Newcomer Reception Centres

We are in the midst of a housing crisis in Ottawa and many people can’t find a home, be it market housing or an affordable unit.

The housing and homelessness system in our city is facing a surge in demand. Many who are precariously housed need a place to stay, especially during these colder months. Concurrently, asylum claimants account for 60 per cent of clients in the single adult shelter system.

With this ongoing crisis, an urgent need to build more housing exists and solutions are needed to alleviate the pressures on the different aspects of the housing system.

In response to the increase in asylum claimants, the City is building a sustainable, federally funded newcomer reception system, a decision that has been in the making since November 2023(link is external). This model will include reception centres, which are a crucial link in the system, allowing claimants a dignified place to begin their journey in Ottawa while removing the added pressure on our emergency shelter system.

Transparent, fair and efficient procurement approach

Recognizing that there is an urgent need, staff have studied the best path forward in establishing reception centres since early 2024. Following an extensive review, and a report from an independent consultant, pre-fabricated buildings (or tensile membrane structures) were the building type identified which would best suit the project’s needs.

These structures were selected because they are:

• High quality, providing safe and dignified temporary living accommodations.
• Cost effective and easily converted, disassembled or relocated.
• Proven to be built within 12 months, addressing the urgent need to free up space in community centres and the shelter system.

The City identified a single vendor that had the ability and experience to meet the specialized and detailed needs to build the structures within the City’s desired timeframe. Recognizing this, and the need to be transparent, a procurement process that could be both efficient and fair was chosen, the Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN).

This process is the quickest way for the City to determine if other vendors are available and to engage with them on the proposed project.

An ACAN is a standard procurement tool used by governments in Canada when it’s determined that a project requires specialized services that aren’t widely available in the given industry. It also allows a supplier to submit a brief statement of capabilities to show they have the ability and experience to meet the specialized and detailed skills to build the structures within the desired timeframe.

A vendor’s submission does not need to include details such as financial offers, their proposed level of effort, work plans, methodologies, or approaches, which expedites the open, fair and transparent procurement process.

Interested vendors have until Friday, January 31 to submit their statement of capabilities. After the deadline, a team of qualified evaluators will carefully review any submissions received to determine the next steps. An update on the process will be posted to the Engage Ottawa project page once the review is complete and a decision has been made.

The need is urgent, and the City needs to act now to build much-needed capacity in the housing system as soon as possible. Everyone in Ottawa deserves to find a place where they can find shelter, be it on a permanent, temporary, or emergency basis.

Together, we can continue the tradition of being a welcoming city.

The City of Ottawa is building newcomer reception centres in response to the significant increase in asylum claimants to our city, which consists of refugee claimants and migrants who arrive in Ottawa.

Building this additional capacity in Ottawa’s housing system is an important step for the city. Not only will it respond to the needs of asylum claimants, but it will divert them away from the shelter system and open those much-needed spaces for others who need them.

In this story, we explore how we got here and why the City decided building reception centres was the right path forward.

Federal government responsibility

Migration to our city, including that of asylum claimants, is entirely managed by the federal government.

For asylum claimants, they follow a federally established step-by-step process during their application. Various federal agencies are involved and conduct an initial screening, which includes security and a medical examination. While the City has no control or input on the migration process, we are working to respond to the current situation in Ottawa and to ensure people have a safe place to stay.

Impact on City resources

There are currently around 600 single adult asylum claimants in the shelter system. This accounts for 60 per cent of clients, placing considerable strain on resources.

Asylum claimants are currently staying in recreation and community centres, including on arena floors or in bleachers, or sleeping overnight in shelters.

Dedicated reception centres will provide asylum claimants with a more comfortable and dignified welcome to our city. This includes extensive on-site services to help them transition into more permanent housing. Supporting asylum claimants at reception centres will also return recreation and community centres back to the community.

Choosing the right structure

In response to the urgent need for more shelter and support services for newcomers, on November 23, 2023, Council unanimously approved a motion directing City staff to actively pursue the option of a semi-permanent facility.

Starting in 2024, City staff, with input from third-party experts, evaluated several options to determine the best type of structure for the newcomer reception centres. They considered many factors such as cost, construction speed, and effectiveness. Based on this analysis, pre-fabricated buildings, which are tensile membrane structures, were recommended as the best solution.

These pre-fabricated buildings offer customizable interiors with features like windows, corridors, and vestibules to meet the needs of refugee claimants and service providers. They include amenities similar to conventional buildings, such as heating, cooling, and access to showering, laundry and washroom facilities, that will allow occupants to live comfortably.

They can be built quickly to relieve pressure on shelters and allow recreation centres to be returned to normal use. They can also be repurposed for a variety of future uses.

Other building types, such as mass timber and modular construction, were also considered. These options were not selected for reasons including cost, design flexibility and construction timelines.

Determining the locations

Following direction from City Council, City staff began reviewing potential sites that could accommodate a future reception centre at the beginning of 2024. They conducted an extensive review of over 90 locations.

The City considered factors such as engineering, construction needs, transit access, and walkability to narrow the search. Once the shortlist was developed, it was shared with an independent engineering consultant for further analysis. After their review and preliminary feasibility assessment, the consultant concluded the following two sites were best suited to host a newcomer reception centre:

• 1645 Woodroffe Avenue (on federal lands next to the Confederation Education Centre)
• 40 Hearst Way (on part of the Eagleson Park and Ride in Kanata)

Additional details about the site selection process were provided to members of Council in a memo on November 7, 2024.

Once the preferred locations were identified, the City started the engagement process with residents in the impacted communities.

Continue to learn more and ask your questions

We encourage everyone to follow our series of articles and continue to ask questions on Engage Ottawa. The feedback received continues to be responded to through the FAQs posted on the page.

Together, we can continue the tradition of being a welcoming city.

The City of Ottawa is advancing the procurement work necessary for the Newcomer Reception Centre. It intends to enter into a contract for the design and construction of a Newcomer Reception Centre at 1645 Woodroffe, for approximately $15 million with an anticipated timeline of 12 months from award of contract to substantial performance. The City of Ottawa, pending funding and as required, intends to proceed with a second structure with similar pricing and construction timeline.

As stated in previous communications, the Newcomer Reception Centres will be funded by the federal government.

Procurement process

The City has conducted a market assessment and determined that BLT Construction Services (providing a Sprung Instant Structure, i.e. pre-fabricated building) is the only available and qualified vendor to perform the scope of work required for this project. To confirm that assessment, the City will complete an Advanced Contract Award Notice (ACAN) process.

The ACAN is a public notice indicating the intent to award a contract and provides an opportunity for other respondents to demonstrate their ability to meet project requirements. The ACAN will be posted on the MERX.com e-Procurement system. All submissions and inquiries regarding the ACAN must be submitted through the MERX.com system.

Project components

The contract for the design and construction of the newcomer reception centre includes:

• Preparation of plans and studies required for site plan control;
• Preliminary and detailed design drawings;
• Preparation and submission of all required permit applications;
• Construction and interior fit-up of structure;
• Provision of full FF&E required for the project.
• Full site development

Additional project costs will include project delivery and permitting fees.

The Centre is part of a broader Newcomer Reception System that includes other transitional housing facilities including a former nunnery on St. Joseph Blvd and up to 20 new four-to-five-bedroom homes across Ottawa. The cost of these transitional housing options, as well as other recent transitional housing projects, are in line with what is being proposed for the Newcomer Reception Centres.

Next steps

The ACAN has been published on MERX.com and is currently scheduled to close on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

If no supplier submits a response that demonstrates their potential to meet capabilities of the Specifications, including the Scope of Work, by the closing date of the ACAN then it is the City of Ottawa’s intent to proceed with an award of contract to the supplier identified.

Most asylum claimants leave their homes looking to escape violence or persecution. They are searching for a place where they can feel safe and join a welcoming community.

The newcomer reception centres are designed to do just that. They are meant to provide asylum claimants, also known as refugee claimants, or migrants, with a temporary, but supportive and dignified start to their new life in Ottawa.

Migration to our city, including that of asylum claimants, is entirely managed by the federal government. While we have no control or input on the process, we are working hard to respond to the reality and ensure people have a warm, safe place to stay.

Throughout this article, we will walk you through the journey that an asylum claimant requiring emergency housing will take to become part of our community and find permanent housing.

The first step in the process is the refugee claim. This is when someone looking for refugee protection makes an application for asylum at a port of entry or an inland office. This step is entirely managed by the federal government. They follow an established step-by-step process to take in the asylum claimants and assess the eligibility of their claim.

During this process, the various federal agencies involved will also conduct an initial screening, which includes security and a medical examination.

The second step on the journey for those requiring emergency housing is the newcomer reception centres. This is a crucial step that is currently missing in our system. The centres will be purpose-built and offer comfortable and dignified temporary accommodations.

Immediate connections to settlement services, critical to help claimants integrate into our community, will be made available on-site. The services that will be offered are being designed with internal and external partners, as well as those with lived experience, to ensure they meet the unique needs of asylum claimants.

The services will be finalized in the coming months through the design process. It's anticipated that support for immigration, employment, trauma and language training will be among the services included.

Asylum claimants will stay in the reception centres for up to 90 days. Staff and settlement agencies will assist each claimant to help them integrate into our community and, more importantly, find permanent housing. If they are unable to find housing within 90 days, they move to the third step in the process – transitional housing.

Transitional housing are buildings that have been converted to support the newcomer reception system, such as the former nunnery at 1754 St. Joseph Boulevard, or homes that are located throughout our city. They will provide alternate temporary housing and allow staff and agencies more time to support asylum claimants in their search for permanent housing.

The final step in the journey for asylum claimants is permanent housing. This will be a culmination of all the work done by staff and partners to support claimants as they integrate into our community. While this may be the end of their settlement journey, it will only be the beginning of their new life as a member of our community. Settlement services will continue to be made available to those in need to ensure that life gets off to a good, positive start.

Together, we can continue the tradition of being a welcoming city.

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