Jan 27th, 2026

Building Homes, Building Futures   

By: Stéphane Giguère, CEO, Ottawa Community Housing and Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, Chair of Ottawa Community Housing Board of Directors  

As 2025 comes to a close, we reflect on a truth that guides our work: a home provides stability and creates opportunities for people to thrive in their work, health, education, and community. At Ottawa Community Housing, every home is more than a roof over someone’s head; it is essential infrastructure and the foundation of strong, resilient communities where people can put down roots and build meaningful connections.  

When people have access to stable, affordable housing, they gain the security to pursue education and employment, strengthen social ties, creating ripple effects that extend well beyond individual households and benefit the entire city.   Homes are the building blocks of strong, stable, and resilient communities. 

This year underscored the importance of collaboration and local innovation in addressing complex housing needs. The newly announced BumbleBee Initiative is a powerful example. By bringing together OCH, Options Housing, Ottawa Salus, and Gignul Non-Profit Housing Corporation, we are joining forces to combine capacity and expertise, so more people have a home and the stability that comes with access to supportive services.  As Catharine Vandelinde, Executive Director of Options Housing, notes, this is “a practical, collaborative model that helps us deliver more supportive housing faster and more efficiently.” Mark MacAulay, CEO of Ottawa Salus, echoes this perspective, emphasizing that “an integrated approach builds stronger foundations for individuals to heal, recover, and achieve lasting independence.” These voices reflect a shared commitment that housing is not just about bricks and mortar, it is about dignity, stability and opportunity. 

This collaborative initiative aligns with OCH’s Complex Care Housing Strategy – which reinforces this principle, helping tenants with complex needs stay successfully housed and supported by services that meet them where they are. A shared desire across the housing and homelessness sectors and government partners to take a team approach.  

Looking ahead, it is clear that the scale and complexity of Ottawa’s housing challenge demand new ways of working. Short-term funding cycles and fragmented programs do not always align with the long-term nature of housing development and community building.  

There is a compelling story to tell. Since 2024, OCH has added more than 600 homes to its portfolio. Today, 1,000 homes are under construction, with another 1,000 shovel-ready — together, these developments have the potential to provide housing for thousands of residents once completed.  

This momentum reflects strong partnerships, aligned funding, and shared goals. As Ottawa’s arms-length housing corporation, OCH plays a central role in advancing the city’s housing targets, and continued collaboration across all levels of government — including emerging initiatives such as the federal Build Canada Homes agency — will be critical to sustaining progress.  

We must think boldly. To scale up, we must treat housing as an essential infrastructure and continue to invest in non-market affordable housing as an integral part of the housing continuum.    

The path forward is clear. We know what works: build homes, preserve affordability, and offer housing with integrated supports where people remain stably housed and thrive. 

Ottawa is ready. With continued commitment, collaboration, and investment, we can keep building homes and futures for more people in the year ahead.