Non-profit housing association Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) won an award for its outstanding efforts to reduce its impact on the environment at a ceremony in Toronto Monday night.
CCOC was announced as the winner of the Going Green Award during the 21st Annual Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) Conference and Trade Show that recognizes leadership, excellence and achievement in the non-profit housing sector.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation sponsored the award honouring the corporation for their environmentally friendly initiatives in the fields of mobility, shopping, utilities, and waste.
CCOC is a non-profit group that houses over 2,000 residents around the Centretown area. It maintains and promotes housing for people with low to moderate income.
Tenants of CCOC are provided with cloth shopping bags and a recycling bin prior to moving into residences and have access to compost utilities. To encourage sustainable living in their properties, management also distributes newsletters and a Bright Green Tips pamphlet with advice on how to be eco-friendly in the home.
More than 1,300 representatives from Ontario's affordable housing sector gathered together for this three-day event, featuring over 85 conference workshop events and a trade show with over 75 exhibitors.
"These award winners have demonstrated commitment and dedication to non-profit housing and are helping to build strong communities," said Keith Ward, president of the ONPHA, in a press release.
CCOC’s Thirty Year Volunteers – Rod Machee, Patrick Savoie and Alison Kar – was also one of four groups that received ONPHA’s Tenant Achievement Recognition Award, which honours tenant groups who help make their residences a better place to live.
The Going Green Award was created in 2008. Last year, the award went to Toronto’s independent housing group Wilmar Court.