City of Ottawa, Housing Services
A written instruction to the shelter operator to keep the records of 10 August, and the clause of the contract on records.
The letter ·
Re: Re: 1754 St. Joseph Boulevard — preservation of the video and access records of 10 August
Hello Katie,
Thank you for confirming the three questions. On the fourth, about the footage, here is the answer and what follows from it.
The Program Manager replied on 24 August 2026. On records he wrote one sentence: "Relevant records associated with this matter have been retained pending completion of the review."
That sentence does not do what preservation has to do. Retention is tied to an internal review, and the operator sets the date that review ends. No records are named in it. The footage of 10 August between 2:30 and 4:00 in the afternoon is not covered, from the computer room or from the corridor. Neither is the access log for that day. Camera systems overwrite on a cycle of 2 to 4 weeks, and the events are now 30 days old.
I filed an Application under section 34 of the Human Rights Code on 29 August 2026 against the Catholic Centre for Immigrants Ottawa. I have a file number, 2026-68783-I, opened on 1 September 2026. That footage is evidence in a live proceeding, and destroying it after written notice is spoliation.
On ownership of the equipment. The City owns the building, funds the program, and contracts you to oversee the site. The operator holds the recordings because the City placed the operator in the building. My question is not who owns the cameras. It is what the City requires of an operator holding records of an incident on a City site.
I require three things.
Direct the operator in writing to preserve the footage of 10 August 2026 and the access log for that day. Preservation runs until the Tribunal decides file 2026-68783-I. Send me a copy of that direction.
Identify the provision of the City's agreement, standard or directive that governs records of incidents at a funded site, and provide the text of it.
If the City holds that it has no authority over the operator's handling of records at a City-owned site, state that in writing. That answer goes to the Ombudsman of Ontario and to the Tribunal.
Respectfully,
Danilo Dzyuban
The answer ·
Hello Danilo,
Thank you for contacting the City of Ottawa with your inquiries. I am a Program Coordinator with the City's Homelessness Programs and Funding Unit, and the Catholic Centre for Immigrants (CCI) St. Joseph site falls within my contract portfolio.
I can confirm that I am reviewing the matters you raised and will be looking into responses to the following questions:1. What are the City's requirements regarding residents' religious practices in the common areas of a City-owned site?
2. Are there any City standards, agreements, or directives that govern this matter, and if so, could you provide copies of the applicable provisions?
3. How does the City address complaints from residents regarding the conduct of an operator, and who is responsible for making a determination on such complaints?With respect to the camera footage, although the site is City-owned, the camera equipment and surveillance system are the property of the Catholic Centre for Immigrants. Could you please confirm whether you received a response from the Program Manager regarding the request for footage that you submitted directly to the agency?
Thank you, and I will follow up once I have gathered the relevant information regarding your inquiries.Katie Sanders, RSW
Program Coordinator, Parnterships & Funding | Coordinateur de programme, Partenariats & FinancementHomelessness Programs & Funding Unit│Unite des programmes et du financement pour la lutte contre l’intinerance
The answer ·
Hello Danilo,
Thank you for your response and for providing the Program Manager's reply regarding your request for the video recording.
With respect to your other inquiries, while the City owns the property, the daily operations of the site fall under the responsibility of Catholic Centre for Immigrants (CCI). These operations must comply with the Ottawa Transitional Housing Program Standards (OTHPS), which are attached for your review.
When a complaint is submitted to the City of Ottawa regarding a service provider, it is reviewed and investigated by the appropriate City staff member, depending on the nature of the concern. The complainant is notified when the complaint has been received and advised that an investigation will be undertaken. They are also informed once the investigation has been completed.
I can confirm that the (CCI) has advised that its camera system can record and that footage from the computer room on August 10, 2026, between 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. has been preserved. As requested, I have attached the email correspondence confirming this information.
As noted previously, the OTHPS outlines the City's standards and requirements regarding incident documentation at funded sites. In particular, Section 12.2.2 addresses the maintenance of operational logs and records of incidents. For your convenience, the relevant standards have been included in the attached document.
I am hopeful this provides the clarity you were looking forward including confirmation that the video footage has been secured.
Thank you,
The answer ·
Hello Danilo,
I am writing to inform you that your complaint was received by the City of Ottawa through an email sent to me on September 14, 2026. I can confirm that I have been assigned as the investigator for this matter.
The investigation is scheduled to be completed by October 3, 2026. As this falls on a non-business day, the target completion date will instead be October 2, 2026.
To assist with the investigation, I would like to speak with you regarding your account of the events that occurred in the computer room on August 10, 2026. We can arrange this discussion by telephone, through a virtual meeting or in person. Please let me know which option you prefer, and we can coordinate a suitable date and time.
Additionally, could you please provide copies of any communications you have had with the agency regarding this incident? These materials will help support a thorough review of the matter.
Thank you,