We all care about affordable housing and homelessness, and from time to time we have the opportunity to change this system that keeps people down.

All it will take is just 2 minutes of your time.

Last year we were able to take advantage of the provincial upload to launch the successful Housing Answer campaign: with support from Jim Watson we got $14 million per year for housing and poverty reduction.

We have another important opportunity to help the City increase the size of its housing budget without putting any pressure on taxes or the city’s operating budget.

This year, the opportunity is Section 37 of the Planning Act; think of it as the Housing Answer, Part 2.

In short, Section 37 allows Cities to extract payment from developers in return for height or density increases.  The City of Ottawa is considering policies that would implement this opportunity (see draft guidelines here).  We need to make sure housing is part of the picture.

But there isn’t much time: the City’s Planning Committee will decide on this at its January 10 meeting.

Let’s not lose this chance. We must write in now!

Please take the opportunity to e-mail jim.watson@ottawa.ca  or peter.hume@ottawa.ca  to say:

1)       you support implementation of Section 37

2)       the City should allocate 50% of the value of all “community benefit” contributions to affordable housing

Think of this as a Christmas act: a quick e-mail to help reduce poverty and homelessness through affordable housing.

2 minutes that could bring dividends for decades.

Click here to read CCOC’s Letter to Mayor Watson.

• season of give and receive,
• tax credit changes,
• CCOC office closures for holiday,
• seasonal cheer in CCOC buildings,
• don’t drink and drive – Operation Rednose,
• free seasonal activities

December 2011 NewsNotes

• Tenant laundry and recycling results,
• visitor parking,
• playgroup information,
• and Christmas programs that help and that need help

View CCOC NewsNotes November 2011

• financial aid for aspiring artists,
• getting ready for winter,
• fabric sale,
• hidden treasures
• and the biggest bake sale fund raiser

View CCOC NewsNotes October 2011

• free money for education,
• a new CCOC position,
• the Provincial election,
• Labour day office closure,
• free school supplies,
• an ECO fair,
• the AIDS walk
• and a call for resolutions

View CCOC NewsNotes September 2011

• Centretown bus route changes,
• new faces at CCOC,
• CCOC Labour day office closure,
• Centretown Movies
• and Capital Pride Festival

View CCOC NewsNotes August 2011

• goodbye Carolyn,
• laundry,
• summer tips,
• staying cool in and out of the city
• and another scholarship opportunity

View CCOC NewsNotes July 2011

• Good Neighbour Award winner,
• growing seeds,
• Going Away on Vacation?,
• President’s AGM speech,
• Canada Day closure,
• Albert Rose Bursary
• and June festivals and sales

View CCOC NewsNotes June 2011

Investing in our homes

Prepared for the Annual General Meeting May 19, 2011

Download the CCOC 2010 Annual Report

• AGM reminder,
• information on each candidate for the Board,
• CCOC is hiring,
• and 2011 Census Canada

View CCOC NewsNotes May 2011