The Community Partner Insurance Program provides commercial third-party liability insurance to community associations that represent a geographical area of the City of Ottawa and meet the criteria set out in the program guidelines.
We invite local not-for-profit community associations and organizations (herein referred to as “Community Associations”) representing geographic communities and neighbourhoods within the City of Ottawa, to apply for Commercial Third-Party Liability insurance coverage through the Community Partnership Insurance Program. This coverage is available for Community Associations whose primary mandate is representing a neighbourhood on a broad range of civic matters. These eligible activities for insurance coverage are assessed and approved by the Insurance Broker during their intake process. The Broker’s evaluation ensures that all activities meet the necessary criteria and align with the program’s guidelines for liability coverage.
This two-step intake process will initially confirm whether a Community Association is eligible to proceed to the City’s designated Broker. Eligible Community Associations will then work with the Broker to identify and confirm their desired activities for Community Partner Insurance Program Commercial Third-Party Liability insurance coverage.
Before you begin
- Review the following guidelines and refer to them while filling out the intake form.
- Confirm your organization meets the eligibility criteria.
- Only one application per Community Association will be considered for Community Partners Insurance Program Commercial Third-Party Liability insurance coverage.
Objectives
The purpose of Community Partners Insurance Program is to provide Commercial Third-Party Liability insurance coverage to:
- Simplify insurance access: Streamline the process of obtaining Commercial Third-Party Liability insurance for local Community Associations, enabling them to focus on delivering quality recreational programming.
- Promote community engagement: Encourage and support neighbourhood animation and programs that foster participation, connection, and inclusivity among members of geographic communities within the City of Ottawa.
- Encourage volunteerism: Empower not-for-profit community associations and volunteers by reducing administrative and financial challenges related to obtaining liability insurance.
Coverage
Community Associations deemed eligible to proceed to the City’s designated Broker to access the Community Partnership Insurance Program should note that eligibility does not guarantee automatic insurance coverage for all their activities. Certain activities may have restrictions, limitations, or even exclusions under the policy. In such cases, organizations will need to secure alternate insurance coverage for the specific activity or, in some instances, the entire event.
It is the responsibility of the Community Association to review their offerings thoroughly and ensure that the activities they plan to undertake are explicitly covered. Community Associations should consult their insurance documentation and, when in doubt, seek clarification from the Broker to avoid potential gaps in coverage.
The Underwriter holds the authority to approve or deny coverage for activities based on the details provided to the Broker by the Community Associations. Therefore, it is crucial for organizations to provide accurate, complete, and detailed information about their planned activities when communicating with the Broker to ensure proper evaluation and consideration by the Underwriter.
Eligibility
The Community Partnership Insurance Program supports not-for-profit Community Associations focused on organizing diverse offerings that promote civic engagement, foster connections, and enhance neighbourhood well-being through community events, activities, and programs. These Community Associations primarily focus on:
- Hosting community events and leisure programming (e.g., yoga in the park, neighbourhood clean-up events, summer festivals),
- Representing the broader interests of their neighbourhood on civic matters that affect all residents,
- Acting as an inclusive and representative voice for their geographic neighbourhood.
To align with the program’s eligibility, CPIP is not intended for organizations whose primary focus includes but is not limited to delivering specific social services, advocacy, exclusive initiatives that do not directly promote neighbourhood-wide civic engagement, and/or operate as a cause- or issue-specific organization.
Important information
- Existing Community Associations that currently hold an active continuous service agreement and that have received notification from the City of Ottawa confirming they already meet the criteria outlined in the Eligibility Intake Form are not required to complete the form, however, these organizations must still complete the documentation specified annually by the Broker.
- Community Associations that have not received prior notification, need to complete the Eligibility Intake form,
- Outdoor rink and community garden operators do not need to fill out the Eligibility Intake form,
- If a Community Association is currently only receiving coverage for activities such as an outdoor rink and/or community garden and seeks coverage for other activities, they will need to apply,
- Organizations that currently have an Active Continuous Service Agreement with the City of Ottawa also do not need to submit the Eligibility Intake form.
- Please reach out to your City of Ottawa contact if you have any questions regarding insurance for your group.
Eligible Community Associations must:
- Operate and deliver within City of Ottawa boundaries and with a City of Ottawa address,
- Operate as a not-for-profit organization,
- Represent a geographic community within the boundaries of Ottawa,
- Have been in existence for a minimum of two years,
- Be a financially viable organization that annually produces financial statements,
- Be in good financial standing with the City of Ottawa,
- Be governed by a democratically elected Board of Directors of at least three independent and unrelated members via an election,
- Demonstrate good governance practices by holding an Annual General Meeting, have Board of Director approved by-laws and/or constitution, hold meetings open to residents in their neighbourhood, and produce annual financial statements,
- Have measures in place to ensure that they do not at any time sponsor or produce any materials that promote or oppose the candidacy of a person for elected office, or that promote or oppose a campaign related to a question on the ballot, in accordance with the City's Election Related Resources Policy.
Ineligible Community Associations and Organizations including but not limited to:
- Government agencies and for-profit organizations,
- Organizations that come under the jurisdiction of other levels or departments of government such as, but not limited to schools, hospitals, libraries, Business Improvement Associations.
- Political parties,
- Faith organizations where the services/activities include the promotion and/or requirement to adhere to a faith,
- Fundraising organizations,
- Private and/or commercial businesses,
- Organizations whose primary mandate is focused on providing specialized services, advocacy, or single-purpose activities, including but not limited to:
- Social Service Organizations
- (e.g., Food banks, shelters, crisis response services, or any organization whose principal purpose is addressing basic needs or social welfare),
- Advocacy and Cause-Focused Groups
- (e.g., Environmental protection groups, political advocacy organizations, or groups focused on systemic change),
- Specialized Cultural or Heritage Organizations
- (e.g., Heritage preservation societies, or organizations whose mission is solely to preserve or celebrate specific aspects of heritage or culture),
- Skill-Specific or Activity-Focused Groups
- (e.g., Organizations dedicated to one activity (e.g., a single sport or art form) or skill-sharing collectives such as maker spaces or hobby clubs),
- Community Housing or Tenant Associations
- (e.g., Organizations that represent tenants of specific housing complexes or buildings),
- Interest groups (e.g., book clubs, craft groups, parrot club).
- Social Service Organizations
What you will need
Provide the following documents for your organization, along with your eligibility application:
- Most recent annual financial statement
- Most recent approved Annual General Meeting minutes
- Current board of directors list with contact information
All supporting documents must be in the same legal name as the Community Association (i.e. financial statements, Annual General Meeting minutes, board of directors contact list).
Acceptable formats: doc, docx, pdf, jpeg, jpg, xls and xlsx.
Apply
Community Associations representing a geographic community within the City of Ottawa that would like to be considered for Commercial Third-Party Liability must fill out the online Community Partner Insurance Program Eligibility Intake Form to undergo an initial review for completeness and eligibility. Community Associations that are deemed eligible to apply for insurance will be contacted by the Broker to continue the application process. Please note that Community Associations that are deemed eligible to apply for insurance are not guaranteed coverage. All final decisions for insurance coverage are at the discretion of the Insurance Broker and Underwriter.
Submissions must be received by the deadline of Friday, February 21, 2025, by 4 pm. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Next steps
How programming decisions are made
City staff will assess the Community Associations to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements for the program. Approved Community Associations will then be referred to the Broker to identify and confirm their desired activities for Community Partners Insurance Program Commercial Third-Party Liability insurance coverage. All decisions made are final.
If you are successful
This process is designed to evaluate whether an organization meets the eligibility criteria to advance to the next stage of the application. Once deemed eligible, Community Associations will be referred to the City’s designated Broker, who will work with them to review, identify, and confirm the specific activities that qualify for coverage under the Community Partners Insurance Program Commercial Third-Party Liability insurance program. This ensures that all approved activities align with the programs guidelines and meet the necessary requirements for liability coverage.
Community Associations will be required to complete any documents requested by the Broker within the specified timeframe and may also need to provide additional supporting documentation as needed to complete the assessment process.
If you are not successful
Decisions will be communicated via email to the main contact provided on the submission form. Groups that are not approved may choose to reapply in the future.
Inquiries
If you are unsure of your eligibility or have questions, please contact the Business Support Services Unit to discuss eligibility criteria and the submission process. Email: cpip@ottawa.ca(link opens email application).