Block Leaders program

Good morning! 

I was going through my Facebook memories recently and was reminded of the years past when green grass was still visible at that time of year and temperatures were warmer than they’ve been recently. The Farmers Almanac predicted a bone-chilling winter with lots of snow, and if the past few weeks have been any indication of what’s to come, they were right…

But unfortunately, there are thousands of people across this city who are not as fortunate. Recent data showed nearly 3,000 Ottawa residents are considered homeless, sleeping in shelters and anywhere else they can catch a break from the elements. It’s expected that at least 300 of those live directly on the streets, a number that's growing. This is in part due to shelters operating at over 100 per cent capacity. 

The signs of the social service crisis are visible throughout downtown. But new programs are being launched to try and make it a little easier for those who are in desperate need of support. Lookout freelance contributor Kate Chappell hit the streets of the ByWard Market with the new Block Leaders program to see how its making a difference. 

Let’s get to it.

— Charlie Senack, Ottawa Lookout managing editor

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WEATHER

Monday: -11 🌡️ -17 | ☀️

Tuesday: -4 🌡️ –17 | 🌨️

Wednesday: 0 🌡️ -5 | 🌨️

By Kate Chappell

As a downtown resident and daily runner, I have become familiar with the sights and rhythms of the ByWard Market, Centretown and the downtown core, especially early in the morning. 

As these dense and diverse neighbourhoods awaken in the dawn light, they are indeed beautiful, but the new day also sheds light on those who are suffering. 

There is the crew on Rideau Street that sleep on the vents blasting warm air in the fall and winter. There is another group under the bridge at the corner of Rideau Street and Colonel By Boulevard.

There are the random tents propped here and there where they have been allowed by authorities to remain, for a short time. There are the small clusters of stragglers stumbling along, shooed away from wherever they were using whatever substances they were using. 

There is the group outside of the Salvation Army, openly using illicit drugs, same with those outside of the Shepherds of Good Hope. And there are the solo travelers, shuffling around, clearly in pain or discomfort. 

Most of the time, passersby do not pay them any mind. But sometimes, I started to notice, pairs of people in red vests stopped to talk to them, calling, “good morning!” The people in the red vests also wielded garbage pickers, removing refuse from the ground or picking up needles and glass vials.

For a long time, I have wondered who these people in the red vests are. I have also wondered how the businesses and residents in the ByWard Market were faring as they lived and worked beside this cohort of people who are clearly struggling and in need of help. So I talked to vendors and merchants in the ByWard Market and wrote an article.

Even during these interviews, I saw the red-vested people moving efficiently through the ByWard Market. I asked two artisan vendors about them. 

“Those are the Block Leaders,” they told me. Then they began raving about their kindness and effectiveness in making a difference in the Market. 

This is how I found myself walking to the ByWard Market on a cold Saturday morning before 7 a.m., on my way to meet Diane-Marie Racicot and her team.

I found them in a small parking lot behind the old Hudson’s Bay, where the future History Ottawa nightclub will go. Racicot, whose title is team leader of block support, was talking to a group of about eight people, briefing them on the day’s plans. A shiny Mercedes van, emblazoned with the Telus logo and several comforting slogans, ran while she spoke. 

The van was filled with supplies like hot chocolate, coffee, applesauce, granola bars, first aid kits, condoms, Narcan, winter coats, gloves, hats and mitts.

Over the course of the day, Racicot and her team would hand out these supplies to those in need. “It is to take care of the community, so they don’t overdose. We take care of them,” she says, “because we never know what can happen with drugs.”

The Block Leaders program is run and funded by Ottawa Inner City Health through small grants and public donations. It was founded in July 2023 in response to “social disorder” in the ByWard Market, and aims to provide comfort to people who are homeless or suffering from addictions. 

It is also an attempt to enhance the environment so it is conducive to running a business, with on-call services for business owners. The van is there every day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine, holiday or not. There is also a parallel program that runs around the Shepherds of Good Hope on Murray Street.

“This program is helping a lot of people… And it helps a lot of the merchants,” she says, explaining that they can call the team if someone has had an overdose outside their business.

“There is a lot of difference in the ByWard Market,” she says. “There are less drug users and people sleeping on the sidewalk,” although Racicot says she doesn’t know where they have gone.

Racicot is not sure offhand how many people the program has helped, but she pulls out a notebook in which staff have meticulously marked down for each day how many beverages, snacks, medical, personal hygiene and clothing items have been distributed. 

According to statistics compiled by OICH, from March 2024 to March 2025, the program recorded 3,609 interactions with businesses and 41,257 with community members. There were 1,750 “wake ups,” and 706 people who moved when asked. There were 44 overdose interventions and 3,609 needles and 6,258 pipes picked up. Almost 9,000 people attended the 7-10 a.m. coffee shift, while 382 people received first aid.

On this Saturday in question, I followed two volunteers, Jeff and Bonnie, as they walked the ByWard Market. Block leaders don neon green backpacks with headlamps, latex gloves, kits to collect needles and vials, and cell phones.

We left right at 7 a.m. and followed a predetermined route around the Market. Whenever we saw someone sleeping or lying on the sidewalk, Bonnie or Jeff would call, “Good Morning!” and ask if the person was okay. If they were lying in front of a business, they would ask the person to move along and inform them that the van was there with hot chocolate, coffee and snacks. They don’t want the person to have an encounter with the police, they told me, who could come and move them along with a fine.

For the most part, people responded favourably and seemed happy that they were being shown care and concern. This morning, as it was one of the first truly cold days, there were not a lot of people around, Bonnie and Jeff said.

As we walked, I asked them why they were doing this. Both said they want to help people. 

A young woman in plaid pants, speaking with her words running into one another, approached us and said, “We love you block leaders, thank you for caring about us!”

The first half of the three-hour shift is spent walking around, checking for needles, vials and making sure everyone is okay. On this shift, we found one needle and one vial, but Bonnie says there are usually more. One day, she found 19 needles. If they need extra help, the block leaders can call the paramedics or police, which they say they have to do sometimes if someone has overdosed or is too unruly to interact with. 

Tabitha Morris, program and case management supervisor with Ottawa Inner City Health, says the idea for the program came from community members “who wanted to restore things to the way they were before COVID and the toxic drug crisis, where people generally were kind to each other, watched out for the vulnerable, and were sensitive to their impact on neighbors and businesses,” she told Ottawa Outlook in an email.

The main goal is “to remove barriers for those considered to be ‘the problem’ to enable them to participate in solutions to community safety concerns. This is done through a trauma-informed community development approach that encourages people who are engaged in the social disorder to contribute to making the community better for everyone,” she says. “The strategy is that any sustainable solution must involve those who are considered to be ‘the problem’. 

“It is rooted in concern for community safety and based on a transformative justice approach. The program also promotes recovery,  prepares people for employment, and focuses on restoring values of citizenship.” 

This is one of the keys to the program: the block leaders themselves come from the homeless or drug-addicted community. 

There are over 150 trained block leaders — for both the ByWard Market and the Shepherds of Good Hope — who are supported by four team leaders. Once they find housing and employment, they can no longer take shifts. 

“We have had the wonderful joy of watching members grow through their participation in the program. Many have moved on into housing and employment,” Morris says.

Block leaders receive a $15.00 per hour stipend and also get compassionate training in how to talk to people. (“With a lot of empathy” Bonnie said). They are also trained for what to do if someone is in distress, as well as in conflict resolution and how to administer Narcan. 

Some examples of the questions they are trained to ask include: “You look cold, do you need dry clothes?”; “How long have you been here?”; “Do you have all your IDs?” and “Do you know who your case manager is?”. 

“It is very emotional, very hard to see people sleeping outside,” says Bonnie. 

“It’s tough; you see kids,” Jeff says, wondering how they got on the streets.

Another aim of the program is to encourage people to get a housing case worker if they do not have one, or to stay in touch with them if they do, with the ultimate goal of securing permanent housing. “But the wait list is two years long,” says Bonnie. 

Bonnie knows the challenges all too well. She is currently living in progressive housing at the Richcraft Hope Centre, having overcome drug addiction. She says she is part of the block leaders program because she wants to give back to the community. She also wants to gain experience and build her resume, eventually going back to being a chef, and the program helps her towards these goals. 

Racicot, 67, also has experience with homelessness, having been kicked out of her apartment before moving into the Shepherds of Good Hope. It was there she saw a sign-up sheet for this program, and now, the people she helps call her “Mom.”

“These people need help. They need somewhere they can come and have coffee or snacks,” she said. “I don’t know, I guess I’m too sensitive. I just love to help people. I listen to them and I can sympathize with them. These people have unbelievable stories, what they have been through, from childhood to now.”

As we spoke, a man waved goodbye after having collected some socks and snacks. Racicot paused our conversation and yelled out the window, “Have a good day!”

2,000

That’s how many workers in the public service are using a new job matchmaking service, according to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). About 40,000 jobs are expected to be cut from the federal public service, with many current workers being offered voluntary early retirement packages. 

The tool is available to employees of the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Canada Revenue Agency, Parks Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Read more. [CBC]

A new inter-provincial bridge: A new report produced by the National Capital Commission (NCC) shows there is strong support for a new inter-provincial bridge crossing between Ottawa and Gatineau. 

The current proposal, included in the federal government's 2024 Fall Economic Statement, would connect Ottawa’s Aviation Parkway to Gatineau’s Montée Paiement corridor, crossing the Ottawa River via Kettle Island. 

According to the report that was filled out by over 5,100 respondents, rejecting truck traffic through Ottawa’s downtown core ranked as the highest priority at 38.5 per cent. Another 17.9 per cent hoped for shorter commute times, and 14.2 per cent wanted better transit options. But there were also some concerns. About 25.6 per cent of those surveyed were concerned about how it would add traffic to east-end neighbourhoods. 

The project is also getting mixed reactions from local politicians. Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney has concerns with the price tag and said a ring road should be built instead. But Rideau-Vanier Ward Coun. Stephanie Plante supports the plan. 

Written by Charlie Senack

💉 Canadian Blood Services says they are looking for an influx of donations for the holiday season, particularly plasma donations, which help support patients, including those undergoing cancer treatments or surgeries. Read more. [CTV]

🚔 The draft budget for the Ottawa Police that has been approved by the board would boost base funding for police operations to $414.9 million next year — that’s an increase of $26.1 million — 85 per cent of which will go towards compensation. Read more. [Ottawa Citizen]

📚 School board trustees won’t be returning to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board “anytime soon,” says Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra. Read more. [CTV]

⚖️ A former lawyer for the City of Ottawa who pleaded guilty to vandalizing the National Holocaust Monument earlier this year will be sentenced in court in January. Read more. [Ottawa Citizen]

⚾ Ottawa-Gatineau’s Ela Day-Bédard, 20, has been drafted by a San Francisco team for the brand-new Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL). Read more. [CTV]

Collected by Sarah MacFarlane-Youngdale and Charlie Senack

There’s still plenty of time to enter the #TapCanadian2Win contest, with one draw every week for your chance to win up to $10,000! Simply spend $15 or more at any business within Kanata Central BIA over the next few weeks and upload your qualifying receipts to the contest website. The contest runs until December 14, with weekly draws every Monday. Keep supporting local and submitting those entries! Good luck! Full contest rules at TapCanadian2Win.com.

Troupe Vertigo: Cirque Magique | National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin St | Feb. 19–21 | Stunning cirque acrobatics meet live symphonic favourites in a high-energy, family-friendly performance that transforms Southam Hall into a world of pure spectacle. | Learn more [Sponsored]

Art Lending of Ottawa Art Show | Rent or buy original local art | Saturday, Dec. 13th, 10 am-4 pm | Jim Durrell Recreation Centre, 1265 Walkley Rd | Free admission/parking | Learn more

Kid Koala’s The Storyville Mosquito | National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin St | Now until Dec. 13, various times | A theatrical cinematic experience following a musical mosquito chasing big-city jazz dreams | Tickets

All of My Favourite Things Artisan Market Series | 55 ByWard Market Square | Dec. 13, time varies | Outdoor artisan market showcasing local makers along William Street between George and York | Free

Jingle Jazz | LabO Theatre, 60 Waller St | Dec. 13 | Holiday show blending live jazz, circus acts and seasonal sparkle for all ages | Tickets $42+

Carp Santa Claus Parade | Carp parade route | Dec. 13, 6 pm | Community parade with music, lights, Santa’s arrival and food-bank donations along the route | Free

NAC Orchestra FanFair | National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin St | Dec. 14, 2:30 pm | Festive annual NAC holiday concert featuring classics and family-friendly seasonal favourites | Free

Pique Winter Edition | 10 Daly Ave., Ottawa | Dec. 13, 3–11 pm | Multi-venue arts festival with music, installations, Queertopia ball and experimental performance | Pay what you can (suggested $35-$65)

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The air at TD Place Arena was filled with teddy bears at the Ottawa 67’s game for the annual Teddy Bear Toss game on Sunday. Fans were invited to throw new or gently used stuffed animals — including teddy bears — onto the ice to be donated to various charities and organizations across the city to be given to children over Christmas. [CTV]