A group of Ottawans launched a project today called Roofs for Refugees – an initiative that seeks to help refugees in Ottawa find affordable housing.
The group’s role is to act as a mediator between Canadians who have rooms to spare and refugees who are seeking permanent housing.
There are currently over 300 government-sponsored refugees in Ottawa living in temporary housing while they await something longer term, according to Roofs for Refugees.
“Our aim is to create more options for affordable housing for refugees,” says Alison Thompson, volunteer coordinator for Roofs for Refugees. “We aim to do that by leveraging the generosity of the public in opening their homes at affordable rates.”
The group’s top priority is to find housing units for families of five, which make up a large proportion of the refugees in Ottawa. However, Thompson says Roofs for Refugees is also accepting offers from locals who can only offer a private room in their house.
By connecting Canadians with refugees, the initiative hopes to expand the market of available accommodation. In order to do that, the organization is accepting housing offers from anywhere in the city.
Centretown remains an attractive area for refugees to settle.
“We try and coordinate between available houses and refugees, but the decision to move is ultimately up to the refugees,” says Thompson. The ideal area of settlement, according to Thompson, is somewhere with good public transit and services.
“I think [Centretown] would definitely be an ideal area for settlement.”
More information on Roofs for Refugees can be found at: https://www.roofs4refugees.ca/