Nov 1st, 2022

News Release: Ottawa Community Housing Corporation and Ottawa Community Benefits Network Celebrate Ottawa’s First Formal Community Benefits Agreement

Tuesday, November 1, 2022 – OTTAWA, ON – Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) is pleased to announce the formal signing of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), which marks the first signatory of a CBA in the City of Ottawa under the Ottawa Community Benefits Network (OCBN). 

This historic agreement provides a framework for ongoing social responsibility, partnership, communication, and collaboration between the two organizations to support a sustainable and economically equitable future for residents in Ottawa.  

The CBA formally outlines how OCHC will continue recognizing socio-economic opportunities and benefits for tenants and communities in all its ongoing and future projects. Some of the benefits arising from this landmark agreement include workforce development for equity-deserving groups and Ottawa’s indigenous citizens, continued awarded aspects of projects and delivery of services and goods from local social enterprises, and an ongoing gender-informed and intersectional lens when determining opportunity creation. 

Although OCHC is formalizing its agreement under the OCBN, OCHC has had a long-standing history of corporate and social responsibility. Currently, OCHC works with five local social enterprises that deliver various goods and services across the portfolio, with awarded contracts valued at over $535,000 annually. OCHC will continue that momentum with the signing of this CBA.  

A fundamental respect for social procurement, sustainability, and a community’s best interests underlies the agreement. It sets a foundation to explore new and creative ways for OCHC residents and neighbourhoods to reach their full potential. 

Ottawa Community Housing continues to innovate to meet the city’s housing and financial needs with the formalized signing of a Community Benefits Agreement with the Ottawa Community Benefits Network. Together, with our partners, we’re continuing to create an inclusive and equitable local economy where everyone thrives. Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive Officer, OCH

I am pleased to celebrate the signing of our Community Benefits Agreement that formalizes our ongoing commitment to enabling tenants to fully participate in the socio-economic opportunities of our city. I look forward to collaborating with OCBN on development projects as we continue to build affordable housing across Ottawa. Cliff Youdale, Chief Development Officer, OCH

Ottawa’s communities are diverse, so we must continue to bring people together to find solutions, provide incentives, organize action, and monitor results. CBAs provide the best mechanisms to do all of this with transparency and accountability. I want to thank Ottawa Community Housing Corporation for showing true leadership in signing the city’s first official Community Benefits Agreement. The OCBN looks forward to our continued partnership with OCHC for years to come. Warren Waters, Member, OCBN Steering Committee and Lowertown Community Association 

About Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) provides approximately 15,000 homes to about 32,000 tenants, including seniors, parents, children, couples, singles and persons with disabilities, within many communities across the City of Ottawa. OCHC houses a diverse population of varying languages, ethnicity and cultures. OCHC 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. OCHC was selected as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers in 2022 for the fifth year in a row.
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