We want to help make Ottawa an inclusive, affordable and liveable city for all
Our work
Analysis
We read city policy proposals and write position statements within our coalition.
Consultation
We enrich our positions through consulting with the wider community and the coalition’s networks.
Advocacy
We advocate for our collective positions among City staff and elected officials, the media and through our networks.
Participating Organizations
POP coalition members include organizations that advocate for better transit, greater walkability and active transportation, greenspace for all, housing equity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, equity and inclusion, and food security. Membership is open to organizations that share these or similar goals and are willing to operate under our shared values, process and governance models.
Member organizations bring initiatives to the coalition when they believe collective action on major elements of the Official Plan is likely to be stronger than what they could do on their own.
The Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa is a member-driven coalition of people and organizations working together to end homelessness through systems planning and coordination, public education and advocacy, and community-wide mobilization.
Bike Ottawa is a not-for-profit volunteer-based advocacy group. We believe choosing to ride a bike in Ottawa should be a safe and easy choice for all ages and abilities. We are committed to advocating for Vision Zero in our City, because we believe no one should be injured or lose their life in our streets.
C3 is a group of retired senior level government managers and consultants who collectively have a wide array of experience in natural sciences, climate change, project management, budgeting, legal analysis, policy development and implementation and indigenous rights and issues.
City for All Women Initiative (CAWI) is a unique collaboration of women from diverse communities, organizations, and academia working with municipal decision makers to create a more inclusive city and advance gender equality.
The Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres of Ottawa (CHRC) is a network of 13 agencies providing access to social, community and health programs.
CAFES is a network of residents and citizens’ associations in the City of Ottawa, established in 2010 and active on unceded Algonquin territory. Members of CAFES are community associations, local green organizations, or individuals active in the climate and environment scene. CAFES advocates for municipal environmental sustainability and responsibility, supports local projects and initiatives, and builds community to increase environmental awareness and strengthen our collective impact.
The Council of Canadians brings people together through collective action and grassroots organizing to challenge corporate power and advocate for people, the planet and our democracy. Chapters promote the Council of Canadians’ local, provincial and national campaigns, act as local watchdogs, and promote social and economic justice on a day-to-day basis.
The Ottawa Chapter advocates for social and environmental justice in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Our work takes place on unceded Algonquin Anishinabe territory. We are committed to advancing Indigenous sovereignty, environmental protection, and social justice by holding our elected officials accountable to the communities they serve. We fight against increasing privatization, austerity, and corporate greed. Our Chapter is cooperatively run by enthusiastic citizens who are committed to advocating for a better Ottawa.
As a bilingual and inclusive Council, we work to advance the wellbeing of Ottawa’s older adults. Our vision is respected, informed and engaged older adults living in an Age-Friendly city. Visit their website.
Ecology Ottawa is a not-for-profit, grassroots and volunteer-driven organization composed of tens of thousands of citizens. We know that Ottawa residents are concerned about issues such as climate change, pollution and waste, and that they want sustainable communities where clean energy, air, and water, public transit, active transportation and greenspace protection take priority. We provide residents with the information and tools needed to understand local environmental issues and promote environmental leadership at all levels impacting the City of Ottawa.
The Energy Mix is a community news site and e-digest on climate change, energy, and the shift off carbon. It’s produced by Energy Mix Productions, a non-profit headquartered in Ottawa on unceded Algonquin Anishnaabe territory. The site aims to deliver news, opinion, and analysis to drive faster, deeper carbon cuts by bridging the gap from promises and declarations to action and results.
The FCA-FAC is the forum for citizens associations and similar non-profit volunteer groups in Ottawa, Canada. Member associations share information about issues facing their communities and, when appropriate, take joint action. The FCA encourages discussion of civic affairs. It does not endorse parties or candidates seeking office. The FCA is an incorporated non-profit corporation under Ontario law and, as such, can appear in its own right before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal [LPAT].
We are a network of parents, guardians, grandparents, and allies, living on unceded Indigenous territories across the country known as Canada. We are fighting for a better world for our kids and grandkids. Our vision is a green, equitable, and just world where our children and grandchildren grow up safe and healthy. But we know that in order to get there, we need to come together to advocate for it. Visit their website.
The Greenspace Alliance works with community organizations and individuals to preserve and enhance natural areas in the National Capital area, including public and private green spaces, wetlands and waterways. Concerned residents formed the Alliance in October 1997. An important part of our work involves engaging with all levels of government and other stakeholders.
We believe that urban greenness is essential for a community’s quality of life, contributing to our personal, social, economic, cultural and spiritual well-being. It also connects us with the natural and cultural history of our region.
Heritage Ottawa is an award-winning, volunteer driven, not-for-profit organization that champions the protection and stewardship of Ottawa’s built heritage and cultural places, celebrating their value in enriching our shared environment.
Just Food is a local, non-profit, community-based organization that works on both rural and urban food and farming issues in Ottawa and the surrounding region.
The Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre (OCWC) has been working on behalf of wildlife for over 35 years. OCWC are committed to educating people about wildlife and helping to foster an appreciation for the natural world and the important role all species play in a healthy ecosystem. OCWC’s mission is to establish a better understanding and respect for wildlife and to mitigate the impact of rapid development and human encroachment into wildlife habitat.
The Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative (OREC), incorporated in 2010, has continued to grow as a local, green investment option. We provide residents of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario with the opportunity to invest in nearby renewable energy projects and help bring positive change to the community. With a growing portfolio and membership, the Co-operative continues to expand its horizons every year, while staying true to its grassroots origins.
Ottawa Street Markets are a thriving family of local farmers’ markets comprised of the Beechwood Market, the Elgin Street Market, and the Alta Vista Market. Ottawa Street Markets began as a community gathering spot on Beechwood Avenue where a handful of vendors would sell local goods and produce with live music and activities for kids. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the market expanded to introduce the Elgin, and then the Alta Vista markets, an online market with now six pick-up locations across the city, and a Farm Store at 1805 Gaspe Ave in Manor Park. Ottawa Street Markets strive to create exciting, accessible and sustainable experiences for community members to enjoy fresh and local breads, meats, eggs, baked goods and much more all year round.
Ottawa Transit Riders is a non-partisan, membership-based, advocacy group, working to make Ottawa’s transit system more affordable, reliable, accessible, and safe for users. Ottawa Transit Riders believes that a robust transit system is at the heart of the solutions our City Council can implement in response to the climate crisis we are facing.
Reimagine Ottawa strives to create an inclusive, green, and healthy city by minimizing developer influence in planning decisions. Visit their website.
Strong Towns Ottawa, an independent local chapter, focuses on making fiscally strong places that are self-sustaining, resilient, and nice to live in – concentrating on transportation, housing and community. Together, we can make a difference in the city we love. Join the local Strong Towns conversation in Ottawa by visiting the website here.
A city is its people.
Founded by a group of passionate individuals in 2011, Synapcity works to amplify the voices of the people of Ottawa.
We bring people and institutions together and give them the tools to make our city more beautiful, more diverse and more prosperous for all.
At Synapcity, we believe that overcoming our city’s challenges brings it closer to reaching its full potential. When this happens, citizens move closer to reaching their own.
Walkable Ottawa aims to develop concrete solutions and a clear vision to transition Ottawa’s neighbourhoods to more walkable communities. Walkable Ottawa believes that the best solutions are achieved through comprehensive collaboration and conversations enriched by research, projections & 3D modeling. We will lead a “roll up the sleeves” approach to convert good ideas into practical and attainable solutions for our neighbourhoods.
Waste Watch Ottawa supports the zero waste vision set out in the City’s Solid Waste Master Plan. It is committed to improving the City of Ottawa’s waste management practices by working for a green environmentally sustainable city and by supporting the development of new and improved waste reduction and waste diversion programs and initiatives aimed at minimizing the amount of waste being disposed of, enhancing recycling, maximizing organics recovery and avoiding the greenhouse gas impacts associated with waste generation and waste disposal.
Shared values
- We believe we can achieve more when we are united than we can separately and this solidarity is another fundamental value of the group.
- The strength of POP is the sharing of expertise, insight, information and sweat equity among members across all the policy domains they address. This openness and free exchange is a fundamental value of the coalition.
- Both of these are founded on building trust in each other and trust in our mission.
Scope of Work
The current scope of our joint interest concerns the implementation of Ottawa’s new Official Plan. This will be carried out through analysis of the following processes and documents:
- Transportation Master Plan
- Comprehensive Zoning By-Law
- Infrastructure Master Plan
- Ten Year Housing & Homelessness Plan
- Greenspace & Urban Forest Master Plan
- Climate Change Master Plan
- Solid Waste Master Plan
Memorandum of Understanding
Learn more about POP’s work and how we operate by reading our Memorandum Of Understanding below:
Apply to Join POP
Click the link below to apply to join the People’s Official Plan Coalition.