Our Livable Solutions

06/05/2026

📣 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬. 📣

The current site of Providence Manor at 275 Sydenham Street has a future—and we’re excited to introduce 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬. 💜

The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul will transfer ownership of the property to Providence Care, paving the way for a new community-focused housing and care space rooted in their legacy.

After more than 160 years as a place of compassion and connection, this next chapter ensures that legacy continues in a meaningful way.

As Providence Manor prepares to move to Providence Village in late 2027, the original site will be repurposed to support our community through:

✨ Mixed-use housing, including market-rate, affordable and supportive options
✨ A focus on vulnerable women and women-led families
✨ Spaces that foster belonging, healing, connection, learning and creativity

“This is a shared commitment to care for our community,” says Cathy Szabo, President & CEO of Providence Care. “Providence Commons will carry forward a legacy of compassion while responding to real and urgent needs in our city.”

We’re excited to embark on this next chapter!

🔗 Learn more: https://providencecare.ca/?page_id=138369&preview=true

05/28/2026

We’re looking forward to spending an evening with the amazing women in Shout Sister Choir!

05/28/2026

OLS is happy to do our part to help strengthen our community! We were excited to see so many enthusiastic participants at this first aid training event!

Funding for Elizabeth Fry Kingston's first aid training event was generously provided through OLS's partnership with St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Kingston, ON! Thank you to St Mark's and PUSH for Life - First Aid & Wellbeing Training for joining OLS's mission to provide first aid training opportunities this year to 100 people in need of housing, and to those who support them on the front lines.

If your organization would like to host a first aid training event, please reach out! [email protected]

05/15/2026

At Our Livable Solutions, we believe there’s no such thing as “voiceless.” Too often, people are overlooked, excluded, or spoken to instead of with.

OLS integrates people with lived and living experience into everything we do, not as an afterthought, but as a foundation. When we take the responsibility to listen seriously, solutions are shaped by real experiences, ensuring they reflect the actual needs of those seeking housing.

When voices are centred and genuinely heard, solutions become stronger, more human, and more effective.

05/12/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended Our Livable Solutions’ Meshcore community meeting last night!

We were excited to share ideas about building a community-powered communications network in Kingston that could help connect people without homes to support teams, community resources, each other, and the broader community - even without WiFi or cellular service.

The conversation highlighted the incredible potential of community collaboration, emerging technology, and local action to strengthen connection, safety, and emergency preparedness in Kingston.

If you missed the meeting, or would like to revisit the discussion, we encourage you to watch the recorded video and learn more about the initiative.

There are many ways to help:
• Volunteer
• Host repeater locations
• Donate used Bluetooth-capable devices
• Support outreach and education
• Help grow the network

Together, we can help build a stronger, more connected Kingston, and be part of the solution.

Our Livable Solutions recently hosted a public community meeting about launching a Meshcore communications network in Kingston, Ontario.This initiative explo...

05/10/2026

We have a good problem! OLS's Hiring Committee has been overwhelmed with applications! We're going to close applications Monday May 11th at 9am, in case you were planning on sending one in.

Join our team and be part of the Solution!

Thanks to a generous grant from Community Foundation for Kingston & Area, OLS is hiring a Living Solutions Coordinator!

Information about the position and how to apply can be found here: https://www.ourlivable.solutions/about-ols/hiring

Don't dilly dally submitting your application, our AED needs a vacation! We're looking to fill this position right away!

05/09/2026

Supporting people exiting homelessness can be exhausting work. But, moments like this, where someone who has allowed OLS to walk with them, finds their footing and shines, makes us forget about all the hard days. Congratulations Jan! Another phenomenal thought provoking article:

https://open.substack.com/pub/thekingstoncrow/p/the-day-the-social-contract-got-broken?r=36wpk4&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

!

Yesterday's 'unnecessary expenses' are left out in the cold today

05/09/2026

Thank you SOCKS Kingston for all the great work you do keeping people's feet warm and dry!

In just two weeks, we’ve collected approximately 400 pairs of new socks thanks to the generosity of Royal Canadian Legion 560 Kingston Ontario, WOW Wonderful Women Choir and an individual donation dropped off at the Cataraqui Centre Guest Services. All these have been distributed to Our Livable Solutions, Feed the People Kingston, and Homes for Heroes Kingston. Once again, we are out of socks and still getting requests. Please help if you can 🧦💕🧦