‘Catastrophic’ levels of homelessness, food insecurity: Ottawa Mission

Shelters are overflowing as the nation’s capital deals with “catastrophic” levels of food insecurity and homelessness, the Ottawa Mission’s annual impact report states.

The charity says it has seen unprecedented levels of homelessness in Ottawa over the last year, a situation made worse by the increasing number of people seeking refuge.

There has been “no apparent government support” to assist with asylum seekers fleeing violent situations, the report said.

The charity’s revenue is 55.46 per cent from donations, with the City of Ottawa making up 23 per cent and other income at 21.54 per cent.

Last year, the number of refugees in Canada started increasing sharply, with the RCMP noting 4,350 claims in June 2023 at airports — almost all of them in Quebec and Ontario — a 31 per cent increase from January of that year.

This coincides with what the organization was seeing: An alarming increase of asylum seekers. By October, the number of refugees in shelter beds was at 61 per cent — an all-time high.

“Over four years after Ottawa City Council declared a homelessness emergency, homelessness has returned to catastrophic levels, with even more people living in shelters and encampments,” Peter Tilley, CEO of the Ottawa Mission, said.

“This has meant all emergency shelter beds and mats laid down on our chapel floor this past year were full,” he said.

The Ottawa Mission also serves meals, which have increased by 235 per cent since before the pandemic.

According to Tilley, increasing costs of housing, food and basic necessities have played a role in the mental well-being of people and rising substance use.

In response to the surging food demand, the Mission launched two trucks providing 7,889 meals per week to Ottawa families.

“Many clients have told us that they go hungry until our trucks come,” Chef Ric Allen-Watson, The Mission’s Director of Food Services, said.