Subsidized housing

• The City’s Housing Services Branch administers and funds social housing in Ottawa.
• There are approximately 22,500 community housing units.
• Rental rates for those in receipt of Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) assistance within social housing are typically set according to the renter’s income, with households paying no more than 30 per cent of their income towards rent.
• There are 51 independent non-profit housing organizations that operate social housing across the city.
• The demand for social housing is much greater than the supply.
• There are approximately 10,000 households on the Centralized Wait List for social housing.
• Wait times for social housing in Ottawa can be up to five (5) years or more.

Supportive housing is a community-based, person-centred model of providing affordable, transitional and permanent accommodation. Housing support staff help tenants and encourage the development of healthy communities.

For information on how to apply for Supportive Housing, refer to The Social Housing Registry of Ottawa.

At risk of being evicted by your landlord?
Action Housing and Housing Help are two non-profit agencies that can help you keep your housing. Their services are free and confidential. They provide:

• Advocacy and housing loss prevention services to low and moderate income Ottawa residents
• Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal assistance for tenant and landlord disagreements.

If you live East of the Rideau Canal contact:
Action Housing
150 Montreal Rd, Suite 305
613-562-8219
info@action-logement.ca

If you live West of the Rideau Canal contact:
Housing Help
309 Cooper Street, Suite 502
613-563-4532
info@housinghelp.on.ca

Under the Housing Services Act, 2011 (HSA), the City has the responsibility to establish certain local rules in order to administer rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance in an equitable and consistent manner for prescribed housing programs. These rules are outlined in Service Manager Directives:

• 23-01 – Local Occupancy Standards and Over Housed Rules
  • Request for Additional Bedroom – Housing Providers
  • Request for Additional Bedroom – The Registry
• 23-02 – Local Rent-Geared-To-Income Eligibility Rules
  • Appendix A: Definition of Valid Offer
  • Appendix B: Absence From Unit for Medical Reasons
  • Appendix C: Household Income Limits and Asset Limits
• 21-02 – Determination of Geared-to-Income Rent
• 21-03 – Definition of Arrears for Rent-Geared-to-Income Assistance Eligibility
  • Social Housing Arrears Information Form
  • Arrears Repayment Agreement Default Form
• 21-05 – Treatment of Temporary COVID-19 Benefits for RGI Calculations 
• 20-03 – Local Priority Rules
  • Referral Form Local Priority - Graduates of Supportive Housing for Rent Geared to Income Housing
  • Request For a Temporary Exemption from Local Priority Access Status Placements Communities in Difficulty - Business Case Template
  • Application for Market to RGI Housing
  • In-Situ Market to RGI Provider Checklist
• 20-04 – Housing Provider Refusal to Offer Community Safety
  • Decision to Refuse to Offer a RGI Unit based on a N6/N6C Eviction

• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – the Government of Canada's authority on housing.
• Canadian Housing and Renewal Association – a national non-profit organization representing those who manage and deliver housing programs in communities across Canada.
• Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation – established to ensure that human rights protections in housing would be effective for low income households and to address systemic barriers to accessing affordable accommodation.
• Clinique juridique francophone – offers legal assistance to francophone tenants (available in French only).
• Community Care Access Centre – a provincially-funded, charitable, non-profit organization providing home health care & support services, placement in long-term care facilities, and one-stop access to information and referral to related community resources.
• Community Legal Services of Ottawa – provides free legal help to people of low income.
• Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) – the national voice of Canada's co-operative housing movement.
• Council on Aging – established in 1975 in response to a need for a coordinating body to deal with the concerns of senior citizens, particularly in the health and education fields.
• Federation of Canadian Municipalities – the national voice of municipal governments, dedicated to improving the quality of life in all communities by promoting strong, effective and accountable municipal government.
• Homes for the Aged – Since 1969, the Region has been providing institutional long-term care. The Homes for the Aged staff members are committed to providing quality care and services to persons who can no longer live independently.
• Landlords Self-Help Centre – a specialty clinic within the province-wide community legal clinic system funded by Legal Aid Ontario. Landlord's Self-Help Centre provides services exclusively to small scale landlords in Ontario.
• Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors – voluntary province wide organization which, for 78 years, has represented non-profit providers of services, care and housing for seniors.
• Ministry of Housing - leads the government of Ontario’s efforts to ensure everyone in Ontario has an affordable, suitable and adequate home.
• Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) is the official voice of non-profit housing in Ontario
• Landlord and Tenant Board – established to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants and provide information about the Tenant Protection Act.
• Social Planning Council of Ottawa – the SPC applies research and long-term planning to pressing social problems. Working with community groups and concerned citizens, we gather information and develop alternative solutions. To get the word out to decision-makers, the media, and the public, we communicate via publications, fact sheets, town hall meetings, and the Internet.