The Catholic Centre for Immigrants – Ottawa (CCI Ottawa) is a community-based settlement agency located at 219 Argyle Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario. Since 1954 it has been welcoming immigrants and refugees, supporting them with integration into Canadian society and specifically into the Ottawa region.

Services offered

Settlement and integration: CCI Ottawa helps newcomers (permanent residents, refugee claimants, temporary workers, international students) navigate life in Canada. Support includes settlement counselling, needs assessment, referrals, and orientation.
Language and community connection: Conversation circles, multilingual services in both official languages (English & French) and many additional languages ensure linguistic access.
Employment and housing support: The agency assists with job search, skill matching, and housing search, including partnerships for temporary accommodation for refugee cases.
Sponsorship and pastoral programs: CCI Ottawa operates sponsorship agreements (including faith-based parish sponsorship) and pastoral supports linking newcomers to faith communities.
Youth and community programs: For ages 14-29 there are social, recreational and mentoring activities to foster community connections and life-skills development.

Strengths

Depth of experience: Operating since 1954, the agency has long-standing institutional relationships and a strong presence in the Ottawa newcomer settlement sector.
Multilingual and inclusive: It explicitly commits to providing services regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender identity or ability, and offers multilingual programmes.
Holistic support: Beyond settlement orientation, the agency offers housing, employment, community and youth supports, addressing a range of newcomer needs.
Local anchoring: Located in Ottawa, the agency knows the local labour market, housing context and community network—beneficial when compared to national-only services.

Considerations

Geography: The services are primarily centred in the city of Ottawa and the surrounding region. Newcomers outside this area may need to seek other local agencies.
Service scope vs. specialization: While broad in support, some highly specialized requirements (e.g., regulated-profession licensing, advanced credential upgrading) may need referral to partner agencies.
Demand and eligibility: As with many settlement agencies, certain programmes may have eligibility criteria (status, residence time, funding stream) and may require booking or wait-lists; newcomers should check conditions ahead.

Who will benefit most

New immigrants, refugees and their families settling in Ottawa or its vicinity who:

seek a first point of settlement advice and referral,
prefer multilingual access and community-based support,
are looking for help with housing, employment, language and community link-ups,
may also benefit from youth and sponsorship programmes if in their age-group or through faith-based ties.

Final overview

CCI Ottawa stands out as a reliable settlement partner in Ottawa, offering informed guidance, multilingual services and community-centred programmes. It acts as an important first step for newcomers seeking structured support in beginning their integration journey – though those requiring very niche or province-wide regulated-profession support should plan for follow-up with specialized agencies.