Indigenous and religious leaders in Ottawa are excited about the upcoming Odayanhaway, or little village, set to emerge near Carlingwood later this decade.
This project will be built on a piece of land that used to be a parking lot for the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, located on their six-acre site on Cleary Avenue.
The development will feature 66 affordable rental units managed by Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS).
Justin Lewis, the CEO of OAHS, mentioned that the organization plans to offer comprehensive support for residents, along with cultural spaces and a medicine garden.
“That provides elders and knowledge keepers and families with the teachings that wrap them culturally and … foundationally keep them housed,” he said.
Justin Lewis is the CEO of Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services. He said the project will aim to provide wraparound support and cultural spaces for residents. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Lewis pointed out there’s a significant need for supportive and affordable housing throughout the province, especially for Indigenous communities.
“You’re seeing anywhere from 20 per cent of the homeless population to 80 per cent of the homeless population being urban Indigenous,” Lewis said.
According to Ottawa’s 2024 survey, 19 per cent of those facing homelessness identified as Indigenous.
Finding suitable partners
The groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday took place about three years after the project was first revealed.
The congregation’s leaders shared that they enlisted a local affordable housing developer to get things started and needed to gain support from their members.
“From a faith-based community perspective, you can imagine that very few of us knew much about development,” said Terry Kimmel, chair of the congregation’s campus development committee.
WATCH | More from Wednesday’s event:
Officials break ground on new affordable housing project for Indigenous Ottawans
Odayanhaway, a new housing project in Ottawa’s west end, aims to provide culturally relevant and affordable rental units for Indigenous people in Ottawa. The CBC’s Liam Baker reports.
The church’s reverend noted that this new development could help foster more diversity within its community.
“Honestly, living and being part of a faith community is one of the only places that you be in a multi-generational community,” said Lara Cowtan.
The name Odayanhaway (which comes from Ojibway) is part of an extensive initiative by the congregation aiming to build 229 new rental units. The other units would consist of a 16-storey building planned for construction on adjacent land.
Main construction work on Odayanhaway is set to kick off this November. OAHS estimates completion could be reached by April 2029.
LISTEN | Construction set to start soon on Odayanhaway:
12:47Construction is set to start soon on a 66-unit, Indigenous-led affordable housing project<We get an update on the Odayanhaway project and the partnership between Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services and Ottawa's First Unitarian Congregation
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