Memoranda issued by Community and Social Services

Date: October 3, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager Community and Social Services Department

This memorandum is to inform Council that the Project Funding stream of Community Funding is now open for applications.

We are pleased to announce that the Community Safety and Well-Being team and the Community Development and Funding team have combined resources to offer a $1.4M Project Funding stream. The Funding Priorities for 2024 are children and youth and priority neighbourhoods.

All organizations who receive funding under this joint funding stream must offer programming that supports poverty reduction or social development. Organizations can now apply to two funding categories:

• Capacity Building Project Funding: Capacity Building Projects are initiatives taken on by organizations to improve efficiency for the organization or build capacity within the sector. The focus can be on improving the organization structure, capacity, workflow, or partnerships.
• Programming Funding: Programming funding is allocated to organizations to offer a new program or expand an existing program. The program should address an emerging or ongoing need and respond to the identified priorities and goals as described in the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.

Organizations can apply once for the project funding category and once for the programming funding category. Funding will be allocated in a one or three-year contribution.

For more information and to apply, please visit ottawa.ca, and select Project Funding.

• Deadline for application: Thursday October 31, 2024, at 5 pm
• Maximum funding per agency: $75K per year for Capacity Building Project Funding and $75K per year for Programming Funding
• Funding available: $1.4M
• Applicants are advised of the results: November 28, 2024

Information sessions will be hosted on October 9, 2024, to outline the process to apply for Project Funding, as follows:

English session:

• Wednesday October 9, 2024, from 1:30 to 2:30pm - Click here to register

French session:

• Wednesday October 9, 2024, from 3:00 to 4:00pm - Cliquez ici pour participer

Agencies who are interested in having a discussion about their application with a Community Funding and Development Specialist or would like to request the material and the recording of the information sessions can contact communityfunding@ottawa.ca.

All applications will be assessed through an allocation process. An applicant’s success in obtaining funding depends on the allocation committee’s final evaluation and the funding available in the envelope. Should you have any further questions about the application or allocation process, please contact Cinthia Pagé at cinthia.page@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire,
General Manager
Community and Social Services Department

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Departmental Leadership Team, Community and Social Services

Date: August 15, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Jason Sabourin, Director, Children’s Services

The purpose of this memorandum is to advise the Mayor and Members of Council that on Thursday, August 15, 2024 the Province released information related to their new cost-based funding approach for the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system to be effective January 1st, 2025. The sector has been eagerly anticipating this announcement as the Province is bringing forward much needed funding certainty for both municipalities and licensed child care service providers across Ontario. Under this new framework, funding will be responsive to how child care is delivered across Ontario and based on the true costs of providing care to eligible children under the CWELCC system.

Along with implementation of the new funding approach, many families with children in programs enrolled in the CWELCC system will see a further fee reduction effective Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Child Care base fees will be capped at $22 per day to support the transition to $10 per day average fees by the end of 2025-2026.

Background

The phased implementation of the CWELCC system establishes a welcomed path forward in providing a system of high-quality, affordable, and inclusive early learning and child care services for over 29,488 children in Ottawa to date. Families have been benefiting economically, seeing a reduction of 52% in their child care fees. As a result, demand for child care services has increased city-wide and across the province over the past two years with families wanting affordable licensed child care options under the CWELCC system. Growth in the system is limited and making new CWELCC-funded child care spaces available for families is a top priority for Children’s Services.

Service providers that opted-in to the new CWELCC system were required to freeze their fees in March 2022. The previous funding formula was based on those frozen parental fees to reduce the cost to families and replace the revenue lost. With rising costs and ongoing workforce pressures the initial funding approach was not sustainable and created concern for long-term viability for some service providers. The sector is welcoming the announcement of the new Provincial CWELCC cost-based funding approach to better reflect the true costs of providing care and give stability and certainty for those who deliver child care services.

Current Status

On Thursday, August 15, 2024, the Province released supporting documents to implement a new cost-based approach to Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) funding starting January 1st, 2025. Supports included cost-based funding guideline, preliminary 2025 child care funding allocations and incremental 2024 administration funding to support set-up costs associated with implementing the new cost-based approach.

The City’s role as service system manager for early years and child care services is to administer this new Provincial framework and provide supports for the sector around this significant change, in our local context.

This is an important next step in the phased Provincial approach to providing a national system of high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care services for families.

Cost-based funding guideline

As part of the Province’s phased approach within the CWELCC system the new cost-based funding will supersede the previous revenue replacement approach. Going forward in 2025, the funding formula for CWELCC enrolled service providers will be based on typical (representative) costs of providing high-quality licensed care in Ontario.

The new funding formula is designed to be transparent and representative of how child care is delivered across the province, with more simplified administrative processes and heightened accountabilities to ensure equitable distribution of public funding. The Province has developed benchmarks to be better representative of costs typically incurred for the delivery of licensed child care, including legacy top-up funding to fully cover historic costs above the benchmark allocations and a growth top-up for new providers. In addition to covering eligible costs, the funding formula provides an amount in lieu of profit / surplus to recognize service provider’s opportunity costs and the risk of running a business or to reinvest in child care. To ensure accountability over public funds, funding allocations only become confirmed at the time of reconciliation where eligible costs incurred are assessed.

Preliminary 2025 child care funding allocations

The City of Ottawa’s preliminary allocation for 2025 is approximately $443M. This includes $375M for the CWELCC cost-based allocation, $4.6M for start-up grants to support the City’s directed growth plan, $6M for service system managers administration allocation and $57M for local priorities which includes supports to school-age programs, fee subsidies, workforce strategies and special needs resourcing. Staff are currently assessing the allocation and awaiting further contractual information from the Province. Any service adjustment or financial implication would be identified through the City’s budget process.

The Province is also providing $1.9M in incremental administrative funding in 2024 to support set-up costs associated with implementing the new cost-based approach.

Next Steps

In the coming months, staff will work quickly to review and interpret the Provincial guidelines and will prioritize the development and implementation of the new Provincial funding formula to meet local needs by January 1, 2025. The summer and fall months are a busy time for service providers as they navigate operational pressures, prioritizing daily service, staffing and integrating new children into care. Staff recognize this is a significant transformation, within short timelines and competing demands. Supports will be provided to all sector partners to assist with the successful implementation of the cost-based funding allocation, including leveraging our local System Planning Advisory Group (SPAG) to help support implementation.

Children’s Services continues to proactively adapt our service delivery approach to meet the evolving needs and changing landscape of child care and early years services to best position the service area within available Provincial funding. The one-time funding in 2024 will support implementation of the new cost-based funding, but staff also need to develop a plan to adapt to the Provincial funding reductions previously noted by January 1st, 2025. Service System Managers are provided a limited amount of funding and must prioritize provincial requests which often leaves less capacity to address local priorities. The combination of the continued system transformation, increased responsibility required to build a public system / safeguard public funds and limited funding are concerning at this pivotal time.

While Ontario will continue to undergo significant transformation over the coming years to strengthen a publicly funded system, the City remains committed to working collaboratively to ensure the best possible outcomes for children and families in our community. Through collective efforts our community is leaving a legacy with many positive outcomes for children, families, the overall community and economic well-being.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Jason Sabourin
Director, Children’s Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: August 13, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Sarah Taylor, Director (A), Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy, and Analytics, Community and Social Services Department

Purpose

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update on the launch of the implementation of a safer alternate response for mental health and substance use crises prototype in Centretown on August 15, 2024.

Background

The Ottawa Guiding Council on Mental Health and Addictions was established in 2021 to provide an opportunity for the City of Ottawa to examine responses to community members experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis with particular focus on models that do not engage the police. Concurrent with the efforts of the Guiding Council, City Council approved Ottawa’s first Community Safety and Well Being Plan in October 2021 (ACS2021-EPSPPD-0003). The Plan includes six priorities identified through comprehensive community engagement, one of which is Mental Well-Being. One of the strategies within the Mental Well-Being priority is to work with partners to explore safer alternates for mental health crises response.

Throughout 2022, the Guiding Council undertook a thorough approach to inclusive and equitable engagement and consultations culminating in the “Transforming Mental Health and Substance Use Crisis Response in Ottawa: The Report”.

As a result of the Guiding Council’s work, in July 2023, Ottawa City Council approved the Safer Alternate Response for Mental Health and Substance Use Crises Response (ACS2023-CSS-GEN-010). Council approved the one-time funding of $2.465M be funded from the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund for the first phase of the safer alternative response program, and directed staff to implement the first phase of the safer alternative response program for mental health and substance use crises, as described in this report, including:

• A non-911 number to establish an alternative call intake, triage and dispatch system for mental health and substance use crisis related calls.
• A community-based civilian-led multi-disciplinary mobile crisis response that is a24/7 trauma-informed and culturally appropriate crisis response service.
• Direction to the General Manager of the Community and Social Services to undertake the necessary work to set-up the required project governance, infrastructure, and resources to develop and implement the first phase of the safer alternative response program by Q32024.
• Request that the Ottawa Police Services Board seek grant funding through other levels of government to support the strategies and actions described in this report to establish a safer alternate response program.

In December 2023, Staff updated Council on the Safer Alternate Response for Mental Health and Substance Use Crises Prototype and selection of Centertown Community Health Centre in collaboration with Somerset West Community Health Centre to lead.

In addition, and upon completion of a separate procurement process, Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario (CNEO/211 East) was established as the non-911 intake/dispatch diversion number.

Implementation Status

Since February 2024, the Community Safety and Well-Being Office has provided backbone support for designing and implementing in Centretown. This includes coordinating among partners agencies, providing resources and expertise, ensuring alignment with Council direction, and supporting capacity for community-based solutions to deliver non-police interventions for mental health and substance use crisis.

In March 2024, the Safer Alternative Response for Mental Health and Substance Use Prototype was named the Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response (ANCHOR) by the Guiding Council based on a voting process.

ANCHOR Testing Launch

ANCHOR is set to launch in Centretown on August 15, 2024. As of this date residents in Centertown can call 211 for mental health and substance use crisis supports. The boundaries include North: Ottawa River, East: Rideau Canal, South: Trans-Canada Hwy/ON-417, and West: Preston Street.

This launch represents the start of a two-month period demo. This demo testing period will provide a crucial opportunity to collect detailed data on ANCHOR’s performance and crisis interventions. By defining specific live demo parameters and establishing metrics and expectations, an evidence informed structure will be established to collect the information that we need to make any needed changes to ANCHOR that will improve the service.

This live demo period is essential for service quality and continuous improvement, which will contribute to ANCHOR’s effectiveness and positive impact on community safety and well-being. It is anticipated that the testing period will end in early October with ANCHOR then shifting to standard service delivery and data collection.

Post launch, the Community Safety and Well-Being Office will continue to provide support to implementing partners throughout service delivery to monitor early success and address challenges, maintain service integrity, and ensure long term success and sustainability.

Evaluation Framework

The Community Safety and Well-Being Office has a robust evaluation framework in place to track, monitor and report on key indicators over ANCHOR’s lifetime and demonstrate whether progress was made towards the expected outcomes and intended results. The evaluation will include mix methods and be structured in phases:

• 6-month: focus on the first 6 months of ANCHOR operations, the activities and outputs, and opportunities for quality improvement and sustainability.
• 12-month (1 year): focus on the first year of ANCHOR operations by which time there would be robust data on the experience and outcomes for the service users, service providers and the community at large.
• Years 2 & 3: will build upon the lessons learned from above for continuous quality improvement.

Status of Funding Request

As part of the Ottawa-Ontario Deal, the Community Safety and Well-Being Office submitted a funding proposal to the Ministry of the Solicitor General for $11.5M over three years for the delivery of a safer alternate response initiatives. The proposal is currently with the Provincial government for final sign off and approval. The Community Safety and Well-Being Office will report back to Council through a memorandum once final approval has been received.

Next Steps

Staff will continue to report to Council via memorandums with the change to standard operations in October 2024 as well as when additional key milestones are met. Staff will also work with implementing partners to explore the feasibility of extending the ANCHOR prototype to more geographical areas in the near future.

To find out more about ANCHOR, please refer to the ANCHOR Community Report, and the ANCHOR website: centretownchc.org/anchor.

Should you have additional questions regarding the content of this memo, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Sincerely,

Sarah Taylor
Director (A), Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy, and Analytics Community and Social Services Department

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: July 25, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Jason Sabourin, Director, Children’s Services

Purpose

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council an update regarding Children’s Services directed growth strategy following the completion of the 2023-2024 Request for Expression of Interest.

Making new CWELCC-funded child care spaces available for families is a top priority for Children’s Services. Staff acknowledge that families continue to experience challenges finding affordable, accessible licensed child care because of the increased demand and limited spaces within the CWELCC system to-date.

In total, 1733.5 new CWELCC-funded spaces have been assigned to licensed service providers to increase access for families, which exceeds targets at this midpoint and represents 60% completion of the total provincial allocation of new CWELCC-funded spaces for growth in Ottawa until 2026.

Background

Local demand for CWELCC-funded child care spaces is high and growth in additional CWELCC-funded child care spaces is limited. As previously shared with Council, the total provincial allocation of new CWELCC-funded spaces for growth in Ottawa until 2026 is 2,903 spaces. Of these, 713 have been assigned in new schools by the province, leaving 2,190 spaces for community-based allocation in licensed centre-based and licensed home child care. Using the Council-approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023) and provincial guidelines, Children’s Services used an equity and inclusion lens and an evidence-based approach to identify:

1. Priority populations: Prioritizes Indigenous and Francophone children by protecting a portion of the new spaces for these populations. Remaining spaces will be allocated to support families who face various barriers including Black and other racialized residents, newcomers, sole support parents, families living with low income and children with special needs.
2. Priority areas: Increase access to affordable child care in neighbourhoods that are both underserved and experiencing lower socio-economic status.

This will advance Ottawa towards its child care target of 40 per cent in each priority neighborhood and for each population group (Indigenous, Francophone and general)

Current status

In spring 2023, Children’s Services launched a REOI process to identify service providers interested in creating new or expanding their current offering of CWELCC-funded, licensed, child care spaces between 2023 and 2026. Interest in only community-based spaces were sought, given that new school-based spaces are prescribed by the province.

This REOI process was developed in alignment with provincial guidelines, Children’s Services’ Directed Growth Strategy, and the Council-approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023). This process also incorporated a requirement for municipalities to reach provincial targets related to maintaining or improving its proportion of not-for-profit licensed child care spaces. Ottawa’s proportion of not-for-profit spaces is 88%.

2023 – 2024 Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) Outcomes

Children’s Services assessed all REOI applications and allocated community-based spaces for 2023-2024. Local requests for community growth far exceeded the available local allocation of CWELCC funded spaces. In total, 87 local service providers expressed interest in creating new or expanding their current offering of CWELCC-funded child care spaces between 2023 and 2026.

As per provincial guidance and the local Directed Growth Strategy, Children’s Services allocated 697.5 community-based spaces to 16 service providers that requested CWELCC-funded child care spaces through the REOI process for priority populations and in neighbourhoods that are both underserved and experiencing lower socio-economic status. All eligible, not-for-profit service providers, located in designated priority neighbourhoods, demonstrating high levels of readiness, and who applied through the REOI process were allocated new CWELCC spaces. These service providers also receive provincial Start-up Grants to support their space creation.

Table 1 illustrates the 2023-2024 community-based allocation results, which is on target at this midpoint and represents 47% of the community-based space targets for priority populations and priority areas. A complete list of service providers selected through the REOI process to receive new and/or additional CWELCC-funded spaces in 2023-2024 are listed in Appendix One.

* Notes: Home child care spaces are distributed proportionally to the target for each service area as information on their exact location is not currently known. In accordance with the Ministry directive, all allocated kindergarten spaces were counted as 0.5 of a space.

The REOI process demonstrated a high demand for CWELLC growth in Ottawa. Recognizing that child care services are essential to the social and economic well-being of families and the community, Children’s Services submitted a request for additional CWELCC-funded spaces to the province. The provincial response is still pending and Children’s Services will continue to demonstrate to the province the need for additional CWELCC-funded spaces in the community.

Eligible applicants that were not selected to receive new CWELCC-funded spaces as part of the 2023-2024 REOI allocation have been informed that their application will remain on file and that they will be contacted with information on the process should additional spaces become available.

Floor plan approvals and additional flexibility

Based on provincial direction, spaces were to be allocated for licensees who had previously enrolled in the CWELCC system and had received provincial floor plan approval prior to January 1, 2023. In addition, some flexibility was required at the time of development of the directed growth strategy given there were many unknowns as the City continues to follow the latest provincial guidelines and build the new system in phases. 301 spaces were required for floor plan approvals and 437 spaces were required to predominantly assist with other school strategies such as schools with projected openings before 2022 and kindergarten spaces.

In total 738 spaces were required to increase access for families in Ottawa. Children’s Services has identified to the Ministry this school-based growth and requested additional community CWELCC funded spaces. Staff will continue looking for ways to address these concerns to ensure the spaces for priority populations and priority areas are maximized.

School-Based (Capital) Spaces

Of the 713 spaces assigned directly to new schools with projected openings from 2022-2026, 298 spaces have been submitted and approved as CWELCC spaces by Children’s Services.

Making new CWELCC spaces available to families

Through this initial 2023-2024 space allocation process, Children’s Services has learned that it can take service providers longer than originally anticipated to operationalize new CWELCC spaces. The related administrative processes, licensing considerations, site logistics, as well as workforce considerations amidst a general child care workforce shortage, are some of the challenges faced by the sector. As a result of these challenges, some service providers are delayed and determining if they can operationalize these new spaces. Children’s Services continues to advise the province of these concerns and we are working with child care and early years partners to help reduce barriers and to ensure they can access all funding available to accelerate operationalization of new spaces.

As new CWELCC funded spaces become available to the community, updates continue to be made to the Child Care Registry and Waitlist (CCRAW) to inform and help families seeking licensed child care service providers participating in the CWELCC system. Children’s Services encourages families to keep their information and preferred provider selections up to date on the CCRAW.

Next steps

The remaining spaces identified within Children’s Services CWELCC Directed Growth strategy will be allocated as part of the 2025-2026 process. Children’s Services will soon begin this work and will continue to follow the directed growth plan and processes currently in place.

The implementation of the CWELCC system continues to be a period of transition across the province. Children's Services remains committed to working with families and the child care sector as part of this significant system transformation.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,
Jason Sabourin,
Director Children’s Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department
Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Appendix One

Date: July 9, 2024

To: Mayor Sutcliffe and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

This briefing note is to provide Council with a more detailed understanding of Sprung Structures that are being explored to provide emergency welcoming and additional transitional housing capacity to accommodate the unprecedented levels of irregular migration in Ottawa. Further, the note outlines the factors that were considered in identifying Sprung Structures as the preferred rapid construction option. Not pursuing the development of Sprung Structures could result in continued and expanded use of community centres as Physical Distancing-Emergency Overflow Centres. Not pursuing the Sprung Structures could jeopardize up to $185 million of provincial and federal funding which is critical to support the City’s response to homelessness until 2026.

Background

On July 12, 2023, Ottawa City Council approved the Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy (ITHS). The ITHS is comprised of short, medium and long-term initiatives to support single adult shelter clients to transition to housing, while addressing immediate pressures in the shelter system, and exit the operation of Physical Distancing-Emergency Overflow Centres (PD-EOCs) in City-owned recreational facilities.

On November 22, 2023, City Council approved a motion brought forward by the Emergency Shelter Crisis Taskforce directing staff “to actively pursue the option of a Sprung Structure or other semi-permanent facility.” Further, at the June 26, Community and Social Services Committee meeting, staff were directed to provide more information about Sprung Structures, including examples of interior designs for these buildings.

Each Sprung Structure features aluminum arches that are integrally connected to an all-weather outer architectural membrane. These semi-permanent structures are not like emergency tents used in disaster response. Interiors and exteriors are customizable. Exteriors come in a variety of colours with different accessories, including doors, windows, canopies, vestibules, covered walkway systems, connecting corridors, glazing walls, and graphic enhancements. The interiors are column free, allowing for flexible interior space planning that can meet a variety of operational requirements. Interiors can be constructed with washrooms, offices, kitchens and sleeping space. The structures are designed to be fully compliant with local building and fire codes.

Sprung Structures have been utilized locally and across North America for many different uses, including recreation centres, hospital emergency wings, banquet halls, office buildings, churches, and concert halls. For pictures and videos of example interiors and exteriors, please consult:

• Compilation of photos from various Sprung Structure projects
• Sprung Structures: Homeless Navigation Centres
• Sprung Structures: Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus
• Sprung Structure: Homeless Navigation Centre Solutions

Analysis

To identify the preferred model to pursue, staff completed an options analysis that considered a number of rapid construction techniques, and evaluated them based on a series of construction, maintenance and operating criteria. These considerations included the following:

1. Rapid construction: Time is of the essence for this initiative to meet the unprecedented inflow of newcomers into the City. Sprung Structures were prioritized as they can be constructed quickly. Following building approvals, Sprung Structures can be constructed at a rate of 500 to 2,000 square feet per day, depending on customized options, complete with finished interior.
2. Purpose built for operational needs with required amenities: Sprung Structures are fully customizable and would be designed to provide the required capacity, with ability to scale up for overflow, as well as provide the amenities required under the Ottawa Transitional Housing Program Standards. The result is a comfortable, safe and client-friendly space. It can also be adjusted to conform to land parcel dimensions and potential constraints.
3. Flexibility and ability to repurpose: Needs change over time and may require that spaces be reconfigured to meet evolving demand. With the clear span interior, the space could easily be reconfigured in the future. For example, sleeping pods could be reconfigured to open space to adapt to different operating models. Similarly, if no longer needed for transitional housing, the structures could serve other City needs such as a community centre, library and/or emergency response.
4. Cost effective: Overall costs including construction costs, operating and lifecycle costs were also considered. The initial project costs are anticipated to be comparable to other rapid construction models and lower than traditional construction. The ongoing maintenance and lifecycle costs are anticipated to be lower due to centralized core building systems. Sprung Structures come with a 25-year pro-rated warranty, and the aluminum substructure has a 50-year pro-rated warranty.
5. Proven experience locally, and in serving vulnerable populations: Sprung Structures are used in Toronto for four respite centres, and in Ottawa by the Civic Hospital for an Emergency Response Centre. Sprung Structures have been used by over 80 communities in the United States to provide homeless navigation centres. This supports the design and creation of spaces that apply best practice and industry specific considerations.

Conclusion

Ottawa’s single adult shelter system is operating over capacity with more than 360 single men and women staying in temporary Physical Distancing-Emergency Overflow Centres operating out of City owned recreational facilities. Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has indicated that they anticipate the inflow of newcomers seen throughout 2023 will continue.

Housing & Homelessness Services and the Realty Initiatives & Development unit have been actively exploring private market opportunities for facilities that can be purchased and/or leased and have found that feasible, available options will not be sufficient to meet the required demand in the necessary timelines. In addition to Sprung Structures, the City and partners are currently pursuing the conversion of an office to transitional housing at 230 Queen Street, and the purchase of a former convent at 1754 St. Joseph Boulevard.

Without the additional flexibility and capacity provided by Sprung Structures, the City will need to continue, and expand its use of recreation and community centres across the city. As stipulated in the Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy, one of the criteria used to identify City facilities for emergency use is the prioritization of facilities across the City that have not previously been used for Physical Distancing-Emergency Overflow Centres to integrate these services into neighbourhoods where they have not previously been located.

Further, the timely development of an option such as Sprung Structures is a critical step in unlocking significant federal and provincial funding. In March 2024, the Government of Ontario announced a new agreement with the City of Ottawa which includes $120 million of new funding over 3 years for shelter services. This funding is contingent on the receipt of federal funding to address the shelter needs of newcomers.

The City has been in active discussions with the Federal Government for approximately $105 million to fund the development and operations of a Newcomer Reception Centre model over 2 years. This funding would satisfy the conditional provincial funding requirement, however, the City is required to apply the funding quickly and for the strict purpose of newcomer transitional supports. It cannot be used for permanent housing. The installation and operationalization of Sprung Structures is considered the best and most viable option to fulfill the requirements for both the provincial and federal funding within the required timelines and is the most cost effective considering those timelines.

Staff continue to actively move forward with project planning. An in-depth assessment of three potential City parcels for Sprung Structures is underway, and staff are exploring procurement processes and facility requirements. Staff will work with community partners to inform the design of the buildings, including internal set-up.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

Date: June 28, 2024

To: Mayor Sutcliffe and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

The purpose of this memo is to update members of Council on the 2023 Progress Report - 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan.

On July 15, 2020, Council approved the updated 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan 2020-2030 and its recommended actions as the strategic framework to guide the City’s efforts over the next 10 years to address local housing and homelessness needs. Under the Housing Services Act, 2011, Service Managers must report on the progress made in relation to the implementation of their housing and homelessness plans for the previous calendar year to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the public by June 30 each year. Furthermore, as part of Council’s approval of the updated 10-Year Plan, staff were directed to update the Community Services Committee annually on how we are achieving the targets set out in the Plan, and to provide a status update on the current situation within the housing and homelessness sector.

Progress was made on achieving the targets set out in the 10-Year Plan despite a number of challenges faced by the housing and homelessness sector in 2023, including a 4.3 per cent increase in the average market rent (as reported by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation), higher interest rates and steep inflation, increased construction costs, impacts from the continuing opioid crisis, and an unprecedented demand on the shelter system by asylum seekers and refugee claimants. Through a combination of new affordable housing units and housing benefits, in 2023 over 700 new affordable housing options were created for low- to moderate-income households, over 300 households were housed through the Housing First program, and over 380 individuals with a history of chronic homelessness were housed.

Increased collaboration between the City and community partners led to the creation of several new strategies and initiatives that will help us achieve our goals, including the Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy, the Rapid Rehousing Pilot, and a Housing and Homelessness Leadership Table. In addition, Mayor Sutcliffe and Chair Dudas formed an Emergency Shelter Crisis Taskforce to assist in advancing initiatives/actions over the winter.

Below is a summary of the key outcomes related to the investments, strategies, and tactics that were utilized in 2023 to support the goals and objectives of the 10-Year Plan:

Goal 1: Everyone has a home

This goal is the foundation of the 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan and reflects the understanding that housing is a key social determinant of health and well-being. This goal includes strategies to ensure people have access to housing options that meet their needs over the stages of their life, that the supply of affordable housing increases over time, housing affordability is increased, and that the existing affordable housing stock is preserved and maintained in a good state of repair.

Objective 1: Preserve the existing affordable housing stock:

• $16.6 million was invested in 79 social housing capital repair projects through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) and Housing and Homelessness Investment Plan (HHIP) capital allocations.
• $1 million from the COCHI transitional operating funding program was allocated to support 13 projects from 11 housing providers, with the aim of enabling them to tackle pressing operational issues, while ensuring long-term viability.
• $600,000 was allocated to benefit 36 households under the Ontario Renovates program.

Objective 2: Increase the affordable housing supply and increase access to housing affordability by creating between 570 to 850 affordable housing options (new units and housing benefits) for low- to moderate-income households:

• 716 new housing options created in 2023.
• 106 affordable and supportive housing units completed.
• 610 new housing benefits created.
• 831 affordable and supportive housing units were under construction and an additional 849 were in the predevelopment stage.
• 56% of the units completed and under construction in 2023 were affordable to moderate-income households while 44% were affordable to low-income households.
• Households on the Centralized Wait List (CWL) increased by 12% from 2022 and as of December 31, 2023, there were 12,447 active households.

Goal 2: People get the support they need

This goal recognizes that any housing system must have adequate services and supports available for people in need in order to achieve housing stability and long-term housing retention. Special focus is placed on women and children fleeing violence, Indigenous peoples, youth, seniors, newcomers, people living with addictions and mental illnesses, people with physical and development disabilities, and people leaving institutions with no permanent housing.

The housing system must include a variety of housing types, ranging from emergency shelters, transitional and supportive housing, private market rental and homeownership. Ensuring people have access to safe shelter and the support they need in times of crisis is an integral part of the Plan.

Objective 1: Prevent the occurrence of homelessness and ensure people are supported to achieve housing stability and long-term housing retention.

• 641 new matches to Housing Based Case Managers and 1,085 case load spaces.
• 301 individuals housed, and 241 families supported through Housing First.
• $106.5 million total investment in homelessness programs from all three levels of government. This funding supported contracts with 32 non-profit agencies.
• With unprecedented demand on the shelter system from newcomers to Ottawa, the City provided funding to onboard Matthew House, Stepstone House, and Carty House. These agencies work to divert refugee claimants from the shelters system through the operation of transitional homes.
• There were three pilot projects initiated to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness:
  • Large family pilot: nine families totalling 65 members were successfully housed using the large family pilot. The average monthly cost of housing was $3,131 and the average benefit provided was $2,288.
  • Rapid rehousing pilot: working together with multiple internal and external partners, over 120 people secured housing by the end of 2023 and of those, 57 moved into their new units.
  • Bridge funding: 294 people, comprised of 54 families, 112 singles and 6 couples, were supported to keep their tenancies.

Objective 2: Ensure experiences of homelessness are brief and nonrecurring.

• Increased capacity in the shelter system by 34% between 2022 and 2023.
• Continued City operated overflow facilities to maintain adequate space in the shelter system. The need for overflow space was necessitated by an unprecedented inflow of newcomers to the city.
• 36% of total shelter beds in the adult shelter system were provided by overflow facilities.
• The City ended 2023 with three overflow facilities with a total of 398 beds.
• Goal: new people entering homelessness is reduced by 25 per cent:
  • Inflow into the shelter system for newcomers increased by 25% between 2022 and 2023, while inflow for non-newcomers decreased by 19.7%.
• Goal: overall homelessness is reduced by 25 per cent:
  • The number of clients served in the shelter system in 2023 increased by 13% but the average length of stay in days decreased by 3%.
• Goal: chronic homelessness is reduced by 100 per cent:
  • While the percentage of single men who met the criteria for chronic homelessness increased by 4.5% in 2023, the percentages of families, women and gender diverse people, and youth who met the criteria all decreased in 2023.
• Goal: unsheltered homelessness is eliminated:
  • There has been ongoing growth in the number of unsheltered individuals over the past few years, and in 2023 Ottawa saw some of the highest numbers to date. The number of reported encampments was also the highest it has been in the past four years.
  • 591 individuals served, and 108 housed into permanent housing through the Salvation Army Outreach Team

Indigenous Housing & Homelessness

Indigenous community members are disproportionately represented in shelter systems compared to the general population of Ottawa due to historical traumas, and systemic and structural discrimination and barriers.

• 694 Indigenous people used the overnight shelter system in 2023
• 10.4% of single Indigenous men accounted for all single men in the shelter system
• 14.1% of single Indigenous women accounted for all single women in the shelter system
• 9.8% of single Indigenous youth accounted for all single youth in the shelter system
• $2,969,411 was the total investment in Indigenous agencies in 2023.
• 164 people were matched to Indigenous Housing First in 2023, and 57 households were housed through Indigenous Housing First.

Goal 3: We work together

Housing and Homelessness Services works collaboratively with the housing and homelessness sector and other partners, including other City departments to discuss emerging issues, consult on program design and delivery options, new funding allocations, and strategize around solutions for improving the housing system. Working collaboratively with sector partners and the provincial and federal governments ensures that services and programs are responsive and effective to address people’s needs.

Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy

In July 2023, Council approved the Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy to help single people experiencing homelessness find housing and to address the pressures in the shelter system towards the vision of ending chronic homelessness. Collaboration with the housing and homelessness sector was foundational to the development and success of the Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy. Below is a summary of the short-term goals that were achieved in 2023:

• 120 clients secured housing through the rapid rehousing pilot.
• Advanced the creation of a supportive housing hub through the purchase of 1245 Kilborn Place.
• Implemented a winter strategy including increased overflow capacity of 325 beds/warming spaces, the opening of two overflow facilities, and the opening of overnight low-barrier respite services at Centre 507.

The timing of these advancements was supported through the Emergency Shelter Crisis Taskforce established in October 2023, by Mayor Sutcliffe and Chair Dudas.

Housing & Homelessness Services Governance Review

In 2022, Housing & Homelessness Services undertook a review of its relationship with external partners. The culmination of this work was the recommendation for a 16-member Housing and Homelessness Leadership Table. In 2023, an interim Leadership Table was put in place to review the consultation summary report, guide the drafting of a Terms of Reference and the recruitment process for permanent membership on Housing and Homelessness Leadership Table. The City will Co-Lead this Table.

Community Capacity Building Training

The City’s Community Capacity Building Training program (CCBT) has provided training and support for homelessness service agencies in Ottawa since 2005. In 2023, 1,881 individuals benefitted from training. There was also an increase in the number of training courses and the number of frontline workers utilizing the website, with a 13% growth rate and trending upwards.

Data Improvements

The success of the Plan is dependent on having quality and timely data to ensure that both the City and service providers have the right information to make decisions around investments, programming, and resourcing.

• In 2023, the Homelessness Individual and Family Information System (HIFIS) was expanded, allowing the City to:
  • Onboard 26 new programs
  • Have 8 new community agencies reporting into HIFIS
  • Increase the number of programs reporting into HIFIS to 108 and the total number of agencies using HIFIS to 32
• The expansion of HIFIS contributes to a system-wide support network that ensures clients can access services through a “no wrong door” approach. Community agencies, including Indigenous service providers, can refer clients for Housing Based Case Management services and track progress directly from HIFIS, creating a more efficient coordinated access process.
• Community partners can report statistical data directly in HIFIS, making it easier for the City and the community to analyze and interpret real time and accurate housing and homelessness data.

Next Steps

Under the Housing Services Act, 2011, Services Managers must review their local housing and homelessness plans at least once every five years and extend for at least 10 years after the review. As the City of Ottawa undertook the last review of the 10-Year Plan in 2019, we must commence the review in 2024 to meet the requirements under the Housing Services Act.

In Q3 2024, Housing & Homelessness Services anticipate beginning the update of the 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Plan in collaboration with the housing and homelessness sector. Staff are awaiting further information from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the guidelines for the upcoming update. The update will revise the goal setting framework and actions on which the annual 10 Year progress report is delivered.

Sincerely,

Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

Date: June 26, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

This memo is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with an update on the allocation of the $200K Emerging Community Need Fund and the $100k fund for Black-Led Initiatives for Youth. 18 applications were approved through the one-time funding.

Background

Emerging Community Need Funding supports activities that address a specific emerging need in a community and contribute to community capacity building, well-being, and resiliency. Funding is intended for priority neighbourhoods defined by the Neighbourhood Equity Index and/or the Ottawa Neighborhood Study. City staff work alongside agencies and neighbourhoods to address the specific need based on the application.

For this funding, an emerging need is defined as a new issue facing the community, a great and unmet need, or an issue that is growing in importance because of external factors such as economic changes, toxic drug supply, or the lasting impact of COVID-19, as examples.

The Community Funding Framework and the Anti-Racism Secretariat also made funding available to support Black-led initiatives for youth in line with the City’s Anti-Racism Strategy. The funding was integrated into the Emerging Community Need fund. This funding is specifically designated for programming and services that offer culturally appropriate approaches and responses to Black youth by Black-Led organizations.

Call for Proposals and Assessment Process

In May 2024 the Emerging Community Need Fund was opened and applications were accepted on an ongoing basis until the budget depleted.

The City of Ottawa Allocations Committee reviewed and rated all the applications based on the alignment of the applicant organization’s profile, target community and demographic, emerging community need, proposed outcomes, sustainability plan, support/partners to the objectives of the Fund, and its budget.

The Emerging Community Need Fund City Allocation Committee included staff and management from the Anti-Racism, Women and Gender Equity, Social Development and Funding units, and the Integrated Neighbourhood Services team.

Results

To date, 50 applications were submitted requesting a total of $1.2M.

Following the allocation committee process, 12 applications were recommended for one-time funding under the general Emerging Community Need Fund priorities, totalling $239,500, and six applications were recommended for one-time funding under the Black-Led Initiatives for Youth priority, totalling $112,500.

Once the Emerging Community Need Funding Allocation Committee finalized their recommendations, they were reviewed and approved by the Director,
Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations, and Social Development.

In 2024, a total budget of $300,000 was originally available. Considering the high demand, Community Funding allocated an extra $52,000 from unallocated funds from the Sustainability Fund.
The fund will replenish in January 2025, contingent on 2025 Budget approval.

Next steps

All applicants will be notified this week of the results of the allocation process.

You will find attached as Table 1 and Table 2 the list of successful applicants.

Should you have any questions about the process or results, please contact Cinthia Pagé at Cinthia.Page@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,

Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

Date: June 11, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

The purpose of this memo is to provide an update on Ottawa’s Older Adult Plan (OAP) and to outline the renewal of the plan to address the evolving needs of the city’s growing senior population.

Background

Ottawa’s population is growing, changing, and aging. According to the 2021 Census, 37% of Ottawa’s population is over the age of 50 and represents the fastest-growing age group, with those over 85 and over 100 showing particularly significant increases. There are now more older adults than children under 15, and by 2030, six years from now, it is estimated that one in five adults will be aged 65 and over.

With this growth, Ottawa’s population of older adults are becoming increasingly more diverse and needs vary greatly between sub-groups of seniors. While seniors face many challenges as they age, some contributing factors such as low income and living alone are most associated with increased vulnerability and, in turn, a heightened risk of poor health outcomes. Some older adult groups, such as Indigenous, Black and other racialized seniors, women, 2SLGBTQQIA, newcomers and older adults with disabilities, are more vulnerable to poor outcomes due to inequities within the social and health systems, in comparison to the general population.

The COVID-19 pandemic also had a significant impact on older adults, resulting in an increased mortality rate, increased health risks, social isolation, and food insecurity. These impacts are magnified for seniors who identify with equity-deserving groups.

Like many large municipalities in Canada and around the world, the City of Ottawa is responding to these demographic changes and has been implementing an Older Adult Plan since 2012.

The latest iteration of the Older Adult Plan of 2020 committed to 24 actions organized around four (4) strategic areas that are consistent with the provision of City services for older adults: Aging with Choice, Transportation and Mobility, Well-being, and Communication. The OAP assigned responsibility for each action to a City Department, which has committed to its implementation within the stated timeline. The Community and Social Services Department provided the overall coordination and monitoring function for the OAP.

The Senior’s Roundtable was created in 2012 to provide feedback to City staff on the City’s Older Adult Plan. This forum allows us to engage residents and identify emerging issues affecting older adults. The Senior’s Roundtable is made up of representatives of community agencies serving diverse populations of Ottawa’s older adults and is the City’s primary mechanism for engaging residents on issues affecting older adults.

Evaluation

In 2023, staff undertook a review of the accomplishments, lessons learned, and impact of the OAP with respect to mainstreaming an older adult lens in City planning and operations, through consultations with City staff, the Seniors Roundtable, and community stakeholders.

The evaluation of the OAP had the objectives of identifying the successes and lessons learned through the years of implementing the OAP and sharing ideas and suggestions on how to improve its design and delivery in its future iterations.

The findings of the evaluation and a list of accomplishments related to the City’s infrastructure, programs and services, accessibility, communication, and access to relevant supports for older adults are included in the Evaluation Summary Report.

The evaluation confirmed that that the OAP was essential in making Ottawa an age-friendly community and increased staff understanding of older adults’ key issues and opportunities.

OAP Funding 2024

In 2024, the Community and Social Services Department invited City Departments to submit proposals to fund 2024 initiatives that align with the priorities of the OAP. This process allocated $350,000 to initiatives and projects that were both responsive to the changed environment imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, reflective of the diversity of Ottawa’s older adults, and consistent with the priorities identified in the OAP.

An OAP Funding Allocation Team comprised of City staff and members of the Seniors Roundtable ranked the proposals and made recommendations for funding. Fifteen proposals were received, with a total request of $547,910, with fourteen proposals having been approved for funding.

Renewal of the OAP

Older Adult demographics, needs and resources have changed considerably since 2012. The evaluation of the OAP in 2023 highlights several areas where the OAP will need to be updated to meaningfully address current expectations.

Staff will be revising the approach and the structure of OAP to ensure that representation of community members is meaningful and impactful, that priorities are monitored and addressed in a timely fashion, and that actions include the development of programs, services, and policies that support the needs of older adults within the city.

The renewed plan will be developed through ongoing engagement with residents, community agencies serving older adults, staff, and elected officials, including leveraging the role of the Council Liaisons for Older Adults.

The renewed OAP should be nimble enough to evolve in conjunction with the changing needs, priorities, and expectations of this generation of Older Adults.

Staff in Community and Social Services Department will lead the work needed to develop the new iteration of the City’s OAP. The new iteration will align with best practice and the Ministry’s Creating a More Inclusive Ontario framework.

The development of a new plan will commence this month with a fulsome engagement strategy which will include consultation with residents, community agencies, and City staff to determine the priorities and structure needed to facilitate the implementation of a new plan.

The data collected through the engagement will be analyzed and reported back to the community in the fall of 2024.

Staff will report back to Council in early 2025 with an updated approach that will provide a broad range of opportunities and initiatives that are responsive to the diverse needs and choices of Ottawa’s older adults.

Sincerely,

Clara Freire,
General Manager,
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: June 11, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department
Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural & Facility Services

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council an update on the progress of the Community Garden Action Plan Review as directed by Council Motion (File No. ACS2023-OCC-CCS-0122) approved on October 25th, 2023.

This update is in addition to the Memo previously distributed in March 2024.

The Community Garden and Community-led Green Initiatives Review is proceeding in two distinct phases:

• Phase 1: The consultant firm Hoffman Hayes will provide recommendations for a functional Framework and Governance for Ottawa, considering budget implications for community gardens and similar green projects on City-owned land. These suggestions will be shaped by internal and external assessments and community engagement analysis. Anticipated recommendations cover potential scope expansion, resource needs, governance structures, and partnerships. A report to Council is planned for Q4 2024 with proposed recommendations and to identify any potential staffing and budget implications.
• Phase 2: Hoffman Hayes will develop and refine operational standards, processes, and internal and external structures to support the implementation of the governance recommendations for community gardens and similar green initiatives on City-owned land. This phase aims to be complete for the 2025 growing season.

As part of this review, public engagement with key community partners, community groups, and residents will seek to inform on present community needs and challenges, as well as benefits and opportunities. Public engagement will also seek input into existing community gardens and similar green community-led initiatives to determine their goals and outcomes, as well as the purpose and overall impact to the participants and their communities.

You are invited to share these opportunities with your constituents.

Engagement Opportunities

An Engage Ottawa Live is scheduled for June 10 to July 7, 2024, and will serve as a pivotal platform for gathering resident feedback.

Additionally, two (2) focus groups will be hosted in June by the consultant firm Hoffman Hayes, in collaboration with community partners: the first session to be centered around community gardens and the second one on other community-led green initiatives. The sessions will aim to further community involvement in the Action Plan development process. The targeted focus groups will provide residents with an opportunity to share their perspectives and ideas and contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and comprehensive plan.

• Event 1: Community Food Gardens on June 20, 2024
• Event 2: Community-led Green Initiatives on June 25, 2024

If anyone is interested in attending any of above events, they can register on the Engage Ottawa platform or contact communitygardens@ottawa.ca for the details.

Additional community engagement events will be hosted in the Fall 2024 to inform the implementation of the framework, for the second phase of the review. More information will be circulated to Council prior to the events.

The City is committed to ensuring the review of the Community Garden Action Plan reflects residents' needs and promotes sustainable urban agriculture. Collaboration between departments, consultants, and community partners drives progress toward our goals.

For any inquiries, contact us at communitygardens@ottawa.ca.

Thank you for your ongoing support in enhancing Ottawa's community green spaces.

Sincerely,

Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services
Dan Chenier General Manager, Recreation, Cultural & Facility Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team
Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: May 21, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Shanna Culhane, Interim Director Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations, and Social Development, Community and Social Services Department

This memo is to inform you that the Community Funding Emerging Community Need stream is now open for applications.

Emerging Community Need Funding supports activities that address a specific emerging need in a community and contribute to community capacity building, well-being, and resiliency. Funding is intended for priority neighbourhoods defined by the Neighbourhood Equity Index and/or the Ottawa Neighborhood Study. City staff will work alongside agencies and neighbourhoods to address the specific need based on the application.

For this funding, an emerging need is defined as a new issue facing the community, a great and unmet need, or an issue that is growing in importance because of external factors such as economic changes, toxic drug supply, lasting impact of COVID-19, etc.

• Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
• Funding available: $200,000
• Applicants can apply for a maximum of $30,000 per application.
• Applications will be accepted continuously throughout the year until the budget is depleted.

Emerging Community Need for Black-Led Initiatives for Youth

We are also pleased to announce that the Community Funding Framework and the Anti-Racism Secretariat are making an additional $100,000 available to support Black-led initiatives for youth in line with the City’s Anti-Racism Strategy. Applications will be accepted continuously throughout the year until the budget allocation is depleted. This funding is specifically designated for programming and services that offer culturally appropriate approaches and responses to Black youth.

Information sessions will be hosted on May 23, 2024, to outline the process to applying for the Community Funding Emerging Community Needs funding, as follows:

English session:
Thursday May 23, 2024, from 10:30 to 11:30am - Click here to register

French session:
Thursday May 23, 2024, from 2:30 to 3:30pm - Cliquez ici pour participer

Agencies unable to attend these sessions can contact communityfunding@ottawa.ca to request the material and the recording of the information sessions.

Should you have any questions regarding the Emerging Community Need Funding allocation, please contact myself at Shanna.Culhane@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,

Shanna Culhane
Interim Director, Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development
Community and Social Services Department

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Paul Lavigne, Director, Housing & Homelessness Services, Geraldine Wildman, Interim Director, Housing Solutions and Investments Services
Date: May 7, 2024

The purpose of this memo is to provide an update on the results of Housing Services’ 2024 Housing Accelerator Fund Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) process to allocate pre-development and capital funding towards affordable housing projects in the development pipeline.

Background

Subject to meeting housing targets, the City has been awarded $176.3 million from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) which aims to create more housing supply at an accelerated pace. The Council-approved Spending Plan (ACS2024-PRE-EDP-0035) allocates 90 per cent of HAF funds to the Affordable Housing Pipeline Strategy (“Pipeline”).
The objective of the Pipeline Strategy is two-fold: (1) reduce the backlog of supportive and affordable housing developments prepared to proceed, but-for capital funding availability, and (2) review the process used to manage, advance, and prioritize affordable housing projects in the development pipeline. The former will put HAF funds to immediate use for the delivery of affordable units and contribute to meeting HAF targets, while the latter will improve existing processes, in consultation with non-profit partners, to help address any gaps and/or barriers to getting projects shovel ready as part of a sustainable process.

Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI)

The intent of the REOI issued in January 2024 was to advance the HAF Pipeline initiative and the objectives of the City’s 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Plan by facilitating the creation of new affordable and supportive rental housing units for low- and moderate-income households and to identify projects that could achieve the City’s HAF affordable housing targets. In particular, the City was seeking submissions for:

1. Projects that require funding for pre-development activities to progress to the stage of permit issuance (“Pre-Development”); and
2. Projects that are prepared to proceed to construction, but-for capital funding availability, therefore reducing the existing backlog (“Capital Funding”).

The REOI was open to 26 projects identified in Documents 2 and 4 of the City’s 2023-2026 Affordable Housing Capital Strategy Report (ACS2023-CSS-GEN-011), in recognition of applicants that had previously responded to City funding opportunities and/or had been working closely with the City to progress their development projects to shovel-readiness.

Project Selection Process In accordance with the delegated authority granted through the HAF Spending Plan report (ACS2024-PRE-EDP-0035), projects were recommended to the Director, Housing Services for approval for Pre-Development or Capital Funding on the basis of whether, in the opinion of the City, they could achieve the development timelines, demonstrate good project design, readiness and financial viability, meet the goals of the City’s 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Plan and therefore contribute to meeting HAF building targets. Submissions were evaluated by a Selection Committee comprised of City staff from the Community and Social Services Department (Housing Services), Planning, Development and Building Services Department (Development Review and CREO), Infrastructure Services Department (Design and Construction – Buildings), as well as a representative from Legal Services who acted as Fairness Commissioner. A sector representative with subject matter expertise in finance, residential construction, development approvals, and non-profit capital and operating agreements also participated in the review process.

The Committee used a consensus- based approach to score and ultimately rank projects to be recommended for funding. Project rankings were presented to the Director, Housing Services with delegated authority through the HAF Spending Plan to allocate the first three advances of HAF, being up to $119 million, in a manner that will best achieve the deliverables of the HAF, taking into consideration the recommended projects identified through the REOI.

Funded Projects

Staff recommended a total of 14 projects have been selected for Pre-Development and Capital Funding. The Capital Funding allocation totals approximately $117.4 million and is anticipated to result in permits being issued for 558 units by December 2024. The Pre-Development funding allocation totals approximately $4.6 million and is expected to result in permits being issued for 364 units by December 2026, for a total of 922 permits. The approved Pipeline strategy targets a total of 1270 permits to be issued for affordable units by the end of 2026. The additional units will be achieved through future allocations of 90% of the final tranche of HAF (up to $39.6 million), City affordable housing capital through the 2025 and 2026 budgets, and any new funding from other levels of government. Projects to be funded with any new funding that becomes available will be selected through a similar REOI procurement process.

The Director of Housing Services has authority to allocate HAF and may also use their authority delegated under the 2023-2026 Affordable Housing Capital Strategy report to allocate some of the available 2024 City capital funds to ensure the selected projects are funded. On April 3, 2024, a Council motion established that the Director of Housing Services must consider the cumulative effect and community impact of approving recommended supportive housing projects before allocating HAF capital construction funding to such a development. At this time only affordable housing projects are recommended for capital funding. Two supportive housing projects will receive pre-development funding. The projects selected for capital and pre-development funding are outlined below.

Capital Funding:

1. Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) (933 Gladstone Ave – Ward 14 Somerset)

OCHC is the largest affordable housing provider in Ottawa, with properties located in various communities throughout the city. Their portfolio includes over 15,000 homes for seniors, families, individuals, and people with disabilities. They are proposing to construct two high- and mid-rise apartment buildings, totalling 338 affordable units.

Funding request: $60,129,390

2. Interval House of Ottawa (Ward 10 Gloucester-Southgate)

Interval House is an organization that empowers individuals who identify as women and their dependents, in partnership with the community, by providing safe shelter, support, intervention and prevention services to break the cycle of violence. They are proposing to construct a 2-storey, 10-unit transitional housing apartment building to provide housing for women and their dependents fleeing violence.

Funding request: $5,650,000

3. St. Patrick’s Home of Ottawa (2865 Riverside Dr – Ward 16 River)

St. Patrick’s currently provides long-term care to 288 residents at their existing facility at 2865 Riverside Drive. Over the past three years, they have been working to evolve the services and supports provided at the St. Patrick’s campus. They are proposing to construct a 133-unit seniors apartment building, including a range of social and health supports, adjacent to the existing long-term care home on site. Of the 133-units, 67 will be affordable and funded by the City.

Funding request: $13,000,000

4. Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (3405 Uplands Dr – Ward 16 River)

OCHC is the largest affordable housing provider in Ottawa, with properties located in various communities throughout the city. Their portfolio includes over 15,000 homes for seniors, families, individuals, and people with disabilities. They are proposing to construct a 6-storey apartment building containing 45 affordable units.

Funding request: $9,691,265

5. Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (212-216 Carruthers Ave – Ward 15 Kitchissippi)

Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation is Ottawa’s largest private not-for-profit affordable housing provider. Their mission is to create, maintain and promote housing for low- and moderate-income people. They are proposing to construct a 3 and a half storey, 10-unit apartment building.

Funding request: $1,650,000

6. Wigwamen Inc. (2040 Arrowsmith Drive – Ward 11 Beacon Hill-Cyrville)

Wigwamen is Ontario’s largest urban Indigenous housing provider and recently celebrated 50 years of developing, owning, and managing rental housing projects. They are proposing to construct a 6-storey, 50-unit seniors housing apartment building.

Funding request: $17,786,170

7. Ellwood House (2262 Braeside Avenue – Ward 18 Alta Vista)

Ellwood House is an existing affordable housing development for independent seniors located at 2270 Braeside Avenue. The existing facility includes 30 apartments for seniors, a portion of which are rent-geared-to-income units. Ellwood House is proposing an extension of the existing facilities with the construction of a 3.5 storey addition containing 38 new units, also intended for seniors.

Funding Request: $9,500,000

Pre-development Funding:

1. Rideau Non-Profit Housing (5581 Doctor Leach Dr – Ward 21 Rideau-Jock)

Rideau Housing operates seniors housing at Hyfield Place, offering a mix of rent-geared-to-income and market-rent apartments in Manotick Village. They are proposing to construct a new two-storey, low-rise apartment building with 38 affordable units on their existing site.

Funding Request: $356,400

2. Tamir (881 Broadview Ave – Ward 7 Bay)

Tamir supports people with developmental disabilities and people with Autism to live their best life by promoting individuality, independence, dignity, and community inclusion. They are proposing to construct three, 3-storey supportive housing apartment buildings containing a total of 51 units.

Funding Request: $205,900

3. Ottawa Salus (56 Capilano Dr – Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale)

Ottawa Salus offers a range of supportive housing options for adults with serious mental illness and concurrent challenges. They are proposing to construct 4 supportive housing townhouses focused on communal living.

Funding Request: $9,700

4. Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (214 Somerset St E – Ward 12 Rideau-Vanier)

OCHC is the largest affordable housing provider in Ottawa, with properties located in various communities throughout the city. They are proposing to construct a 4-storey, 24-unit supportive housing apartment building, replacing a vacant former rooming house on site.

Funding Request: $530,250

5. Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (200-201 Beausoleil Dr – Ward 12 Rideau-Vanier)

OCHC is the largest affordable housing provider in Ottawa, with properties located in various communities throughout the city. They are proposing to construct a 20-storey apartment building containing a mix of 159 affordable units.

Funding Request: $2,964,000

6. Better Living Residential Co-operative (1360 Ogilvie Rd - Ward 11 Beacon Hill-Cyrville)

Better Living Co-op operates a 50-unit stacked townhouse complex in east Ottawa. In April 2022, they experienced a devastating fire which resulted in the loss of 13 units. They are proposing to construct a 4-storey apartment building containing 32 units, 13 of which will replace the units lost.

Funding request: $100,000

7. Shepherds of Good Hope (1083 Merivale Road – Ward 16 River)

Shepherds of Good Hope is one of the largest not-for-profit registered charitable organizations serving the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness in the City of Ottawa. They are proposing to expand their supportive housing portfolio with a 6-storey apartment building containing 56 units.

Funding request: $457,000

Next Steps

Developments selected for funding will need to sign a contribution agreement with the City, which will include details of the project, the contribution being provided, and the terms and conditions for the funding allocation. Projects approved for capital funding will also need to secure their own financing. Funding allocated through an agreement will be secured in the form of a mortgage on title.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Lauren Reeves, Manager, Strategic Housing Projects by phone at (613) 868-5143 or by email at Lauren.Reeves@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,

Paul Lavigne, Director, Housing and Homelessness Services
Community and Social Services

Geraldine Wildman, Interim Director, Housing Solutions and Investments Services
Strategic Initiatives

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services
Ryan Perrault, Interim General Manager, Strategic Initiatives Department
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team
Strategic Initiatives Departmental Leadership team

Date: May 3, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

The Community and Social Services Department (CSSD) works with community agencies and partners to provide and contribute to equitable and inclusive human and social services that respond to the needs of the people in Ottawa.

CSSD is dedicated to improving the lives of tens of thousands of individuals, families, and communities by putting people at the center of everything we do, and by striving to create an Ottawa that has affordable housing and is more liveable for all. This memo will provide an update on some of our department's priorities for 2024.

Children Services

As Service System Manager, Children’s Services is responsible for the planning and management of licensed child care and early learning programs and services for children aged 0 to 12 years old in Ottawa. This includes ensuring that these essential services are responsive to the needs of families and align with Provincial guidelines.

The child care and early years sector has been undergoing a significant transformation, modernization, and growth. Demand for child care services has increased over the past year, with families wanting affordable licensed child care under the new Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. Given rising costs, inflation and other pressures on household incomes, the CWELCC system affordability benefits have been life-changing for families. In Ottawa, they have allowed us to reduce child care fees for more than 24,553 children, and that number is growing. In 2024, approximately 700 new child care spaces will be created for priority populations and areas of the city to benefit more families. Children’s Services plays a key role in implementing the new program and, in 2024, we will continue to prioritize supporting sector partners and families to navigate the CWELCC system and recover from the prolonged impacts of the pandemic.

In 2024, Children’s Services will implement provincial guidelines and funding changes and will continue to work with the Province to address pressures and community sector concerns. Additionally, in 2024, we are updating the City’s Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023), with community engagement initiatives underway ahead of Council consideration later this year. The updated service system plan for 2024-2028 will serve as a roadmap to inform local service improvements, resulting in meaningful changes that respond to the diverse needs of children and families in Ottawa.

Housing and Homelessness Services

Housing and Homelessness Services is the Service System Manager responsible for the housing and homelessness service system planning and funding. This system includes shelter, support housing-based wrap-around case management, and stabilization services. The following are priorities for 2024:

Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy (ITHS):

outlines short, medium, and long-term initiatives to assist single adults experiencing homelessness to transition to housing while addressing immediate pressures in the shelter system. As part of the ITHS, an Enhanced Housing Allowance Benefit (EHAB) pilot was launched and supported over 161 single individuals to move from temporary emergency shelters into long-term housing. This work was done in collaboration with Employment and Social Services, our Rent Supplement team and community partners, such as the Alliance to End Homelessness. We have already begun planning for next winter, with a focus on permanent and sustainable shelter options. This includes working closely with other levels of government and community partners on plans to create a permanent infrastructure in Ottawa to welcome asylum seekers and newcomers. Housing and Homelessness Services continues its work on other strategies outlined in the ITHS, including the creation of a Supportive Housing Community Hub at 1245 Kilborn Place and will provide an update to Committee and Council later in 2024.

10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan (10-Year Plan) Refresh:

Housing and Homelessness Services is undertaking several activities that will inform the delivery of a refreshed 10-Year Plan in 2025. Refreshing the 10-Year Plan (2020-2030) will consider new challenges and solutions that have emerged since it was approved by Council in 2020. It is expected that the Province of Ontario will release the guidelines for the Plan refresh this Spring. In the interim, staff are planning key initiatives that will inform the new 10-Year Plan, including:

• A Housing Needs Assessment to review current housing needs
• The first Point in Time Count since 2021
• Consultations with internal and external partners including the newly formed Housing and Homelessness Leadership Table

The refreshed 10-Year Plan will be brought to Committee and Council in early 2025.

Indigenous Housing and Homelessness Plan:

In September 2022, the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition (OAC) entered into an agreement to develop an Indigenous Housing and Homelessness Plan. Since 2022, staff have been accompanying the OAC and their partners as they develop their Plan.

Through the development of their Plan, the OAC has identified priority projects (Inuit Transitional Shelter, Family Healing Lodge, Aging Out Initiative, Indigenous Hub and Ceremonial Space) and has proposed utilizing surplus City owned land as a means of supporting their priority projects. Further details will be presented to the City through the Indigenous Housing and Homelessness Plan in Q3 2024.

Housing Services Long Range Financial Plan Refresh:

The first Housing Services Long Range Financial Plan (LRFP) was approved by Council in 2021, and outlined the funding required to maintain existing services and to meet the housing targets set out in the 10-Year Plan. Since the LRFP was approved, economic conditions have changed, resulting in the need to revisit the plan. Working with the Financial and Corporate Service team and the newly formed Housing Solutions and Investment team, Housing and Homelessness Services is contributing to the refreshed LRFP for Council consideration in Q3 2024. The refreshed LRFP will showcase several key initiatives and funding opportunities to address current gaps, specifically in relation to retaining and delivering new affordable and supportive housing.

Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy and Analytics

Community Safety, Well-being, Policy & Analytics (CSWBPA) Services is committed to enhancing community well-being through social development initiatives that strive to increase service equity in communities and neighbourhoods through data, analytics and best practice research. This includes supporting the department with evidence informed decision making, and funding key interventions that are pivotal in contributing to public safety and crafting policies leading to systemic change. This team’s work is guided by the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan's overarching goal to create a sustainable community where everyone is safe, has a sense of belonging, and has access to services. The following initiatives are prioritized for 2024.

Safer Alternate Response for Mental Health and Substance Use Crises Prototype:

The Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Office is a member of the and is working in partnership with Centertown Community Health Center, Somerset West Community Health Center, and the Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario (CNEO/211 East), to implement the Safer Alternate Response for Mental Health and Substance Use Crises Prototype. The Prototype is due to launch in Centertown this year. Upon implementation, this program will offer a significant alternative for residents experiencing mental health and substance use crises, allowing them to call 2-1-1 instead of 9-1-1. This approach offers a more tailored and compassionate response, connecting individuals directly with civilian professionals. These experts, available 24/7, will deliver culturally appropriate assistance, focusing on the specific needs of each individual and facilitate connections to additional services for ongoing support. An evaluation will be conducted following the initial launch and implementation of the prototype in Centertown. This evaluation aims not only to assess the program’s effectiveness and areas for improvement, but also to gather insights that could support the expansion of the program to other neighbourhoods in the future.

Poverty Reduction Strategy:

Staff are working with a broad range of community agencies and sectors to finalize a Poverty Reduction Strategy, focusing on key areas such as financial security, economic development, employment, food security and system-level change. This strategy aims to build unified community actions to address the impacts of poverty in Ottawa. The approach is designed to bring tangible improvements to those affected by poverty in the city.

Gender-Based Violence and Violence Against Women:

The CSWB Office is collaborating with key sector partners and leaders to create an action plan to address gender-based violence and violence against women in Ottawa, including intimate partner violence (IPV). This Spring we facilitated a sector forum to work towards this action plan and confirm priorities. This initiative will build on the insights gained in 2022 regarding the strengths and pressures on the sector. These efforts aim to enhance support systems for victims of gender-based violence, ensuring more effective and accessible resources for those in need.

Long-Term Care

Long-Term Care Services (LTCS) priorities will focus on increasing the number of hours of direct care provided to residents in the four City-operated homes, as well as continuing to develop a person-centred approach to care.

Increase in Resident Care:

The Ministry of Long-Term Care is providing long-term care homes across the province with additional provincial funding to commit to an average of four hours of care per resident per day by March of 2025. LTCS has implemented an HR workforce group to support the recruitment of staff to leverage Ministry of Long-Term Care funding and increase the average hours of direct care in our long-term care homes. This allowed the four City-operated homes to meet the target of 3.75 hours of direct care per resident per day by March 2024.

The homes will be adding more staff to the service delivery model this spring, in anticipation of additional provincial funding that will allow the City homes to meet the 2025 target of four hours of care.

Person-Centred Care:

Extensive consultation with staff, residents, families, and sector partners, has underscored the need for transformative change, and a person-centred approach to care. In 2022, LTCS began to move forward with the development of a customized approach to care based in person-centred care, which includes the best practices from several established models of care.

LTCS has partnered with uOttawa LIFE Research Institute to develop a customized, hybrid approach to care and a comprehensive evaluation framework. In addition, a Person-Centred Care Steering Committee and home-specific Project Advisory Committees have been established to guide the development and implementation of the model. Long-term care residents, their families, and staff are actively involved in co-designing the approach.

In 2023, pilots began on one neighbourhood (unit) at two City homes: Peter D. Clark and Garry J. Armstrong. We look forward to the expansion of this approach to additional neighbourhoods within current homes, and across all four City-operated homes.

Quality Initiatives:

As part of LTCS’ commitment to nursing excellence, the City of Ottawa long-term care homes are in the pre-designation phase of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) Best Practice Spotlight Organization designation. The City’s homes are embarking on a three-year initiative that will focus on establishing and implementing specific best practices, and implementing guidelines that are shared across the sector to promote improving the quality of life for residents. There are three areas of focus: preventing falls, promoting oral health, and providing person-centred care.

In addition, this year, Centre d’accueil Champlain has applied to the Ministry of Long-Term Care for an official designation of the Home as a public service agency under the French Language Services Act. Centre d’accueil Champlain has been providing long-term care services to the French-speaking community for over 50 years.

Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development

The Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations, and Social Development Service (GREIIRSD) advances equity and Indigenous reconciliation initiatives at the City of Ottawa. This is accomplished by incorporating principles of equity and self-determination into corporate-wide policies, practices, programs, and organizational strategies. Additionally, this service area contributes to a strong social infrastructure of community services and community well-being through its Integrated Neighbourhood Services Team (INST) and Community Funding Framework, which includes sustainability funding for approximately 100 agencies and several other non-profit agencies through various funding streams.

Older Adult Plan (OAP):

Following a 2023 evaluation of the OAP, staff has engaged the Seniors Roundtable, community agencies and internal City colleagues to inform a new Older Adult age-friendly plan to be launched in 2024 following Council approval. A report to Council is planned for the fall 2024.

Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Plan:

In 2024, staff are conducting a thorough evaluation of the Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Plan's (CDIP) implementation from 2019 to 2023. Collaborating with an external consultant, the evaluation aims to review the corporation's achievements and areas for enhancement. Departments will be engaged to gather insights on their experiences in aligning with CDIP goals, generating recommendations for best practices and focus areas for the future. A report will be presented to Council in late 2024.

Anti-Hate Campaign:

The Anti-Racism Secretariat (ARS) is committed to fulfilling Council's direction, recognizing the real impact of racism, particularly Anti-Indigenous racism, Anti-Black racism, Anti-Asian racism, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia. The Secretariat acknowledges the urgency highlighted by a 23.5 per cent increase in hate and bias-motivated incidents in 2023.

The ARS has dedicated resources to an anti-hate campaign working together with partners like the United Way/United for All and the Ottawa Police Service. The ARS is exploring opportunities to enhance and develop specific anti-hate initiatives, focusing on community engagement, training programs, and promoting awareness to address hate crimes and the negative impact of racism.

Evaluations:

GREIIRSD is currently initiating an evaluation of the Anti-Racism Strategy identifying accomplishments since endorsement by Council in 2022, as well as opportunities for the path forward. At the same time, GREIIRSD is currently finalizing a mid-term review of the accomplishments of phase 1 of the Women and Gender Equity Strategy. Updates will be brought to Council in the fall of 2024.

Learning and Development Strategy on Anti Racism, Women and Gender Equity and Indigenous Relations:

Two Learning and Development strategies for the corporation are in development, focusing on Anti-Racism, Women and Gender Equity, and on Indigenous Relations. These initiatives will focus on building organizational knowledge of systemic barriers while growing leader capacity across the organization on anti-racism, women and gender equity and Indigenous relations and reconciliation.

Indigenous Relations:

The Indigenous Relations branch has spent significant time soliciting feedback and identifying priorities that reflect the voices of the Anishinabe Algonquin Host Nation communities and urban Indigenous communities. In 2024-2026, Indigenous Relations will explore the impacts of adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as the framework for reconciliation. Indigenous Relations will also co-develop service and policy initiatives with the community and City departments. This includes an Indigenous ceremony policy in collaboration with the Host Nation, the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition and other urban Indigenous communities and organizations and various City departments. Each of the priority areas identified by Indigenous Relations and community partners will inform and support our long-term goal of creating an Indigenous governance and engagement framework through ongoing relationship building and dialogue.

Employment and Social Services

The Social Assistance System in Ontario is undergoing the most significant transformation in more than twenty years, as described in the update report provided to Committee and Council in the fall of 2023. The Province’s vision is to create an efficient system that will focus on people’s unique needs and address barriers to employment. This includes realignment of Provincial-Municipal roles and responsibilities in the delivery of Social Assistance. In 2024, Employment and Social Services (ESS) will focus on the implementation of key Provincial transformation initiatives as well as enhancing elements of the local service delivery model.

Employment Services Transformation:

Implemented in Ottawa on January 2, 2024, this Provincial initiative creates an integrated employment model where all employment services in Ontario are delivered by Employment Ontario. By the end of 2024, all recipients in receipt of Social Assistance will have completed an assessment and action plan with ESS staff that identifies their readiness for employment and referral to Employment Ontario and/or where person-centred supports are needed to increase employment readiness. Integrated Case Management and collaboration between Employment Ontario, ESS, other City services, and our community partners is key to providing wrap around services to residents to help them achieve their employment goals and increase self-sufficiency.

Integrated and Simplified Access to Programs and Services:

ESS’ delivery model continues to evolve to align with our role in the delivery of social assistance, with the person at the centre of the approach. This is done by ensuring programs and services are easy to access and navigate, coordinated with both internal and community partners, considers local needs and priorities, and provided when and where people need them the most. A few highlights for 2024 include:

Catherine St. Community Service Hub:

Expanding partnerships at the Hub to include Settlement Services and Mental Health Services. In addition to the other services provided on site, these new partnerships will enhance the wrap around and coordinated access to services and support for residents who access the Hub.

Outreach and Mobile Services Team:

Currently the Team provides services at 15 partner organization locations in the community. In 2024, the Team will focus on increasing their capacity to provide service by identifying where they need to be strategically situated in the community to maximize residents access to the programs and services they provide.

Coordinated Access to Emergency Housing Pilot:

Housing and Homelessness Services and ESS will pilot an initiative that will see a Shelter Support Worker join the ESS team at each of the four ESS locations to provide immediate housing assessment, support, and resources for residents who present as homeless or precariously housed. This initiative will simplify access to services for the resident and reduce the number of touchpoints to have their urgent needs addressed.

Supports for Older Adults Receiving Social Assistance:

Using a person-centred lens, staff will pilot an initiative directed at older adults receiving Ontario Works Assistance. This initiative will focus on removing barriers and coordinating access to financial resources (e.g., Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement), community and municipal programs and services and other supports needed to help with aging well in our community.

Human Service Integration

Human Services Integration is a CSSD and Council-priority strategy to achieve simplified access to social services supporting individuals in need, including housing, employment and child care services. In 2024, the focus will be on:

• Working towards an integrated first point of access to social services reducing the number of times clients/ applicants have to tell their story, and simplifying access to the wrap around services and benefits that they need.
• Fostering an integrated connections to services and enhanced partnerships in the community (food banks, mental health, shelters, library, recreation, child welfare, developmental services, supportive housing, etc.).

Human Services Integration is in direct response to resident feedback and aligned with service review efforts by adopting a continuous improvement approach that delivers effectiveness of service and positive outcomes for residents.

CSSD is committed to providing client-centered care and integrated programs and services to support the community's social, economic, health, safety, and well-being needs. If you have any questions related to the above, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager Community and Social Services Department
Date: April 19, 2024

The purpose of this memo is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with information on the allocation of the 2024 Civic Events Funding. Forty-one applications were approved through the one-time event funding for a total amount of $63,705.

Background

On September 25, 2019, Ottawa City Council approved the new Community Funding Framework.

Included under this framework is funding for Civic Events, which will be used to deliver family-friendly events in local Ottawa communities and priority neighbourhoods (maximum of $3K per event).

The Civic Events fund is used to support the Council priority of a city that is more livable for all.

The purpose of Civic Events funding, as approved by Council, is to fund events that:

• Promote neighbours meeting neighbours in their local, geographic community;
• Include multiple activities, family entertainment and attractions;
• Appeal to residents in a specific geographic neighbourhood/district or ward;
• Promote community well-being by welcoming all community members; and
• Promote equity and inclusion.

Civic Events funding prioritizes events that are directed towards the priority populations specified in the Community Funding Framework Policy Statements, including Francophones, immigrants, Indigenous people, 2SLGBTQ+ community members, older adults, people living in poverty, people with disabilities, racialized people, rural residents, women and youth. Priority neighbourhoods, as defined by the Neighbourhood Equity Index, are also a priority.

Call for proposals and evaluation process

Funding for the Civic Events Fund was allocated through an open call for proposals for one-time event funding. The call for proposals was directed towards small community organizations hosting community events that build relationships among neighbours. The City of Ottawa Allocations Committee reviewed every application, using an equity lens, and provided a rating based on the organization’s alignment with the goals of community funding, the goals and objective of the event, the financial position of the organization, and the viability of the event budget.

The Allocation Committee then reviewed the applications to ensure an equitable dispersion of funds to priority groups, priority neighbourhoods, wards, and whether resources are being targeted and aligned to areas of the city facing the greatest needs or greatest inequities. For more specific information on the allocation process, please see the 2024 Civic Events Funding Process.

Results

A total of $196K was requested from 76 agencies through the open call for proposals launched on March 6, 2024.

The City Allocation Committees approved 41 applications for a total allocation amount of $63,705.

To ensure an equitable distribution of funds, most agencies will not be receiving the full funding requested. Agencies can decide how best to redistribute their budgets based on the amount of funding they have received.

Next steps

Community agencies have been notified of the results of the allocation process. A full list of successful agencies is attached. Should you have any questions or concerns about the process or results, please contact Shanna Culhane at shanna.culhane@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager Community and Social Services

cc.  Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager Community and Social Services Department Vivi Chi, Interim General Manager Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department
Date: April 4, 2024

This memorandum aims to provide an update on the recently established Interdepartmental Task Force on Affordable Housing. The Task Force will facilitate a coordinated, collaborative, and Team Ottawa-focused response to the housing crisis in Ottawa. This includes responding to provincial legislation and regulatory changes, the 2023-2026 Term of Council priorities related to affordable housing and housing supply, as well as implementing the Housing Accelerator Fund initiatives and recommendations from the Audit on Affordable Housing. The internal Task Force will work for an initial three-year term.

Background
In July 2023, Council approved its 2023-2026 Term of Council Priorities, which include the priority to create an Ottawa that has affordable housing and is more liveable for all by “Investing in services that affect the lives of all residents, including those most in need, is a key priority for the City. This strategic priority focuses on supporting individuals by increasing access to a range of housing options, including affordable housing.” Strategic priorities also include efforts to support intensification.

Additionally, the government of Ontario’s enacting of Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 and Bill 109, the More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022, include extensive changes to several Acts and regulations, including the Development Charges Act, Planning Act, and Municipal Act. The compressed timelines for development approvals as well as potential financial penalties underscore not only the prioritization of increasing the housing supply, but also the need to ensure continued collaboration and focused effort amongst Community and Social Services and Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development staff.

Further focused effort will be needed to respond to the findings of the City of Ottawa Audit on Affordable Housing which was tabled on March 8, 2024. This Audit provided recommendations on the policies, programs, tools, and structures within the control of the municipality to increase the stock of available affordable housing units within Ottawa.

Recommendations included the establishment a formalized governance structure to oversee the affordable housing portfolio which would include the establishment of a cross-functional oversight body with the authority to prioritize and expedite key projects.

Objectives and Deliverables
The Interdepartmental Task Force on Affordable Housing will enable the strategic alignment of the Community and Social Services (CSSD) and Planning Real Estate and Economic Development (PRED) departments towards housing goals. This Task Force will ensure timely consultation, expertise, and decision-making within the staff’s delegated authority on advancing affordable housing options and provide a formal opportunity to engage elected officials, as necessary, to advance priorities and opportunities, as well as resolve barriers to achieving the Task Force’s goals.

The main areas of focus for the Task Force will include:

• Housing Accelerator Fund implementation, and
• Affordable Housing Audit recommendations.

The initial meetings of the Interdepartmental Affordable Housing Task Force have focused on formalizing the internal governance structure. The Task Force will work with the Public Information and Media Relations (PIMR) department to develop an effective communication strategy that will include quarterly updates to Council.

The structure of the Interdepartmental Task Force on Affordable Housing includes the City Manager as the Executive Sponsor with overall authority on all decisions arising from the Task Force. This position is also responsible for resolving any escalated and unresolved issues.

The Interdepartmental Task Force on Affordable Housing will include the following members:

• City Manager
• General Manager, PRED (Co-Chair)
• General Manager, CSSD (Co-Chair)
• General Manager, FCSD (Finance and Corporate Services) and Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Communications Officer, (PIMR)
• Manager, Business and Technical Support Services, PRED
• Program and Project Management Officer, Business and Technical Support Services,PRED
• Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Housing Services, CSSD
• Specialist, Strategic Programs & Project, Business Support Services, CSSD
• Senior Legal Counsel, PRED
• Legal Counsel, Housing Services, CSSD
• Director, Housing Services, CSSD
• Manager, Affordable Housing, Housing Services, CSSD
• Director, Transportation Planning, PRED
• Director, Corporate Real Estate Office, PRED
• Director, Economic Development and Long-Range Planning, PRED
• Director, Planning Services, PRED
• Director, City Manager’s Office

We look forward to providing quarterly updates to Council on the work of the Task Force in achieving our overall housing goals.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager Community and Social Services

Vivi Chi Interim General Manager Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development

cc. Senior Leadership Team
Andrea Lanthier-Seymour, PIMR
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team
Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Departmental Leadership team

Date: March 14, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department;
Dan Chenier, General Manager, Recreation, Cultural & Facility Services

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council an update on the progress of the Community Garden Action Plan review. This includes updates to the timeline to provide formal recommendations on future governance, scope, internal and external processes, and the necessary resources for community gardens and similar green community-led initiatives on City-owned land.

Background

On October 25th, 2023 Council approved motion (File No. ACS2023-OCC-CCS-0122), which directs Recreation, Culture and Facilities Services (RCFS) to work with Community and Social Services Department (CSSD) on a thorough review and update of the Community Garden Action Plan in partnership with the Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development (PRED) and Public Works Departments (PW). A review and update to the current Community Gardens Action Plan is required as residents’ requests to access City-owned land for community food gardens and similar green community-led initiatives is steadily increasing, with a focus on City-owned parkland. Community food gardens and other similar green community-led initiatives have implications for several different City departments. Residents would benefit from a clear process through which the City may consider requests for access to City-owned land for the purposes of community food gardens and similar green community-led initiatives, ultimately reducing barriers to residents.

Planning for a Review

After assessing the project's scope and complexity and following successful completion of the procurement process, the City has selected an external consultant, Hoffmann Hayes, to conduct a Review of current Community Garden Action Plan, including an extensive internal interdepartmental review, public engagement, and review the best practices from other municipalities.

Hoffmann Hayes is a leading consultancy firm in urban agriculture and community development, with 30 years of experience driving transformative community garden projects across the GTA, Ontario, and Canada. Their collaborations with municipalities like Toronto, Mississauga, London, and Charlottetown are extensive. Notable achievements include co-developing Charlottetown's Community Garden Program, City of Toronto’s Community Garden Action Plan, and leading collaboration in the Community Engagement and Entrepreneurial Development Garden Program. They've also been pivotal in shaping urban agriculture policy, contributing to essential documents such as Mississauga’s Urban Agriculture Strategy and GrowTO: An Urban Agriculture Action Plan for Toronto.

Hoffmann Hayes will provide the City with recommendations for consideration in developing a future Community Garden Framework for the City of Ottawa. Recommendations will include considerations for future governance, scope, internal and external processes, and necessary budgetary and staff resources required for implementation of a framework for community gardens and similar green initiatives on City-owned land.

The decision to hire an external consultant aims to ensure our action plan is not only thorough, but also responsive to the needs of the residents. Our commitment remains unwavering, and we are dedicated to having an improved plan in place for the 2025 growing season.

Timelines

Given the scale and scope of the review required to develop a new Community Garden Framework for the City of Ottawa, staff will not be able to meet the timelines laid out in the original Council motion. Instead of being ready in time for the 2024 growing season, staff will bring a report to Council for approval in the fall of 2024 in time for the 2025 growing season.

To mitigate the impacts of these delays on the 2024 growing season, active collaboration between RCFS, CSSD, and community partners is currently ongoing. Efforts include identifying improvement strategies to existing gardens on City owned land, and land planning for a new Albion Heatherington Community Garden.

Next steps

The consultant, Hoffmann Hayes, will begin their work in March 2024. Further updates will be shared with the Community Services Committee and City Council as the project progresses in 2024. While under development, residents may continue to share their questions and ideas with communitygardens@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager, Community and Social Services
Dan Chenier
General Manager, Recreation, Cultural, Facilities Services

cc.
Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team
Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Services Departmental Leadership Team

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department, Cyril Rogers, Interim General Manager and Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Corporate Services Department
Subject: City of Ottawa named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (March 5, 2024)

I am very pleased to announce, in partnership with Cyril Rogers, Interim General Manager of the Finance and Corporate Services Department and Chief Financial Officer, that the City of Ottawa has once again been named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. The City Manager will be sharing this information with employees later today.

This award recognizes the City’s ongoing commitment to improving equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in our service to residents, in our workforce and workplace. This year, the City was recognized for its efforts in focusing on employees’ psychological safety and well-being in the workplace, as well as offering various training and learning opportunities to help employees at all levels understand anti-racism principles and identify barriers.

Examples can be found in the Council approved Anti-Racism Strategy and Women and Gender Equity Strategy, the launching of several staff-led workplace Affinity Groups, and the development of wellness plans and strategies in response to staff input.

Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging continue to be a priority for our City. We have come a long way and recognize that we still have much work to do. We are committed to this work and to fostering a thriving workforce where employees feel recognized and valued to bring their authentic selves, skills and experience to work each day.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact myself or Cyril Rogers.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

Cyril Rogers
Interim General Manager
Finance and Corporate Services Department and Chief Financial Officer
cc.
Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Elizabeth Marland, Director, Human Resources
Community and Social Services Department Leadership Team

Date: February 8, 2024
To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager Community and Social Services Department

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with an update on the impact of the recently announced 2024 Child Care, Early ON Child and Family Centres, and Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Provincial Guidelines and funding allocations.

Background

The last few years have presented significant pressure on the early years and child care sector, navigating through a pandemic, workforce pressures and the phased approach of building a new and transformational public child care system. In alignment with the City’s Child Care and Early Years Service System plan’s vision to unite as a city and make progressive improvements, Ottawa’s sector has truly come together to adapt, often on short timelines, to deliver these essential services in Ottawa through many lingering challenges to support families and give children the best possible start in life.

In 2019, the province announced a phasing-in of program delivery funding reductions provided to municipalities as Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs) responsible for the planning and management of programs and services. Specifically, the requirement was to cost share the majority of provincial CMSM program delivery funding at a rate of 50/50 with a plan to reduce the allowable funding threshold from 10% to 5% to be fully implemented by 2022. To support CMSMs while they found efficiencies and adjusted their cost structures, a one-time transitional grant was provided in 2020. The pandemic related responsibilities for service system managers drastically increased in 2020 (ACS2001-CSS-GEN-0009). While no additional funding was provided to reflect the increased responsibilities, the province continued to provide the one-time transitional funding through these challenging years. In March 2022, the province announced the implementation of the CWELCC system. (ACS2022-GEN-0013) In April 2022, the province advised through a memo that “Administrative funding will be restored, as we recognize this is not the time to implement the previously announced funding cuts.” Adjustments were immediately made in the 2023 budget to re-establish the funding and resources needed to navigate both the backlog from pandemic impacts and the increased responsibilities under the new CWELCC system.

Current Status

On Thursday, November 30, 2023, the province provided an update on the 2024 Child Care, EarlyON Child and Family Centres, and Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Funding. Investments from the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada in the child care and early years system will total more than $3.9B for 2024 and will continue to support the implementation of previously announced fee reductions, workforce support and other measures. Ottawa’s total allocation for 2024 is $308M. The following are key updates for 2024.

Expiry of the one-time transitional grant for Municipal Program Delivery

The province advised that after three years of funding to help stabilize the system during exceptional circumstances, the one-time transitional grant will be discontinued effective Monday, January 1, 2024 and funding reductions will proceed.

This represents a reduction of $4.7M or 37% of the total program delivery budget and will result in workforce implications and programming funds which have been pivotal in quickly implementing pandemic supports and the first phases of the CWELCC system. To mitigate the impact to CMSMs in 2024, any unused funds from previous years’ one-time transition grants can be used until Sunday, March 31, 2024. For Ottawa, it is anticipated this will allow staff to mitigate any immediate financial, workforce and service implications until a plan to adjust can be developed and implemented throughout 2024.

The combination of the continued system transformation, increased responsibilities required to build a public system and safeguard public funds, and limited program delivery funding are concerning at this pivotal time. The City continues to manage two parallel systems, will be implementing a new funding model, continued implementation of the directed growth and workforce strategies, a further planned fee reduction and a new provincial IT modernization initiative. Implementing the funding reductions now will risk the successful implementation of the national system and is expected to result in negative outcomes for families and service providers.
Staff will continue to advocate together with our partners at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association to request a delay of these funding decisions to provide the needed time and resources to fully implement system improvements / efficiencies while allowing the sector to stabilize through significant transformation.

Value for money audit

The province is requiring CMSMs who directly operate child care centres to do an independent value-for-money audit of their programs, with no additional program delivery funding to complete this work. Audits must determine whether provincial funding is being used efficiently and effectively by directly operated centres and whether the child care services could be offered by a third-party provider instead. The audit report, recommendations and management responses should be posted publicly.

The City completed a Municipal Child Care review in 2021 (ACS2021-CSS-GEN-0008) which included a full cost benefit analysis and ensuring the services align to the City’s mandate to serve families who face various barriers and systemic challenges in areas of the city where there is insufficient child care spaces to meet demand. The City is sharing this information with the Province and will comply with any audit requirements.

Cost Escalation & Emerging Issues funding

The province acknowledges that child care service providers may face unavoidable cost increases beyond their control. To support providers, an increase of 2.1% has been allocated. In 2023, the province provided an increase of 2.75% resulting in a total compounded increase of 4.91% from 2022 to 2024. Many providers find this insufficient and worry about the impact on their participation in the CWELCC system. To address this, the province has provided an extra $5.9M for emerging issues. The City will develop a fair and transparent process to allocate these funds to providers who demonstrate that their revenue for eligible spaces is insufficient to support the service provider’s non-discretionary costs. It’s uncertain if this funding will cover all needs and staff will continue to collaborate with the province and advocate if additional funding is needed.

Workforce Strategy

The province has increased the hourly wage maximum for the Wage Enhancement Grant (WEG) and Home Child Care Enhancement Grant (HCCEG) to help close the gap between Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) in the education sector and eligible RECEs in licensed child care settings. To build on this initiative and as previously communicated to Council on Thursday, November 23, 2023 through a Memorandum, the province has also launched a Child Care Workforce Strategy to increase wages for RECEs along with a multipronged strategy to recruit and retain qualified educators.

The City awaits more details and funding allocations on Professional Development, Mental Health Support and the one-time innovation fund. Advocacy groups applaud these latest investments as an important step forward in addressing the workforce challenges, but some are still concerned that further measures will be needed to fully address the complexity of workforce issues. The sector emphasizes wages and benefits as the most important gap to be addressed in the system given its connection to quality and the need to increase spaces. Staff will continue to advocate for these essential services to benefit both the social and economic well-being of families and the community.

Upcoming CWELCC funding approach

To ensure CMSMs and service providers have the time they need to prepare for the new CWELCC funding approach and minimize disruption to the system the province has delayed implementation of the new funding approach until at least September 2024. Staff are awaiting further information and details on the new funding approach from the province.

Next steps

Children’s Services continues to play a critical role in the transformational work ahead. Staff will implement the above programs and services, prioritize provincial directions, and scale and scope initiatives based on available capacity and funding. Staff will develop a plan to align our program delivery budgets and service offerings to the updated provincial allocations including evaluating various mitigation options and include any impacts in the 2025 draft budget.

An update to the to the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan is currently in development, with community engagement initiatives planned ahead of consideration by Council later this year. The updated service system plan for 2024-2028 will build on the work of the previous version, serving as a roadmap to assist the sector in navigating through a significant transformation and help identify priorities within available resources. Once the public engagement campaign is launched, additional information will be shared with the Mayor and Members of Council including details on how residents can participate.

The City remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcomes for children and families in our community. This continues to be a period of transition across the province and staff remain committed to working with families and the child care sector in the next steps of this significant transformation. For more information, please reach out to Jason Sabourin at Jason.Sabourin@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire,
General Manager,
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: January 4, 2024

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager Community and Social Services Department

The purpose of this memo is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with an update on the allocation of the $670K Emerging Community Needs Fund. Seventeen applications were approved through the one-time funding.

Background
The City Council approved Community Funding Framework includes funding for Emerging Community Needs, which is intended to address a specific need in a community (local neighborhood, or community of common bond) and contribute to community capacity building, well-being, and resiliency. This funding is not intended to support ongoing operations, address a funding gap, or budget shortfall.

In November 2023, the Emerging Community Needs funding stream launched an allocation of $670,000 from a combination of funds in the Community Funding and Community Safety and Well-Being Envelopes.

Call for Proposals and Assessment Process
Funding for the Emerging Community Needs Fund was allocated through an open call for proposals for one-time funding. The City of Ottawa Allocations Committee had an opportunity to review all the applications and provide ratings based on a set assessment process aligned to the funding criteria. Assessments were based on the organization’s profile, target community, target demographic, emerging community need, alignment of the request to the objectives of the Fund, budget, proposed outcome, initiative sustainability, and support/partners.

The Emerging Community Needs Fund City Allocation Committee included staff and management from the Community Safety and Well-Being and Social Development and Funding teams.

Results
Eighty-one agencies requested $4.7M through the open call for proposals launched on November 16, 2023. Following the allocation committee process, 17 applications were recommended for onetime funding, totalling $670,019.

The Allocations Committee recommended that successful applicants:

• Requesting under $20K to receive the full amount requested.
• Requesting over $20K to receive 90% of their requested amount.
• Receiving sustainability funding had their administrative costs omitted from consideration (already covered through sustainability funding).

Once the Emerging Community Needs Funding Allocation Committee finalized their recommendations and decisions, they were reviewed and approved by the Acting Director, Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development and the General Manager, Community and Social Services Department.

Next steps
All applicants have been notified of the results of the allocation process. Should you have any questions about the process or results, please contact Clara Freire at Clara.Freire@ottawa.ca or Shanna Culhane at Shanna.Culhane@ottawa.ca (after Jan. 8, 2024).

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

Date: December 15, 2023
To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire General Manager Community and Social Services

The purpose of this memo is to provide an update to Mayor and Members of Council on the next key milestone of the Safer Alternate Response for Mental Health and Substance Use Crises Prototype.

Upon completion of the Request for Proposal for the community-based response team Centertown Community Health Centre, in collaboration with Somerset West Community Health Centre, were selected to lead the Response Service Delivery of the Prototype.

In addition and upon completion of a separate procurement process, Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario (CNEO/211 East) will take the lead in the Call diversion (non-911 number) function of the Prototype.

Background
Through a community-led process by the Ottawa Guiding Council on Mental Health and Addictions (the Guiding Council), Ottawa City Council approved the Safer Alternate Response for Mental Health and Substance Use Crises Response (ACS2023-CSSGEN-010) in July 2023. The first phase has three key components:

1. Call diversion (non-911 number): An alternate call intake, triage and dispatch system for mental health and substance use calls. This provides an option to
community members seeking mental health and substance use crisis support to call a non-911 number directly.

2. Response team: Community-based, civilian-led, multi-disciplinary and mobile crisis response teams that offer 24 hours a day, seven days a week, traumainformed and culturally appropriate crisis response services in Centretown. Each crisis response team will have a peer support worker. The team can provide individuals with wrap-around supports providing a continuum of care with pathways to services.

3. Peer support and wrap-around system: Establishment of a network of supporting community agencies that operate within the geographic area that can support clients on an ongoing basis to provide stability, system navigation and follow-up support.

In July 2023, approximately $3 million in municipal funding annually for three years was approved to implement the first phase of the initiative. City staff were directed to select a community partner to lead the Response team and wrap-around support system, referred to as the Response Service Delivery of the Prototype, through a competitive process in accordance with the Council-approved Community Funding Framework (ACS2019-CSS-GEN-0012).

Response Service Delivery – Evaluation Process and Results
Selection of the community partner to lead the Response Service Delivery of the Prototype was completed through an open public request for proposals. An Allocation Committee reviewed all applications applying an equity and inclusion lens. Decisions were based on the proposal’s overall alignment with the community-established Prototype structure, service delivery requirements, population served, budget feasibility and expected outcomes.

Once the Allocation Committee completed their review and provided a final score for each application, the highest scoring agencies were invited for an interview. The interview provided an opportunity for the Allocation Committee and applicant to discuss the application and Prototype implementation in greater details. Upon completion of the interview process, the Allocation Committee provided their final recommendation

The Safer Alternate Response Allocation Committee included four community experts with in-depth knowledge of community needs, the Directors of the Guiding Council Secretariat as well as City staff. The Guiding Council nominated community experts and people with lived and living experience.

Centertown Community Health Centre (CCHC) and Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC) both have extensive experience in implementing and designing programs and services responding to mental health and substance use interventions and actively work to ensure trauma-informed and culturally appropriate practices are included in the crisis management and follow-up support they provide. They will be working with a broad range of community partners to carry out this work.

Call Intake, Triage and Dispatch
Also integral to the Prototype is the partnership with Community Navigation of Eastern Ontario (CNEO/211 East), an existing service that provides information and referrals for community and social services 24/7 in Ottawa.

Following a market assessment, staff launched an Advance Notification Award Notice (ACAN) to support the transparency of the process. An ACAN is a public notice, open for three weeks, of the intent to award the contract to CNEO/211 East. The ACAN is an opportunity for other organizations to express their interest in bidding on the contract by submitting a statement of capabilities. No responses were received for the ACAN from other organizations. Staff are now working with CNEO/211 to finalize a contract. Under this agreement, CNEO/211 will take the lead in the Call diversion (non-911 number) function of the Prototype, specifically in managing the triage and dispatch of calls to the mobile teams and connecting callers to follow-up supports.

Next Steps
Community agencies have been notified of the results of the allocation process and City staff will continue to work with Centertown Community Health Centre, Sommerset West Community Health Centre, and CNEO/211 East to finalize agreements and issue funding. In response to direction received at Community Services Committee on June 27, 2023, the information below outlines key milestones and a schedule of updates to City Council.

Should you have additional questions regarding the content of this memo, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Sarah Taylor, Director (A), Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy, and Analytics at sarah.taylor@ottawa.ca directly.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Jason Sabourin, Director, Children’s Services, Community and Social Services Department
Subject: Ontario Child Care Workforce Strategy (November 23, 2023)

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with a key update on the investments being made under the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. The Province is launching a Child Care Workforce Strategy to deliver increased wages to Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) along with a multipronged strategy to recruit and retain qualified educators, building on existing initiatives. Additionally, action is being taken to further protect the safety of children in care with the implementation of a Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy by Monday, January 1, 2024.

Background
Child care services are essential and benefit both the social and economic well-being of families and our community, highlighted by the current rising costs due to inflation and pressures on household incomes. Child care services have been included within the City’s Term of Council Priority in the 2023-2026 City Strategic Plan that sees a city that is more liveable for all. As identified in the Council approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023), having an experienced and stable workforce, supported through ongoing training and good wages and working conditions is important to the quality of child care and early years services in Ottawa. These essential services are only possible with a stable workforce. For years, the sector across the province has faced ongoing challenges related to its workforce - especially around retention and recruitment, salaries and benefits and professional development. These challenges have been compounded by pandemic pressures and the 2022 introduction of the CWELCC system and growing demand with the need for additional child care services to support families with high-quality and affordable child care.

Children’s Services together with Council, our System Planning Advisory Group and local partners have continued to advocate for a well-compensated and valued early childhood workforce, which must go hand in hand when building a national system of early learning and child care on behalf of children and families. The workforce challenges present a significant barrier to the successful growth and implementation of the CWELCC system and its intended impacts on affordable, accessible, responsive and quality child care. An underfunded and precarious workforce means that families can't plan for and rely on care being available,
parents won't have the choice to work outside the home and child care will be harder to find.

Current status

On Thursday, November 16, 2023, the Province announced the launch of a Child Care Workforce Strategy to deliver increased wages to Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) along with a multipronged strategy to recruit and retain qualified educators, building on existing initiatives. Additionally, action is being taken to further protect the safety of children in care with the implementation of a Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy by Monday, January 1, 2024. The Provincial government’s Workforce Strategy is outlined below.

Compensation

The strategy sets out new compensation structures for Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs), as well as Supervisors/RECE Home Child Care Visitors. In 2024, the wage floor will increase from $20 per hour to $23.86 per hour for eligible RECE program staff and from $22 per hour to $24.86 per hour for Supervisors and RECE Home Child Care Visitors. The wage floor will then increase by $1 per hour each year up to 2026.

In 2024, eligibility ceiling for the annual $1 increase will increase for eligible RECE program staff to $26 per hour and $29 per hour for Supervisors and RECE Home Child Care Visitors. The eligibility ceiling will then increase by $1 per hour each year up to 2026. The eligibility ceiling is not a wage cap and employers can choose to pay RECE wages above the eligibility ceiling.

Professional Development and Mental Health Support
The strategy describes investments in professional development and mental health supports for the Child Care and Early Years (CCEY) sector. Access to ongoing professional learning opportunities can enhance staff engagement, foster growth, acknowledge achievements, boost professional efficacy and enhance overall job satisfaction. Starting in 2024, funding will be provided for up to one paid Professional Development day for all staff working in licensed centre and home-based care and EarlyON Child and Family Centres.

Recruitment and Retention
The strategy initiates a one-time Innovation Fund for local solutions to support workforce recruitment and retention and develops partnerships between municipalities and providers to address RECE workforce issues. The funds will also foster the development of local solutions to support students and address RECE workforce issues, including easing the transition among RECEs from school to work.

Expansion of Early Childhood Education Qualifications Upgrade Program
The strategy also expands the Early Childhood Education Qualifications Upgrade Program to support workforce recruitment and retention in the CCEY sector. The Province funds the Early Childhood Education Qualifications Upgrade Program (ECE QUP) which supports individuals working within the early years sector who have been accepted to an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology program to pursue their Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma and become eligible to apply for membership with the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE). As of 2024, the ministry will enhance the base funding to support workforce recruitment and retention in the CCEY sector. The program includes a Francophone and First Nations, Métis and Inuit program component to prioritize these applicants.

The Provincial strategy also includes additional supports, such as removing barriers to allow more flexibility for qualified individuals to work in the CCEY sector, expanding post-secondary credit acceptance processes, as well as clarifying that student placements can be completed at a candidate’s place of work if the candidate is already working in licensed child care.

Safe Arrival and Dismissal
Action is also being taken to further protect the safety of children by requiring all licensed child care operators to implement a Safe Arrival and Dismissal Policy by Monday January 1, 2024. This will ensure that when a child does not arrive at the licensed child care program or is not picked up as expected, parents will be informed in line with existing protocols within Ontario’s publicly funded schools. This closes a gap that will protect children from exceptional and preventable tragedies.

Municipal Child Care Centres
As a result of continued municipal investments, the City’s Municipal Child Care centre staff are already above the eligibility ceiling for the compensation funding. The municipal investments enable attractive compensation for qualified staff, resulting in an experienced and stable workforce which fosters strong relationships and familiarity with individual children and family members, providing positive influence on children’s social development. It also results in increased labour force participation aligning to Council‘s Women and Gender Equity Strategy as the staffing complement is predominately women. This establishes the Municipal Centres
as a leading model. The City will be updating the current Safe Arrival and Dismissal procedure in accordance with the legislative changes.

Next steps
Children’s Services anticipates receiving the Ontario Child Care Workforce Strategy guidelines sometime in early 2024 which will include further details and requirements on these new initiatives and associated funding for Ottawa. Once additional information is received, Children’s Services will prioritize these aspects to help essential front-line workers and provide updates to licensed child care service providers with anticipated timelines and associated supports to complete this new initiative as soon as possible. Children’s Services looks forward to assessing how these Provincial announcements can compliment and enhance our ongoing workforce development efforts and our local workforce strategy initiated with past one-time Federal/Provincial Child Care and Early Years Workforce Funding.

Many advocacy groups are praising these latest investments as an important step forward in addressing the workforce challenges, but some are still concerned that further measures will be needed to fully address the complexity of workforce issues. The sector has continually outlined wages and benefits as the most important gap to be addressed in the system given its connection to quality and the need to increase spaces. Additional Provincial investments would be required to align community partners to the leading model established by the City’s Municipal Child Care centres. Children’s Services will continue to advocate for these aspects
to the Province knowing how essential these services are to both the social and economic well-being of families and the community.

This continues to be a period of transition across the province and staff remain committed to working with families and the child care sector in the next steps of this significant transformation.

Sincerely,
Jason Sabourin
Director, Children’s Services
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: November 22, 2023
To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager Community and Social Services

The purpose of this memo is to advise Council that the Director of Employment and Social Services has been confirmed.

It is my pleasure to announce that Stephanie Bordage, who has been serving as Interim Director of Employment and Social Services since April, was the successful candidate in the competition.

Before taking on the Interim Director position, Stephanie was a Manager in Employment and Social Services since 2017. Stephanie oversaw the delivery of employment and financial assistance programs and services, and led innovative changes in service delivery such as the Catherine Street Community Services Hub.

Stephanie, who is fluently bilingual in English and French, has worked closely with the social services sector for many years and has built strong relationships with the community and the Community and Social Services team.

Through Stephanie’s leadership, I am confident that the Employment and Social Services Team will be well supported as they continue to make great strides in advancing Social Assistance Modernization.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc.
Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Department Leadership Team

Date: November 1, 2023
To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

PURPOSE
This memo will provide an update on the Community and Social Services Department’s existing Physical Distancing - Emergency Overflow Centres measures in response to the increasing demands for emergency shelter services for single adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness through the winter 2023-2024.

CURRENT STATE
Demand for emergency shelter is outpacing supply. City staff continue to focus on helping clients transition to permanent housing. Since July, 118 people from the existing Physical Distancing - Emergency Overflow Centres having moved to permanent housing. However, the new requests for shelter placement are outpacing the rate at which people can be housed.

The emergency shelter system has been facing unprecedented demand. The shelter system was at full capacity for most of the summer, which is unusual for the sector. All community shelters, and the existing Physical Distancing - Emergency Overflow Centres and overflow mechanisms are full.

The demand on the system has grown exponentially, driven in large part by a significant and unprecedented impact of global migration. Approximately half of the clients in the shelter system serving singles have arrived in Canada in the last year, and this trend can be partially attributed to policy decisions at the provincial and federal levels, as well as in other municipal jurisdictions. Staff continue to work with newcomer serving organizations to identify alternative placement options and pathways.

Additionally, there are over 250 people currently living unsheltered, a large portion of whom will seek to access shelter services through the winter. It is projected that the system may need up to 187 additional beds.

To respond to this crisis, Mayor Sutcliffe and Councillor Dudas, Chair of Community Services Committee, convened an Emergency Shelter Crisis Taskforce. This temporary body will work on developing short term solutions and actions required to address the current crisis facing Ottawa's emergency shelter system, and support the providers and their staff, who everyday are going above and beyond to serve their clients.
 

MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Due to the fact that the shelter system is already overwhelmed, together with the projected shelter need over the winter, the decision has been made to open a third City operated Physical Distancing - Emergency Overflow Centre. This is required to ensure no one goes unsheltered during the cold winter months.

The Heron Community Centre will open as an additional Physical Distancing - Emergency Overflow Centre as of the end of November 2023. This site is expected to accommodate up to 200 individuals.

At the same time, the current Physical Distancing - Emergency Overflow Centres will continue to operate out of the Dempsey Community Centre and the Bernard Grandmaître Arena, for the foreseeable future. Staff are also exploring the possibility of further enhancing capacity at these locations.

Staff also continue exploring other solutions to address the emergency shelter crisis when temperatures drop through the winter as there is significant unmet demand and people outside are at risk. This work is being undertaken at the same time as staff continue to work with the community to implement the Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy and its short-, medium- and long-term measures to move people to permanent housing and housing with supports.

These mitigation strategies will ensure our system can offer much needed space and shelter services while operations transition out of the emergency service response to longer term alternatives.

We acknowledge our emergency housing response has impacted local programming in the community and want to express our gratitude for the community’s adaptability and support. We are committed and continue to work towards exiting City community centres as soon as possible.

In the interim, staff continue to work with the Emergency Shelter Crisis Taskforce and specific affected Councillors through dedicated inquiry and issues management, and meetings with community groups and stakeholders. We are actively engaging with our community partners in affected neighbourhoods and exploring additional programming spaces to address potential gaps.
 

NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue to work with impacted Ward Councillors, community groups and residents to address any issues that arise. There continues to be a dedicated point of contact for any concerns or enquiries related to the City operated Physical Distancing - Emergency Overflow Centres which can be directed to housinglogement@ottawa.ca.

The Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy, adopted by Council in July 2023 outlined strategies to assist single adults experiencing homelessness to transition to housing while addressing immediate pressures in the single shelter system, and working towards exiting the operation of Physical Distancing-Emergency Overflow Centres in City owned recreation facilities.

Staff continue to implement the short- medium- and long-term initiatives outlined in the report.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Next Steps –Key Milestones
Staff will continue to prioritize the launch of the first phase, taking steps to streamline allocation processes by utilizing the Community Funding Framework as an effective and transparent vehicle for allocating most funds as well as ensuring outcome measures through the geographic selection reflect the needs of the Centretown community. In response to direction received at Community Services Committee on June 27, 2023, the information below outlines key milestones and a schedule of updates to Committee.

Should you have additional questions regarding the content of this memo, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Sarah Taylor, Director (A), Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy, and Analytics at sarah.taylor@ottawa.ca directly.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: September 12, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

The purpose of this memo is to advise members of Council that the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa will be investigating an allegation of abuse that involves the City of Ottawa’s Dr. Ernest Couture Child Care Centre.

The allegation of abuse, which the City has been advised is sexual in nature, was shared directly with the Ottawa Police Service and the City has not been provided with any further details. The City is fully cooperating with the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa on this matter and remains committed to ensuring the ongoing safety of children at the Centre. The City is following all appropriate labour relations policies and the employee in question was immediately removed and is currently on investigatory leave.

Communications have been provided to staff and family members today, which included a direct City contact for additional support. The City is also fulfilling its legislative duty by submitting a Serious Occurrence Report with the Ministry of Education. The City remains committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of all children in its care and takes abuse allegations very seriously.

We will await the results of the investigation and advise on further actions.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team
 

Date: July 11, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, Interim General Manager, Community and Social Services

Purpose

The purpose of this memo is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with the timeline, key milestones, and reporting plan for the implementation of the first phase of the safer alternative response program for mental health and substance use crises, as described in the report “Community Safety and Well-Being Mental Well-Being Priority Progress Update: Safer Alternatives for Mental Health and Substance Use Crises Response” (ACS2023-CSS-GEN-010) to be discussed at City Council on Wednesday, July 12.

Background

The Guiding Council for Mental Health and Addictions includes the membership of 11 networks who represent over 150 community organizations and institutions. Membership includes all those who have a mandate within Ottawa to respond to mental health and substance use crises, representing community, health and service networks as well as public institutions including: Ottawa Police Services, Ottawa Public Health, Ottawa Paramedic Service, and Community and Social Services.

On May 26, 2021, Ottawa City Council approved Motion No. 54/4 directing the City Manager to develop a recommended path forward to coordinate the City’s future efforts related to mental health. Aligning those within the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan with those being led by the Ottawa Police Services Board while ensuring no duplication of efforts. To this end, the Guiding Council was approached by the City Manager to expand its mandate to encompass the Mental Well-being priority under the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. The Guiding Council agreed, with the condition that its primary focus remain the alternate crises response.

In March 2022, the Guiding Council began the process to develop an evidence-informed approach for a Mental Health and Substance Use Crisis Response Strategy with a focus on a culturally-informed alternate response, prioritizing Black and racialized individuals and communities.

The Guiding Council has identified that both the issues and the potential solutions for addressing mental health, substance use and addiction issues in our community are complex. As a result, any work and solutions must be managed collaboratively with all stakeholders in a coordinated way to ensure there is a continuum of care to meet the needs of the people experiencing mental health and substance use issues in Ottawa. This uniquely positions the Guiding Council as subject matter leaders in driving the implementation of the alternate response for mental health and substance use crises.

Implementation Timeline

The implementation of the alternate response for mental health crises is a system-change adding a fourth 24/7 emergency response option into the Ottawa community. Based on consultations with other municipalities as well as Ottawa based partners, there is approximately one year of implementation work to complete prior to service launch.

The project needs to be sustainable ensuring community voice is central so that those who are prioritized service users will want to access the service. As a consent-based service, it is critical that the service users see themselves in the response and continue to be engaged in its delivery. This requires a continued commitment to a thoughtful and inclusive process. Work is also needed to ensure the coordination of clinical services and community agencies so that there is somewhere people can go for help.

An initial timeline with key milestones is below. The work that requires completion involves program design, procurement, legal, hiring, training, public education and communication, as well as development of a performance measurement and evaluation framework.

Staff will be reporting to Council via memo following key milestones. Each memo will include an update on upcoming key milestones as well as general implementation status updates.

Staff and the Guiding Council understand the urgency of launching this new prototype for mental health and substance use crises response service. Areas where time may be saved include working with community partners and other municipalities to leverage existing work, such as: existing job descriptions; contracting agencies with existing subject matter expertise; and leveraging the scale of the Guiding Council for capacity such as building dedicated hiring panels.

Internal partners have agreed to prioritize and support implementation. This includes Supply, Finance, and Legal Services.

For additional information or questions please contact Sarah Taylor, Acting Director, Community Safety, Well-Being, Policy and Analytics at sarah.taylor@ottawa.ca.

Regards,

Clara Freire
Interim General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

Date: June 30, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, Interim General Manager, Community and Social Services

PURPOSE

The purpose of this memo is to provide a summary of the actions taken by the Community and Social Services Department (CSSD) specific to social services provided in the ByWard Market and Lowertown’s communities.

BACKGROUND

Since the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the number of people seeking homelessness and other community services, an increase in the use of toxic illicit drugs in the community and a general deterioration in mental health among people who are experiencing homelessness or other barriers.

In January 2023, Mayor Sutcliffe held a Mental Health Task Force meeting with a focus on the ByWard Market where solutions, themes and strategies were discussed. As part of the follow up from that task force meeting, an assigned action item for the CSSD included that the $365K approved in the 2023 City Budget to enhance services in the Market, Lowertown and Centretown communities be used to advance ideas from the task force meeting.

As the City continues to prioritize coordinated service delivery in the ByWard Market and surrounding areas, the CSSD continues to explore innovative service delivery options, better coordination of outreach and city services in collaboration with our community partners, as well as strengthened communication strategies.

SUMMARY OF ACTIONS TAKEN:

• Community Leadership Table meeting held on May 9th. The meeting was an opportunity to share information on enhanced services and plans to support the ByWard Market, Lowertown and Sandy Hill area in 2023. Information shared included updates on Public Works enhanced cleaning strategies, ByWard Market Strategic Alignment, Ottawa Police Services (OPS) Neighbourhood Resource Team initiatives, and CSSD Housing Services and Community Engagement Team updates.
• A dedicated staff resource, expected to be in place by mid-July, to help advance social service coordination, navigation, to support access for residents and services and provide strategic leadership in this designated area. This includes supporting initiatives through partners to ensure the voice of lived experience. In addition, participating in community-led discussions such as through the Balanced Community Working Group.
• The Community Engagement Team continues to operate Monday- Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm, providing residents and business with support and information to better understand concerns and assist with coordination of services. This includes facilitating referrals to service providers, expanding residents circle of care, and reducing barriers of access to care and treatment services.
• In addition, their Operational Advisory Group with membership that includes community outreach service partners will be expanding its mandate to include improved service coordination in the community.
• CSSD and Ottawa Police Services Integrated ByWard Market Pilot is a formalized collaboration between the Community Engagement Team and the OPS Neighbourhood Resource Team with the goal to enhance community safety and well-being. This initiative will utilize an integrated approach to intervene in identified areas that have been to the subject of problematic behaviours and social disorder.
• Service enhancements in the ByWard Market, Lowertown and Centretown areas that include expanding hours of services (e.g. day programs) to include evenings and weekends as well as additional outreach services with an Indigenous service provider. This enhancement will increase accessibility for unhoused residents to safe spaces to access basic needs and referrals to other services, such as mental health and addictions services. Summary of community service program enhancements include:

NEXT STEPS

CSSD will continue to collaborate and coordinate service delivery with community and business partners in order to address the various challenges and concerns in the ByWard Market area.

Should you have any questions or concerns about the CSSD strategies, please contact Chris Tuck at christopher.tuck@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
Interim General Manager Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

Date: June 30, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, Interim General Manager, Community and Social Services

PURPOSE

The purpose of this memo is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with an update on the 2023 Older Adult Plan (OAP) allocation of $350K to internal City initiatives and the next steps on the OAP evaluation.

BACKGROUND

The City of Ottawa has been implementing an Older Adult Plan (OAP) since 2012 (2012 – 2014, 2015 – 2018 and 2020 – 2022). The Older Adult Plan is included under the Strategic Initiative: Thriving Communities in the Term of Council Strategic Priorities (2019-2022) and supports the Strategic Action to continue to engage community stakeholders in responding to the complex and diverse needs of vulnerable members of the community.

In 2020, City Council approved $350K in the Community and Social Services Department annual operating budget for the implementation of Corporate-wide Older Adult Plan initiatives. This funding is subject to annual budget approval.

As the latest iteration of the City’s OAP ended in December 2022, staff are currently evaluating the progress achieved in this last term and consulting with members from the Seniors Roundtable, partners, and community stakeholders to determine a future direction to engage older adults in Ottawa on issues of importance within this community.

With the evaluation underway, there was no call for proposals for funding allocation to departments in 2023. However, in order to ensure Ottawa continues to be an age-friendly and caring community that values the contributions of older adults, the initiatives and funding amounts approved from the 2022 OAP allocation process have been renewed for 2023.

For more information on the background of the OAP please see May 4, 2023, Memo to the Mayor and Members of Council, “Update on the City’s Older Adult Plan”.

CURRENT STATUS:

Staff worked with City departments to ensure that all approved 2022 projects could be repeated in 2023 and to ensure they could spend their full allocated amount.

One project was unable to spend their full 2022 approved amount which resulted in $21.5K in unallocated funding for 2023.To ensure the full $350K OAP budget was allocated in full, City staff created a reinvestment strategy to redistribute unallocated funds for 2023.

Recommendations for the 2023 reinvestment strategy was informed by the 2022 OAP Allocation Committee notes, feedback from staff and members of the Seniors Roundtable.

As a result, the following projects were reallocated funding in 2023:

1. $5,000 to “Accessible Benches” managed by Infrastructure and Water Services Department (IWSD) approved for $55,000 in 2022 to continue installation of accessible benches in various wards. For 2023, IWSD requested an additional $5,000 to deal with inflationary increases to repeat what was completed in 2022 (installation of 10-14 accessible benches). With the additional $5,000 this initiative will be allocated $60,000 for accessible benches in 2023.
2. $16,580 to the “Access to Recreation Facilities for Older Adults from Priority Groups” managed by Recreation Culture and Facility Services (RCFS) which was approved for $5,000 in 2022 to facilitate access to recreation facilities for Older Adults groups within priority groups by offsetting rental costs. With the additional $16,580 this initiative will be allocated $21,580 for access to recreational facilities for Older Adults groups in 2023.

A virtual meeting with the Seniors Roundtable was held on Monday, June 12, 2023, to update and receive feedback from members on the OAP review, the 2023 Spending Plan and reinvestment strategy. Please see Appendix B for a list of Seniors Roundtable members.

Next Steps OAP Allocation:

• Departments will begin implementation of the funded OAP actions
• Staff will continue to monitor the status of the plan throughout 2023

Next Steps OAP Evaluation:

The OAP 2020-2022 evaluation will record and report on the accomplishments and lessons learned during the iteration of the most recent OAP, through a review of the planning, implementation/delivery, and outcomes/impact of OAP 2020-2022. A longer-term goal is to inform the future direction of older adult planning at the City beyond the 2020-2022 OAP. The evaluation will proceed in two stages:

• An internal review of the impact of OAP with respect to mainstreaming an age-friendly lens in City planning and operations
• An external review of the OAP accomplishments and lessons learned during the last three years

Engagement with partners and members of the Seniors Roundtable will begin in August 2023.

Should you have any questions or concerns about the process or results, please contact Shanna Culhane at shanna.culhane@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
Interim General Manager Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership team

Date: June 29, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Jason Sabourin- Director, Children’s Services, Community and Social Services Department

PURPOSE

This memorandum serves as an update to the Monday, May 1 communication to the Mayor and Members of Council, which provided information on Children’s Services’ implementation of a directed growth strategy and process for expanding the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system in Ottawa.

The purpose of this memorandum is to advise that the Province has increased Ottawa’s allocation of new, CWELCC-funded child care spaces from 1,545 to 2,903 as part of their directed growth strategy. This was in response to Children’s Services’ evidence-based and data informed submission demonstrating the need for additional spaces in Ottawa.

This is welcome news to support more children and families and will result in meeting the 40 per cent access target in priority neighbourhoods for Indigenous, Francophone and general populations. This aligns with the commitments set out in the Council-approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023) to improve access to inclusive, high-quality and affordable licensed child care for Ottawa families.

BACKGROUND

On March 28, 2022, the Province and federal government reached an agreement to include Ontario in a National Child Care Plan, called the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. The new system establishes the path forward in providing a national system of high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care services for families. The City of Ottawa, in the role as service system manager, is following Provincial guidelines and is implementing the new system in phases, based on ongoing Provincial direction.

Since the announcement of the launch of the CWELCC system in Ontario, the Province has shifted from open eligibility in 2022 – where all licensed providers could opt-in to the CWELCC system, to directed growth beginning in 2023 and beyond – where a limited number of new, funded spaces would be allocated annually to each service system manager to be allotted in accordance with the Provincial Access and Inclusion Framework.

New CWELCC-funded spaces are to be allocated to communities across Ontario using a model that incorporates demographics, socio-economic indicators, and existing licensed child care capacity at both not-for-profit and for-profit centres, schools and homes. The Provincial allocation of new spaces aims to ensure that each region has one space for every three children while also providing directed spaces for equity deserving groups. In their framework, the Province is prioritizing the needs of families who face various systemic barriers, including Indigenous Peoples, Francophones, Black and other racialized residents, newcomers, sole support parents, families living in low income and children with special needs.

Growth in CWELCC-funded spaces will be gradual between now and 2026 and will supplement the existing 29,488 licensed spaces to further support children and families. The Province’s original allocation to Ottawa was 1,545 total new spaces. Of those, 713 spaces were to be located in new schools with the remaining 832 spaces for community-based spaces with the City of Ottawa providing oversight on the allocation, based on Provincial direction.

Children’s Services created a directed growth strategy and launched a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) process to identify service providers interested in creating new or expanding their current offering of CWELCC-funded, licensed, community-based child care spaces between 2023 and 2026. All interested service providers were encouraged to apply through the REOI process by Friday, June 16. Local service providers have expressed a strong interest in local expansion.

CURRENT STATUS

Children’s Services, in collaboration with our local sector partners and the Early Years System Planning Advisory Group, submitted evidence-based and data informed feedback to the Province regarding the original allocation demonstrating the need for additional spaces in Ottawa.

In response, the Province has increased Ottawa’s allocation of new CWELCC-funded child care spaces as part of their directed growth strategy from 1,545 to 2,903. The increase now results in 2,190 community-based spaces, which represents more than a tripling of Ottawa’s original allocation.

Directed Growth Strategy – Updated space allocations

Using the Council-approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023) and Provincial priorities, Children’s Services used an equity and inclusion lens and an evidence-based approach to identify: 1) Priority populations and 2) Priority areas of the city where the new, CWELCC-funded spaces will be allocated between 2023 and 2026.

1. Priority Populations: The approach prioritizes Indigenous and Francophone children by protecting a portion of the new spaces for these populations, as per the priorities outlined in our Council approved Service Plan. Remaining spaces will be allocated to support families who face various systemic barriers including Black and other racialized residents, newcomers, sole support parents, families living with low income and children with special needs.
2. Priority Areas: The approach also aims to increase access to affordable child care in neighbourhoods that are both underserved and experiencing lower socio-economic status.*

*Table 1 illustrates where the newly allocated (June 2023), CWELCC-funded school-based and community-based spaces will be distributed in Ottawa. These new CWELCC-funded spaces will ensure that Ottawa achieves the child care access target of 40 per cent in each priority neighbourhood and for each population group (Indigenous, Francophone, and general). This aligns with the commitments set out in the Council-approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023) to improve access to inclusive, high-quality, and affordable licensed child care for Ottawa families. Additional notes about Table 1: 

• School-based spaces and community-based space allocation by population group and Service Area. Service Areas and Neighbourhoods are aligned to the geography of the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan.
• Neighbourhoods with a score of 96 or above on the Canadian Neighbourhoods and Early Child Development socio-economic status index (CanNECD).
• For the Indigenous population, the information is presented at the service area level due to the low number of Indigenous children and existing Indigenous-led child care spaces in neighbourhoods across the city.

The City reserves the right to make adjustments to the allocation of child care spaces across service streams and geographical areas in support of priority populations, subject to the availability of spaces, the applications received through the REOI process and community need.

Any such adjustments will continue to align with the Province’s Access and Inclusion Framework. The remaining spaces not identified in Table 1 will be allocated to licensees who had previously enrolled in the CWELCC system and had received Provincial floor plan approval prior to January 1, 2023, so they can increase their CWELCC-funded spaces (as per the Provincial direction) and provide some additional flexibility to the directed growth strategy.

NEXT STEPS

Children’s Services is currently in the process of carefully assessing all the submissions received as part of the Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) process and service providers will be determined in accordance with the directed growth strategy outlined above. Children’s Services will notify applicants regarding the outcome of their submissions by the fall 2023 and will provide further updates for Council upon completion of the REOI process.

Continued supports for families

Children’s Services acknowledges that many families continue to experience challenges finding licensed child care as a result of the higher demand and limited spaces of the CWELCC system. As the City continues working towards an average of $10/day child care by 2025/26, staff will continue to prioritize activities to ensure families are supported and will benefit from more affordable child care. Updates continue to be made to the Child Care Registry and Waitlist to inform and help families navigate the system to find licensed child care service providers who are participating in the CWELCC system.

In addition, the City of Ottawa administers the Child Care Fee Subsidy program for families living with a low income. More information on this program and help with child care costs can be found on ottawa.ca/childcare. EarlyON Child and Family Centres also continue to offer free, high-quality programs for families and children from birth to six years old.

As service system manager, Children’s Services will continue to play a key role, in consultation with valued sector partners and local families, in the phased transformational work ahead. This includes working directly with the Province and the Early Years System Planning Advisory Group to support the implementation of future CWELCC phases. During this period of transition across the province, Children’s Services will continue to engage with our sector partners to support high-quality, inclusive, and affordable services in all licensed locations including home, schools and centre-based to give children in Ottawa the best possible start in life.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Jason Sabourin
Director, Children’s Services
Community and Social Services Department

cc. Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health

Date: June 29, 2023

To: Councillor Stéphanie Plante
From: Clara Freire, Interim General Manager, Community and Social Services

PURPOSE

The purpose of this memo is to provide a response to Motion # CSC 2023-02-01 from Community Service Committee meeting on March 28, 2023: “be it resolved that the General Manager of Community and Social Services Department (CSSD) be directed to continue to work with Ottawa Public Health (OPH) on the processes used to gather any available data on drug paraphernalia from relevant sources, by leveraging existing systems, and report back to Community Services Committee with the results of those discussions.”

RESPONSE

• Collaboration with Ottawa Public Health (OPH)
• Gathering various data sources: CSSD Community Engagement Team (CET), OPH Community Needle Retrieval Program (CNPR)

In response, the below chart lists each data source and the systems to share information regarding drug paraphernalia. For additional information, the 2022 Needle Distribution/Retrieval Summary is provided in Appendix A.

NEXT STEPS:

CSSD and OPH will explore opportunities to further enhance and promote data sources and the systems to share information in the community.

OPH is presently engaging with University of Ottawa and the National Capital Commission (NCC) to discuss their current discarded needle collection practices and their capacity to track collection data and share with the CNRP.

For questions related to needle retrieval, please contact OPHStakeholderRelations@ottawa.ca

*Does not include needles distributed for home medical care uses
** Does not include properly discarded needles returned to Pharmacies Take It Back Programs

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
Interim General Manager Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: June 1, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, Interim General Manager, Community and Social Services

The purpose of this memo is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with information on the allocation of the $505K Community Project Fund for which 25 applications were approved.

Background
On September 25, 2019, Ottawa City Council approved the new Community Funding Framework.

Included under this framework is $250k of funding for one-year and three-year Community Project Funding, which will be used to build the capacity of the non-profit social services sector to respond to unmet, complex and/or emerging community needs and pressures.

• One-year project funding is allocated to time-limited or defined pilot projects that build sector service capacity or address an emerging need.
• Three-year project funding is allocated to organizations not receiving Sustainability Funding.

Due to the large request for funding, it was decided that a portion of unallocated funds from the Sustainability funding envelope would be used to temporarily increase the Community Project Funding envelope, increasing the funding envelope from 250K to $505K.

For 2023 Community Project Funding, priority was placed on programs and services for children, youth, seniors, and programs that address racial equity and inclusion.

Call for proposals and evaluation process
Funding for Community Project Funding was allocated through an open call for proposals for one-year or three-year project funding.

The City of Ottawa Allocations Committee, using an equity lens, had an opportunity to review the applications and provided a rating based on project information and strategy (alignment with funding priorities, the efficiency of collaborations, impact of requested funding on the project), population served, viability and reasonableness of the budget, and outcomes.

Once the ranking was complete, further adjustments to rankings were made to reflect the equity lens which includes, but was not limited to, priority groups, impact areas, and whether resources are being targeted and aligned to areas of the city facing the greatest needs or greatest inequities.

The Community Project Funding City Allocation Committee includes:

• Community Funding Consultants, Social Development and Funding
• Manager, Homelessness Program and Shelters
• Community Development Coordinator, Social Development and Funding

For more specific information on the allocation process, please see the 2023 Community Project Funding Process.

Results
A total of $4.95M was requested from 102 agencies through the open call for proposals launched on March 15, 2023.

The City Allocation Committee approved a total of 25 applications for a total allocation amount of $505K.

To ensure an equitable distribution of funds, some agencies will not be receiving the full funding requested. An assessment of viability was conducted when deciding the distribution of funding amounts. Agencies will be provided with flexibility to decide how best to redistribute their budgets based on the amount of funding they have received.

Next steps
Community agencies have been notified of the results of the allocation process. A complete list of successful agencies is available online. Should you have any questions or concerns about the process or results, please contact Shanna Culhane at shanna.culhane@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
Interim General Manager Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, City Manager Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: May 15, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Shanna Culhane, Acting Director, Gender and Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development Community and Social Services

PURPOSE
This memo provides information on the public-facing socialization campaign of the Anti-Racism Strategy, which Ottawa City Council approved in June 2022 (ACS2022-CSS-GEN-012).

BACKGROUND
The City’s first Anti-Racism Strategy strives for a municipality where everyone feels safe, and each person regardless of their ethnic or racial background can access resources and opportunities to realize their full potential. This is a call to action to all people of Ottawa to work together to understand and confront systemic racism to achieve a vision of Ottawa as an anti-racist city.

Through the Anti-Racism Strategy, the City will work to achieve seven priorities: Governance, Economic Development, Housing, Health Outcomes, Children and Youth Development, Achieving Racial Equity in the Workplace and Institutional Practice. These priorities were based on a wide-spectrum community and City staff engagement process that took place in the period of 2021-2022.

The Strategy has committed to implementing 28 recommendations and 132 actions over the next 5 years (2023-2028) involving all departments and service areas as well as, includes actions that require collaboration in our community along with our community stakeholders.

During the first phase of the Strategy’s implementation (2023-2025), the City will implement action items related to all seven priority areas. The Anti-Racism Secretariat will work closely with City departments and the community to develop a Strategic Accountability Framework (SAF) for Phase 1 (2023-2025) which will include detailed strategic actions, annual targets and key performance indicators. The SAF will align all three strategies, including the Anti-Racism strategy as well as, the Women and Gender Equity (WGE) Strategy and the Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Plan (CDIP).

The second phase of the Anti-Racism Strategy (2025-2028) will commence following a mid-term review on the progress made through the implementation of phase one.

LAUNCH OF PUBLIC SOCIALIZATION CAMPAIGN
A socialization campaign of the Anti-Racism Strategy will be kick off on May 15th, 2023. This socialization campaign marks the continuation of the City’s efforts to communicate with the community its commitment to anti-racism and the journey ahead to integrate racial equity into all City operations.

As part of this launch, there will be several community-facing engagement activities to achieve the following objectives:

• Allow community representatives and residents who do not engage with City’s digital platforms to be informed of the City’s Anti-Racism Strategy.
• Demonstrate the City’s intention for collaboration and co-creation, which is key in equity practice.
• Partner with community leaders and organizations in planning engagement activities that will offer Ottawa residents choices and opportunities to participate in discussions from an environment where they feel safe.
• Explore potential partnerships in the community as part of the Strategy’s implementation.

The socialization of the City’s first ARS which will continue until the end of 2023, is intended to set a solid understanding of the Strategy and building collective ownership of anti-racism work with the community.

EQUITY AND INCLUSION INTER-DEPARTMENTAL TEAM
An Equity and Inclusion Inter-Departmental Team has been established with the participation of all City Departments to design, monitor and implement the SAF of the Anti-Racism Strategy, and serve as a platform for collective ownership of its Strategic Actions.

NEXT STEPS
The Anti-Racism Secretariat will:

• Engage with City staff, community stakeholders and residents on the Anti-Racism Strategy and create spaces of dialogue and collaboration, through the implementation of an in-depth socialization plan starting in June 2023 and extending until end of the year.
• Design the SAF for the Anti-Racism Strategy’s first phase (2023-2025) with the Equity and Inclusion Inter-Departmental Team.
• Continue to implement awareness raising and learning opportunities for City staff on issues related to anti-racism.

Sincerely,
Shanna Culhane
Acting Director, Gender and Race, Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations and Social Development Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: May 4, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, Interim General Manager, Community and Social Services

PURPOSE
This memo provides an update on the City’s Older Adult Plan 2020-2022 and the Seniors Roundtable.

BACKGROUND
The City of Ottawa has been implementing an Older Adult Plan (OAP) since 2012 (2012-2014 and 2015-2018). The Older Adult Plan is included under the Strategic Initiative: Thriving Communities in the Term of Council Strategic Priorities (2019-2022) and supports the Strategic Action to continue to engage community stakeholders in responding to the complex and diverse needs of vulnerable members of the community.

The Older Adult Plan 2020-2022 has committed to 24 actions organized around four main strategic areas: Aging with Choice, Transportation and Mobility, Wellbeing, and Communication. The OAP assigns responsibility for each action to a City department, which commits to its implementation within the stated timeline.

Vision and Values:
The vision of the Ottawa Adult Plan is that Ottawa is an age-friendly and caring community that values the contributions of older adults, offers a broad range of opportunities for active living, and provides supports that are responsive to the diverse needs and choices of older adults.

This vision is achieved through a Seniors Roundtable whose mandate is to provide feedback to City staff on the implementation of the City of Ottawa Older Adult Plan. The Seniors Roundtable is also the City’s primary mechanism for engaging residents on issues affecting older adults.

Values:
The values of the plan include:

• A recognition that older adults are contributors to our community and that all regardless of cultural and religious background, language, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, abilities, financial situation, or geographic location must be respected and included.
• A belief that older adults must have access to services that are people-centred, accessible, affordable, equitable, and appropriate to individual needs and abilities.
• A belief that vulnerable older adults must be and feel supported and protected.
• A recognition that most older adults prefer to age in place, in their familiar neighbourhood.
• A belief that older adults must be involved in deciding priorities, shaping actions and bringing about change.
• An awareness that age-friendly environments and communities benefit all age groups

CURRENT STATE
With the approval of the OAP 2020-2022, the Seniors Roundtable was re-constituted, with membership consisting of Ottawa residents 50+ years, including participants from key community organizations serving older adults in Ottawa. The Roundtable met quarterly to provide feedback on the OAP implementation; provide input related to corporate and departmental programs, services, and infrastructure at the City; and identify and share emerging issues of concern of older adults. The Seniors Roundtable held bilingual meetings and received communications in French and English. The Seniors Roundtable held its last meeting in late 2022.

An Interdepartmental Staff Working Group was responsible for implementing the OAP and included representatives from City departments who produced quarterly updates on the progress of the plan. The Community and Social Services Department (CSSD) has been providing the overall coordination and monitoring function for the OAP.
As the latest iteration of the City’s OAP ended in December 2022, staff are currently evaluating the progress achieved in this last term and consulting with members, partners and community stakeholders to determine a future direction to engage older adults in Ottawa on issues of importance within this community.

The evaluation will include engagement with Seniors Roundtable members and interdepartmental City staff to assess successes and gather recommendations for the way forward, and recommendations will be provided to Council in Q4 2023.

Considering the review underway, there will be no call for proposals for funding allocation to departments in 2023. A financial plan will be established for the allocation of the $350K annual budget as part of the evaluation.

CONSIDERATIONS

• Recently released figures from the 2021 Census show that 19% of Ottawa’s population is over the age of 65, and the population aged 85 and older is one of the fastest-growing age groups across the country. Compared to other age groups, a higher percentage of people 85+ live in the downtown core of large urban centres to be close to services and amenities.
• An aging population means a constantly growing need for targeted and accessible services and amenities, including accessible infrastructure and adequate support to age in place. This will require sustained attention to older adult issues in all City planning, budgeting, services, and programs.
• Ottawa’s population of older adults is also becoming increasingly more diverse, and needs vary greatly among seniors. While seniors face many challenges as they age, some contributing factors such as income and living alone are most commonly associated with an increase in vulnerability and, in turn, a heightened risk of poor health outcomes.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on seniors, resulting in an increased mortality rate, increased health risks, social isolation, and food insecurity. These impacts are magnified for seniors who are racialized or Indigenous, live in poverty, identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, and/or live with disabilities.
• Some groups, such as Black, Indigenous and other racialized seniors, older women, 2SLGBTQQIA seniors, newcomer seniors and seniors with disabilities, are more isolated and vulnerable to poor health outcomes due to inequities within the social and health systems, in comparison to the general population.
• Like many large municipalities in Canada, the City of Ottawa is responding to these demographic changes and has been implementing an Older Adult Plan with the goal of taking coordinated and concrete actions to contribute to making Ottawa an Age-Friendly community through services, facilities and programs that are accessible and responsive to the needs of older adults now and in the future.
• Additionally, post-pandemic issues like rising inflation, labour shortages and supply chain disruptions are creating new challenges and uncertainty.

NEXT STEPS
Staff will complete a review of the 2020-2022 term, consulting with key partners and stakeholders to assess the success and impact of the current OAP model and provide Council with recommendations for moving forward for consideration and approval in Q4 2023. If you have any questions, please contact Maria Penton, Program Manager, Social Development and Funding at maria.penton@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
Interim General Manager Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team
 

Date: May 1, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Jason Sabourin, Director- Children’s Services, Community and Social Services Department

Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with a status update on progress and investments made under the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system and advise on the Provincial direction and local approach to developing a directed growth and inclusion framework to support the expansion of Canada-Wide funded licensed child care spaces in Ottawa until 2026.

Background
On March 28, 2022, the Province and federal government reached an agreement on a National Child Care Plan for Ontario called the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system. The new Canada-Wide system establishes the path forward in providing a national system of high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care services for families. The City of Ottawa is following Provincial guidelines and implementing the new system in phases, based on ongoing Provincial direction to us, in our role as the service system manager.

Children’s Services has continued to proactively adapt our service delivery approach to meet the evolving needs and changing landscape of child care and early years services and to better serve our clients with increased service access, affordability, quality, and responsiveness. As a result of this foundational work, Children’s Services has been well positioned to welcome a new system of change, within a phased approach, which will advance our own strategic priorities while supporting social and economic prosperity, as well as residents who face various systemic barriers, especially women and families who have been disproportionately affected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Current status
As of November 1, 2022, 94 per cent of existing local licensed child care sites opted-in to the new Canada-Wide system in Ottawa, making child care significantly more affordable for eligible families who attend licensed child care service providers. The City’s Municipal Child Care Centres have opted-in to the new system further to Council direction, and families have seen significant savings.

In alignment with the City’s Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan’s vision to unite as a city and make progressive improvements, Ottawa’s child care sector has truly come together for this historic opportunity to support parents and families as we continue to collaboratively build and strengthen the child care system in Ottawa to give children the best possible start in life. A few of the significant early accomplishments include:

• In 2022, approximately 21,000 children have benefited from a fee reduction of up to 25 per cent, retroactive to Friday, April 1, 2022
• For 2023, funding has been provided to reduce parent fees by a further 37 per cent to a floor of $12 per day equating to an average of 50 per cent fee reduction based on 2020 average fees
• Additional funding of 2.75 per cent is also being provided for licensed child care service providers to support cost increases and funding for workforce compensation for eligible Registered Early Childhood Educators to receive an annual increase of $1 per hour, to a maximum of $25 per hour. Funding to support the retention and recruitment of a high-quality child care and early years workforce is also being provided
• A Professional Learning Pilot was launched in 2022 providing Ottawa’s child care and early years workforce with learning opportunities in four priority areas: anti-racism and inclusive practices; incorporating Indigenous perspectives and pedagogies; mental health and well-being for children, families, and staff; and, supporting children with special needs through inclusive approaches. As part of a broader Workforce Program, the pilot has provided learning opportunities to over 2450 staff and home child care providers.

The pandemic has highlighted how essential child care services are for the social and economic well-being of families and community. Given current rising costs due to inflation and pressures on household incomes, the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system affordability benefits are potentially life-changing for families. For example, a family who once paid $62 per day in child care fees for their 18 month old, saw a refund of approximately $3,023, retroactive to April 1, 2022 and additionally for 2023, will have an annual savings of $8,503 on their child care fees. Staff continue to prioritize the development of this new system to ensure more families are supported in the next phase and will benefit from affordable child care.

Directed Growth Strategy
On December 19, the Province announced the first steps towards allocating funding to create limited new Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system funded child care spaces using a directed growth approach from 2022 through 2026. Subsequently in 2023, the Province changed the Canada-Wide eligible enrollment process for licensed child care programs. The Province has introduced new regulations and changes to the licensing process as part of the transition from last year’s Canada-Wide eligible, open enrolment to a directed growth for the limited new Canada-Wide funded spaces going forward. The Province’s action plan includes providing capital start up grants to support the creation of new spaces in targeted regions, and for underserviced communities and populations.

New spaces will be allocated to communities across Ontario using a model that incorporates demographics, socio-economic indicators, and existing licensed child care capacity and will be part of the Canada-Wide system, which includes a mix of not-for-profit and for-profit centres. To simplify the Provincial allocation of new spaces, they are ensuring each region has one space for every three children while also providing directed spaces for equity deserving groups. The Province is prioritizing the needs of families who face various systemic barriers including, Indigenous, Francophone, Black and other racialized residents, newcomers, sole support parents, families living in low income and children with special needs.

The growth in Canada-Wide child care spaces will be limited and gradual between now and 2026, based on Provincial direction. With rising demand from families, many in the community will want to see more of a universal approach to growth. The Province plans to consult on additional priorities to inform the future implementation of the Canada-Wide system and staff will continue to advocate for increased access for families knowing how essential these services are to both the social and economic well-being of families and the community.

For Ottawa, the Provincial allocation includes 1,545 new Canada-Wide spaces from 2022 to 2026. Of these, 713 spaces are in new school-based locations, allocated by the Province under their schools-first approach and according to pre-approved new school locations. There are 832 spaces for community-based allocation in Ottawa and within the City’s control.

Our Council-approved Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023) aligns well with the Provincial approach for space allocation. As noted in the Service Plan, the overall licensed child care capacity in Ottawa for younger children is more or less achieving the Provincial allocation of one space for every three children, however it varies across neighbourhoods and service areas.

Using the Council-approved Service Plan and the Provincial priorities, Children’s Services used an equity and inclusion lens and an evidenced-based approach to identify: 1) Priority populations and 2) Priority areas of the city where the limited new spaces will be allocated between 2023 and 2026.

1. Priority Populations: The approach prioritizes Indigenous and Francophone children by protecting a portion of the new spaces to these populations, as per the priorities outlined in our Council approved Service Plan. Remaining spaces will be allocated to support families who face various systemic barriers including Black and other racialized residents, newcomers, sole support parents, families living in low income and children with special needs.
2. Priority Areas: The approach also aims to increase access to affordable child care in neighbourhoods that are both underserved and experiencing lower socio-economic status. Neighbourhoods with a score of 96 or above on the Canadian Neighbourhoods and Early Child Development socio-economic status index (CanNECD).

Table 1 shows the approximate community-based space allocations by population group and service area. Priority neighbourhoods are also highlighted for the Francophone and general populations.

Table 1. Approximate space allocation by population group and Service Area. Service Areas and Neighbourhoods are aligned to the geography of the Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan (2019-2023). Total does not add up to 832 as some spaces were allocated in 2022. The protected Indigenous and Francophone spaces represent the number of spaces required to reach a child care access target of 40% for Indigenous and Francophone children 0-6 years old living in neighbourhoods experiencing lower socio-economic status. For the Indigenous population, the information is presented at the service area level due to the low number of Indigenous children and existing Indigenous-led child care spaces in neighbourhoods across the city.

Request for Expression of Interest Process
In order to implement the growth strategy, Children’s Services is launching a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) process to identify licensed child care service providers that are interested in offering or expanding their offer of child care services within community-based growth, in prioritized communities between 2023 and 2026. The REOI includes three application streams: Main, Francophone and Indigenous. It is important to note that all new Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care community-based spaces will be allocated through this REOI process.

Children’s Services will notify all licensed child care service providers in Ottawa of the REOI process this week, along with information about the directed growth strategy and how to apply. Interested licensed child care service providers will have until Friday, June 16 to express their interest in the new Canada-Wide funded growth through this REOI process.

Next steps
The City is waiting for Provincial approvals on our notional targets and funding associated with the Canada-Wide growth strategy. Staff have also requested additional spaces in accordance with the Provincial approach. Once approval is received, the City will work through the REOI process to determine licensed child care service providers in accordance with the directed growth strategy. Further updates for Council will be provided upon the completion of the REOI process.

As a Consolidated Service System Manager, Children’s Services will continue to play a key role, in consultation with valued sector partners and local families on the phased transformational work ahead. This includes working directly with the Province and our Early Years System
Planning Advisory Group to support the development of future phases. This is a period of transition across the province, and staff remain committed to working with families and the child care sector in the next steps of this significant transformation.

Continued supports for families
Children’s Services acknowledges that many families will be challenged in finding licensed child care as a result of the higher demand and limited growth of the Canada-Wide system. As the City continues working towards an average of $10/day child care by 2025/26, staff will continue to prioritize activities to ensure families are supported and will benefit from more affordable child care. Updates continue to be made to the Child Care Registry and Waitlist to inform and help families navigate the system in finding licensed child care service providers who are participating in the Canada-Wide system.

In addition, the City of Ottawa administers the Child Care Fee Subsidy program for families living with a low income. More information on this program and help with child care costs can be found on ottawa.ca/childcare. Lastly, EarlyON Child and Family Centres continue to offer free, high-quality programs for families and children from birth to six years old.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,
Jason Sabourin
Director, Children’s Services
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Dr. Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health
Community and Social Services Department Leadership Team

Date: April 24, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, Interim General Manager, Community and Social Services

The purpose of this memo is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with information on the allocation of the $59K Civic Events Fund. Forty-two applications were approved through the one-time event funding.

The purpose of this memo is to provide the Mayor and Members of Council with information on the allocation of the $59K Civic Events Fund. Forty-two applications were approved through the one-time event funding.

Background
On September 25, 2019, Ottawa City Council approved the new Community Funding Framework.

Included under this framework is funding for Civic Events, which will be used to deliver family-friendly events in local Ottawa communities and neighbourhoods. This funding envelope includes $59K of annual funding, allocated to a maximum of $3K per event.

The purpose of Civic Events, as approved by Council, funding is to fund events that:
• Promote neighbours meeting neighbours in their local, geographic community;
• Include multiple activities, family entertainment and attractions;
• Appeal to residents in a specific geographic neighbourhood/district or ward;
• Promote community well-being by welcoming all community members; and
• Promote equity and inclusion.

Call for proposals and evaluation process
Funding for the Civic Events Fund was allocated through an open call for proposals for one-time event funding. The call for proposals was directed towards small community organizations hosting community events that build relationships among neighbours.

The City of Ottawa Allocations Committee reviewed every application and provided a rating based on the organization’s alignment with the goals of community funding, the goals and objective of the event, the financial position of the organization, and the viability of the event budget.

Once the ranking was complete, further adjustments to rankings were made to reflect the equity lens which includes, but was not limited to, priority groups, priority neighbourhoods, wards, and whether resources are being targeted and aligned to areas of the city facing the greatest needs or greatest inequities.

The Civic Events Fund City Allocation Committee includes:
• Program Manager, Social Development and Funding
• Consultants, Social Development and Funding
• Financial Services Technician, Social Development and Funding
• Administrative Support Clerk, Social Development and Funding

For more specific information on the allocation process, please see the 2023 Civic Events Funding Process.

Results
A total of $211K was requested from 79 agencies through the open call for proposals launched on February 6, 2023.

The City Allocation Committees approved a total of 42 applications for a total allocation amount of $58,875.

To ensure an equitable distribution of funds, some agencies will not be receiving the full funding requested. Agencies can decide how best to redistribute their budgets based on the amount of funding they have received.

Next steps
Community agencies have been notified of the results of the allocation process. A full list of successful agencies is available online. Should you have any questions or concerns about the process or results, please contact Shanna Culhane at shanna.culhane@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
Interim General Manager Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: April 11, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, Acting General Manager, Community and Social Services

Purpose

This memo provides information on the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) allocated to the City of Ottawa from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2026, by Public Safety Canada. The City of Ottawa has been identified as a recipient and will receive $6.7M in funding from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2026. The oversight for the program rests within the Community and Social Services Department.

Background

Public Safety Canada is working to build a safe and resilient Canada through the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF), a targeted, time-limited contribution program that will provide $250 million to municipalities and Indigenous communities to develop community-based prevention and intervention strategies to tackle gun and gang activities.

Public Safety officials developed a methodology to ensure that the funding was equitably distributed to large, small, rural, and Indigenous communities across Canada. Communities demonstrating an acute history of gun and gang-related harm have been identified to receive funding directly to develop custom community driven initiatives to address gun and gang activities. The City of Ottawa has been identified as a recipient.

The BSCF has three principal objectives:

1. Support municipalities and Indigenous communities to develop community-based prevention and intervention strategies and initiatives to tackle gun and gang activities.
2. Increase the knowledge of the nature, scope, and challenges of the identified recipients to tackle gun and gang activities.
3. Support recipients to develop a plan to sustain successful prevention and intervention activities upon completion of the five-year program.

Municipality recipients are eligible to redistribute their funding to organizations running programs aimed at engaging children, youth and young adults in skill-based activities, trauma-recovery, and/or focusing on departure from gangs.

Note: funds cannot replace or displace existing federal or provincial funding and cannot be used to fund ongoing core activities, which includes costs already supported through existing police service agreements.

City of Ottawa strategy 

The City of Ottawa has been identified as a recipient and will receive $6.7M in funding from April 01, 2023, to March 31, 2026.
This funding will support ongoing engagement with at risk youth, through place based, crime prevention activities in Ottawa’s priority neighbourhoods, offering community protective interventions against street violence, violence using guns and activities related to gang activity.

This strategy will support the:

• development and delivery of culturally relevant and responsive prevention intervention initiatives addressing risk factors associated with gun and street violence, including mentoring, counselling, skills development and recreational opportunities
• outreach and recruitment of preventative initiatives and intervention participants
• development of a plan to sustain successful preventative initiatives and interventions
• alignment with Anti-Racism Strategy and Community & Safety Well-Being Plan

The City of Ottawa will invest in the following initiatives that emphasize the importance of mental health interventions and wrap around supports through community and social services; by applying a multi-sectoral approach in promoting neighbourhood level support that reduces gun violence. These proposed interventions offer community-based services that are responsive to the traumas youth have experienced and offer practical tools to help youth overcome these challenges and deter interest in crime related activities.

1. Culturally Based Social Programs by and for Racialized Families, Children and Youth, led by the Social Planning Council of Ottawa

The overall objective of the program is to facilitate access to services that improve mental well-being, support healthy development, and facilitate community engagement. The program will increase resiliency and protective factors related to healthy outcomes and positive youth development among racialized and low-income youth aged 16 to 30. The specific objectives of the program:

• To implement community-based recreation and youth leadership programming aligned with literature on what works to prevent crime and improve mental health, particularly, engaging youth and young adults in recreational opportunities, mentoring, skill-based activities, service navigation and employment supports
• To increase knowledge about promising and best practices among grassroots groups and other organizations providing community-based recreation and youth leadership programming
• To undertake awareness-building among parents of racialized and low-income youth of good practices in strategies to support the healthy development and resilience of their children, and reduce the risk of their involvement in crime or risky behaviours

2. Neighbourhood Ambassadors Program, led by BGCO (formerly Boys and Girls Club Ottawa)

The Neighbourhood Ambassador Program (NAP) is a youth-to-youth program that uses an equity-driven and grassroots approach. The NAP staff is comprised of predominantly racialized youth with lived experience in these local neighbourhoods and possess intrinsic knowledge regarding the needs and barriers faced by residents of our priority communities.

The NAP is a collaborative effort between Ottawa Public Health, the City’s Integrated Neighbourhood Services Team (INST) and BGC Ottawa (formerly the Boys and Girl Club of Ottawa). The program will expand to 30 priority neighbourhoods with the objectives to:

• Engage with youth to understand concerns that can impact their well-being and to learn what is important to them.
• Support youth developmental activities by leveraging municipal and community agency services.
• Provide youth with development opportunities in leadership training, personal & professional development, volunteering, and employment.

3. Youth Outreach and Community Engagement Initiative, led by the Centre for Resilience and Social Development

This is a city-wide project that offers a holistic prevention and intervention program that provides culturally responsive, trauma informed outreach programs such as mentorship, peer support, emotional intelligence training, Black youth advocacy, academic support, and employment navigation to reduce systemic barriers for racialized youth.

The work will occur in homes, community, and schools. Teams will help youth navigate school conflicts as an alternative to policing. Outreach workers provide emotional intelligence workshops to help racialized youth understand their traumatic stressors and cope with any dysregulation. In addition, outreach workers will assist with employment training and enroll youth into an organizational employment program that offers paid job training and 12-week paid placement. All of which are documented interventions that deter youth from pursuing gun, street violence and criminal activities.

4. Coordination, Evaluation, and Sustainability, led by the City

Bold steps and direct visible actions are required to address the complex issues around street violence, including the root causes such as poverty, anti-black racism, lack of stable and affordable housing, police-community relations, and the equitable distribution of resources to ensure prevention and intervention.

The effectiveness of a coordinated approach to adequately address the multiple facets associated with street violence and building safer communities in Ottawa is reliant on the collective impact of community agencies, partners, organizations, and neighbourhood residents.

As part of this strategy, the City will hire a team to oversee the management of the program and build capacity to better understand the nature, scope and impacts of the prevention and intervention initiatives implemented. The City will work with youth serving community agencies receiving this funding to establish a data collection and sustainability plan, evaluation, and outcome measurement framework.

Next steps

• Building Safer Communities Fund Program to be launched in April 2023 in conjunction with partner agencies, including the initiation of the initiatives outlined in this document
• Formal Federal announcement to occur at a later date, as confirmed with Public Safety Canada

cc.
Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Department Leadership Team

Date: April 3, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Clara Freire, Interim General Manager Community and Social Services

The purpose of this memo is to advise Council that the Director of Housing Services has been appointed.

It is my pleasure to announce that Paul Lavigne, who has been serving as Interim Director of Housing Services since January, was the successful candidate in the competition.

Before taking on the Interim Director position, Paul has been working with the Housing team since 2011 in strategic roles, and for the last six years, in management roles, including Manager of Homelessness Programs and Shelters.

Paul, who is fluently bilingual in English and French, has worked closely with the housing and homelessness sector for many years and has built strong relationships with the community, provincial and federal stakeholders as well as with members of Council.

Through Paul’s leadership, I am confident that the Housing Services Team will be well supported as they continue to make great strides advancing the priorities of the 10-Year
Housing and Homelessness Plan.

Sincerely,
Clara Freire
Interim General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc.
Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Department Leadership Team

Date: March 16, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Donna Gray, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

This memo is to inform Council that the project funding stream of Community Funding is now open for applications. Project funding will be allocated as one-year or three-year project funding. This is the first time that this funding stream opens, as part of the new Community Funding Framework.

One-year project funding is allocated to time-limited or defined pilot-projects that build sector service capacity or address an emerging need. This fund is available to all agencies that meet eligibility criteria.

Three-year project funding is allocated to organizations not receiving Sustainability Funding. Funding will allow organizations to build their agency capacity, establish a track record and demonstrate their ability to respond to emerging needs.

For more information and to apply, please visit ottawa.ca, and select One-time non- renewable community project funding

• Deadline for application: Thursday April 13, 2023, at 5 pm
• Maximum funding per agency: $30,000 for One-Year Project and $90,000 for Three- Year Project
• Funding available: $250,000
• Applicants are advised of the results: June 1, 2023

All applications will be assessed through an allocation process. An applicant’s success in obtaining funding depends on the allocation committee’s final evaluation and the funding available in the envelope.

Should you have any further questions about the application or allocation process, please contact Cinthia Pagé at cinthia.page@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,

Donna Gray
General Manager 
Community and Social Services

cc.
Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager Senior Leadership Team
Departmental Leadership Team, Community and Social Services

Date: February 28, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Donna Gray, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

Purpose

The purpose of this memo is to provide a summary of strategic planning and municipal, Provincial and Federal funding sources that inform the Housing Services Budget for 2023.

Strategic Planning

This section provides an overview of the strategic plans that inform the Housing Services Budget for 2023.

10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan

In July 2020, Council approved the refreshed 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan 2020-2030. The following outcomes have been established for the Plan for the period 2020-2030:

1. Everyone has a home

• Create between 5,700-8,500 housing options (new units and housing subsidies) targeted to both low to moderate income households
  • New supportive housing – 10% of all new units created
  • New accessible housing – 10% of all new units created
• Preserve the existing affordable housing supply – no net loss of community housing

2. People get the support they need

• Unsheltered homelessness is eliminated
• Chronic homelessness (incl. Indigenous) and Veteran’s homelessness is reduced by 100%
• Overall homelessness is reduced by 25%
• Indigenous homelessness is reduced by 25%
• New people entering homelessness (inflows) is reduced by 25%
• People returning to homelessness is reduced by 25%

3. We work together

• Client experience across the housing system is improved (client experience surveys)
• The system works more efficiently for clients, front-line staff and administrators (examining the per capita cost of serving people at various levels of need)

Ottawa’s housing system provides a range of options from emergency shelters, supportive, transitional, and affordable housing to market rental housing and home ownership. The total investments in Housing and Homelessness in 2023 is $215.3M. The breakdown by level of government with the related programs and services are explained in the table below.

Note: The table above includes base budget only and does not include 2023-24 funding for the Provincial Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative ($5.9M), Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative ($15.3M), Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit ($2.5M) and Round 3 of the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative ($18.3M). The inclusion of these Federal and Provincial sources brings the total funding amount to $257.3M.

Note: The table above includes base budget only and does not include 2023-24 funding for the Provincial Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative ($5.9M), Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative ($15.3M), Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit ($2.5M) and Round 3 of the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative ($18.3M). The inclusion of these Federal and Provincial sources brings the total funding amount to $257.3M.

Note: The table above includes base budget only and does not include 2023-24 funding for the Provincial Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative ($5.9M), Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative ($15.3M), Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit ($2.5M) and Round 3 of the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative ($18.3M). The inclusion of these Federal and Provincial sources brings the total funding amount to $257.3M.

Housing Services Capital Strategy for 2023

Housing Services will present its 2023 Affordable Housing Capital Plan to the Planning and Housing Committee at its meeting on June 7th to seek authority to allocate funding to certain affordable and supportive housing projects. The 2023 capital funding envelope is $39.4M and consists of $15M in City capital, $5.9M in provincial OPHI funding, and $18.5M in Federal Rapid Housing Initiative-3 (RHI-3) funds. Staff have authority under the 2022 Capital Plan to allocate the RHI-3 funds, which must be submitted to CMHC by March 15, 2023. The City hopes to be able to use the RHI-3 funds to advance supportive housing options as part of the transition plan for the Physical distancing Centres.

The 2023 Capital Strategy report is expected to take a “Term of Council” approach to allocating the known funding of $60M in City capital and a total of $11,643,800 in provincial OPHI (2023-24 and 2024-25).

Housing Services Long Range Financial Plan

The Housing Services Long Range Financial Plan (LRFP) provides a funding and advocacy strategy to fulfill the objectives of the 10-Year Plan. The LRFP plans for a total investment of $565.1M and commits $198.4 million in municipal funding over 10 years, the LRFP enables the City to fund its one-third share of the capital requirement to build 500 new affordable housing units per year and two new transitional housing facilities. However, the 10-Year Plan cannot be achieved without significant support from the Provincial and Federal governments.

Accordingly, the City requires $283.1 million from the Provincial and Federal governments to fund two-thirds of the capital requirement and $93.4 million annually to add new housing subsidies, provide enhanced support services, increase emergency shelter funding, and provide operating funding for new supportive and transitional housing. The estimated total funding requirement from upper levels of government is approximately $1.2 billion. However, in light of the exponential rise in inflation, including high construction costs, the LRFP will be refreshed in time to inform the 2024 Budget.

Next Steps

Housing Services will continue to engage key partners, including the federal and provincial governments for additional capital and operating funding that is required to achieve the goals of the 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan and the LRFP.

cc. Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager
Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Department Leadership Team

Date: February 14, 2023

To: Mayor and Council
From: Donna Gray, General Manager, Community and Social Services Department

Purpose

The purpose of this memo is to provide Council with an update on the Community and

Social Services Department’s transition plan to support the single adult community shelter system and single adults experiencing or at-risk of homelessness through spring and summer 2023.

Background

Per the Council Memo “Winter COVID-19 Response to Support Single Adults Experiencing Homelessness” issued December 1, 2022, Physical Distancing Centres increased operations to support the single adult community shelter system which was and continues to operate over capacity.

In March and April, existing Physical Distancing Centres located at the Jim Durrell Recreational Facility and 75 Nicholas Street will no longer be available. As a result, Community and Social Services and community shelter partners require short-term temporary solutions to support our most at-risk residents. Staff continues to develop transition and mitigation strategies that are required to address system demands over the next six months. In addition, the City and partners continue to seek more sustainable medium and long-term solutions. A report will be brought forward to Committee and Council in Q2 2023 with the recommended approach.

Community and Social Services is currently collaborating with Recreation, Cultural and Facilities Staff and the Integrated Neighbourhood Services Team to explore options to help mitigate and offset impacts on programming provided at the facilities to be used over the spring-summer including ongoing engagement with community stakeholders.

On February 13, 2023 the federal government announced over $18.5 million in funding for Ottawa for the third round of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) which will help create 48 new affordable housing units and support the City’s goal of increasing the stock of permanent affordable housing options. The Council report brought forward in Q2 2023 will outline the project(s) that this funding was allocated towards.

 Current Status

1. Enhanced Housing Supports

Over the spring/summer months, several new permanent transitional and supportive housing options will be available to serve single adults experiencing homelessness. These options represent 107 units for single adults including:

• Shepherds of Good Hope Supportive Housing (58 units co-ed)
• John Howard Society Supportive Housing (29 units for women)
• YMCA Transitional Housing Program for Women (20 units)

The City and partners continue with efforts to help clients transition to long-term housing, including 72 housing-based case managers who are supporting over 1,100 people to transition to and remain housed.

2. Physical Distancing Centres Locations

Temporary Physical Distancing Centres (PDCs) have been operating out of recreational and private market facilities and the relocation of PDCs is due to the changing availability of existing facilities. As a result, two key Physical Distancing Centres locations will no longer be operational. The City’s lease of space at 75 Nicholas Street is set to end in March and the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre will undergo a planned infrastructure renewal construction project in April.

Housing Services, in consultation with Recreation Culture and Facility Services and Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department completed an intensive internal and external search to identify options for a temporary space to meet the continued need to accommodate approximately 150 single adults experiencing homelessness. As such, two of the three Physical Distancing Centres which are currently in operation will be moving to alternate facilities to sustain operations.

3. Mitigation Strategy

The following recreational facilities have been identified as the temporary solution to help Housing Services address the gap until medium- and long-term strategies can be realized:

• Heron Community Centre will open as a temporary Physical Distancing Centre and operate from March to the end of April 2023. This site is expected to accommodate 100 individuals.
• Bernard Grandmaître Arena will open as a temporary Physical Distancing Centre in April and operate until mid-August 2023. This site can accommodate 74 individuals.
• Dempsey Physical Distancing Centre will continue operations until mid-August 2023. This facility will continue to support 57 women.

These mitigation strategies will ensure our system can offer much-needed shelter services while Housing Services can thoughtfully and incrementally transition out of the emergency service response to longer term alternatives. A report with medium term / private market options to support physical distancing services will be brought to Council in Q2 2023. Staff continue to support Councillors with PDCs in their wards through dedicated inquiry and issues management, and engagement meetings with community groups and stakeholders.

We acknowledge our emergency housing response has impacted local programming in the community and want to express our gratitude for their adaptability and support. We are actively engaging with our community partners in affected neighbourhoods and exploring additional programming spaces to address potential gaps in the upcoming months.

We welcome the feedback, direction and insight from Members of Council as we develop a recommended approach to support the single adult community shelter system over the medium and long term.

Next Steps

Staff and partners continue to explore strategies to address gaps for single adults experiencing homelessness through:

• Supports and initiatives that help individuals to transition to permanent housing;
• Exploring opportunities to mitigate the impacts of facility use for this purpose on recreational programming delivery;
• A report and recommended approach to support the single adult community shelter system over the medium and long term presented to Committee and Council in Q2 2023.

Sincerely, Donna Gray
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, Acting City Manager Senior Leadership Team

Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team Dr. Vera Etches

Date:  February 13, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Donna Gray, General Manager, Community and Social Services

The purpose of this memo is to inform you that the Community Funding Civic Events Funding stream is now open for applications. Civic Events Funding is open to all local not-for-profit organizations, such as community groups and associations. This funding is used to deliver family-friendly events in local Ottawa communities and neighbourhoods that:

• Promote neighbours meeting neighbours in their local, geographic community;
• Include multiple activities, family entertainment and attractions designed to appeal to residents in a specific geographic neighbourhood/district or ward;
• Promote community well-being by welcoming all community members; and
• Promote equity and inclusion.

For more information, please visit ottawa.ca.

• Deadline for application: March 10, 2023
• Maximum funding per agency: $3,000
• Applicants are advised of results: April 24, 2023

All applications will be assessed through an allocation process. An applicant’s success in obtaining funding depends on the allocation committee’s final evaluation and the funding available in the envelope. Please note that funding allocation is subject to approval of the 2023 Budget.

Should you have any questions about the application or allocation process, please contact Cinthia Pagé at cinthia.page@ottawa.ca.

Sincerely,

Donna Gray,
General Manager
Community and Social Services Department

Cc: Wendy Stephanson
Interim City Manager

Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Departmental Leadership Team

Date: January 26, 2023

To: Mayor and Members of Council
From: Donna Gray, General Manager, Community and Social Services

Purpose
During the 2022 City of Ottawa budget process, funding was allocated to the base budget of the Community and Social Services Department in support of specific Council-directed initiatives to improve community safety and well-being. The purpose of this memo is to provide Members of Council with an overview of how the funding was allocated and information on implementation strategies and next steps.

Background
Council approved the City’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan (ACS2021-EPS-PPD-0003) on October 27, 2021, which includes goals, strategies, and actions to address key local priorities: discrimination, marginalization, and racism; financial security and poverty reduction; gender-based violence and violence against women; housing; integrated and simpler systems; and mental well-being. For more information on the purpose of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, please refer to supporting document 1

In April 2022, a progress update (ACS 2022-CSS-GEN-004) was provided announcing an Advisory Committee would be established as part of the new governance structure to provide guidance and strategic direction to the CSWBP. In September 2022, the selection committee announced the members of the Advisory Committee, who are listed on the Community Safety and Well-Being website.

In addition, the Community Safety and Well-Being Office launched a communications strategy to increase awareness - among key stakeholders and residents - of the current status and progress of the plan and make information on services and programs more understandable and accessible to the community. Accomplishments to-date against the communications strategy include the launch of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan’s Website, and in January 2023 the addition of a video summarizing the plan’s objectives, progress to date and community partners’ contributions.

Funding Allocation Overview
With the approval of the 2022 Budget on December 8, 2021, Council allocated three specific funding sources to the Community and Social Services Department (CSSD) in support of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. These three amounts were allocated in addition to compensation and non-compensation funds provided for the development, implementation and evaluation of the Plan.

1.  $435,000: Neighborhood-based Integrated Treatment Program for People Living with Complex PTSD in the ByWard Market and Lowertown

As outlined in the 2022 Budget transmittal report and approved by Council on December 8, 2021, “The Ottawa Police Service’s tax increase was tabled at a 2.86 per cent tax increase, not 3 per cent. This yielded capacity in the Citywide tax increase of 0.04 per cent in the amount of $435 thousand which will be allocated to the Community and Safety Well Being Plan toward the mental health pillar with a focus on mental health crisis response. COVID-19 has exacerbated the community impacts of problematic substance use and has exposed some gaps in mental health services for residents in need. This has been particularly evident in our City’s downtown core and Lowertown. Funding will support a pilot program specific to the Lowertown area. This program will provide services which focus on preventing harms to individuals and the surrounding community related to substance use and will facilitate low-barrier access to a wide range of treatment options. The model of care that will be developed will be rooted in data, best practices and local evidence. The pilot will be spearheaded by Ottawa Inner City Health in collaboration with City staff and Ottawa Public Health. This pilot also aligns with Council’s recently approved Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, specifically the objectives to address mental well-being and integration of services.”

This pilot program design is completed with support from the Ottawa Hospital, CSSD, Ottawa Public Health, Ottawa Inner City Health, and members of the Lowertown and Byward Market Mental Health Working Group. The proposal is under active discussion with the Ottawa Hospital and Bruyère to be finalized. It includes $1.14 million request to the Ottawa Health Team/ESO structure with The Ottawa Hospital assuming financial and clinical leadership.

In 2022, this funding contributed to the creation and piloting of the Community Engagement Team (CET). The CET launched in January 2022 as a pilot project in Centertown, Lowertown, the Byward Market, and Sandy Hill. Its main responsibility is to conduct outreach activities and connect with housed and non-housed residents, local businesses, and community partners to better understand their issues and concerns. From April to October 2022, this team took part in nearly 6,000 engagements with residents to identify needs and connect them to community and City services. The work of CET includes innovative tools allowing team members to collect data (related to interaction with residents and actions taken) through a Power App on their mobile phones.

Residents expressed their appreciation for the work of the CET through a recent survey. They valued the CET’s capacity to address their urgent needs and were impressed with their ability to coordinate services across departments, social service agencies, and community partner organizations. Residents noted improved access to services and an improved relationship between themselves and City staff because of the CET’s actions.

2. $2,100,000: Community Safety and Well-Being Fund

As outlined in MOTION NO 67/6, the Ottawa Police Services Board approved and referred to Council a draft 2022 Budget estimate based on a two per cent police tax levy increase, resulting in $2.65 million in unallocated funds. Through MOTION NO 67/6, $2.1 million of those funds were directed to funding for community agencies in support of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan: Interventions to support racialized youth, prevent gender-based violence against women and girls, improve community-based access to mental health programs.

Funding has been allocated to 18 community agencies to deliver on 19 projects over three years. For more information on criteria and process, please refer to supporting document 2.

3. $550,000: Culturally-appropriate, trauma-informed, enhanced or new mental health and addiction crisis response system

As outlined in MOTION NO 67/5, the Ottawa Police Services Board approved and referred to Council a draft 2022 Budget estimate based on a two per cent police tax levy increase, resulting in $2.65 million in unallocated funds. Through MOTION NO 67/5, $550,000 of those funds were directed to the Community and Social Services Department to work with the Guiding Council on the development of [a culturally-appropriate, trauma-informed, enhanced or new mental health and addiction crisis response system, and specifically on the development of an alternative call referral program identifying how and to whom low-risk, low-acuity 911 calls should be re-directed, including a feasibility study, business case, and a monitoring and evaluation plan.

By way of background, in October 2021, the Guiding Council Council agreed to take leadership of the mental well-being priority of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan and their priority from 2021 onwards remains the development of an alternative call referral program for low-risk and low-acuity calls. The Guiding Council is an alliance of local community, health and service networks.

Work to develop an alternate call referral model is underway; community and stakeholder engagement activities have been completed, data and literature analysis are in progress with the full analysis anticipated by the end of Q1 2023. For more information on the development of the culturally-appropriate trauma-informed, enhanced or new mental health and addiction crisis response system, please refer to document 3. For more information on the Guiding Council, please visit: Home | Ottawa Guiding Council for Mental Health and Addictions.

Next Steps
Community and Social Services staff will report back to Council annually the outputs and outcomes of each of the projects funded through the $2.1 million in sustained base budget funding allocation through the Community Safety and Well-Being Fund starting by the end of Q3 2023 annually for a period of 3 years.

In Q2 2023, following a staff review of the work of the Guiding Council, Community and Social Services staff will report to Committee and Council on the culturally-appropriate, trauma-informed, enhanced or new mental health and addiction crisis response system as well as the implementation of the Neighborhood-based Integrated Treatment Program for People Living with Complex PTSD in the ByWard Market and Lowertown. Following the Q2 report, a business case will be brought to Council prior to the 2024 budget process, outlining the financial implications to proceed with the alternate response model.
The reporting timelines outlined above align with the direction given to staff through a Motion approved by Council at its meeting on December 14, 2022.

Should you have additional questions regarding the content of this memo, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly.

Sincerely,
Donna Gray
General Manager
Community and Social Services

cc. Wendy Stephanson, Interim City Manager

Senior Leadership Team
Community and Social Services Department Leadership Team