Ottawa Construction News staff writer
Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) and the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa have broken ground on Odayanhaway, a new $22-million, 66-unit Indigenous-led affordable housing development in west Ottawa.
Community members, Elders, municipal leaders, and project partners gathered Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, at 30 Cleary Ave. to mark the ceremonial start of the six-storey residential project, whose name translates to “Little Village”.
The building is being constructed on land donated by the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. Once completed, it will be owned and operated by OAHS—Ontario’s largest Indigenous-led non-profit housing provider—offering a mix of below-market and deeply affordable rental units designed to provide safe and culturally appropriate housing for Indigenous individuals and families.
The project team includes:
- Architect: Figurr Architects Collective
- Construction manager: Ed Brunet and Associates Canada Inc.
- Development management: Theia Group (Theia Partners)
Construction on the $22-million building is scheduled to begin in November 2026, with an estimated completion target of April 2029.
Odayanhaway forms the first phase of a broader master-planned community on the congregation’s campus that will ultimately deliver approximately 229 rental homes to Ottawa. The site is designed around sustainable, transit-oriented development principles, located adjacent to the future Stage 2 O-Train LRT network along the Ottawa River corridor.
During the ceremony, Anita Vandenbeld, Member of Parliament for Ottawa West—Nepean, highlighted federal investments supporting the initiative, including approximately $27 million from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and an additional $1.6 million from the Affordable Housing Innovation Fund.
“Our government is committed to helping communities develop local solutions to housing challenges,” Vandenbeld said. “The Indigenous-Led Housing project we are highlighting today will make a real difference for the people here in Ottawa. Each project like this brings us closer to the country we want to build—a country where everyone has access to a safe and affordable home”.
Project leaders emphasized the unique collaboration among faith, non-profit, and private sectors.
“We are thrilled to celebrate our first development in Ottawa and the unique partnership we have developed to bring the vision of the local community to life,” said OAHS CEO Justin Lewis.. “Odayanhaway is a reflection of what is possible when organizations, such as ours and the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, come together with a shared vision and a commitment to reconciliation”.
Mary Ella Keblusek, president of the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, noted that the project represents a tangible realization of social commitments.
“This project shows what reconciliation looks like in action. Not just words, but homes, relationships, and a genuine commitment to walking alongside Indigenous communities,” Keblusek said. “We at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa are proud to be part of this work, and this building represents an opportunity for Indigenous people to access affordable housing and thrive in community”.
The outdoor ceremony opened with a traditional Water and Cedar Ceremony led by Elder Irene Compton, followed by an Inuit Qulliq (oil lamp) Lighting Ceremony conducted by Elder Reepah Carlton.
The celebration also featured traditional hand drumming, First Nations drumming by the Ottawa River Singers, Jingle Dress dancing and Métis jigging.
