Jun 11th, 2025

Ottawa Community Housing Releases 2024 Annual Report Highlighting Growth, Innovation, and Commitment to Tenants 

June 11, 2025 (Ottawa, ON) – Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) presented its 2024 Annual Report today at its Annual General Meeting with its sole shareholder, Ottawa City Council. The event, led by Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Giguère and Board Chair Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, showcased key accomplishments that reflect OCH’s commitment to building more affordable homes, enhancing tenant services, and fostering innovation. 

As Ottawa’s largest provider of community and affordable housing, OCH continues to serve more than 33,000 tenants across nearly 15,500 homes. In 2024, the organization made significant strides in advancing the four pillars of its Strategic Plan: Build and Preserve, Tenant Experience, Partner and Support, and Innovate and Grow. 

In 2024, the organization focused on expanding affordable housing and maintaining its existing portfolio to meet the increasing housing needs across the city.   

• 601 new affordable homes were delivered through new builds and acquisitions.  

• Over 2,000 additional homes are in progress through various stages of development.  

• 220 major capital repair projects were launched – a multi-year maintenance and renewal program – to extend the life of existing housing. 

Sustainability remained a core priority, with progress on a range of green initiatives, including;   

• Solar panels installed at Mikinàk, OCH’s newest development, generating 300 kW of clean energy directly on site  

• 7 EV chargers added in two communities (Mosaïq Ottawa and Mikinàk) 

• 115 heat pumps installed in homes  

• LED upgrades in 4,600 homes (12,050 new bulbs installed). 

• 455 trees and shrubs were planted as part of the Tiny Forest project. 

• Organic Waste Program expanded to 30 communities 

Tenant Service Delivery saw meaningful enhancements in 2024, focused on faster access, better support, and more personalized approach. 

• Rent and Lease Services underwent a full transformation using Lean methodology – which aims at reducing waste – resulting in faster processing times, better accessibility, and higher tenant satisfaction. 

• OCH advanced its Complex Care Housing Strategy, redefining how housing can support tenants with complex health and social needs. In collaboration with health and social service partners, OCH launched three integrated initiatives to connect tenants with the right care, in the right place: 

• Place-based support that delivers essential health and social services directly to tenants, removing access barriers.   

• HART Hub is a housing model that combines stable housing with integrated health and social supports for individuals facing complex challenges  

• An Intake Assessment Tool to better identify individual needs upfront and connect tenants with the most suitable housing, community, and support services.    

These achievements have been driven by OCH’s increasing emphasis on leveraging data and technology to further enhance service delivery and operations.   

Quotes

“The 2024 Annual Report showcases OCH’s ongoing success in delivering innovative supports to more than 33,000 tenants and advancing the City of Ottawa’s housing development goals. Through strong collaboration with the City, all levels of government, and sector partners, OCH continues to sustain momentum in building more affordable homes, prioritizing essential capital repairs, and enhancing services for tenants. On behalf of the OCH Board of Directors, I sincerely thank our dedicated staff for their unwavering commitment and ability to deliver.” 

— Theresa Kavanagh, Councillor and Chair, Ottawa Community Housing Board of Directors 

 “The Annual General Meeting offers a critical moment to reflect on the progress we have made— adding hundreds of affordable homes, enhancing tenant services, strengthening community safety, and advancing systemic solutions to homelessness. Through strategic partnerships with the City of Ottawa, more than 100 community organizations, sector leaders, and all orders of government, Ottawa Community Housing is driving impactful and scalable solutions that are building a stronger, more resilient Ottawa. We remain committed to accelerating this momentum, creating safe, inclusive communities for all residents.” 

— Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive Officer, Ottawa Community Housing    

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About Ottawa Community Housing 

Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) offers approximately 15,500 homes to about 33,000 tenants, including seniors, families, individuals, and people with disabilities. These homes are located in various communities throughout Ottawa and house a diverse population with different languages, cultures, and ethnicities. OCH is Ottawa’s primary community housing provider, managing two-thirds of the city’s housing portfolio and ranking as the second largest in Ontario. In 2025, OCH earned recognition for the eighth consecutive year as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers.   

www.och-lco.ca | X | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky 

Media inquiries: 

Chantal Genova
Manager, Media Relations and Public Information
Ottawa Community Housing
media@och.ca
343-997-5700

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Resources

• OCH 2024 Annual Report 

• OCH Strategic Plan  

• OCH Website 

• OCH Foundation Website   

• OCH Foundation Annual Report  

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Quick Highlights from Ottawa Community Housing’s 2024 Annual Report 

• Since 2021, under the City of Ottawa’s 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan, OCH has added over 700 homes through new construction and acquisitions, helping preserve affordable housing and keep more people housed. 

• In 2024, OCH welcomed 1,212 households to a new home, 75% came from the Centralized Social Housing Registry Waitlist 

• OCH collaborates with over 100 community partners to deliver programs and services that support tenant well-being. 

• OCH’s award-winning Volunteer Engagement Program welcomed 1,401 volunteers who donated over 7,890 hours across 65 events benefiting 46 OCH communities. 

• As Ottawa’s largest housing provider, OCH manages over 15,500 homes for 33,000 tenants, 42% are families, 27% seniors, 26% single occupants, and 5% multi-adult households. 

• Awards and Recognition 

OCH was recognized in 2024 for excellence in housing design, research, safety, and workplace innovation — reflecting continued leadership in the housing and public service sectors. 

• Queen’s Park Picks 2024 – OCH’s Mikinàk and Carlington communities were selected by the Ontario Association of Architects. 

• 2024 CMHC Housing Research Award – Honouring innovation and impact in housing research. 

• Canadian HR Reporter’s 2024 Most Innovative HR teams – Celebrating excellence in HR practices and team performance. 

• Electrical Safety Award – Recognized for outstanding commitment to electrical safety standards. 

• 2024 National Capital Region’s Top Employers – Named one of the top employers in the region for workplace excellence. 

• The OCH Foundation achieved major milestones- Read their Annual Report HERE for more information.