Our clearly-identified Outreach and Housing van with its Salvation Army markings is a familiar sight on the streets of Ottawa.
We use a marked vehicle to transport homeless and at-risk people from the community to safe, appropriate shelter.
Appropriate shelter can include taking clients to harm reduction units and withdrawal-management services.
Call 311 for transportation
Contact the City of Ottawa at 311 if you are homeless and need transportation to a shelter.
The city will then call and direct us to your address or location.
We provide transportation services from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., seven days a week. We work longer hours during extreme weather conditions.
Service providers can obtain the direct line for referrals by contacting 613-299-2791.
Our Street Outreach staff provide services that nurture your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual requirements. We offer those services in a non-discriminatory manner.
Call 311 for Community Concern Checks
Should you be a community member and see an unhoused individual who requires support in the community, please connect with 311. A 311 operator will directly connect you with the Outreach and Housing team, who will be able to attend a location, and support this individual however necessary. This includes transportation to a shelter, hospital, drop in service, providing life saving medical gear, and long term housing solutions.
Street Outreach Provides the Following Services:
- When appropriate, we may transport you to a recognized Drop-In. We can also generate a referral for you, if necessary. Referrals usually include any other service provider, food banks, housing services, community research centres, clothing, employment centres, income resource centres, community meals, and mental health services.
- We can transport you to a hospital if you were in a minor altercation or mishap that requires medical attention. This service is not offered if you need Emergency Medical Services (EMS) attention or involvement of the Ottawa Police. Street Outreach sometimes transports clients from a medical facility to a confirmed shelter. This intervention is not considered an urgent call requiring police support.
- We can support in the acquisition of long-term housing, with the support of our Housing First team. This includes a direct referral to the Housing Response Team, who operates as a Housing First provider, in the City of Ottawa. Additionally, the Outreach and Housing teams can support eligible unhoused individuals in completing their taxes, obtaining identification, applying for housing and working towards any other client set goals.
- are eligible for social assistance taxi service
- have other means of transportation, such as taking the bus
- do not show symptoms that would require transport with Outreach Services
- are verbally abusive, aggressive or volatile after initial engagement
- decline appropriate shelter, or referral to appropriate shelter
- to medical or legal appointments unless you have a demonstrated need for Street Outreach Services levels of service
- to your personal residence, as it constitutes permanent housing
The following restrictions apply to client transportation
- Transportation will not be provided to and from the Province of Quebec. Transport must
be within the City of Ottawa.
Furthermore, we are forbidden to transport:
- more than one person at any given time
- medication and personal belongings without the client’s presence
- a client who cannot board and exit the vehicle with minimal assistance
- a client who regularly uses personal mobility equipment that cannot be stowed without minimal assistance
- a client when he/she is in the possession of illegal substances or alcohol and refuses to dispose of the goods prior to transport
Housing First
Housing First
The City of Ottawa has been working with the Salvation Army and its other partners for over 10 years on ending long-standing homelessness in Ottawa.
The City and its partners aim to end homelessness through the Housing First Strategy (HFS). The plan states that there are three factors that make it difficult for people to secure or keep their housing:
- Addiction issues
- Poor mental and physical health and
- Low employment skills
The goal of Housing First is to secure safe housing for clients before helping them with any other problems or concerns they may have.
The Housing First Strategy is being deployed in a number of North American cities. They include Edmonton, Hamilton, Toronto, Vancouver in Canada and Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Seattle in the U.S.
Click here to access and complete an HRT Client Referral Form.
The Salvation Army’s nine housing-based case managers work one-on-one with homeless people. They prepare individualized goal plans that work on maintaining their client’s housing and other areas of concern. The plans respect each client’s personal needs.
Provided with Support
Once clients move into new housing they are provided with follow-up support until all parties agree that discharge is agreeable.
The case managers meet regularly with their clients in their new homes. They help clients by connecting them to resources in the community. The managers assist clients in the difficult transition away from life on the street to commencing life in their new home. The case managers ensure the tenant’s housing is stable and long-lasting.
The managers work with three parties: the client, the community and the landlord. The three parties all work together. The Salvation Army is responsible to all three parties in each housing situation. This ensures that everyone’s rights are protected.
The caseworker ensures that the rent is paid regularly and reliably to the landlord. The worker communicates with the client, social assistance and the landlord to arrange this support. The Salvation Army has developed strong trusting relationships with Ottawa landlords. The trust comes from the on-call service that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help landlords when a tenant-related crisis arises.
How to connect with the Housing Response Team?
Call 311, and ask to speak to the Outreach and Housing Team at the Salvation Army.
You will be directly connected to the Outreach and Housing Team, who will support eligible unhoused individuals in their goals.
