Jun 12th, 2024
News Release: Ottawa Community Housing Reaffirms Commitment To Affordable Housing And Exemplary Tenant Services At Annual General Meeting
Share this story
Wednesday, June 12th, 2024 (OTTAWA, ON) – The Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH) held its Annual General Meeting with its sole shareholder, Ottawa City Council on June 12th. Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive Officer of Ottawa Community Housing, and Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, Chair of the Ottawa Community Housing Board of Directors, provided an overview of OCH’s achievements over the past year.
With the ongoing dedication of OCH staff, support from all orders of government, and partnerships with remarkable community organizations, 2023 saw key milestones for Ottawa Community Housing:
The Launch Of Och’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan
Developed in consultation with tenants, staff and stakeholders, the Strategic Plan serves as the organization’s road map to achieving its vision, mission and goals over the next four years. The Plan is guided by four key priorities;
- Build and Preserve
- Client Experience
- Partner and Support
- Innovate and Grow
Investing In Our Homes
OCH is proud to announce that the Mikinàk community is complete and rental activities are ongoing for studio and one-bedroom units.
With affordability and accessibility as a priority, OCH continues to make significant progress in the construction of new affordable homes including;
- Mosaïq Ottawa (Phase 2)- 273 Mixed Income and Affordable Homes
- Gladstone Village Phase One – 336 Mixed Income and Affordable Homes
While continuing with the construction of new affordable housing, OCH remains committed to maintaining and enhancing our current housing portfolio through multi-year maintenance and renewal initiatives. In 2023, OCH invested $71 million in Capital Repairs including $39 million in the Capital Works Program.
Delivering Quality Services To Every Tenant
OCH operates a 24/7 Call Centre for its ~33,000 tenants, delivering excellent service by answering 88% of calls within 60 seconds in 2023.
The specialized maintenance team completed over 13,000 home assessments and 29,000 proactive repairs, enhancing tenant experience and sustainability of OCH homes.
Complex Care Housing Strategy
Developed in 2023, the Complex Care Housing Strategy is a proposed solution for successfully housing more complex, vulnerable tenants and creating healthier andsafer communities.The Strategy formalizes existing work to address the growing number of OCH tenants coming from the Housing Registry who are at greater risk of;
- High use of emergency services
- Challenges with independent living
- Housing loss/recurrent homelessness
Quotes
“2023 was a year filled with opportunity, innovation, and determination by OCH to improve communities and ‘Change Lives by Providing a Place to Call Home’. I am proud to be Chair of an organization that seeks solutions and builds trust and reliability with all its community partners, including the City of Ottawa. OCH will continue to build and preserve affordable homes while remaining focused on opportunities to improve the tenant experience.”
Theresa Kavanagh, Chair of the Ottawa Community Housing Board of Directors
“The Annual Report is a demonstration of how OCH staff deliver on our priorities to shape stronger, more inclusive, and supportive communities for tenants. I am profoundly grateful for the OCH team, whose tireless efforts and commitment made 2023 a successful year. We remain dedicated to providing more affordable homes, supporting safe and quality communities for tenants and continuing to be a reliable and trusted partner through collaboration with the City of Ottawa departments, all orders of government and our 100+ community partners”.
Stéphane Giguère, CEO of Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
RESOURCES:
About Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
Ottawa Community Housing offers approximately 15,000 homes to about 33,000 tenants, including seniors, families, individuals, and people with disabilities. These homes are located in various communities throughout the City of 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 2024, OCH earned recognition for the seventh consecutive year as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers.
www.och-lco.ca | X | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
Media Contact:
Esther Njuguna
Media Relations Specialist
media@och.ca
343-961-4035
Quick Highlights From The 2023 Annual Report
- OCH currently has over 900 new homes under construction. These are all expected to be completed between 2023-2026.
- OCH’s Award Winning Volunteer Engagement Program received 1,073 volunteers in 2023. The volunteers donated over 4,400 hours to 38 volunteer engagement events that benefited 52 OCH communities.
- OCH remains the largest Housing provider in Ottawa with over 15,000 homes to 33,000 tenants; 42% families, 27% seniors, 26 single occupants and 5% multi adult occupants.
- OCH’s partner, Aging in Place, expanded their onsite services to eight new communities thanks to a funding commitment of over $1 million from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long- Term Care. The extra funding allowed support services to over 1,000 OCH senior residents.
- In 2023 OCH launched phase1 of Project Guardian which saw installation in 13 OCH buildings. This phase was made possible due to an investment of $3.4 million from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
- The OCH Foundation raised $104,697 at their Annual Charity Golf Tournament and $54,758 from their Annual Giving Campaign.
- $71 million investment in Capital Repairs including 39 million in the following Capital Works Programs;
The Roofing Program The Site Renewal Program
The Mechanical and Electrical Renewal Program
The Fire Alarm Safety Program
The Welcome Home Program
The Elevator Modernization Program
Project Guardian
Cladding Repair and Renewal Program
Structural Renewal Program
Building Automation and Monitoring Program