Ottawa leaders launch next phase of health and housing collaboration

City‑wide action aims to scale proven local solutions and improve outcomes

The following news release was sent on behalf of our partners. 

OTTAWA — Leaders gathered at the Ottawa Health and Housing Symposium to announce the creation of a new Health, Housing and Homelessness Action Table as part of a city‑wide initiative focused on strengthening coordination. 

Established under the Housing and Homelessness Leadership Table (HHLT), the City’s strategic advisory body, the Action Table will bring together housing providers, health care organizations, and community partners to strengthen coordination, better align services, and advance shared priorities. It will build on proven models that are easing pressure on hospitals, emergency services, and supporting better health outcomes for residents. 

As part of the event, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe declared April 10 Health and Housing Day in Ottawa, recognizing the growing importance of integrated approaches to improving housing stability, health outcomes, and system sustainability. 

Also announced was a $100,000 donation over two years from the RBC Foundation to the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation (OCHF) to support the provision of health and social services to tenants with complex needs living in Ottawa Community Housing communities. This investment will strengthen on‑site supports that help residents stay housed and more connected to care. This philanthropic leadership demonstrates how Ottawa’s private and community sectors are stepping up in new ways to complement government efforts and piloting approaches that support people today.   

Quick Facts  

What’s happening: Creation of a Health, Housing and Homelessness Action Table to strengthen coordination across sectors  

Announced at: Ottawa Health and Housing Symposium, April 10, 2026  

Why it matters:  

• Integrated housing‑health approaches are already improving outcomes and reducing pressure on health and emergency systems  

What the Action Table will do:   

• Develop a coordinated Health, Housing and Homelessness Action Plan.  

• Improve access to appropriate health services for people who are unhoused or experiencing housing instability.  

• Strengthen collaboration between housing providers, health care, and community organizations.  

• Advance data sharing to support planning and decision‑making.  

• Explore opportunities to better align funding and resources.  

Who’s involved: Housing, health care, and community partners across Ottawa   

Quotes  

“We need to build more housing, and we need to make sure it works for people. So, we have brought housing, health care, and social services together to ensure residents can get the support they need, when they need it, and more seniors and families can stay safely housed. If we’re serious about solving homelessness and building a stronger city, we have to make sure the right supports are in place alongside new homes. That’s how we create a city that’s more compassionate, more effective, and works better for everyone”. 

Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor of Ottawa 

“When health, social, and housing services aren’t coordinated, people cycle in and out of homelessness. The new Health, Housing and Homelessness Action Table will develop an action plan aimed at integrating services, collecting and sharing data and aligning capital and operational funding. By merging health and housing care models, we can reduce downstream costs across the system but also improve the health outcomes of people who currently must navigate from shelters to hospitals and on the streets. People who are experiencing homelessness need and deserve continuous and thoughtful health care to get and keep well.” 

Councillor Catherine Kitts, Chair, Ottawa Board of Health 

“Building on the partnerships that brought together this Health and Housing Symposium, the new Action Table reflects a shared commitment to move from collaboration to action. By bringing housing, homelessness, health care, and community partners together under a common structure, we can strengthen coordination, build on what’s already working, and support better outcomes for people while easing pressure across all systems.” 

Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, Chair of Ottawa Community Housing 

“At Bruyère Health, we see every day that stable housing with the right health supports keeps people healthier, reduces avoidable hospital use, and helps seniors age with independence. Ottawa has already proven that integrating housing and health services works. This new Action Table gives us the structure to scale those solutions, align services across sectors, and deliver better outcomes for people and the system. It’s a practical step toward turning collaboration into lasting, city-wide impact.” 

Melissa Donskov, Vice President Residential and Community Programs, Bruyère Health 

“At The Royal, we see firsthand how deeply mental health, housing, and overall well‑being are connected. Housing is health; without a stable place to live, recovery can’t take root. The challenges we see every day, from homelessness to mental illness and addiction, don’t fit neatly within one system or one organization. This new Health, Housing and Homelessness Action Table is an important step toward working more closely together to keep people housed, support recovery, and help people build the lives they want, with dignity, connection, and purpose.” 

Cara Vaccarino, President and CEO, The Royal 

“For a long time, we’ve approached these challenges as individual organizations trying to solve complex problems on our own. What’s different now is a shared commitment to solving them together. We have the knowledge, we have the will, and now we have a structure to move this work forward in a more coordinated way. This is how we start to turn momentum into lasting change.” 

Mark MacAulay, President and CEO, Ottawa Salus 

“Housing stability is crucial to patient recovery and health. As both the housing and health systems face ongoing challenges, this collaboration will strengthen community coordination, help patients transition safely out of hospital and stay connected to care.”

Cameron Love, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital 

“This gift from the RBC Foundation will help connect tenants to healthcare services close to home and in a timely manner. This is an example of how RBC is driving more inclusive opportunities for prosperity, and supporting causes that are meaningful to our clients and communities.”

Devinder Gill, RBC Regional President, Personal Banking and Commercial Banking 

Event partners   

Ottawa Public Health 

For over 125 years, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has worked in service of individuals and communities in Ottawa with the overall mission of protecting and promoting health. OPH works to prevent illnesses, injuries and poor health. Our programs and services are designed to meet the health needs of the communities in Ottawa. We work with local communities and partners to create equitable opportunities for all residents to be healthy and thrive, regardless of any social or economic reasons. 

Ottawa Community Housing 

Ottawa Community Housing offers approximately 15,500 homes to about 33,000 tenants, including seniors, families, individuals, and people with disabilities. These homes are located in various communities throughout Ottawa and house a diverse population with different languages, cultures, and ethnicities. OCH is Ottawa’s primary community housing provider, managing two-thirds of the city’s housing portfolio and ranking as the second largest in Ontario. In 2025, OCH earned recognition for the ninth consecutive year as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers.  

Bruyère Health  

Bruyère Health is Eastern Ontario’s leading health organization specializing in aging, rehabilitation, and care for those with multiple complex medical conditions. We are an academic health sciences centre that brings together compassionate, person-centred care with world-class research to maximize quality of life for those we care for and their loved ones.   

The Royal 

The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental illness and addiction treatment, research, and education hospitals, dedicated to supporting individuals aged 16 and older who are living with complex mental illness and addiction. Since opening in 1910, The Royal has grown into a trusted resource for people across eastern and northern Ontario, western Quebec, and Nunavut.   

With campuses in Ottawa and Brockville, and clinical teams working directly in homes and communities, The Royal delivers compassionate, evidence-informed care grounded in cutting-edge research, including through its partnership with the University of Ottawa and other academic and community partners. Its integrated model brings together care, research, education, and strategic partnerships to help build a future of recovery.  

At The Royal, we separate the person from the illness, helping more people reclaim their lives.  

Salus 

Ottawa Salus is a leading provider of supportive housing and mental health services, supporting over 1,000 individuals annually across Ottawa. For nearly 50 years, Salus has helped people experiencing mental health and substance use challenges find not just housing, but stability, connection, and a place to belong through person-centered, wraparound supports. With 15 residences and a range of support programs, Salus is reducing homelessness and improving health outcomes across the system. Today, Salus is working alongside partners to expand supportive housing and advance more integrated health and housing solutions across the city. 

The Ottawa Hospital 

The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals where we are guided by our vision to provide the world-class and compassionate care we would all want for our loved ones. Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, is home to the Regional Trauma Centre and Cancer Centre, and to discoveries that are adopted globally.   

Backed by generous support from the community, we are focused on reshaping the future of health care to improve the health of our diverse population of patients from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, and Nunavut.   

Media contacts  

Chantal Genova Manager, Media Relations and Public Information Ottawa Community Housing media@och.ca | 343‑997‑5700  

Jesse Cressman-Dickinson Director of Communication and Community Engagement Bruyère Health jcressmandickinson@bruyere.org | 613 795 8188  

Alyssa Nader External Communications Specialist  The Royal anader@theroyal.ca | 613-816-4178  

Allie Lee Director of Communications and Public Affairs Ottawa Salus alee@salusottawa.org | 613-277-8361  

Ottawa Public Health OPHmedia@ottawa.ca