The Ottawa Mission released its annual impact report outlining its support of “record numbers,” of vulnerable community members over the past fiscal year. “We’re five years beyond the city of Ottawa declaring the state of a state of emergency for homelessness in our city of Ottawa; and five years later, things are more challenging than they’ve ever been,” said Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley. According to the Mission, the organization has provided emergency shelter to 1,248 unique individuals and successfully housed 270 clients. The Ottawa Mission also provides 1.2 million meals per year and other services like job training, but they say their resources are limited. “Our beds have been full since the pandemic broke, with nine mats going down every night on the chapel room floor, and anywhere from 15 to 20 people per night sleeping in the waiting area, in plastic chairs or on the floor, curled up, hoping a bed will open up within a few days,” he says. “It’s worse than it’s ever been in terms of the demand for our services.” Since launching its food truck program in September 2020 with one truck serving 500 meals per week, the Mission say they have expanded to two trucks making 41 stops and serving 11,000 meals per week. Asylum Seekers According to the Mission, in 2023 a record number of asylum seekers turned to the Mission for help. “There has been a decline in the number of newcomers who turn to us for help and occupy our shelter beds since that time, and we appreciate the efforts of the City of Ottawa to find alternate accommodation for these clients. Having said this, we continue to be at over 100 per cent with all of our emergency shelter beds full,” stated Ashley Potter, Manager of Frontline Services at the Mission in a press release. Earlier this summer, the Federal Government stated it will end funding for hotel rooms for asylum seekers. In March, the federal government said “$66.6 million has been secured to continue hotel operations until September 30, 2025.” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) say they are helping asylum seekers transition out of IRCC-funded hotels. “IRCC-funded hotels were always intended as a temporary measure to ease pressure on local shelters, and this was clearly communicated to occupants from the outset. Claimants are being supported to move into longer-term housing,” a spokesperson for IRCC said a statement to CTV News. “Asylum claimants receive support to find housing, employment, education, and other essential services, and are expected to transition to independent living as quickly as possible.” According to IRCC, 128 asylum claimants are being housed in a single Ottawa hotel. “I am concerned that some people could end up here at the Ottawa Mission if they’re moved out of hotels without accommodation arrangements being made. But we’re hoping that if they are newcomers, they’ll be transitioned into one of the two centers that the city has provided,” says Tilley. “We’re happy to see the initiatives the city has taken. Opening a transition welcoming center for newcomers on Saint Joseph Boulevard, one on Queen Street, and providing the necessary services that newcomers require to be transitioned into housing to be transitioned into jobs. So, this is certainly alleviated the demand for our services compared to almost two years ago, when 60 per cent of people showing up at the door of the Ottawa mission were newcomers, that number is now getting down to the 10 to 20 per cent ratio.” Ottawa Mission stats
