Helping newcomers avoid homelessness
By Carol Buckley
A recent University of Ottawa evaluation found that a small local charity, OMRA, is helping newcomers maintain stable housing in the face of high and rising rents. OMRA is an all-volunteer charity that provides portable rent subsidies to selected newcomers to help them cover their rent.
OMRA raises funds through grocery card sales. Purchasers buy cards with $50 or $100 values, and the stores pay OMRA four to five per cent of the value of the cards. Loblaws/No Frills, Metro/Food Basics and Farm Boy participate in OMRA’s program. OMRA also collects tax-deductible donations directly and through Canada Helps.
OMRA has several Glebe connections. Glebe St. James United Church and the Society of Friends were early supporters of OMRA’s grocery-card fundraiser. To this day, congregants of both organizations buy grocery cards from OMRA every month. Also, Glebe residents Karen Walker and Marisa Romano are current and former OMRA board members.
While rising rental costs are causing hardship for scores of families and individuals across Ottawa, they are of special concern for refugees who rely on government shelter allowances that have not been adjusted since 2018. The monthly shelter allowance for a family of four is only $756. This is inadequate to cover the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Ottawa, which according to CMHC, was $1,700 in 2023 for all apartments or, according to Rentals.ca, $2,400 for vacant apartments only.
The evaluation, funded by the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, looked at 81 refugee households helped by OMRA between 2017 and 2023; 80 per cent were families (including 24 single-parent families) and 20 per cent were individuals. In 2017, OMRA paid $24,000 in rental subsidies. By 2023, that number grew to $126,000 with OMRA supporting about seven times more families. The average rental subsidy was $420 a month.
On average, OMRA provides subsidies for just under two years, with a range of two months to five years.
The study found that OMRA contributed to positive education and employment outcomes. Eighty per cent of OMRA families had attendance in a school program, and 52 per cent of clients started work while receiving a subsidy. Several clients said that they would not have been able to study in their profession without OMRA subsidies; without it, they would have had to get an immediate job and forego longer term, more stable goals.
The study also assessed the type of housing for subsidy recipients. Eighty per cent of survey respondents were in private market housing, 12 per cent were in social or non-profit housing, and eight per cent were unsure of the housing type. Just under half of those studied did not move since arriving in Canada, while 28 per cent had moved once and 16 per cent moved twice or more. Some OMRA families indicated a desire to find larger or better-situated apartments, but affordability was a constant issue.
On a personal level, OMRA clients reported improvements in their daily life, such as increased connectedness and reduced loneliness. Newcomers are often isolated by lack of money, contacts and knowledge of English and French. OMRA volunteers provided much-needed contact. “They check on you. You feel like you’re not alone” said one OMRA client.
The evaluation provided recommendations for OMRA, including increasing subsidies, increasing the number of clients and exploring the possibility of linking to a larger, more stable organization. Consequently, OMRA is currently exploring broadening its client base as a pilot project called Rent Assist Allies in collaboration with Action Logement, a housing-loss-prevention group.
OMRA is proud to work closely with local partners. Nine faith-based and community groups come together to buy OMRA’s grocery cards. OMRA refers clients to both Helping with Furniture and Matthew House to help set up newcomers’ households. Local refugee sponsorship groups refer clients to OMRA as do the Catholic Centre for Immigrants and the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization. Some 30 volunteers help OMRA families with tutoring and moving tasks.
If you would like to know more about OMRA, please visit omraottawa.org. If you would like to purchase grocery cards, please contact: omrainquiries@gmail.com. You can donate to OMRA at Canada Helps.
Carol Buckley has been active in refugee sponsorship since 2016 and an OMRA board member since 2017. She is currently VP, OMRA and lives in Old Ottawa East.
