Days after the City of Ottawa announced $10.5 million in federal funding to help bring homeless individuals out of the cold, frontline shelter workers have delivered a powerful message to their employer. A supermajority of workers from seven shelters operated by Carefor signed a petition outlining the urgent crisis facing both staff and services.
The number of people experiencing homelessness in Ottawa rose for the third consecutive year in 2024, according to the City’s point-in-time count conducted in October. With increasing demand on shelter services, the system is stretched to its breaking point.
“There’s plenty of discussion about expanding services to address the crisis, and that’s the goal of this new federal funding. But workers are being left out of the conversation,” said Carolyn Saco, a client care worker with 16 years of experience and president of CUPE 5148, which represents approximately 120 Carefor workers.
These workers have been without a contract since 2022. During that time, their wages have lagged behind inflation as the cost of living continues to skyrocket. In a cruel irony, many workers now face the same financial hardships as the vulnerable individuals they support.
“We do the invisible, essential work of caring for our city’s most vulnerable, helping people experiencing homelessness find stability, administering medication, saving lives with Narcan, running harm reduction programs, and protecting women escaping abuse,” said Saco. “But we are in crisis too. Improving services means addressing our needs as workers. We love what we do, but we cannot keep doing it under these conditions.”
This urgency drove 80% of CUPE 5148 members to sign an open letter to Carefor’s board of directors. The letter highlights wage increases Carefor has offered to other groups of workers and calls for similar investment in shelter staff. Despite reasonable proposals and the clear needs of workers, Carefor has refused to offer a fair deal, citing insufficient funding from Ottawa Inner City Health. Meanwhile, Carefor’s senior management has awarded themselves annual salary increases of up to 12%.
“I’m optimistic about the renewed focus on addressing the homelessness crisis and the influx of federal funding, but real change is impossible if frontline workers are not supported,” said Saco. “I am proud of my colleagues for taking a stand and advocating not only for themselves but also for the quality of care that vulnerable people deserve.”
CUPE 5148 members remain hopeful for progress as they prepare to return to the bargaining table with Carefor on January 30.