Volunteer Ottawa strongly supports the recognition, by the Ottawa Police Services Board, of the significant role played by volunteers during the pandemic. On Monday, October 26, 2020 a motion introduced by Chair Diane Deans calling for the waiving of fees for all background checks for volunteers for the duration of the COVID pandemic was approved.

Volunteer Ottawa opposed the implementation of the fee structure last fall arguing that it would be a barrier to participation particularly by groups such as seniors, students and those with limited incomes.

With the pandemic, Volunteer Ottawa launched a comprehensive action plan focusing on a centralized online volunteer recruitment and deployment platform to respond to needs specific to Covid-19. As part of this strategy, VO formally asked the Police Services Board, in April, to waive fees for volunteers during the pandemic. This request was rejected by the Board at that time.

Over the past number of months the importance of volunteers in ensuring that the needs of the most vulnerable are met has become more and more apparent. In introducing the motion, Chair Diane Deans stated that “the Ottawa Police Services Board does not want to be a barrier for this essential work”.

This decision will have a significant impact on all not for profit organizations who rely on volunteers.

For a list of volunteer opportunities available during COVID, or to learn more about the services Volunteer Ottawa provides, visit https://www.volunteerottawa.ca/.