Ottawa

Ottawa is Canada's capital, a city of government workers, tech offices, and quiet neighborhoods that can feel worlds apart from the people struggling on its streets. The average household income here sits above $100,000, but that wealth is unevenly spread, and the gap shows in shelters, encampments, and long waitlists for affordable housing. A 2024 point-in-time count identified over 2,900 people experiencing homelessness in the city, a number that's climbed steadily in recent years. The Ottawa Mission and Shepherds of Good Hope run shelters, meals, and outreach across downtown, while the Multifaith Housing Initiative works to get people into stable housing longer-term. Cold winters make this city unforgiving if you're outside, so knowing where warming centres and meal programs are can matter as much as anything else. You are not invisible here, and you are not alone — people in this city are working every day to make sure you make it through.