Celebrate diversity, belonging, and the contributions of newcomers to Ottawa’s past, present, and future.

Ottawa, June 23, 2026 – Welcoming Ottawa Week (WOW) 2026 officially launched yesterday with a breakfast reception co-hosted by the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP) and Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. Now in its twelfth year, WOW will run from June 22 to 30 and features over 50 free events in English, French and other languages across Ottawa and Lanark-Renfrew counties that celebrate our growing diversity and inclusive spirit.

This year’s WOW coincides with Ottawa’s 200th anniversary, celebrated under the theme “200 Years: One Ottawa – Many Stories.” The WOW 2026 launch event featured a panel discussion that underscored our collective commitment to elevating newcomer voices as an integral part of Ottawa’s history, identity, and future. Drawing on their own lived experiences as immigrants, panelists reflected on the journeys of settlement, belonging, and leadership that have shaped their contributions to the community. Their stories highlighted the vital role newcomers play in building strong, vibrant, and inclusive communities, while reinforcing the importance of connection, collaboration, and shared responsibility in creating a more equitable and welcoming Canada. The discussion served as a powerful reminder that when communities come together, their collective impact extends far beyond the sum of individual efforts.

A cornerstone of WOW is the Welcoming Ottawa Ambassadors Award, which honours residents who have made a meaningful difference in the lives of newcomers. Each year, immigrants nominate individuals who have shown exceptional kindness, generosity, and support. The 2026 recipients—five extraordinary local residents—were recognized by Mayor Sutcliffe during the launch. Their inspiring stories can be found on the WOW website.

Two outgoing OLIP leaders and community leaders were recognized for their tremendous contributions to OLIP’s work and their leadership in making Ottawa a welcoming community.

Kelli Toner, Executive Director of South-east Ottawa Community Health Centre and Co-Chair of OLIP’s Health and Well-Being Sector Table, was recognized for her dedication to ensuring that healthcare and social systems are truly responsive to the immediate, everyday needs of newcomers.

Saint-Phard Desir, former Executive Director of CESOC and Member of the OLIP Executive Committee, was recognized for his leadership in bridging grassroots community realities with high-level systemic planning.

OLIP Executive Director Magdalene Cooman congratulated the five award recipients, noting that while they are being formally celebrated, many Ottawa residents demonstrate the same spirit of welcome every day. Cooman expressed her deep gratitude to community members, settlement organizations, and partners whose everyday efforts help make Ottawa a welcoming and inclusive home for newcomers.

Reflecting on recent cuts to settlement funding and global migration headwinds facing the sector, Cooman issued a powerful call to action for systemic change:

“Individual hospitality is a beautiful spark. However, to keep everyone warm, we must build a systemic, structural fire. To sustain an Ottawa where newcomers are welcomed in every single way, we must ensure collectively that our infrastructure, strategies, and shared visions are tightly woven into the very fabric of our city, so that the next person arriving doesn’t have to wait years to feel that they completely belong.”

To realize this vision, Cooman outlined three vital strategic priorities for OLIP moving forward:

• Strengthening Collaborative Governance: Deepening multi-sector integration across OLIP’s Partnership Council and Sector Tables.
• Launching a Collaborative Research Network: Partnering with local universities to protect evidence-based planning and data collection despite recent research funding cuts.
• Scaling Systemic Equity: Expanding Equity Ottawa to embed anti-racism and structural inclusion into standard operating procedures city-wide.

WOW brings together newcomers and long-time residents to foster connections, celebrate diversity, and showcase the many cultures that help Ottawa thrive. The 2026 program features a wide range of activities for all ages and interests, including cultural celebrations, community fairs, sports tournaments, career development workshops, entrepreneurship events, wellness activities, family-friendly programming, guided neighbourhood tours, and much more. For the full schedule, please visit the WOW calendar.

Background

WOW is an annual series of free events and activities such as dialogues and town halls, cultural and celebratory activities, sporting events, documentary screenings, guided tours, storytelling sessions, book launches, food tastings, and other fun and engaging events intended to convey Ottawa’s genuine welcome and solidarity to newcomers.

The first WOW was held in June 2013 when the Ottawa Mayor proclaimed the last week of June of every year to be Welcoming Ottawa Week, a time when Ottawa residents would express their genuine welcome to newcomers.

In 2014, WOW was recognized by the federal government as a best practice initiative in forging a welcoming city. As a result of this recognition and thanks to the success and growth of WOW, the model has been replicated in several Canadian cities. In 2022, WOW expanded to neighboring communities in Lanark-Renfrew.  The growth of WOW is testament to Ottawa’s increasing capacity and commitment to attract and integrate immigrants.

WOW is presented by Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP), a partnership of over 80 organizations working together across five sectors to build Ottawa’s capacity to attract and integrate immigrants. OLIP was co-founded by the City of Ottawa and Local Agencies Serving Immigrants (LASI), in October 2009. The Partnership is funded primarily by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). 

For interviews and more details please contact:
Jean-Pierre Niyitanga
Communications and Events Officer
jean-pierre@olip-plio.ca
613-367-5494