | Ottawa Community Housing |
613-520-2277 | niki.kerimova@och.ca  | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook |
Shelley Robinson | Executive Director | National Capital FreeNet |
(613) 700-3906 email: shelley@ncf.ca

Chris Cope | President | National Capital FreeNet |
(613) 277-6387 email: ccope@ncf.ca