OCFP reflects on 2025 activities, planning ahead to 2026
On behalf of the Ottawa Community Food Partnership (OCFP), as we look ahead to what’s coming up for 2026, we also want to share this moment to reflect on the critical food security work undertaken by the Partnership across our city in 2025 and beyond.
OCFP continues to bring together community organizations, neighbourhood groups, food-access programs, and City staff (from our role as the lead for the Food Security Pillar Working Group of the City’s Poverty Reduction Strategy) to strengthen the systems that increase access to nutritious, culturally relevant, and affordable food.
Across Ottawa in 2025, demand for food support continued to rise, driven by inflation, record food prices, and persistent affordability challenges. OCFP’s role in coordinating across community partners offering community-led and neighbourhood-based solutions is more critical than ever.
In 2025, Ottawa Community Food Partnership:
Increased from 20 to 27 Partner agencies.
Supported initiatives across the city, including urban, suburban, and rural regions, that improved culturally relevant food access and built stronger social connections between residents.
Provided a consistent space for collective problem-solving, resource sharing, and alignment across partner organizations, through regular meetings and use of a shared online platform for continued discussion. This work continues to reduce duplication of services, streamline communication, and improve data sharing on community needs.
Brought together cross-sector stakeholders, including community-based organizations working with diverse demographics, housing providers and advocates, services and coalitions working with vulnerable populations, and City of Ottawa departments, to strengthen coordination and collective responses to food insecurity.
Became the lead of the Poverty Reduction Strategy’s Food Security Pillar Working Group, and played a pivotal role in convening, facilitating and guiding the work of the various organizations and City staff that are part of it.
Were deeply involved in forming the direction and implementation of the Food Security Symposium, bringing together approximately 150 professionals from community non-profit organizations and City departments to collaborate on identifying solutions to bring forward.
Committed to collaborating with the City on advocacy to other levels of government, as outlined in the motion brought forward by Councillor Carr in 2025.
Participated in the ongoing establishment and formalization of the Emergency Food Security Response Plan with the City of Ottawa.
OCFP is committed to working with City Council and staff to ensure that the City’s food security efforts continue to evolve with growing community needs. The 15% increase in sustainability funding for food security organizations in 2026 is an important step. And, as demand continues to exceed capacity in many neighbourhoods, we look forward to ongoing collaboration to ensure Ottawa’s food security systems are adequately supported.
In 2026, we will continue to:
Foster connections and coordinate collaboration across community organizations addressing food insecurity in order to build capacity to support food security solutions.
Seek diverse representation for participation in OCFP, including from People with Lived and Living Experience (PLLE).
Support implementation and coordination of the Food Security Pillar Working Group.
Participate in the Emergency Food Security Task Force Plan.
Strengthen and elevate neighbourhood-level food access programs.
Improve system navigation and reduce barriers for residents.
Advance coordinated data collection and community insights.
The City’s continued financial support for OCFP is critical to ensure this momentum grows. Thank you for your ongoing collaboration and your commitment to improving food security for all Ottawa residents.
OCFP remains dedicated to supporting a coordinated, city-wide approach that ensures every household can access the food they need.
About Ottawa Community Food Partnership:
OCFP is made up of 28 partner organizations working on food insecurity.
We are composed of 12 core partners that collaborate more regularly and contribute to the main direction of OCFP, and 16 consulted partners that participate as capacity allows. All partners have access to a shared platform to be able to both share and receive information at any time.
About our Core Partners:
Just Food (Stewardship Committee Chair)
Just Food’s mandate is to facilitate food and farming systems change through a community development and collective impact approach. As Chair of OCFP, they provide strategic coordination, a systems lens, and backbone support to the broader food security ecosystem. Their programs including the Community Gardening Network, Savour Ottawa, and Where’s the Food?! strengthen local food access, support local food producers, and build the skills and infrastructure needed for long-term food security in Ottawa.
Parkdale Food Centre (PFC) (member of Stewardship Committee)
PFC is a leader in rights-based, dignity-driven food access in Ottawa. Through innovative programs such as their community kitchen and meal programs, and their Mino’Weesini grocery program, they foster belonging, skills-building, and social change. Their deep experience in community-led food initiatives and scaling collaborative models contributes significantly to OCFP’s efforts to advance systems-level solutions.
Ottawa Coalition of Community Houses (OCCH) (member of Stewardship Committee)
OCCH represents 16 community houses embedded directly in Ottawa’s social-housing neighbourhoods. These houses serve as hyper-local hubs where residents come together around food access, leadership development, and community programming. Their on-the-ground knowledge and direct relationships with residents provide essential insight into neighbourhood needs, ensuring that OCFP’s work is rooted in lived experience.
The Ottawa Child & Youth Initiative (OCYI):
OCYI convenes over 80 cross-sector partners, including community-based frontline programs, school boards, Ottawa Public Health, Ottawa Police Service, and child welfare, focused on children and youth from infancy through adolescence, acknowledging food security as a key factor in child and youth wellbeing.
Rideau Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre (RRCRC)
RRCRC delivers a wide range of community services that address food security, employment, settlement, and youth development. As home to the Good Food Box, they play a critical role in expanding equitable food access across the city. Their community development expertise strengthens OCFP’s coordinated approach to neighbourhood-driven food programs.
Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres (CCHRC)
The CCHRC brings together 14 community health and resource centres across Ottawa, offering integrated health, social, food access, and community development supports. With a shared mandate rooted in equity and upstream solutions, the coalition provides a citywide infrastructure for collaboration. Their involvement ensures OCFP’s work is aligned with broader strategies and reaches diverse communities.
Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard
GEFC provides dignified, choice-based food access to thousands of residents in Ottawa’s east end. Along with distributing nutritious food, they operate programs focused on community connection, resource navigation, and reducing barriers to food access. Their longstanding presence, data insights, and leadership in improving emergency food systems inform OCFP’s shared priorities and advocacy efforts.
Ottawa Coalition to end Violence Against Women (OCTEVAW)
OCTEVAW brings a gender-based and intersectional lens to OCFP, ensuring that the links between food insecurity, safety, housing, and violence prevention are fully understood. They advocate for trauma-informed, violence-aware approaches to this work. Their expertise strengthens OCFP’s efforts to integrate safety considerations into program design and citywide policy recommendations.
Community Development Framework (CDF)
The CDF supports resident-led initiatives in Ottawa’s priority neighbourhoods by connecting communities, service providers, and City partners. Their collaborative model helps neighbourhoods identify priorities and build local leadership, with food security consistently being one of the top identified concerns. Through CDF, OCFP gains valuable insight into neighbourhood contexts and pathways for strengthening resident-driven food solutions.
Ottawa Food Bank
The Ottawa Food Bank provides logistical capacity, food procurement, and distribution infrastructure that supports more than 100 community food programs across the city. Their data, network reach, and operational expertise contribute to OCFP’s coordinated efforts to address rising demand, improve food quality, and advocate for long-term investment into food security solutions at all levels of government.
Meals on Wheels / La Popote roulante - Ottawa
Meals on Wheels provides nutritious, affordable meals to seniors, adults with disabilities, and individuals recovering from illness, ensuring that vulnerable residents can remain at home safely. Their deep understanding of nutrition, volunteer mobilization, and the needs of isolated adults adds an important dimension to OCFP’s cross-sector approach to food security and health.
Foodeliver Ottawa
Foodeliver reduces food insecurity for newcomer families by partnering with farms, grocery stores, restaurants, and community organizations to rescue high-quality surplus food. Foodeliver turns potential waste into fresh, nutritious deliveries that reach families who face barriers accessing traditional food supports. Their practical insights into accessibility and logistics help strengthen OCFP’s citywide coordination.
To read more about our Core & Consulted Partners, please visit ottawacommunityfoodpartnership.ca/partners
