A letter from leadership

Dear Friends,

As the housing crisis continues to intensify across communities, Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa is taking action by removing barriers to homeownership and helping people build their life on their own terms. With your support, we’re building stability, opportunity and the foundation for a brighter future.

In 2025, our organization not only saw continued growth, but we also reached significant milestones that will shape lives and communities for generations to come. We proudly announced our largest development to date: a 33-unit factory-built housing project on Beechcliffe Street, made possible through an innovative partnership with the Province of Ontario, the City of Ottawa and Caivan. This collaboration reflects what is possible when we work together to create scalable solutions for housing in our community.

We also returned to the east end of Ottawa, breaking ground on the final phase of our Nantes Development in Orléans. These two townhomes will complete a long-standing Habitat community and, along with Beechcliffe Homes, bring us one step closer to our goal of building 100 homes over the next five years.

This year, our supporters showed up in extraordinary ways, demonstrating a level of generosity and leadership that will open the door to so many people in our region. We were honoured to receive the largest individual gift in our organization’s history, with a $1 million donation. We also saw record-breaking success at our 20th annual Steel Toes & Stilettos Gala and transformational investments from build partners like Caivan, whose commitment to Beechcliffe Homes will help move our work forward.

These financial contributions represent a shared belief in the power of homeownership to transform lives. And yet, the need for a safe and affordable home has never been greater. Today, over 1000 households remain on our waiting list, facing a cycle of housing instability with limited pathways forward. Every day we wait is another day thousands of people remain without the stability of a safe, affordable place to call home.

At Habitat Greater Ottawa, we are ready to meet this moment with action. With more than $20 million in builds planned in the coming years, we are focused on scaling our efforts and accelerating the delivery of homes in Ottawa and neighbouring areas. 2025 saw our organization enter a new phase of growth with the ability to serve more people than ever before. But we cannot do this alone.

To our donors, sponsors, volunteers, and partners – thank you. Your support fuels this work and makes change possible. Your collective commitment to our mission is the driving force that keeps Habitat pushing to new heights. Together, we will continue to build not just homes, but brighter futures for people across our community.

Sara Cooper

Chief Executive Offier

Wendy Grimshaw

Board Chair

2025 by the numbers

664

volunteers gave their time and skills to Habitat.

12,848

hours spent by volunteers on the build site, ReStores, committees and events.

$2,338,997

raised to support both the building of safe and affordable homes and homeowner education programming, helping prepare homeowners for long-term success.

35

new homes in the east and west ends of Ottawa announced in 2025.

Your everyday department store destination – with a mission!

In 2025, Habitat Greater Ottawa’s ReStores continued to demonstrate the strength of our social enterprise model. With more than $2.5 million in sales both in-store and online, every purchase directly supported our work to build safe and affordable homeownership opportunities across our community.

The ReStore remains a go-to destination for affordable, high-quality furniture, home décor, clothing and building materials with our mission at its core. Whether customers are furnishing a first home, taking on a renovation, or shopping for everyday home essentials, every visit helps make a difference.

This year saw over 2.3 million pounds of usable goods diverted from local landfills thanks to donations of new and gently used products from the community and our corporate partners. At the same time, volunteer engagement continued to grow, with 495 dedicated ReStore volunteers contributing more than 11,600 hours to keep our ReStore operations running strong.

ReStore Reads: Turning the Page on an Even Bigger Year

A standout highlight was the second annual ReStore Reads Book Fair, which surpassed its inaugural year, raising even more funds and welcoming an even greater number of customers to our Stittsville location. Over three fantastic days at the Stittsville ReStore, we welcomed 2,015 visitors and raised an incredible $10,203.25 in book sales! None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our volunteer-led Book Fair Committee and all the amazing volunteers who gave their time before and during the event.

Instead of ending up in a landfill after use, donated items are resold at ReStore reducing waste and keeping valuable materials in circulation longer. Every ReStore donation and purchase helps the environment by diverting usable goods from landfills with proceeds from sales supporting Habitat’s mission in building homes, communities and hope.

It’s a win for you, a win for the community and a win for the planet.

ReStore by the numbers

14,119

donations processed.

$2,501,130

of sales in store and online.

315,863

visits to restoregoshop.ca

2,385,279

pounds of waste diverted from local landfills.

495

ReStore volunteers.

11,615

volunteer hours supporting ReStore.

Resilient communities start with a home

In 2025, we were proud to announce two new developments that mark an exciting step in our goal of building 100 homes in the next five years. As we grow, so does our ability to provide homeownership as a permanent solution to unstable housing for people in our community.

Following the completion of Kemptville Korners in 2024, these projects reflect not only continued growth, but also an important evolution in how we build through new, innovative approaches and expanded partnership models that strengthen our ability to deliver affordable homeownership at scale.

Beechcliffe Homes: A New Chapter in Affordable Homeownership

In December 2025, we announced our largest development to date with a 33 townhome project at 40 Beechcliffe Street in Nepean. This initiative will be the first time Habitat is delivering on a multi-unit development through factory-built construction.

This collaboration between Habitat, the Province of Ontario, City of Ottawa and Caivan represents a shared commitment to addressing the urgent need for affordable housing addressing the urgent need through an effective, scalable and efficient solution. Once complete, the Beechcliffe Homes Development will provide 33 homeowners and their families with the opportunity to achieve affordable homeownership in a community designed to support stability, connection and belonging.

Nantes Development: Completing a Legacy Community

It was a rainy fall day when we broke ground on two new homes in the Nantes community in Orléans, marking our return to the east end where we last built in 2021. These homes represent the final phase of the Nantes Development, where seven homes were originally constructed between 2013 and 2014.

The completion of these two homes will bring this long-standing community to its full vision, while also advancing our broader goal of building 100 homes over the next five years. We are grateful to the many partners, supporters, and elected officials who joined us to celebrate this achievement and continue to champion affordable homeownership in our region.

I remember holding the keys in my hand and feeling this overwhelming sense of gratitude, relief and hope. For the first time, we had stability. We had a place that was ours- that I could afford! Most importantly we finally had a home where my children could grow up feeling safe, where we could build memories together.”

— Zora, Habitat Homeowner (Nantes Development, 2014; reflection shared in 2025)

A better future starts with a home. A Habitat home does more than provide shelter, it’s the foundation on which we build our lives. When homeowners thrive, so does the community and the economy. A safe and affordable home allows homeowners to fully participate in the workforce, gain financial independence and build a strong, prosperous community where everyone benefits.

Together, we build opportunity

In 2024, Ceu and Amang officially became homeowners when they moved into their new home at Kemptville Korners. In 2025, Amang achieved another exciting milestone when she completed her master’s degree! Amang credits becoming a homeowner and moving into a safe and stable home as to why she was able to successfully finish her program.

Soon after graduating with her masters, Amang set out to pursue her PhD with the goal of becoming a counsellor.

A recent study from Habitat Canada and Deloitte found that nearly a third of homeowners have started or completed an additional educational credit since moving into their Habitat home.

A safe and affordable home gives us the space and stability we need to be healthy, resilient and build the life we choose, whether that’s pursuing higher education, creating community, building wealth or raising a family.

Since becoming a homeowner last year, I no longer have to worry about living paycheque to paycheque or about the unsafe conditions my children were living in,” said Amang. “With those burdens lifted, I had the time and energy to focus on getting my life and education back on track. Not only does my husband also have plans to go back to school to further his career, we now have the financial stability to save up for our children’s education. Before you know it, they will also be off to college or university, and I am at peace knowing they won’t need to go through the financial hardships and mental struggles that my husband and I went through before moving into our home. Instead, we’re able to set our children up with the foundation for their future success.”

— Amang, Habitat Homeowner

Together, we build a movement

While 2025 did not include active build sites, the dedication of our volunteers remained as strong as ever. Community members continued to show up, contribute their time, and drive meaningful results in new and significant ways.

At the Stittsville ReStore, volunteers reached record-breaking heights in August, contributing 991 hours in a single month! It was an incredible achievement that reflects both commitment and community spirit. Volunteers also led the success of our ReStore Reads Book Fair, raising more than $10,000 and welcoming thousands of visitors through a fully volunteer-driven initiative. These accomplishments demonstrate that even outside of the build site, volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, including strengthening our operations, expanding our community reach and turning our mission into action.

Celebrating Service: 2025 Volunteer Award winners!

Now in its second year, our annual Volunteer Awards presented during our Steel Toes & Stilettos Gala continue to recognize the outstanding individuals whose dedication and leadership make a lasting impact on our organization and community.

The Excellence in Action Volunteer Award was presented to Ashley Loiselle. Since beginning her volunteer journey two years ago, Ashley has made remarkable contributions to the organization, most notably through her leadership of the 2025 ReStore Reads Book Fair. As Committee Chair, she guided a team of volunteers to deliver the highly successful three-day event and her enthusiasm, organization and commitment to teamwork exemplified the spirit of this award.

The Leadership Volunteer Award was awarded to Scott Stevenson in recognition of his exceptional governance and leadership. A dedicated Habitat volunteer since 2019, Scott has served as Board Member, Chair of the Land and Build Committee, Board Chair from 2022 to 2025, and now Past Chair. His steady leadership during the pandemic helped guide Habitat through a period of uncertainty and instability back to solid footing. Scott’s vision, commitment, and passion for affordable homeownership have played a key role in positioning the organization for continued growth.

Together, these award recipients represent the very best of Habitat Greater Ottawa by demonstrating the power of volunteerism to build stronger communities.

Our Biggest Gala yet!

Our 20th annual Steel Toes & Stilettos Gala delivered a second consecutive record-breaking year of giving and community support. 440 guests gathered to celebrate this emerald anniversary, raising an incredible $340,000 in support of affordable homeownership.

Inspired by the Wizard of Oz’s Emerald City, the theme and the message that there’s “no place like home,” brought together partners, supporters, and community champions for a memorable night of celebration and impact. As we marked two decades of this signature event, the Gala not only honoured how far we’ve come, but also demonstrated the growing momentum behind our work.

The continued success of the Gala is a powerful reflection of what we can achieve together.

Together we build stronger communities

Our major donors are essential partners in our work, and we are deeply grateful for their continued support and confidence in our mission. Their leadership plays a critical role in enabling us to expand our reach and deliver meaningful, lasting solutions to the affordable housing crisis.

We extend our sincere thanks to the Leacross Foundation for their trust and ongoing commitment as a Major Development Donor. Their support is instrumental to our work, allowing us to accelerate the delivery of safe and affordable homes and create more opportunities for people to thrive. We are proud to work alongside partners like the Leacross Foundation in creating more inclusive communities through affordable homeownership.  

We also pay special tribute to Waldron (Wally) Bamford, whose extraordinary generosity and lifelong optimism left a lasting mark on so many of us at Habitat Greater Ottawa. Wally approached each day with enthusiasm and a strong belief in the philosophy of “Give While You Live,” a value he embodied fully through his support of Habitat.

In 2025, Wally donated a remarkable $1,000,000 to Habitat Greater Ottawa – the single largest donation in our organization’s history. He passed away peacefully on September 10, 2025, at the age of 93 surrounded by family and loved ones.

We are honoured to recognize Wally and his incredible legacy of kindness, generosity and community spirit. His gift will live on for generations through the homes built and the lives transformed by his extraordinary support.

CLV Group and InterRent REIT’s 25th annual Mike McCann Charity Golf Tournament

A huge thank you to all the golfers and supporters who supported CLV Group and InterRent REIT’s 25th annual Mike McCann Charity Golf Tournament.

A little rain didn’t dampen spirits as the tournament achieved a record-setting $2.3 million funds raised for local charities, including $100,000 for Habitat Greater Ottawa.

We had a great time connecting with all the participants and supporters at the tournament and deeply appreciate everyone from CLV and InterRent REIT for their ongoing support of Habitat and so many community charities.

Celebrating the Meaning of Home

Each year, Habitat Canada, along with title and founding sponsor Sagen™ invites students in Grades 4, 5 and 6 from across the country to share what home means to them through a short essay or poem.

This year, we were thrilled to celebrate Alex, a Grade 6 student from Stittsville Public School who was awarded a $10,000 grant for Habitat Greater Ottawa through the Meaning of Home writing contest.

With over 17,500 entries nationwide, Alex was selected as a runner-up winner for his heartfelt story, “If home was 5 feelings.”

Thanks to Alex’s heartfelt words about home, this $10,000 grant will support affordable homeownership projects in Ottawa and surrounding communities! Together we can build a better future for children.

Thank you to our 2025 Major Sponsors

Thank you to our Gala Sponsors

Click here for the 2025 Audited Financial Statement.