Family Shelters in Ottawa

Listings verified October 2026 against the Ontario Resource Directory.

Need a bed for your family tonight?

Call 3-1-1 — the City of Ottawa’s shelter intake line, answered 24 hours a day. Tell them you have children with you and they will place your family together, in a family shelter or — when shelters are full — in a motel room paid for by the City. Outside Ottawa’s 613 area, call 1-866-261-9799 (toll-free).

Call 3-1-1 — family shelter placement in Ottawa, 24/7. Families are never separated.
Call 2-1-1 — information on drop-ins, food banks, clothing and community services for families (24/7, free).
Call or text 9-8-8 — Suicide Crisis Helpline, anywhere in Canada (24/7, free).
Call 9-1-1 — if anyone is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical help.

Family shelters — full list

Every family shelter in Ottawa, from the Ontario Resource Directory. Family shelters are placed through 3-1-1 — call to be matched to the right shelter with space.

Shelter	Who it serves	Phone	Address
City of Ottawa — Family Shelter System (placement by phone)	Families with children	3-1-1 (24/7)	Placement by phone — call 3-1-1	Family Shelter (City of Ottawa)	Families with children	3-1-1 (24/7)	Placement by phone — call 3-1-1	Interval House of Ottawa	Women and children fleeing violence	613-234-8511	Confidential location — call first	Nelson House of Ottawa-Carleton	Women and children fleeing violence	613-225-0533	Confidential location — call first	Chrysalis House (Western Ottawa)	Women and children fleeing violence	613-591-5901	Confidential location — call first	Maison d’amitié	Francophone women and children fleeing violence	613-747-0020	Confidential location — call first	Oshki Kizis Lodge — Minwaashin Lodge	Indigenous women and children	613-741-5590	Confidential location — call first	Sakeenah Canada — Ottawa	Muslim women and children	1-888-671-3446 ext. 120	Confidential location — call first	St. Mary’s Home — Young Parent Outreach Centre	Young parents and their children	613-749-2491	780 de l’Église St, Ottawa, ON	Matthew House Ottawa	Refugee claimants, including families	613-680-3376	Ottawa, ON — call for intake	YMCA — Transitional Family Housing for Newcomers	Newcomer families	613-237-1320 ext. 5058	Ottawa, ON — call for intake	Catholic Centre for Immigrants — Reception House	Newcomer families (men’s stream; families referred)	613-232-9634	219 Argyle Ave, Ottawa, ON

Looking for services beyond Ottawa? The Ontario Resource Directory lists 6,000+ verified shelters, food banks, housing help and support services in every Ontario community.

How family shelter intake works

When you call 3-1-1, an intake specialist will ask about your family — how many children, their ages, any health or safety needs — and place you together: you will not be separated from your children. If the family shelter is full, the City places families in motel rooms it pays for — still together, still free. There is no fee, no referral and no appointment needed.

What to bring

Medication — for you and your children, if any.
ID — helpful but not required. You will not be turned away for lacking ID.
A change of clothes and diapers/formula — if you have infants or toddlers.
A phone charger — so you can stay in contact with 3-1-1 and your worker.

Come as you are if you can’t bring anything — none of it is required to be sheltered.

Shelters for women fleeing violence

If you are fleeing domestic violence, Ottawa’s VAW (violence against women) shelters — Interval House, Nelson House, Chrysalis House, Maison d’amitié, Oshki Kizis Lodge — take mothers with their children. Their locations are confidential; call first and staff will arrange your arrival safely. In immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

Young parents

St. Mary’s Home (613-749-2491, 780 de l’Église St) supports young parents and their children with housing help, parenting programs and a young parent outreach centre. See also the full list of emergency housing and shelters in Ottawa.

Newcomer and refugee families

Matthew House Ottawa (613-680-3376) houses refugee claimant families; the YMCA’s transitional family housing (613-237-1320 ext. 5058) and Catholic Centre for Immigrants Reception House (613-232-9634) also serve newcomer families. Sakeenah Canada (1-888-671-3446 ext. 120) serves Muslim women and children. More settlement services are in the Ontario Resource Directory.

What comes next

A family shelter bed is the first step, not the last. Shelter staff and housing workers can help you apply to the Social Housing Registry waiting list — and connect you with income supports, child care and community services. Search housing help across Ontario in the Ontario Resource Directory, and find crisis helplines if your family needs someone to talk to.

Frequently asked questions

Will my family be placed together?

Yes. Ottawa’s family shelter system places families together — parents and children stay in the same unit. Families are never separated by gender the way single-adult shelters are.

How do I get a family shelter bed tonight?

Call 3-1-1, the City of Ottawa’s 24/7 shelter intake line (toll-free 1-866-261-9799). Tell them you have children with you. You can also walk in to a shelter, but calling first means you are sent where space is open.

Is family shelter free?

Yes. Emergency family shelter beds — and motel placements when shelters are full — are free. There is no charge to stay.

Do I need ID or a referral?

No. You do not need ID, a referral or an appointment. Bring ID and medication if you have them, but lacking them will not keep your family out.

What if the family shelter is full?

Call 3-1-1 anyway. When the family shelter is full, the City places families in motel rooms it pays for — your family stays together, at no cost to you.

I’m fleeing violence with my children. Where do I go?

Call Interval House (613-234-8511), Nelson House (613-225-0533), Chrysalis House (613-591-5901) or Maison d’amitié (613-747-0020). They take mothers with children and keep their locations confidential for safety. In immediate danger, call 9-1-1.