REALTORS® Lend a Hand to Ottawa Community Housing at CREA’s PAC Days
REALTORS® from across Canada wrapped up the Canadian Real Estate Association’s (CREA’s) PAC Days 2026 with an afternoon of hands-on volunteering alongside Ottawa Community Housing (OCH). As part of CREA’s REALTORS Care® Day, 38 volunteers made their way to OCH’s MacLaren Towers in downtown Ottawa, where they helped brighten up shared spaces and deliver everyday essentials to local tenants.
OCH is Ottawa’s largest community housing provider, providing homes to approximately 34,000 community members across the city. In addition to providing affordable housing, OCH connects tenants with a social support network that helps them live with greater stability.
MacLaren Towers includes 251 units, with 41 bachelor apartments, 209 one-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment. The building is home to tenants of diverse ages and backgrounds, some of whom face challenges accessing necessities, securing employment or navigating mental health challenges. These circumstances highlight the importance of stable housing and access to support that can help residents meet their everyday needs and work toward greater stability.
“We’ve had a busy last of couple advocating for our policies on Parliament Hill, and now we’re putting that into action by giving back to the community,” said Garry Bhaura, Chair of CREA’s Board of Directors. “REALTORS® are community builders, and when we give back, we’re helping strengthen the communities we serve.”
Volunteers spent the afternoon applying a fresh coat of paint, helping brighten up the spaces that MacLaren Towers tenants call home.
While painting was underway, other volunteers supported the OCH Foundation’s Tomorrow Ready program, packing 600 hygiene kits containing toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, deodorant wipes, shampoo and conditioner, lip balm, soap and a comb. Volunteers then distributed the kits at MacLaren Towers and OCH’s nearby Somerset Street apartment building, ensuring that residents had access to essentials they may otherwise go without.
“The Tomorrow Ready Program fills in the gap between what food banks and other community supports provide, delivering essential items based off of what the community requests,” said Taha Tariq, Senior Program Coordinator at the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation. “It’s really inspiring to have REALTORS® from across Canada who are active members of their own communities come to make a difference in the tenants’ lives while they’re here in Ottawa.”
The afternoon was a meaningful way to build on the advocacy of the previous two days, giving participants another opportunity to act on their shared commitment to housing and community. By supporting OCH and hearing directly from its team, volunteers gained a closer look at the role community housing plays in providing affordable homes and greater stability for tens of thousands of people in Ottawa.
“Volunteerism is always important, especially when we’re able to use our relationships being built with colleagues from across the across the country to make a difference in our communities,” said Kim Heizmann, a Vernon, B.C.-based REALTOR® and salesperson with Oakwyn Realty Ltd. “I really hope that our impact here today brings the tenants a smile, pride in where they live, and helps them feel loved and accepted.”
