Neighbours From Across the Globe

CCOC has been housing the community since 1974. Since the late 1980s, we have had referral agreements with a number of community partners who provide support services. Over the years, we have also housed many new immigrant and refugee families who are often sponsored by local churches or community groups.

Stable and affordable housing

A few years back, CCOC partnered with OCRA (Ottawa Centre Refugee Action) to help house several Syrian families fleeing war at the end of 2015 and into 2016. With millions of Syrians displaced by civil war, OCRA brought together dozens of volunteers and raised thousands of dollars to help sponsor refugee families. Many of these families arrived in Canada and stayed with volunteers for a period of time but ultimately needed stable and affordable housing. After a recommendation from the Rental Committee, CCOC’s Board of Directors voted in December 2015 to make 5 market rent apartments available for OCRA-sponsored Syrian refugee families.

Housing neighbours from across the globe

Since then, CCOC has continued to work with various sponsorship groups to help find housing for single people or families they are sponsoring from across the globe. We have worked with a few different sponsorship groups, including Capital Rainbow Refuge, Global Shapers, and Rainbow Haven, to help house people from Syria, Gambia, Ukraine, Myanmar, Eritrea and beyond.

Finding a home with CCOC

One of our newest households is a family from Syria who arrived in Canada just over a year ago and were living in temporary accommodations. As their time in this temporary home was ending, they were not having much luck finding a more permanent and affordable place for their family. CCOC staff connected with a member of their sponsorship group and they are happily settling in to their new home with CCOC. When they came to view the apartment, the children were happily planning their bedrooms and the excitement of having a safe home was palpable.

Ottawa has often answered the call and welcomed refugees to the city and CCOC looks forward to continue working with sponsorship groups to help newcomers find safe and affordable housing.