Celebrating the 2022 ONPHA Award Winners
The ONPHA Awards recognize the outstanding contributions of those who are working to create safe, secure, and affordable housing for all. From innovative projects to inspiring leadership, the awards celebrate the individuals and organizations who are making a positive impact in their communities.
Last year, we had the honour of celebrating our 2022 ONPHA Award winners at the Annual Conference in Toronto. Their work is transforming lives and helping to build strong communities, and we are proud to recognize their amazing contributions to the sector.
Award for Excellence winner – Crescent Village Housing Corporation
Crescent Village cultivates a thriving, diverse, and inclusive community with 170 homes in Richmond Hill.
The team goes above and beyond the housing mandate to support residents with programs that nurture their souls, promote well-being, and foster educational growth. They expertly find new ways to leverage financial support and community partnerships to improve the lives of their tenants.
This means they can offer programs at least 6 days a week throughout the year, including IT classes for seniors, social events that attract over 100 tenants at a time, and after-school programs for marginalized children and youth.
Crescent Village’s commitment to the wellbeing of its tenants and communities, and its work advocating for the expansion of community housing, has been invaluable to our sector.
ONPHA is happy to honour Crescent Village Housing Corporation, with its 2022 Award for Excellence. Watch the video to learn more about Crescent Village Housing Corporation.
ONPHA Innovation Award winner – LOFT’s Back-to-Home
LOFT’s Back-to-Home initiative represents the next evolution of specialized supportive housing.
Built on years of learning, this innovative model allows people with complex needs to live with dignity as they transition from the hospital to permanent housing and reintegrate into the community.
It focuses on supporting the increasing number of people who fall through the cracks of our system, ending up stuck in the hospital or left without the right housing and supports.
The collaborative, people-centered approach supports a person’s full journey from hospital, to specialized transitional program, and then to permanent housing that fits their needs. This helps to improve patient flow at hospitals and reduce Alternate Level of Care rates and waitlists.
First piloted in Kingston, the Back-to-home model is now being replicated in Orillia, Barrie, and Penetanguishene.
We’re pleased to honour LOFT Community Services with the 2022 ONPHA Innovation Award for its Back-to-Home project.
To gain more insight into LOFT’s Back-to-Home program, watch the video.
Sybil Frenette Outstanding Leadership Award winner – Stéphane Giguère
Stéphane skillfully leads an award-winning organization. As the largest affordable housing landlord in the National Capital Region, Ottawa Community Housing impacts the lives of 32,000 residents in 15,000 homes.
During his tenure, Stéphane has championed transformational change for Ottawa’s public housing. He positioned the Corporation to secure an excess of $700 million in new investments, and over $1.5 billion in commitments towards modern housing developments and capital repairs.
His leadership is defined by a passion for people, tirelessly serving the communities where tenants live, work and play. He continues to be involved in some of the most challenging policy and budgeting decisions in the City of Ottawa, pushing for economic development and fiscal diligence to address the diverse and growing needs of these communities.
His strategic leadership, business acumen, and passion for client services make him an outstanding example of leadership in the affordable housing sector.
ONPHA is happy to honour Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive Officer of Ottawa Community Housing Corporation with its 2022 Sybil Frenette Award for Outstanding Leadership.
Watch the video to learn more about Stéphane’s impact on the sector.
ONPHA’s Tenant Achievement Award – South Mountain Planning Team (Hamilton East Kiwanis Non-Profit Homes)
The South Mountain Planning Team, supported by Hamilton East Kiwanis Non-Profit Homes, have a motto that they live out every day: “Love Where You Live.”
The team was created six years ago to help improve community safety and open up more opportunities for neighborhood integration.
Their impact reaches far beyond the doors of Kiwanis Homes, extending into the broader community. The team coordinates and organizes events that bring the entire neighborhood together.
They actively identify service delivery gaps, and work with local groups and services to bolster support. They’ve helped bring new programs into their community, such as Income Tax Clinics, the Boys and Girls Club, and Adopt a Park.
Even during the challenges of the past few years, the group continued to live out their mandate, finding more ways to make their community a better place to live.
ONPHA is pleased to honour the South Mountain Planning Team (Hamilton East Kiwanis Non-Profit Homes) with its 2022 Tenant Achievement Award.
Our Lifetime of Service Award recipients who are retiring after 20 or more years of experience in the community housing sector:
| Bob McKinnell Executive Director (Retired) Stoney Creek Community Homes Inc. 30+ Years of Service John Osczypko Executive Director Gateway Residential & Community Support Services of Niagara 50 Years of Service Robert Tate Director Barrhaven Non-Profit Housing Inc. (BNPHI) 27 Years of Service Jim Steele CEO Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation 40 Years of Service Ken Drolet Director Barrhaven Non-Profit Housing Inc. (BNPHI) 29 Years of Service Robert W. Walker Treasurer Owen Sound Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation 36 Years of Service |
