The 2026 City Budget consultations have started. To help you make an impact, we created an advocacy action hub that equips you with the tools to champion your neighbors in need, and to address the root causes of homelessness in our city. https://ottawamission.com/tools

Reminder that the 2026 Municipal Budget Consultations start today 😎 Click here to register, and see you there: www.college-ward.ca/budget_2026

Did you know that the average Canadian is roughly two missed paycheques away from facing a financial crisis that could put their housing at risk? Homelessness can happen to anyone. Like falling into a river.

Great to see you there, Councillor Kavanagh @tkavanaghbayward.bsky.social, and thanks so much for your support! Ending homelessness is a team sport, and it was fantastic to see so many partners and neighbours working together toward the same finish line 😊

The new 2025 Poverty Report Card from Food Banks Canada is out, and the results for our province are shameful. Ontario has received a grade of D- for its failure to address the deepening poverty crisis.

Yesterday, our team at the Ottawa Mission joined Canadians across the country in wearing orange to honour the Survivors of residential schools, their families, and the children who never came home.

"Renoviction" isn't just a buzzword; it's a key driver of homelessness in our city. It's when landlords use the excuse of "major renovations" to push out long-term tenants, often leading to a loss of affordable housing.

In a tight budget year, the most responsible choice is to invest in what we know works. We are calling for a fiscally responsible city budget that invests in prevention. This proactive strategy averts crises before they begin, leading to a more stable community and savings on emergency services.

The numbers are stark. To afford a modest 1-bedroom apartment in Ottawa, you need to earn $29/hr. For a 2-bedroom, it's $35/hr. A full-time minimum wage earner in Ottawa is short nearly $12 for every single hour they work to afford a basic one-bedroom apartment.

We're building housing in Ottawa, so why is the crisis getting worse? A recent report from the Auditor General points to a major systemic failure: we're building "bridges to nowhere." Our newest blog post breaks it down: ottawamission.com/auditor-gene...

This week, our employees took a break from their desks and rolled up their sleeves to make sandwiches and “hope packages” for the @ottawamission.bsky.social 💙 We are proud to support our #community. Thank you to everyone who volunteered! #MoreThanAShelter

As part of @ottawacitizen.com's "How Canada Wins" series, I spoke with Chef Ric at the @ottawamission.bsky.social, who feeds hundreds of Ottawa’s low-income residents every week, delivering great meals and second chances. ottawacitizen.com/news/local-n...

Yesterday, we proudly launched a new vertical farm initiative with RBC and Growcer! 🌱 Thanks to RBC’s generous $1.5 million donation to the Ottawa Community Foundation, we now have two local vertical farms capable of producing up to 20,000 pounds of fresh greens annually for our meal programs. 🥗🌟

School's out, and we're celebrating inspiring students who graduated educational programs with the support of our MCA Stepping Stones Learning Centre. 🎓 Spencer, a resident at our LifeHouse treatment program, was absolutely delighted to earn his high school diploma with this mother in attendance.💙

With temperatures feeling as high as 45°C over the next couple days, our Frontline team is working to provide life-saving support. How you can help: If you see someone struggling in this extreme heat, call 311 to help them access shelter. ⚠️ To cool off: www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-he...

Today is #WorldRefugeeDay. We stand with refugees and newcomers, acknowledging their resilience and contributions to our community. We echo the Canadian Council for Refugees’ national plan to settle claimants, which can be read here: ccrweb.ca/en/national-plan-asylum-dignity-five-key-pillars

For reasons I cannot explain, volunteering at The Ottawa Mission has always been placed upon my heart.” 💙 Read about Doug's touching volunteer experience, how a simple meal lead to lifesaving healthcare, and more heartfelt stories in our summer newsletter: ottawamission.com/may-2025-ene...

Here's Lisa, inside our Mission dining room, enjoying a meaningful Easter dinner on Monday. 💙 @ottawacitizen.com, thank you for telling Lisa's story and highlighting our calls to action. Too many people in Ottawa are going hungry. Let's advocate for change: ottawamission.com/advocacy

What an incredible Easter at The Ottawa Mission! 💜 Our dining room was filled with warmth, laughter, and a beautiful sense of community. For those facing hunger and homelessness, a meal is so much more than food. It’s a moment of relief and a reminder that people care. Thank you for your support!

Canadians must make their voices heard about food insecurity this federal election. 🇨🇦 Use our advocacy tool to speak up and take action! ottawamission.com/get-involved... 📈 - Last year, monthly visits to food banks reached over 2 million visits in Canada — the highest number in history.

We’re still waiting on all levels of government to act. ⏰ The magnitude of homelessness and food insecurity in our city, province, and country is the result of successive failures by governments. Ask your federal candidates what their plans are to help: ottawamission.com/get-involved/advocacy/ 📣

As governments argue over who has the responsibility to address homelessness and food insecurity, community agencies have stepped in to meet these needs — stretching us to the breaking point. 🆘❗ Still Waiting: Enough is Enough. Demand action this federal election: ottawamission.com/get-involved...

Homelessness should be a top-of-mind issue in this upcoming #federal election❗ Tomorrow, we'll release “Still Waiting”, a new report that includes updated asks of the federal government to help steer us out of the homeless and food insecurity emergencies we're facing across Canada. 📣

According to the CMHC, trans people are twice as likely to experience severe poverty and homelessness, and more than half of the trans population has difficulty meeting housing costs. At The Mission, we're mindful of this and are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all. 💙

Not much more than a year ago, Shawn was living on the streets — right across from The Mission. Today, he’s a proud graduate of our Food Services Training Program (FSTP), working a new job in a commercial kitchen. Read more about Shawn’s story in our latest newsletter: ow.ly/C6HW50VlWSI

Tomorrow, Ontarians go to the polls. Homelessness and hunger are top priorities. Please cast your ballot for candidates who will address: ✅The erosion of affordable housing in Ontario ✅Chronic homelessness ✅Inadequate incomes for vulnerable Ontarians. newsinteractives.cbc.ca/features/202...

Income supports in Ontario are among the lowest in the country across all categories (singles, singles with a disability, single parents, etc.) Our food trucks serve 10,500 meals a week across Ottawa. People on fixed income supports are going hungry Ask for change: ottawamission.com/advocacy-cta/

While the Ontario minimum wage was raised to $17.20/hr, an independent analysis found there is still no place in Ontario where you could work full-time at that wage and cover all living expenses. 🚨❌ Send your MPP election candidates a message and call for change: ottawamission.com/advocacy-cta/

Rent control is one way to prevent the erosion of affordable housing and should be considered in this provincial election. But rent control does not apply to buildings built after Nov 2018 in Ontario. Visit ottawamission.com/advocacy-cta to message your MPP candidates and advocate for solutions.

Major investments are urgently needed to end chronic homelessness. This provincial election provides an opportunity to act! 🚨📣 Visit our website to send your local provincial election candidates a message about the need to take action on homelessness in Ontario: ottawamission.com/advocacy-cta/

The people of #ontario must make their voices heard about food insecurity this provincial election. 🥫 - Over 1 million Ontarians visited a food bank in 23-24. Last year, the Ottawa Mission served over 1.1 million meals – a 235% increase from before the pandemic. Hunger affects all of us. #onpoli

Homelessness should be a top-of-mind issue in this upcoming #ontario election. 🙇🙇‍♀️ Action on homelessness is urgently needed. Visit our advocacy page at: ottawamission.com/get-involved... and speak to your local provincial election candidates about their policies concerning homelessness. 📣 #onpoli

People in Ottawa and across Ontario will go to the polls on February 27 for a provincial election. 📣 Let's make food insecurity and homelessness urgent priorities in this election. ❗ Visit our advocacy page to learn about our asks for this campaign! ottawamission.com/get-involved...

"We bring hats and gloves as well toe, foot and hand warmers. When we're patrolling the block we'll invite people to come inside at The Mission or a nearby warming center." CBC joined us on an outdoor round to learn how our team ensures our neighbours in need are safe during Ottawa's coldest day. 💙

We're pleased that Councillor Ariel Troster's two motions on a full review of a proposed renoviction bylaw for Ottawa were passed by the Planning and Housing Committee today. 🏢 If passed, this will curb the erosion of affordable housing in our community and prevent people from becoming homeless. ✅

We are disappointed to learn of a report suggesting a one year delay in the introduction of a renoviction bylaw for Ottawa. We have clients whom we have housed, only to return to our shelter due to renovictions and bad-faith evictions. Vulnerable people cannot afford another year of delays. 🕒❌