REALTORS® Wrap Up CREA’s 40th Annual PAC Days by Making a Difference in Ottawa’s Lowertown Community

Organized in partnership with OCH, 43 volunteers worked to rejuvenate the organization’s  vital community house, serving more than 2,000 Lowertown residents. efforts that will directly improve the daily experience for local families and individuals relying on these resources.

“Rolling up our sleeves and helping some of Ottawa’s most vulnerable to close out our 40^th annual CREA PAC Days is extremely rewarding,” said Valérie Paquin, Chair of the Canadian Real Estate Association. “REALTORS® across Canada are active in their communities, making a positive impact locally year-round. Working with Ottawa Community Housing on this project reminds us that everyone deserves a safe place to call home.”

The upgrades made in the kitchen will offer community members currently living in shelters or hotels, as they await permanent housing, a place to cook a meal for themselves.  Fresh paint and new toys will help create a more welcoming, engaging environment for children in the community house’s intervention room, while new reception furniture and equipment will help LCRC staff better serve clients who access the house daily.

“Returning the community house to top shape is a high priority. The kitchen overhaul and building refresh will help us provide a warm, welcoming, reliable and well-equipped space to local residents, including single-parent families living in a motel-shelter, so that they can cook, do laundry, learn skills and socialize with their neighbours,” explained Matt Beutel, Executive Director, Lowertown Community Resource Centre.

As Ottawa’s largest community housing provider, OCH supports approximately 33,000 tenants across the city and partners with organizations like LCRC to help residents access essential programs and supports. The LCRC provides bilingual services, social programs, and necessities to individuals and families, helping build stability, connection, and dignity for those navigating housing and financial insecurity.

“Community Houses are the heartbeat of OCH neighbourhoods. They make a difference in the lives of OCH residents every day. I want to thank CREA volunteers for their willingness to put their advocacy into action. This is their second-year volunteering with OCH on large scale projects—benefiting thousands of tenants,” said Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive Officer, Ottawa Community Housing.

Before heading to the site, REALTORS® gathered at the Westin Ottawa for an orientation session, where they learned about OCH’s work, the impact of the day’s volunteer activities, and how they could bring these lessons back to their home communities.

Reflecting on the day’s volunteer activities, Kandice Henry, a REALTOR® from Brampton, Ontario, and recipient of the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award 2025, stated: “I think it’s important for REALTORS® to come together and give back like this because we can make a much bigger impact when we work as a team. We’re all here today from different parts of the country but working toward the same goal of helping improve the Ottawa community, just like we do in our own communities back home.”

CREA’s REALTORS Care® Day reflects REALTORS®’ ongoing commitment to supporting the communities they serve across Canada, showing that together, they can make a difference that extends far beyond real estate.