About Options Housing
We are a group of individuals committed to ending homelessness in Ottawa. We believe that everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home, no matter their background, no matter their challenges. We want to see real and lasting change in our community and we know that the best way to end homelessness is to prevent it from happening in the first place. These beliefs underpin everything we do.
Every team member and every program is focused on meeting people where they are, so we can help them get where they want to go.
We opened the doors of our first Supportive Housing building in the heart of Ottawa’s Byward Market in 1989.
Caring and creative residents and community groups came together because they saw a crisis in our community and knew we could do more to help people who were experiencing homelessness. They realized we needed something other than temporary shelters in our city — we needed a permanent solution.
So, they raised the funds to construct a building that could provide permanent housing for people who had been living in shelters for months.
When Options Bytown opened its doors, 67 people had a new home — for the first time in months, they were able to unpack their belongings and settle into their safe and permanent home.
Our dream had become a reality!
Since then, we’ve added another three buildings, changed our name to Options Housing, and expanded our programs to help hundreds of individuals find and keep a home of their own for as long as they need it.
Our Programs
We have a diverse team of over 60 caring, experienced staff who support our clients with crisis intervention, case management, eviction prevention, life skills training, and much more.
Our staff have a wide variety of lived and professional experience and skills from advocacy to social work and building operations to mental health. You can find our staff onsite at our Supportive Housing locations, Ottawa Community Housing Resource Centres, Ottawa’s Safer Supply clinics, and many other sites across the city.
Our team members are creative, resourceful, compassionate individuals who are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure our clients are fully supported and successful!
Board & Staff Directory
Board of Directors
Annie Carruthers
Norm Turner
Jason Hunt
Lauren Kupferschmid
Heather Lachine
Daniel Leblanc
Al Shadid
Liz Wigfull
Gesa Harmston
Sean Grassie
Jordan Daly-Frey
Rae Wigglesworth
Management Team
Catharine Vandelinde
John Brisebois
Andrea Clark
Emily Teeter
Joyce Lundrigan
Kelly Howson
Angela Davis
Hany Ibrahim
West de Castro
Jessey Levesque
Supportive Housing
Charlene Morling
Matty Gaudet
Adi Steward
Cassidy Walton
Brittany Lesway
Jessica Osabuohien
Josephine Okafor
Rosa Lila Cerda Ampie
Sam Coorsh
Jen Isaacs
Krystina Pasut
Reanna Martin
Housing First
Trish Roy
Leigh Stratton
Austin Ward
Housing Specialist and Reconciliation Action Plan Implementation Steward
Evan Miller
Lindsay Trainor
Shannon Petruk
Madison Salmon
Maggie Turgeon
Ashley Brian
Keerat Aujla
Christina Trent
Jennifer Connolly
Victoria Porter
Jennifer Isaacs
Stephen Sauppe
Resource Centres
Darryl Leboeuf
Marta MacDonald
Megan Poole
Cali Palmer
Penelope Goodwin
Michelle Olubiyi
Anselmo Seloterio
Cayla Pester
Keely Pelyk
Donna van den Oever
Safer Supply (Recovery Care)
Keely Pelyk
Evan van Roon
Peer Assisted Community Engagement (PACE) Program
Chantal Hurtubise
Katherine Rehak
Bryan Melanson
Sylvie Roussel
Semsa Asefi
Tina Mallard
HAT (Hoarding Assistance Team)
Chioma Obiakor
Greg Saxe
Chantal Hurtubise
Maintenance
Don MacQuarrie
Victor Smith
Rinaldo Perricelli
Careers
Volunteer and help us end homelessness in Ottawa.
If you have a skill to share — like home improvements, art, or cooking — or are up for lending a hand at a special event, we’d love to have you.
Publications
Solving homelessness is about more than finding housing.
Donate Money
Give the gift of home with a regular or one-off donation
Donate Items
Make someone’s day by donating your new or gently used items
Fundraise
Host an event to raise awareness and funds so we can see an end to homelessness
Volunteer
Use your skills and time to make a difference in someone’s life
