Across Ottawa, employers continue to face workforce shortages in industries ranging from hospitality to the skilled trades. At the same time, many individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, addiction or other barriers to employment are searching for opportunities to rebuild their lives through meaningful work.
Addressing both challenges requires more than job postings. It requires training, mentorship, practical experience and strong partnerships between the business and non-profit sectors.
Helping individuals gain skills, confidence and experience
For more than six years, RBC has helped make that possible through its support of The Ottawa Mission’s employment-focused programs. With its recent gift of $200,000, RBC has now contributed more than $500,000 to Mission initiatives since 2019, supporting workforce development programs that help individuals gain the skills, confidence and experience needed to secure stable employment.
Among those initiatives is The Ottawa Mission’s Food Services Training Program (FSTP), a nationally recognized culinary training program that has transformed lives for more than two decades. Since launching in 2004 the program has graduated more than 500 participants, with approximately 90 per cent of graduates securing employment upon completion.
Recognizing a growing demand in skilled trades and property maintenance, The Ottawa Mission also launched its Maintenance Services Training Program (MSTP) in 2025. The program prepares participants for careers in facilities management, building maintenance and related trades through classroom instruction, hands-on learning and workplace placements. To date, the program – also supported by RBC – has achieved a 100 per cent employment rate among graduates.
Transforming lives through access to opportunity
But behind these statistics are individuals whose lives have been transformed through access to opportunity.
A recent FSTP graduate, Mark, understands the power of a second chance. Raised in a stable family in Montreal, he became involved in crime as a young adult and spent time incarcerated for drug trafficking. While working in a penitentiary kitchen, preparing meals for hundreds of people each day, he discovered a passion for food and hospitality that would ultimately change the course of his life.
After his release, Mark was referred to The Ottawa Mission’s Food Services Training Program through the Correctional Service of Canada. There, he gained not only culinary skills, but also confidence, discipline and a renewed sense of purpose. Today, he is pursuing employment in the culinary industry while working to build a stable future for himself and his children.
Mark’s experience reflects that of many participants who enter The Mission’s training programs while facing challenges such as homelessness, addiction recovery, involvement with the justice system, financial instability, language barriers or interrupted education. Beyond technical training, the programs provide the mentorship, support and stability needed to help participants succeed long-term.
RBC’s support extends beyond just funding. In recent years, RBC employees have provided financial literacy training to participants in both programs, helping students develop practical skills in budgeting, banking, credit management and financial planning.
RBC has also supported a mentorship initiative that connects graduates with current students, creating opportunities for guidance and peer support as participants prepare to enter the workforce.
“These aren’t just skills classes – they’re life-changers,” says RBC’s Director of Commercial Financial Services Yasser Ghazi. “Watching these graduates step into their next chapter, ready for work and ready to rebuild, is a reminder of why RBC invests in the people and communities that make Ottawa stronger.”
The impact of these programs also extends beyond individual participants. Ottawa employers gain access to trained, motivated workers who have demonstrated resilience, commitment and a willingness to learn.
“The success of our training programs demonstrates what is possible when people are given the opportunity, support, and tools they need to succeed,” says The Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley. “Employment provides more than a paycheque. It provides confidence, purpose, stability and a pathway forward. This is how you end homelessness, and we couldn’t do it without partners like RBC.”
Demonstrating the role of business in strengthening communities
The partnership between RBC and The Ottawa Mission demonstrates the important role businesses can play in strengthening communities. By investing in workforce development, financial literacy and mentorship, organizations can create opportunities for individuals while contributing to a stronger local economy.
As Ottawa continues to address labour market challenges and rising housing insecurity, partnerships that connect untapped talent with meaningful employment opportunities will remain an important part of the solution.
Through collaboration between the business and non-profit sectors, individuals can gain the skills needed to build new futures, employers gain access to motivated workers, and the community as a whole becomes stronger and more resilient.
