Ottawa audit finds people with complex needs are being left out of supportive housing due to funding gaps and flawed wait list priorities.
City’s System Overlooks Most Vulnerable, Report Reveals
A damning audit by Ottawa’s auditor general has exposed serious shortcomings in the city’s supportive housing system, revealing that homeless individuals with the most complex needs are being excluded from critical services. The report was tabled Friday during a meeting of the city’s audit committee.
Gaps in Funding and Support Services Identified
Supportive housing is designed to provide stable accommodation coupled with health and social services, particularly for individuals dealing with chronic homelessness, addiction, or severe mental illness. Despite capital funding from federal and provincial governments, the audit found a stark shortfall in operating and health support funding. In 2023, Ottawa received $24.8 million in capital but only $11.3 million for operating expenses — an imbalance leaving vulnerable residents unsupported.
Flawed Wait List Process Limits Access
The city’s current wait list system for supportive housing lacks a clear prioritization based on urgency or complexity of need. As a result, individuals with higher acuity levels may remain unhoused indefinitely. Service providers told auditors they often avoid taking in the most complex cases due to inadequate resources, meaning those most in need are frequently passed over.
Impact Felt in Communities Like Wateridge Village
Residents of supportive housing developments, such as the new eco-friendly buildings in Wateridge Village, have raised alarms over safety and lack of on-site services. Roxanne Field, president of the Wateridge Village Community Association, reported frequent emergency calls and stressed that residents feel unsafe. “People with serious mental health and addiction issues are just not getting the care they need,” she told the committee.
City Calls for Federal and Provincial Accountability
Coun. Rawlson King, who represents the affected area, emphasized that without matching operational and health funding, capital investments fall flat. “Municipalities are being forced to bridge the gap without the fiscal tools or resources to do so,” he said. The city has formally accepted the audit’s recommendations, with Deputy Mayor Cathy Curry labeling the findings “incredibly valuable.”
Next Steps and Ongoing Challenges
Ottawa’s administration now faces pressure to restructure how supportive housing resources are allocated and to lobby upper levels of government for sustained operational funding. Without systemic changes, advocates warn the city risks perpetuating homelessness among its most vulnerable residents.
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