City of Ottawa buys former nunnery for $11M to create transitional housing for newcomers

An Orléans property that once belonged to a religious order is now in the City of Ottawa's hands.

An Orléans property that once belonged to a religious order is now in the City of Ottawa's hands.

The city announced Tuesday that it had completed the purchase of 1754 St. Joseph Blvd. from the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa in order to provide transitional housing for newcomers to Canada.

The 26-acre property is located at the intersection of St. Joseph Boulevard and Forest Valley Drive, approximately 15 kilometres east of downtown Ottawa. The grounds are surrounded by trees, with Maison Notre-Dame-de-la-Providence sitting in the middle.

City staff say the building’s layout will make it easy to offer onsite social services and programming, resulting in better outcomes for clients and quicker transitions to long-term and permanent housing.

"With the transfer of ownership to the City, this acquisition will reduce reliance on Physical Distancing Emergency Overflow Centres, which are currently in City-owned recreation facilities," the City said in a news release.

The City says it paid just over $11 million for the property after councillors approved the plan in July. A report prepared for council said the acquisition will be funded through the federal government's Interim Housing Assistance Program.