![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Courtney-Mellor-1024x768.png\")
Courtney Mellor,<\/p>\nBy Ijeoma Ukazu, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter<\/p>\n
Jointly organized by the Ottawa Public Library, the City of Ottawa\u2019s Community and Social Services Department, and Ottawa Public Health, the resource fair was held at the Emerald Plaza, Centennial, and Rideau branches of the Ottawa Public Library as part of the citywide Welcoming Ottawa Week celebrations.<\/p>\n
The initiative connected residents, particularly newcomers, with essential services, community organizations, and library programs designed to help them settle successfully into life in Canada\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n
The resource fair was part of the 12th annual Welcoming Ottawa Week, an eight-day initiative coordinated by the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP). This year\u2019s celebration featured approximately 50 events across the city aimed at helping newcomers build connections and feel at home.<\/p>\n
At the June 25 resource fair held at the Emerald Plaza branch, organizers and community partners emphasized that helping newcomers feel welcome begins with ensuring they know where to find support and opportunities to connect.<\/p>\n
Courtney Mellor, Community Development Coordinator at the Ottawa Public Library, said the event reflected a shared commitment to ensuring newcomers know they have a place in Ottawa from the moment they arrive.<\/p>\n
Courtney Mellor,<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year OLIP organizes Welcoming Ottawa Week, and the whole idea is to welcome newcomers across Ottawa,\u201d Mellor said. \u201cWhen I heard they wanted to do something with the library, I thought it would be wonderful to work with our city partners at Ottawa Public Health and Community and Social Services to create a resource fair.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the event created opportunities for residents to speak directly with community organizations while learning about the many services available beyond the library\u2019s shelves.<\/p>\n
Mellor said one of the fair\u2019s primary goals was to challenge the common perception that libraries exist solely for borrowing books.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted newcomers to know that we are more than just books,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are a third space where people can come anytime. We\u2019re open; we have air conditioning. They can relax, read, use computers, and even borrow Chromebooks for up to 90 days free of charge.\u201d<\/p>\n
She described obtaining a library card as one of the first meaningful steps toward becoming part of the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes, for somebody who\u2019s brand new to Canada, getting a library card is a very important step toward feeling like you\u2019re part of the community and civic life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The library also used the event to introduce visitors to its free English and French conversation circles, children\u2019s programs, teen activities, and the annual Summer Reading Club.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want people to know they\u2019re welcome to come in, practice their English or French, and get to know people in their neighbourhood,\u201d Mellor said.<\/p>\n
Claudie Berub\u00e9-Lavoie, a community development worker with the City of Ottawa\u2019s Community and Social Services Department, said the partnership built on similar newcomer-focused initiatives held during previous Welcoming Ottawa Week celebrations.<\/p>\n
Working closely in the Parkwood Hills neighbourhood, Berub\u00e9-Lavoie said the area is home to many newcomers and students, making it an ideal location to introduce residents to nearby community supports.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many organizations doing fantastic work, but not everyone knows they exist,\u201d she said. \u201cThe goal is to connect people directly to services they might benefit from.\u201d<\/p>\n
She noted that many services are located only a short distance from where residents live, including after-school programs, family supports, community health centres, and recreation opportunities.<\/p>\n
For Berub\u00e9-Lavoie, success meant ensuring residents left the fair knowing where to turn for support and feeling more connected to their community.<\/p>\n
Health information also featured prominently throughout the event.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Heidi-Mostafa-1024x768.png\")
Heidi Mostafa.<\/p>\n
Heidi Mostafa, a community engagement worker with Ottawa Public Health, said participating in Welcoming Ottawa Week allows public health professionals to meet residents in a familiar and welcoming environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to meet people where they are,\u201d Mostafa said. \u201cPeople come to the library because it feels like home. That gives us a chance to have conversations, answer questions, and connect them with services.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mostafa, who works closely with Arabic-speaking residents and newcomers, said culturally responsive outreach plays a vital role in ensuring important information reaches diverse communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019re from the community, people feel comfortable approaching you,\u201d she said. \u201cLanguage makes a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
She explained that Ottawa Public Health provides translated resources, including Arabic-language WhatsApp and Facebook groups that share information about local programs, health services, and city events.<\/p>\n
Among the most common questions newcomers ask, she said, are how to find a family doctor and what healthcare options are available while they wait to be connected to one.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe teach newcomers how to register and what services are available while they\u2019re waiting,\u201d Mostafa said. \u201cMany community health centres now offer clinics and screening programs that people can access without a family doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also highlighted the importance of preventive health care, particularly encouraging residents to participate in cancer screening programs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is still a lot of stigma around cancer screening,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople think if they get screened, they\u2019ll find out they\u2019re sick. We want them to understand that screening protects their health. It\u2019s about prevention.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Ijeoma Ukazu, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Jointly organized by the Ottawa Public Library, the City of Ottawa\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":783103,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194295],"tags":[49,48,20739],"class_list":["post-783102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ottawa","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-ottawa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/783102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=783102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/783102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/783103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=783102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=783102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=783102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}