The Social Planning Council of Ottawa was created in 1928 by local churches and community groups in order to respond to the then acute socio-economic problems looming as a result of the great depression. Since then, the Social Planning Council has been a place where many ideas took form, including
- United Way (Community Chest)
- ParaTranspo
- Ottawa Volunteer Centre
- Community Information Centre
- Council on Aging
Today, the SPC uses modern research and communication methods and works with Ottawa's social agencies, concerned residents and decision-makers to understand and advocate the social needs of our city. The SPC is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, charitable organization run by an elected Board of Directors.
Mission
Our mission is to provide the residents of Ottawa with the means to exercise informed leadership on issues affecting their social and economic wellbeing.
We value
- The pursuit of social justice and the reduction of inequality
- Volunteerism
- Active involvement of those most directly affected by issues
- The coming together of individuals and diverse groups in the community
- Leadership, professionalism and the quality of our work
- Collaboration and partnerships
Our Vision is to achieve our mandate through:
- Identifying and analyzing the social needs in the community
- Providing leadership in planning and establish priorities for meeting the identified needs
- Monitoring and evaluating changes in the policy and resource environment
- Encouraging informed involvement by our members and the wider public in critical social issues
- Encouraging and enabling social service organizations to respond to change
- Taking an active advocacy role on social and economic policy
- Influencing decision-makers by making them aware of the need for and consequences of social and economic policies.
Board of Directors
2023-2024
Suresh Kumar
President
Claudine Mitchell
Vice-President
Chandra Hapuarachchi
Treasurer
Khaled Nizami
Executive Member-at-Large
Lise Hebabi
Past-President
Graeme Edgar
Wendy Tang
Howard Cohen
Dianne Urquhart
Marie Muir
Suresh Kumar
Ainalem Tebeje
Our Staff
Salma Dirie
Program Evaluator salmad@spcottawa.on.ca
Tahseen Ali
Resources Development Lead tahseen@spcottawa.on.ca
Eliakim Hawi
TRAC Social Enterprise Coordinator eliakim@spcottawa.on.ca
Eduardo Gonzalez
Data Analyst
eduardogp@spcottawa.on.ca
Ben Bergeron
Manager, Hot Shoe Productions info@hotshoe.ca
Wendell Louis
Digital Literacy Connector office@spcottawa.on.ca
Sarah Khalid
Health Services Researcher
nombusom@spcottawa.on.ca
Stefka Patchova
Data and Geographic Information System Manager stefkap@spcottawa.on.ca
Reuben Nashali
Executive Coordinator
reuben@spcottawa.on.ca
Shireen faza
Co-ordinator, Ethno-cultural Seniors Project shireen@spcottawa.on.ca
Both Gakah
Youth Employment Co-ordinator bothg@spcottawa.on.ca
Prayash Khanal
Manager, Effective Measures prayash@spcottawa.on.ca
Somayeh Momen Zadeh
Office Manager
somayehm@spcottawa.on.ca