April 17, 2026 Newsletter

Ottawa's housing providers, health care organizations, and community partners gathered last week at the Ottawa Health and Housing Symposium held at Bayview Yards to announce a series of initiatives that will reshape how the city supports its most vulnerable residents. For those of us who have long advocated for a more connected, compassionate approach to housing and health, this moment represents real, meaningful progress, but it comes with a sobering reminder of how much work remains to be done.

Too many people in Ottawa are without a home. Too many have died on our streets. These are not statistics to be managed from a distance; they are lives, neighbours, and members of our community who deserved better. The urgency of that reality is what drives the work being announced, and it must remain front and centre as we move from commitment to action.

The centrepiece launched last week was the creation of the Health, Housing and Homelessness Action Table, a new coordinating body established under the Housing and Homelessness Leadership Table (HHLT), the City's strategic advisory body. The Action Table will bring together housing providers, health care organizations, and community partners to strengthen coordination, better align services, and advance shared priorities. It builds on proven models that are already easing pressure on hospitals and emergency services, with the goal of delivering better health outcomes for residents while making our entire support system more sustainable.

What makes this initiative especially promising is its commitment to community co-generation. Rather than designing solutions from the top down, the Action Table is structured to draw on the lived experience of residents alongside the expertise of service providers and government. That kind of shared ownership is what produces lasting change. The early collaboration between Ottawa Community Housing and Ottawa Public Health is also a strong example of this approach in action, with the two organizations bringing their distinct mandates together to address the health and housing needs of residents in a more coordinated and effective way.

Housing instability and poor health outcomes are deeply intertwined, and the Action Table is a recognition that solving one without addressing the other will always fall short. For residents who have struggled to navigate separate and often siloed systems, one for housing, another for health care, and yet another for social services, this new structure signals that the City of Ottawa is committed to seeing the full picture of people's lives. Integrated support is not a luxury. For many people in this city, it is the difference between survival and tragedy

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe reinforced that commitment by declaring April 10 Health and Housing Day in Ottawa, recognizing the growing importance of integrated approaches to improving housing stability, health outcomes, and system sustainability. Symbols matter in public life. A mayoral declaration sends a clear message about where this city's priorities lie and the direction we are heading together.

The symposium also brought welcome news from the private sector. The RBC Foundation announced a $100,000 donation over two years to the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation (OCHF) to support health and social services for tenants with complex needs living in Ottawa Community Housing communities. On-site supports are often the difference between a resident staying housed and a crisis that lands them in an emergency room or on the street. This investment will strengthen those supports, helping residents stay housed and more connected to the care they need.

Ottawa Community Housing is unique among housing agencies in Canada in having its own charitable foundation dedicated to improving the lives of its tenants. The Ottawa Community Housing Foundation is a registered charity, and its work depends not only on partnerships like the one announced with the RBC Foundation, but on the generosity of residents across our city. I encourage anyone who believes that stable housing and access to care are fundamental to a healthy community to consider making a donation to the OCHF. Every contribution helps ensure that tenants with complex needs get the on-site supports that keep them housed, healthy, and connected. Learn more about the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation and donate here: ochfoundation.ca

The RBC Foundation's commitment to the OCHF’s complex needs housing initiative is a strong example of what becomes possible when Ottawa's private and community sectors step forward alongside government, not to replace public investment, but to complement it and help pilot approaches that can be scaled over time.

Taken together, the announcements from last week's symposium reflect what community advocates, frontline workers, and residents have been calling for: a city that treats housing as health care, and health care as inseparable from the stability of a home. We owe it to everyone who has been lost, and to everyone still at risk, to get this right. I look forward to working alongside partners in government, healthcare, housing, and the community to ensure that every Ottawa resident has not only a roof over their head, but the supports they need to truly thrive.

Rawlson King 
City Councillor