“What began with providing office space in their old rectory for our community support services team has evolved into remarkable collaborations, including the development of Hollyer House, which combines affordable housing with vital community services offered by our team and other partners, like the FAMSAC Food Cupboard,” she said. “Together, we have hosted fun and accessible events for the community, including a recent Indigenous Day celebration, community meals, and an annual ‘Trick or Trunk’ event … to name a few….Our collaborations have allowed us to create positive moments of connection and care for our community.”

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Horton, a longtime parishioner and choir member at St. Thomas Alta Vista, was one of three recipients from the municipality honoured in the ceremony at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. Councillor Marty Carr highlighted the recipients’ dedication to improving the quality of lives in the local community and city-wide.

The commemorative coins carry the City’s coat of arms on the front and an image of the locks at the junction of the Ottawa River and the Rideau canal on the back. Sutcliffe noted that it was the construction of the Canal, built by Colonel By, which birthed the development of Bytown, now the City of Ottawa.  — Michele Bédard

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The Bishop’s Panel on Housing Justice (BPHJ) is providing bulletin inserts to every parish with facts about homelessness and affordable housing and questions for candidates.

“Housing affordability and homelessness touch every community across the diocese,” Moira Alie, the BPHJ chair said. “Municipal leaders need to know this is an issue people care about.”

The campaign is taking place as Centre 454, operated by Belong Ottawa, a Community Ministry of the Diocese that serves many people who are homeless or precariously housed, faces a deadline to move from its longtime location at St. Albans Church on King Edward by Jan. 31, 2027.

Belong Ottawa has made an urgent request to the City of Ottawa to extend the deadline to ensure its essential services can continue without interruption, avoid the dislocation of a move in the dead of winter and allow for meaningful planning for its future. Details of Centre 454’s services to the most vulnerable are on Belong Ottawa’s website (belongottawa.ca). There is also a letter-writing campaign supporting its request for an extension of the deadline: Centre 454 Advocacy Campaign.

For the municipal elections, the panel recommends several steps for churchgoers who see the bulletin and volunteer to help. One option is to attend all-candidate meetings and ask questions, using the information provided. Another is to engage directly one-on-one with a candidate, proactively or when the candidate shows up on a doorstep.

For anyone who misses the bulletin but would like to participate, details are posted on the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa website. ottawa.anglican.ca/what-we-do/homelessness-and-affordable-housing

All municipalities in the diocese have good current information on candidates and election arrangements on their websites.  (See sample of links at the end of this article.)

The bulletin insert (which can be downloaded from the diocesan website) begins with the fact that homelessness in the Diocese has reached record highs. It offers basic facts (such as 3,000 people are homeless in Ottawa every night); suggestions for municipal action; and questions for candidates, including, “Will you make ending homelessness and building more affordable housing a priority if you are elected?”

The panel’s goal is to make sure homelessness and affordable housing are municipal election issues. Candidates who are faced with a multitude of issues need to hear from many voters to make something a priority.

“We want it to be an election issue,” said panel member Joyce Potter. “We want people running for council to be aware of the issues and to have to think about their positions.”

The panel sees the election initiative as part of its mandate to inform parishioners about the housing and homelessness situations. Feedback from participating volunteers is encouraged.

It’s easy to find out who is running for election in your municipality. In Ottawa, searching for Ottawa election candidates 2026 brings up full details.

Links for other municipalities:

Carleton Place

Cornwall

Mississippi Mills

Pembroke

Perth

Renfrew

Smiths Falls

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That’s the appeal from Claire Smith, chair of fundraising for Community Housing Initiative Perth (CHIP) as the official opening of its 15-unit affordable housing residence approaches this fall.

While significant contributions have been made, the capital campaign is still $144,000 short of its $300,000 goal.

The CHIP project was initiated by St. James the Apostle; the parish made an initial contribution to get the fund started and continues to provide significant support.

Since the fundraising campaign began, others have stepped up, and Claire Smith is confident the goal will be achieved.

Substantial support has come from St. Paul’s United Church and the Rideau St. Lawrence Real Estate Board.

The Rev. Don McLean, minister at St Paul’s, says the congregation explored various ways of supporting affordable housing in Perth and for two years made contributions to CHIP as part of its mission and outreach work. As well, “individual members of St. Paul’s are active in the community in a variety of roles as active supporters of the CHIP project and in advocacy for affordable housing.”

Pauline Aunger, a realtor with offices in Perth and Smiths Falls, says she has seen first-hand how important shelter is to those who struggle financially to get affordable housing. A past president of the Canadian and Ontario Real Estate Associations and director of the Ontario Realtor Care Foundation, she arranged the board’s support and made her own donation.

“My parents taught me from childhood that it was important to help others in our community who from time to time may need assistance,” she says. “I know by donating to this very worthwhile housing initiative that I am helping someone find a place to call home.  What can be more important than that?”

The dates for a ceremonial opening and a barbecue with neighbours have not been settled. What is not in doubt is that families will start moving in over a three-month period during the fall.

Rent-geared-to-income candidates will come from Lanark County’s wait list of more than 460.  Some others will come from the wait list of Carebridge Community Support, the owner and operator of the residence at 63 Halton Street.

CHIP has an excellent website with details about the project and ways to donate or volunteer for its Alongsider support program (perthhousing.ca). Regular postings are made on Facebook under Community Housing Initiative Perth.

The fundraising goal of $300,000 is necessary to complete the financing based on a $2.5 million forgivable loan from Lanark County and a $600,000 grant from the Ontario Building Faster Fund.

The Rev. Canon Ken Davis, St. James’s rector until he retired last year, reached out beyond St. James to form the CHIP steering committee that has become a model of success in community involvement.

David Kroetsch, St. James’ chair of outreach, is co-chair with Smith of the CHIP steering committee. Davis’s successor, the Rev. Robert Camara, and the Rev. Liana Gallant, incumbent and deacon respectively at St. James, are active in CHIP. Camara replaced Davis on the steering committee.

“It has been an opportunity for our church community to identify an important need within the community and respond to it,” Camara wrote in an email. “It’s also part of the parish’s response to the Diocese’s call to help find ways to address the housing crisis.”

Gallant is working with the Alongsider support program, for which a group of trained volunteers will provide social support to the tenants, including helping them navigate resources and services, helping build connections with neighbours and attending community events together.

Donations may be made at perthhousing.ca

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Ellwood and church leaders came together with federal, provincial and city representatives to celebrate the beginning of construction of the Ellwood House Extension that will more than double the capacity of the 37-year-old community residence.

The project is a partnership of Ellwood House, the St. Thomas the Apostle parish and the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, with funding from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Ontario government, the City of Ottawa and — the next challenge — a capital fundraising campaign.

The extension will be built on the site of the former St. Thomas rectory, which was demolished in early June along with land abatement, clearing the way for site plan approval by the City. The extension will have 38 one-bedroom units, six barrier-free and the rest fully visitable for those with accessibility needs.

The Rev Tim Kehoe, incumbent at St Thomas, told the gathering: “No single organization can accomplish work like this alone. It’s only possible through close collaboration among church and government partners, housing organizations, donors, volunteers, and community advocates.”

He said the ground-breaking event demonstrates what’s possible when people unite around a shared vision of the common good. “It’s simply part of the DNA of this place,” he said. “Ensuring respect and dignity for all, so that none are left behind.

“The soil we turn today represents more than construction – it represents lives that will be strengthened and futures that will be secured.”

Kehoe’s remarks resonated with subsequent speakers, the project’s partners.

Defence Minister David McGuinty, MP for Ottawa South, recalled being at the opening of Ellwood in 1988 with his late father, a former Ontario MPP for the area. “This is evidence of what we can do as a country when we work together,” he said, confirming $6.9 million in funding from the CMHC Affordable Housing Fund.

John Fraser, the current Ontario MPP for Ottawa South, paid tribute to the vision and determination of president Janice Horton and the Ellwood House board of directors. “Leadership is never losing sight of where you want to go. It takes vision and people to stick with it.” The Ontario Building Faster Fund provided $9.5 million.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the City of Ottawa is proud to work with the partners to make the project possible. The city provided significant pre-development funding as well as much support and advice throughout.

Bishop Kathryn Otley reminded everyone that three factors – aging, rent increases and fixed income – combine to create homelessness. “Ellwood House Extension offers seniors safe, affordable, permanent housing for independent living; just as importantly…a place to belong…that respects each person, a place to call home.”

Further supporting words came from Marty Carr, city councillor for Ward 18; Khurram Mirza, associate director at Turner and Townsend, project managers; Allessandro Guarna, vice-president of McDonald Brothers Construction; and James Colizza, founding partner of Colizza Bruni Architecture.

Colizza, who 40 years ago designed the original building deliberately facing St. Thomas church, referred to the campus as a vibrant intergenerational village, home to Braeside House, a residence for adults living with disabilities, the Bloom Centre for Early Learning and a city fire station in addition to Ellwood House and soon, the Extension.

In a special closing prayer Bishop Kathryn Otley of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa prayed for blessing upon board members and parish members. planners and builders, partners, funders and supporters.

“Bless all who shall live here:
grant them comfort in their days,
companionship in their evenings,
and joy in the sharing of life together.

“May their years be rich with memory and hope,
their hearts strengthened in faith,
and their lives upheld in your love.

“Make this community a sign of your kingdom—
where justice is cherished, where no one is left behind, and where each person is honoured as your beloved child.

“Guard this place from all harm;
fill it with kindness and laughter;
and let your presence dwell here continually…”

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A parish can become a member of MHI which has the capacity to gather small contributions from faith communities and purchase housing in large projects such as ‘Odenak’ on LeBreton Flats. MHI became a partner with the builder ‘Dream Corporation’ which will ensure the creation of 130 affordable units in the two towers on LeBreton Flats. [The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa contributed a $75,000 donation for Indigenous housing in the project with funds from the sale of a church property.]

With a membership purchase of $100 per year, your parish would be able to vote on decisions made annually at MHI’s annual general meeting and thereby influence projects to be pursued.  Although $100 is a small sum, it is an indication of your parish’s wish to participate and contribute to the cause of providing affordable housing.

One long-term fundraising initiative of MHI is its annual Tulipathon. This three-kilometre walk in Commissioners Park (the location of the Tulip Festival next to Dow’s Lake) raises money to subsidize ‘affordable housing’ for some MHI tenants. Participation in this activity puts safe housing in reach for many low-income families and individuals.

This year’s Tulipathon will take place on May 24 at 3 pm.  Each parish is encouraged to create a team and gather supporters in their community of friends and family.  Whether parishes have members who are walking, fundraising, donating, or sharing information they and their parish are part of something bigger.  Action by your parish will help to move the mission forward, especially as housing challenges in Ottawa continue to grow.

For more information : https://www.multifaithhousing.ca/tulipathon

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Two separate projects with similar goals are well under way. The Rev. Graham Singh has issued The Winnipeg Declaration with the goal of deploying faith-owned land and buildings for the public good, ending homelessness being “a core imperative.”  At the same time, the Faith Network has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for its incorporation within the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH).

The result will be more resources for parishes with interest but also concerns about starting affordable housing projects. And with the Faith Network, it will offer an opportunity for parishes that have created housing to share their experience for the benefit of others.

Singh is the founder of Relèven and incumbent of St Jax, an Anglican bilingual parish and community hub in Montreal. Relèven works to restore or repurpose under-utilized churches into community hubs and affordable housing. It has partnered with Anglican churches in the dioceses of Huron and Qu’Appelle.

Singh says the Winnipeg Declaration is “a balloon we floated to over 200 national and regional faith leaders, bishops and the equivalent, to ask, is this a good idea?” referring to a plan to encourage a national faith declaration and generate resources in the cause of ending homelessness?

The analysis of about 50 responses favored broadening the purpose to include the wider social impact of land deployment, understanding that the land is not all going to be used for homelessness only.

Singh is convening roundtables in cities across Canada and launching a website that will invite “faith communities and partners” to add their names as signatories or witnesses to the Winnipeg Declaration.  The site was scheduled to open on May 1, 2026. He says a roundtable in Edmonton led to the city offering a grant program for churches that are going through transitions.

Singh says the invitation to sign on to the Declaration, not legally binding, is intended to generate interest and activity. In an Anglican context, it could be a bishop, a rector, an interested parishioner or all three.

Meanwhile, Tim Richter, CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) reports that the Faith Network is coming together. “We have a steering committee, two great co-chairs, an MOU and terms of reference. Work on the toolkit is proceeding and the process for (hiring) a coordinator is about to begin.”

Singh’s Relèven and the Faith Network, Richter’s long-time aspiration for the Alliance, came together at the Alliance’s national conference last October in Montreal where the Faith Network was officially launched.

Singh floated the idea of a national faith declaration on ending homelessness, initially favourably received by Faith Network representatives. The two groups are in discussions about possible Relèven participation at the Alliance’s national conference in Winnipeg in November.

As the building process continues, the Faith Network will want to take into account the services already provided by Relèven, which offers a property strategy course and opportunities to work with Canada Mortgage and Housing’s Solutions Lab.

Garth Brown, co-chair of the its steering committee says the network plans to build a website that will include details of successfully completed projects, with a facility for interested parties to connect. “We’re trying to create a platform so that people don’t have to re-invent the wheel.”

Singh’s Winnipeg Declaration includes an undertaking to raise $5 million of “catalytic philanthropic investment” over three years. Funding is needed, he says, to help parishes overcome inevitable tensions that stand in the way of creating affordable housing.

He says the funding is needed to help create the conditions whereby the tensions can be managed well. “It does not happen for free.” He refers to the well-known NIMBY [not-in-my-backyard] factor — everyone is in favour of affordable housing as long as it’s not near their property.

“If you have a good community facilitator and you have good pre-development work for the site – the church, the neighbours, the community organizations —you can truly work together.”

He says he doesn’t “buy the phrase ‘surplus land’ easily.”  Before declaring land surplus, particularly before selling it to a for-profit developer, you should first determine whether it may be need by other partners — another church, a community organization — in the area.

*It’s The Winnipeg Declaration because Relèven has been working with several Winnipeg congregations, including All Saints Anglican, to create affordable housing.

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Since 2014 when the Diocese, under the leadership of Bishop John Chapman, set up what became the Homelessness and Affordable Housing Working Group, the City of Ottawa’s wait list for affordable housing has ballooned by almost 5,000 to 15,000 at the end of last year.

Appropriately then, nominees in the episcopal election were asked a question about their views on the diocesan ministry to people who are vulnerable.

The bishop-elect is a founding and continuing member of the working group that was rebranded as the Bishop’s Panel on Housing Justice (BPHJ) in 2024. In her written response to the question she offered two suggestions.

“We can connect in a deanery forum,’ she said, “to share, inspire and brainstorm opportunities and creative solutions to the challenges encountered as we minister to those in our local context.”

She also wanted to explore the creation of an advisory panel to raise awareness of the root causes of the increasing need in the diocese. This could lead to advocacy, with partners, to all levels of government for measures to address root causes and reduce the numbers in need.

At one of the pre-election forums, Moira Alie, chair of the Bishop’s Panel on Housing Justice, asked specifically about the prevailing urban and rural urban housing crisis. “What is your vision for the Diocese,” she said, “when it comes to affordable housing and housing justice?”

Alie said that while each candidate offered a unique vision for the Diocese’s path, it was “deeply encouraging to see a unanimous consensus: the Diocese has a fundamental, undeniable role to play in housing justice.”

Responding to Alie’s question, the Bishop-elect said housing justice is a core personal passion. She emphasized that the Diocese needs to stay active.

She highlighted that when the Diocese lacks expertise, it must proactively seek out experts. She pointed to the development of Hollyer House, (the Christ Church Bells Corners project that became a community hub with 35 affordable housing units) where she collaborated closely with experts to bridge the gap between vision and execution.

Ultimately, Otley argued that faith communities possess something unique, through their land and through volunteer networks. By mobilizing every parish, participating in advocacy and spreading awareness, she said she believes the Diocese can make a transformative impact on affordable housing.

She provided leadership at Christ Church Bells Corners as the parish decided to use available land for the creation of affordable housing.  For eight years, she was the chair of the Affordable Housing Action Group of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario.

In the written statement she saw brainstorming in deanery forums as way for every parish to be engaged, harking back to one of the goals of the original working group, the others being action, advocacy, learning and prayer.

Going forward, while the need has expanded, the Diocese is building on success that has come from the inspiration and dedication of parishes. The former working group established a campaign to create 125 new units with every parish engaged for the Diocese’s 125th anniversary in 2021.

With the opening of Hollyer House and Cornerstone Housing for Women’s Eccles Street residence 151 units were completed.

In 2024, then-Bishop (now Archbishop) Shane Parker renewed the working group’s mandate with the name change. Diocesan Synod endorsed new terms of reference that included providing advice to the Future Fund panel concerning grants related to affordable housing and homelessness and assisting parishes in reaching out to partners in their communities and working with them.

With construction under way on the Ellwood House extension at St. Thomas the Apostle Alta Vista and the Halton Street residence in Perth, led by St. James the Apostle, a further 50 units will likely be available by the end of the year. Both projects require fundraising that offers an opportunity for support.

With the exception of the Cornerstone residences, the efforts to create more affordable housing have been driven by parishes, with various forms of support from the Diocese such as seed money for feasibility work in Perth and fundraising for Hollyer House.

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The innovative project, initiated by St. James, is led by a volunteer team of community leaders who have been able to generate broad community support.

Claire Smith, the co-chair with St. James’s David Kroetsch of Community Housing Project Perth (CHIP) says more than $150,000 has been raised towards the goal of $300,000.

It represents the grassroots portion of the $4.5 million total cost. Major funding of $2.5 million came from Lanark County whose waiting list has grown to about 460, including 300 in Perth. The town provided the land.

Smith is confident the goal will be reached “one handshake at a time.” The Perth and District Community Foundation has contributed $25,000, earmarked for an “Alongside Program” intended to offer support for household management to the new tenants. She emphasizes “how grateful we are to all the changemakers” – the donors who have made construction possible. The project is on track to open late this year.

In December, the Rev. Robert Camara replaced founding co-chair the Rev. Canon Ken Davis as rector of St. James after he retired. Calling CHIP a great outreach project, Camara looks forward to working with the steering committee to see it to completion.

“Our involvement and support is one way that we live out our baptismal promises to respect the dignity of every human being and loving our neighbour as ourselves.”

While CHIP characterizes grassroots donors as Changemakers, it recognizes “the village behind the building” as follows:

The Craftsmen, the Saumure Group of Companies with experience in building other affordable housing, “on- site daily, putting local hands to work to create high-quality, lasting homes for our neighbours.”

The Stewards: Carebridge Community Support will operate the building, ensuring that future tenants have the stability and support they need to thrive. Carebridge housing director Alison Newson says the project will help respond to a local crisis in which seniors, single parents and residents with disabilities struggle to secure permanent homes.

The Pillars: The support of Lanark County and the Town of Perth “proving that local government is committed to solving the housing shortage.”

CHIP might have added a fifth component — their own diverse Leadership group. In addition to co-chairs Claire Smith and David Kroetsch:

Stewart MacNabb, former director of finance at Carebridge, who is CHIP’s financial advisor.

Mac Girouard, former director of operations at Carebridge, became CHIP’s social media advisor, running an active Facebook presence as well as other effective outreach.

Linda Chaim, CHIP’s secretary, representative of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW), maintains strong relations with community partners.

Brian Perkin, former owner of the Perth radio station, who is in charge of communications.

The building at 63 Halton Street will offer a mix of rent geared to income (RGI) and affordable rental units. Affordable rent is set at 80 per cent of market rates. RGI rent is based on income and other eligibility factors. Tenants for RGI units will be selected from Lanark County Social Services’ wait list. Affordable rent placements will come from Carebridge’s own wait list.

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